Blair Athol 12yo 2008/2021

Blair Athol 12yo 2008/2021

DS Tayman 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, coffee, tyre rubber, sea salt, caramel, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, watery around the edges, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, marshmallows, lemon sherbet, coffee, burnt orange peel, vanilla, hints of apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, burnt orange peel, vanilla, coffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 1801504. Quite a bitter expression this, unexpectedly so. But it’s still redolent of fruit and vanilla, it just has a toasted, sulphurous edge. It’s by no means unpleasant, in fact it creates a nice complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Linkwood 12yo Galil Mountain Wine Finish

Linkwood 12yo Galil Mountain Wine Finish

DS Tayman
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, fresh baked bread, raisins, starfruit, white grapes, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, airy, loosens.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, white grapes, fresh cut grass, starfruit, sage, green tea, hints of ginseng.
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, sage, honey, green tea. 

Comments: 

Youngish Linkwood, quite herbal and grassy. There’s some sweetness in there, presumably from the wine cask, as well as tropical fruit. It’s a decent dram for the price, but I’m not sure the wine finish adds much. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Caol Ila 10yo Galil Mountain Finish

Caol Ila 10yo Galil Mountain Finish

DS Tayman
Single malt - Islay 
Very pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Frying bacon, vanilla ice cream, white grapes, sultanas, smoke, hints of tobacco leaf.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Vanilla ice cream, sea salt, tobacco leaf, sultanas, smoke, leather.  
Finish: Short. Soy sauce, smoke, peat, sea salt, peaches, hints of menthol.  

Comments: 

Interesting whisky from new indie bottler DS Tayman. It’s an atypical Caol Ila, at least in my experience. It’s got lots of sweet notes, including a very unusual one of vanilla ice cream, and the characteristic soy sauce note I find in Caol Ila only makes an appearance in the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.