Lochrann Aoire (Shepherd’s Lantern) 3yo Barrel No 1

Lochrann Aoire (Shepherd’s Lantern) 3yo Barrel No 1

Scaire Uisce
Single blend - Leinster
Amber gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, barley sugar, black pepper, magic marker, strawberries, hints of cinnamon. With water, caramel, barley sugar, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, vanilla, milk chocolate, caramel, barley sugar, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper. With water, milk chocolate, caramel, pears. 
Finish: Medium. Caramel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

This has a bit of pot still in it if I’m any judge - there’s that spikiness and barley sweetness that I associate with it. The malt contributes the chocolatey, creamy notes of course, along with the bread and cereal. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Van Brunt Stillhouse Rye Lot 23

Van Brunt Stillhouse Rye Lot 23

Official bottling
Single rye - New York 
Amber copper
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, nectarines, parchment paper, black pepper, applesauce, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Parchment paper, peaches, applesauce, cinnamon, gooseberries, caramel, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, caramel, raisins, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

Quite tannic and herbal for a rye, and also quite delicate. There’s a slightly dusty, papery quality to it, one that goes well with the fragrant green tea notes. Rather unusual and rather good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Annandale 8yo Defender of the Crown

Annandale 8yo Defender of the Crown

Whiskyheroes, Brave New Spirits
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber gold 
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, germolene, raisins, sea salt, white grapes, smoke, leather, autumn leaves. With water, leather, raisins, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Germolene, raisins, white grapes, honey, soot, smoke, hints of gentian. With water, smoke, germolene, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, white grapes, smoke, germolene. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and delicate despite the peatiness of the distillate. It’s characteristic of Annandale in my view. Rather well aged, with layered complexity. Very well constructed whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Arbikie 10yo The Signature

Arbikie 10yo The Signature

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, mangoes, orange peel, gooseberries, peaches, dunnage, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peaches, orange peel, dunnage, malted grains, cinnamon, gooseberries, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Aluminium foil, peaches, gooseberries, mangoes, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Lots of peach notes, as well as very funky dunnage, although it doesn’t take over the whisky as much as some others. Other fruits are also present, with a sweet barley cereal core.

Verdict:

I like this.

Brenne 10yo Limited Edition (bottled 2017)

Brenne 10yo Limited Edition (bottled 2017)

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Straw
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, honey, honeydew melons, mint, lemons, hints of bubble gum. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Photocopy paper, spearmint, fresh cut grass, bubblegum, pineapples, mangoes, honey, lemons, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Honey, lemons, fresh cut grass, spearmint. 

Comments: 

Still fruity, but with other flavours, mainly herbal and a little floral. It’s now recognisably whisky, whereas in its early days this distillery made something deeply weird.

Verdict:

I like this.

Maker’s Mark London Edition No 3

Maker’s Mark London Edition No 3

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Chinese tea
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackcurrant cordial, brown paper, popcorn, magic marker, raisins, honey. With water, raisins, magic marker, blackcurrant cordial, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Blackcurrant cordial, brown paper, popcorn, cloves, sea salt, hints of fried eggs. With water, raisins, blackcurrant cordial, popcorn, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Pears, magic marker, raisins, popcorn. 

Comments: 

Sweet and spicy, lots of estery, blackcurrant notes. A decent buttery bourbon, lots of popcorn notes but also complex. There’s even a hint of fried egg on the tongue, slightly sulphurous.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pokeno Triple Distilled 3rd Edition

Pokeno Triple Distilled 3rd Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Waikato
Golden
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, butter, pears, cantaloupe melons, honey, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cooked rice, cream of wheat, malted grains, honey, magic marker, pears, cantaloupe melons. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, pears, malted grains, honey. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity with a creamy base. Plenty of delicate cereal notes underlying that fruit, and it’s still layered and complex enough for those notes to come through. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Boann Single Pot Still Madeira Cask

Boann Single Pot Still Madeira Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Leinster
Dark gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, magic marker, pears, pineapples, malted grains, hints of cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens, slightly chalky. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White pepper, honey, pear drops, caramel, cardamom, malted grains, hints of pears. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, cardboard, honey, caramel, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Fruity with a spiky edge, that’s the pot still. Pineapples and some cardamom make it interesting but it’s let down on the finish with slightly bready cardboard note.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kavalan Lan

Kavalan Lan

Official bottling
Single malt - Yilan
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, black pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, hints of soot. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White pepper, raisins, prunes, vanilla, blueberries, sandalwood, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, dark chocolate, aluminium foil, raisins. 

Comments: 

Fruity, with some spicy notes, but overlaid with a woody, floral scent. The finish is short, intense and bitter. Some metallic notes too. Interesting whisky, certainly a decent entry level bottling.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Official bottling
Single pot still - Kent
Golden

45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, cinnamon, wet stones, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pear drops, green apples, lemon zest, wet stones, clay dust, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, pear drops, lemon zest, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual pot still whisky. That bristliness is still there by its overlaid with tart notes of green apples and lemon zest, and something earthy and flinty - clay dust and wet stones. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.