Bunnahabhain 16yo 2004/2021

Bunnahabhain 16yo 2004/2021

Carn Mor
Single malt - Islay
Amber, hints of bronze
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, leather, peat, raisins, lemon zest, toffee, cocoa nibs, hints of cinnamon. With water, apple juice, leather, cocoa nibs, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, leather, pears, cinnamon, smoke, cocoa nibs, coffee, oak chips, hints of vanilla. With water, cocoa nibs, peat, smoke, apple juice. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, leather, raisins, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Sweet and smoky, lots of bitter fragrant notes. The smoke is very gentle, almost a lick rather than clouds. But the wood predominates, and reduces the complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.

Penderyn Rich Oak

Penderyn Rich Oak

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Wales
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, red grapes, vanilla, oak chips, hints of cedar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, slippery, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, oak chips, toffee, red grapes, vanilla, coffee, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Oak chips, raisins, red grapes, coffee. 

Comments: 

Rich and sweet, although very woody. They weren’t kidding about the oak. I’ve always liked Penderyn, and I’m very interested to see whether the whisky ages well. It won’t be long now.

Verdict:

I like this.

Royal Brackla 9yo 2013/2023

Royal Brackla 9yo 2013/2023

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold

46% ABV

Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, lemon sweets, raspberries, peaches, apricots, honey, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon sweets, apricots, coffee, nutmeg, green tea, malted grains, hints of cinder toffee. 
Finish: Short. Nutmeg, cinder toffee, malted grains, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Casks 1596, 302353 and 302355. Quite tart and citrusy, but also with a slightly caramelised smoky edge. Bright and refreshing, and characteristic of youngish whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nassif Family Reserve Batch 13

Nassif Family Reserve Batch 13

Nassif Family
Single bourbon - Indiana
Amber
53.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, coconut, brown paper, vanilla, kiwifruit, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon zest. With water, coconut, vanilla, mangoes, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Mangoes, kiwifruit, bananas, vanilla, coffee, lemon zest, hints of ginseng. With water, malted grains, coffee, bananas, kiwifruit. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, mangoes, kiwifruit, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Bottled by bourbon enthusiast Gene Nassif ‘for his personal stash’. It’s not bad - not over sweet, lots of other complex, slightly bitter notes. But it’s a little under-aged if you ask me, although that’s how I generally find bourbon. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Carpathian Chianti Cask (bottled 2023)

Carpathian Chianti Cask (bottled 2023)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Sud-Muntenia
Amber copper 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, mushrooms, strawberry jam, honey, cloves, overripe peaches, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Mushrooms, lemon sweets, strawberry jam, overripe peaches, black tea, cocoa nibs, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon sweets, vitamin C tablets, malted grains, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Cask 3761. Lots of earthy mushrooms with citrus goodness, somehow refreshing yet substantial. It’s unusual certainly, and I’m starting to get an idea of the distillery style. Definitely not scotch.

Verdict:

I like this.

Shizuoka Prologue K

Shizuoka Prologue K

Single malt - West Honshu
Dark dusty gold
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, chestnuts, white grapes, white pepper, green tea, lemon zest, hints of vanilla. With water, white pepper, peaches, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, peaches, nashi pears, apricots, green tea, hints of rose water. With water, apricots, pears, rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, green tea, lemon zest, white grapes, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Ooh. Fragrant and fruity, lots of peach and apricot, and a nice oily, mouth feel. This is delicious, and it will get better as it grows older. This is what I imagine young Karuizawa would have tasted like, and of course it’s from the same still. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Shizuoka Prologue W

Shizuoka Prologue W

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu

Bright gold 
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cucumbers, kiwifruit, greengages, white grapes, green tea, chestnuts, hints of honey. With water, greengages, nashi pears, chestnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, sandalwood, white grapes, fresh baked bread, black pepper, green tea. With water, black pepper, chestnuts, sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, black pepper, white grapes, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Earthy whisky, young of course, but also complex and fragrant. It’s not as fruity as I thought, instead it’s malty and has some savoury notes. Those are some interesting things that Shizuoka are doing with the various stills they have.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Overeem 5yo Batch 3

Overeem 5yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Tasmania
Dusty dark gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, red grapes, roast chicken, black tea, chamomile, nutmeg, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, raisins, toffee, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, golden syrup, brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Toffee, black tea, raisins, chamomile. 

Comments: 

Sweet and meaty, with some herbal notes. I remember Overeem being sweet, but the complexity is welcome. Don’t often get to try stuff from this distillery, so this was very welcome.

Verdict:

I like this.

Laphroaig 25yo 1997/2023

Laphroaig 25yo 1997/2023

Symington’s Choice, Signatory
Single malt - Islay

Amber
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, yoghurt, peat, leather, raisins, honey, hints of germolene. With water, raspberries, peat, sea salt, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, airy, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Leather, peat, yoghurt, orange peel, sea salt, germolene, driftwood smoke, hints of wasabi. With water, raspberries, peat, sea salt, germolene. 
Finish: Long. Wasabi, yoghurt, leather, honey, cooked rice. 

Comments: 

Cask 3372. Leather and medicine, but with a tangy raspberry hit. Some slightly mustardy notes on the finish. Good stuff, but perhaps a tad unbalanced. And it’s not the good sort of unbalanced either, although it’s almost perfect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lagavulin 27yo 1991/2018 Casks of Distinction

Lagavulin 27yo 1991/2018 Casks of Distinction

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber gold 
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, green apples, sandalwood, camphor, cinnamon, raisins, five spice powder, peat. With water, honey, apricots, five spice powder, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, tingly, turns watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Green apples, driftwood smoke, camphor, five spice powder, white pepper, raisins, hints of apricots. With water, menthol, driftwood smoke, peat, apricot jam. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, mint, five spice powder, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 1515. Brilliant stuff, spicy and sweet but unmistakably Lagavulin. Definitely a cask of distinction. Would that this stuff was more widely available and I had more of it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Garioch 34yo 1988/2022

Glen Garioch 34yo 1988/2022

Exceptional Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Eastern Highlands
Amber bronze
45.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, leather, apple juice, celery salt, fresh cut grass, hints of orange peel, hints of candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, loosens, warms. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, leather, orange peel, starfruit, autumn leaves, white grapes, hints of celery salt, hints of candle wax. 
Finish: Long. Apple juice, toffee, starfruit, black pepper, hints of celery salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 1599. Fruity and waxy, some bitter vegetal notes but they are buried under the esters. It’s not quite what I’m led to believe Glen Garioch tastes like, but is delicious and unusual.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 19yo 1975/1994

Highland Park 19yo 1975/1994

Vintage Signatory
Single malt - Islands
Golden
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blue cheese, walnuts, orange peel, toffee, butterscotch, applesauce, hints of germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Walnuts, orange peel, blue cheese, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, honey, germolene, hints of dates. 
Finish: Long. Blue cheese, orange peel, dates, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Highly unusual, complex whisky. Tastes like Stilton and walnuts, with a slightly medicinal edge. It’s not like anything I’ve ever tasted before. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Clynelish 33yo 1973/2006

Clynelish 33yo 1973/2006

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale green gold
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, sandalwood, tangerines, kiwifruit, lemon zest, mint, hints of smoked bacon, hints of candle wax. With water, white grapes, kiwifruit, raisins, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sandalwood, lemon zest, tangerines, sea salt, smoked bacon, mint, ginseng, pear drops, candle wax, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, sea salt, lemon zest, candle wax. 
Finish: Long. Candle wax, smoked bacon, hints of fresh baked bread, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Butt 8914. Lots of sweet fruit, perhaps not as industrial and the previous Clynelish. But it’s also slightly smoky and meaty, with some herbal notes as well. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Clynelish 5yo (bottled 1960s)

Clynelish 5yo (bottled 1960s)

Ainslie & Heilbron
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, lemon zest, candle wax, winter melon, tangerines, toffee, hints of lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Lemon zest, sea salt, dark chocolate, leather, candle wax, toffee, fresh baked bread, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, honey, leather, smoke, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Old style Clynelish, it’s quite different from what it is now. It’s sweet and citrusy, but also bitter, chemical (in a good way) and very waxy. A very good and fat palate too. Mmmm.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glencraig 40yo 1976/2017

Glencraig 40yo 1976/2017

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale green gold
42.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, green apples, vanilla, pear drops, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green apples, vanilla, honey, white grapes, jasmine, apricot jam, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, green apples, lemon zest, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 4253. I’ve not had Glencraig for a long time, and this one is less floral and perfumy than the ones I’ve had before. It’s a little more robust, with some fruity jamminess that is lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS B3.10 (Rocktown 5yo 2015/2021)

SMWS B3.10 (Rocktown 5yo 2015/2021)

2021, SMWS
Single bourbon - Arkansas
Amber, hints of green
59.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, raisins, toffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla, honey, hints of camphor. With water, raisins, dark chocolate, strawberries, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Damson jam, strawberries, camphor, vanilla, honey, cocoa nibs. With ginseng, toffee, damson jam, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, cocoa nibs, damson jam, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Sweet and raisiny bourbon. I could be drinking PX sherry if I closed my eyes. It’s got herb and spice undertones and builds to a lovely long spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cardhu 18yo

Cardhu 18yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, raisins, butterscotch, damson jam, apple juice, plums. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, butterscotch, apple juice, lemon zest, white pepper, dark chocolate, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, malted grains, apple juice, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Rather light and toffee’d whisky, with some notes of chocolate and butterscotch. It’s subtly spiced, but feels thin and under-proof.

Verdict:

I like this.

Carpathian Single Malt Madeira Wine Finish (bottled 2023)

Carpathian Single Malt Madeira Wine Finish (bottled 2023)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Sud-Muntenia
Red gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Musk, photocopy paper, roast pork, orange juice, farmyard, plums, hints of rosemary. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Farmyard, lemon sweets, raisins, plums, musk, hints of rosemary. 
Finish: Medium. Plums, raisins, orange juice, rosemary. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly, not very sweet, instead it’s got those jammy, raisiny notes, but not the sugar. There’s also a herbal backbone to this, fragrant and redolent with rosemary and earth.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lagg 3yo 2019/2022 Inaugural Release Bourbon Cask

Lagg 3yo 2019/2022 Inaugural Release Bourbon Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Pale green gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peat, driftwood smoke, honey, camphor, fresh cut grass, autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Honey, driftwood smoke, leather, green apples, autumn leaves, lemon zest, sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Green apples, lemon zest, honey, camphor. 

Comments: 

Interesting stuff from the new distillery on Arran. Lots of savoury smoke, a little like Lagavulin. There’s also some earthy leaves underneath that, like an autumn bonfire. A little harsh, but promising.

Verdict:

I like this.

Le Breuil Origine

Le Breuil Origine

Official bottling
Single malt - Normandy
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, apples, fresh cut grass, vanilla, malted grains, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vanilla, apples, fresh cut grass, acacia honey, malted grains, elderflower, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Acacia honey, malted grains, apples, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

This was surprisingly good, although perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised. Chateau du Breuil makes excellent calvados after all. The whisky is indeed appley, with gentle and light floral notes. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Slyrs 51

Slyrs 51

Official bottling 
Single malt - Bavaria
Bright gold
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, green tea, orange peel, apples, hints of mushrooms. With water, apples, orange peel, honey, mushrooms. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pink peppercorns, orange peel, autumn leaves, mushrooms, honey, molasses, hints of raisins. With water, molasses, orange peel, honey, hints of grapefruit. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, orange peel, honey, hints of pink peppercorns. 

Comments: 

Quite spicy and herbal, with an earthy undertone so obvious, it’s almost and overtone. Opens up nicely with water, becomes more earthy and savoury. Unusual stuff, and quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Braeval 24yo 1997/2021 (for London Whisky Club)

Braeval 24yo 1997/2021 (for London Whisky Club)

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, malted grains, hoppy beer, leather, green tea, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, hoppy beer, honey, lemon zest, vanilla, hints of bananas, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Honey, malted grains, green tea, hoppy beer, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Excellent old whisky (yes, 24 years old is old now) with lots of complex fruity highlights on a good strong malty spine. It’s got some unusual notes - soy sauce on the nose, as well as estery bananas on the tongue. Unbalanced, but in a good way.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Broger 6yo Batch 1

Broger 6yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Vorarlberg
Copper
62.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, roast pork, white pepper, autumn leaves, lemon zest, tobacco leaf, smoke. With water, honey, raisins, camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Smoke, tobacco leaf, camphor, autumn leaves, ginseng, white pepper, green tea. With water, smoke, ginseng, camphor, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Medium. Mint, green tea, ginseng, camphor. 

Comments: 

Quite interesting - a very smoky, herbal whisky, with a whiff of something that smells very like roast pork on the nose. On the tongue it becomes more earthy and spicy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Waldviertler Rye Malt Whisky

Waldviertler Rye Malt Whisky 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Niederösterreich 
Dark gold
41% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nectarines, lemon zest, brown paper, lemon sweets, brass polish, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, cool, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Black pepper, brass polish, nectarines, brown paper, green tea, hints of jasmine. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, brown paper, green tea, hints of jasmine. 

Comments: 

Whisky made from rye mixed with malt. It’s got the traditional rye spiciness, but also the lighter malt flavours such as nectarines and jasmine. Much less weird than I thought it would be.

Verdict:

I like this.

Zuidam 19yo 1999/2021

Zuidam 19yo 1999/2021

Selection, Adelphi 
Single malt - North Brabant 
Amber, hints of red 
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, red grapes, cocoa nibs, damson jam, dark chocolate, strawberries. With water, raisins, dark chocolate, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, airy, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, red grapes, cocoa nibs, clay dust, cloves, black pepper, kiwifruit, hints of strawberry jam. With water, cocoa nibs, damson jam, cloves, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, dark chocolate, red grapes, kiwifruit. 

Comments: 

Cask 2547. Excellent stuff, this, creamy and fruity, lots of classic sherry notes, but with plenty of spirit background. It has also been given plenty of time to develop. Some of that must have been in a plastic vessel, but it doesn’t seem to have hurt it too much. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.