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. 

Smögen 10yo 2014/2024

Smögen 10yo 2014/2024

Decadent Drams, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Bohuslän
Amber
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, pears, raisins, cloves, fresh cut grass, smoke, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, peat, smoke, pears. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, smoke, tarry rope, raisins, cloves, pears, malted grains, hints of vanilla, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, peat, smoke, lemon zest, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, smoke, malted grains, pears, hints of tarry rope. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity, but of course it’s laden with huge layers of pear and smoke. But the fruit still comes through alongside some cereal. Water brings out more citrus and grassiness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Garioch 10yo Equinox & Solstice Summer 2022

Glen Garioch 10yo Equinox & Solstice Summer 2022

Equinox & Solstice, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - East Highlands
Silver
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, elderflower, sultanas, fresh cut grass, vanilla, apple juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, airy, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White wine, elderflower, black tea, orange peel, cinnamon, hints of ginseng, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, ginseng, sultanas, strawberry laces. 

Comments: 

Delicate and floral, I’ve not had a Geery like this before. The tart, slightly acrid mustard note is absent. It’s young and almost quaffable, subtly sweet and very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Edradour 10yo Equinox & Solstice Spring Edition

Edradour 10yo Equinox & Solstice Spring Edition 

Equinox & Solstice, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Central Highlands 
Sunshine yellow
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, honeycomb, pear drops, apple juice, hazelnuts, lemon sherbet, hints of sandalwood, hints of brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, stale beer, honeycomb, dried apricots, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, clotted cream, hints of lemon sherbet. 
Finish: Medium. Hazelnuts, barley sugar, clotted cream, lemon sherbet, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

A vatting of two casks, one distilled in 2003 and the other in 2010. This whisky lacks the Kendal mint cake notes that I like Edradour for, but it’s fruity and intense. Lots of dried fruit, and citrusy lemon sherbet. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ben Nevis 15yo

Ben Nevis 15yo

WhiskySponge, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Green gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cream, peaches, strawberries, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Cream, yoghurt, black tea, peaches, lemon juice, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, lemon juice, white pepper, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite a straightforward Ben Nevis, lactic and fruity, but not very sweet. Not too complex, but it’s got a fair bit of citrus and spice. Nice one from WhiskySponge.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kornog 15yo 2005/2020

Kornog 15yo 2005/2020

WhiskySponge, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Brittany
Orange gold 
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, green olives, sea salt, pears, peat, tobacco leaf, hints of asparagus. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Green olives, pears, white grapes, magic marker, peat, hints of sultanas. 
Finish: Long. Green olives, sea salt, white grapes, lemon zest, leather. 

Comments: 

My first whisky from Whisky Sponge. Those bottles generally retail at a premium, but this one was for charity, and I managed to snag a sample. It’s very savoury, the normal fruit from these whiskies is hidden under a layer of savoury, briny flavours. It’s not so coastal like the Scottish malts are, instead it’s herbal, with a fair bit of umami. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.