Langatun 5yo Batch 3

Langatun 5yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt

Single malt - Bern
Sunshine yellow 
51.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, diesel exhaust, toffee, salt caramel, tyre rubber, menthol, lemon juice. With water, autumn leaves, tyre rubber, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, slightly oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Diesel exhaust, tyre rubber, new plastic, cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, ginseng, hints of apricots. With water, diesel exhaust, autumn leaves, apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon juice, cocoa nibs, tyre rubber, hints of apricots. 

Comments: 

Starts out flinty and earthy, but soon turns sulphurous. Lots of dark chocolate and cocoa notes abound. I’ve not quite gotten to grips with Langatun, but this is quite pleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kingsbarns 6yo 2015 Bourbon Barrel Cask #1510255

Kingsbarns 6yo 2015 Bourbon Barrel Cask #1510255

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Silvery gold
60.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, malted grains, fresh baked bread, cream, barley sugar, hints of nutmeg. With water, malted grains, honey, lemon juice, hints of condensed milk. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon juice, honey, malted grains, barley sugar, sultanas, nutmeg, hints of condensed milk. With water, malted grains, green tea, honey, hints of ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, barley sugar, lemon juice, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 1510255, of course. It’s lactic, but still quite sweet. Some citrus notes offset the yoghurty note that tips a little bit towards baby sick. Still young at 6yo, but promising. A 10 or 15 yo release from this distillery would be very interesting indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 53.318 (Caol Ila 11yo 2008/2020)

SMWS 53.318 (Caol Ila 11yo 2008/2020)

2020, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Pale pink gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast pork, soy sauce, driftwood smoke, cedar, peat, lemon juice, heather, hints of honey. With water, honey, germolene, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty bitter. Soy sauce, heather, malted grains, lemon juice, charcoal ash, driftwood smoke, peat, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, lemon juice, malted grains, driftwood smoke, peat. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, roast pork, lemon juice, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Quite smoky, and sweet for a Caol Ila. There’s some lovely meaty notes too, together with floral heather. Quite tasty and complex, especially for a whisky just 11 years old.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 27yo 1973/2000

Craigellachie 27yo 1973/2000

Vintage Hallmark, Hallmark of St James

Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold 
50.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, malted grains, marmalade, sarsaparilla, raisins, orange peel, cloves, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Orange peel, fresh baked bread, cocoa nibs, chocolate, butterscotch, raisins, apricot jam, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, chocolate, coffee, raisins, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Quite savoury for a Craigellachie. Lots of fruit and butterscotch, and plenty of cocoa as well. It tastes quite old too, flavours blending well into each other. Really quite luscious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 9.181 (Glen Grant 24yo 1996/2020)

SMWS 9.181 (Glen Grant 24yo 1996/2020)

2020, SMWS

Single malt - Speyside 
Bronze 
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, toffee, cocoa nibs, honey, milk chocolate, nutmeg, cloves, marshmallows. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cocoa nibs, milk chocolate, raisins, damson jam, black tea, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, fresh baked bread . 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, raisins, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Sweet and chocolatey, lots of beautiful sherried notes, well layered, distinct and balanced. Lovely and well-aged, it was a real pleasure to drink this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Sandebud 6yo

The Sandebud 6yo

Adelphi

 Vatted malt - Multi-country

Amber 

58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, germolene, orange peel, salt caramel, leather, cedar, hints of smoke. With water, orange peel, toast, roast pork, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Leather, peat, orange peel, germolene, nutmeg, sea salt, cinnamon, cedar, smoke. With water, toast, germolene, orange peel, photocopy paper. 
Finish: Long. Germolene, photocopy paper, smoke, leather, peat. 

Comments: 

A blend of Ardnamurchan and High Coast. Meaty, smoky, woody and fruity, it’s a good melding of complex malts with personality. Water brings out some spicy and feinty notes that complement the smokiness. Quite delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Starward Tawny Cask 2018/2022

Starward Tawny Cask 2018/2022

Official bottling 
Single malt - Victoria
Dark copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, strawberry jam, damson jam, milk chocolate, croissants, cinnamon, hints of cloves. With water, orange peel, raisins, damson jam, croissants, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Strawberry jam, croissants, cloves, orange peel, honey, cherries. With water, salt caramel, orange peel, strawberry jam, cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, milk chocolate, raisins, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, this is more complex than your usual port cask finish. Lots of bread and butter, salt caramel and candied orange peel. Very enjoyable of an evening.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wolfburn 10yo

Wolfburn 10yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cream, strawberry jam, tyre rubber, marmalade, brown sugar, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marmalade, brown sugar, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon juice, toffee, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, brown sugar, tyre rubber, honey. 

Comments: 

The flagship OB from Wolfburn! It’s lactic, creamy and slightly sulphurous. Plenty of citrus and sweet notes as well, but the robust sulphur is evident still. Decent.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Pulteney 8yo 100 Proof

Old Pulteney 8yo 100 Proof

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale copper
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, kiwifruit, passionfruit, greengages, clay dust, white grapes, hints of candle wax. With water, kiwifruit, honey, candle wax, greengages. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, magic marker, greengages, clay dust, lemon zest, pomeloes, candle wax. With water, honey, passionfruit, candle wax, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Clay dust, lemon zest, candle wax, greengages. 

Comments: 

Lots of white and green fruits, alongside a waxy, sweet, citrusy character. It’s quite an old bottle, so tastes quite dusty and spicy. Luscious, bottled at an almost perfect ABV.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

High Glen 3yo Batch 1

High Glen 3yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Graubünden
Golden, hints of pink
46.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, sandalwood, nutmeg, damson jam, malted grains, clay dust, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marshmallows, vanilla, sandalwood, nutmeg, honey, clay dust, kiwifruit, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, nutmeg, orange peel, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Spicy and woody, but with a fruity edge. It tastes dusty despite its young age, and can sometimes be almost gritty. I’ve never understood who a liquid can feel that way, but it must be a strong flavour association that’s tricking my poor brain. It then builds to a spicy, feinty finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SRV05 8yo Blended Malt

SRV05 Blended Malt 8yo

Thompson Brothers
Blend
Pale green
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, lemon juice, green apples, cooked rice, hints of strawberry jam, hints of wheat beer. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Leather, peat, green apples, vanilla, smoke, golden syrup, photocopy paper, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Long. Photocopy paper, raisins, peat, leather, hints of lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Tart and fermented, with lots of sweet feinty notes on the tongue. Decent blend, with a nice malty nose. It’s a higher ABV too, which lets it keep some complexity. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Gold Cock 20yo

Gold Cock 20yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Zlin
Dark gold
49.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast pork, orange peel, malted grains, raisins, liquorice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Diesel exhaust, malted grains, cloves, liquorice, honey, hints of roast pork, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Ginseng, honey, cloves, malted grains, raisins. 

Comments: 

Meaty and sweet stuff, with the meat quite forward on the tongue. It’s rather tasty, despite coming from a non-traditional whisky producing country. Lots of spicy notes too, especially on the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Chief’s Son 5yo Batch 1

Chief’s Son 5yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Victoria
Amber brown
52.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, blackberries, brown paper, chocolate, orange peel, desiccated coconut. With water, cinnamon, desiccated coconut, sarsaparilla, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, loosens slightly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Desiccated coconut, chocolate, butterscotch, salted caramel, lemon juice, honey, hints of sarsaparilla. With water, chocolate, sarsaparilla, blackberries, hay. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, hay, desiccated coconut, salted caramel, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Sweet, sherried dram, but with savoury, coconutty notes. It’s also quite herbal and grassy, especially with water. Tasty and unusual, will definitely seek out more from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

High Coast 8yo 2012/2021

High Coast 8yo 2012/2021

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Ångermanland
Pale gold
62.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, lemon juice, shortbread, leather, cinnamon, green apples, hints of white chocolate. With water, shortbread, toast, lemon juice, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Peat, leather, smoke, green apples, mint, peanuts, shortbread, hints of germolene. With water, malted grains, green apples, toast, smoke, hints of germolene. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, cinnamon, white chocolate, germolene, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Earthy, chemical but fruity whisky from High Coast. Lots of malt and smoky toast, with a good tart fruity spine. Harsh but opens up with water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lochlea Ploughing Edition First Crop

Lochlea Ploughing Edition First Crop

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Colourless
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, malted grains, wheat beer, sourdough bread, green apples, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Malted grains, leather, diesel exhaust, green apples, grapefruit, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Peat, leather, grapefruit, diesel exhaust, hints of vanilla. 

Comments: 

Odd lack of colour on this dram. It’s quite tart and fermented, lots of citrus and slightly ripe bread. On the tongue there’s peat and diesel exhaust. The flavours and harsh, perhaps a bit more aging will mellow this.

Verdict:

I like this.

Millburn 12yo 1983/1996

Millburn 12yo 1983/1996

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
59.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Starfruit, pineapples, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of celery salt. With water, vanilla, starfruit, tutti frutti, hints of passionfruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Starfruit, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, tutti frutti, nutmeg, papayas, hints of smoke, hints of photocopy paper. With water, peaches, starfruit, leather, celery salt. 
Finish: Medium. Photocopy paper, papayas, starfruit, leather, hints of celery salt. 

Comments: 

I do like a Millburn, and this one does not disappoint. Lots of tropical starfruit, and sundry other fruit too, fading to the damp smoke characteristic of the dram, and celery salt, a sign of old bottle effect. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glendronach 25yo 1993/2019

Glendronach 25yo 1993/2019

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange blossom, black tea, cherries, chocolate, leather, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, hot. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Cloves, chocolate, orange blossom, raisins, vanilla custard, blackberries, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, raisins, cloves, fresh baked bread, hints of petrol exhaust. 

Comments: 

Classic sherried dram, lots of sweet spicy notes. It’s multi-layered and complex, starting with spice and chocolate, before fading to jammy fruit, then a good malty spine. Lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Orientalist 8yo

The Orientalist 8yo

The Orientalist
Blended malt - Multi-country
Amber, hints of gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, milk chocolate, honey, cocoa nibs, vanilla, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Golden syrup, raisins, vanilla, fresh baked bread, lemon juice, salt caramel. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa nibs, vanilla, milk chocolate, black tea. 

Comments: 

A blend of malt from Japan, Taiwan and India, the three Asian whisky powerhouses. It’s salty sweet, lots of sweet fruity notes abound. But it’s not really that complex.

Verdict:

I like this.

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, honey, overripe peaches, mangoes, orange peel, hints of bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, fresh baked bread, orange peel, mangoes, nutmeg, hints of burnt sugar. 
Finish: Short. Burnt sugar, nutmeg, lemon zest, orange peel, hints of camphor. 

Comments: 

Earthy camphor covers a heap of tropical fruit, mainly mangoes and bananas. Plenty of spices too, dominated by nutmeg. It’s good and unbalanced, in a good way. Lots of layers with waves of flavour.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filey Bay Double Oak #2

Filey Bay Double Oak #2

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, curry leaves, black pepper, lemon juice, green tea, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange peel, cinnamon, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon juice, orange sherbet, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Orange sherbet, green tea, cinnamon, black pepper, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 

Comments: 

Sweet, citrusy distillate, some tannins, and a little intriguing, nutty, curry leaf. It’s rather good for something so young, and doesn’t suffer with dilution. Quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fleurieu 3yo Batch 2

Fleurieu 3yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - South Australia
Orange red
65% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, honey, marmalade, strawberries, cream, fresh baked bread. With water, toast, white pepper, marmalade, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, marmalade, toast, cinnamon, white pepper, lemon juice, hints of vanilla. With water, fresh baked bread, marmalade, honey, vanilla. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, lemon juice, marmalade, toast. 

Comments: 

Highly sherried (Apera’d?), it’s picked up a lot of cask flavour. Lots of jammy sweet notes, but also plenty of peppery kick. Quite pleasant, but it’s got raw edges.

Verdict:

I like this.