Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
42.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Kiwifruit, starfruit, candle wax, lemons, sandalwood, fresh cut grass, honey, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Starfruit, candle wax, white pepper, fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermints, cotton sheets. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermint, cotton sheets, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 62. Quite a vegetal Speyside, with big notes of peppermint, grass and Buddha palm fruit. There’s also something that reminds me of fresh laundry, or rather scented laundry detergent. A very interesting whisky that wears its age lightly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Smögen 12yo 2011/2024

Smögen 12yo 2011/2024

Coasts and Shores, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Bohuslän
Pale gold
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, vitamin C tablets, wet stones, honey, peat, driftwood smoke, hints of kippers. With water, lemon zest, wet stones, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Honey, vitamin C tablets, fish sauce, peat, driftwood smoke, malted grains, hints of kippers. With water, leather, honey, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, kippers, vitamin C tablets, driftwood smoke, leather. 

Comments: 

Cask 402011. Quite saline and peaty, with whiffs of kippers and fish sauce. There’s also something tart, maybe even slightly chalky, and overlaid with salty smoke. Water brings out sweeter, more citrusy notes.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Knockdhu 11yo 2012/2023

Knockdhu 11yo 2012/2023

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, green apples, white grapes, honey, magic marker, rhubarb and custard sweets. With water, green apples, magic marker, wet stones, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Green apples, yoghurt, rhubarb and custard sweets, pear drops, honey, gooseberries, hints of malted grains. With water, wet stones, salt caramel, brown paper, green apples. 
Finish: Short. Yoghurt, malted grains, rhubarb and custard sweets, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 7127. Very estery, lots of fruity, almost acetone notes. There’s some feinty notes as well, especially with a bit of water. The finish is surprisingly abrupt, cuts off after a wave of rhubarb and custard.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlossie 10yo 2013/2023

Glenlossie 10yo 2013/2023

Small Batch, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside 
Orange gold

46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, vanilla, green apples, honeycomb, cinnamon, sandalwood, hints of cedar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Cookie dough, sandalwood, white pepper, honeycomb, malted grains, cedar. 
Finish: Medium. Green apples, ginseng, malted grains, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Very drinkable appley ‘Lossie. It’s honeyed as well, with plenty of fragrant woody notes. The finish creates a bit more complexity, but otherwise very straightforward.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Exceptional Casks, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, eucalyptus, wet stones, leather, cloves, sultanas, apricot jam. With water, menthol, eucalyptus, pears, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Wet stones, leather, gooseberries, orange juice, menthol, eucalyptus, sea salt, clay dust. With water, wet stones, apricot jam, gooseberries, leather. 

Finish: Medium. Orange juice, gooseberries, menthol, wet stones, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 8170. Lovely old Glenlivet, rather citrusy and herbal. Quite unlike the Glenlivet of today, which tends to be more apple than orange. Unusual and definitely an ‘experience’ whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Williamson 10yo 2013/2023 (Milroy’s of Soho Exclusive)

Williamson 10yo 2013/2023 (Milroy’s of Soho Exclusive)

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Islay
Amber gold 
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Iodine, orange peel, strawberry jam, menthol, leather, smoke. With water, orange peel, peaches, menthol. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, syrupy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Iodine, germolene, leather, smoke, orange peel, rye bread, bran flakes, peat. With water, black tea, iodine, honey, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Rye bread, bran flakes, leather, raisins. 

Comments: 

A rather sweet Laphroaig, but it’s a cereal sweetness target than a fruity sweetness. In fact there’s plenty of cereal notes, including some spicy rye (oddly). Tasty and engaging dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Irish Reserve Single Malt Whisky

Irish Reserve Single Malt Whisky

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Leinster
Pale yellow
44.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, lime zest, shortcrust pastry, lemon juice, green apples, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vanilla, lime zest, lemon juice, greengages, fresh baked bread, malted grains, honey, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, shortcrust pastry, fresh baked bread, lemon juice, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

A new Irish distillery, from BBR. Quite tart and citrusy, lots of malty, slightly tannic notes. Promising, and worthy of the BBR label.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cambus 29yo 1991

Cambus 29yo 1991

Exceptional Casks, Berry Bros & Rudd

Single grain - Lowlands
Light amber
49.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk chocolate, malted grains, raisins, caramel, vanilla, hints of desiccated coconut. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Milk chocolate, black tea, vanilla, raisins, sea salt, butterscotch, hints of desiccated coconut. 
Finish: Long. Desiccated coconut, butterscotch, sea salt, raisins, hints of peanut butter. 

Comments: 

Cask 103023. Lots of sweet grain, long aging creates this deep chocolatey note. Love the butterscotch as well. Very pleasant indeed. Don’t see Cambus very often any more.

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. 

Tullibardine 1993/2021

Tullibardine 1993/2021

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Light bronze
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, apples, clay dust, toast, cinnamon, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, watery, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon sweets, pears, toast, fresh cut grass, vitamin C tablets, white pepper, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon sweets, nutmeg, toast, cinnamon, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

Cask 954. This whisky has a dusty note, as if one were blowing the dust off a bottle. There’s some chalkiness to it, which I identify as vitamin C tablets. Complex and interesting stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Smögen 10yo 2012/2022

Smögen 10yo 2012/2022

Nordic Casks #2, Berry Bros & Rudd 
Single malt - Bohuslän
Green gold
59.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, peanuts, leather, pine, dried apricots, apple juice, hints of smoked bacon. With water, honey, apple juice, golden syrup, smoked bacon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Pine, leather, driftwood smoke, coffee, smoked bacon, apple juice, lemon zest, walnut skins, hints of dark chocolate. With water, lemon zest, walnut skins, peanuts, apple juice. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, coffee, smoked bacon, apricots, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 34. Herbal and smoky, with a meaty backbone. It’s a bit unbalanced for my liking though, despite the rather interesting fruity notes underlying that smoke. Too much bacon perhaps (probably the first time I’ve ever thought that).

Verdict:

I like this.

Thy 3yo 2019/2022

Thy 3yo 2019/2022

Nordic Casks #2, Berry Bros & Rudd 
Single malt - Nordjylland
Sunshine yellow
57.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lime zest, grapefruit, honey, fresh cut grass, dandelions, brass polish, hints of sourdough bread. With water, brass polish, lime zest, grapefruit, tonka bean. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, warm, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour. Grapefruit, brass polish, sourdough bread,  dandelions, green tea, quinine, toast, hints of tonka bean. With water, grapefruit, tonka bean, toast, hints of quinine. 
Finish: Long. Fresh cut grass, quinine, brass polish, grapefruit. 

Comments: 

Cask 175 and 258 (quarter casks). Unique and delicious, lots of grapefruit and tonka bean notes. Feinty yet fruity, and there’s a decent spine of malt as well. Very nice indeed, and my first dram from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Vindöga Blended Nordic Malt

Vindöga Blended Nordic Malt 

Nordic Casks #2, Berry Bros & Rudd 
Blended malt
Dark amber gold
59.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, red grapes, leather, saffron, cinnamon, smoked bacon, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, raisins, honey, smoked bacon, saffron. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, honey, Chinese angelica, driftwood smoke, cinnamon, smoked bacon, leather, dried apricots. With water, Chinese angelica, saffron, leather, dried apricots, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Finish: Long. Smoked bacon, peat, leather, black pepper. 

Comments: 

A blend of malts from across the Nordic region - Smögen, Fary Lochan, Teerenpeli, Mosgård, Myken, High Coast. It’s balanced - sweet, herbal, meaty and smoky, hitting lots of right spots. Very indeed, and a very decent session dram, despite the strength. I’d say it’s mostly Danish in composition, it’s not as smoky as I’d have expected if it were mostly Swedish. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teerenpeli 9yo 2013/2022

Teerenpeli 9yo 2013/2022

Nordic Casks #2, Berry Bros & Rudd 
Single malt - Southern Finland
Chinese tea
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salted caramel, dates, butterscotch, raisins, honey, orange peel, leather, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, butterscotch, salted caramel, milk chocolate, leather, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, slippery, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, damson jam, honey, cough syrup, fresh baked bread, fresh cut grass, nutmeg. With water, black tea, nutmeg, salted caramel, leather, dates. 
Finish: Long. Cough syrup, fresh baked bread, dates, honey, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Cask 13B. Sweet and luscious, with a salty butterscotch note. It’s very jammy, and turns jammier with a little water on the tongue. It turns a little medicinal, like cough syrup, on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

Nordic Casks #2, Berry Bros & Rudd 
Single rye - Midtjylland
Amber bronze

58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, maraschino cherries, caramel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, figs, malt loaf. With water, dates, black tea, malt loaf, caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Maraschino cherries, dates, caramel, black pepper, black tea, cinnamon, rye bread. With water, raisins, dates, black pepper, black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Malt loaf, black tea, milk chocolate, cinnamon, hints of dates. 

Comments: 

Cask 6493. Very sweet and spicy, and big hints of malt loaf. Definitely some barley in this. It’s a sort of whisky I like very much (at least when it’s done right) - big, bold, intense and unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain 26yo 1989/2015

Bunnahabhain 26yo 1989/2015 (ECW bottle)

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Islay
Green gold
43.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, sour cream, onions, fresh cut grass, honey, butterscotch, hints of orange blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Sour cream, butterscotch, fresh cut grass, leather, sea salt, orange blossom. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, orange peel, butterscotch, salt caramel, hints of onions. 

Comments: 

This whisky smells like sour cream and onion Pringles! On the tongue, it still has that sour cream note but it changes to grassy buttery notes. It’s quite gently peated, and even those gentle notes fade quite quickly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Raasay 2017/2021

Raasay 2017/2021

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Islands
Amber
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, cider vinegar, malted grains, orange peel, sea salt. With water, apple juice, lemon zest, cider vinegar. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Cider vinegar, apples, honey, green tea, malted grains, stale beer. With water, lemon zest, cider vinegar, stale beer. 
Finish: Medium. Chillies, green tea, malted grains, stale beer. 

Comments: 

Cask 23. Odd whisky, this - there’s a big whiff of stale beer, and the whisky itself tastes of cider vinegar. There’s some herbal fragrance, especially on the tongue, but it’s really very cereally. I don’t quite know what to make of it. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Mannochmore 2010/2021

Mannochmore 2010/2021

Small Batch, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, rubber bands, vanilla, coffee, lemon zest, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Vanilla, turmeric, fresh baked bread, white pepper, rubber bands, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, turmeric, vanilla, hints of rubber bands. 

Comments: 

A slightly sulphurous Mannochmore, with the sulphur manifesting as rubber bands. There’s a lot of bitter but fragrant elements, such as coffee and turmeric, and there’s a little residual sweetness on the finish. Quite good..

Verdict:

I like this.

Paul John 2015/2021

Paul John 2015/2021

Single Cask, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Goa
Dark gold
58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, bacon, vanilla, peanuts, sea salt, lemon zest. With water, lemon juice, kombucha, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Peanut butter, bacon, smoke, lemon zest, cream, hints of milk chocolate. With water, vanilla, peanut butter, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, peat, vanilla, cream, peanut butter. 

Comments: 

Cask 6414. Quite sharp and nutty, but with a healthy dose of smoke and peat. There are some sweeter notes here, but they’re almost drowned by the meaty smokiness. Quite complex.

Verdict:

I like this.

Royal Brackla 14yo 2007/2021 Christmas Edition

Royal Brackla 14yo 2007/2021 Christmas Edition

Single Cask, Berry Brothers & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, grapefruit, lemon zest, white grapes, marzipan, hints of pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cream, orange peel, barley sugar, white grapes, vanilla, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, lemon zest, marzipan, white grapes, hints of caramel. 

Comments: 

Cask 03086. Not very Christmassy! But I suppose it doesn’t have to be. It’s fruity alright, but there’s a spicy edge to this as well as a tanginess reminiscent of white grapes. Pleasant nonetheless. 

Verdict:

I like this.