Holladay 6yo 2017/2024 Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond

Holladay 6yo 2017/2024 Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Missouri
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, black tea, butter, popcorn, raisins, sea salt, milk chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Damson jam, strawberries, milk chocolate, butterscotch, popcorn, cloves. 
Finish: Medium. Strawberry jam, popcorn, milk chocolate, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Buttery and sweet, with popcorn notes. It’s quite jammy though, with damson and strawberry. Doesn’t take water much, I much prefer it near.

Verdict:

I like this.

Milk and Honey 4yo 2019/2023

Milk and Honey 4yo 2019/2023

#4, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Tel Aviv
Red
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pomegranate molasses, raisins, dried cranberries, blackcurrant cordial, allspice, dates, black pepper. With water, honey, cocoa nibs, blackcurrant cordial. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pomegranate molasses, dried cranberries, maraschino cherries, salt caramel, butterscotch, allspice. With water, blackcurrant cordial, cocoa nibs, dried cranberries, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Maraschino cherries, dates, dried cranberries, strawberry jam, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Really fruity and sweet. Excellent whisky, absolutely delicious and flavourful. Lots of cherry and cranberry notes, and water opens it up to something really jammy and chocolatey. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Holladay 6yo 2017/2024 Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Rye

Holladay 6yo 2017/2024 Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Missouri
Amber red
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, caramel, honey, golden syrup, vanilla ice cream, red grapes. With water, raisins, vanilla ice cream, butterscotch, golden syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, loosens slightly.
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Brown paper, caramel, honey, red grapes, raisins, milk chocolate, black pepper, cloves. With water, raisins, milk chocolate, blackcurrant cordial, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Chillies, mint, milk chocolate, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Holladay are distributing their wares in the U.K. at the moment. This one is sweet and silky bourbon, with a decent level of Christmas flavours, and a long chocolatey finish. Needs quite a lot of water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenfarclas 12yo

Glenfarclas 12yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, black pepper, malted grains, orange peel, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, cloves, raisins, cinnamon, malted grains, coffee, dark chocolate, hints of sourdough bread. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, dark chocolate, coffee, lemon sweets, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Typical Glenfarclas, sweet, raisiny, chocolatey, oily spirit. Perhaps this one has more obvious malty notes, but it shares character with the other ‘Farclases I’ve had. I enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this.

Courage and Conviction

Courage and Conviction

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

Nose: Malted grains, wet stones, ink, sultanas, brass polish, vitamin C tablets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, wet stones, ink, sultanas, orange juice, geraniums, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, sultanas, orange juice, honey, white grapes. 

Comments: 

I’ve had the special finish version of this previously, but I think I much prefer this - it’s citrusy and floral, with nutty sweet notes. A rather good whisky from a distillery not often seen here.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ballechin 11yo 2008/2019

Ballechin 11yo 2008/2019

Ultimate Cask Strength, Van Wees
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark amber
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, raisins, butterscotch, cloves, cinnamon, mint. With water, smoke, camphor, raisins, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, raisins, butterscotch, autumn leaves, smoke, petrichor, cinnamon, mint. With water, smoke, peat, raisins, orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Petrichor, coffee, peat, smoke, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Cask 219. Earthy and sweet. The characteristic Edradour mint cake note is subdued and buried under a layer of peaty smoke. It’s gentle, not dirty, and it enhances the sweet notes. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lochlea Our Barley

Lochlea Our Barley

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, pineapples, honey, malted grains, cinnamon, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, black pepper, honey, strawberry jam, pineapples, vanilla, hints of apple juice. 
Finish: Medium. Pineapples, black tea, black pepper, honey. 

Comments: 

Very sweet and jammy, the cask has done a lot here. Some spicy notes appear, but again I think that’s more due to the cask than the distillate. Decent and drinkable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

#1, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Midtjylland
Dark yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blackberry jam, driftwood smoke, orange peel, golden syrup, black pepper, camphor. With water, fresh cut grass, camphor, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Brown paper, black pepper, camphor, raisins, rye bread, golden syrup, coriander, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, camphor, black tea, black pepper, rye bread. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, coriander, camphor, hints of blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Slightly smoky, jammy sweet Stauning. There’s a rye bread note, but the label says single malt, which is interesting. I don’t think they’re as strict in Denmark as in Scotland.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Jura 27yo 1989/2017

Jura 27yo 1989/2017

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Jura
Pale amber 
58.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, raisins, red grapes, peanuts, roast chicken, milk chocolate. With water, lemon zest, brass polish, smoke, peanuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, thickens, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peanuts, brass polish, leather, raisins, milk chocolate, lemon zest, hints of orange peel. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, orange peel, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, peanuts, lemon zest, raisins. 

Comments: 

Cask 30743. Surprisingly sweet Jura, I often find them quite savoury. Instead, this one is sweet sour, lots of feinty fruit. The peat is barely a whisper, mainly manifesting itself in a leathery note. Water frees it up, however, whiffs of smoke start to appear.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dallas Dhu 31yo 1979/2010

Dallas Dhu 31yo 1979/2010

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, fresh cut grass, malted grains, roast chicken, pear drops, green tea, hints of mushrooms. With water, roast chicken, fresh cut grass, lychees, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, hot. 

Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, gooseberries, pear drops, fresh cut grass, white grapes, hints of green tea. With water, gooseberries, lychees, watermelons, pear drops, malted grains. 

Finish: Long. Gooseberries, white grapes, pear drops, malted grains, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Cask 1385. Very complex whisky, lots of fruit, a little meaty chicken, some grass and a big dollop of malt. Lots of very distinct notes, yet it’s quite subtle with no flavour predominant. The finish is very long, fruity and herbal.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balvenie 21yo 1999/2020

Balvenie 21yo 1999/2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold 
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, soursop, rhubarb and custard sweets, black tea, roast chicken, hints of rambutans. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Black tea, raisins, rambutans, soursop, golden syrup, malted grains, hints of cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, cream, rambutans, malted grains, pears, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Cask 3733. Hugely tropical, lots of unusual fruit, alongside a creamy maltiness that is absolutely delicious. The finish is long, salty and slightly bitter, and very complex. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coleburn 29yo 1970/1999

Coleburn 29yo 1970/1999

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, brass polish, vitamin C tablets, fresh cut grass, orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange juice, brass polish, wet stones, vitamin C tablets, leather, fresh cut grass, white chocolate, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. White chocolate, brass polish, leather, lemon zest, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Very different from the previous dram, this one is still citrusy but has a bit more of a herbal character. There’s quite a lot of white chocolate, and feinty notes appear after a little while. A dram to contemplate.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coleburn 34yo 1967/2002

Coleburn 34yo 1967/2002

Old and Rare Platinum Selection, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Buttercups
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, cream soda, vanilla, leather, celery salt, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, malted grains, gooseberries, cream soda. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White chocolate, leather, papayas, cream soda, celery salt, gooseberries, malted grains, hints of cloves. With water, malted grains, leather, gooseberries, photocopy paper. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, cream soda, cloves, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Excellent old Speyside whisky, like gooseberry cream soda. Lots of feinty notes appear with a few drops of water, and the old bottle effect comes through. Utterly delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kyrö 4yo 2018/2023

Kyrö 4yo 2018/2023

#3, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Southern Finland 
Dark amber
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, black pepper, rye bread, vanilla, honey, cloves, white grapes. With water, blackcurrant cordial, black pepper, rye bread, parchment. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberry jam, white grapes, gooseberries, parchment, black pepper, honey. With water, black tea, parchment, coffee, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, parchment, wet stones, black pepper, coffee. 

Comments: 

Very jammy for a Kyrö, but the dry parchment and bready notes are also much in evidence. There’s plenty of spice, and with water it turns bitter and tannic. A chameleon of a whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lochlea Ploughing Edition Second Crop

Lochlea Ploughing Edition Second Crop

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Pale green gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, coffee, driftwood smoke, green apples, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Driftwood smoke, germolene, leather, vanilla, lemon zest, green apples, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of wet stones. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, leather, ginseng, lemon zest, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Remarkably smoky, I believe this has been aged in an ex-Islay cask. There’s a lot of flavour in this, tart fruit overlaid with smoke and flinty stone. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arran 8yo 2014/2022

Arran 8yo 2014/2022

Provenance, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, butterscotch, butter, vanilla, apples, shortcrust pastry, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Green apples, butter, wet stones, cinnamon, vanilla, malted grains, hints of lemon zest, hints of fried eggs. 
Finish: Medium. Green apples, vanilla, malted grains, ginseng. 

Comments: 

Nice, appley, malty whisky, but the Island character is a little muted. There’s some sea salt somewhere, and some sulphurous fried egg, but it’s sour and fruity really.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Auchentoshan 8yo 2015/2023

Auchentoshan 8yo 2015/2023

Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Lowlands
Green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, almonds, passionfruit, vanilla sponge, honey, hints of ginger. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Almonds, passionfruit, barley sugar, green apples, malted grains, green tea, hints of vanilla sponge. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, barley sugar, malted grains, ginger. 

Comments: 

Tart and light, lots of nice green apple notes. It’s got a bit of a tannic note hovering in the back, but this fades to sweet barley sugar on the finish. Rather pleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

Westward 5yo 2018/2023

Westward 5yo 2018/2023

#7, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Oregon
Dark gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vitamin C tablets, orange peel, raisins, lemon zest, almonds, passionfruit, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Oatcakes, passionfruit, almonds, raisins, brown paper, cedar, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, oatcakes, cedar, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Rather salty and citrusy, with a slightly astringent and metallic tinge. Nevertheless it’s got a lot of flavour for something that is just 5 years old. Thins out to a bit of wood on the finish, but that doesn’t hurt it at all.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Westward Pinot Noir Cask

Westward Pinot Noir Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Oregon
Amber gold 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, honey, sandalwood, cedar, wet stones, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Brown paper, raisins, white pepper, red grapes, oatcakes, cedar, digestive biscuits. 
Finish: Medium. Oatcakes, white pepper, wet stones, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Quite intense and flavourful, lots of sweet notes with a nice cereally biscuity spine. It fades to a flinty, bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Convalmore 13yo 1969

Convalmore 13yo 1969

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail

Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cocoa nibs, honey, papayas, butterscotch, pineapples, raisins, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 

Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Papayas, gooseberries, leather, butterscotch, white pepper, raisins, honey. 
Finish: Short. Butterscotch, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, papayas. 

Comments: 

Old and dusty, almost chalky. But it doesn’t taste of chalk, instead there’s plenty of tropical fruit, and a fragrant finish. A very good, very old, very rare dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 39yo 1975/2015

Convalmore 39yo 1975/2015

Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, papayas, honey, candied oranges, winter melons, green tea, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, papayas, candied oranges, coffee, mint, malted grains, green tea, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, honey, papayas, leather, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask RO/15/06. Speyside with a difference - lots of tropical fruit, followed by fragrant, bitter coffee and cool mint on the tongue. Long intense malty finish too. Utterly amazing dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.