Unnamed Speyside 15yo 2006/2021

Unnamed Speyside 15yo 2006/2021

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, caramel, iron filings, pear drops, sea salt. With water, red grapes, honey, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, thickens, hot. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Fresh baked bread, sea salt, lemon zest, butterscotch, egg nog, hints of mint. With water, cocoa nibs, red grapes, honey. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, butterscotch, rhubarb and custard sweets, caramel, iron filings. 

Comments: 

I have it on good authority that this is a Glen Elgin. It’s certainly a very pretty label of a swallow against a pink background. Swallows, of course, nest around Glen Elgin distillery. 

The whisky is sweet, thick, spicy and eggy. There’s a metallic aftertaste, and even some iron filings notes on the nose. Not a bad start to an epic tasting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Elgin 13yo 2007/2021

Glen Elgin 13yo 2007/2021

Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside 
Mahogany
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Barley sugar, black tea, fresh baked bread, vanilla ice cream, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, orange peel, fresh baked bread, vanilla ice cream, hints of marzipan, hints of shortbread. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, fresh baked bread, orange peel, shortbread. 

Comments: 

Sherried, but quite a lot of distillate character shines through. Cereally and fragrant, with some delicious fruit. Whisky doesn’t have to be old to taste nice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Elgin 20yo 1990/2011

Glen Elgin 20yo 1990/2011

First Cask, The Malt Whisky Circle 
Single malt - Speyside 
White wine
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, white wine, ink, white grapes, malted grains, dried pears, hints of dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thick, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, lemon zest, dried pears, dried apricots, fresh cut grass, golden syrup, hints of nutmeg. 
Finish: Long. Nutmeg, dried pears, white grapes, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cask 7871. Spicy and well aged, with a lot of dried fruit notes overlaying what was once a grassy bright spirit. I don’t know if this is bottle aging rather than cask aging, but it’s really quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Elgin 10yo 2010/2020

Glen Elgin 10yo 2010/2020

Single Cask Nation, Jewish Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
61.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, wet stones, white grapes, lemon zest, sea salt, hints of iron filings. With water, malted grains, white grapes, wet stones, lemon juice, dried apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Sea salt, malted grains, sourdough bread, lemon zest, ginseng, hints of green tea. With water, sweet sour, olive oil, ginseng, sourdough bread, dried apples, hints of barley sugar. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, ginseng, sourdough bread, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 801386. This whisky is minerally yet fruity, with a strong bitter taste and finish. The high strength makes it pleasant and flavourful, and it doesn’t take that much water. Enjoy near full strength. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Elgin 24yo 1995/2020

Glen Elgin 24yo 1995/2020

Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside 
White wine
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, white grapes, malted grains, candle wax, brass polish, green walnuts. With water, lemon zest, kombucha, brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Pears, white grapes, malted grains, acetone, candle wax, lemon zest, green tea, hints of apricots. With water, kombucha, brass polish, lemon zest, acetone. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, walnut skins, ginseng, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 3206. Quite tart and refreshing, waxy and fruity. It’s reminiscent of Imperial, or perhaps a youngish Clynelish. But there’s a slightly fermented note, especially once water is added, that is characteristic of neither. Quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glen Elgin 18yo Limited Edition

Glen Elgin 18yo Limited Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, raisins, malted grains, leather, white pepper, hints of lemon zest. With water, honey, butterscotch, lemon curd. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Malted grains, leather, raisins, peanuts, white pepper, walnuts, menthol, hints of peat. With water, honey, malted grains, vanilla, raisins, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, menthol, walnuts, malted grains, raisins. 

Comments: 

This is a whisky-lover's whisky. It's complex, spirit led, spicy and a little sweet. There's a bitter edge to this, turning to walnuts, leather, and menthol cigarettes. It all leads to a herbal, bitter finish, with just a little hint of sweetness underneath it all.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 85.33 (Glen Elgin 9 yo 2006/2016)

SMWS 85.33 (Glen Elgin 9 yo 2006/2016)

2016, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Very pale gold
60.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, sawdust, apples, cranberries, hints of cherries. With water, grassy, more sawdust, beeswax. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose. 
Tasting:  Sour . Lemons, grapefruit, sawdust, cranberries, hints of ginger. With water, less sour, raspberries, vanilla, cinnamon, hints of butter. 
Finish: Long. Lemons, grapefruit, dessicated coconut, apples. 

Comments: 

It was promising on the nose at the beginning, with a lot of fruit. But then the woody notes took over, masking a lot of the other flavours. I had to work hard to get anywhere underneath that sheath of wood. There's other notes as well, but in the end it was just too hard work.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 85.31 (Glen Elgin 15 yo 1999/2015)

SMWS 85.31 (Glen Elgin 15 yo 1999/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Gold, tinge of green
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, lemon zest, peach jam, honey, orange blossom, hints of cedar. With water, less sweet, orange peel, coffee, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens slightly, tingly, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peach jam, brown paper, toast, honey, orange blossom, hints of cardamom. With water, less sweet, lemon zest, orange peel, less toasty, more coffee. 
Finish: Short. Honey, marmalade, peach jam, toast. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet on the nose and on the tongue, and for a moment there's nothing else. Then waves of fruit appear, very jammy notes (peach and orange), followed by floral notes and finally something slightly toasty and smoky. This is delicious, rewards patience, water, and the willingness to let it stand and develop.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glen Elgin 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Glen Elgin 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, raisins, hazelnuts, hints of lavender, hints of boot polish.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, static.
Tasting: Sour. Peat, beer, spiced barley, hints of lavender, peanuts.
Finish: Medium. Slightly astringent, peanuts, hazelnuts.

Comments:

Very nutty, almost chemical. Slight floral flavours in the taste do lift the haze of nut flavours, but it's not that pleasant or interesting. Maybe I had a dram from a dud bottle, although the bottle was opened in front of me, and mine was the first dram poured.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 85.19 (Glen Elgin 8 yo 1999/2008)

SMWS 85.19 (Glen Elgin 8 yo 1999/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
62.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, raisins, salted egg (Chinese style), ham, rice, cream, hints of cinnamon. Water moderates the salt and brings out the raisins.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Scottish tablet, plums, oranges, stewed rhubarb, oat bread, hints of pineapple. Water brings out more tablet, much sweeter.
Finish: Long, sour, aluminium foil, stewed rhubarb.

Comments:

A little warm and tingly, due to the alcohol content, but quite tasty in the mouth. I do like Scottish tablet, and it's certainly an unusual note in whisky, in my limited experience. The stewed rhubarb provides an interesting counterpoint. However, the harsh metallic finish is a little off-putting.

Verdict:

Not bad.