Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
54.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, dates, slate, pears, raisins, hints of fermented grain. With water, cream, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, thickens, hot.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemons, brown paper, honey, dates, raisins, hints of pears. With water, sweeter, cream, vanilla, hot milk.
Finish: Long. Brown paper, slate, walnut skins.

Comments:

Much easier on the tongue with water, turning creamy and milky. This bourbon has a lot of gentle subtle flavour elements in it, which are more obvious once the stronger esters have been diluted away.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wild Turkey 8 yo

Wild Turkey 8 yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Dark gold
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, bananas, oranges, pears, magic marker, brown paper, bread. With water, ink, slate, lots more magic marker.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Chillies, sourdough, pears, mint, oranges, hints of iodine. With water, sweeter, vanilla, slate, the hint of bitterness vanishes.
Finish: Short. Sourdough, oranges, bananas.

Comments:

Water brings out something harsh and minerally. It's not unpleasant, just more obstrusive and in-your-face. This is pretty good bourbon. Not easy sipping, but should go well with food.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenmorangie 18 yo

Glenmorangie 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Butter yellow
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coffee, chillies, black pepper, raisins, oranges, milk, hints of molasses.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slight watery around the edges.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Coffee, chillies, raisins, leather, milk, vanilla, hints of black pepper.
Finish: Long. Leather, coffee, vanilla, black pepper.

Comments:

Spicy and sweet, with a feisty peppery hit to the roof of the mouth. This is very spicy whisky, reminiscent of Hot Scotch sauce (Google it if you don't believe me!). Very good indeed, Glenmorangie hit the jackpot with this. Who would have thought that LVMH knew a thing or two about making whisky?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Dalmore Gran Reserva

Dalmore Gran Reserva

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Dark amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, vanilla, red wine, sherry, peanuts, raisins, winter melon, hints of lemons.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Red wine, vanilla, honey, leather, chocolate, coconut, toffee, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Long. Lemons, chocolate, raisins, winter melon.

Comments:

This is a dram I've wanted to taste properly for a long time. I've had it when out with friends, and in situations when it just seemed a little too rude to start tapping tasting notes into my phone. It's well worth the effort though - sweet and rich, with chocolatey warm sweet flavours. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Jack Daniel Single Barrel

Jack Daniel Single Barrel

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, cornflakes, corn syrup, lemon sweets, honey, hints of limes.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loosens.
Tasting: Sour. Honey, bananas, vanilla, corn syrup, limes, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Long. Chillies, limes, corn syrup.

Comments:

Too watery and light. It's less sweet than bourbon normally is, so if it were stronger it would be much more interesting and unusual. As it is, it's quite insipid, and it certainly feels less strong than 45%.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Bruichladdich 18 yo 2nd edition

Bruichladdich 18 yo 2nd edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Light gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, chillies, lemon sweets, butter, raisins, hints of hazelnuts .
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, cool, loosens.
Tasting: Bitter salty. Leather, peat, lemons, butter, raisins, honeydew melons, hints of hazelnuts.
Finish: Long. Leather, honey, raisins, honeydew melons.

Comments:

Finished in Jurancon wine casks. Salty on the tongue, but with a long raisin-sweet, Pedro Ximenez finish. I've never had Jurancon wine, but it must be pretty good. It was a bad idea to add water to this whisky, since it turns phenolic and chemical, but undiluted it's very nice indeed. Another great 18 yo whisky for my collection!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Arran Marsala Cask Finish NAS

Arran Marsala Cask Finish NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Dark bronze
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, vanilla, honey, red grapes, barley sugar, peanuts, hints of leather.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Red grapes, honey, peanuts, oranges, leather, hints of grass.
Finish: Medium. Oranges, honey, red grapes, leather.

Comments:

Sweet, leathery and nutty. There is some complexity in the spirit - leather (not quite peat) and some grass. I think the Marsala cask finish has obscured some of the detail. There are some very pleasant sweet notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardbeg 25 yo Lord of the Isles

Ardbeg 25 yo Lord of the Isles

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, peat, smoke, vanila, surgical spirit, roses, leather, hints of raisins, hints of red grapes.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loosens, like drinking a cloud.
Tasting: Bitter. Vanilla, honey, lemons, peat, smoke, raisins, hints of roses.
Finish: Medium. Peat, smoke, lemons, roses.

Comments:

Deliciously peaty and smoky. This is a very gentle Islay - the peat is so soft it's like smelling chamois leather. Lovely, lovely whisky, worth every penny. It's no longer available. A real privilege to drink.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 50.38 (Bladnoch 16 yo 1992/2009)

SMWS 50.38 (Bladnoch 16 yo 1992/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Lowlands
Pale gold
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, marshmallows, vanilla, plums, lemons, hints of raisins, hints of oak.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Marshmallows, plums, peaches, honey, vanilla, white grapes, hints of raspberry jam.
Finish: Long. Chillies, honey, lemons, aluminium foil.

Comments:

Light and refreshing, with a long drawn-out spicy finish. There's a metallic tang in the finish which is not unattractive. On reflection, I guess many Bladnochs have a hint of aluminium in the finish, like a spark, but it's quite obvious in this one.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dallas Dhu 25 yo 1971/1996

Dallas Dhu 25 yo 1971/1996

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Pineapples, honey, rhubarb crumble, peaches, lemon sweets, tablet, hints of apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Pineapples, peaches, photocopy paper, honey, apples, hints of lemons, hints of oranges.
Finish: Medium. Lemons, peaches, pineapples, photocopy paper.

Comments:

Laden with honeyed fruit. There's a slight hint of dusty paper that may be the result of over-aging, but it seems a shame to bring this up, given that the distillery is no longer around. The whisky is nearly flawless, and is a very decent post-meal sticky.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G2.1 (Carsebridge 16 yo 1989/2006)

SMWS G2.1 (Carsebridge 16 yo 1989/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single grain - Central Highlands
Light gold
65% ABV
Dram

Nose: Light body, thickens, turns to egg white. With water, sweeter, plums, hints of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, turns to egg white.
Tasting: Sour. Bananas, brown paper, limes, lemons, sour cherries, hints of violets. With water, plums, hints of peaches.
Finish: Short. Brown paper, limes, lemons, violets.

Comments:

Very tart, and doesn't smell like grain whisky at all (although it fits expectations better with a dribble or two of water). This is very strong whisky too, probably too strong neat. It's not often that whisky is bottled at too high a strength, but this one definitely is.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 82.18 (Glencadam 11 yo 1998/2009)

SMWS 82.18 (Glencadam 11 yo 1998/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - East Highlands
Orange amber
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rubber, burnt sugar, chocolate, blackcurrants, raisins, custard, vanilla, hints of orange peel. With water, red grapes, more blackcurrants.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Burnt sugar, custard, blackcurrants, raisins, vanilla, hints of burning paper. With water, red grapes, blackcurrant jam.
Finish: Long. Chillies, blackcurrants, raisins, burnt sugar.

Comments:

Hot and sweet. Lots of blackcurrants, like alcoholic ribena. I think the sherry cask has done its work a little too well, with the sweetness obscuring the more delicate notes. A very decent digestif, but too sweet on an empty stomach.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 121.28 (Arran 11 yo 1998/2009)

SMWS 121.28 (Arran 11 yo 1998/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Peach flesh
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, cream, peaches, raisins, cough mixture, tobacco leaf, hints of green apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns watery, loosens.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Tobacco leaf, green apples, cough mixture, peaches, cream, sea salt, hints of potatoes. With water, sweeter, cherries, peaches, raisins.
Finish: Medium. Tobacco leaf, lavender, raisins.

Comments:

Very herbal, like taking snuff. It's hardly smoky, and not and all peaty, but the tobacco influence is very strong, underpinning all the other sweeter, more perfumed notes. An unusually gentle Arran.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 104.12 (Glencraig 34 yo 1974/2009)

SMWS 104.12 (Glencraig 34 yo 1974/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, plums, apples, lemons, photocopy paper, sandalwood, hints of cedar.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loosens, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Plums, apples, sandalwood, cedar, photocopy paper, tobacco leaf, hints of raisins, hints of lemons.
Finish: Short. Cedar, plums, apples, lemons.

Comments:

Fragrant and perfumed, with a delicate incense-like flavour that is reminiscent of sandalwood. This whisky is classy and refined, with a gentle palate that is everything I have come to expect from Glen Craig. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenlivet 15 yo French Oak Reserve

Glenlivet 15 yo French Oak Reserve

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, oak, orange juice, strawberries, cream, hints of peaches.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, turns slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, strawberries, cookie dough, orange juice, vanilla, hints of leather.
Finish: Medium. Cream, cookie dough, orange juice, hints of leather.

Comments:

Very, very easy drinking. Smoothly slips down the throat. Lots of nice oaky sweet flavours, with just a little hint of peat to make it interesting. A nice, easily understood, comforting whisky, something uncomplicated to sit in front of the television with.

Verdict:

I like this.

Allt-a-Bhainne 16 yo 1985/2001

Allt-a-Bhainne 16 yo 1985/2001

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Silvery gold
50% ABV
Mini

Nose: Leather, maple syrup, hazelnuts, cedar, vanilla, plums, hints of wood smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, turns watery, expands, loosens.
Tasting: Bitter. Hazelnuts, walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla, leather, peat, cedar, lemons, hints of wood smoke.
Finish: Long. Lemons, leather, maple syrup, walnuts.

Comments:

Peaty and bitter, with light whiffs of maple syrup and lemons opening up the cloud of phenols. This is very unlike the usual Speyside make. I find it hard to enjoy this, because there's no flavour underpinning the peat. Instead, it's the peat underpinning other flavours.

Verdict:

Not bad.