Penderyn 11yo 2008/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Penderyn 11yo 2008/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling
Single malt - South Wales
Dark gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Barley sugar, pears, sultanas, nutmeg, hints of shortcrust pastry. With water, pear drops, blackcurrant cordial, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, sticky, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marmalade, sultanas, pears, nectarines, butterscotch, shortcrust pastry. With water, sour, pear drops, nutmeg, cinnamon, blackcurrant cordial. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, applesauce. 

Comments: 

It's been a long time since I've managed to get my hands on a Penderyn. This one is cask strength, and it really shows. It's intensely jammy, with a beautiful fruity Ribena note. Lots of spices too, it's like eating a blackcurrant pie.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Octomore 10yo Dialogos (3rd Edition)

Octomore 10yo Dialogos (3rd Edition)

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Golden beeswax
56.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tobacco smoke, peat, germolene, honeydew melon, peaches, hay. With water, drier, driftwood smoke, sea salt, tobacco, preserved lemons, wet leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, tobacco smoke, leather, peaches, marmalade, vanilla fudge. With water, sour, driftwood smoke, preserved lemons, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Hay, fresh baked bread, honeydew melon, smoke, peat. 

Comments: 

Octomore is finally old enough to be of an interesting age! Yes I'm a little behind, given this is the 3rd release. It's highly peated (duh!) but it's also floral and grassy, with some umami notes that resolve as preserved lemons, especially with water. It finishes at huge length, with sweet cereal fading to big smokey peaty notes.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

White Horse Blended Whisky (bottled 1958)

White Horse Blended Whisky (bottled 1958)

White Horse Distillers
Blended malt
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, creosote, leather, nutmeg, petrichor, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Creosote, warm tar, liquorice, chocolate, prunes, wet stones, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Finish: Long. Charcoal, driftwood smoke, peach jam, petrichor, damp leaves. 

Comments: 

Well now, this is a real treat. I got this from Cheaper by the Dram, a new-ish company that breaks down expensive bottles into cheaper drams for enthusiasts. It's incredibly rare to to taste whisky distilled before my parents were born. Anyway, it's quite something - lots of dry woody salty smoke, reminiscent of Lagavulin (which is probably a major component of this). Something tarry and chemical, overlaying some delicious fruit and chocolate. Is this perchance the fabled Malt Mill?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Teeling Brabazon #1

Teeling Brabazon #1

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, chocolate, burnt cinnamon, brown sugar, hints of plum jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, sticky, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Marmalade, plum jam, honey, chocolate, burnt cinnamon, hints of nutmeg. 
Finish: Long. Burnt cinnamon, chocolate, allspice, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

This set of Teeling's releases (from their existing stock - fairly sure this is Cooley) is meant to showcase the virtues of cask finishing. This one is a blend of several sherry casked whiskies. The sweet jammy notes are classic sherry, of course, and there's spice as well. It's all rather sickly, I'm afraid, although I enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lagavulin 12yo (2018 Special Releases)

Lagavulin 12yo (2018 Special Releases)

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
57.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, peaches, raspberries, dried orange peel, preserved lemons. With water, burning leaves, soured cream, candied orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, driftwood smoke, peat, fresh cut grass, cream, hints of vanilla sponge. With water, sweeter, burning leaves, candied orange peel, caramel peanuts. 
Finish: Long. Driftwood smoke, vanilla sponge, meringues, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Excellent Lagavulin, amazing even. It's somewhat sweeter than what I perceive as 'classic' Lagavulin, it's got a lot of slightly unusual fruity notes, but the dry, salty smoke is still there, alongside gentle peat. What a treat!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.