Kilchoman Quarter Cask 4 yo 2010/2015 # 582/2010

Kilchoman Quarter Cask 4 yo 2010/2015 # 582/2010

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Silver gold
59.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, dates, pears, mint, hints of pistachio nuts. With water, leather, fish sauce, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, smoke, dates, caramel, mint, palm sugar, hints of peaches. With water, sweet salty, fish sauce, leather, more peaches. 
Finish: Long. Mint, pistachio nuts, peaches, hints of lavender. 

Comments: 

Like all Kilchomans I've had, this whisky is extraordinarily complex for its young age. Dates and peaches vie with smoke and peat. Upon dilution, familiar sweet salty umami notes come to the fore, plenty of smoky fish sauce in here. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Three Ships 10 yo

Three Ships 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Western Cape
Buttercups
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peat, plums, black tea, leather, hints of apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, leather, apples, plums, caramel, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, black tea, vanilla, salt caramel. 

Comments: 

My first South African malt. Surprisingly salty, even somewhat peaty. Do they have peat bogs in South Africa? It's a good whisky, nice fruity notes wreathed in with all that sea salt and leather. Very enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach Rare Old

Mortlach Rare Old

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
43.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, brass polish, ginger, eucalyptus, vanilla, cookie dough. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, slightly oily, chewy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White grapes, lemon zest, candied ginger, cookie dough, hints of cotton sheets. 
Finish: Medium. Candied ginger, ginseng, white grapes, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

A new official bottling from Mortlach. I'm sorry to see the classic Flora and Fauna bottling go, but this one is a reasonable replacement. It's not a sherry bomb as the older Mortlachs are, but instead carries a load of spicy tart notes, with interesting astringent hints on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bakery Hill Classic Malt

Bakery Hill Classic Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Victoria
Gold, tinge of rose
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, lemon zest, brass polish, green apples, hints of iron filings. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Raisins, green apples, iron filings, oak, vanilla, hints of ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Toast, sea salt, lemon zest, raisins. 

Comments: 

A malt from Victoria! Quite bitter, even tart on the nose. Very fragrant, not the in-your-face bitterness that you get from peated barley. Slightly metallic flavours, but not unpleasant. Interesting whisky, I'll be trying to get more from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jack Ryan Beggar's Bush 12 yo

Jack Ryan Beggar's Bush 12 yo

Jack Ryan, for the Beggar's Bush pub
Single malt - Central Ireland
Pale amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, maraschino cherries, caramel, vanilla, honey, hints of red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly slippery. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, vanilla, damsons, brown paper, honey, salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Honey, ginger, vanilla, hints of black pepper. 

Comments: 

A special release to commemorate a famous pub in Dublin owned by the Ryan family. Very nicely sherried, typical Irish light whisky. Great heaping notes of fruit and caramel, very jammy. Spicy notes at the end.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teerenpeli Distiller's Choice Karhi

Teerenpeli Distiller's Choice Karhi

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Finland
Copper gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, raisins, roast pork, cola nuts, plums, hints of salt caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, thickens slightly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, peat, damson jam, peppermint, black tea, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, peppermint, damson jam, black tea. 

Comments: 

More Teerenpeli, Nordic whisky is really developing. This one is 5-7 years old, aged in Madeira casks. It's fruity, salty, great minty notes on the tongue. The minty notes develop into a wonderful jammy finish.

Verdict:

I like this.