Kimchangsoo Gimpo First Edition 2024

Kimchangsoo Gimpo First Edition 2024

Official bottling
Single malt - Gyeonggi
Amber copper
50.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Copper kettles, aluminium foil, black tea, smoke, raisins, sandalwood, ume, hints of prunes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, ume, prunes, apricots, black tea, roast chicken, sandalwood, aluminium foil, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Copper kettles, black tea, sandalwood, apricots, hints of farmyard. 

Comments: 

Very flavourful, and quite the sherry bomb. Well blended with plenty of balance, but also with distinct flavours, int is case apricots, ume and copper. Very good whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Filiers 10yo Sherry Oak Matured

Filiers 10yo Sherry Oak Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - East Flanders
Copper brown

43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, dunnage, black pepper, raisins, oak chips, sandalwood, hints of pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, black pepper, rye bread, dunnage, dark chocolate, oak chips. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, rye bread, dark chocolate, black pepper, dunnage. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet, but with a peppery rye note that doesn’t quite work with the rest of the sweet sherry notes. Still, quite an interesting whisky, as Belgium whiskies tend for be.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark amber bronze
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Figs, raisins, brown paper, black tea, dark chocolate, cooked rice, dates, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, figs, butterscotch, black teac peat, smoke, dates, hints of dark chocolate, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, dates, butterscotch, smoke, hints of fish sauce. 

Comments: 

A rather good Kilchoman, plenty of sweet notes complementing the distillery character of gentle smoke and dates. There’s some earthiness as well, especially on the finish. Excellent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

John Crabbie Peated Virgin Oak Cask Matured

John Crabbie Peated Virgin Oak Cask Matured

John Crabbie
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, vanilla, oak chips, peat, smoke, sour cream, hints of farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, peat, smoke, raisins, dried apricots, cream, hints of sour cream. 
Finish: Long. Oak chips, smoke, soot, peat, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Quite harshly peated, but underneath there’s a gentle, light, slightly oily distillate with notes of vanilla and apricots. Decent whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Debt Collector Moonshine Cask Aged 2yo

Debt Collector Moonshine Cask Aged 2yo

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coconut cream, honey, malted grains, vanilla, golden syrup, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, malted grains, white pepper, golden syrup, raisins, hints of saffron. 
Finish: Medium. Golden syrup, vanilla, coconut cream, white pepper, hints of oak chips. 

Comments: 

More Ribena-like than its unaged cousin, quite coconutty too. Lots of sweeter flavours from the wood, even though it’s been in the cask a relatively short time. Starting to taste woody.

Verdict:

I like this.

Debt Collector Moonshine Unaged

Debt Collector Moonshine Unaged

Official bottling 
Single malt - London
Colourless
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemons, new plastic, sea salt, fresh baked bread, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, white pepper, sour cream, lemons, new plastic, hints of saffron. 
Finish: Medium. Lemons, sour cream, white pepper, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite malty, but plenty of citrusy notes, including a slightly prickly plasticky one. A little herbal too, there’s a touch of saffron on the tongue. A bit unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this.

Spirit of North Scotland 48yo 1973

Spirit of North Scotland 48yo 1973

Bartels Whisky
Single grain - Lowlands
Amber brown
25% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, burnt sugar, oak chips, malted grains, ice cream soda, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, static, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Caramel, coconut cream, oak chips, burnt sugar, pear drops, magic marker, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, vanilla, pear drops, ice cream soda, hints of oak chips. 

Comments: 

Quite woody, but in this case the low strength works in its favour. It’s not whisky of course, just spirit drink, but it’s taken on quite a lot of the wood flavours. Very interesting indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Copper
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, black tea, malted grains, aluminium foil, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Marmalade, malted grains, nutmeg, black tea, orange peel, foam shrimp, lemon zest, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, sea salt, foam shrimp, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite saline but plenty of sweet jammy flavours, in particular marmalade. Something slightly flinty and bitter too, especially on the tongue. Really good distillate that matches the cask well.

Verdict:

I like this.

Curraghmore Triple Cask Matured (bottled 2025)

Curraghmore Triple Cask Matured (bottled 2025)

Curraghmore Estate
Single pot still - Leinster
Amber copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, cream, white pepper, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, foam shrimp, malted grains, white pepper, meringues, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, raisins, meringues, white pepper, gentian. 

Comments: 

Sweet, but also quite spicy and a little lactic. It’s the little pricks of white pepper as opposed to the richer pops of black pepper. It’s sweet and malty and also builds to a nice, slightly bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Distillery Krauss Straight Whiskey

Distillery Krauss Straight Whiskey

Official bottling
Single malt - Styria
Amber gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Prunes, plums, sandalwood, raisins, oak chips, fresh baked bread, caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, raisins, sandalwood, caramel, brown paper, cream, hints of mushrooms. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, caramel, sandalwood, oak chips, raisins. 

Comments: 

Lots of dried fruit - prunes and plums - but also a nice cereally bready spine. It tastes a little like eau de vie, and less like whisky, but an interesting dram nevertheless.

Verdict:

I like this.