Heaven Hill 10 yo

Heaven Hill 10 yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Pale red gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, coca cola, cookie dough, raisins, strawberries.
Mouthfeel: Light body, quite loose, static.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberries, coca cola, bananas, hints of chocolate, hints of black tea.
Finish: Short. Sweet, caramel, coca cola.

Comments:

Slightly medicinal, which is good for this, because it brings to mind coca cola, and maybe black tea. Very sweet, with great notes of strawberries and something milky which could be chocolate, or maybe chocolate chip cookies. Tasty, but a little weak. Somehow though, I think this wouldn't be as good at a higher strength.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fighting Cock 6 yo

Fighting Cock 6 yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, grilled meat, pear, ginseng, raisins, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, thickens slightly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Pear, grilled meat, bitter gourd, orange peel, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Bitter, oak, pear.

Comments:

Now this is real bourbon! It's even got a great redneck name... but, more importantly, excellent meaty, slightly bitter notes that complement the sweet fruity bourbon flavours (from the rye in the mash, perhaps?). And bottled at a good strength too. Seriously good whisk(e)y.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 10.62 (Bunnahabhain 11 yo 1997/2008)

SMWS 10.62 (Bunnahabhain 11 yo 1997/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Straw
56.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, smoke, peat, fried fish, tyre rubber, peanuts, hints of bay leaves.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thickens rapidly.
Tasting: Bitter. Peanuts, coal smoke, peat, tyre rubber, fried fish, honey, hints of apple, hints of pear. With water, becomes sweeter, more honey and fruity notes.
Finish: Long. Coal smoke, crab meat, grilled beef.

Comments:

Very thick and peaty for what the official bottlings paint as a lighter Islay. Very savoury too, although it doesn't translate into salt. Water dilutes the savoury notes and brings out more honey and raisins. Nice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 28.20 (Tullibardine 19 yo 1989/2008)

SMWS 28.20 (Tullibardine 19 yo 1989/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Central Highlands
White wine
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, peanuts, walnut skins, lemons, hints of banana.
Mouthfeel: Light body, initially loose, thickens.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Hazelnuts, peanuts, bitter gourd, grass, hay.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, walnut skins, bitter gourd.

Comments:

Bitter and grassy, and quite interesting for all that. Not sweet enough I suppose, or peaty enough, just with a lingering undercurrent of bitter gourd. I don't mind a sniff or a hint, but it runs through the mouth and into the finish...

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 36.40 (Benrinnes 8 yo 1999/2008)

SMWS 36.40 (Benrinnes 8 yo 1999/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear, ginger, lemon sweets, brass polish, butter, magic marker, hints of vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, quite static, warm.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Vanilla, ginger, lemon sweets, cherry, butter, magic marker. With water, more peanuts, saltier, less lemon.
Finish: Medium. Warm, peanuts, vanilla, ginger.

Comments:

Very strong, with the usual characteristics of strong whiskies - butter, pear, magic marker. I like the sudden appearance of salt and peanuts with water, changes the character of the whisky just a little in the right direction.

Verdict:

I like this.

Inchgower 14 yo

Inchgower 14 yo

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marshmallows, raisins, glace cherries, dried orange peel, apricots, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, quickly turns syrupy, oxalic, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Orange peel, apricots, vanilla, marshmallows, hints of leather, hints of lemon.
Finish: Short. Orange peel, lemon, walnut skins.

Comments:

Quite a lot going on here for such a low strength. I quite enjoyed this, although the finish was a little short and anaemic. Not bad at all, I only wish this was bottled stronger.

Verdict:

I like this.

Elijah Craig 12 yo

Elijah Craig 12 yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Red amber
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, cherry, corn bread, vanilla, melon, hints of mint.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, vanilla, black tea, cherry, oak, hints of leather.
Finish: Short. Black tea, vanilla, apricot.

Comments:

Quite delicious! Usual banana and corn bread notes, but hedged all around with cherry, some leathery, almost peaty flavours, and strong black tea. Not bad at all.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 93.33 (Glen Scotia 16 yo 1992/2008)

SMWS 93.33 (Glen Scotia 16 yo 1992/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Campbeltown
Pale amber
64.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear, magic marker, pine, sea salt, hints of salt fish, hints of apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Black tea, pine, apples, pears, sour plums, salt fish, hints of black pepper.
Finish: Long. Butter, black tea, salt fish, sour plums.

Comments:

Not a little fishy! But the salty savoury fish goes well with black tea and pine. Very Russian, in a way. There's a fair amount of fruit as well, and the whole is surprisingly sweet. Not unpleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 33.70 (Ardbeg 10 yo 1998/2008)

SMWS 33.70 (Ardbeg 10 yo 1998/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Amber gold
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, pear, smoke, hazelnut, tobacco leaf, raisins, hints of grape.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens quickly, warm, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, pear, butter, demerara sugar, raisins, toffee, sherry.
Finish: Long. Spicy, beetroot, toffee, honey, chillies, smoke.

Comments:

Quite sweet for an Islay whisky - something I wasn't expecting. Interesting flavours wreathed in peat and smoke, with great pear and beetroot notes, and even sherry punching through the usual Ardbeggy ruggedness. Captivating.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 73.33 (Aultmore 10 yo 1997/2008)

SMWS 73.33 (Aultmore 10 yo 1997/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, lemons, sea salt, olive oil, plums, hints of chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, velvety, thickens in the mouth. With water, turns even more thick and velvety (very surprising!).
Tasting: Salty sour. Lemons, olive oil, menthol, sea salt, chocolate, hints of plum. With water, sweeter, more orange peel and marmalade than lemon.
Finish: Long. Coconut, olive oil, hazelnuts, plums.

Comments:

Takes water very well, which is a little atypical of the SMWS whiskies. Nice and fruity with water, without, it's a little savoury and minty. I could drink this one all day, slightly diluted. Very tasty indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 64.17 (Mannochmore 16 yo 1992/2008)

SMWS 64.17 (Mannochmore 16 yo 1992/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cedar, watermelon, butternut squash, strawberries, grapes, lemon sweets.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, volatile, loosens in the mouth.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemon sweets, watermelon, vanilla, macadamia, hints of cedar.
Finish: Long. Honey, cedar, watermelon.

Comments:

Quite refreshing, at least the watermelon bit. Very different from the last Mannochmore, which was peated to some extent. This one is fragrant and fruity, a little perfumy, in fact. Enjoyable, as a dram to start the evening.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden yellow
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cake, butter, cherries, rum and raisin, marmalade, glace fruits.
Mouthfeel: Light body, metallic, thickens quickly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Brass polish, rum and raisin, cake, cinnamon, hints of honey.
Finish: Medium. Honey, marmalade, rum and raisin.

Comments:

Very pleasant. I like the rum and raisin notes - they come out very clearly, along with lots of other tasty sweet things. Not very complex, but a tasty way to start an evening of dramming.

Verdict:

I like this.