SMWS 16.44 (Glenturret 8yo 2010/2019)

SMWS 16.44 (Glenturret 8yo 2010/2019)

2019, SMWS 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark gold
64.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peat, grilled meat, sea salt, honey, hints of smoke. With water, lemon zest, grilled meat, malted grains, hints of tomato paste. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, sea salt, cream, butterscotch, pear, hints of tobacco. With water, sweeter, toffee, ginseng, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Mint, malted grains, lemon zest, hints of grilled meat. 

Comments: 

High strength single cask Glenturret. It’s a little bit atypical, quite bitter and citrusy, with some smoke. The sweet notes are relegated to the background. It’s quite wild, unbalanced even, but it does work. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 Spanish Oak Finish 15yo 2002/2018

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 15yo 2002/2018

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay 
Amber
58.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black tea, rhubarb, butterscotch, chocolate, hints of sour cream. With water, oatmeal, chocolate, fried eggs, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, butterscotch, raisins, damson jam, sea salt, fried eggs, tyre rubber. With water, sea salt, black tea, chocolate, damson jam. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, oatmeal, tyre rubber, damson jam, sea salt. 

Comments: 

The Spanish oak is actually a sherry brandy cask. It’s lovely, very cereally despite possessing all the sweet notes you’d expect. There’s also a sulphurous edge to it that’s not unpleasant, and it tapers off into a savoury finish. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 2007 Palo Cortado

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 2007 Palo Cortado

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay 
Red gold
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, toffee, cream, chocolate, hints of smoke. With water, honey, plums, cream, damson jam, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, oily, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cream, toffee, sea salt, vanilla, orange peel, heather honey, raisins, hints of chocolate. With water, oatmeal, damson jam, cream, sea salt, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, heather honey, raisins, orange peel, raspberry jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 18. This is heavenly. It’s complex, slightly funky (is this the influence of the flor from the Palo Cortado?) and laden with sweet things, from dried fruit to vanilla cream. Perhaps the best Bunnahabhain I’ve ever tasted, in my humble opinion. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cameronbridge 27yo Batch 3

Cameronbridge 27yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Yellow gold
48.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, lemon sweets, vanilla, desiccated coconut, cornflakes, rolled oats. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Rolled oats, vanilla, waxed paper, cornflakes, desiccated coconut, sultanas, hints of peaches. 
Finish: Short. Cornflakes, rolled oats, lemon sweets, sultanas. 

Comments: 

Pretty decent aged grain. Cameronbridge is very subtle when younger, but the age and wood seems to have created a brightly flavoured cereally whisky. Quite enjoyable and refreshing. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 23yo 1972/1995

Glen Grant 23yo 1972/1995

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber red
55.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peaches, gunpowder, cardamom, cloves, anise, hints of black tea. With water, peaches, fresh cut grass, raisins, manuka honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, anise, cloves, gunpowder, walnut skins, honey, damson jam, hints of sandalwood. With water, manuka honey, cucumbers, peaches, hints of lemon sweets. 
Finish: Long. Red grapes, peaches, walnut skins, cloves, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Cask 689. Lovely stuff, this whisky. It’s sweet, and there’s plenty of good, aged sulphur, tasting like anise and cordite. Lots of stone fruit and jam too. Very definitely a treat. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

“Millburn 35yo Rare Malts 1969/2005”

“Millburn 35yo Rare Malts 1969/2005”

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold
51.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, leather, toffee apples, winter melon, cranberries, lemon zest, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, thin, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Peanuts, lemon zest, green apples, brown sugar, cranberries, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Green apples, brown sugar, cranberries, peanuts. 

Comments: 

Something happened to this bottle. The whisky is washed out, thin, and the flavours are faint. Having said that the flavours, such as they are, taste old, and are reminiscent of Millburn. Anyhow, it’s not unpleasant, just disappointing.

Edit: in 2024, I managed to get a sample of this that’s much better. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Cragganmore 12yo (bottled 1980s)

Cragganmore 12yo (bottled 1980s)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Greengages, leather, gooseberries, apricots, pears, white grapes, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, turns watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricots, leather, gooseberries, grilled meat, orange peel, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, apricots, smoke, grilled meat, sultanas. 

Comments: 

Well now, this is different from the newer 12yo. There’s an edge of smoke, and a touch of leathery peat, with a delicious grilled meat note. It’s like munching sultanas in a kebab shop. Highly enjoyable, and I believe bottles are still widely available and affordable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Miltonduff 36yo 1978/2015

Miltonduff 36yo 1978/2015

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
44.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, winter melon, vanilla, elderflower, hints of jasmine tea, hints of poppy seeds. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Elderflower, orange blossom, medlar jelly, poppy seeds, jasmine tea, Turkish delight, manuka honey. 
Finish: Long. Manuka honey, medlar jelly, orange blossom, Turkish delight. 

Comments: 

Cask 1753. Very sweet, all sorts of good things found in dessert, and breakfast too. There’s the intense overripe, slightly floral sweetness of medlar preserves, married to Turkish delight bonbons. Utterly lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Breath of the Highlands 1972

Breath of the Highlands 1972

Archive, Adelphi
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber gold
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papaya, peaches, apricots, gooseberries, leather, hints of lime juice. With water, greengages, lime curd, leather, hints of pine needles. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, turns watery around the edges, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricots, peaches, leather, green tea, orange juice, lime juice, hints of aluminium foil. With water, more sour, orange juice, cinnamon, peaches, lemon thyme. 
Finish: Medium. Apricots, peaches, rambutans. 

Comments: 

Royal Lochnagar, a 23yo distilled in 1972 and bottled in 2007. Cask 1753. It’s magnificent, hugely fruity and complex, chock full of delicious stone fruit notes. It opens up with water, becoming citrusy, spicy and more vegetal. There’s also a touch of old bottle effect. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Isle of Jura 26yo 1988/2014

Isle of Jura 26yo 1988/2014

Rare Cask Selection, Pearls of Scotland 
Single malt - Islands 
Golden
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sour cream, leather, vanilla, cardboard, lemon sweets, dried mangoes, hints of musk. With water, leather, green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly sticky, thickens, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Lemon sweets, musk, leather, sour cream, watermelon rind, white grapes, hints of pears. With water, green tea, pears, green apples, musk. 
Finish: Short. Leather, vanilla, musk, sour cream, pears. 

Comments: 

Very funky Jura, to the extent that the sour cream tips over into notes of musk and even rotting fruit. This one is more ‘green’ and vegetal than the other ones I had in this little tasting session. Those were more ‘red’, with notes of stone fruit and red fruit. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Jura Boutique Barrels 1996/2010 for Feis Isle 2010

Jura Boutique Barrels 1996/2010 for Feis Isle 2010

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands 
Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, chocolate, honey, cream, vanilla, watermelon rind, hints of sour cream. With water, black tea, white grapes, lohan fruit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Chocolate, honey, lemon sweets, white grapes, vanilla, lohan fruit, black tea. With water, sweeter, chocolate, dried apricots, dried raspberries, lemon sweets. 
Finish: Medium. Watermelon rind, white grapes, lemon sweets, leather, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Rather sweet, not in flavour necessarily but the notes that abound and are wreathed through the whisky. The funk is there, but faint, there’s much more cream and vanilla. But it’s not over-oaked, the vanilla is subtle and complex. 

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 31.29 (Jura 25yo 1989/2015)

SMWS 31.29 (Jura 25yo 1989/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Bronze
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon sweets, watermelon rind, strawberries, white grapes, hints of overripe peaches. With water, white grapes, watermelon rind, photocopy paper, hints of cucumbers. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Lemon sweets, malted grains, white grapes, sultanas, green tea, beeswax, hints of honey. With water, green tea, candle wax, bitter. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, malted grains, green tea, hints of sour cream. 

Comments: 

Old-ish Jura, which has a pleasant set of fruit notes alongside the sour cream funk. That seems to be how Jura ages, the fruit notes start to intensify around the two decade mark, and it starts to become a little sweeter. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, peanuts, fresh cut grass, vanilla, hints of chocolate, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly syrupy, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Peanuts, vanilla, bananas, apricots, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, oak. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, vanilla, bananas, oak, hints of desiccated coconut. 

Comments: 

Apparently, around 8 years old. This replaces the previous 12yo expression. I like the saltiness here, it’s not really a note one finds in bourbon. Plenty of dried fruit too, not just one dimensional bananas.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 11yo Manzanilla Cask

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 11yo Manzanilla Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, malted grains, toffee, tobacco leaf, sea salt, hints of cedar, hints of cream. With water, sea salt, cream, black tea, raisins, dried apricots.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, expands.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toffee, orange peel, tobacco leaf, malted grains, cream, walnuts, chestnuts, sea salt. With water, raisins, sea salt, orange peel, dried apricots, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, sea salt, salt caramel, tobacco leaf. 

Comments: 

This is more classic Bunnahabhain, I suppose. It’s unpeated, but marries intense sherry flavours (all those dried fruits and chocolate) with nutty, savoury notes. It’s got a salty edge to it as well, which is especially apparent on the finish. Amazing.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 Cask Sample #1

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 Cask Sample #1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber, hints of red
53.3%% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, orange peel, dust, raisins, winter melons, cinnamon. With water, lemon zest, cucumbers, winter melons, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slightly sticky, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, damson jam, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, mint, chocolate, hints of sea salt. With water, damson jam, lemon zest, chocolate, hints of liquorice, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, chocolate, red grapes, mint, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Oloroso. It’s dusty and old, jammy and fruity. There’s a savoury edge to this, on the tip of the tongue and around the lips, and wreathed through with spices and chocolate. Utterly lovely stuff. It’s not been bottled, and will continue to age in the cask.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 2007 Bourbon Barrel

Bunnahabhain Warehouse 9 2007 Bourbon Barrel

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, toffee, camphor, liquorice, raisins, vanilla, custard apples. With water, kiwifruit, white grapes, lemon sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, toffee, candy floss, custard apples, raisins, walnut skins, white grapes, hints of mangosteens. With water, lemon sweets, walnut skins, liquorice, white grapes, mangosteens. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, toffee, raisins, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Bottled 2020. Warehouse 9 is a legendary Bunnahabhain warehouse where a lot of unusual gems are slowly ticking over, getting to the point of being ready to drink. This one is unseated, aged in a bourbon cask, quite unusual. It’s full of tropical fruits, very gentle and flavourful, highly enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kornog 15yo 2005/2020

Kornog 15yo 2005/2020

WhiskySponge, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Brittany
Orange gold 
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, green olives, sea salt, pears, peat, tobacco leaf, hints of asparagus. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Green olives, pears, white grapes, magic marker, peat, hints of sultanas. 
Finish: Long. Green olives, sea salt, white grapes, lemon zest, leather. 

Comments: 

My first whisky from Whisky Sponge. Those bottles generally retail at a premium, but this one was for charity, and I managed to snag a sample. It’s very savoury, the normal fruit from these whiskies is hidden under a layer of savoury, briny flavours. It’s not so coastal like the Scottish malts are, instead it’s herbal, with a fair bit of umami. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Isle of Jura 21yo 1998/2020

Isle of Jura 21yo 1998/2020

Monologue, Chapter 7
Single malt - Islands
Straw
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sour cream, ink, lime juice, breadcrumbs, linseed oil, hints of dill. With water, sea salt, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, airy, loosens.  
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lime juice, sour cream, preserved lemons, evaporated milk, white wine, sea salt, hints of mint. With water, sour cream, malted grains, coriander, white grapes. 
Finish: Long. Lime juice, lemon juice, black tea, ginseng, hints of dill. 

Comments: 

Another herbal Jura, this time with mint and dill. It’s quite tart and citrusy too, and opens up beautifully into a wave of meatiness with a few drops of water. Again, very pleasant indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Isle of Jura 21yo 1998/2019

Isle of Jura 21yo 1998/2019

Hidden Spirits Whiskey Company
Single malt - Islands
Silver
51.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sour cream, fresh cut grass, sea salt, malted grains, lemon zest, hints of tarragon, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, fresh cut grass, sea salt, leather, green tea, preserved lemons, hints of peach. 
Finish: Medium. Preserved lemons, green olives, peaches, tarragon, leather. 

Comments: 

In this whisky, the typical Jura funk is melded with herbal, slightly savoury flavours, reminiscent of tarragon and green olives. This is really excellent and unusual, not a regular flavour bomb. Very spirit forward and well aged, with flavours that I like. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Jura 18yo

Jura 18yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber red
44% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sour cream, red wine, cinder toffee, hickory, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Sour cream, sea salt, orange peel, coffee, blackcurrant cordial, hickory. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, hay, coffee, cinder toffee. 

Comments: 

It’s been a while since I had a Jura, and this is the first in a long series of them. Well, Jura is a little funky, and in this red wine finish, that funk tastes a little like sour cream. Lots of wood and toffee as well in this newish official expression.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dallas Dhu 29yo 1981/2010

Dallas Dhu 29yo 1981/2010

Rare Auld, Duncan Taylor
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peppermint, watermelon rind, white grapes, fresh cut grass, sweet peas, hints of dried pears. With water, kiwifruit, watermelon, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Watermelon rind, white grapes, white pepper, fresh cut grass, pomeloes, hints of lemons. With water, lemon zest, malted grains, leather. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, lemons, fresh cut grass, dried pears. 

Comments: 

Cask 388. I like Dallas Dhu, it’s always a treat, and the whiskies tend to age very well. This one is no exception, lots of fruit and vegetal notes, as well as a fair bit of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Helsinki Rum Cask Rye Whiskey Release #14

Helsinki Rum Cask Rye Whiskey Release #14

Official bottling
Single rye - Southern Finland
Orange gold 
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pine, bananas, pear drops, honey, cinnamon, black pepper, hints of jasmine. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, static, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, bananas, pears, black pepper, rye bread, mangoes, hints of jasmine.  
Finish: Short. Pine, rye bread, honey, white grapes. 

Comments: 

A sweet and fragrant rye, the rum cask appears to have imparted notes of tropical fruit and flowers. It’s gentle and light, a very decent sipping whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenury Royal Rare Malts 23yo 1971/1994

Glenury Royal Rare Malts 23yo 1971/1994

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber red
61% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, bananas, pears, honey, oranges, leather, hints of watermelon. With water, watermelon, lemon zest, hints of nutmeg.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Leather, cinnamon, pears, apples, honey, vanilla, hints of ginger. With water, tobacco leaf, leather, lemon zest, watermelon, ginger. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, tobacco leaf, ginger, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Dram #1,500, has to be a special one! I chose a Glenury Royal sample that I’d been saving. It’s chock full of old bottle effect, alongside the fruitiness and sweet spiciness that Glenury Royal has. It’s very drinkable, as with most in the Rare Malts range, needs just a smidgen of water. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Torabhaig Legacy Series 2017 Inaugural Release

Torabhaig Legacy Series 2017 Inaugural Release

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Pale silvery gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, apples, vanilla, lemon sherbet, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warms slightly, airy.  
Tasting:  Salty sour. Leather, peat, smoke, scallops, apples, lemon zest, black pepper, hints of artificial grape flavour. 
Finish: Long. Lemon sherbet, vanilla, peat, sea salt, hints of liquorice, hints of apricots. 

Comments: 

This is the inaugural release from the new Torabhaig distillery on Skye. It’s quite good - delicate, bright, reasonable level of complexity, and spicy. This is good competition for Talisker, and I look forward to older expressions.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Linkwood 12yo 2008/2021

Linkwood 12yo 2008/2021

Strictly Limited, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber, hints of red
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, red grapes, honey, dried apples, black tea, hints of mint. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, honey, dried apples, barley sugar, malted grains, hints of mint, hints of dried apricots. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, dried apricots, orange juice, mint, raisins. 

Comments: 

Another youngish Linkwood, this time quite heavily sherried (PX cask finish). It’s really quite sweet, lots of dried fruit, and the herbal grassiness manifests as a faint minty flavour throughout.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5yo

Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5yo 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay 
Dark gold
47.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, dried apricots, sea salt, pear drops, orange peel, tobacco leaf.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Orange peel, tobacco leaf, dried apricots, smoke, vanilla, peat, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, lemon sherbet, smoke, peat. 

Comments: 

The newest addition to the Ardbeg range of age statement expressions, this whisky is wild and unbalanced, lots of sweet, sour and bitter going on. But somehow, it works - the bitter smoke goes well with the citrus and vanilla. There’s not a lot of chocolate in this Ardbeg, but there’s a herbal note that I sometimes find in other, older bottlings. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Arran 25yo

Arran 25yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Dark amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, candied orange peel, nutmeg, manuka honey, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, chocolate, dried apricots, manuka honey, raisins, candied orange peel, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, sea salt, candied orange peel, dried apricots, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Well sherried Arran, sweet with more than a hint of the sea. Lots of cereal notes wreathed through with honey and dried orange peel, this whisky is very sweet. It’s a great official expression. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glencadam 26yo 1989/2015

Glencadam 26yo 1989/2015

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - East Highlands 
Bright gold
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, butter, malted grains, candle wax, brass polish, rhubarb and custard sweets. With water, lemon zest, leather, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon juice, lemon zest, malted grains, fresh baked bread, rhubarb and custard sweets, barley sugar. With water, sweeter, barley sugar, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, oatcakes, vanilla, walnuts, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

Bright and citrusy, this whisky tastes younger than it is, yet carries quite a deep complexity. The flavours are well defined and intense, and taper to a cereally, bitter finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 21yo 1996/2017

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 21yo 1996/2017

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Tasmania 
Pink gold
56.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, peanut butter, raisins, chocolate, hints of mint, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, white grapes, soursop, peanuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, tingly, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peanut butter, white grapes, chocolate, butterscotch, hints of mangoes. With water, peanuts, white grapes, pear drops, soursop. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, hints of white grapes. 

Comments: 

I was very lucky to find this. There’s only about 7 casks from this distillery - it was a short lived project which made distillate exclusively for Cadenheads, although they’re reopening a new distillery on the site. The whisky is a lot like peanut butter M&Ms, mixed with some notes of tropical fruits. Utterly delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glentauchers 22yo 1997/2020

Glentauchers 22yo 1997/2020

Renaissance, Whisky Baron
Single malt - Speyside 
Teak, hints of green
48.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricots, honeydew melons, dried apples, orange peel, barley sugar, hints of fresh cut grass.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honeydew melons, orange peel, apricots, peaches, leather hints of vanilla. 

Finish: Short. Peaches, black tea, leather, honey, apricots. 

Comments: 

Cask 3884. This whisky was a strange colour, brownish, with a dirty green cast, almost like pond water. But don’t let it put you off, it’s magnificent. Lots of fruit and sweet notes, and a leathery, almost peaty note that makes it great. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aberfeldy 22yo 1996/2018

Aberfeldy 22yo 1996/2018

Malts Festival, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Central Highlands
Straw
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, barley sugar, lemon zest, watermelon rind, white grapes, hints of green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slightly slippery.  
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Green apples, white grapes, malted grains, leather, fresh baked bread, hops, hints of watermelon rind. 
Finish: Medium. Hops, walnuts, vanilla, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly malty and floral. There’s a vegetal note that reminds me of watermelon rind, or perhaps sweet pickled cucumbers. It all tapers to a bitter finish. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 58.36 (Strathisla 12yo 2007/2019)

SMWS 58.36 (Strathisla 12yo 2007/2019)

2019, SMWS 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold 
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, white pepper, prunes, cocoa nibs, vanilla sponge, hints of cinnamon. With water, red grapes, fried eggs, raisins, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, airy. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, prunes, sea salt, fresh baked bread, shortbread, vanilla sponge, black tea, walnuts, cocoa nibs. With water, saltier, cocoa nibs, raisins, fresh baked bread, hints of sulphur. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa nibs, white pepper, black tea, shortbread, raisins. 

Comments: 

There’s a savouriness to this whisky, it opens up a bit with water too. There’s some gentle vanilla, some spiciness and grain. Lots of complexity, and it’s all very subtle and gentle. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Cameronbridge 24yo 1992/2017

Cameronbridge 24yo 1992/2017

Single Cask, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, butterscotch, toffee, raisins, vanilla ice cream, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, sticky.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Chocolate, white grapes, dried apples, barley sugar, butterscotch. 
Finish: Short. Mint, chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla ice cream, walnuts, hints of white grapes.  

Comments: 

Cask 115043. Decent aged grain, lots of vanilla sweetness and some fruit. I like the gentleness of this dram, it’s got some complexity but you have to work to find it. 

Verdict:

I like this.