Lg7

Lg7

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Golden
56.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Figs, honey, dates, apples, hints of ham. With water, char siu, soy sauce, hints of dried apples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, turns watery, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chillies, ham, figs, driftwood smoke, peat, hints of dates. With water, char siu, soy sauce, brown paper, hints of dried apples.
Finish: Long. Dates, apples, smoke, hints of ham. 

Comments: 

Lovely meaty notes, wreathed through with a little peat and a moderate amount of smoke. Gentle for an Islay, this whisky has a complex flavour profile. Very savoury nose, yet floral and sweet on the tongue, then deepens into a smoky syrupy sweet finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilkerran 12 yo

Kilkerran 12 yo 

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, driftwood smoke, raisins, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, tingly, slightly astringent . 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Honey, raisins, driftwood smoke, lemon zest, hints of fish sauce. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, honey, apples, hints of walnuts. 

Comments: 

Glengyle's latest Kilkerran. I tasted a number of the Works in Progress expressions, and I do think that the finished work didn't quite fulfil their promise. Don't get me wrong, this is still good whisky, slightly smoky and sweet, but in the end, it turned out, well, a bit Springbank-ey, perhaps a bit lighter. It's a decent enough dram, and a good start.

Verdict:

I like this.

St Magdalene 18 yo 1981/1999

St Magdalene 18 yo 1981/1999

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Lowlands
Green gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, honey, dates, orange peel, hints of apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, orange juice, lemon zest, hay, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, honey, orange juice, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

The evening's blessings continue! Again, felt very lucky to have the change to try this increasingly rare malt. This one didn't quite live up to its hype though, although it was still very decent. Freshly herbal, and nicely scented with fruit, even after a long period of bottle aging, even longer than it spent in the cask.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Ord 23 yo 1974/1997 Rare Malts

Glen Ord 23 yo 1974/1997 Rare Malts 

Rare Malts, Diageo
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale gold
60.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, photocopy paper, papaya, vanilla, hints of strawberries. With water, mangoes, strawberry jam, hints of palm sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, evaporates. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Papaya, preserved guava, honey, strawberries, fresh cut grass, hints of brown paper. With water, mangoes, palm sugar, burnt caramel.
Finish: Long. Papaya, fresh cut grass, guava, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Wow! Felt truly blessed to be able to obtain a wee dram of this amazing whisky. It was complex and sweet, redolent with tropical fruits. It was even better with water, with the fruity notes deepening into jammy notes, and scarily drinkable even though I daren't add too much.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenallachie 2009 cask #900031

Glenallachie 2009 cask #900031

Samaroli
Single malt - Speyside
Silvery
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, elderflower, vanilla, malted grains, hints of peanuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, thickens, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour. Vanilla, pears, custard, peanuts, hints of white peaches. 
Finish: Short. Custard, orange peel, sponge cake, hints of elderflower. 

Comments: 

Upon pouring this into a glass, it instantly turned cloudy. I normally don't write about a whisky's legs, but these were wide and thick, despite the low ABV. It was estery and delicious too, even slightly nutty around the edges. Impressively eggy on the tongue, like quaffing custard.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.