Cardrona Just Hatched Pinot Noir Cask

Cardrona Just Hatched Pinot Noir Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber red
65.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, raisins, pine, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of new plastic. With water, lemon zest, autumn leaves, hints of lohan fruit. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pine, cumin, raisins, honey, lemon zest, hints of black pepper. With water, bitter, lohan fruit, raisins, lemon zest, hints of earthy mushrooms.
Finish: Long. Cocoa powder, coffee, honey, fresh baked bread, hints of pomeloes. 

Comments: 

With these young malts from a new distillery, you never know what to expect. Sometimes the cask finishing makes for an interesting dram, and so it proved for this one. It’s not too sweet, instead it’s rather earthy and even slightly bitter. Lots of interesting complexity, looking forward to more from these guys. 

Verdict:

I like this.

East London Liquor Co 2019 Release

East London Liquor Co 2019 Release

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Yellow gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, barley sugar, white grapes, white pepper, tobacco leaf, hints of farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, barley sugar, green tea, cocoa powder, lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa powder, barley sugar, vanilla, hints of rhubarb and custard. 

Comments: 

Excellent stuff for a young, and relatively unknown distillery (well, I'd say they're more known than their gin). This whisky is fruity, with some funky tobacco notes, but if you leave it for a bit, it develops some deeper, sweeter cocoa notes. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Highland Park Valknut

Highland Park Valknut

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold
46.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, peanut butter, sea salt, seaweed, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, warm, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Leather, peanut butter, seaweed, wet stones, hints of raisins, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Peat, sea salt, seaweed, pears, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Lovely! Maritime, saline, nutty and mineral, this was a really good session-ender. Despite the NAS it tastes reasonably aged, lots of complexity, not much sweetness or fruit notes. Really enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Allt-a-Bhainne 22yo 1995/2018

Allt-a-Bhainne 22yo 1995/2018

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, ink, barley sugar, malted grains, honey, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh cut grass, malted grains, vanilla, barley sugar, toast, peaches, hints of wood smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, honey, vanilla, hints of woodsmoke. 

Comments: 

Cask DL12474. A rare distillery, with a rare age too. Quite fruity, a little toastiness, almost a whisper of woodsmoke. It was complex, yet light, really refreshing on a rather warm day. Highly enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Milroy's Exclusive Mackmyra Pedro Ximenez Finish

Milroy's Exclusive Mackmyra Pedro Ximenez Finish

Milroy's of Soho
Single malt - Gastrikland
Amber red
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, honey, fresh cut grass, hints of cedar, hints of strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, cool, static, slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, fresh cut grass, cedar, raisins, fresh baked bread, hints of thyme. 
Finish: Medium. Butterscotch, blackcurrant cordial, thyme, fresh baked bread, hints of pine. 

Comments: 

Not your usual Mackmyra. The whisky normally takes its wood finishing quite well (at least, the official bottlings do), retaining quite a lot of distillery character. With this one, it's still woody and herbal, but it's not your usual pine and juniper notes, it's cedar, and perhaps some thyme. The sweet sherry is very evident, with the blackcurrant note making it taste almost medicinal.

Verdict:

I like this.

Clynelish 8yo 2011/2020 (Reserve Casks Parcel No 2)

Clynelish 8yo 2011/2020 (Reserve Casks Parcel No 2)

Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, white grapes, white wine, candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, candle wax, straw, toast, honey, peaches. 
Finish: Long. Toast, lemon zest, peaches, white wine, hints of vanilla. 

Comments:

A ‘classic’ Clynelish, waxy and fruity, with an equally classic toasty smoke note on the tongue. It’s not quite as balanced as some of the older expressions though, the wax is rather strong, and there are some winey hints that are unusual. It’s glorious whisky though, and I enjoyed this very much.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Breton Rare 21yo

Glen Breton Rare 21yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Nova Scotia
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, leather, honey, barley sugar, orange peel, hints of hibiscus.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Barley sugar, honey, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Finish: Short. Rhubarb and custard sweets, white grapes, barley sugar, honey. 

Comments:

A slightly older Glen Breton from the last one, but miles apart in terms of how I like it. It’s not as sickeningly floral, instead it’s got more of the familiar barley sugar and fruit flavours. It’s much more ‘clean’ if you like - quite classic whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.