Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Ghost Series, Hideo Yamaoka
Single malt - Kyushu
Pale gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, peaches, apricots, mint, sultanas, dried guava, gooseberries, hints of camphor. With water, sultanas, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, astringent. 

Tasting:  Sour sweet. Magic marker, photocopy paper, dried guava, sandalwood, peaches, apricots, white pepper, hints of rosewood. With water, malted grains, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of rosewood. 
Finish: Long. Dried guava, magic marker, rosewood, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Fruity and jammy, lots of tropical fruit and estery notes. There’s a deep, woody floral fragrance as well, rosewood, a note I’ve never encountered in whisky before. Delicious stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mackmyra 8yo Green Tea and Amontillado Cask

Mackmyra 8yo Green Tea and Amontillado Cask

Permutations Series 2, Fib Whisky
Single malt - Gastrikland
Copper gold
45.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, gooseberries, cinder toffee, dates, hibiscus, pine needles, hints of cloudberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, mouth coating, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cloudberries, gooseberries, peaches, mulberries, vanilla, cream, barley sugar, strawberry jam, hints of pine needles. 
Finish: Short. Cinder toffee, hibiscus, vanilla, cream, hints of mulberries. 

Comments: 

Tastes like a dry, complex, alcoholic fruit tea. There’s barley here too, and some of that pine needle flavour, that accentuates the herbal tea aspect. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Banff 18yo 1980/1998

Banff 18yo 1980/1998

Chieftain’s Choice, Ian Macleod
Single malt - Speyside
Light copper
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, barley sugar, malted grains, leather, celery salt, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, slightly oily, mouth coating.
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Apple juice, soot, barley sugar, malted grains, leather, lemon zest, white pepper, gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. Tar, soot, photocopy paper, apple juice, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Appley and very feinty, with a big heap of old bottle effect. It layers up to a surprisingly smoky, tarry finish. Still complex and distinct after all these years. There can’t be much Banff left in the world.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Makers Mark 12yo Cellar Aged 2024

Makers Mark 12yo Cellar Aged 2024

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
59.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, chocolate, wet stones, pencil lead, coffee, black pepper. With water, raisins, damson jam, ink. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Bananas, damson jam, chocolate, peanuts, pencil lead, cough syrup, black pepper, sea salt. With water, ink, damson jam, raisins, blackcurrant cordial. 
Finish: Medium. [etc]. 

Comments: 

[etc].

Verdict:

I like this.

Two Stacks Polaris 3.1 5yo Cab Franc Ice Wine Finish

Two Stacks Polaris 3.1 5yo Cab Franc Ice Wine Finish

Polaris, Two Stacks
Single malt - Leinster
Bronze gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, yoghurt, blue cheese, petrol exhaust, peat, tyre rubber, hints of tobacco leaf. With water, tyre rubber, soot, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Petrol exhaust, raisins, apple juice, blue cheese, tobacco leaf, honey, peat, smoke, tarry rope. With water, apple juice, soot, tarry rope. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, soot, tyre rubber, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Well, I’m dubious about sweet wine finishes of peated whisky this menus odd, notes of blue cheese and tobacco appear, but they’re covered in a thick layer of soot and petrol. It’s fine.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Cask No 137

Masthouse Single Cask No 137

Official bottling
Single malt - Kent
Amber brown
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blueberries, bananas, raisins, mint, tarragon, black tea, toffee. With water, mint, coffee, raisins, toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, mint, tarragon, blueberries, cough syrup, malted grains, raisins, coffee. With water, malted grains, raisins, cough syrup, oats. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, raisins, toffee, hints of oats. 

Comments: 

Fruity and herbal, quite a heavy spirit. Tarragon and blueberries, two quite unusual tasting notes, appear, especially on the tongue. Water loosens it, bringing out the barley.

Verdict:

I like this.

Roseisle 12yo (2024 Special Releases)

Roseisle 12yo (2024 Special Releases)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
55.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, white grapes, magic marker, malted grains, raisins, honey, wet stones, hints of white pepper. With water, yoghurt, white grapes, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, astringent.
Tasting:  Sour. White grapes, lemon zest, barley sugar, magic marker, malted grains, green tea, fresh baked bread. With water, honey, barley sugar, white grapes, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, wet stones, pencil erasers, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Fragrant, estery and feinty, lots of dried fruity notes. On the tongue, tannins and esters abound, and the whole is wreathed through with a little lactic sourness. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teaninich 45yo 1975/2021

Teaninich 45yo 1975/2021

Highland Laird, Bartels Rawlings International
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber gold
49.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, honey, wet stones, bananas, dates, kiwifruit, dried mangoes, pomegranate molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Pencil lead, dried mangoes, honey, fresh baked bread, pomegranate molasses, dates, vanilla sponge, cream. 
Finish: Long. Dried mangoes, pencil lead, wet stones, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge. 

Comments: 

Cask 14796. Fruity and complex, lots of luscious cooked and dried fruit notes. But there’s a sharp, almost metallic, hit of pencil lead, and flinty stone. It tastes mouth puckering, even though it really isn’t. Excellent whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

VAT 69 (1970s bottling)

VAT 69 (1970s bottling)

Diageo
Blended malt
Pale gold 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, toffee, sausages, baked beans, candle wax, hints of lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Candle wax, toffee, smoke, baked beans, fresh baked bread, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Short. Toffee, fresh baked bread, candle wax, smoke, honey. 

Comments: 

Bitter but fragrant, lots of complexity, including some unique sausages and baked beans notes! It turns sulphurous at the back of the tongue, and waxy on the finish. Can’t beat old blends.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Spring Bay Tawny Cask

Spring Bay Tawny Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Amber red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, cloves, raisins, cherries, brown paper, damson jam, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns oily, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, toffee, cherries, damson jam, oats, fresh baked bread, white pepper, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Cherries, toffee, damson jam, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Matured in Australian fortified wine casks, lots of cherry cordial and maybe something Ribena-like. It’s sweet and young, and takes the cask influence well. Good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Spring Bay Bourbon Cask 2019

Spring Bay Bourbon Cask 2019

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Amber gold

46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, malted grains, butterscotch, honey, vanilla, white pepper, white grapes, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, cream, lemon zest, barley sugar, white pepper, fresh baked bread, toffee, hints of oats. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, white pepper, toffee, barley sugar, oats. 

Comments: 

Not Springbank, in fact quite literally the other side of the world. Sweet and honeyed, lots of barley, without the muscular industrial flavours of its close-namesake. Interesting and promising.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hakushu Peated Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Hakushu Peated Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, roast beef, sea salt, damson jam, strawberries, artificial grape flavour, chocolate, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peat, smoke, honey, strawberries, sea salt, artificial grape flavour, chocolate, pencil erasers, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, smoke, pencil erasers, roast beef, artificial grape flavour, peanuts. 

Comments: 

Gently peated, fruity (with a flavour of Fanta Grape), and quite meaty. I haven’t had a Hakushu for a while, theyre not easy to come by in this part of the world. This one was very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, coffee, peat, smoke, tobacco leaf, raisins, toast, sea salt, walnut skins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sea salt, tyre rubber, coffee, roast chicken, raisins, tobacco leaf, walnut skins. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, chocolate, coffee, walnut skins, smoke. 

Comments: 

This was pricey, but it’s got the bitter sweet, fragrant, meaty notes that I like in Yamazaki. This is supposed to be fairly young, but it reminds me of some of the older Yamazakis I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Pale green gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, peppermint, chocolate, smoke, peat, sea salt, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Peppermint, lemon zest, smoke, tyre rubber, peat, malted grains, chocolate, sea salt, hints of oats. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, chocolate, black pepper, lemon zest, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Ardbeg is smoky chocolate to me, but this one has a big hit of peppermint and lemon. It’s also slightly salty, and that enhances the other flavours. A very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Compass Box Myths and Legends I (Balblair)

Compass Box Myths and Legends I (Balblair)

Myths and Legends, Compass Box
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale yellow 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, cream, white wine, apricots, honey, white pepper, hints of Demerara sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Green tea, white wine, apricots, honey, pears, malted grains, gooseberries. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, pears, honey, gooseberries, white wine. 

Comments: 

Fruity and creamy, quite sweet with a light acidity. Almost like white wine and deliciously quaffable. Smooth and slippery, especially down the throat. A dangerous session dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 13yo 2009 Reserve Casks Parcel No 11

Ardmore 13yo 2009 Reserve Casks Parcel No 11

Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers
Single malt - Speyside
Pale lemon
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, apricots, toast, smoke, golden syrup, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, mouth coating, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apricots, honey, smoke, peat, coffee, white grapes, dark chocolate, ginseng, hints of oakum. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, peat, toast, golden syrup, hints of apricots. 

Comments: 

Fruity and chocolatey, but it’s all coated in a thickish layer of gentle peat. It’s very close to the surface, almost like licking the peat. Quite delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 29yo 1984/2014

Glenburgie 29yo 1985/2014

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold 
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, toffee, wet stones, peaches, white grapes, honey, chocolate, hints of roast chicken. With water, wet stones, roast chicken, chocolate, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, camphor, damson jam, gooseberries, chocolate, wet stones, cola nuts, malted grains. With water, peaches, gooseberries, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, cola nuts, camphor, damson jam, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask 95/36/10. Chocolatey, toffee-laden and meaty whisky, on the tongue more fruit comes to the fore. Cola nuts make an appearance at the back of the throat, and again on the finish. Very impressive dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 29yo 1980/2009

Glenburgie 29yo 1980/2009

Glen Cawdor, Samaroli
Single malt - Speyside
Pale sunshine yellow
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, honey, camphor, white grapes, white pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of carbolic soap. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, white grapes, peaches, starfruit, camphor, black tea, ginseng, hints of carbolic soap. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, black tea, camphor, raisins, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 14510. Very gentle smokiness, overlaying some white fruit, mostly starfruit and peaches. Turns bitter on the tongue, feels very close to the whisky. A delicious dram

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS G16 Rare Release (Glasgow 6yo 2016/2023)

SMWS G16 Rare Release (Glasgow 6yo 2016/2023)

2023, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Amber gold 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Shortcrust pastry, aluminium foil, butter, fresh baked bread, sea salt, plums, white grapes, hints of roast chicken. With water, fresh baked bread, damson jam, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, damson jam, prunes, butter, raisins, hints of ginseng. With water, fresh baked bread, damson jam, prunes, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, sea salt, fresh baked bread, black pepper, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Unusual grain whisky from Glasgow distillery. It’s buttery and redolent with dried plums and damsons. Complex for its young age, and bottled at a decent strength. Pleasing and pleasurable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Hom Mali Rice Whiskey

Hom Mali Rice Whiskey

Official bottling
Single grain - North Singapore
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, white grapes, honey, sea salt, brioche, hints of butter. 
Mouthfeel: Cool, static, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Rice husks, toffee, honey, blueberry jam, butterscotch, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Rice husks, butterscotch, blueberry jam, sea salt, honey. 

Comments: 

A milder version of the cask strength, with some additional bready notes. It’s got the fruitiness and the gentle peppery spice, but a lot of the muscular spirity power has dissipated. I think around 45% would be a good strength. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Hom Mali Rice Whiskey (Cask Strength)

Hom Mali Rice Whiskey (Cask Strength)

Official bottling
Single grain - North Singapore
Amber
68% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, blueberries, cooked rice, sea salt, wet stones, magic marker, pears. With water, caramel, pear drops, watermelons, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Rice husks, wheat germ, cooked rice, sea salt, magic marker, pears, white grapes, hints of toffee. With water, rice husks, cooked rice, pear drops, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Magic marker, toffee, honey, rice husks. 

Comments: 

Rice whisky is still new to me, and this is a Singaporean version. It tastes of rice, unsurprisingly, but the wood aging has imparted notes of fruit and toffee. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.