The Matsui Mizunara Cask

The Matsui Mizunara Cask 

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Pale straw
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange blossom, vanilla, honey, chocolate, butterscotch, hints of raisins, hints of jute bags. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, chocolate, stout, butterscotch, chocolate, raisins, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Butterscotch, fresh cut grass, orange blossom, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Promising from the new Kurayoshi distillery. It’s robust spirit, lots of malty fudgy notes, allows to orange blossom and spice from the mizunara cask. Very pleasant indeed, a good typical Japanese whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye Whiskey

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye Whiskey 

Official bottling 
Single rye - Tennessee 
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, orange peel, jasmine, blackcurrants, vanilla, hints of preserved lemons. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black pepper, jasmine, violets, allspice, vanilla, blackcurrants. 
Finish: Short. Allspice, black pepper, vanilla, honey. 

Comments: 

Floral and spicy, with the rye quite prominent, I rather like this whisky. It’s got quite a few interesting notes wrapped up in a pleasant sweet sour distillate. Some slightly savoury notes too. Intriguing.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dalmore Valour

Dalmore Valour

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Dark amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blackcurrant cordial, chocolate, golden syrup, cinnamon, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, raisins, coffee, cloves, cinnamon, oak, vanilla, honey. 
Finish: Short. Honey, golden syrup, blackcurrant cordial, coffee. 

Comments: 

A fruity sherried malt, usually only available in travel retail. It’s got some character behind it, but sadly it’s a little thin at 40%. Body-wise, and finish-wise, could do with a little more alcohol to highlight the flavours.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lagavulin 12yo (2021 Special Releases)

Lagavulin 12yo (2021 Special Releases)

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

Nose: Lemon zest, driftwood smoke, leather, peat, germolene, tobacco leaf, cotton sheets, dried apricots. With water, lemon sweets, honey, dried apricots, tobacco leaf, germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Golden syrup, leather, driftwood smoke, dried apricots, lemon zest, lemon sweets, sea salt, hints of tarry rope. With water, lemon sweets, honey, leather, tobacco leaf. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon sweets, peat, germolene, tarry rope, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Lovely, thick and smoky, this whisky is hugely complex and intensely flavourful. It’s surprisingly mild, as far as the smoke level is concerned, and instead is redolent of dried apricots and lemon sweets. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask

Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask 

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Taiwan
Copper red
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Artificial grape flavour, cocoa nibs, raisins, black tea, strawberry jam, nutmeg, hints of dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, coffee, dark chocolate, dried apricots, peaches, artificial grape flavour, hints of acacia honey. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, black tea, cocoa nibs, peaches, artificial grape flavour. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, quite fruity and estery, this whisky is surprisingly complex, despite its lack of an age statement and the low ABV. Plenty of pleasingly bitter notes in the finish as well. Good dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, lemon sweets, malted grains, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, hints of white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Malted grains, sourdough bread, muesli, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, orange juice, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Short. Vitamin C tablets, white wine, sourdough bread, coffee, hints of grapefruit. 

Comments: 

An interesting experiment - whisky matured in orange wine casks. Well, there’s plenty of citrus fruit, not just orange, but lemon and grapefruit as well. In fact the main note is fizzy vitamin C tablets! A decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Moray 13yo 2008/2021 Unpeated Cask Sample, Ex-Red Wine Cask 2956

Glen Moray 13yo 2008/2021 Unpeated Cask Sample, Ex-Red Wine Cask 2956

Caskshare 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber
Around 55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dark chocolate, hazelnuts, honey, cocoa nibs, raisins, pruneaux, hints of black pepper, hints of sandalwood. With water, dark chocolate, black pepper, pruneaux, hints of aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, raisins, black tea, coffee, bananas, marshmallows, sandalwood, hints of cloves. With water, pruneaux, raisins, black tea, coffee, bananas. 
Finish: Short. Bananas, marshmallows, black tea, coffee, hints of black pepper. 

Comments: 

Winey and fragrant, the flavours in this Glen Moray imparted by the red wine cask seem to have melded well. Lots of pruneaux and bitter notes, but a floral fruity finish of banana marshmallows. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnamurchan 6yo 2015/2021 Peated Cask Sample, Cask 760P

Ardnamurchan 6yo 2015/2021 Peated Cask Sample, Cask 706P

Caskshare 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
White wine
Around 52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, driftwood smoke, sandalwood, nutmeg, jasmine, dark chocolate, dried apricots, sea salt. With water, driftwood smoke, roast chicken, malted grains, dark chocolate, jasmine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Malted grains, driftwood smoke, dried apricots, dried pears, jasmine, lemon zest, hints of dark chocolate. With water, fresh baked bread, dried apricots, dark chocolate, hints of roast chicken. 
Finish: Long. Leather, nutmeg, dried apricots, dried pears, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Cask 706P. Lots of meaty peaty notes, salty smoke, savoury roast chicken, and sweet dried fruit. Well integrated, and as Ardnamurchan normally is, very complex for a young whisky. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.