Glenfarclas 40 yo

Glenfarclas 40 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Deep red brown
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, chocolate, brown paper, fresh baked bread, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, thickens, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, peanuts, honey, freshly baked bread, cream, vanilla, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Raspberries, candied oranges, chocolate, raisins. 

Comments: 

Hell of a sherry monster, this, and it's an amazingly old one as well. Classic honey, chocolate and raisins everywhere, but there's also candied oranges, fresh baked bread and vanilla... latte? Very Christmassy, and I wish I had a bottle rather than a mere dram.

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.

Glenfiddich Malt Masters Edition Sherry Cask

Glenfiddich Malt Masters Edition Sherry Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Tea
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dark chocolate, red grapes, stewed pears, plums. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, thickens, slightly chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dark chocolate, raisins, prunes, strawberries, red wine, stewed pears. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, red wine, stewed pears, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

My first Glenfiddich in years! It's not often you get special editions either. This one has the classic Glenfiddich pear, and here it is mellowed so much by the sherry influence it reminds me of pears stewed in red wine. Lovely grapey, chocolatey finish as well.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Balvenie 14 yo Caribbean Cask

Balvenie 14 yo Caribbean Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, nutmeg, cream, orange peel, raisins, hints of pistachio nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slippery, turns chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cola nuts, nutmeg, pistachio nuts, peanuts, dark chocolate, hints of grass. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, peanuts, cream, coffee. 

Comments: 

Rum casked Balvenie! Tastes remarkably like cola upon the tongue, with some chocolatey, nutty notes to follow after. Great finish too, chockfull of raisins and nuts and even coffee.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 100.12 (Strathmill 10 yo 2005/2015)

SMWS 100.12 (Strathmill 10 yo 2005/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Very pale gold
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, tinned peaches, pineapples, lemon juice, hints of elderflower. With water, cookie dough, cough syrup, cashew nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, airy.
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Elderflower, vanilla, orange blossom, cherries, hints of lemon juice. With water, saltier, cookie dough, rum and raisin ice cream. 
Finish: Long. Roses, sandalwood, elderflower, orange blossom. 

Comments: 

This whisky is something of a chameleon. Neat, it explodes in fruity and floral fireworks on the tongue, laden with elderflower, orange blossom, and in the finish, sandalwood, just to name a few. With a few drops of water, it turns saltier, but not unpleasantly so, and shows a lot of rum and raisin.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS B3.3 (Rocktown 2 yo 2012/2015)

SMWS B3.3 (Rocktown 2 yo 2012/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single bourbon - Arkansas
Mahogany
54.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oak, cinnamon, vanilla, treacle, bananas, hints of apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, fizzy, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Bananas, apricot jam, brown paper, treacle, cinnamon, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Long. Green apples, cranberries, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

You wait a long time for a single cask bourbon, and suddenly a couple come along like buses. This one is sweet and jammy, but never overpowering. Then the sweetness slips away in the finish, to be replaced by fragrant appley sour notes. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Garioch 1999/2013 Sherry Cask

Glen Garioch 1999/2013 Sherry Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Dark amber
56.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, prunes, blackberry jam, cloves, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, cloves, blueberry jam, brown paper, fresh baked bread, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, black tea, cloves, blueberry jam. 

Comments: 

Definitely a sherry cask this - they've been very generous. It's wonderfully spicy and jammy, chockfull of cloves and blueberries. This is delicious stuff, and I'm so pleased that I'm able to taste it. Wonderful.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 42.16 (Ledaig 9 yo 2005/2015)

SMWS 42.16 (Ledaig 9 yo 2005/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Pale silver
59.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blue cheese, peat, leather, balsamic vinegar, lemons, wet leaves, hints of potato. With water, cream, golden syrup, hints of orange juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, turns watery, loose. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Blue cheese, lemons, boiled potatoes, new plastic, hints of smoked haddock. With water, sweeter, cream, peat, hints of oranges. 
Finish: Long. Leather, peat, lemons, cream, hints of golden syrup. 

Comments: 

Wow, this is pretty unique. Blue cheese and leather, leavened with lemons, boiled potato and hints of smoked fish, when neat. With water, it smooths out a little, with the sour notes softening from vinegar to orange juice, and the peat hits. I'm in two minds about this whisky, but it's certainly an experience.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 82.20 (Glencadam 17 yo 1998/2015)

SMWS 82.20 (Glencadam 17 yo 1998/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - East Highlands
Brown, tinge of green
54.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, dried cranberries, raisins, prunes, banana bread, hints of dried apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, loose, slightly fizzy . 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Toast, dried apples, red grapes, malted grains, plums, hints of blueberries. 
Finish: Short. Dried apples, raisins, black tea, banana bread, hints of prunes. 

Comments: 

Bananary, very bananary. Not the full on slightly overripe banana notes in bourbon though, this is toasty, cooked, almost like banana bread. Also plenty of dried fruit and dried apples, dripping with alcoholic sweetness. Some tannins, not overpowering. Good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS B3.2 (Rocktown 3 yo 2012/2015)

SMWS B3.2 (Rocktown 3 yo 2012/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single bourbon - Arkansas
Tea
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, red grapes, pomegranate molasses, hints of bananas. With water, black tea, toast more bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, loose, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, pomegranate molasses, vanilla, orange blossom honey, hints of red grapes. With water, lemons, bananas, green tea.
Finish: Short. Red grapes, maple syrup, black tea, bananas. 

Comments: 

I feel that people view bourbon as one-dimensional because it's often bottled at 40%, and diluted to the point of boredom. Not many cask strength ones available. This is a rare opportunity to sample such a one, and it's not disappointing at all. Loads of pomegranate molasses and cinnamon, opening up to tangy lemon and green tea upon adding water. Yummy.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.