SMWS 58.53 (Strathisla 14yo 2008/2023)

SMWS 58.53 (Strathisla 14yo 2008/2023)

2023, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dandelions
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, coffee, white pepper, malted grains, dark chocolate, brass polish, aluminium foil. With water, coffee, dark chocolate, aluminium foil, lemon zest, hints of autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Brass polish, dark chocolate, coffee, rhubarb and custard sweets, sea salt, lemon zest, apricot jam. With water, hoppy beer, malted grains, lemon zest, coffee, hints of aluminium foil. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, malted grains, dark chocolate, rhubarb and custard sweets. 

Comments: 

Not a distillery I know well, but this whisky is rather good. Lots of fragrant, feinty and slightly savoury notes on the nose, which turns malty, rich and chocolatey on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Strathisla 14yo (bottled 2020)

Strathisla 14yo (bottled 2020)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, sultanas, sour cream, honey, carrot cake, cinnamon, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, white grapes, honey, sour cream, hints of watermelons. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, lemon zest, sour cream, sultanas, black pepper, ginger, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, honey, lemon zest, sour cream, sultanas, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, honey, toffee, ginger. 

Comments: 

Cask 134. Quite spicy and tart, but the cinnamon and carrot cake notes provide some welcome sweetness. It opens up quite beautifully with water, with lots of lemon and sour cream and honey. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Strathisla 17yo 2002/2020

Strathisla 17yo 2002/2020

Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, honey, peaches, orange peel, cinnamon, lemon zest. With water, cinnamon, honey, lemon zest, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, thickens slightly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Yoghurt, peaches, honey, fresh baked bread, vanilla, fermented bananas, hints of malted grains. With water, malted grains, peaches, vanilla, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, coffee, malted grains, peaches. 

Comments: 

I really enjoy Hidden Spirits expressions. They’re well chosen, and this Strathisla is no exception. Lots of delicious peach notes, together with overripe, fermented fruit undertones. It fades nicely to a slightly savoury, bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 58.36 (Strathisla 12yo 2007/2019)

SMWS 58.36 (Strathisla 12yo 2007/2019)

2019, SMWS 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold 
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, white pepper, prunes, cocoa nibs, vanilla sponge, hints of cinnamon. With water, red grapes, fried eggs, raisins, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, airy. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, prunes, sea salt, fresh baked bread, shortbread, vanilla sponge, black tea, walnuts, cocoa nibs. With water, saltier, cocoa nibs, raisins, fresh baked bread, hints of sulphur. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa nibs, white pepper, black tea, shortbread, raisins. 

Comments: 

There’s a savouriness to this whisky, it opens up a bit with water too. There’s some gentle vanilla, some spiciness and grain. Lots of complexity, and it’s all very subtle and gentle. 

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 58.18 (Strathisla 10 yo 2005/2016)

SMWS 58.18 (Strathisla 10 yo 2005/2016)

2016, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
60.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grass, chamomile, white grapes, marmalade, hints of pears. With water, honey, barley sugar, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, slightly gritty. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, chamomile, vanilla, white grapes, pink peppercorns, hints of ginger. With water, sweeter, less pungent, honey, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, vanilla, pink peppercorns, ginger. 

Comments: 

Very young whisky, but fruity and grapey on the nose. Slight pungency on the tongue, and in the finish, at least when neat. Once water is added it opens up quite a bit, becoming sweeter and more delicate. I'm not really blown away.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 58.16 (Strathisla 9 yo 2006/2015)

SMWS 58.16 (Strathisla 9 yo 2006/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Silver
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roses, vanilla, white grapes, soy milk, yoghurt, hints of white chocolate. With water, more white grapes, mint, lemon peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns chewy, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White grapes, oats, soy milk, yoghurt, hints of roses, hints of green tea. With water, salty, salt caramel, chillies, yoghurt. 
Finish: Long. Yoghurt, white chocolate, oats, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Slightly odd whisky again. It's floral, yet cereally, with a slightly fermented flavour that I interpret as soy milk and yoghurt. Upon adding water, it opens up, smelling more herbal and fruity, and salty on the tongue. Like I said, odd.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathisla 18 yo 1987/2006

Strathisla 18 yo 1987/2006

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Raisins, peaches, magic marker, ink, brine, leather, hints of flint, hints of orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, smooth, oily.
Tasting: Bitter. Walnut skins, ink, flint, peaches, vanilla, leather, hints of brine, hints of magic marker.
Finish: Medium. Walnut skins, orange peel, peanuts, hints of peaches.

Comments:

Sweet salty bitter on the nose, but then tightens up on the tongue - for the first 10 seconds all I can taste is harsh bitter walnut skins! Then it loosens up, gains some fruitiness and some vanilla, and the more subtle notes come into play.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Strathisla 12 yo

Strathisla 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, pears, grass, earth, cashews, hints of brown paper, hints of sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peanuts, orange juice, cashews, grass, hints of peaches, hints of pears.
Finish: Medium. Rose, peanuts, cashews, pears.

Comments:

Huge hint of steamed peanuts in the nose. A farmer's whisky - close to the soil, strong and robust. Not easy to appreciate, but I think I've managed.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 58.8 (Strathisla 28 yo 1977/2005)

SMWS 58.8 (Strathisla 28 yo 1977/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pink gold
49.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, rhubarb, pears, brass polish, lemon curd, hints of biscuit, hints of pine.
Mouthfeel: Light body, quite watery, expands.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon zest, butter, lemon sweets, rhubarb, brass polish, citron, hints of meringue.
Finish: Medium. Biscuit, brass polish, lemons, raisins.

Comments:

Subtle, almost wispy. Maybe I'm getting too used to having my tastebuds bludgeoned by 50% + ABV whiskies. This one requires due care and attention.

Verdict:

I like this.