Talisker 44yo Forests of the Deep

Talisker 44yo Forests of the Deep

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, blue cheese, leather, raisins, damson jam, chocolate, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, orange peel, malted grains, damson jam, camphor, oolong tea, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, chocolate, camphor, oolong tea, blue cheese. 

Comments: 

Really sweet and savoury, a throwback to Talisker of the late 2000s. There are some floral, slightly tannic notes that remind me of the best oolong tea. Magnificent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle label, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islands
Bronze
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ginseng, camphor, white grapes, roast chicken, white pepper, cinder toffee, hints of butterscotch. With water, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Toffee, petrol exhaust, smoke, camphor, roast chicken, cinder toffee, butterscotch, Chinese angelica. With water, smoke, camphor, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Leather, roast chicken, smoke, Chinese angelica. 

Comments: 

A really good dram that I’ve been chasing for some time. It’s meaty and rich, bitter and herbal, with some smoky petrol flavours. I’m really happy I got the chance to taste this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Undisclosed Indiana Rye 4yo 2018/2022

Undisclosed Indiana Rye 4yo 2018/2022

Individual Cask, WM Cadenheads
Single rye - Indiana 
Copper amber 
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, pear drops, black pepper, lemon zest, oats, orange peel, hints of strawberry jam. With water, marmalade, pear drops, damson jam, hints of magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, mouth coating, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Marmalade, pear drops, blackberries, damson jam, orange peel, black pepper. With water, oats, marmalade, pear drops, magic marker. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, malted grains, black pepper, chillies, marmalade. 

Comments: 

This is, of course, MGP. It’s jammy and orangey, very intense for the age. Plenty of esters on the tongue and the finish too. An excellent dram, very good value for money.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 19yo The Manager’s Dram (bottled 1995)

Oban 19yo The Manager’s Dram (bottled 1995)

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow bronze
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, chalk, honey, camphor, gooseberries, malted grains, fresh cut grass. With water, leather, roast chicken, honey, gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, camphor, gooseberries, leather, celery salt, strawberries, hints of yoghurt. With water, leather, honey, chalk, gooseberries. 
Finish: Long. Leather, gooseberries, strawberries, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Bitter and herbal on the nose, and more than a little grassy. Once on the tongue it turns sweeter, with a bit of old bottle effect. Water brings out even more sweetness, and fruity notes too. Very decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 8yo 2000/2009 The Manager’s Choice

Oban 8yo 2000/2009 The Manager’s Choice

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Light amber
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, gooseberries, camphor, fresh cut grass, dark chocolate, blueberry jam. With water, dark chocolate, gooseberries, blueberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Roast chicken, camphor, leather, parchment, dark chocolate, blueberry jam. With water, camphor, chocolate, hay, blueberry jam. 
Finish: Long. Parchment, toffee, leather, camphor. 

Comments: 

Cask 1186. Herbal, even a teensy bit smoky, but mostly laden with jam and chocolate. On the tongue it’s quite meaty, and water creates more jam and even floral notes. Very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dingle Single Malt

Dingle Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Bright yellow
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, vitamin C tablets, lemon juice, sandalwood, pears, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vitamin C tablets, malted grains, pears, fresh baked bread, white pepper, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, fresh baked bread, pears, magic marker, honey. 

Comments: 

Finally, a Dingle core bottling. It’s rather tart, there’s a gritty citric taste that reminds me of Berocca tablets, but there’s also malt and cereals, with an estery edge. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Killowen 3yo 2020/2024 Barantuil Kult Blackberry Rum Finish

Killowen 3yo 2020/2024 Barantuil Kult Blackberry Rum Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ulster
Very pale yellow
61.12% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackberries, malted grains, cloves, strawberry jam, cola nuts, hints of black pepper. With water, cola nuts, marmalade, white grapes, ume. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cola nuts, blackberries, leather, strawberry jam, sarsaparilla, black pepper, malted grains. With water, ume, blackberries, watermelon rind. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, coffee, sarsaparilla, leather. 

Comments: 

Sweet and malty, lots of herbal and jammy notes that pop in the mouth. The high ABV is slightly off-putting, but adding water helps a lot. The ume note appears instantly with a few drops of water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oxford Heritage Corn Whisky

Oxford Heritage Corn Whisky

Official bottling
Single corn - Oxfordshire
Chinese tea
50.44% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, corn syrup, toffee, butterscotch, strawberries, honey, hints of cloves. With water, sandalwood, brown paper, honey, popcorn. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, airy, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Toffee, butterscotch, popcorn, brown paper, honey, cinnamon. With water, sandalwood, brown paper, photocopy paper. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, toffee, butterscotch, popcorn. 

Comments: 

Sweet and buttery, lots of sugar from the corn. Water opens it up, revealing a spicy freshness that, if this were malt, would be the feinty bits.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dalmunach 7yo Batch 1

Dalmunach 7yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Speyside
Pale pink
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, lemon zest, cream, malted grains, tyre rubber, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Butterscotch, lemon zest, cream, yoghurt, malted grains, cinder toffee, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, fresh cut grass, butterscotch, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Lactic and tart, lots of sour notes, then builds to a sulphurous crescendo. The sulphur is shot through with caramelly sweetness on the tongue, tasting very much like burnt toffee.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yuza Spring in Japan

Yuza Spring in Japan

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberries, cream, malted grains, cherry blossom, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, raspberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, strawberries, cream, raspberries, meringue, hints of cherry blossom. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, cherry blossom, raspberries, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Malty and floral, with a big whiff of cherry blossom. Of course, that what the label says! It’s complex and layered, lots of interesting notes to get to know. A very good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teeling Single Grain

Teeling Single Grain

Official bottling
Single grain - Leinster
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, honey, tutti frutti, orange peel, lemon zest, marmalade, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, marmalade, brown paper, photocopy paper, oats, apricot jam, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, honey, apricot jam, marmalade. 

Comments: 

Jammy and fragrant, for a no age statement dram (and it’s fairly young, probably under 7 years) it’s quite intense and layered. There’s a thickish layer of oats there too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tomintoul Seiridh

Tomintoul Seiridh

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, butterscotch, toffee, chocolate, raisins, vanilla, hints of rose. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, cool, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, marmalade, hints of digestive biscuits. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, cocoa powder, marmalade, vanilla, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Sweet and sherried, lots of jammy notes, and chocolate on the finish. A very comforting, standard, unsurprising sherried whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye

Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Maryland
Amber gold 
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, cough syrup, chocolate, black tea, black pepper, marzipan. With water, cherries, strawberry jam, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Marzipan, hazelnuts, brown paper, cough syrup, cloves, cherries, black pepper. With water, cherries, chocolate, brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Cherries, chocolate, hazelnuts, cloves. 

Comments: 

Wow, this rye tastes like Nutella! It’s very, very spicy, but those chocolate and hazelnut notes hold their own against the black pepper. There’s also a layer of cloves and cherries, which brings to mind Black Forest gateau.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sagamore Spirit Small Batch

Sagamore Spirit Small Batch

Official bottling
Single rye - Maryland
Amber
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, peaches, strawberry jam, brown paper, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cloves, black pepper, honey, butterscotch, brown paper, peaches. 
Finish: Short. Honey, black pepper, black tea, peaches. 

Comments: 

A very fruity rye, the characteristic black pepper is there, but it’s overtaken by slightly woody peach and strawberry notes. It’s at a good ABV too, high strength ryes tend to be too spicy for my liking.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathmill 12yo 2011/2024

Strathmill 12yo 2011/2024

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, pear drops, rhubarb and custard sweets, apples, cloves, shortcrust pastry. With water, white pepper, apples, malted grains, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, apricot jam, apples, cloves, cinnamon, brown paper, hints of shortcrust pastry. With water, brown paper, raisins, cocoa nibs, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, cloves, white pepper, apples. 

Comments: 

Cask 367496. A great big intensely appley Strathmill. It’s almost fizzes in the mouth, and ends up almost tasting like apple pie. A very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 8yo 2015/2024

Blair Athol 8yo 2015/2024

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, vanilla custard, cherries, malted grains, cocoa nibs, hints of marmalade. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cocoa nibs, vanilla custard, malted grains, butterscotch, orange peel, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, raisins, marmalade, vanilla custard. 

Comments: 

Sweet and vanilla laden, lots of chocolate as well. Decent fruity finish too, lots of jammy notes. It’s very drinkable, but is probably at the lower end of the Thompson brothers’ stuff that I’ve tried.

Verdict:

I like this.

Belgrove Rye 3yo (Ex Pinot Noir, ex Tasmanian Malt)

Belgrove Rye 3yo (Ex Pinot Noir, ex Tasmanian Malt)

Killowen International Series, Killowen distillery 
Single rye - Tasmania
Pale gold
60.61% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oats, aluminium foil, strawberry jam, ume, burnt sugar, vanilla, hints of smoke. With water, rubber bands, smoke, strawberry jam, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, airy, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Petrol exhaust, ume, smoke, burnt sugar, wet stones, black pepper, hints of aluminium foil. With water, smoke, black pepper, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Short. Black pepper, burnt sugar, smoke, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Fruity and slight sour, with many feinty notes. Lots of spicy notes from the rye too. It fades rather quickly to a sort, intense finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye

Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Tennessee 
Amber brown 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, black pepper, blackcurrant cordial, cough syrup, brown paper, caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, loosens slightly.
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Magic marker, pencil lead, vanilla, black pepper, fresh baked bread, cough syrup. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, brown paper, black pepper, cough syrup. 

Comments: 

Decent rye, slightly sweet for my taste, but there’s plenty of pepper and cereal in here. It ends quite abruptly though, the finish is quite short.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teeling Single Pot Still

Teeling Single Pot Still

Official bottling
Single pot still - Leinster
Pale orange
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, vitamin C tablets, raisins, white grapes, nutmeg, gingerbread, vanilla. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, thickens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Orange peel, fresh baked bread, white grapes, allspice, green tea, cinnamon, mint, hints of gingerbread. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, white grapes, orange peel, vitamin C tablets, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Quite citrusy, with lots of spice, especially on the back palate. It’s quite complex on the tongue, something I would not have expected for pot still whisky. This is a very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Eden Mill Bourbon Cask

Eden Mill Bourbon Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Pale gold, hints of pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, pear drops, honeydew melons, white grapes, lemon zest, leather, kombucha. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Kombucha, leather, pear drops, wet stones, lemon zest, hints of pencil lead. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, white pepper, lemon zest, pencil lead. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly fruity, lots of strawberry jam notes. There’s also a feintiness, with some minerally notes, and a tart layer of what I think of as kombucha. It builds to a truncated, abrupt finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Signal Hill Whisky

Signal Hill Whisky

Official bottling
Single blend - Ontario
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, raisins, pear drops, malted grains, cloves, hints of cough syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, oily, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Caramel, toffee, brown sugar, raisins, orange peel, cough syrup. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, raisins, toffee, cough syrup. 

Comments: 

Very estery, lots of cherry cough syrup, and pear drops. It’s a very simple whisky, not a huge amount of complexity, but well made and tasty.

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 11yo

Craigellachie 11yo 

Soho Selection, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Amber copper
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, cloves, black pepper, raisins, hints of gooseberries. With water, strawberry jam, cocoa nibs, black pepper, yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, airy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Gooseberries, white grapes, cocoa nibs, lemon zest, milk chocolate, hints of butterscotch. With water, toffee, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, black pepper.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, lemon zest, milk chocolate, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Very toffee’d whisky, plenty of fruity notes as well water opens it up to more toffee, jammy notes on the nose, and milky butterscotch on the tongue. All throughout there’s plenty of black pepper and chocolate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hearach First Fill Oloroso Cask Matured Batch 1

Hearach First Fill Oloroso Cask Matured Batch 1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, olive brine, malted grains, leather, brown sugar, hints of farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Aluminium foil, malted grains, olive brine, honey, raisins, cocoa nibs, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, honey, cocoa nibs, malted grains, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

The sherry cask is evident here, but it’s probably refill. There’s plenty of stripped back raisiny, chocolatey notes, but the characteristic olive brine and slightly metallic feinty notes are front and centre. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Garioch 30yo 1990/2020

Glen Garioch 30yo 1990/2020

Celebration of the Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - East Highlands
White wine 
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cotton sheets, white wine, malted grains, yoghurt, white grapes, hints of white pepper. With water, lemon sweets, camphor, mustard, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. White wine, autumn leaves, camphor, white grapes, mustard, cotton sheets, photocopy paper. With water, white wine, white grapes, cotton sheets, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, malted grains, fresh cut grass, hints of yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Cask 20253. Lactic and spritely, lots of tart fruity notes. The mustard is there though, but gentle, more like an earthiness that pervades the whisky. Well layered, but I like the lactic notes less.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Garioch 35yo 1986/2021

Glen Garioch 35yo 1986/2021

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Light gold 
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, white grapes, leather, magic marker, pears, camphor, hints of chillies. With water, magic marker, camphor, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, expands, airy. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. White grapes, leather, autumn leaves, mustard, chillies, pears, lohan fruit. With water, sea salt, pears, sandalwood, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Short. Pears, magic marker, white grapes, mustard. 

Comments: 

Cask DL15060. Very herbal and savoury, but there’s plenty of the more bitter and complex sorts of fruits - chillies and lohan- and a touch of the classic Garioch mustard. A slightly disappointing short finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ki One Virgin American Oak

Ki One Virgin American Oak

Official bottling 
Single malt - Gyeonggi
Light amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricots, mangoes, roast chicken, green tea, cotton candy, raisins, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Mangoes, fresh baked bread, malted grains, peaches, cotton candy, brown paper, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, green tea, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Fruity, lots of sweet notes, including slightly artificial cotton candy, but recognisably whisky underneath. Malt turns up on the tongue, before fading to a tannic, spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dornoch 5yo 2019/2024 Cask 149

Dornoch 5yo 2019/2024 Cask 149

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale copper
51.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Soot, engine oil, leeks, roast chicken, autumn leaves, sultanas, peat, hints of eucalyptus. With water, roast chicken, cloves, leeks, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Camphor, fresh baked bread, leather, sultanas, vanilla, engine oil, soot, hints of eucalyptus. With water, peat, soot, sultanas, hints of rubber bands. 
Finish: Long. Camphor, eucalyptus, sultanas, leather. 

Comments: 

Cask 149. Sooty and richly peated, there’s plenty of sulphurous and smoky notes to chew on. The texture is nice too, oily and mouth coating. Plenty of bitter herbs round out the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aultmore 13yo 2010/2024

Aultmore 13yo 2010/2024

A Year Long Celebration, Hidden Spirits
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
51.5%% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, white grapes, honey, malted grains, hints of cinnamon. With water, lemon juice, photocopy paper, rhubarb and custard sweets, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, rhubarb and custard sweets, malted grains, barley sugar, white grapes, hints of green tea. With water, peaches, white grapes, gooseberries, apple juice, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, honey, malted grains, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask AU1024. Tangy and sweet, lots of complexity, and there’s an especially thick layer of feintiness in this one. Water opens it up dramatically, more fruit, more spice, more tannins. Lovely whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caol Ila 4yo

Caol Ila 4yo

Soho Selection, Milroy’s of Soho
Single malt - Islay
Amber
61.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, malted grains, peat, leather, lemon sweets, fresh baked bread, soy sauce. With water, lemon sweets, peat, germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Malted grains, peat, leather, fresh baked bread, soy sauce, ginseng, black tea, hints of black pepper. With water, lemon sweets, soy sauce, germolene. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, leather, soy sauce, cloves, raisins. 

Comments: 

Smoky and savoury, like most Caol Ila. The peat hasn’t been mellowed by age here, it’s in your face and bitter. There’s a lot of cereal in this, less of the lemony salty sweet flavour that is a key characteristic of Caol Ila for me.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bunnahabhain 10yo

Bunnahabhain 10yo

Soho Selection, Milroy’s of Soho
Single malt - Islay
Golden
50.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, smoke, peat, germolene, sea salt, tarry rope, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Raisins, germolene, slate, tarry rope, malted grains, smoke, ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Slate, wet stones, tarry rope, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Peated Bunna! This one is medicinal and minerally, lots of sea and lemon. The peat is rather gentle, and isn’t aggressive. Very drinkable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenburgie 27yo 1995/2022

Glenburgie 27yo 1995/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
51.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, lemon sweets, sage, white pepper, white grapes, saffron, limes. With water, limes, vitamin C tablets, saffron, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon sweets, white grapes, gooseberries, damson jam, limes, saffron, malted grains, white pepper, sandalwood. With water, white pepper, white grapes, sandalwood, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, lemon sweets, barley sugar, sandalwood, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Spicy, layered, and quite herbal. Lemon sweets abound, and it turns jammy after a little while. Water brings out even more spice, this time woody and slightly bitter.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 25yo 1995/2021

Glenburgie 25yo 1995/2021 Cask Strength Collection

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cotton candy, lemon sweets, butterscotch, roast chicken, yoghurt, lemon zest, hints of applesauce. With water, lemon sweets, lemon zest, yoghurt, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White grapes, lemon sweets, papayas, cotton candy, gooseberries, yoghurt, white pepper, hints of roast chicken. With water, white grapes, gooseberries, lemon sweets, white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, white grapes, lemon sweets, papayas. 

Comments: 

Casks 6528 and 6582. Fruity, lots of sweet notes, yet not very sweet. There’s a slight earthiness, even savouriness here, that seems to come from the age. Initially quite meaty, but this faded with time, and water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Macaloney’s Caledonian Cask 72 Invermaillie Red Wine Barrique

Macaloney’s Caledonian Cask 72 Invermaillie Red Wine Barrique

Official bottling
Single malt - British Columbia
Amber, hints of red 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, roast beef, malted grains, yeast extract, vitamin C tablets, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Vitamin C tablets, yeast extract, raisins, damson jam, orange peel, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, rye bread, green tea, roast beef. 

Comments: 

Cask 72. Not very sweet for a red wine finish, instead it’s malty and slightly fruity, with a lot of feinty savoury notes. It builds quite well to a spicy, tannic finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden, hints of copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, yoghurt, white grapes, apple juice, malted grains, gooseberries, hints of allspice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Yoghurt, cream, gooseberries, white grapes, lemon juice, malted grains, sandalwood, hints of allspice, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, malted grains, peaches, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

A fruity, spicy, Shinshu Mars. It’s also quite woody, but in a fragrant, incense-like way. It peters out a little though, the finish is less spicy and less intense than expected.

Verdict:

I like this.

Sagamore Spirit Rye Double Oak

Sagamore Spirit Rye Double Oak

Official bottling
Single rye - Maryland
Mahogany
48.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, oak chips, vanilla, cooked rice, malted grains, maple syrup, brown sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sandalwood, oak chips, maple syrup, sawdust, malted grains, black pepper, sea salt, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Sawdust, malted grains, black pepper, oak chips, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

Very oaked, woody spirit, with some sweet notes offsetting the bitterness. It’s had too much time in the cask, in my opinion. Even with water, it’s still rather woody.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dunville’s 10yo PX Cask

Dunville’s 10yo PX Cask

Dunville’s
Single malt - Unknown
Golden bronze 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, chocolate, sourdough bread, orange peel, hints of sugar cane. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, malted grains, sourdough bread, apricots, raisins, orange peel, black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, sourdough bread, raisins, black tea. 

Comments: 

A very restrained PX cask from Dunville’s. This one is bready and cereally, with only the odd raisin or apricot. It’s less sweet on the tongue than in the nose, but retains a decent level of complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.