Strathclyde 29yo 1993/2022

Strathclyde 29yo 1993/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange peel, butterscotch, vanilla, photocopy paper, allspice. With water, sea salt, butterscotch, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, butterscotch, allspice, salt caramel, brown paper, cocoa nibs. With water, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, raisins. 
Finish: Long. Salt caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Old grain is one of the best whiskies, and Phil & Simon Thompson have one of the best eyes for casks out there. This is excellent, lots of sweet old notes, like cocoa and allspice, with a lovely texture.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Strathclyde 31yo Batch 4

Strathclyde 31yo Batch 4

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands 
Bright gold 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cornflakes, ink, sea salt, toffee, vanilla, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Ink, pear drops, fresh baked bread, cornflakes, yeast, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, shredded wheat, vanilla, hints of pear drops. 

Comments: 

I love old grains. They take longer to mature than malts, but the results are just as lovely. This one is quite delicious, slight bitterness allied to lots and lots of cereal. Some fragrant esters hang around too, tying the whisky together. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS G10.8 (Strathclyde 36yo 1977/2014)

SMWS G10.8 (Strathclyde 36yo 1977/2014)

2014, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Dark gold 
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, hazelnuts, orange peel, desiccated coconut, honey, hints of white pepper. With water, pear drops, orange peel, oats. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Hazelnuts, orange peel, vanilla, raisins, magic marker, white grapes, hints of marmalade. With water, fresh baked bread, cornflakes, orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, magic marker, oats, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Aged grain is usually good, and this one is great. There’s less malt in this, of course, but the age makes it cooled and fruity. There’s the grain lightness, which marries well with the cereal notes and the fruit.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Strathclyde 27yo 1990/2018

Strathclyde 27yo 1990/2018

Artful Dodger Whisky Collective, Woolf Sung
Single grain - Lowlands
Dark gold
51.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, green apples, lemon zest, brass polish, hints of blackcurrant. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Coconut cream, green apples, vanilla, lemon zest, candy floss. 
Finish: Medium. Coconut cream, candy floss, green apples, vanilla, hints of caramel. 

Comments: 

Cask 110035. Very sweet and coconutty, but full of flavour and body. This is a whisky that drags me into a flavour memory, eating candy floss at a fair as an 8 year old, alongside sweet-salty coconut candy. Wonderful stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Strathclyde 28 yo 1987/2015

Strathclyde 28 yo 1987/2015

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salt caramel, chocolate, coffee, orange peel, magic marker, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, oily, volatile. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Coffee, magic marker, soy sauce, lemon zest, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, magic marker, lemon zest, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cask no DL 10982. Another aged grain, and like the previous one, it has picked up a lot of savoury, and in this case, slightly bitter notes from the wood. Soy sauce, coffee, even some cinnamony spiciness. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Strathclyde 9 yo 2005/2015

Strathclyde 9 yo 2005/2015

Clan Denny, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Lowlands
Amber
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, brown paper, pears, apples, hints of toast, hints of leather. With water, apples, sesame, shortbread, pie crust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly oily, tingly, loose. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, raisins, cream, digestive biscuits, apples, hints of yoghurt. With water, raisins, red wine, pie crust, sesame. 
Finish: Long. Cream, raisins, toast, yoghurt, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Cask ref DL 10867. This is long lasting and winey, I don't think anyone would identify this as a single grain on first blind tasting. It's even better with water, as the alcohol burn turns into something toasty, almost savoury, very much like good pie crust. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS G10.5 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

SMWS G10.5 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Pale peach
61% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, leather, roast beef, limes, lemons, peaches, hints of wintergreen, hints of chillies. With water, opens up, savoury, more roast beef, more leather.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, slippery.
Tasting: Sour. Vanilla, leather, brass polish, peanuts, antiseptic, peaches, limes, hints of wintergreen. With water, salty, brown paper, roast beef, antiseptic, preserved lemons.
Finish: Short. Lemons, limes, antiseptic, brass polish. With water, brown paper, preserved lemons, sandalwood.

Comments:

Not as sweet as the usual grain whisky I have, with that strong vanilla note overshadowed by a lot of other (interesting stuff). Very savoury, and meaty even, with tart lemony notes. With water, the citrus disappears, to be replaced by a fairly salty flavour profile.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper

57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, pecans, banana, honey, hints of cedar and brown paper. With water, more savoury, brown paper, toast, coffee.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, expands, watery. 
Tasting: Sour. Oranges, pecans, banana, brown paper, toasted coconut. With water, saltier, dark chocolate, toast, coffee. 
Finish: Short. Toasted coconut, honey, hints of cedar. 

Comments: 

Fruity and light, pleasantly toasty undertones, like a kitchen baking desserts at Christmas. Quite bourbony, but all that time in the cask has sanded off the rough edges. Tasty, takes water well.

Verdict:

I like this.