Eden Mill 2019 Release

Eden Mill 2019 Release

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, milk chocolate, hay, honey, vanilla, hints of black pepper.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands slightly.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, damson jam, milk chocolate, black tea, blueberries, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, damson jam, raisins, milk chocolate, black pepper. 

Comments: 

A nice little sherried dram, from a newish Lowlands distillery that I’ve not tried until now. It’s not exactly distinctive, but there’s plenty of pleasant jammy notes here, combined with a rather lactic spirit. Gets the job done. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Editions Liberty

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Editions Liberty

Official bottling 
Single malt - Cumbria
Pale gold
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dark chocolate, orange peel, lemon zest, cola nuts, fresh baked bread, hints of bay leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, airy, expands.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, bay leaf, lemon zest, fresh baked bread, black tea, black pepper, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper, hints of green pepper. 

Comments: 

Sweet and herbaceous, with a citrus undertone. It wasn’t perfect tasting conditions when I had this, but I did manage to have it at the Lakes distillery. A beautiful place that is well worth a visit. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ben Nevis 24yo 1997/2021

Ben Nevis 24yo 1997/2021

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Western Highlands
Golden, hints of green 
43.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, white grapes, yoghurt, greengages, toffee, hints of pine nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, greengages, green apples, toffee, cream, hints of white chocolate, hints of pine nuts. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, green apples, yoghurt, cream, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

This tastes green, lots of tart, slightly herbaceous fruit, allied to deep underlying sweetness. Lots of complexity and a little bit of leathery peatiness on the finish. As uncomplicated as whisky gets. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Omar Single Malt (Sherry Cask)

Omar Single Malt (Sherry Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Taiwan

Amber gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, fresh baked bread, apple juice, prunes, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, raisins, apple juice, cloves, orange peel, hints of plums. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, orange peel, prunes. 

Comments: 

Discontinued version of Nantou’s standard sherried malt. It’s quite lovely, with deep intense notes of dried fruity and chocolate, with some nice cereal underpinning it. It’s probably only around 5 years old, but aged in a warmer climate, so tastes more intense than some 10 year old Scotches.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, plums, honey, kiwifruit, vanilla, hints of black pepper. With water, damson jam, black pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands slightly, warm, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, fresh baked bread, vanilla, black pepper, black tea, hints of orange peel. With water, fresh baked bread, orange peel, black tea, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, black pepper, black tea, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, lots of fruit and plenty of spicy notes. It deepens with a touch of water, becomes sweeter but less spicy. Nice. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Dalmore 25yo 1992/2017

Dalmore 25yo 1992/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Golden, hints of green 
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, chocolate, malted grains, barley sugar, vanilla, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, vanilla, lemon zest, honey, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, lemon zest, greengages, hints of cornflakes. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, greengages, barley sugar. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, green chillies, lemon zest, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Old Dalmore, bourbon cask, quite a rarity. Lots of cereal and green fruit on the tongue and nose, and it finishes with a spicy bang. But it lacks a little in complexity for such an old dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands 
Amber
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Woodsmoke, sea salt, sandalwood, aluminium foil, raisins, hints of photocopy paper. With water, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, semolina pudding. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, honey, barley sugar, raisins, black tea, hints of woodsmoke. With water, black tea, semolina pudding, honey, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, sea salt, fresh baked bread, vanilla, semolina pudding. 

Comments: 

Sweet, not a lot of smoke or peat (not that there’s a lot of that in Arran). Quite a lot of cereal as well, especially with a touch of water. It’s all very fragrant with decent complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tobermory Isle of Mull (old dumpy)

Tobermory Isle of Mull (old dumpy)

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands 
Dark gold, hints of copper
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, orange juice, toffee apples, fresh baked bread, toast, hints of papayas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange juice, toffee apples, leather, mint, butterscotch, hints of cocoa powder. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa powder, butterscotch, toast, orange juice. 

Comments: 

This was bottled around the year 2000, and there’s quite a bit of old bottle effect. It’s mild, milder than today’s Tobermory, and certainly milder than today’s Ledaig. Lots of fruit underneath that peat, and quite a bit of cocoa. Nice. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Torabhaig Club Reserve Oloroso Puncheon 4yo 2017/2021

Torabhaig Club Reserve Oloroso Puncheon 4yo 2017/2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands 
Dark gold, hints of yellow
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, honey, sea salt, lemon juice, sumac, nashi pears, hints of leather. With water, lemon juice, wildflowers, sea salt, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Lemon juice, sumac, leather, smoke, germolene, sea salt, hints of nashi pears. With water, sea salt, germolene, wildflowers, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, sumac, mint, germolene, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Quite floral underneath the peat, with a great whopping lemon juice note. It devolves to germolene given some air, and on the finish. Very promising indeed, I want to try some older Torabhaig. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/2021

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/202-

Infrequent Flyers, Alastair Walker
Single malt - Islands 
Red
53.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, barley sugar, sage, vanilla, strawberry laces, hints of smoke. With water, honey, raisins, strawberry yoghurt, hints of leather.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, warm.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry laces, white grapes, orange peel, black tea, fresh baked bread, hints of smoke. With water, orange peel, honey, white grapes, hints of strawberry yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, raisins, fresh baked bread, orange peel, hints of greengages. 

Comments: 

Cask 5747. This is Highland Park. Quite fruity, lots of strawberry that almost drowns out any peat or salinity. Some cereal, but it’s somewhat atypically sweet for HP. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Talisker Friends of the Classic Malts (bottled 2003)

Talisker Friends of the Classic Malts (bottled 2003)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Chinese tea 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, sea salt, lime juice, toast, leather, honeydew melons, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lime juice, leather, sea salt, honeydew melons, olive oil, hints of leather, hints of roast pork. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, honeydew melons, leather, toast, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

A limited edition enhanced by a generous dollop of old bottle effect. There’s a savoury oily note underlying a lot of fruit and gentle peat. It’s quite well integrated and a delight to drink.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Raasay Cask #658 Sample 3yo 2018/2021

Raasay Cask #658 Sample 3yo 2018/2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Copper
Around 60% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, raisins, green tea, leather, sea salt, dried pears, hints of Worcestershire sauce. With water, lemon zest, green tea, leather, Worcestershire sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, cool.  
Tasting:  Bitter. Sea salt, leather, black pepper, dried pears, lemon zest, peat moss, smoke. With water, lemon zest, sea salt, leather, fresh baked bread, hints of Worcestershire sauce. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, lemon zest, peat moss, sea salt, leather. 

Comments: 

Gloriously unbalanced, but with a nice sourish tang of umami on the nose and tongue. The peat is almost overwhelming, not like Octomore, but like the other flavours are too delicate to stand up to it. But it’s promising. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Abhainn Dearg 10yo (2021)

Abhainn Dearg 10yo (2021)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Pale orange gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry sweets, cola nuts, honey, malted grains, photocopy paper, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, slightly tingly.  
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberry sweets, oats, fresh baked bread, honey, hints of vanilla, hints of maraschino cherries. 
Finish: Short. Orange peel, oats, vanilla, fresh baked bread, hints of mint. 

Comments: 

Finally, Abhainn Dearg whisky is of a reasonable age. The results are alright, quite fruity and cereally, but perhaps on the low side with respect to complexity. It’s a little too fruit forward for me. 

Verdict:

I like this.