An Cnoc 18yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Butterscotch, fried eggs, tobacco leaf, black tea, hints of honey.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, turns watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Fried eggs, butterscotch, sea salt, black tea, hints of smoke.
Finish: Long. Peaches, pears, orange peel, hints of black tea.
Comments:
A rather robust Speyside, as Knockdhu whisky tends to be. Good tannins, some slight smoke, and rubbery fried eggs. It's not for everyone, but I have a soft spot for eggy whiskies.
Verdict:
I like this.
Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Glen Albyn 36yo 1976/2012
Glen Albyn 36yo 1976/2012
Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, salt caramel, rhubarb and custard sweets, magic marker, sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, airy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Salt caramel, fig jam, lemon zest, raisins, pears, hints of magic marker.
Finish: Long. Sea salt, walnuts, lemon zest, hints of driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Briny and citrusy, this is a wonderful dram. There are layers of flavour - floral fruit, brassy citrus, luscious jam and finally, gentle, yet briny salt and smoke. There's even a smidgen of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, salt caramel, rhubarb and custard sweets, magic marker, sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, airy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Salt caramel, fig jam, lemon zest, raisins, pears, hints of magic marker.
Finish: Long. Sea salt, walnuts, lemon zest, hints of driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Briny and citrusy, this is a wonderful dram. There are layers of flavour - floral fruit, brassy citrus, luscious jam and finally, gentle, yet briny salt and smoke. There's even a smidgen of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Friday, 12 October 2018
Glenfiddich Project XX
Glenfiddich Project XX
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
47% ABV
Dram
Nose: Yoghurt, raisins, honey, chocolate, hints of coffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, thickens, slightly slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Toffee, chocolate, raisins, orange peel, hints of coffee.
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, raisins, orange peel, vanilla, hints of coffee.
Comments:
Plenty of sherry casks in this one. Nicely complex, rather warming on a cool autumn day, this rather hit the spot. I don't advise drinking it out of season though.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
47% ABV
Dram
Nose: Yoghurt, raisins, honey, chocolate, hints of coffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, thickens, slightly slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Toffee, chocolate, raisins, orange peel, hints of coffee.
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, raisins, orange peel, vanilla, hints of coffee.
Comments:
Plenty of sherry casks in this one. Nicely complex, rather warming on a cool autumn day, this rather hit the spot. I don't advise drinking it out of season though.
Verdict:
I like this.
Mackmyra 10yo
Mackmyra 10yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Gastrikland
Dark gold
46.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, raspberries, malted grains, yoghurt, hints of cloudberries.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, turns watery, slightly volatile.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cloudberries, oranges, black tea, cloves, hints of lemon thyme.
Finish: Medium. Yoghurt, oranges, raspberries, black tea, malted grains.
Comments:
This is floral and spicy, with a briny, malty kick. Yes, Mackmyra ages well, and I think this is but a glimpse of what the spirit could become given time. It's excellent.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Gastrikland
Dark gold
46.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, raspberries, malted grains, yoghurt, hints of cloudberries.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, turns watery, slightly volatile.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cloudberries, oranges, black tea, cloves, hints of lemon thyme.
Finish: Medium. Yoghurt, oranges, raspberries, black tea, malted grains.
Comments:
This is floral and spicy, with a briny, malty kick. Yes, Mackmyra ages well, and I think this is but a glimpse of what the spirit could become given time. It's excellent.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Wild Turkey 101
Wild Turkey 101
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
50.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, orange peel, white grapes, gooseberries, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, volatile, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Orange peel, bananas, gooseberries, toffee, raisins, hints of caramel.
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, cloves, bananas, caramel.
Comments:
This is a powerful, robust bourbon, with better tha average complexity. It's been aged at least 6 years, according to the literature, and it shows. Excellent notes of orange peel predominate, almost crowding out the classic bourbon banana flavours.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
50.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, orange peel, white grapes, gooseberries, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, volatile, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Orange peel, bananas, gooseberries, toffee, raisins, hints of caramel.
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, cloves, bananas, caramel.
Comments:
This is a powerful, robust bourbon, with better tha average complexity. It's been aged at least 6 years, according to the literature, and it shows. Excellent notes of orange peel predominate, almost crowding out the classic bourbon banana flavours.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Glen Esk 34yo 1980/2014
Glen Esk 34yo 1980/2014
Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - East Highlands
Goldenrod
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon, honeysuckle, fresh cut grass, peaches, jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, astringent, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon drops, peaches, mint, vanilla, figs, hints of white tea.
Finish: Long. Lemon sherbet, honeysuckle, jasmine, mint, figs.
Comments:
Well, this is glorious. Floral, citrusy and sweet, with a luscious jammy note, this is excellent whisky. It's so delicate it could almost be a Speyside, but it's a rare gem from a well-mourned distillery (at least for me).
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - East Highlands
Goldenrod
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon, honeysuckle, fresh cut grass, peaches, jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, astringent, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon drops, peaches, mint, vanilla, figs, hints of white tea.
Finish: Long. Lemon sherbet, honeysuckle, jasmine, mint, figs.
Comments:
Well, this is glorious. Floral, citrusy and sweet, with a luscious jammy note, this is excellent whisky. It's so delicate it could almost be a Speyside, but it's a rare gem from a well-mourned distillery (at least for me).
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Friday, 28 September 2018
Chita Distiller's Reserve
Chita Distiller's Reserve
Official bottling
Single grain - West Honshu
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, cotton sheets, jasmine, white tea, brass polish.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, watery.
Tasting: Sour bitter. White tea, lemon zest, brass polish, fried eggs, burnt sugar.
Finish: Medium. Jasmine, brass polish, lemon zest, burnt sugar.
Comments:
Well, this is rather odd. It's a grain whisky, but it's tannic, even sulphurous. If it were a malt whisky, I'd say it's one of the strange, intense Speysides that the Scotch Malt Whisky Society serve up every so often, but it's Japanese grain...
Verdict:
Not bad.
Official bottling
Single grain - West Honshu
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, cotton sheets, jasmine, white tea, brass polish.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, watery.
Tasting: Sour bitter. White tea, lemon zest, brass polish, fried eggs, burnt sugar.
Finish: Medium. Jasmine, brass polish, lemon zest, burnt sugar.
Comments:
Well, this is rather odd. It's a grain whisky, but it's tannic, even sulphurous. If it were a malt whisky, I'd say it's one of the strange, intense Speysides that the Scotch Malt Whisky Society serve up every so often, but it's Japanese grain...
Verdict:
Not bad.
Boulder Bourbon
Boulder Bourbon
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Colorado
Amber
42% ABV
Dram
Nose: Black tea, raisins, camphor, cinnamon, marshmallows, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, volatile, loose.
Tasting: Sweet. Black tea, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, raisins, malted grains.
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, dried pears, camphor, hints of raisins.
Comments:
A very odd bourbon from Colorado. It's spicy, but lacks much of the fruity estery notes that characterise, say, Kentucky bourbon. Instead, it's cereally, medicinal, perhaps even on the harsh side. An interesting product, takes some getting used to.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single bourbon - Colorado
Amber
42% ABV
Dram
Nose: Black tea, raisins, camphor, cinnamon, marshmallows, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, volatile, loose.
Tasting: Sweet. Black tea, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, raisins, malted grains.
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, dried pears, camphor, hints of raisins.
Comments:
A very odd bourbon from Colorado. It's spicy, but lacks much of the fruity estery notes that characterise, say, Kentucky bourbon. Instead, it's cereally, medicinal, perhaps even on the harsh side. An interesting product, takes some getting used to.
Verdict:
I like this.
Glenallachie 18yo
Glenallachie 18yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, raisins, brass polish, dried apples, lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, static, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Dried apples, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, marzipan, hints of black tea.
Finish: Long. Black tea, marzipan, oats, hints of dried apples.
Comments:
Very Rosebank-ey on the nose (many whiskies have managed to replicate the characteristics of Rosebank these days), but this transforms into fruit leather and almonds on the tongue. Tasty whisky, but it doesn't show its age.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, raisins, brass polish, dried apples, lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, static, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Dried apples, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, marzipan, hints of black tea.
Finish: Long. Black tea, marzipan, oats, hints of dried apples.
Comments:
Very Rosebank-ey on the nose (many whiskies have managed to replicate the characteristics of Rosebank these days), but this transforms into fruit leather and almonds on the tongue. Tasty whisky, but it doesn't show its age.
Verdict:
I like this.
Thursday, 20 September 2018
Talisker 8yo 2009/2018
Talisker 8yo 2009/2018
Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold 48.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Fresh baked bread, bacon, peat, driftwood smoke, orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sour salty. Lemon zest, orange blossom, peat, bacon, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Medium. Peat, sea salt, lemon zest, fresh baked bread, hints of driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Cask 12364. A light and unusual Talisker. It's not very marine, but there's plenty of peat, smoke and bacon rind. It's floral, yet meaty, with delicious cereal notes in the finish.
Verdict:
I like this.
Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold 48.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Fresh baked bread, bacon, peat, driftwood smoke, orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sour salty. Lemon zest, orange blossom, peat, bacon, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Medium. Peat, sea salt, lemon zest, fresh baked bread, hints of driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Cask 12364. A light and unusual Talisker. It's not very marine, but there's plenty of peat, smoke and bacon rind. It's floral, yet meaty, with delicious cereal notes in the finish.
Verdict:
I like this.
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