SMWS 66.44 (Ardmore 10 yo 2002/2013)

SMWS 66.44 (Ardmore 10 yo 2002/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Deep red brown
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Soy sauce, oak, strawberries, vanilla, caramel, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, thin. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Soy sauce, strawberries, smoke, bacon, vanilla, chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, bacon, vanilla. 

Comments: 

I was seduced by the gorgeous colour. I ought to know better by now - the colour of a whisky is in no way indicative of its flavour. Smoky and sweet, but with big hit of soy sauce and meaty bacon. The flavours aren't very well-balanced, although the whisky is a bit young. Disappointing, given my expectations.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 39.82 (Linkwood 13 yo 1997/2011)

SMWS 39.82 (Linkwood 13 yo 1997/2011)

2011, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
60% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roses, lemon zest, pears, hints of toffee. With water, pears, hay, grass. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, spicy, weighty in the mouth. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Leather, pasilla chillies, roses, lemon zest, butterscotch. With water, grass, pears, slightly bitter. 
Finish: Long. Warm, leather, roses, pears. 

Comments: 

Fruity and flowery on first nosing, but with an undertone of leather trousers. That's not as unpleasant as it sounds. Once water was added, it became much more light, turning grassy and vegetal while retaining its fruit and floral notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 7.91 (Longmorn 20 yo 1993/2013)

SMWS 7.91 (Longmorn 20 yo 1993/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, custard, apples, butterscotch, hints of leather. With water, pomegranate, red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Sweet. Custard, strawberries, apples, cloves, lemon zest, hints of tobacco. With water, tobacco, banana, leather. 
Finish: Long. Tobacco, leather, apples, cloves, custard. 

Comments: 

Oof! This whisky smacked me in the mouth with its complexity. Lots of lovely sweet spicy tannic flavours. It was a little full on, so I added water. Then it became much more like a good bourbon, bursting with tobacco and banana, but without the cardboardy taste that drags down some bourbons. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.