Smögen Primör 3 yo 2010/2013

Smögen Primör 3 yo 2010/2013

Official bottling
Single malt - Bohuslan
Amber rose
63.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, leather, pears, peat, peaches, smoke, hints of tamarind. With water, overripe peaches, tamarind, chocolate, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, burning, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour salty . Peaches, pears, lemon zest, peat, smoke, tamarind, hints of mint. With water, more sour, lemon zest, peanuts, overripe fruit, peat. 
Finish: Short. Chocolate, peanuts, peat, tamarind. 

Comments: 

A new distillery on Sweden's west coast. This is very promising whisky, peaty, with huge fruit notes that show through that wreath of smoke and peat. Excellent nose, needs quite a bit of water, but opens up a lot. Still sour, more notes of peaches and other overripe fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Scotia Victoriana

Glen Scotia Victoriana

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Amber gold
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, black tea, peaches, pears, white grapes, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, peaches, leather, peanuts, sandalwood, hints of violets. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, peaches, lemon zest, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Old fashioned whisky, the bartender said, and old fashioned whisky it is. Quite sweet, slightly smoky, bitter notes, even savoury. Good fruit cut with peat and a slight hint of fragrant smoke. I guess the only way this could be more old fashioned is if it were matured in herring barrels, like Campbeltown whisky used to be...

Verdict:

I like this.

Midleton Very Rare 2014

Midleton Very Rare 2014

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Buttercups
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, apricots, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of rich tea biscuits. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, green tea, apricots, fresh baked bread, white grapes, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, white grapes, apricots, plums. 

Comments: 

Light and delicious! I had the sister bottling to this, the 2006, and I remember it well. This one is a bit different, fruity and slightly tannic, plenty of cereally notes as well. Very good stuff, I always think I need to drink more Irish whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Ben Nevis 23 yo 1991/2015

Ben Nevis 23 yo 1991/2015

Cask Strength, Signatory
Single malt - West Highlands
Chestnut
56.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange peel, marzipan, yoghurt, vanilla, hints of red grapes. With water, fried eggs, black pepper, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dried persimmons, marzipan, red grapes, orange peel, hints of fried eggs. With water, yoghurt, cream, orange juice, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Brown paper, dried persimmons, fried eggs, orange peel. 

Comments: 

This is sweet neat, dried persimmons, marzipan, plenty of jammy, baked notes. With water it opens up beautifully, becoming ever so savoury, with a hint of rubbery, slightly sulphury fried eggs. I've tasted this note in Ben Nevis before, and it's certainly very distinctive.

Verdict:

I like this.

Adnams Single Malt No 1 (2015)

Adnams Single Malt No 1 (2015)

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

Nose: Chocolate, lemon zest, orange peel, brass polish, grapefruit, hints of cucumber. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, slightly astringent, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, brass polish, grapefruit, green tea, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. Pears, lemon zest, white grapes, hints of brass polish. 

Comments: 

More English whisky! Tart and slightly bitter, immensely citrusy. It's not a whisky for all moods, maybe a hot day where one desires something refreshing, and perhaps the first whisky one drinks after a stressful day. I certainly knew that I wouldn't be drinking this one on holiday.

Verdict:

I like this (but sometimes).

Lark Distiller's Selection (Port Cask 396)

Lark Distiller's Selection (Port Cask 396)

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, damson jam, raisins, brown paper, hints of dark chocolate, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, astringent, drying. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Damson jam, dark chocolate, prunes, dried apricots, hints of coffee, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, coffee, prunes, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Great colour, this whisky, pinkish amber... no, practically pink. Plenty of fruit, especially dried and cooked fruit, but overlaid with bitter sweet chocolatey notes. Very tasty, and so wonderful bottled at the higher strength. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Auchentoshan 12 yo

Auchentoshan 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, orange peel, leather, raisins, coffee, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange peel, lemon zest, dark chocolate, mint, hints of cola nuts. 
Finish: Short. Leather, chillies, dark chocolate, raisins. 

Comments: 

It's taken me a few years to try the 'new' Auchentoshan 12 yo, a replacement for the old 10 yo. It's more robust than what I normally associate with Auchentoshan, with strong vital notes of dark chocolate and coffee. There's only a light dusting of mint and lemon zest, some of the few hints that this is brother to the 10 yo.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

Wolfburn Northland Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, pears, stewed apples, peanuts, cashews, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, stewed apples, cashews, peat, walnuts, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Smoky bacon, peanuts, stewed apples, peat. 

Comments: 

From the very new Wolfburn distillery, this isn't much more than 3 years old. Matured in Islay casks, and you can tell - peat and smoke in the background. It's overlaid by stewed apples and peaches though, and plenty of nuts as well. There's a good savoury meatiness in the finish. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi White Oak Single Malt

Akashi White Oak Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Buttercups
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, dried pears, guava, peanuts, cream, hints of walnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, dried pears, guava, palm sugar, peaches, hints of walnuts, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Short. Guava, white pepper, peanuts, peaches, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

This is the sister bottling to the White Oak blend, the whisky that didn't taste like whisky. This one is definitely whisky though - ooked and dried fruits in abundance, with plenty of spicy pepper in the finish. The hints of paper and white grapes remind me of its sibling.

Verdict:

I like this.

Togouchi 12 yo

Togouchi 12 yo

Togouchi, Chugoku Jozo
Blend
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cherries, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon zest, marmalade, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange juice, lemon zest, marmalade, peanuts, limes, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. Chillies, ginger, marmalade, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Matured in Japan from Scottish malt spirit and Canadian grain spirit. Hard to classify - there's a bit of cooked fruits which is quite Japanese, but also a lot of light fruit notes which I identify as Scottish. Not sure what Canadian whisky tastes like. Pretty good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Redbreast 21 yo

Redbreast 21 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, leather, apple juice, oats, hints of grilled pork. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, slippery, slightly water around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pears, apples, quince jelly, oats, hints of smoky bacon. 
Finish: Short. Chillies, apples, vanilla, hints of quince jelly. 

Comments: 

Older version of the Redbreast range. This one is appley and volatile, huge magic marker notes, followed by meaty, slightly savoury flavours. Great cooked fruit and cereal on the tongue too. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Caperdonich 30 yo 1982/2012

Caperdonich 30 yo 1982/2012

Director's Cut, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Amber, tinge of rose
50.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, orange blossom, rhubarb and custard sweets, pears, honey, hints of strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingles, hot, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, honey, fresh baked bread, red peppers, pears, hints of nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, nutmeg, honey, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of red peppers. 

Comments: 

Another old Caperdonich (there aren't many young ones). This one is redolent of orange peel, and rhubarb and custard sweets. Heavy, sweet and lovely. Huge spicy notes on the tongue and the finish, with intriguing hints of red peppers.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenfiddich 12 yo

Glenfiddich 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, chocolate, orange peel, pears, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, syrupy, slightly chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, chocolate, orange peel, marshmallows, hints of pears. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, marshmallows, pears, raisins. 

Comments: 

Very sherried, plenty of red fruit and chocolate. Also something gelatiney on the tongue, marshmallows, perhaps. Decent entry level dram from Glenfiddich, the range is looking in good shape these days.

Verdict:

I like this.