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. 

Strathmill 22yo 1990/2013

Strathmill 22yo 1990/2013

Dimensions, Duncan Taylor
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, rhubarb and custard sweets, green tea, brass polish, fresh baked bread. With water, honey, fresh baked bread, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, hot, slippery. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Fresh baked bread, sea salt, brass polish, green tea, orange peel. With water, honey, fresh baked bread, raisins, green tea, caramel, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, fresh baked bread, sea salt, honey, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Cask 4242. Rather tart and green Speyside whisky. It sweetens up a great deal once a few drops of water are added. A nice salty tannic finish, something quite rare and enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathmill 20yo 1997/2017

Strathmill 20yo 1997/2017

Mackillop's Choice, Angus Dundee Distillers
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
59.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, malted grains, raisins, cinnamon, orange peel, candle wax. With water, raisins, salt caramel, chocolate, red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cocoa powder, candle wax, orange juice, cinnamon, butterscotch, raisins, hints of black tea. With water, sweeter, black tea, vanilla, honey, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, hints of cloves. 

Comments: 

Cask 4112. I've never had a Mackillop's Choice until now, and I have to say that it did not disappoint. It was sweet, a little waxy, and very spicy. Lots of lingering spice notes, and a little hook of citrus at the end, just teasing, on the tongue. Very nice whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 100.12 (Strathmill 10 yo 2005/2015)

SMWS 100.12 (Strathmill 10 yo 2005/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Very pale gold
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, tinned peaches, pineapples, lemon juice, hints of elderflower. With water, cookie dough, cough syrup, cashew nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, airy.
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Elderflower, vanilla, orange blossom, cherries, hints of lemon juice. With water, saltier, cookie dough, rum and raisin ice cream. 
Finish: Long. Roses, sandalwood, elderflower, orange blossom. 

Comments: 

This whisky is something of a chameleon. Neat, it explodes in fruity and floral fireworks on the tongue, laden with elderflower, orange blossom, and in the finish, sandalwood, just to name a few. With a few drops of water, it turns saltier, but not unpleasantly so, and shows a lot of rum and raisin.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 100.10 (Strathmill 8 yo 2005/2013)

SMWS 100.10 (Strathmill 8 yo 2005/2013)

2014, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, apples, white wine, vanilla, hints of brown paper, hints of tobacco leaf.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour . Pears, apples, white wine, vanilla, hints of tobacco, hints of pine.
Finish: Long. White wine, vanilla, hints of apples.

Comments:

White wine in colour, white wine by nature. Fruity and light, some resiny notes. Almost not whisky at all, and surprisingly stable in its lack of development. I left this for a good 20 minutes, and it didn't change very much. Adding water didn't change it either.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 100.9 (Strathmill 11 yo 1998/2009)

SMWS 100.9 (Strathmill 11 yo 1998/2009)

2010, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
58.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, honey, lemon zest, grape juice, sponge cake, hints of almonds.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, slightly sticky.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Honey, vanilla, grape juice, sponge cake, almonds, custard, milk.
Finish: Medium. Bitter, toffee, grape juice, almonds.

Comments:

Fruity, milky, and smells like someone baked a cake in the room. There's a curious bitter note running through the taste and lingering in the finish. Ever had vanilla sponge and a glass of wine? Me neither, but this reminds me of that.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathmill 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Strathmill 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, honey, raisins, bubble gum, malty beer, strawberries, hints of banana.
Mouthfeel: Light body, turns watery, very loose.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Honey, oranges, strawberries, banana, raisins, hints of bubble gum, hints of cedar wood.
Finish: Short. Honey, vanilla, oranges.

Comments:

Easy drinking dram, probably best suited as an aperitif. Not something to be seriously contemplated in a full-blown tasting session perhaps. Pleasant nevertheless.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathmill 40 yo 1963/2003

Strathmill 40 yo 1963/2003

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, leather, sherry, sandalwood, pears, toast, hints of smoke, hints of shoe polish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Pears, magic marker, peat, leather, peanut skins, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, oranges, tea, candied winter melon.

Comments:

Cask #617, 444 bottles. Very interesting nose. The smell of tea smacked me in the nose, followed by sandalwood and a little smoke - burning incense, perhaps? Great leathery peaty notes in the taste, followed by more sandalwood and candied winter melon, something very Chinese in the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.