Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Official bottling
Single pot still - Kent
Golden

45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, cinnamon, wet stones, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pear drops, green apples, lemon zest, wet stones, clay dust, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, pear drops, lemon zest, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual pot still whisky. That bristliness is still there by its overlaid with tart notes of green apples and lemon zest, and something earthy and flinty - clay dust and wet stones. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cough syrup, corn syrup, cola nuts, brown paper, oak chips, honey, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, honey, corn syrup, cola nuts, leather, cherries, hints of sawdust. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, cherries, cough syrup, honey, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and luscious, as a whisky with a high corn content would be expected to do. Some light spiciness from the rye but it’s not as prominent as one would expect.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 69.3 (Glen Albyn 16yo 1978/1994)

SMWS 69.3 (Glen Albyn 16yo 1978/1994)

1994, SMWS
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, malted grains, fresh cut grass, cream, elderflower, hints of roast chicken. With water, honey, white pepper, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, cream, elderflower, honey, grapefruit, hints of vanilla. With water, elderflower, malted grains, honey, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Elderflower, honey, lemon zest, cream, hints of vanilla. 

Comments: 

Malty and citrusy, with a floral elderflower note (I find this to be quite unusual). There’s a slightly meatiness to it as well, especially prominent given the high strength. Water brings out more of that floral elderflower note.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Official bottling 

Single malt - Chūbu
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, leather, rancio, camphor, caramel, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black pepper, raisins, honey, cherries, leather, burnt sugar, sandalwood, hints of smoke.
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, cherries, honey, leather, hints of soot. 

Comments: 

Highly complex and sweet, loads of warming spices and dried fruit. A little thin on the mouthfeel but that just makes it easier to drink. Probably the youngest “old-style” sherried whisky that I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dallas Dhu 17yo 1970/1987

Dallas Dhu 17yo 1970/1987

Sestante
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honeydew melons, honey, cinnamon, malted grains, white pepper, hints of green pepper, hints of camphor. With water, honeydew melons, fresh cut grass, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honeydew melons, white pepper, fresh cut grass, honey, lemon zest, hints of camphor. With water, magic marker, camphor, leather, honey, honeydew melons. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, malted grains, honey, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Fruity and complex, lots of melon and honey notes. Water brings out some grassiness and citrus, and eventually some herbal bitterness. This is perfectly layered and constructed, an alluring, mouth watering whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balvenie 29yo 1994+1996

Balvenie “Blended Malt Whisky” 29yo 1994+1996

Decadent Drinks
Teaspooned malt - Speyside 
Amber
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Beeswax, cola nuts, honeycomb, malted grains, honey, foam shrimp, gooseberries. With water, honey, white pepper, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cola nuts, beeswax, honeycomb, gooseberries, nectarines, greengages, lemon zest. With water, nectarines, honey, beeswax. 
Finish: Long. Honey, greengages, sandalwood, nectarines. 

Comments: 

Very waxy, plenty of peach. If you’d asked me to taste blind I’d have said this was Clynelish and not Balvenie. But that’s what it is, and there’s some notes of greengageS that hint a little bit at its origins.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.