Langatun 6yo 2016/2022 Madeira Cask

Langatun 6yo 2016/2022 Madeira Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Bern
Amber
49.12% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, black tea, fresh baked bread, coffee, orange peel, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Fresh baked bread, sea salt, raisins, honey, golden syrup, milk chocolate, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, milk chocolate, golden syrup, white pepper, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Lots of dried fruit from the wine cask, with plenty of cereal notes too. A little pepper on the tongue. The finish is glorious - plenty of chocolate and golden syrup, with a fragrant, slightly bitter coffee note.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Langatun Jacob’s Dram 2016

Langatun Jacob’s Dram 2016

Official bottling 
Single malt - Bern
Amber gold
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, brown paper, malted grains, cocoa nibs, black tea, raisins, cinnamon, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Malted grains, raisins, cherries, cough syrup, vanilla, strawberry jam, prunes. 

Finish: Medium. Vanilla, fresh baked bread, cough syrup, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Malty and savoury, but with lots of fruity, porridgy notes. I think the unpeated Langatuns are really quite good, certainly ahead of the peated ones. This one isn’t very old but it’s got a lot of flavour. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Langatun 5yo Batch 3

Langatun 5yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt

Single malt - Bern
Sunshine yellow 
51.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, diesel exhaust, toffee, salt caramel, tyre rubber, menthol, lemon juice. With water, autumn leaves, tyre rubber, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, slightly oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Diesel exhaust, tyre rubber, new plastic, cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, ginseng, hints of apricots. With water, diesel exhaust, autumn leaves, apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon juice, cocoa nibs, tyre rubber, hints of apricots. 

Comments: 

Starts out flinty and earthy, but soon turns sulphurous. Lots of dark chocolate and cocoa notes abound. I’ve not quite gotten to grips with Langatun, but this is quite pleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

High Glen 3yo Batch 1

High Glen 3yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Graubünden
Golden, hints of pink
46.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, sandalwood, nutmeg, damson jam, malted grains, clay dust, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marshmallows, vanilla, sandalwood, nutmeg, honey, clay dust, kiwifruit, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, nutmeg, orange peel, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Spicy and woody, but with a fruity edge. It tastes dusty despite its young age, and can sometimes be almost gritty. I’ve never understood who a liquid can feel that way, but it must be a strong flavour association that’s tricking my poor brain. It then builds to a spicy, feinty finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Langatun 5yo Batch 1

Langatun 5yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Bern
Amber gold
49.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, malted grains, blackcurrant cordial, strawberry jam, menthol. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, strawberry jam, menthol, vanilla, oatcakes, brown paper, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Strawberry jam, raisins, blackcurrant cordial, black tea, menthol. 

Comments: 

Sweet and jammy, but there’s a strong menthol note that brings it to life. I do like sherried whiskies, and this is an interesting expression. It’s not quite like the Langatuns I’ve had in the past though.

Verdict:

I like this.

Seven Seals Port Wood Finish

Seven Seals Port Wood Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Nidwalden
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peanuts, raisins, damson jam, roast pork, cloves, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, damson jam, leather, peanuts, milk chocolate, malted grains, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Milk chocolate, raisins, cloves, peanuts, mint, hints of tyre rubber. 

Comments: 

Sweet and meaty, the port wood finish suits this distillate well. There’s definitely a lot of wine cask influence, but there’s some nutty, leathery, peat notes that must originate with the spirit. I’d like to get to know this distillery better.

Verdict:

I like this.

Seven Seals The Age of Scorpio

Seven Seals The Age of Scorpio

Official bottling 
Single malt - Nidwalden
Amber
49.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, dried figs, prunes, black tea, clay dust, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, clay dust, liquorice, cloves, raisins, damson jam, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Liquorice, cloves, cough syrup, black pepper, black tea, hints of pencil erasers. 

Comments: 

Very good sherried whisky! It’s Swiss, but tastes like Scotch. The wood finish is expertly done, and it’s even got a dusty aged taste, although it can’t be that old. Cleverly constructed whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Johnett Whisky 8yo 2011/2019

Johnett Whisky 8yo 2011/2019

Official bottling
Single malt - Zug
Amber
44% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Orange peel, fennel, white grapes, malted barley, fresh cut grass, leather.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh cut grass, fennel, orange peel, fresh baked bread, cloves, hints of oregano, hints of sulphur.
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, oregano, fresh baked bread, hints of vanilla. 

Comments: 

Swiss whisky, apparently named after the distiller, John Etter. Anyway, it’s rather good, with a unique herbaceous note that reminds me of something between fennel and oregano, with perhaps a hint of sage thrown in. The distillery normally makes eau de vie, and perhaps there was a little left over in the still pipes...

Verdict:

I like this.

Langatun Old Bear Cask Proof

Langatun Old Bear Cask Proof

Official bottling
Single malt - Bern
Golden
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk chocolate, sea salt, smoke, bitter orange, lemon zest, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, milk chocolate, bitter orange, malted grains, vanilla, hints of Horlicks. 
Finish: Medium. Bitter orange, malted grains, Horlicks, raisins, hints of cream. 

Comments: 

This peated Langatun is odd stuff. The high proof probably intensifies the esters and fruit notes, but they clash a little with the smoke. There's not a lot of peat flavour, maybe in the bitter orange. There are large hints of smoky Horlicks. But it's thin, not intense at all. No water required.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Langatun Old Deer Cask Strength

Langatun Old Deer Cask Strength

Official bottling
Single malt - Bern
Sunshine yellow
62.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, sandalwood, malted grains, dill, white pepper, milk chocolate, prunes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Prunes, lemons, milk chocolate, white pepper, brown paper. 
Finish: Short. Milk chocolate, prunes, white pepper, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Good fruit and chocolate flavours, the bourbon cask comes through as, well, bourbon, with strong brown paper notes. I would have liked to try this with water, but the rep poured me a very small portion that was only sufficient to taste neat. Oh well. I suppose I could have gone back to get another sample, but life's too short..

Verdict:

I like this.

Santis 10yo Batch 1

Santis 10yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Appenzell
Amber red
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, red grapes, black tea, brown paper, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black tea, red grapes, lohan fruit, orange peel, hints of brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Brown paper, black tea, red grapes, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

This is excellent, dispels the myth that they don't know how to make whisky on the Continent. There's tannins, red fruits, dried fruits (even medicinal Chinese fruits) and bitter notes. Complex and layered, great whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Säntis Edition Sigel

Säntis Edition Sigel

Official bottling
Single malt - Appenzell
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, raisins, orange peel, malted grains, cardamom, hints of smoked ham. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slippery, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, orange peel, cardamom, liquorice, smoked ham, hints of plums. 
Finish: Medium. Smoked ham, plums, liquorice, hints of Swiss cheese. 

Comments: 

Last of the trio of Säntis I have access to. Quite aniseedy and sweet, but there are savoury hints that remind me of its sisters. Savoury cheese notes on the finish too. These Swiss whiskies are unusual, but I enjoyed them.

Verdict:

I like this.

Säntis Edition Dreifaltigkeit

Säntis Edition Dreifaltigkeit

Official bottling
Single malt - Appenzell
Dark amber
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, bratwurst, Swiss cheese, tyre rubber, fennel, Milanese salami. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slightly watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Swiss cheese, smoke, bratwurst, black pepper, driftwood, hints of ham. 
Finish: Short. Applewood, driftwood, black pepper, bratwurst. 

Comments: 

Another Säntis, this one peated and smoky. It's spicy and very meaty, and wreathed in a tangy sheath that reminds me of nutty Swiss cheese. It's very unusual, and I can't say I've ever had any whisky this savoury before. Unusual malt, and I have to drink more before I decide whether I like it or not.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Säntis Edition Himmelberg

Säntis Edition Himmelberg

Official bottling
Single malt - Appenzell
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Muesli, apples, malted grains, yoghurt, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, chewy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sour salty . Apples, raisins, yoghurt, dried pears, rolled oats. 
Finish: Medium. Rolled oats, raisins, red grapes, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Swiss malt, who'd have thought? But it's unusual and individual, having been matured in both beer and wine casks. Lots of fruit, but also grain - that's the beer coming through - and it reminds me of nothing so much as muesli with apple grated in. Pleasantly tangy.

Verdict:

I like this.