Springbank 10yo Local Barley (2019 Release)

Springbank 10yo Local Barley (2019 Release)

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Dark gold
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, white grapes, cucumber, petrol exhaust, sandalwood, hints of winter melon. With water, white grapes, leather, lemon zest, hints of milk. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly syrupy, slightly sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, cucumber, lemon zest, honeydew melon, Yakult, hints of sandalwood, hints of petrol exhaust. With water, sweeter, lemon zest, tobacco leaf, winter melon, sultanas, hints of milk. 
Finish: Long. Cucumber, white grapes, Yakult, hints of yoghurt. 

Comments: 

A legendary expresssion, cheap at the price, and of course sold out everywhere. No, I didn't get a bottle. But I got to try it anyway. It's not very Springbank, only a hint of that familiar petrol exhaust note, and almost none of that familiar farmyard note. Instead, it's floral, cool and fragrant, plenty of fruit and spice, and something very much like Yakult, that soured milk drink sold in Japan. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Dalwhinnie 30yo (2019 Special Release)

Dalwhinnie 30yo (2019 Special Release)

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale amber
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, raisins, milk chocolate, cola nuts, butter, marmalade. With water, peanut butter, white grapes, marmalade, hints of jasmine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black tea, milk chocolate, marmalade, peaches, leather, hints of raisins. With water, peaches, white grapes, butter, hints of winter melon. 
Finish: Medium. Marmalade, peaches, butter, hints of peanut butter. 

Comments: 

Another rarely released distillery (even amongst the indies), which reminds me, I have a bottle of Winter's Gold that I need to open. This whisky is really multi-layered, plenty of jammy notes on the top, concealing a core of leather, peanuts and butter. So much fruit, so much leather, a little less floral notes. Intense even with water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Cardhu 14yo (2019 Special Release)

Cardhu 14yo (2019 Special Release)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale copper 
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, raisins, vanilla, honey, nutmeg, condensed milk, cream. With water, golden syrup, toffee, vanilla fudge. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns syrupy, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, vanilla, nutmeg, clotted cream, butter, golden syrup, hints of cedar. With water, bitter orange, nutmeg, vanilla fudge. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, bitter orange, vanilla, butter. 

Comments: 

I don't often get to try Cardhu, because not only is the variety of official bottlings quite sparse, there seem to be almost no indies as well. This special release was a welcome addition. It's really very good, chockful of cream and fruit, light sweetness cut through with a bitter orange flavour. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Lemon Buttered Kippers (Bruichladdich 18yo 1997/2015)

Lemon Buttered Kippers (Bruichladdich 18yo 1997/2015)

Single Cask, Wemyss Malts
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, kippers, oakum, melted butter, peat, mint, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Peat, leather, butter, mint, peanuts, sea salt, hints of oakum. 
Finish: Short. Butter, shortcrust pastry, mint, vanilla, hints of lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Fragrant citrus married to something fishy, and heaps of tarry old rope. But it's gentle, the smoke is rather slight for an Islay whisky, and there's refreshing mint and buttery goodness on the tongue and the finish. Gloriously, unapologetic Islay.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Teaninich 17yo (200th Anniversary Release)

Teaninich 17yo (200th Anniversary Release)

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Sunshine gold
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Winter melon, cucumber, lemon zest, rolled oats, cornflakes, hints of toast, hints of white grapes. With water, cucumber, cantaloupes, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cucumber, lemon zest, cornflakes, toast, leather, lemon curd, hints of marmalade. With water, leather, cornflakes, cantaloupes, red peppercorns, rolled oats. 
Finish: Medium. Toast, rolled oats, lemon zest, winter melon. 

Comments: 

High proof Teaninich of a decent age. Lots of complexity, cucumber and all sorts of melon, with a little teensy hint of smoke on the tongue and the finish. Lots of spice and cereal too, lots going on in here. The finish is a little smoky, and melony. Gorgeous.

Verdict:

I like this.

Eleanor Chapter 9

Eleanor Chapter 9

Eleanor, Crowded Barrel Whiskey Company
Single bourbon - Indiana
Golden
56.85% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanut butter, white chocolate, white pepper, vanilla, coffee, hints of marzipan. With water, yoghurt, peanuts, buttermilk, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanut butter, white chocolate, nutmeg, vanilla, coffee, butter, hints of sultanas. With water, sweeter, sultanas, lemon curd, peanuts. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, peanut butter, coffee, sultanas, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

A sourced whiskey from the new Crowded Barrel Whiskey Company, which owns a distillery and is a project of some whisky enthusiasts who make Youtube videos from their whisky cave. Sourced from where, you ask? Well, MGP in Indiana of course. Sourced or not, this is pretty good stuff - like white chocolate Reese's Pieces, nutty, sweet and luscious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Caol Ila 9yo 2010/2019

Caol Ila 9yo 2010/2019

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla fudge, peat, leather, lemon curd, condensed milk, toffee, hints of sour cream. With water, honey, toffee, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Vanilla fudge, lemon curd, leather, white grapes, peanuts, hints of toffee. With water, saltier, butterscotch, peanuts, honey. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, peat, lemon curd, peanuts, condensed milk. 

Comments: 

I believe at this point that I've had more Caol Ila than any other whisky. This one has some citrus and dairy under the obligatory smoke and peat, it's quite pleasant and refreshing. I have a soft spot for whiskies that bury delicate flavours under peat parts per million, as it's challenging to discover all their secrets.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lg10

Lg10

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, leather, honey, raisins, vanilla, walnuts, peanuts, hints of coffee. With water, vanilla, pears, hints of lime blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Peat, driftwood smoke, pears, chillies, green peppers, coffee, walnuts. With water, coffee, green peppers, lime blossom, pears. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, leather, peanuts, popcorn, chillies, hints of olive oil. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual Lagavulin. There's the usual dry driftwood smoke, maybe even a touch of olive oil on the tongue. But under that, there's heaps of herbal, fruity, floral goodness, which opens up with a touch of water. The green pepper note is particularly unusual and alluring. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glencadam 15yo 2004/2019

Glencadam 15yo 2004/2019

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, toast, white grapes, vanilla, cotton sheets, honeydew melon, hints of gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, white grapes, honey, honeydew melon, rolled oats, butter. 
Finish: Long. Honeydew melon, butter, rolled oats, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

This whisky is delicate, fruity and cereally. Lots of fragrant esters overlaying some highly flavourful spirit. Mouthfeel wise, it's loose and a bit thin - not the most pleasant. Not an autumn whisky, but a summer one - maybe even to be enjoyed with ice.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lot No 40 Cask Strength 11yo (2018 release)

Lot No 40 Cask Strength 11yo (2018 release)

Official bottling
Single rye - Ontario
Amber
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, white pepper, fresh cut grass, raisins, marmalade, sultanas, hints of green tea. With water, sultanas, sea salt, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. White pepper, vanilla, candy floss, fresh cut grass, green tea, candied orange, preserved lemons, hints of magic marker. With water, saltier, fresh cut grass, green tea, salt caramel, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, cream, condensed milk, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

2nd edition. This is a whopping great big whale of a whisky, spicy, sweet and herbal. With water it metamorphoses, becoming saltier and even more herbal. Hugely complex, a very gentle rye, with subtle savoury notes. Amazing stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Braeval 18yo 2001/2019

Braeval 18yo 2001/2019

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dried apricots, apple juice, tobacco leaf, honey, candied orange, barley sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, syrupy, slightly sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Dried apricots, toast, shortbread, apple juice, tobacco leaf, barley sweets. 
Finish: Long. Barley sweets, toast, tobacco leaf, apple juice, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Cask DL 13507. My past Braevals have been rather Christmassy whiskies, chockfull of raisins and spice. This one is rather gentler, shorter on the spice and longer on the sweet notes. There's something toasty and shortbready as well, reminds me of one of the first cask strength Rosebanks I ever had. Absolutely delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Machrie Moor Cask Strength

Machrie Moor Cask Strength

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Silver gold
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoked bacon, tobacco leaf, pineapples, white pepper, honey. With water, mint, sandalwood, honey, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Honey, fresh baked bread, peat, tobacco leaf, pineapples, sea salt, hints of buttermilk. With water, smoked bacon, sandalwood, honey, hints of mint. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, honey, raisins, red grapes, hints of smoked bacon. 

Comments: 

Peated, cask strength Arran - what could go wrong? Well, nothing really did. This is glorious stuff, lots of sweet pineapple, an edge of spice, and heavenly, meaty smoke and peat. It's gentler with water, opens up to minty smoke and woody flavours.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Starward Two-Fold

Starward Two-Fold

Official bottling
Single blend - Victoria
Amber red
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, vanilla, toast, rolled oats, chocolate, raisins, toasted coconut. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Toasted coconut, milk chocolate, vanilla, white grapes, rolled oats. 
Finish: Medium. Rolled oats, vanilla, cream of wheat, fresh baked bread, hints of clotted cream. 

Comments: 

A blend of malt and grain, both distilled at New World, finished in their usual wine casks. It's cereally, laden with vanilla and spice, but with that blanket of wine flavours over it. I particularly like the finish, it's heaped with a sweet, wheaty, chewy bite.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ben Nevis 23yo

Ben Nevis 23yo

Chorlton Whisky
Single malt - West Highlands
Dark gold
53.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, honey, raisins, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of elderflower. With water, honey, elderflower, orange blossom, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, gooseberries, orange juice, orange peel, ginseng, hints of aluminium foil. With water, sweeter, peanuts, elderflower, honey, white grapes. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, ginseng, breadcrumbs, aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Tastes young, but has complexity. The flavours are bright and floral, in clear layers. There's a nutty, slightly metallic finish, that fades slightly to a bitter, cereally finish. Haven't had a lot of Ben Nevis, those that I remember tend to have been heavily sherried. This one is a lot more floral.

Verdict:

I like this.