Coleburn 34yo 1981/2015
Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Milk, honey, prunes, malted grains, red grapes, fresh baked bread, fresh cut grass
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Malted grains, honey, hay, prunes, fresh baked bread, peaches, hints of plums.
Finish: Long. Hay, peaches, dried apricots, hints of cucumber.
Comments:
This is delicious. How many more chances will I have to taste an old Coleburn? Can't be many more I wager. Anyway, I savoured every moment. It's so old it's herbal and floral, overlaid with heaps of sweet fruit. It was a glorious crown to an epic tasting session.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Friday, 27 April 2018
Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye Cask Proof
Catoctin Creek Roundhouse Rye Cask Proof
Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Amber rose
58% ABV
Dram
Nose: Magic marker, cream, pears, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, airy, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberries, magic marker, cream, cloves, bananas, hints of cardamom.
Finish: Short. Cucumber, strawberries, cloves, bananas, hints of mint.
Comments:
Wow, this is amazing stuff. It's chock-full of incredibly intense spicy notes, wreathed through with fruit and herbs. It's highly sweet, and I checked to see if it had been mixed with something. Of course it hadn't, it's just great whisky. Scarily drinkable at 58%, I didn't even bother with water.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single rye - Virginia
Amber rose
58% ABV
Dram
Nose: Magic marker, cream, pears, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, airy, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberries, magic marker, cream, cloves, bananas, hints of cardamom.
Finish: Short. Cucumber, strawberries, cloves, bananas, hints of mint.
Comments:
Wow, this is amazing stuff. It's chock-full of incredibly intense spicy notes, wreathed through with fruit and herbs. It's highly sweet, and I checked to see if it had been mixed with something. Of course it hadn't, it's just great whisky. Scarily drinkable at 58%, I didn't even bother with water.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Koval Bourbon
Koval Bourbon
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Illinois
Copper
47% ABV
Dram
Nose: Bananas, coconut water, lemon juice, caramel, vanilla ice cream, hints of cardamom.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, turns watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet. Bananas, coconut water, caramel, brown paper, red grapes, hints of cucumbers.
Finish: Long. Cucumbers, red grapes, raisins, hints of white pepper.
Comments:
I've been chasing this one for a while, trying to round out my tasting notes of Koval. It's unusual, like its siblings - there's the usual banana, of course, then it's overtaken by unusual spicy notes, almost like a sherried rye. Good whisky.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Illinois
Copper
47% ABV
Dram
Nose: Bananas, coconut water, lemon juice, caramel, vanilla ice cream, hints of cardamom.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, turns watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet. Bananas, coconut water, caramel, brown paper, red grapes, hints of cucumbers.
Finish: Long. Cucumbers, red grapes, raisins, hints of white pepper.
Comments:
I've been chasing this one for a while, trying to round out my tasting notes of Koval. It's unusual, like its siblings - there's the usual banana, of course, then it's overtaken by unusual spicy notes, almost like a sherried rye. Good whisky.
Verdict:
I like this.
Bruichladdich 12yo 2006/2018
Bruichladdich 12yo 2006/2018
Maltbarn
Single malt - Islay
Amber
51.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Peanuts, chocolate, honey, salt caramel, red grapes, hints of apples.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, sticky.
Tasting: Sweet. Peanuts, chocolate, salt caramel, toffee apples, red grapes, white pepper.
Finish: Short. Toffee apples, chocolate, honey, red grapes, white pepper, hints of cinnamon.
Comments:
A very nice unpeated Bruichladdich, sherry casked, redolent of all manner of sweet things. A nice peppery finish too. This makes for a refreshing change, especially with all the peaty stuff the distillery is doing.
Verdict:
I like this.
Maltbarn
Single malt - Islay
Amber
51.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Peanuts, chocolate, honey, salt caramel, red grapes, hints of apples.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, sticky.
Tasting: Sweet. Peanuts, chocolate, salt caramel, toffee apples, red grapes, white pepper.
Finish: Short. Toffee apples, chocolate, honey, red grapes, white pepper, hints of cinnamon.
Comments:
A very nice unpeated Bruichladdich, sherry casked, redolent of all manner of sweet things. A nice peppery finish too. This makes for a refreshing change, especially with all the peaty stuff the distillery is doing.
Verdict:
I like this.
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Mars Shinshu 3yo 2013/2016 (Cask 1664)
Mars Shinshu 3yo 2013/2016 (Cask 1664)
10th Anniversary, Number One Drinks Company
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale gold
58.9% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon juice, honey, brown paper, peat, roast pork, hints of soy sauce. With water, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, photocopy paper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemon juice, nashi pear, cream, brown paper, peat, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, more bitter, peat, fried eggs, fresh cut grass, hints of salt caramel.
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, peat, peanuts, hints of honey.
Comments:
An independent Shinshu Mars bottling, by the Number One Drinks Company people that have done so many great Karuizawas. This must have been distilled shortly after the distillery reopened around 2012. It's peaty and robust, this is not a light slightly namby-pamby Irish. It's full on, with savoury notes on a complex nose, turning bitter and fragrant on the tongue. With water, it's more herbal, but more bitter too. Excellent stuff, perfect for an introspective evening.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
10th Anniversary, Number One Drinks Company
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale gold
58.9% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon juice, honey, brown paper, peat, roast pork, hints of soy sauce. With water, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, photocopy paper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemon juice, nashi pear, cream, brown paper, peat, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, more bitter, peat, fried eggs, fresh cut grass, hints of salt caramel.
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, peat, peanuts, hints of honey.
Comments:
An independent Shinshu Mars bottling, by the Number One Drinks Company people that have done so many great Karuizawas. This must have been distilled shortly after the distillery reopened around 2012. It's peaty and robust, this is not a light slightly namby-pamby Irish. It's full on, with savoury notes on a complex nose, turning bitter and fragrant on the tongue. With water, it's more herbal, but more bitter too. Excellent stuff, perfect for an introspective evening.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Thursday, 19 April 2018
Deanston 18yo (Batch 2)
Deanston 18yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
46.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, milk, apples, hints of strawberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, orange peel, red wine, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Short. Peanuts, chocolate, red grapes, hints of ginseng.
Comments:
From a lightly sherried whisky to a heavily sherried whisky. This is more like it, if one wants a sherry hit. It's sweet and wholesome, lots of fruity notes on the nose, tapering to a slightly bitter finish. Yum.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
46.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, milk, apples, hints of strawberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, vanilla, red grapes, orange peel, red wine, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Short. Peanuts, chocolate, red grapes, hints of ginseng.
Comments:
From a lightly sherried whisky to a heavily sherried whisky. This is more like it, if one wants a sherry hit. It's sweet and wholesome, lots of fruity notes on the nose, tapering to a slightly bitter finish. Yum.
Verdict:
I like this.
West Cork 12yo Sherry Cask
West Cork 12yo Sherry Cask
Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Pale lemon
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon juice, photocopy paper, strawberries, malted grains, hints of bananas.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, watery, airy.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Lemon juice, strawberries, malted grains, peaches, peanuts, hints of prunes.
Finish: Short. Lemon juice, strawberries, limes, hints of peaches.
Comments:
This whisky didn't spend very long in that sherry cask! It's got lots of estery fruity notes, sure, even some red grapes, but it's tart, and fragrant, and light. It's not your usual Irish whisky, for sure.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Pale lemon
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon juice, photocopy paper, strawberries, malted grains, hints of bananas.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, watery, airy.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Lemon juice, strawberries, malted grains, peaches, peanuts, hints of prunes.
Finish: Short. Lemon juice, strawberries, limes, hints of peaches.
Comments:
This whisky didn't spend very long in that sherry cask! It's got lots of estery fruity notes, sure, even some red grapes, but it's tart, and fragrant, and light. It's not your usual Irish whisky, for sure.
Verdict:
I like this.
Longmorn 31yo 1983/2014
Longmorn 31yo 1983/2014
Bottled on licence, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, chocolate, lemon zest, orange juice, rhubarb and custard sweets.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Chocolate, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, honey, caramel.
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, peanuts, caramel, hints of lemon zest.
Comments:
This old Longmorn was just crying out to me from the top shelf in the whisky bar. I was not disappointed, it's so classically structured - sweetness and light on the nose, then more flavourful and robust (hello fresh bread!) on the tongue, and finishing in a more savoury, less sweet fashion. Wonderful.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Bottled on licence, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, chocolate, lemon zest, orange juice, rhubarb and custard sweets.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Chocolate, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, honey, caramel.
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, peanuts, caramel, hints of lemon zest.
Comments:
This old Longmorn was just crying out to me from the top shelf in the whisky bar. I was not disappointed, it's so classically structured - sweetness and light on the nose, then more flavourful and robust (hello fresh bread!) on the tongue, and finishing in a more savoury, less sweet fashion. Wonderful.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Wednesday, 18 April 2018
Guillon Sauternes Cask Finish
Guillon Sauternes Cask Finish
Official bottling
Single malt - Champagne-Ardenne
Rose lemonade
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rosewater, cloves, red grapes, honey, malted grains, hints of raspberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Cloves, peaches, orange peel, magic marker, cream, hints of rose water.
Finish: Short. Magic marker, peaches, peanuts, orange peel.
Comments:
This is fragrant whisky, almost pungent. It's floral and spicy-sweet, but underneath there are some slightly chemical, slightly cereally notes. It's very interesting, it's definitely not Scotch.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Champagne-Ardenne
Rose lemonade
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rosewater, cloves, red grapes, honey, malted grains, hints of raspberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Cloves, peaches, orange peel, magic marker, cream, hints of rose water.
Finish: Short. Magic marker, peaches, peanuts, orange peel.
Comments:
This is fragrant whisky, almost pungent. It's floral and spicy-sweet, but underneath there are some slightly chemical, slightly cereally notes. It's very interesting, it's definitely not Scotch.
Verdict:
I like this.
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Lark Distiller's Selection Port Cask Matured (Cask 450)
Lark Distiller's Selection Port Cask Matured (Cask 450)
Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Amber
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Blueberries, vanilla, mint, red grapes, oranges, hints of jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, turns syrupy, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Red grapes, orange peel, jasmine tea, damson jam, hints of clotted cream.
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, damson jam, orange peel, hints of ginseng.
Comments:
Another port matured Lark, and it tastes pretty similar to the other one. Damson jammy notes, lots of red grapes, and this time, the tang of a fine jasmine tea. Glorious stuff.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Amber
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Blueberries, vanilla, mint, red grapes, oranges, hints of jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, turns syrupy, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Red grapes, orange peel, jasmine tea, damson jam, hints of clotted cream.
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, damson jam, orange peel, hints of ginseng.
Comments:
Another port matured Lark, and it tastes pretty similar to the other one. Damson jammy notes, lots of red grapes, and this time, the tang of a fine jasmine tea. Glorious stuff.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
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