The Glover 6yo

The Glover 6yo

Adelphi
Vatted malt
Pale orange
57.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, white grapes, pomeloes, malted grains, pencil lead, vanilla, lemon zest. With water, pencil lead, peaches, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, hot, airy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Pomeloes, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, malted grains, vanilla, green tea, hints of pencil lead. With water, vanilla, malted grains, white pepper, honey. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, wet stones, vanilla, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Deliciously tangy and fruity, but with plenty of feinty minerally notes. There’s tannins here too, herbal green tea that takes over after a few seconds. A great meeting of distillates, this blending of Chichibu and Ardnamurchan.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Rio Grande do Sul
Golden
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, lemon zest, lemon sweets, pear drops, germolene, leather, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, pear drops, lemon sweets, pineapples, tutti frutti. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pineapples, pear drops, peat, fresh cut grass, white grapes, driftwood smoke. With water, driftwood smoke, white grapes, pear drops, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Driftwood smoke, peat, pineapples, caramel, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

This was surprisingly good. It’s whisky from a non traditional whisky country, but from a distillery that has operated for a long time. It’s like eating barbecued pineapples while sat on the back of a diesel truck. Layered and complex stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Three Ships 12yo Master Distiller’s Private Collection

Three Ships 12yo Master Distiller’s Private Collection

Official bottling
Single malt - Western Cape
Sunshine yellow
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, peat, white grapes, lemon zest, leather, autumn leaves, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. White grapes, leather, tobacco leaf, lemon zest, photocopy paper, wet stones, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, leather, peat, tobacco leaf. 

Comments: 

Tart, fruity and feinty. It’s a lot more lively than some of the other whiskies from James Sedgwick that I’ve had. There’s minerally notes too, and some notes of tobacco, that integrate well. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Coleburn 38yo 1981/2019

Coleburn 38yo 1981/2019

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany 
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, white grapes, persimmons, leather, magic marker, pear drops, papayas. With water, fresh cut grass, magic marker, raisins, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green tea, fresh cut grass, persimmons, white grapes, magic marker, pear drops, leather, photocopy paper. With water, fresh cut grass, magic marker, raisins, pear drops. 
Finish: Long. Papayas, persimmons, white grapes, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Sweet, luscious, rich and satisfying, this is a very special dram. It’s fruity and estery, showing its age but is still lively and spritely. Water peps it up a bit, showing even more fruit and esters. Delicious and unusual.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. D

Ardnahoe 5yo Inaugural Release

Ardnahoe 5yo Inaugural Release

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Buttercups 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, peat, autumn leaves, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sea salt, germolene, fresh cut grass, autumn leaves, smoke, lemon zest, yoghurt, hints of dried apricots. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, peat, ginseng, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Islay’s newest distillery, and I’m sure that’s not the last time I will type that sentence. It’s very gentle and well integrated, lemony, slightly lactic and a little fruity. The smoke and peat are very gentle. Very promising. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Puni 4yo PX Cask Finish

Puni 4yo PX Cask Finish

Darkness, Master of Malt
Single malt - Alto Adige
Amber brown
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, yoghurt, peaches, raisins, redcurrants, malted grains, black tea. With water, redcurrants, cough syrup, raisins, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, fresh baked bread, black pepper, redcurrants, raisins, coffee, cream. With water, sea salt, fresh baked bread, cough syrup, mint. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, peaches, coffee, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask 11813/1006. A very classic Pedro Ximenez finish, lots of cough syrup and red fruit. It mellows on the finish to coffee and peaches, and water opens it up beautifully. My other thought, however, was that the cask is almost all of it.

Verdict:

I like this.

Eden Mill Sherry Cask

Eden Mill Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Chinese tea
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, new plastic, lemon sweets, orange peel, malted grains, hints of dunnage. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. New plastic, papayas, malted grains, apricots, raisins, dunnage, caramel. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, dunnage, marmalade, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Slightly rough, coarse whisky. It’s young, of course, and it could do with a little more age. Nevertheless there’s plenty of pleasant marmalade and warehouse dunnage. Pleasant dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Riverbourne 2yo Batch 2

Riverbourne 2yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New South Wales
Golden, hints of orange 
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, leather, peaches, limes, peat, orange juice, hints of pineapples, hints of sandalwood. With water, photocopy paper, olive brine, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Rye bread, photocopy paper, black pepper, smoke, pineapples, cloves, hints of sea salt. With water, rye bread, black pepper, sandalwood. 
Finish: Medium. Rye bread, sandalwood, cloves, orange juice, pineapples. 

Comments: 

Quite savoury, yet it’s fruity. It’s clearly been aged in a warmer climate, it’s got a lot of flavour for its age. It’s almost too savoury, the salt and rye are really evident and threaten to overwhelm the more delicate fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon

Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - New York
Amber gold
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, cotton sheets, photocopy paper, chocolate, malted grains, raisins, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, sea salt, cocoa nibs, cotton sheets, cinnamon, cloves, brown paper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, brown paper, cinnamon, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Savoury and spicy bourbon. It’s got the requisite fruity brown paper notes, but is less cough syrupy than some other solera whiskies. Interesting stuff, would love to drink more from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Breuckelen Brownstone 6yo

Breuckelen Brownstone 6yo

Official bottling
Single malt - New York
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil erasers, cotton sheets, barley sugar, corn syrup, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Wet stones, peaches, almonds, fennel, cinnamon, corn syrup, white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, white pepper, fennel, cotton sheets. 

Comments: 

Herbal and peppery, with a decent level of minerality. I’m pleasantly surprised here because I didn’t think New York tap water was that hard. The distillery is in Brooklyn. Maybe the salts come from the barley.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ohishi 10yo Brandy Cask

Ohishi 10yo Brandy Cask

Official bottling
Single grain - Kyushu 
Amber
44.1% ABV

Dram

Nose: Damson jam, magic marker, cookie dough, vanilla, raisins, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, raisins, magic marker, vanilla, cooked rice, pear drops, magic marker. 
Finish: Short. Cooked rice, malted grains, coffee, sea salt, cornstarch. 

Comments: 

This is a rice whisky, meaning its spirit distilled from rice and wood aged, in a brandy cask it seems. Rice is a grain, and so this is a grain whisky. It’s got some rice and starch notes, but the distillate has essentially been taken over by the cask. It’s pleasant, but tastes like brandy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Garioch 23yo 1989/2013

Glen Garioch 23yo 1989/2013

Passenger Liners, Jack Wieber’s Whisky World
Single malt - East Highlands
White wine
54.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, white wine, malted grains, white pepper, cream, hints of sultanas. With water, lemon zest, peaches, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Mustard, leather, coffee, white wine, white pepper, tobacco leaf, ink, leather. With water, coffee, mustard, ink, lemon zest, sea salt. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, mustard, coffee, lemon zest, leather. 

Comments: 

Bitter and herbal, but with tantalising hints of sweet fruit here and there. Water brings even more bitterness to the fore, but also some fragrant citrusy lemon. A very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Garioch 27yo 1991/2018

Glen Garioch 27yo 1991/2018

Carn Mor
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, pencil lead, green tea, coffee, mustard, lemon, cinnamon, hints of oregano. With water, lemon zest, peaches, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Wet stones, peaches, leather, smoke, lemon zest, hints of walnut skins. With water, pencil lead, mustard, peaches, oregano. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, leather, walnut skins, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Herbal and pungent, lots of the sulphurous notes that herbs like mustard and oregano have. It’s elegant and complex, bitter notes come to the fore, but fade with a little water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Langatun Jacob’s Dram 2016

Langatun Jacob’s Dram 2016

Official bottling 
Single malt - Bern
Amber gold
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, brown paper, malted grains, cocoa nibs, black tea, raisins, cinnamon, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Malted grains, raisins, cherries, cough syrup, vanilla, strawberry jam, prunes. 

Finish: Medium. Vanilla, fresh baked bread, cough syrup, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Malty and savoury, but with lots of fruity, porridgy notes. I think the unpeated Langatuns are really quite good, certainly ahead of the peated ones. This one isn’t very old but it’s got a lot of flavour. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stauning Smoke Tawny Port Cask

Stauning Smoke Tawny Port Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Midtjylland
Amber
50.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, white grapes, smoke, leather, heather honey, juniper, hints of olive brine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Leather, new plastic, juniper, driftwood smoke, heather honey, sultanas, malted grains, rye bread, black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Sultanas, olive brine, juniper, heather honey, leather. 

Comments: 

There’s a lot of gentle heathery smoke in this dram, and it’s sweet savoury both on the tongue and on the nose. There’s a tad of new plastic, especially on the nose, that takes a little bit away, but it’s a very interesting dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenburgie 44yo 1975/2019

Glenburgie 44yo 1975/2019

Old and Rare Platinum Selection, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
41.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, pencil lead, pear drops, apricots, honey, green tea, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cough syrup, apricots, pencil lead, wet stones, blackcurrant cordial, fresh cut grass, sage, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Cough syrup, green tea, apricots, blackcurrant cordial, celery salt. 

Comments: 

Again, a dram very like cough syrup, but this time it’s more herbal and fragrant. There’s some old bottle effect, which is quite surprising for something bottled in 2019.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 34yo 1961/1995

Glenburgie 34yo 1961/1995

Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, desiccated coconut, dried apricots, tutti frutti, sourdough bread, leather, dunnage. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cough syrup, liquorice, pear drops, dried apricots, honey, dunnage, malted grains, hints of cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Mint, cough syrup, blackcurrant cordial, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Estery, but with brilliant bitter notes. On the tongue it tastes a lot like cough syrup, but the warehouse aging comes to the fore. Very complex and very well layered whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miyagikyo Apple Brandy Wood Finish

Miyagikyo Apple Brandy Wood Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, cream, marshmallows, apple juice, cinnamon, honey, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slippery, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, fresh baked bread, toast, cinnamon, smoke, honey, vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, apple juice, smoke, honey, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Excellent apple brandy finish, with some toasty smoke from the distillate. I also loved the sister bottle from Yoichi, although they taste very similar. Beautiful whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bimber 3yo 2020/2024

Bimber 3yo 2020/2024

Official bottling 
Single malt - London
Amber
59.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oregano, honey, sage, butter, cinnamon, roast chicken, malted grains, hints of vanilla. With water, orange peel, lemon sweets, cinnamon, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, lemon juice, vanilla, roast chicken, rosemary, butter, sage, honey. With water, honey, rosemary, orange peel, cinnamon, sandalwood. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, roast chicken, malted grains, sage, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 202020. Meaty and substantial, lots of cinnamon and sandalwood too. It’s got the characteristic intense Bimber flavour, despite its very young age. Good dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 10yo (bottled 1980s)

Glen Grant 10yo (bottled 1980s)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, white grapes, honey, sandalwood, gooseberries, cloves, cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, white grapes, honey, malted grains, white chocolate, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, gooseberries, papayas, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Very spicy, fruity and sweet. Redolent with fragrant cloves and cardamom, but very fruity and malty. The flavour layers are precise and well defined. Excellent stuff, with just a touch of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kingsbarns Balcomie Cask Strength

Kingsbarns Balcomie Cask Strength

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark gold 
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, gooseberries, white pepper, honey, butterscotch, caramel, hints of barley sugar. With water, yoghurt, orange peel, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Caramel, malted grains, gooseberries, white pepper, cinnamon, orange peel, barley sugar, hints of tyre rubber. With water, malted grains, yoghurt, smoke. 
Finish: Long. Barley sugar, white pepper, caramel, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Slightly smoky and sulphurous, but with good malty, fruity notes underneath. Water brings out more malt and more smoke, obscuring the fruit, as well as surfacing a slightly lactic note. Not necessarily an improvement on the regular strength version.

Verdict:

I like this.

Torabhaig Distillery Reserve 5yo 2018/2023

Torabhaig Distillery Reserve 5yo 2018/2023

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, golden syrup, soot, smoke, peat, orange peel, white grapes, leather. With water, smoke, peat, leather, white grapes, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Leather, golden syrup, peat, smoke, oak chips, tarry rope, malted grains, soot, hints of new plastic. With water, orange peel, lime juice, smoke, peat. 
Finish: Long. Peat, oak chips, tarry rope, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Hot and smoky, lots of sweet notes underneath. But it’s all shrouded with smoke and leather. There’s also some phenolic notes, almost plasticky and tarry. It’s very good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (New American Oak Cask)

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (New American Oak Cask)

#9, The Heart Cut
Single malt - California
Dark gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, jalapeños, malt vinegar, malted grains, chillies, fresh cut grass, white pepper, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Pear drops, jalapeños, fresh baked bread, white pepper, cinnamon, nopales, hints of chillies. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, white pepper, malted grains, malt vinegar. 

Comments: 

A very unusual, vegetal whisky. Jalapeños are very unusual in whisky in my experience, they might even be unique to this whisky. It’s almost like hot sauce, and I’d absolutely eat this sprinkled over a steak. Smooth and quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (Californian Ale Cask)

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (Californian Ale Cask)

#8, The Heart Cut
Single malt - California 
Amber gold
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricot jam, sage, shortcrust pastry, white grapes, chamomile, lime zest, golden syrup, hints of damson jam. With water, pears, magic marker, damson jam, sage. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apricot jam, butter, butterscotch, white grapes, blueberry jam, golden syrup, hints of shortcrust pastry. With water, pears, damson jam, fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, chamomile. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, white grapes, butterscotch, sage. 

Comments: 

A really unusual whisky from the Heart Cut, an amazing bottler. This one is herbal and sweet, lots of buttery goodness with heaps of jammy notes. A very intense whisky (so unusual it’s labelled as an ‘experimental malt’). 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teeling Single Malt

Teeling Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Leinster
Green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, magic marker, lime juice, malted grains, barley sugar, yoghurt, hints of damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lime juice, malted grains, gooseberries, white grapes, butterscotch, burnt sugar, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, barley sugar, magic marker, burnt sugar. 

Comments: 

Finally, Teeling distillery is releasing its own whisky. It’s sweet and light, with some citrus, but mostly caramelly and slightly smoky. Very nice, very promising.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mackmyra Destination

Mackmyra Destination

Official bottling 
Single malt - Gastrikland
Amber
48.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, juniper, pine needles, white pepper, cinnamon, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackcurrant cordial, wet stones, pine needles, strawberry jam, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, strawberry jam, cinnamon, hints of juniper. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, but with that Swedish herbal forest tang. Turns malty and cereally on the tongue. Very classic and stripped back whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glentauchers 12yo 2010/2023

Glentauchers 12yo 2010/2023

Soho Selection, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Amber brown
56.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, pencil lead, caramel, black tea, malted grains, leather, lemon zest. With water, white pepper, malted grains, strawberry jam, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Wet stones, malted grains, lemon zest, caramel, white pepper, mint, golden syrup, hints of leather. With water, wet stones, white pepper, malted grains, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, mint, pencil lead, caramel, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 11125. Quite minerally, lots of sweet notes with some pepper and mint. Complex, with several layers, but they aren’t very distinct. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.