Glenburgie 32yo 1988/2020

Glenburgie 32yo 1988/2020

Old and Rare, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold, hints of pink
43.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, papayas, starfruit, white grapes, wet stones, leather, honey, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, thickens slightly, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, pencil lead, papayas, starfruit, cinnamon, white grapes, coffee, cream, vanilla. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, white grapes, pencil lead, starfruit, honey, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Very complex and layered, big hits of honey and tropical fruit, with a long minerally finish. A really excellent whisky that showcases the power of wood aging in a low temperature environment.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 36yo 1980/2017

Glenburgie 36yo 1980/2017

Old and Rare Platinum, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
47.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, white grapes, gooseberries, dark chocolate, pencil lead, hints of coconut cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, gooseberries, peaches, pencil lead, leather, white pepper, hints of coconut cream. 
Finish: Short. Chocolate, coconut cream, gooseberries, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Feinty and sweet, with tangy side notes of gooseberries and sour peaches. It’s a little flat on the finish, but that’s after a lot of fireworks going on in the mouth. A very, very nice dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 44yo 1975/2019

Glenburgie 44yo 1975/2019

Old and Rare Platinum Selection, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
41.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, pencil lead, pear drops, apricots, honey, green tea, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cough syrup, apricots, pencil lead, wet stones, blackcurrant cordial, fresh cut grass, sage, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Cough syrup, green tea, apricots, blackcurrant cordial, celery salt. 

Comments: 

Again, a dram very like cough syrup, but this time it’s more herbal and fragrant. There’s some old bottle effect, which is quite surprising for something bottled in 2019.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balmenach 11yo 2011/2023

Balmenach 11yo 2011/2023

Hepburn’s Choice, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, gingerbread, malted grains, vanilla, black pepper, shortbread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cocoa nibs, gingerbread, camphor, coffee, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Cream, vanilla sponge, shortbread, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Bready, malty, chocolatey Balmenach. It’s very straightforward and approachable, with some herbal bitterness on the tongue providing some complexity. Tasty dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cragganmore 25yo 1995/2021

Cragganmore 25yo 1995/2021

Old & Rare, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, raisins, marmalade, winter melon, honeycomb, oolong tea. With water, fresh baked bread, white grapes, winter melon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Winter melon, strawberry jam, raisins, honeycomb, cinder toffee, pencil lead, hints of sandalwood. With water, cinder toffee, winter melon, honeycomb, oolong tea. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, honeycomb, fresh baked bread, oolong tea, hints of cloves. 

Comments: 

Quite a savoury whisky for a supposed sherry bomb. Lots of lemon and some sulphurous pencil lead. Lots of cereal, sweetness and spice on the finish, but even that is tinged with a touch of bitter and salt.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain 32yo 1990/2022

Bunnahabhain 32yo 1990/2022

The Kinship Edition, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Islay 
Pale gold 
46.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, salt caramel, orange peel, kelp, dashi, iodine, five spice powder, moss, hints of gas. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery around the edges, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Salt caramel, orange peel, five spice powder, honey, vanilla, iodine, pomegranate molasses. 
Finish: Long. Five spice powder, kelp, vanilla, pomegranate molasses, moss. 

Comments: 

A gentle, only very slightly peaty Bunnahabhain. It’s more iodine than peat, actually. There’s a meaty leathery edge to it too, alongside the sweet notes. Highly enjoyable stuff. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Jura 28yo 1989/2017

Jura 28yo 1989/2017

Old Malt Cask, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Islands
Straw
45.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, yoghurt, lemon zest, heather honey, sour cream, vanilla, lemon sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, loosens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, peat, lemon sweets, heather honey, black tea, driftwood smoke, charcoal ash. 
Finish: Long. Lemon sweets, heather honey, charcoal ash, leather, hints of sour cream. 

Comments: 

Cask HL13894. Savoury, but not salty, there’s the usual Jura lactic notes, but only on the nose and the finish. On the tongue, it’s more like an Islay, quite smoky and peaty, with a long ashy note. Highly enjoyable, as Juras go.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Garioch 32yo 1988/2021

Glen Garioch 32yo 1988/2021

Old and Rare, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Eastern Highlands
Dark amber 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast beef, honey, green tea, fresh cut grass, sea salt, American mustard. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, vanilla, dark chocolate, sage, blueberries, autumn leaves, tarragon, hints of mustard oil. 
Finish: Short. Sage, fresh cut grass, honey, tarragon, hints of blackberries. 

Comments: 

So, apparently very old Glen Garioch has a mustard note. I did not know this, and it’s really obvious for this whisky. It’s several different flavours of mustard as well, ranging from sour, acrid American yellow mustard on the nose, to pungent mustard oil on the tongue to a sweet mostarda on the finish. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenrothes 10yo 2004/2014

Glenrothes 10yo 2004/2014

Old Malt Cask, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber gold 
50% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, damson jam, black tea, vanilla, Demerara sugar, hints of menthol. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, raisins, damson jam, walnuts, candied oranges, salt caramel.

Finish: Long. Menthol, salt caramel, raisins, damson jam, candied oranges. 

Comments: 

Cask #/H1 ref 10764. This is a sample bottle that’s sat on my shelf for a while. It’s quite pungent, mentholated and sweet. Highly enjoyable, and very drinkable. No water needed with this one whatsoever. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tormore 26yo 1992/2019

Tormore 26yo 1992/2019

First Editions, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Silver gold
45.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honeydew melons, green tea, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, pineapples, hints of candied orange. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slightly astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Fresh baked bread, pineapples, sea salt, vanilla, candied orange, green tea, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, bitter orange marmalade, sea salt, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask HL16487. This is another absolutely delicious First Editions dram, this one full of cereal, tropical fruit and savoury goodness. I haven't had many Tormores, and I can't really say how one should taste, but hopefully all the others I ever have taste this good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Royal Lochnagar 19yo 2000/2019

Royal Lochnagar 19yo 2000/2019

First Editions, Hunter Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, raisins, peaches, strawberry jam, golden syrup. With water, toast, green apples, raisins, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, strawberry jam, white grapes, green apples, vanilla, lemon zest. With water, sweeter, raisins, roast pork, lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Peaches, raisins, white grapes, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask HL16350. This is the first dram that I've tried from this new First Editions range from Hunter Laing. It's a rare Royal Lochnagar indie, and it's wonderful. Loads of jam and ham - stone fruit preserves, roast pork, and even some toast. With water, it opens up beautifully, with that meaty note starting to predominate, with more raisins. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Fettercairn 11yo 2008/2019

Fettercairn 11yo 2008/2019

Old Malt Cask, Hunter Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, barley sugar, lemon sweets, maple syrup, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, oily, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh cut grass, dried thyme, barley sugar, lemon juice, hints of wet stones. 
Finish: Long. Maple syrup, fresh cut grass, sea salt, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask HL 16646. This is the first of the new Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask expressions that I've tried. It's sweet and herbal, quite light considering the level of sugar. Something salty in the finish, something dusty too. Nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.