Caperdonich 22yo

Caperdonich 22yo

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fried eggs, raisins, malted grains, cream, carrot cake, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, airy, evaporates. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, malted grains, pineapples, carrot cake, hints of meringue. 
Finish: Long. Cream, pineapples, cinnamon, meringues, hints of leather, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Although my palate was shot by this point, this Caperdonich still made a powerful impression. Spicy and creamy, and heaps of pineapple jam on the palate, this was a joy to drink and a wonderful cap to an epic night.

Verdict:

I like this.

Johnnie Walker Black Label (bottled 1970s)

Johnnie Walker Black Label (bottled 1970s)

Blended malt
Amber
35% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, malted grains, plums, black tea, hints of pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, caramel,leather, orange peel, toast, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, orange peel, tobacco leaf, raisins, red grapes. 

Comments: 

I don't normally review a whisky twice, but this one is so old and so different from its current incarnation that it merits one. Firstly, it's under proof compared to 'real' whisky, and secondly, it's got plenty of old bottle effect, manifesting in this instance as funky tobacco. It's glorious, and waxy and fruity, and lacks that touch of smokiness that characterises today's Black Label. There's probably loads of Brora in it!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Old Perth 41yo

Old Perth 41yo

Blended malt
Mahogany
45.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: brass polish, jasmine tea, honey, raisins, plums, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, plums, jasmine tea, orange juice, hints of strawberries. 
Finish: Short. Jasmine tea, honeysuckle, strawberries, raisins, hints of oranges. 

Comments: 

Wow, this tastes OLD. Floral and sweet, plenty of fruit, yet airy, light and glorious. This is wonderful whisky. What bottlers are doing with blends these days is very exciting. More, please.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Springbank 12yo 1989/2002 Rum Wood

Springbank 12yo 1989/2002 Rum Wood

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Chinese tea
54.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Petrol, leather, lemon zest, sea salt, gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slippery, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Petrol, ginseng, leather, orange peel, black tea. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, honey, leather, black tea, hints of petrol. 

Comments: 

A classic, if sweet, Springbank. There's a very obvious industrial funkiness about this whisky, almost redolent of engine exhaust, but it's covered well with fruit peel and honey. Highly enjoyable, and quite rare these days.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Keith 21yo 1996/2018

Glen Keith 21yo 1996/2018

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, cinnamon, rhubarb and custard sweets, black tea, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, slightly astringent, watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, black tea, cinnamon, honey, candy floss, hints of ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Black cherries, honey, candy floss, black tea, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cask number 12575. Spicy Speyside whisky, quite sweet, some tannic and bitter notes on the tongue. It's fairly old compared to what I've been drinking recently, and I have a new appreciation of how a whisky's age confers complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenglassaugh Peated Virgin Oak

Glenglassaugh Peated Virgin Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Burnished pine
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, tobacco leaf, prunes, fresh cut grass, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Walnuts, leather, raisins, prunes, honey, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, leather, grapefruit, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Another whisky from the resurrected Glenglassaugh distillery. This one is gentle, slightly leathery, with nice tannic notes on the tongue and finish. Very enjoyable, but I can't wait to taste the aged stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

FEW Delilah's 23rd Anniversary Bottling

FEW Delilah's 23rd Anniversary Bottling

Official bottling
Single malt - Illinois
Dark amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, cinnamon, cloves, white grapes, raisins, hints of white chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cloves, raisins, vanilla, white chocolate, pears, red wine. 
Finish: Medium. Red wine, pears, white tea, cloves, white chocolate, jasmine. 

Comments: 

Not your usual bourbon, and a rare bottling to boot. This doesn't have the highly sweet, fragrant banana notes in most bourbons, instead it's spicy and slightly bitter, even tannic. This is really good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Method in the Madness Single Malt

Method in the Madness Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, honey, sea salt, orange peel, hints of soy sauce 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, honey, sea salt, candied oranges, marshmallows, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, caramelised peanuts, orange peel, malted grains, hints of salted plums. 

Comments: 

Unlike other Midletons, this whisky has a savoury edge to it. However, it retains the light, loose mouthfeel that defines Irish whisky. Quite unusual.

Verdict:

I like this.

Chichibu London Edition 2018

Chichibu London Edition 2018

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold 
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: malted grains, lemon zest, baked apples, sandalwood, pine, hints of blackcurrants. With water, apple juice, white grapes, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, astringent, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lemon zest, apple juice, pine, sandalwood, hints of cinnamon. With water, white grapes, raisins, gooseberries. 
Finish: Long. Walnuts, cinnamon, raisins, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Fruity and woody, even herbaceous. Very strong, and water brings out some of the more delicate fruity notes. I found this to be very good whisky, but definitely under aged.

Verdict:

I like this.

Banff 24yo 1974/1998

Banff 24yo 1974/1998

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, lemon juice, lavender, jasmine, peaches, hints of celery, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, loose, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, celery, white grapes, jasmine, hints of peaches. 
Finish: Medium. White tea, white grapes, coffee, raisins, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

There's heaps of old bottle effect in this, with the purported celery note as clear as a bell. I've always associated OBE with old leather, and it's the first time I've found the floral grassiness that many others say exists. What can I say, my palate is growing up. Anyway, the underlying whisky is floral and citrusy, with an alluring bitter sweet finish. This sort of stuff simply isn't made anymore.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenallachie 10yo Cask Strength Batch 1

Glenallachie 10yo Cask Strength Batch 1

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, white grapes, cotton sheets, hints of balsamic vinegar. With water, candle wax, toffee, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, drying, volatile, astringent, loose. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, cotton sheets, raisins, peanuts, chocolate, hints of balsamic vinegar. With water, more bitter, sandalwood, more chocolate, hints of marmalade. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, chocolate, black tea, honey. 

Comments: 

The whisky from this distillery mostly gets used in blends, but the single malts in the newly released range have been quite impressive. This 10yo is delicious, very drinkable even at full strength. With water, it opens up, becoming jammy, spicy and bittersweet. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.