Pe5

Pe5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold 
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Creosote, lemon juice, tarry rope, fish sauce, dates, angelica root, smoke, hints of star anise. With water, dates, leather, acacia honey, hints of star anise. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Creosote, peat, smoke, soot, dates, sea salt, magic marker, star anise, hints of acacia honey. With water, leather, soot, dates, lemon juice. 
Finish: Medium. Creosote, soot, peat, smoke, lemon juice, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Quite bitter and savoury, with complex layers of flavour. Water brings out some sweetness, alongside a big wave of soot. A rather chemical dram but well aged with huge complexity.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oc5

Oc5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale green gold
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, peanuts, cotton sheets, peat, leather, autumn leaves, pineapples, hints of vitamin C tablets. With water, magic marker, pineapples, peat, vitamin C tablets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Magic marker, cotton sheets, smoke, peat, creosote, peanuts, wet stones, fresh baked bread, white wine. With water, white wine, magic marker, lemon sweets, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Short. White wine, lemon sweets, peanuts, pineapples, creosote. 

Comments: 

Very sooty, chemical Octomore. It’s rather lightly, and has fragrant, almost sweet notes that are quite unexpected. Some cereal and herbal notes appear with water. Complicated, not an approachable dram, but very rewarding. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 15yo)

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 2023)

Black Friday, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hoppy beer, peaches, honey, nectarines, pear drops, hints of pineapples. With water, magic marker, pineapples, peaches, white grapes. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, honey, pineapples, malted grains, magic marker, oatcakes, hints of coffee. With water, honey, hoppy beer, peaches, ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, nectarines, malted grains, coffee, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

The Whisky Exchange Black Friday dram for last year - it’s a Glenkinchie. Rich and rounded, lots of full fruity notes, over a very strong malty spine. Exactly the sort of whisky I love. It’s got a layer of bitterness too, which ups the complexity even more.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Elements of Islay Cask Edit, Bourbon and Sherry Cask

Elements of Islay Cask Edit, Bourbon and Sherry Cask

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Blended malt
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Carbolic soap, white grapes, leather, honey, apple juice, lemon sweets, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, leather, lemon sweets, smoke, peat, carbolic soap, white pepper, camphor. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, oak chips, leather, carbolic soap, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Nicely fruity yet peated dram, lots of antiseptic notes, with leather and white pepper. The antiseptic notes linger a long time, from the tongue through to the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glencadam 11yo 2011/2022 Parcel No 10

Glencadam 11yo 2011/2022 Parcel No 10

Reserve Casks, Single Malts of Scotland
Single malt - East Highlands
Silvery gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, yogurt, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, sultanas, hints of cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Yoghurt, wet stones, cinder toffee, cinnamon, fresh cut grass, malted grains, hints of toast. 
Finish: Short. Wet stones, cinder toffee, cinnamon, clay dust, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Malty and light, some grassy notes, but in the main it’s flinty and slightly toasty. Somewhat low on the complexity front. Very much a session dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Longmorn 22yo 1997/2020

Longmorn 22yo 1997/2020

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold 
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Jasmine tea, honey, fresh baked bread, black tea, strawberry laces, orange peel, hints of sea salt. With water, sweeter, honey, orange peel, hints of strawberries. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, fresh baked bread, vanilla, pomeloes, white grapes, black tea, marshmallows. With water, black tea, jasmine tea, strawberry laces. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, white grapes, marshmallows, jasmine tea. 

Comments: 

Cask 163301. A lovely combination of robust and delicate, lots of citrus and grape notes, together with floral and slightly tannic jasmine. Big intense finish, opens up and lengthens once water is added. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Clynelish 34yo 1972/2007

Clynelish 34yo 1972/2007

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks
Single malt - North Highlands 
Dark gold
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, wax, honey, dried apricots, dried pears, fresh cut grass, papayas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Dried apricots, wax, lemon sweets, honey, papayas, green tea, leather, toast. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, dried apricots, leather, honey, honeydew melons. 

Comments: 

So 1970s Clynelish has peat too, just not as much as 1970s Brora. It’s also gentler, the peat is more whispery and light rather than on the tip of the tongue. The dried fruit notes are almost as glorious, and there’s a little smokiness at the end. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain 28yo 1990/2019

Bunnahabhain 28yo 1990/2019

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
44.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: White chocolate, vanilla, peat, condensed milk, smoked bacon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, white chocolate, leather, honey, condensed milk, peat, ginseng, fresh cut grass, hints of rubber. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, black tea, fresh cut grass, vanilla, hints of lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 7727. Thanks Eddie for the dram. This aged Bunnahabhain is special. It's chocolatey and buttery, like the best Ardbegs, but the peat is gentle, and there's very little smoke. There's something slightly chemical on the tongue, but it isn't harsh. It's really complex - many many layers, lots of flavour notes - and it all fades to a slightly bitter, herbal finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Laphroaig 20yo 1996 Masterpiece

Laphroaig 20yo 1996 Masterpiece

Masterpieces, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Mahogany
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoked bacon, leather, red grapes, raisins, driftwood smoke, sage, hints of peat. With water, sweeter, strawberry jam, smoke, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, slippery, cool, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Red grapes, driftwood smoke, leather, peat, raisins, hints of damson jam. With water, plums, damson jam, smoke, strawberry jam, sage, seaweed. 
Finish: Long. Damson jam, raisins, peat, smoked bacon. 

Comments: 

I've long wanted to try a Masterpiece, one of those legendary bottlings by Sukhinder Singh of the Whisky Exchange. This one, sherry finished Laphroaig, was bottled in 2016. There's that Laphroaig herbal seaweed of course, tempered by rather dry salty smoke and heaps of peat. But there's extra layers of sweet, jammy notes from the sherry cask, and alluring savoury notes of sage and bacon. So complex, so much to find.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Peat and Sherry Islay Blended Malt

Peat and Sherry Islay Blended Malt

Blended malt
Amber
56.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, peat, smoke, cooked rice, hints of green tea. With ater, raisins, red wine, vanilla, cedar wood. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Raisins, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, sea salt, driftwood smoke, hints of rubber, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, honey, tarragon, raisins, smoke. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, driftwood smoke, sea salt, vanilla, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Bottled by the Whisky Exchange for the French market. This is an awesome whisky, full of complexity, lots of different layers, and gloriously unbalanced. It's bitter and herbal all throughout, and water opens it up to layers of honeyed sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Lg10

Lg10

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, leather, honey, raisins, vanilla, walnuts, peanuts, hints of coffee. With water, vanilla, pears, hints of lime blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Peat, driftwood smoke, pears, chillies, green peppers, coffee, walnuts. With water, coffee, green peppers, lime blossom, pears. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, leather, peanuts, popcorn, chillies, hints of olive oil. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual Lagavulin. There's the usual dry driftwood smoke, maybe even a touch of olive oil on the tongue. But under that, there's heaps of herbal, fruity, floral goodness, which opens up with a touch of water. The green pepper note is particularly unusual and alluring. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Imperial 21yo 1997/2018

Imperial 21yo 1997/2018

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, honey, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slightly, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, lemon zest, cola nuts, cream, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, ginger, cola nuts, hints of cloves. 

Comments: 

This is classic Imperial! Sweet and floral, little medicinal notes on the tongue, spicy finish. Not many of these left, drink them while you can.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ma1

Ma1

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks
Single malt - Islay
Golden
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, apricots, cookie dough, vanilla, tangerines, hints of peat. With water, applesauce, pink peppercorns. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly fizzy. 
Tasting:  Sour. Burning leaves, apricots, tangerines, lemon zest, hints of vanilla. With water, pink peppercorns, applesauce, tangerine marmalade. 
Finish: Long. Burning leaves, tangerine marmalade, peat, lemon zest, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Margadale, which Ma stands for, is apparently what we call peated Bunnahabhain. This wasn't too peaty though, gentle hints of burning leaves maybe. That note overlays jammy fruit, with touches of vanilla, and with water, turns slightly peppery and spicy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hanyu 2000 cask #919

Hanyu 2000 cask #919

For Zuma / Roka, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - East Honshu
Chinese tea
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, chocolate, honey, tobacco leaf, brown paper, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Chocolate, honey, raisins, smoke, leather, orange peel, hints of red grapes. 
Finish: Long. Honey, chocolate, smoke, hints of red grapes. 

Comments: 

Cask #919, about 15 years old. This is a special bottling for Zuma Bar and the Roka chain of restaurants. It's delicious. No need for water, this is full of honey and chocolate notes, with an alluring veil of smoke. Very very nice, plenty of red grapes as well. Incredible whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Lg5

Lg5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Green gold
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, pears, white grapes, smoke, bacon, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, thickens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, smoke, frying bacon, white grapes, pears, honey, hints of oolong tea. 
Finish: Long. Peat, pears, peanuts, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Whoa! Slammed in the nose by a panful of frying bacon, then again in the mouth. Some fruit starts to peep through that curtain of smoke and peat though, and it's deliciously sweet pears and grapes. Slight astringent finish, maybe some tea notes?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Port Askaig 19 yo Cask Strength

Port Askaig 19 yo Cask Strength

Port Askaig, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale straw
50.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, smoke, roast pork, mint, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, mint, roast pork, smoke, green tea, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, leather, roast pork, lemon zest, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Oooh, mystery malt! Except that most people think it's Caol Ila, so not really a mystery after all. This one is sourish, with beautiful smoky roast pork notes. Not too peaty. There's something which many describe as 'flinty' but I prefer to think of as the bitterness inherent in green tea. This is wonderful stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Arran 12 yo 1996/2008

Arran 12 yo 1996/2008

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islands
Straw
57.4% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, smoke, oats, roast pork, dried apples, glace cherries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, warm.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Raisins, smoke, roast pork, dried apples, orange peel, hints of lemons.
Finish: Medium. Oats, raisins, dried apples, hints of apples.

Comments:

Meaty and sweet, smoky and rich. This is a great winter whisky, reminds me of cold windy days, and the rivers of fire flowing through my chest as I drink it. As a winter warmer, there's nothing better.

Verdict:

I like this.

Rosebank 16 yo 1991/2007

Rosebank 16 yo 1991/2007

The Whisky Society, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright yellow gold
56.1% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon sweets, honey, brass polish, chocolate, ginger, orange peel, hints of peat. With water, turns peppery and more gingery, lighter, less intense.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Rhubarb and custard sweets, honey, lemon sweets, lemon zest, chocolate, ginger, chillies, hints of tobacco leaf, hints of lavender. With water, turns saltier, marmalade appears, more gingery and papery.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, orange peel, lemon sweets, hints of peat.

Comments:

The Whisky Society is an ongoing series bottled by Specialty Drinks Ltd, the great chaps behind the Whisky Exchange. This whisky is the only Rosebank so far. It's intense, complex and fully-flavoured, and full of the rhubarb-and-custard sweet notes that mark out the Rosebanks that I love the most. It's a tad strong, although it slips down so smoothly you wouldn't realise it. But add a few drops of water, and it opens up, turns lighter, and loses some of its sweetness. I still can't decide whether I like it better neat or diluted.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Balblair 40 yo 1965/2007

Balblair 40 yo 1965/2007

Anniversary Selection (Single Malts of Scotland), Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - North Highlands
Mahogany
47.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, sherry, glace cherries, walnuts, fruitcake, hints of house dust.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, slightly viscous.
Tasting: Sweet. Orange peel, honey, apricots, prunes, hints of peach, hints of brown paper.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, melon, chilli.

Comments:

This tastes old. Like something which has lain forgotten in the attic for years - it actually tastes dusty and wrapped in brown paper. Great, great fruit in it though, I started salivating once I got a close look at the colour, and I wasn't disappointed. Surprising little spicy kick in the finish too. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Caol Ila 16 yo 1991/2007 Cask Strength

Caol Ila 16 yo 1991/2007 Cask Strength

Single Malts of Scotland, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
White wine
57.5% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Smoke and peat. Soya sauce, honey and lemon. Fresh-cut grass lurking around the edges.
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Gritty and sandy, quite rough in the mouth. Can't really taste all that alcohol (!).
Tasting: Salty and sweet. Preserved Moroccan lemons. Cinnamon and cloves. More grass, drier this time (hay?).
Finish: Salty, long and warm. The cloves and honey linger longest.

Comments:

Cask ref 610, 235 bottles. This whisky won the Malt Maniacs' best bourbon cask matured award in 2007. Very nice indeed. Great at the bottled strength; the smoke doesn't overpower the rest of the flavours, very well balanced.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!