Eden Mill 2019 Release

Eden Mill 2019 Release

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, milk chocolate, hay, honey, vanilla, hints of black pepper.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands slightly.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, damson jam, milk chocolate, black tea, blueberries, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, damson jam, raisins, milk chocolate, black pepper. 

Comments: 

A nice little sherried dram, from a newish Lowlands distillery that I’ve not tried until now. It’s not exactly distinctive, but there’s plenty of pleasant jammy notes here, combined with a rather lactic spirit. Gets the job done. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Editions Liberty

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Editions Liberty

Official bottling 
Single malt - Cumbria
Pale gold
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dark chocolate, orange peel, lemon zest, cola nuts, fresh baked bread, hints of bay leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, airy, expands.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, bay leaf, lemon zest, fresh baked bread, black tea, black pepper, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper, hints of green pepper. 

Comments: 

Sweet and herbaceous, with a citrus undertone. It wasn’t perfect tasting conditions when I had this, but I did manage to have it at the Lakes distillery. A beautiful place that is well worth a visit. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Ben Nevis 24yo 1997/2021

Ben Nevis 24yo 1997/2021

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Western Highlands
Golden, hints of green 
43.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, white grapes, yoghurt, greengages, toffee, hints of pine nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, greengages, green apples, toffee, cream, hints of white chocolate, hints of pine nuts. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, green apples, yoghurt, cream, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

This tastes green, lots of tart, slightly herbaceous fruit, allied to deep underlying sweetness. Lots of complexity and a little bit of leathery peatiness on the finish. As uncomplicated as whisky gets. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Omar Single Malt (Sherry Cask)

Omar Single Malt (Sherry Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Taiwan

Amber gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, fresh baked bread, apple juice, prunes, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, raisins, apple juice, cloves, orange peel, hints of plums. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, orange peel, prunes. 

Comments: 

Discontinued version of Nantou’s standard sherried malt. It’s quite lovely, with deep intense notes of dried fruity and chocolate, with some nice cereal underpinning it. It’s probably only around 5 years old, but aged in a warmer climate, so tastes more intense than some 10 year old Scotches.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, plums, honey, kiwifruit, vanilla, hints of black pepper. With water, damson jam, black pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands slightly, warm, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, fresh baked bread, vanilla, black pepper, black tea, hints of orange peel. With water, fresh baked bread, orange peel, black tea, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, black pepper, black tea, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, lots of fruit and plenty of spicy notes. It deepens with a touch of water, becomes sweeter but less spicy. Nice. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Dalmore 25yo 1992/2017

Dalmore 25yo 1992/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Golden, hints of green 
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, chocolate, malted grains, barley sugar, vanilla, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, vanilla, lemon zest, honey, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, lemon zest, greengages, hints of cornflakes. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, greengages, barley sugar. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, green chillies, lemon zest, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Old Dalmore, bourbon cask, quite a rarity. Lots of cereal and green fruit on the tongue and nose, and it finishes with a spicy bang. But it lacks a little in complexity for such an old dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands 
Amber
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Woodsmoke, sea salt, sandalwood, aluminium foil, raisins, hints of photocopy paper. With water, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, barley sugar, semolina pudding. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh baked bread, honey, barley sugar, raisins, black tea, hints of woodsmoke. With water, black tea, semolina pudding, honey, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, sea salt, fresh baked bread, vanilla, semolina pudding. 

Comments: 

Sweet, not a lot of smoke or peat (not that there’s a lot of that in Arran). Quite a lot of cereal as well, especially with a touch of water. It’s all very fragrant with decent complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tobermory Isle of Mull (old dumpy)

Tobermory Isle of Mull (old dumpy)

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands 
Dark gold, hints of copper
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, orange juice, toffee apples, fresh baked bread, toast, hints of papayas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange juice, toffee apples, leather, mint, butterscotch, hints of cocoa powder. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa powder, butterscotch, toast, orange juice. 

Comments: 

This was bottled around the year 2000, and there’s quite a bit of old bottle effect. It’s mild, milder than today’s Tobermory, and certainly milder than today’s Ledaig. Lots of fruit underneath that peat, and quite a bit of cocoa. Nice. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Torabhaig Club Reserve Oloroso Puncheon 4yo 2017/2021

Torabhaig Club Reserve Oloroso Puncheon 4yo 2017/2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands 
Dark gold, hints of yellow
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, honey, sea salt, lemon juice, sumac, nashi pears, hints of leather. With water, lemon juice, wildflowers, sea salt, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Lemon juice, sumac, leather, smoke, germolene, sea salt, hints of nashi pears. With water, sea salt, germolene, wildflowers, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, sumac, mint, germolene, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Quite floral underneath the peat, with a great whopping lemon juice note. It devolves to germolene given some air, and on the finish. Very promising indeed, I want to try some older Torabhaig. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/2021

Undisclosed Orkney 18yo 2003/202-

Infrequent Flyers, Alastair Walker
Single malt - Islands 
Red
53.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, barley sugar, sage, vanilla, strawberry laces, hints of smoke. With water, honey, raisins, strawberry yoghurt, hints of leather.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, warm.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry laces, white grapes, orange peel, black tea, fresh baked bread, hints of smoke. With water, orange peel, honey, white grapes, hints of strawberry yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, raisins, fresh baked bread, orange peel, hints of greengages. 

Comments: 

Cask 5747. This is Highland Park. Quite fruity, lots of strawberry that almost drowns out any peat or salinity. Some cereal, but it’s somewhat atypically sweet for HP. 

Verdict:

I like this.