Glendullan 10yo 2010/2020

Glendullan 10yo 2010/2020

Whisky Broker
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, malted grains, barley sugar, quinces, fresh cut grass, sage, hints of fennel. With water, honey, lemon sweets, coffee.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, honey, barley sugar, lemon zest, quinces, fresh baked bread, hints of walnuts. With water, coffee, lemon zest, oats, fresh baked bread.
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, fresh baked bread, sage, quinces, walnuts. 

Comments: 

Cask 46. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a Glendullan, and I’ve never had a whisky from this bottler. It’s a good start / restart - the whisky is fresh and bright, with good mouthfeel and lots of fruit and cereal notes. There is also a nice herbal undertone, creating good complexity.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caledonian 33yo 1982/2016

Caledonian 33yo 1982/2016

Single Cask Series, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden yellow
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, corn syrup, orange peel, fennel, caramel, hints of aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla, fresh baked bread, orange peel, honeycomb, orange juice. 
Finish: Long. Corn syrup, orange peel, rye, vanilla, pear drops, hints of fennel. 

Comments: 

Cask 1254. Old grain whisky, as usual tends to taste fresher and brighter than malt of an equivalent age. This one has a great deal of cereal notes, with sweeter, aromatic fruit and some fennel tops. Lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

New Zealand Double Wood Small Batch 18yo (TWE Exclusive)

New Zealand Double Wood Small Batch 18yo (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Otago
Red, tinge of amber
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Creamed coconut, vanilla, raisins, raspberry jam, pruneaux, grape soda, cinnamon, hints of orange peel. With water, pear drops, damson jam, grapes soda. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Cinnamon, cloves, fresh baked bread, creamed coconut, raisins, dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream, hints of grape soda. With water, raisins, candied orange peel, damson jam. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, raisins, cloves, dark chocolate, grape soda, vanilla ice cream.  

Comments: 

Hugely complex dram, much more brandy like than its older sibling, also from TWE. It was quite aromatic, maybe tasting as if it had a little grain whisky in it (although the label says single malt). Excellent whisky to see the new year in with. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019

Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Germolene, peat, smoke, toffee, rye bread, butter, marmalade.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marmalade, toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, smoke, honey, leather. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, butterscotch, cinnamon, smoke, peat, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 750802. I’m not too familiar with peated Ardmore, but I enjoyed this dram. The peat is quite gentle of course, lightly layered over some sweet oaky butterscotch, but it’s very pleasant. A very well constructed dram, both sweet and smoky at the same time. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenflagler ‘All Malt’ NAS (bottled 1970s)

Glenflagler ‘All Malt’ NAS (bottled 1970s)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
White wine
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, white tea, croissants, cornflakes, peaches, hints of iron filings. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, malted grains, peppermint, peaches, iron filings, sour cream, leather, hints of walnuts.
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, sour cream, leather, malted grains. 

Comments: 

What a treat - Glenflagler is as unicorn as whiskies come. I’ve only ever found one other. Anyway, this one is surprisingly heavy and silky on the tongue, with gentle fruity flavours. There’s undoubtedly something metallic in it though, and some leathery, peaty stuff. Highly entertaining. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Garnheath 42yo Batch 1

Garnheath 42yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper
44.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Corn syrup, green tea, apple juice, orange peel, popcorn, marshmallows, vanilla.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thickens, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Brown paper, green tea, orange peel, shortcrust pastry, meringue, hints of oats, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. Brown paper, shortcrust pastry, popcorn, vanilla, hints of oats. 

Comments: 

I do have a theory that all spirits start to taste the same eventually. Age something long enough in wood, and it tastes wholly of the wood, and wood tastes more like other wood than like spirits. Not this one. It’s unmistakeably grain whisky, aged for a long time, but still bright and flavourful. It’s got a fair bit of wood, but in this case it brings complexity. Very enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Laphroaig 30yo 1989/2020 (The Ian Hunter Story Book 2)

Laphroaig 30yo 1989/2020 (The Ian Hunter Story Book 2)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber red 
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, smoke, olive oil, peat, peanuts, kiwifruit.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly astringent, loosens, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, leather, kiwifruit, smoke, peat, ginseng, germolene, hints of tar. 
Finish: Long. Leather, green walnuts, smoke, raisins. 

Comments: 

This is a heavily sherried Laphroaig, and there’s nothing else like it. Long, slow notes of fruit tangle with the usual smoke and leathery peat, with tarry, oily notes getting into the mix as well. Amazing whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Longrow 25yo 1994/2020

Longrow 25yo 1994/2020

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Campbeltown
Dark gold 
52.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Winter melon, peat, menthol, tobacco leaf, iodine, hints of membrillo. With water, sweeter, greengages, candle wax, apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slightly astringent, slightly warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Peat, tobacco leaf, membrillo, sea salt, apples, hints of smoke, hints of green pepper. With water, tobacco leaf, candle wax, apples, membrillo. 
Finish: Long. Winter melon, membrillo, apples, sea salt, hints of green pepper.  

Comments: 

Lovely, lovely Longrow! I’ve had way too much Springbank in comparison to whiskies from other distilleries, but I couldn’t pass this one up. Lots of fruity notes alongside the peat and smoke, with some really interesting winter melon. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla sponge, cinnamon, plums, carrot cake, honey, greengages. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, warm, static. 
Tasting:  Sour. Walnuts, cinnamon, greengages, plums, orange peel, hints of sun dried tomatoes. 
Finish: Medium. Greengages, plums, tobacco leaf, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Very light, Glen Grant is, although if you can get some of the stuff distilled in the 1960s and 1970s, it was peated, and tastes a bit like gunpowder. Yes it was glorious. The newer stuff is rather gentle and subtle, this one is no different. Lots of stone fruit, and spices. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 30yo 1989/2019

Mortlach 30yo 1989/2019

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Speyside 
Gold, tinge of red 
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemons, roast pork, white grapes, hints of gooseberries. With water, vanilla fudge, orange peel, hints of honey.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, oily, creamy.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, white tea, roast pork, menthol, fresh cut grass, gooseberries. With water, menthol, orange peel, dark chocolate, honey.  
Finish: Long. Lemons, menthol, daisies, fresh cut grass, hints of dark chocolate.  

Comments: 

Cask 13722. A meaty, herbal Mortlach, lots of menthol. Turns chocolatey with water, I almost preferred it neat. It was a funny one to go in with a fresh palate on, it was rather overwhelming. Still, a very lovely whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.