Cragganmore 12 yo

Cragganmore 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Mini

Nose: Chocolate, walnuts, malty beer, iodine, hints of apples, hints of raisins, hints of oak.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thin, quite watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peat, apples, glace cherries, leather, coffee, hints of metal polish, hints of smoke.
Finish: Long. Pineapples, spicy.

Comments:

Interesting Speyside. There's a lot going on in the whisky, but I can't help thinking that the flagship official bottling is under strength. I like the coffee notes in the mouth (as well as the metal polish... what does that say about my palate?), they go quite well with the fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardbeg Serendipity

Ardbeg Serendipity

Glenmorangie plc
Vatted malt - Ardbeg, Glen Moray
White wine
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, oranges, apples, sherry, pears, lemons, hints of lemon.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, a little watery around the edges.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, peanut skins, spiced apple, tonic water, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Butter, clotted cream, smoke.

Comments:

Apparently the result of a fortuitous accident. Workers dumped a quantity of old (20-30 yo)Ardbeg into a vat already containing some Glen Moray 12 yo. Someone tasted the result (20% Glen Moray, 80% Ardbeg) and here we are. A good combination of smoke and sweet stuff. I particularly love the buttery, creamy finish - it lasts for ages.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Balvenie 21 yo PortWood

Balvenie 21 yo PortWood

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricots, strawberry jam, prunes, marmalade, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, static.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Apples, apricot jam, raisin bread, vanilla, hints of peat, hints of leather.
Finish: Medium. Butterscotch, apricots.

Comments:

Port pipes seem to take away the Balvenie orange, replacing it with something more aged - the marmalade I suppose - and apples too. Great mouth feel, slightly salty is great, but a little too weak I think. Wish this had been bottled at a higher strength.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapa 23 yo 1978/2001

Scapa 23 yo 1978/2001

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islands (Orkney)
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Big prickle of alcohol, surprising at 50%. Lettuce, malty beer, sweet sherry, papaya, cherries, hints of grapefruit.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, a little syrupy, static.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Tangy, candied pineapple, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, apricots, cherries.
Finish: Long. Warm, spicy, pineapples and cherries.

Comments:

Lovely old Scapa, born in the same year I was. 1978 whiskies are good. Perfect drinking strength, just like the other OMCs. This one is quite rare - the Scapa 14 yo (1993/2008) and Scapa 25 yo (1975/2001) are more popular. One of 612 bottles, not sure what kind of cask this is, but probably sherry.

Verdict:

I like this.

Balblair 40 yo 1965/2007

Balblair 40 yo 1965/2007

Anniversary Selection (Single Malts of Scotland), Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - North Highlands
Mahogany
47.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, sherry, glace cherries, walnuts, fruitcake, hints of house dust.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, slightly viscous.
Tasting: Sweet. Orange peel, honey, apricots, prunes, hints of peach, hints of brown paper.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, melon, chilli.

Comments:

This tastes old. Like something which has lain forgotten in the attic for years - it actually tastes dusty and wrapped in brown paper. Great, great fruit in it though, I started salivating once I got a close look at the colour, and I wasn't disappointed. Surprising little spicy kick in the finish too. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2007

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2007

Old Bothwell
Single malt - Islay
White wine
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, sweet cherries, vanilla, clotted cream, hints of peanuts.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, smooth, silky.
Tasting: Sweet. Smoke, peach, lemongrass, custard, sweet cherries, tobacco.
Finish: Long. Citrus tang, smoke, hints of peat.

Comments:

Cask 2471 (sherry). I think this would have been the same whisky as the Old Malt Cask bottling tasted a while back, but for the sherry cask. Great peach and sherry notes, with something citrusy and tangy lurking in the finish and in the background. Nicely spiced, smoky offering, thumbs up all the way.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Lagavulin 12 yo 1991/2004 Cask Strength

Lagavulin 12 yo 1991/2004 Cask Strength

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
White wine
58.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, smoke, shisha tobacco, strawberry, ammonia.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thick, unctuous.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Smoke, peat, orange peel, spiced barley, preserved lemons, vanilla, custard.
Finish: Long. Smoke, vanilla.

Comments:

Wow. Lots going on here - I particularly like the shisha tobacco in the nose and the vanilla threading its way throughout the whisky. It makes the raw smoke a little less aggressive and more comfortable. Nice strength too, great when slightly diluted. There are 6 or 7 releases of this expression (I think this one is the 4th, and the strongest).

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Port Ellen 20 yo 1982/2003

Port Ellen 20 yo 1982/2003

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islay
Green gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, sweet heather, salted fish, tobacco leaf, pistachio, sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, silky.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Vanilla, tobacco, lemongrass, thyme, iodine, hints of caramel.
Finish: Short. Leather, hints of cherries.

Comments:

Very interesting colour indeed - very Australian. Port Ellen whisky is often described as slipper-and-kipper. I think I get it now; the salted fish and leather is quite clear here. Very good indeed, great combination of savoury and sweet, in the proportions that I like.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Balblair 1997 9 yo (1997/2007)

Balblair 1997 9 yo (1997/2007)

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Overripe fruits, apricots, boiled lemon sweets, hints of leather, pineapple.
Mouthfeel: Thin, light body, slightly gritty.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Beefsteak tomatoes, hints of fresh lettuce, pineapple, lemons, limes, floral notes.
Finish: Long. Jasmine, slightly salty.

Comments:

Young, fruity and floral. Very floral actually, makes for a nice change from fruit and peat. Great finish, like a good jasmine tea. Balblair moved recently from making whiskies with age statements to whiskies with vintages - guess this allows them to increase prices and creates some scarcity value once the vintage runs out.

Verdict:

I like this.

Talisker 20 yo 1982/2003

Talisker 20 yo 1982/2003

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands, Skye
Light orange gold
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, apples, cream, peat, smoke, white pepper.
Mouthfeel:Medium body, thick, hot, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Marmalade, condensed milk, ginger, spiced apples, pepper, candied winter melon, a hint of peat.
Finish: Medium. Brown paper, quinine, hints of rose, hints of melon.

Comments:

Wow. Lots going on in this whisky, almost too much for me. Fruity and creamy, married to bitter, slightly peaty notes. Very good, and I like the strength too. A little water kills the fruity subtleties, so it's meant to be drunk strong. Nice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength

Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Light amber
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, green beans, vanilla, green apple.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, thin, smooth.
Tasting: Sour bitter. Lemons, balsamic vinegar, wood smoke, peat, malty beer, hint of oak.
Finish: Medium. Cayenne pepper, tonic water.

Comments:

Hmm - cask strength, yet curiously lighter than the normal 10 yo. Lots more going on - much more fruity and estery at this strength. Less salty too. The finish is the same though. I like the nose the best, more interesting than at the weaker strength.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dailuane 16 yo Flora & Fauna

Dailuaine 16 yo Flora & Fauna

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Biscuits, malt, cotton candy, bubble gum, rose, raspberry, burnt toast, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Sherry, toffee, steamed milk, raspberries, panettone, glace cherries.
Finish: Medium. Lemons, peanuts.

Comments:

Lots going on here. I actually thought that they had confused this bottle for the bottle of Clynelish sitting next to it. There's a big hit of toastiness that very much resembles Clynelish. It has a breadiness that Clynelish doesn't quite have though - that, and the milky toffee in the taste.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aberlour a'bunadh Batch #22

Aberlour a'bunadh Batch #22

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
59.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red wine, cream, orange peel, blueberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, thickens in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet. Sherry, lemons, crème anglaise, vanilla, white grapes, condensed milk, hints of rose.
Finish: Medium. Raisins, oats, something metallic.

Comments:

Lovely - real sherry monster! And the high strength makes it all the more worthwhile. Great use of sherry casks to create something so complex. Best sherried whisky I've had so far - must try the earlier batches.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Caol Ila Cask Strength NAS

Caol Ila Cask Strength NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
White wine
59.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, hint of peat, apples, sea salt, vanilla, custard, hints of liquorice.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, smooth, a little oily.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Smoke, lemons, pears, grapefruit juice, hints of tonic water.
Finish: Long. Salty, musky, peat.

Comments:

Oof, this is strong. A little water makes it more bearable, brings out some more fruit. No age statement, but it tastes quite young - not much wood influence yet. Some bitter quinine notes in the taste (not encountered this much).

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Garioch 21 yo

Glen Garioch 21 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, coffee, oak, white grapes, hints of chocolate, hints of white pepper.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thin, watery.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Peat, sweet apples, prunes, hints of cinnamon, smoked ham, raisins.
Finish: Medium. Astringent, pears, plums.

Comments:

Big disconnect between the airy light mouthfeel and the complex, savoury, meaty flavour notes! I like the slightly fermented taste, and there's a funny interesting peppery kick in the nose too. Lots going on here. Glen Garioch whiskies are quite light - could almost be Lowlanders.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Blair Athol 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Blair Athol 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemongrass, fruitcake, cherries, coconut, plums, cloves.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, unctuous.
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, raisins, cherry brandy, apples, custard, hints of vanilla, hints of leather.
Finish: Short. Spicy, cayenne pepper, hints of vanilla.

Comments:

Interesting nose - I've never tasted or smelt lemongrass in whisky before. There are odd counterpoints in this whisky - lemongrass, leather, cayenne pepper in the finish - that on the surface don't go with the rest of the sweet creamy notes. Somehow the whole thing works quite well though.

Verdict:

I like this.

Auchentoshan 10 yo

Auchentoshan 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Cool mint, grassy, hay, daisies, prunes, lemon, beer, hints of leather.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thin, a little watery.
Tasting: Sour bitter. Cream, milk, key limes, green apples, fresh cut grass.
Finish: Medium. Mint, quince, citrus.

Comments:

Auchentoshan is the only remaining Lowlands distillery (Scottish distillery?) that practices triple distillation as opposed to double distillation. This expression, previously the flagship official bottling, has now been discontinued and replaced with a no-age statement expression and a 12 yo. Shame really - this one is fruity, minty and light, quite enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.