Arran Single Malt Cote-Rotie Finish

Arran Single Malt Cote-Rotie Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, fresh baked bread, chocolate, black tea, vanilla, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, loosens, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, fresh baked bread, red wine, raisins, hints of pears. 
Finish: Long. Red grapes, coffee, vanilla, fresh baked bread, black tea. 

Comments: 

Perhaps I didn't do this whisky justice. This was the seventh (I think) dram in a long tasting session with some intense whiskies. This cut through all that though, sweet and winey, with more-ish cereal notes. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendronach 22yo 1990/2013

Glendronach 22yo 1990/2013

Special Bottling, Silver Seal
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
52.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Balsamic vinegar, caramelised onions, red grapes, breadcrumbs, ink, hints of red wine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, mouth coating, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Balsamic vinegar, caramelised onions, fried bread, red grapes, orange peel, tomatoes, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, red grapes, black tea, vanilla. 

Comments: 

I've been chasing this whisky for quite a long time, only to discover it behind the first row of bottles in the best whisky bar I've ever been to. It's unusual and delicious, redolent of fried onions finished in balsamic vinegar, sweet and savoury, with a conventional finish. Lovely and brilliant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength Batch 001

Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength Batch 001

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Amber
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, brass polish, raisins, leather, sea salt, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, applesauce, red grapes, fresh cut grapes, tarragon, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Long. Peat, leather, blueberry jam, red grapes, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

This is bold and salty, plenty of light fruity notes, with an alluring and unusual note of tarragon on the tongue. Very bold finish too, there's definitely some wine in this. Delicious whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Single Malt Batch 4

Dingle Single Malt Batch 4

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Pink
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange zest, leather, pear drops, red grapes, nutmeg, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, oily, loosens slightly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Brown paper, nutmeg, sea salt, red grapes, orange zest, preserved plums, hints of damson jam. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, orange zest, raisins, red grapes. 

Comments: 

Matured in a combination of bourbon, port and sherry casks. There's definitely a lot of cask influence here, sweet and fruity, nice oily mouthfeel, with some bitter damson in the finish. What's the spirit like? Well, hard to say. Perhaps it's slightly savoury. Anyhow, it's quite tasty.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glencadam 18yo

Glencadam 18yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Watermelons, barley sugar, lemon zest, honey, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Watermelons, barley sugar, nutmeg, sea salt, hints of milk. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, raisins, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Beautiful unusual notes of watermelon and nutmeg. Allied with slightly savoury notes around the edges, this makes for a delicious and refreshing dram. About the only flaw is that the finish is somewhat uncomplicated. 18 years old is a magic number for whisky, where it suddenly turns from nice to delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Gelstons 12yo Rum Cask

Gelstons 12yo Rum Cask

Gelstons
Single malt - Northern Ireland
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ginger, cardboard, apple juice, lemons, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Gingerbread, raisins, lemon zest, honey, hints of photocopy paper. 
Finish: Short. Ginger, raisins, lemon juice, apples. 

Comments: 

A light, uncomplicated dram. Some ginger, maybe shading to toasty gingerbread, but also a lot of wet cardboard and paper. One dimensional, not too pleasant, and definitely not a dram to follow two others. I believe the spirit is sourced from Bushmills, unless I misread the clues on the website.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Teaninich 18yo 1999/2018

Teaninich 18yo 1999/2018

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - North Highlands
Sunshine
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, vanilla, custard, honeydew melons, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honeydew melons, bananas, honey, lemon zest, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, honey, lemons, hints of toffee. 

Comments: 

DL Cask 12675. A floral, summery, light dram. It's quite gentle, almost fragile in its flavour profile. Water kills it, even a little lingering taste in the mouth from something else might ruin it. It's best to drink this one neat, and with a fresh palate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bronze
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, blueberry jam, orange peel, peanuts, nashi pears, toffee, hints of toast, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, camphor, black tea, honey, orange peel, hints of peat. 
Finish: Short. Nashi pears, peanuts, leather, lemons. 

Comments: 

There's some quite old whisky in this, maybe even 30 year old stuff, or I'm no judge. Well, perhaps I'm not at that - but this stuff is brilliant. Herbal and fruity, some smoke, leathery notes that might be old bottle effect, it's marvellous.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Laphroaig 28yo

Laphroaig 28yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber
44.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, bacon, autumn leaves, blueberry preserves, dried apples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Dried apples, bacon, orange peel, blueberry preserves, smoke, peat, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Peat, fresh baked bread, orange peel, chocolate, smoke. 

Comments: 

The oldest Laphroaig I've ever had, I think. It's wholesome, smoky and earthy, like eating a bacon sandwich, chargrilled over a driftwood fire, with a large blob of blueberry jam on the side. Amazing, it's a pretty price but worth every penny.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mackmyra Appelblom

Mackmyra Appelblom

Official bottling
Single malt - Gastrikland
Golden
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, pine needles, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, slightly sticky, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, dried apples, lemon zest, pine needles, raisins, honeycomb. 
Finish: Long. Apple juice, raisins, lemon zest, honeycomb, hints of gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Mackmyra's herbal, tangy spirit, finished in calvados casks. It shows - it's tremendously appley, and there are lots of sweet, fruity notes. The herbal character shows through, in this case as pine notes. A very enjoyable and successful experiment.

Verdict:

I like this.