Muteman Rye Whiskey

Muteman Rye Whiskey 

Official bottling
Single rye - Southern Finland
Amber, hints of bronze
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, leather, sourdough, white grapes, strawberries, hints of watermelon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, static. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, cloves, mangoes, watermelon, malted grains, raisins, hints of strawberries. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, black pepper, black tea, oats. 

Comments: 

This is a rather lovely rye whiskey. It’s not quite a ‘single’ rye, if you like, there’s definitely some barley in here, perhaps more than you would find with a typical rye whiskey. The combination is good, lots of complexity from the malt, plus bold spicy notes from the rye. My slight gripe is that it would be better at a slightly higher strength. 

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 95.45 (Auchroisk 14yo 2006/2021)

SMWS 95.45 (Auchroisk 14yo 2006/2021)

2021, SMWS 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bronze
57.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, sandalwood, raisins, fresh baked bread, candied orange peel, cream, chamomile, hints of strawberry laces. With water, pears, dried apples, hints of mangoes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Strawberries, candied orange peel, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, cotton sheets, dried apples, hints of malted grains. With water, pear drops, mangoes, dried apples, cream, hints of bubble gum. 
Finish: Short. Dried apples, malted grains, raisins, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Red wine finished Auchroisk. It’s odd, even curious, with fewer of the traditional jammy notes but with more cereally and fruity notes. I had to wonder if I did like it, but in the end I decided that I did. It’s quite unbalanced, but, as every so often, it works. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 13yo

Craigellachie 13yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, barley sugar, orange peel, fresh cut grass, bananas, hints of roast pork.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, hot, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, bananas, black tea, waffles, barley sugar, orange peel, peanuts.  
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, waffles, vanilla.  

Comments: 

Malty and fruity expression of Craigellachie. I didn’t find the classic pineapple notes in this one though. It’s still fruity and has some complexity, but it’s different from the ‘normal’ official style. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Dalmore 13yo 2007/2020

Dalmore 13yo 2007/2020

Whisky Broker
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber red
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, red grapes, damson jam, malted grains, walnuts, hints of coffee. With water, raisins, pear drops, golden syrup, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, tingly, mouth coating.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, chocolate, walnuts, vanilla sponge, golden syrup. With water, walnuts, coffee, raisins, hints of candied orange peel.
Finish: Long. Vanilla sponge, walnuts, golden syrup, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Gloriously sherried Dalmore. Not a lot of independent bottling of Dalmore around, but this is a very decent dram indeed. Lots of sweet, jammy classic sherried notes, tapering to a long bitter finish. Great stuff. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 16.50 (Glenturret 6yo 2013/2020)

SMWS 16.50 (Glenturret 6yo 2013/2020)

2020, SMWS 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark gold

64.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, orange peel, chocolate, smoke, white grapes, tar, sea salt. With water, leather, salt caramel, sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Smoke, peat, green walnuts, chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, tar, sea salt, hints of lemon zest. With water, saltier, lemon zest, sea salt, malted grains, sour cream.  
Finish: Short. Green walnuts, orange peel, chilli flakes, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

This is a hearty, high strength peaty Glenturret. It’s not a whisky I’m very familiar with, but this one was unusual even so. It’s a very unbalanced style, lots of oddly clashing flavours, salty, sour and sweet at the same time. But it works, I think. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Springbank 25yo (2019 Edition)

Springbank 25yo (2019 Edition)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Campbeltown
Light amber 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, petrol exhaust, petrichor, orange peel, leather, peat, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens slightly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Leather, petrol exhaust, petrichor, orange peel, raisins, honey, smoke, hints of pineapples. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, raisins, honey, malted grains, hints of dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

They’ve begun putting edition numbers on Springbank now, because the funkiness seems to be eroding for some reason. Thankfully it’s all correct and present in this 25yo expression, even if it’s fading a little from the younger expressions. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Black Art 1990 (Bruichladdich 23yo) Edition 04.1

Black Art 1990 (Bruichladdich 23yo) Edition 04.1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay 

Amber
49.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, honey, cucumbers, black tea, hints of sulphur.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, mouth coating, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, raisins, orange peel, cherry blossom, black tea, hints of blackberry jam. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, sulphur, leather, cucumbers, hints of wet stones.  

Comments: 

Unpeated Bruichladdich, not something you see everyday. Anyway, it’s been quite highly sherried. Lots of sweet notes, jammy even. But the sweetness is quite light, somehow, with sulphur and tannins hovering in the background. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 21yo 1992/2013

Mortlach 21yo 1992/2013

Director’s Cut, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber rose 
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black tea, strawberries, fresh cut grass, dried cranberries, hints of bacon. With water, black tea, candied orange peel, dried cranberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loose, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, dried cranberries, rose water, bacon, hazelnuts, liquorice, candied orange peel. With water, black tea, liquorice, dried cranberries, honey, hazelnuts.  
Finish: Long. Candied orange peel, liquorice, rose water, hazelnuts. 

Comments: 

Cask 10143. This whisky was spicy and meaty, despite the huge wood influence. Plenty of fruit, especially strawberries, one the nose, and it followed straight through onto the tongue. I savoured it till the last drop. It was a magnificent example of sherry aging. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Clynelish 20yo 1997/2018

Clynelish 20yo 1997/2018

Candlelight Series, Whisky Illuminati
Single malt - North Highlands 
Silver gold
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, plums, lemon zest, candle wax, vanilla, cream, hints of cinnamon. With water, lemon zest, honey, cucumbers, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Plums, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, sea salt, hints of candle wax. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, bananas, toasted coconut, green tea.  

Comments: 

Whisky from an indie bottler that I’ve never tried. It’s quite classic Clynelish, lots of lemon zest and honey, together with a gentle waxy quality. Very delicious, well aged and rare. And expensive of course, sadly. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 105.24 (Tormore 25yo 1992/2018)

SMWS 105.24 (Tormore 25yo 1992/2018)

2018, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Olive oil, lemon zest, bananas, creme chantilly, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, bananas, creme chantilly, digestive biscuits, lemon zest, candle wax, cream cheese. 
Finish: Medium. Barley sugar, malted grains, digestive biscuits, lemon zest, olive oil. 

Comments: 

This is lovely, malty whisky. The malty notes are overlaid with biscuit, cereal, and fruit. To top it all off there’s a funky note that makes dramming this like eating banana cheesecake. It’s delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.