Emperor’s Way 4yo Batch 1

Emperor’s Way 4yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Bavaria
Bright amber
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, leather, sherry, red grapes, peat, farmyard, autumn leaves, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, wet stones, honey, pears, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, smoke, farmyard, pears, red grapes, autumn leaves, petrichor, hints of charcoal ash. With water, peat, smoke, red grapes, wet stones. 
Finish: Long. Petrichor, autumn leaves, smoke, farmyard, honey. 

Comments: 

Peated whisky from Hammerschmiede distillery, which also makes Elsburn. It’s sherried, lots of sweet notes with layers of complexity. It’s also reminiscent of a farm after rain, but not in an unpleasant way. Quite tasty. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dornoch 6yo 2017/2023

Dornoch 6yo 2017/2023

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Bright gold
59.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nectarines, peaches, malted grains, pencil lead, wet stones, parchment, magic marker, hints of smoke. With water, Chinese angelica, nectarines, sandalwood, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Candle wax, sandalwood, cedar, wet stones, magic marker, parchment, peaches, hints of smoke. With water, Chinese angelica, cedar, peaches, hints of camphor. 
Finish: Short. Peaches, magic marker, malted grains, sandalwood, Chinese angelica. 

Comments: 

Cask 27. Fruity like the other Dornochs I’ve had. Lots of complexity, aided by the high ABV. There’s a lot of wax and herbaceous bitterness here, along with wood and feinty notes. Excellent and delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 15yo)

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 2023)

Black Friday, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hoppy beer, peaches, honey, nectarines, pear drops, hints of pineapples. With water, magic marker, pineapples, peaches, white grapes. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, honey, pineapples, malted grains, magic marker, oatcakes, hints of coffee. With water, honey, hoppy beer, peaches, ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, nectarines, malted grains, coffee, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

The Whisky Exchange Black Friday dram for last year - it’s a Glenkinchie. Rich and rounded, lots of full fruity notes, over a very strong malty spine. Exactly the sort of whisky I love. It’s got a layer of bitterness too, which ups the complexity even more.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Flaming Heart 2022 Edition

Flaming Heart 2022 Edition

Compass Box

Blended malt
Golden, hints of copper
48.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, wet stones, smoked bacon, dark chocolate, raisins, apricots, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Peat, smoke, raisins, apricots, white grapes, gooseberries, tarry rope, hints of brown butter. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, tarry rope, apricots, smoked bacon, peat. 

Comments: 

A very complex blend, the full recipe is available on the Compass Box website. It’s fruity, feinty, flinty and smoky. Lots of complex layers, that starts out fruity and ends smoky and peaty.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Linkwood 26yo 1975/2002 Rare Malts

Linkwood 26yo 1975/2002 Rare Malts

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Dark golden bronze
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon sweets, rhubarb and custard sweets, dark chocolate, sandalwood, camphor, pears, hints of white pepper. With water, dark chocolate, malted grains, leather, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, volatile, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Malted grains, dark chocolate, white grapes, camphor, sandalwood, leather, pears, celery salt. With water, white grapes, dark chocolate, camphor, pears. 
Finish: Long. Pears, gooseberries, lemon sweets, dark chocolate, celery salt. 

Comments: 

Super sweet, savoury and herbal Linkwood. The only Rare Malts Linkwood ever bottled. It’s magnificent, with pears, bitterish dark chocolate and a big heap of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Brown Bear’s Medved

Brown Bear’s Medved

Official bottling 
Single malt - Carniola
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, lemon zest, cream, red grapes, brown sugar, hints of cough syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cough syrup, damson jam, brown sugar, yoghurt, corn syrup, hints of new plastic. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, corn syrup, malted grains, plums. 

Comments: 

Batch B02/2022. Sweet fruity floral plum again, this seems to be a characteristic of Slovenian whisky. Slightly raw notes accompany the plum, like new plastic and lactic yoghurt. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Barton 1792 2016/2023 Single Barrel #206 Royal Mile Whiskies Exclusive

Barton 1792 2016/2023 Single Barrel #206 Royal Mile Whiskies Exclusive

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
62.5% ABV

Dram

Nose: Brown paper, honey, vanilla, molasses, chocolate, sandalwood, pencil lead. With water, cherries, honey, vanilla, cookie dough. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cough syrup, cherries, molasses, brown paper, chocolate, pencil lead, hints of wet stones. With water, cough syrup, blackcurrant cordial, cookie dough. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, cough syrup, honey, pencil lead. 

Comments: 

Barrel 206. This is lovely, lots of bitter sweet notes, and feinty metallic notes as well. Water brings fruitiness, some herbaceous notes and long notes of vanilla and cookie dough. Delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Deanston 15yo Tequila Cask

Deanston 15yo Tequila Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, olive brine, white pepper, yoghurt, honey, hints of agave. With water, honey, orange juice, white pepper, hints of agave. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White pepper, smoke, leather, honey, lemon zest, cream, oatcakes, hints of sea salt. With water, leather, peat, oatcakes, lemon zest, yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, oatcakes, olive brine, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Savoury Deanston, something quite unusual. There’s the obligatory hints of agave of course, but it’s harsher, not quite as well integrated as I would like. Lots of malt and grain evident as well. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Stauning Høst

Stauning Host

Official bottling
Single blend - Midtjylland
Pale amber
40.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bubble gum, black pepper, oatcakes, autumn leaves, gooseberries, hints of tutti frutti. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Oatcakes, gooseberries, lemon zest, apple juice, black pepper, cedar. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, bubble gum, oatcakes, aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Rye, malt and grain all blended together from Stauning, at a surprisingly low ABV. It’s peppery but still loaded with sweet grain flavours, with a woody and feinty finish. Again surprisingly, I quite like the bubble gum here.

Verdict:

I like this.

Elements of Islay Cask Edit, Bourbon and Sherry Cask

Elements of Islay Cask Edit, Bourbon and Sherry Cask

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Blended malt
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Carbolic soap, white grapes, leather, honey, apple juice, lemon sweets, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, leather, lemon sweets, smoke, peat, carbolic soap, white pepper, camphor. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, oak chips, leather, carbolic soap, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Nicely fruity yet peated dram, lots of antiseptic notes, with leather and white pepper. The antiseptic notes linger a long time, from the tongue through to the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Broken Bones 6yo Batch 2/23

Broken Bones 6yo Batch 2/23

Official bottling
Single malt - Carniola
Golden, hints of bronze
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, smoke, chestnut puree, vanilla, white chocolate, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Leather, charcoal ash, vanilla, sea salt, sandalwood, white grapes, peat, smoke, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, smoke, sea salt, autumn leaves, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Peaty but still with that floral plum note that reminds me of slivovitz or plum brandy. There’s a lot of smoke and ash in this one, creates layers of flavour, and those are always good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Knockdhu 11yo 2012/2023

Knockdhu 11yo 2012/2023

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, green apples, white grapes, honey, magic marker, rhubarb and custard sweets. With water, green apples, magic marker, wet stones, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Green apples, yoghurt, rhubarb and custard sweets, pear drops, honey, gooseberries, hints of malted grains. With water, wet stones, salt caramel, brown paper, green apples. 
Finish: Short. Yoghurt, malted grains, rhubarb and custard sweets, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 7127. Very estery, lots of fruity, almost acetone notes. There’s some feinty notes as well, especially with a bit of water. The finish is surprisingly abrupt, cuts off after a wave of rhubarb and custard.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlossie 10yo 2013/2023

Glenlossie 10yo 2013/2023

Small Batch, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside 
Orange gold

46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, vanilla, green apples, honeycomb, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of cedar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Cookie dough, sandalwood, white pepper, honeycomb, malted grains, cedar. 
Finish: Medium. Green apples, ginseng, malted grains, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Very drinkable appley ‘Lossie. It’s honeyed as well, with plenty of fragrant woody notes. The finish creates a bit more complexity, but otherwise very straightforward.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benromach 15yo

Benromach 15yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, raisins, black pepper, blackberries, orange peel, sandalwood, hints of smoke. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, white wine, black pepper, blackberries, marmalade, chocolate, coffee, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Blackberries, raisins, white wine, cloves, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Fruity and jammy, lots of chocolate and something bitter - probably coffee. There’s spicy notes too, of the sort I normally associate with rye, so that’s black pepper. It’s excellent whisky, certainly one of the best 15yo whiskies I’ve had in a while.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cotswolds 5yo 2018/2023

Cotswolds 5yo 2018/2023

#06, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Warwickshire 
Amber red 
54.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, caramel, strawberry laces, oatcakes, aluminium foil, pears. With water, strawberry laces, apple juice, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Apple juice, caramel, oatcakes, cola nuts, red grapes, butterscotch, hints of aluminium foil. With water, black pepper, oatcakes, cocoa nibs, apple juice. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, cola nuts, oatcakes, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Intense and fruity, lots of sweet notes but also a tartness that you get from malic acid and red grapes. It’s feinty too, and complex. Water dissolves some of the tart notes and brings out even more fruitiness. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 36yo 1977/2013 (2013 Special Releases)

Convalmore 36yo 1977/2013 (2013 Special Releases)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Light amber 
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, camphor, aluminium foil, mangoes, papayas, hints of passionfruit. With water, raisins, passionfruit, oatcakes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, camphor, papayas, honey, mangoes, peaches, ginseng, hints of black tea. With water, malted grains, peaches, honey, black tea. 
Finish: Long. Black pepper, pencil lead, oatcakes, raisins, photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

Lots of tropical fruit, but also a tart floral note that I identify as passionfruit. Again that herbaceous bitter note underneath, but this time the finish is flinty and feinty rather that fruity and fragrant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 32yo 1984/2017 (2017 Special Releases)

Convalmore 32yo 1984/2017 (2017 Special Releases)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, peaches, malted grains, honey, vanilla ice cream, white pepper, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla ice cream, mangoes, peaches, camphor, ginseng, malted grains, cream, hints of condensed milk. 
Finish: Long. Honeydew melons, cream, peaches, malted grains, hints of camphor. 

Comments: 

More old Convalmore, lots of tropical fruit and a deep, intense, bitter and herbaceous note. A long fruity finish of melons and peaches, but overlaid on a big malty spine. Very good indeed .

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 35.247 (Glen Moray 11yo 2008/2019)

SMWS 35.247 (Glen Moray 11yo 2008/2019)

2019, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Amber bronze

65% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, almonds, walnut skins, cinnamon, cloves, apple juice, dates, toffee. With water, raisins, white pepper, aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cream, raisins, walnut skins, cedar, toffee, white pepper, dates, cocoa nibs. With water, raisins, cream, brown paper, honey. 
Finish: Long. Cream, cocoa nibs, cloves, raisins, dates. 

Comments: 

Sherried Speyside, very classic, very high in ABV. Lots of bitter notes offset the sweet, and there’s a good sherried nuttiness that pervades the whole dram. Stands out among a crowded pack.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Belgrove Rye 3yo

Belgrove Rye 3yo

Bonded International Series, Killowen bottler 
Single rye - Tasmania
Amber, hints of red
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ume, oatcakes, new plastic, white pepper, cumin, photocopy paper, aluminium foil. With water, sea salt, damson jam, aluminium foil, ume.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Aluminium foil, camphor, mace, cumin, photocopy paper, damson jam, ume. With water, leather, aluminium foil, Chinese angelica, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, cumin, damson jam, ume, mace. 

Comments: 

Sweet, peppery and feinty. This is the Tasmanian whisky dried with sheep dung. It’s not as farmyardy as the previous Belgrove I had, but it’s quite spicy and savoury. Unusual and highly enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Braeval 9yo Batch 5

Braeval 9yo Batch 5

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
57.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dark chocolate, honey, vanilla, molasses, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon. With water, honey, molasses, dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Molasses, dark chocolate, honey, vanilla, roast pork, black pepper, cocoa nibs, black tea, hints of sea salt. With water, raisins, cream, damson jam, molasses, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Mint, black pepper, dark chocolate, sea salt, hints of roast pork. 

Comments: 

Sherried Braeval, lots of spicy sweet notes. Particularly molasses, deep, dark and a little bitter. Water brings in more jammy notes, and a little cream. Enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Daftmill 12yo 2011/2023 Summer Batch Release

Daftmill 12yo 2011/2023 Summer Batch Release

Official bottling

Single malt - Lowlands
Amber pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tea tree oil, peaches, pineapples, passionfruit, mangoes, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens slightly, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, white pepper, peaches, passionfruit, white pepper, cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, peaches, tea tree oil, mangoes. 

Comments: 

Very fruity, slightly grassy Daftmill. The herbal character of earlier releases isn’t there so much anymore, it’s been replaced by gentle, restrained fruit. It’s more stone fruit than tropical fruit now too.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Garioch 25yo 1990/2015

Glen Garioch 25yo 1990/2015

25th Anniversary, Usquebaugh Society
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden, hints of copper
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, winter melons, white chocolate, orange juice, honeydew melons, hints of cough syrup. With water, milk chocolate, orange juice, lemon zest, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, winter melons, celery salt, fresh cut grass, raisins, honeydew melons, milk chocolate, hints of cough syrup. With water, leather, orange juice, honeydew melons. 
Finish: Medium. Milk chocolate, cough syrup, leather, raisins, cloves. 

Comments: 

Cask 7937. Milky and chocolatey Glen Garioch, with some old bottle effect and lots of fruit. The peppery distillate seems to have been toned down a bit, but there’s still some funk present.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 36yo 1986/2022

Mortlach 36yo 1986/2022

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blueberry jam, cough syrup, pear drops, cocoa nibs, cloves. With water, pear drops, winter melons, blueberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Butter, vanilla, cloves, blueberry jam, raisins, pear drops, hints of leather, hints of smoke. With water, cocoa nibs, winter melons, pear drops. 
Finish: Long. Pear drops, blueberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 2040. Superb old Mortlach, lots of fruity notes, with the robust meaty notes toned down to unctuous butter. With water the twist of smoke is even more apparent. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.