Glenallachie 14yo 2006/2020 (W Club Exclusive)

Glenallachie 14yo 2006/2020 (W Club Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber red 
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla ice cream, fresh baked bread, baked apples, hints of dried apricots. With water, magic marker, pears, oranges, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, syrupy, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts, black tea, candied oranges, cinnamon. With water, pears, fresh baked bread, cookie dough.  
Finish: Long. Black tea, walnuts, raisins, candied oranges.  

Comments: 

If there’s a standard sherried whisky this is it. It’s lovely for sure, lots of dried fruit notes, even a nice satisfying breadiness. But it’s not particularly emblematic of Glenallachie (I don’t actually know what that is) but tasting this against a sherried Glenrothes, I found the differences to be slight. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Pale bronze 
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, dates, honey, smoke, orange peel, hints of tarragon. With water, honey, white grapes, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, tarragon, orange peel, quince jelly, barley sugar, hints of smoke. With water, barley sugar, cookie dough, vanilla, leather. 
Finish: Long. Quince jelly, dates, honey, white grapes, hints of smoke.  

Comments: 

Kilchoman has evolved a fair bit since I tasted its new make a decade ago. But it’s still distinctive, there’s this date honey sweetness, with some typical Islay smoke. It used to be more savoury perhaps, this one isn’t at all. Instead it’s got a herbal fragrance, anise or tarragon, wreathed throughout the nose and on the tongue. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Kura the Whisky Pure Malt

Kura the Whisky Pure Malt

Official bottling
Blended malt
Golden bronze
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peanuts, green walnuts, molasses, hints of palm sugar.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, slightly tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Peanuts, cookie dough, vanilla, peat, lemon juice, hints of smoke.
Finish: Short. Lemon juice, smoke, peat, peanuts, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

The distillery is better known for its awamori, which I gather is a sort of distilled sake. The whisky is definitely interesting, it’s not very sweet, instead it’s quite bitter, and not very balanced. It feels like a bit of an experiment. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

East London Liquor Co Single Rye 2019 Release

East London Liquor Co Single Rye 2019 Release

Official bottling 
Single rye - London
Amber green 
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, sage, raisins, vanilla, oranges, black pepper, camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, warms a little. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black pepper, sage, cinnamon, camphor, peppermint, fresh cut grass, white grapes.
Finish: Short. Black pepper, peppermint, raisins, orange peel, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Brilliant single rye from the East London Liquor Co distillery. I really enjoyed this one, it’s not only as spicy as you’d expect a rye whiskey to be, it’s also got a lot of clear herbal notes that offset the spicy notes very well. Brilliant stuff once again, look forward to future releases. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Breton 15yo Battle of the Glen

Glen Breton 15yo Battle of the Glen

Official bottling 
Single malt - Nova Scotia
Sunshine yellow
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, leather, tobacco leaf, apples, white grapes, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, slightly astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, white grapes, pears, cookie dough, vanilla, hints of white chocolate, hints of Parma violets.
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, white grapes, cookie dough, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

Conventional whisky, but all the more enjoyable for all that. Lots of vanilla and gentle fruit notes, overlaying a lovely buttery chocolatiness. There are some hints of the floral Parma violets that were so dominant in the previous Glen Breton I had, and they’re quite pleasant in moderation. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Sullivan’s Cove Vodka / New Make Spirit

Sullivan’s Cove Vodka / New Make Spirit 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania 
Colourless 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, salt caramel, green walnuts, lemon zest, hints of white vinegar, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, airy, loose.  
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Salt caramel, green walnuts, yeast, sour cream, chocolate.  
Finish: Short. Sour cream, white vinegar, yeast, chocolate, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

I suppose many distilleries do this - dilute their new make to 40% and call it vodka. This is quite characterful for vodka (although I’d expect nothing less). Lots of green walnuts, and you can see the beginning of the stone fruit notes that are present in the older whiskies. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask 11yo

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask 11yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania 
Bright gold
44.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tobacco leaf, leather, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, turns watery, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Gooseberries, white grapes, malted grains, leather, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Menthol, white grapes, coffee, gooseberries, hints of white grapes.  

Comments: 

Double Cask DC0107. This one is a little funky on the nose, with a bit of sour ferment. Again, more green fruits, grapes and leather on the tongue. Very good, although not stellar. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Tawny Cask 10yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Tawny Cask 10yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Bright gold
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, damson jam, petrichor, peaches, white grapes.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slightly astringent, syrupy, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Damson jam, white grapes, greengages, chocolate, wet stones.
Finish: Medium. Damson jam, petrichor, white grapes, barbecue, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0324. The port cask finish seems to have imbued this whisky with an earthy character, like earth after rain and chalky wet stones. Again, highly enjoyable and utterly delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove Special Single Cask 11yo

Sullivan’s Cove Special Single Cask 11yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Golden
45.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, greengages, gooseberries, dried apricots, orange peel, candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, airy. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Orange peel, greengages, dried apricots, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, hints of autumn leaves. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, autumn leaves, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0214. I feel this might be the dram most emblematic of the distillery character. Heaps of stone fruit, apricots and greengages, along with gooseberries that create this impression of an abundant harvest in an orchard. Lovely stuff. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Old and Rare 18yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Old and Rare 18yo 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
White wine
49.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, toffee, orange peel, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of cucumber.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, loosens slightly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apples, toffee, cucumber, brass polish, green tea, fresh baked bread.
Finish: Medium. Green tea, fresh baked bread, cucumber, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel HH0296. This whisky has lots of stone fruit, now gooseberries, alongside apples and plenty of bread on the finish. The underlying cereal notes are very attractive, and to my mind, the key reason why this tastes so good. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Bourbon Cask 13yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Bourbon Cask 13yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Sunshine yellow
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, honey, mint, banana bread, green tea, barley sugar, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, drying, warm.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, barley sugar, peaches, mint, pineapples.
Finish: Medium. Green tea, hazelnuts, honey, peaches. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0165. Fruity and light, heaps of stone fruit and tannins. Very luscious on the tongue, plenty of flavour. Very good whisky indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenrothes 10yo 2004/2014

Glenrothes 10yo 2004/2014

Old Malt Cask, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber gold 
50% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, damson jam, black tea, vanilla, Demerara sugar, hints of menthol. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, raisins, damson jam, walnuts, candied oranges, salt caramel.

Finish: Long. Menthol, salt caramel, raisins, damson jam, candied oranges. 

Comments: 

Cask #/H1 ref 10764. This is a sample bottle that’s sat on my shelf for a while. It’s quite pungent, mentholated and sweet. Highly enjoyable, and very drinkable. No water needed with this one whatsoever. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Linkwood 12yo Galil Mountain Wine Finish

Linkwood 12yo Galil Mountain Wine Finish

DS Tayman
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, fresh baked bread, raisins, starfruit, white grapes, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, airy, loosens.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, white grapes, fresh cut grass, starfruit, sage, green tea, hints of ginseng.
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, sage, honey, green tea. 

Comments: 

Youngish Linkwood, quite herbal and grassy. There’s some sweetness in there, presumably from the wine cask, as well as tropical fruit. It’s a decent dram for the price, but I’m not sure the wine finish adds much. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Braeval 19yo 1998/2018

Braeval 19yo 1998/2018

Dun Bheagan, Ian Macleod Distillers
Single malt - Speyside
Amber rose
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, cocoa powder, vanilla sponge, red grapes, hints of cloves, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cocoa powder, red grapes, cloves, fresh baked bread, candied oranges.
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, candied oranges, ginseng, raisins, hints of aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Cask 93961, port cask Braeval. Sweet and meaty, with more than a hint of fruity Christmassy chocolate. Excellent winter dram, almost like mulled wine. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Speyburn 28yo 1989/2018

Speyburn 28yo 1989/2018

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, white grapes, watermelons, sea salt, malted grains.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, slippery.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Watermelons, white grapes, peat, tobacco leaf, apples, lemon zest, hints of allspice. 
Finish: Medium. Allspice, lemon zest, white grapes, leather. 

Comments: 

You don’t see Speyburn very often, much less an old one. This one is excellent stuff, aromatic, quite intense and fruity, with notes of gingery allspice underlying it. I enjoyed this, very rare chance to taste spirit from this distillery. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Macduff 30yo 1990/2020

Macduff 30yo 1990/2020

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
48.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, menthol, blackcurrant, honeycomb, carrot cake, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, mouth coating.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, menthol, carrot cake, honeycomb, raisins, kiwi fruit. 
Finish: Long. Menthol, black tea, raisins, carrot cake. 

Comments: 

Cask DL13918. This is heavily sherried single cask Macduff, reasonably similar to the 30 year old Glen Deveron, but more intense of course. It’s rather like a delicious cough mixture, tingly and mentholated, and it certainly opens up one’s passages. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.