Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017 175th Anniversary

Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017 175th Anniversary 

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber, hints of yellow
51.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, raisins, lemon zest, clay dust, popping candy, malted grains, orange peel, hints of cloves. With water, candle wax, orange peel, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, raisins, sandalwood, candle wax, lemon zest, orange peel, cinnamon, popping candy. With water, raisins, malted grains, sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, longans, orange peel, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity, but also with a heavy waxy note that gets more prominent with water. Plenty of little vanilla estery accents to the flavours, and a nice fruity, slightly tannic finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Convalmore 30yo 1962/1993

Convalmore 30yo 1962/1993

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenheads
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, blackcurrant cordial, cherries, honey, malted grains, hay, vanilla, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, vanilla, pencil lead, wet stones, honey, leather, brown sugar, hints of cherries, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, honey, leather, brown sugar, cherries. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, rich malty sugary notes. There’s Black Forest cake (cherries and dark chocolate) in this, if I’m any judge. Alongside there’s also some minerality and leather. A very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Balvenie 29yo 1974/2004

Balvenie 29yo 1974/2004

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside
Light amber
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, toffee, molasses, maraschino cherries, honey, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Pears, strawberry jam, honey, cinnamon, molasses, white chocolate, maraschino cherries, nutmeg. 
Finish: Long. Pears, molasses, strawberry jam, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity and chocolatey, lots of sweet preserved fruit notes. There’s a big heaping note of almond maraschino on the tongue that threatens to overwhelm everything. But doesn’t quite. Lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cadenheads Enigma 21yo 2003/2025

Cadenheads Enigma 21yo 2003/2025

Enigma, WM Cadenhead 
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber, hints of gold
41.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, toffee, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, Demerara sugar, cough syrup. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, cough syrup, bananas, toffee. 

Comments: 

Not too over-oaked, but instead laden with bananas and cinnamon and many other sweet things. Quite luscious and sticky, and the sort of thing I think bourbon could be with a little more patience.

Verdict:

I like this.

Union 5yo 2017/2023

Union 5yo 2017/2023

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Rio Grande do Sul
Amber brown
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry laces, honey, raisins, gooseberries, vanilla, brown paper. With water, strawberry jam, raisins, cloves, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, tingly.
Tasting:  Sweet. Brown paper, gooseberries, green tea, strawberry laces, peanuts, orange peel, hints of damson jam. With water, blueberry jam, raisins, damson jam, green tea. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, orange peel, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity, lots of sweet jammy notes. It’s not peated, so there’s plenty of cask influence here. There’s a nutty undertone that characterises the whisky and was present int the other Union I had too. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenburgie 29yo 1984/2014

Glenburgie 29yo 1985/2014

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold 
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, toffee, wet stones, peaches, white grapes, honey, chocolate, hints of roast chicken. With water, wet stones, roast chicken, chocolate, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, camphor, damson jam, gooseberries, chocolate, wet stones, cola nuts, malted grains. With water, peaches, gooseberries, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, cola nuts, camphor, damson jam, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask 95/36/10. Chocolatey, toffee-laden and meaty whisky, on the tongue more fruit comes to the fore. Cola nuts make an appearance at the back of the throat, and again on the finish. Very impressive dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Undisclosed Indiana Rye 4yo 2018/2022

Undisclosed Indiana Rye 4yo 2018/2022

Individual Cask, WM Cadenheads
Single rye - Indiana 
Copper amber 
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, pear drops, black pepper, lemon zest, oats, orange peel, hints of strawberry jam. With water, marmalade, pear drops, damson jam, hints of magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, mouth coating, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Marmalade, pear drops, blackberries, damson jam, orange peel, black pepper. With water, oats, marmalade, pear drops, magic marker. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, malted grains, black pepper, chillies, marmalade. 

Comments: 

This is, of course, MGP. It’s jammy and orangey, very intense for the age. Plenty of esters on the tongue and the finish too. An excellent dram, very good value for money.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Union 5yo (bottled 2022)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Rio Grande do Sul
Golden
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, lemon zest, lemon sweets, pear drops, germolene, leather, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, pear drops, lemon sweets, pineapples, tutti frutti. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pineapples, pear drops, peat, fresh cut grass, white grapes, driftwood smoke. With water, driftwood smoke, white grapes, pear drops, sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Driftwood smoke, peat, pineapples, caramel, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

This was surprisingly good. It’s whisky from a non traditional whisky country, but from a distillery that has operated for a long time. It’s like eating barbecued pineapples while sat on the back of a diesel truck. Layered and complex stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coleburn 17yo 1978/1995

Coleburn 17yo 1978/1995

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cotton sheets, cola nuts, malted grains, damson jam, white peaches, sultanas, white pepper. With water, malted grains, mint, camphor, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, hot. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Cola nuts, balsamic vinegar, caramelised onions, white peaches, sultanas, cocoa nibs, white pepper, hints of damson jam. With water, damson jam, cocoa nibs, white peaches, sultanas, cola nuts. 

Finish: Long. Balsamic vinegar, white pepper, sultanas, dark chocolate, hints of damson jam. 

Comments: 

Rather sweet and fruity at first, then it falls apart into sour savoury notes, caramelised onions in balsamic vinegar. It’s almost a rancio note, very interesting old bottle effect. It’s a long, sweet sour lingering feel on the tongue and on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 30yo 1977/2007

Convalmore 30yo 1977/2007

Closed Distilleries, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
61.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nectarines, green papayas, fresh cut grass, white pepper, green tea, gooseberries, hints of peaches. With water, gooseberries, honey, vanilla, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, nectarines, green tea, gooseberries, green papayas, lemon zest, damson jam, white pepper, hints of pear drops. With water, damson jam, nectarines, lemon zest, pear drops. 
Finish: Short. Gooseberries, lemon zest, nectarines, pear drops, hints of damson jam. 

Comments: 

Amazing, dry, yet fruity old Convalmore. It’s honeyed, but there’s a mouth puckeriness to it that reminds me of green papayas. With water it opens up, yielding this delicious jammy note. Magnificent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cadenhead Speyside 18yo 2001/2020 Virtual Open Day 2020

Cadenhead Speyside 18yo 2001/2020 Virtual Open Day 2020

WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
52.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, roast pork, cloves, soy sauce, winter melon, hints of wintergreen. With water, honey, milk chocolate, soy sauce, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, gooseberries, cloves, fresh baked bread, wintergreen, malted grains, hints of photocopy paper. With water, honey, coffee, gooseberries, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, malted grains, cloves, honey. 

Comments: 

Sweet yet meaty and savoury. I’d have said this was a blend if it hadn’t been labelled as a single malt - it’s got some characters that remind me of Caol Ila, as well as the herbal raisiny ‘Farclas, which of course it is.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cloves, malted grains, sandalwood, black pepper, marshmallows, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, malted grains, marshmallows, vanilla, raisins, black tea, condensed milk, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, black pepper, raisins, cream, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Quite milky and sweet, lots of butterscotch and vanilla notes. Complex and luscious, and you can taste the age, despite the slightly lower ABV. A wonderful example of Glen Grant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 12yo 1983/1996

Millburn 12yo 1983/1996

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
59.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Starfruit, pineapples, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of celery salt. With water, vanilla, starfruit, tutti frutti, hints of passionfruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Starfruit, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, tutti frutti, nutmeg, papayas, hints of smoke, hints of photocopy paper. With water, peaches, starfruit, leather, celery salt. 
Finish: Medium. Photocopy paper, papayas, starfruit, leather, hints of celery salt. 

Comments: 

I do like a Millburn, and this one does not disappoint. Lots of tropical starfruit, and sundry other fruit too, fading to the damp smoke characteristic of the dram, and celery salt, a sign of old bottle effect. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 26yo 1974/2001

Millburn 26yo 1974/2006

Chairman’s Stock, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
57.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, pineapples, mangosteens, bananas, white pepper, white wine, white grapes. With water, leather, malted grains, mangosteens, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, hoppy beer, white pepper, white grapes, cinnamon, hints of mangosteens. With water, cooked rice, malted grains, sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Leather, white grapes, cooked rice, cinnamon, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Spicy, quite tart, but still lots of tropical fruit and leather. The peat is gentle here, just a whisper. Lots of fragrant stuff as well. Brilliant whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 31yo 1974/2006

Millburn 31yo 1974/2006

Closed Distilleries, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
52.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, mangoes, bananas, vanilla custard, malted grains, leather, hints of smoke. With water, starfruit, green apples, cotton candy. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Mangoes, hoppy beer, malted grains, vanilla custard, starfruit, leather, hints of smoke. With water, starfruit, lemon zest, malted grains, leather. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla custard, malted grains, starfruit, green apples, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Bright and fruity still, with just a bit of old bottle effect. Lots of tropical fruit with just that hint of smoke and leather in the background. Really good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

A Tennessee Whiskey 18yo (bottled 2021)

A Tennessee Whiskey 18yo (bottled 2021)

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber brown
47.7% ABV

Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, brown paper, vanilla, allspice, cooked rice, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange peel, cherries, cooked rice, butterscotch, brown paper, croissants, hints of allspice. 
Finish: Long. Croissants, cooked rice, allspice, vanilla, brown paper. 

Comments: 

This is a George Dickel. Lots of cough syrup, or cherry notes (Dr Pepper?) overlay some buttery croissants and cooked rice. It’s really quite good, just another bit of evidence that we should age bourbon / American whisky properly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 18yo 1961/1979

Cragganmore 18yo 1961/1979

Dumpy, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 

Golden brown 
45.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, nectarines, gentian, leather, orange peel, fresh baked bread, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Nectarines, leather, gentian, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, black pepper, raisins, hints of winter melon. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, dark chocolate, honey, peaches, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Such a treat, many thanks, Fred! Long, smooth and flavoursome, this whisky goes on for hours. I could still taste this whisky the next day. Sweet, chock full of the best old bottle effect, but cut with alpine herbs and gentle fruit. Amazing stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Potter Distilling Company 32yo

Potter Distilling Company 32yo

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single grain - British Columbia

Amber gold
66.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, vanilla custard, tutti frutti, sultanas, butterscotch, hints of coconut cream. With water, tutti frutti, sultanas, lemon curd, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla custard, lemon zest, sultanas, toffee, butterscotch, maple syrup, chillies. With water, butterscotch, vanilla, sultanas, hints of coconut cream. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla, maple syrup, tutti frutti, chillies, hints of lemon curd. 

Comments: 

Obscure distillery, but high ABV + aged grain = good whisky. Lots of butterscotch and coconut notes, with a healthy dose of citrus. Long lingering finish. Have to drink this at as high a strength as possible.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 21yo 1977/1998

Convalmore 21yo 1977/1998

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold
64.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Clay dust, brown paper, orange peel, sandalwood, lemon sweets, white grapes, hints of cod liver oil. With water, honey, nectarines, sandalwood, lemon sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Nectarines, orange peel, white grapes, sandalwood, white pepper, menthol, hints of vanilla. With water, sandalwood, leather, peat, lemon sweets, nectarines. 
Finish: Long. Nectarines, orange peel, vanilla, white pepper, wintergreen. 

Comments: 

Convalmore has this lovely peach or nectarine note, but it’s always hedged about with feinty, peaty notes that make it so interesting. This one was intense, lots of fragrant sandalwood and even something meaty on the nose.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 24yo 1996/2021

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 24yo 1996/2021

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Tasmania
Dark amber gold
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, toffee, aluminium foil, black tea, hints of red grapes. With water, red grapes. With water, red grapes, bananas, cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanut butter, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, milk powder, red grapes, cocoa powder, hints of strawberry jam. With water, dark chocolate, black tea, milk powder, hints of peanut butter. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, toffee, strawberry jam, peanut butter, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cradle Mountain in a Cabernet Sauvignon cask! It’s got the classic peanut butter notes that I found in other releases from this distillery, but the wine cask finish is perhaps less helpful than it could be. Lots of sweet jammy chocolate notes, that obscure all that lovely peanut butter.

Verdict:

I like this.