Teerenpeli Distiller's Choice Rasi

Teerenpeli Distiller's Choice Rasi

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

Nose: Malted grains, white grapes, apples, papayas, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cream, oatmeal, strawberries, lemon juice, white grapes. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, pears, malted grains, mint. 

Comments: 

Finished in Moscatel wine casks. This whisky is quite subtle, but oddly sticky and heavy. There's oodles of cereal and fruit, with tropical fruits on the nose and red fruits on the tongue, tempered by a nice sharp oatmeal note. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Crabbies 30yo

Crabbies 30yo

Crabbies
Single malt - Speyside
Dark red
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, red grapes, peat, strawberries, hints of black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warming, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, pears, white grapes, kiwi fruit, strawberries, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Kiwi fruit, peat, white grapes, hints of cucumber. 

Comments: 

That this is peated, 30 year old Macallan is an open secret. It's unusual though, very fruity, chockful of grapes (both red and white) and both white fruits and red fruits. It's not as intense as other sherry bombs, instead it's subtle and gentle, and warming.

Verdict:

I like this.

Koval Four Grain Whiskey

Koval Four Grain Whiskey

Official bottling
Single blend - Illinois
Amber
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, magic marker, rolled oats, hay, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slightly sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Salty. Sea salt, rolled oats, vanilla, salt caramel, green tea, hints of cooked rice. 
Finish: Medium. Cucumber, rolled oats, cooked rice, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Made from oats, malted barley, rye and wheat. The rye and oats overpower any barley flavour, I think. There's a hint of vanilla, courtesy of the charred oak barrels this is aged in, then a very welcome hit of fresh cucumber in the finish. Unusual, and superb.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Box Single Malt - The Explorer

Box Single Malt - The Explorer

Official bottling
Single malt - Angermanland
Golden
48.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, peanuts, cherries, apples, molasses, hints of pine. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Peat, pine, apple juice, molasses, lemon juice, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon juice, apple juice, black tea, peat, smoke. 

Comments: 

A medium peated whisky, not sweet at all. Instead it's redolent with tart fruity notes, pleasant herbal scents and a caramel bitterness that is reminiscent of molasses. The peat is very obvious on the finish, perhaps less so on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Whistlepig 10yo Straight Rye

Whistlepig 10yo Straight Rye

Whistlepig Farm
Single rye - Alberta
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberries, bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, plums. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loosens, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Plums, cream, cinnamon, limes, nutmeg, hints of bananas. 
Finish: Long. Cinnamon, chillies, nutmeg, red grapes, broccoli. 

Comments: 

Spirit from Alberta Distillers, matured in Vermont, but for me, it's the spirit that determines terroir... so let's call this one Canadian. Really good rye whiskey, intensely spicy and fruity. A palate explosion. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Tyrconnell 10yo Sherry Cask Finish

Tyrconnell 10yo Sherry Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raspberries, red grapes, malted grains, honey, blackcurrant cordial, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black currant cordial, red grapes, vanilla, custard, hints of strawberries. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, red grapes, blackcurrant cordial, hints of chillies. 

Comments: 

Smooth sherry monster, even if it's just been finished in a sherry cask, it's pretty good. Full of red and black fruits, with a little kick in the finish. It's a lot better than the Aussie sherry monster I had a few days ago.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Hobart Overeem Sherry Cask Matured (OHD-95)

Old Hobart Overeem Sherry Cask Matured (OHD-95)

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Light amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, blueberries, orange peel, damson jam, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, blueberries, red grapes, damson jam, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, honey, damson jam, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Decent sherried whisky, but it's a bit one-dimensional. There's not much difference between the nose, taste and finish, it's all jammy, fruity, grapey sweet notes. Maybe it needs a bit more maturing.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Box Single Malt Dalvve

Box Single Malt Dalvve

Official bottling
Single malt - Angermanland
Silver gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, vanilla, plums, apple juice, hints of honey, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black tea, molasses, peat, apple juice, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, black pepper, apples, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

I may have exhausted my palate by the time I had this - judging from others' tasting notes I missed some subtle oily pine notes. Nevertheless this was remarkably fresh and light, tart, slightly bitter, even tannic in the finish. Also remarkably spicy. Good whisky from a distillery I've not tried before.

Verdict:

I like this.

Willowbank 17yo Batch 1

Willowbank 17yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Otago
Red wine
53.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, red wine, red grapes, honey, brown paper, hints of green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, astringent, slightly airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red wine, pear drops, red grapes, cream, brown paper, vanilla, hints of plums. 
Finish: Long. Lemons, brown paper, pear drops, black tea. 

Comments: 

A 17yo bottling, released this year, 2018, from a distillery that closed in 1997! It must have been stored in glass or plastic then filled into a red wine cask. It's clearly been in there for a long time, as this is basically red wine at whisky strength. It's intense and fruity, huge pear drop and grape notes. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries

Ichiro's Malt
Vatted malt
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, cotton sheets, salt caramel, white wine, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens slightly, smooth. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cotton sheets, cardamom, pears, honey, dried cranberries. 
Finish: Short. Black pepper, pears, red grapes, raspberries. 

Comments: 

A vatting of young Chichibu with old Hanyu. No idea how old the Hanyu is, perhaps it's more than 20 years old. In any case, the whisky is well balanced, sweet salty on the nose, but sweet and fruity on the tongue. Short spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cotswolds Single Malt

Cotswolds Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Warwickshire
Copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, honey, lemon zest, prunes, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, sticky, slightly chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cream, fresh baked bread, honey, prunes, sea salt, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, fresh baked bread, honey, plums. 

Comments: 

Light flavours, but very thick and heavy on the mouth. Lovely fragrant notes of fruit and bread, yet quite salty. It develops in the glass as well, turning more savoury, noticeably saline, after 15 or 20 minutes. Very good whisky, I make this about 3 years old (2014/2018).

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Kohiganzakura

Mars Komagatake Kohiganzakura

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, honey, plums, white grapes, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, honey, cream, white grapes, raspberries, mint. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, green tea, plums, mint. 

Comments: 

A bottling from the Nature of Shinshu series (the second one, I believe). It's peaty, slightly smoky, with lots of orchard fruits, grapes, and a massive great heap of mint. Slightly tannic on the palate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Starward Limited Release Wine Cask Edition

Starward Limited Release Wine Cask Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Victoria
Rose
41% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, brass polish, red grapes, black pepper, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, static. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, rhubarb and custard sweets, red grapes, cherries, honey. 
Finish: Short. Cherries, honey, red grapes, black tea. 

Comments: 

Batch no 170721-A. A red wine cask finished 'spirit drink', as it's about 2 and a quarter years old. Quite spicy, and very, very fruity. I especially like the cherry notes, not very common.

Verdict:

I like this.

North Port 20yo 1979/1999 Rare Malts

North Port 20yo 1979/1999 Rare Malts

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk, malted grains, caramel, sandalwood, red grapes, hints of fried eggs. With water, lemon peel, brass polish, meringue, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, tingly, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fried eggs, photocopy paper, sandalwood, red grapes, hints of brass polish. With water, sweeter, lemon peel, meringue, cream. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, red grapes, sandalwood, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

On the back of the bottle it said, "best enjoyed with 2 parts whisky to 1 part water". Well, they weren't kidding. It started out herbal, brassy, even slightly sulphury, but with each drop of water it opened up, gently at first, then more fragrant and sweeter. I lingered over this for half an hour, and by the end it had turned into something resembling liquid lemon meringue pie. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Chichibu IPA Cask Finish 2017

Chichibu IPA Cask Finish 2017

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, malted grains, rhubarb and custard sweets, vanilla, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rhubarb and custard sweets, white grapes, vanilla, jujubes, ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Ginseng, orange peel, vanilla, hints of malted grains. 

Comments: 

This is bold and brassy, and the IPA cask finish adds more than a tinge of bitterness. It mellows out the sweetness on the tongue to something more herbal, and there's loads of ginseng and cereally notes on the finish. Good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.