Glenallachie 12yo 2008/2021

Glenallachie 12yo 2008/2021

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside 
Walnut
62.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, milk chocolate, vanilla sponge, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, star anise, sea salt, hints of sandalwood. With water, vanilla sponge, strawberry jam, sandalwood, hints of star anise. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, volatile, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Damson jam, raisins, coffee, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, malted grains, star anise, orange peel, hints of dried figs. With water, coffee, orange peel, raisins, dried figs, hints of strawberry jam. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, coffee, cocoa nibs, dried figs, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Cask 900366. Dark and luscious, this sherry beast is redolent of the best of its kind - coffee, star anise, chocolate etc. The high ABV means a fair few drops of water are required, and they turn the whisky wonderfully jammy.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenfarclas 21yo 95 Proof (TWE Exclusive)

Glenfarclas 21yo 95 Proof (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark bronze
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, red grapes, dark chocolate, brass polish, sandalwood, rum and raisin, honey. With water, honey, dark chocolate, vanilla, carrot cake. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, oily, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, sandalwood, malted grains, dark chocolate, figs, shortcrust pastry, hints of brass polish. With water, dark chocolate, vanilla, shortcrust pastry, coffee. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, red grapes, orange peel, rum and raisin. 

Comments: 

Luscious and fruity, this Glenfarclas is quite emblematic of the distillery. Lots of spicy notes, including rum and raisin ice cream (blast from the past!). With water, it extends and turns bitter. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fujikai 10yo

Fujikai 10yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber, hints of copper 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, photocopy paper, honey, green tea, walnut skins, oak chips, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Peat, leather, honey, white grapes, walnut skins, cedar, sea salt, oak chips, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, oak chips, leather, malted grains, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

A very weird, strange whisky. Lots of woody and feinty flavours, but not a lot of balancing sweet notes. It’s a bit like chewing on a piece of oak wrapped in a strip of leather.

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Dailuaine 14yo 2007/2021

Dailuaine 14yo 2007/2021

Cask Series, North Star Spirits 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, toast, white grapes, ink, vanilla, malted grains, watermelon rind. With water, malted grains, watermelon rind, toast, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, green tea, vanilla, dark chocolate, lemon zest, ink, hints of white pepper. With water, green tea, leather, watermelon rind, hints of ink. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, lemon zest, green tea, watermelon rind. 

Comments: 

Quite a grassy Dailuaine. I don’t remember it being this light and herbal. Lots of spicy notes, as well as some leather and toast. Surprisingly feinty too.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Nc’Nean 3yo Batch 2

Nc’Nean 3yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Pale green gold 
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, passionfruit, raisins, damson jam, peaches, honey, hints of yoghurt. With water, honey, malted grains, papayas, hints of lemon curd. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Passionfruit, fresh cut grass, sage, peaches, yoghurt, strawberry jam, hints of cinnamon, hints of damson jam. With water, yoghurt, honey, lemon curd, passionfruit. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, yoghurt, peaches, raisins, hints of passionfruit. 

Comments: 

Tart, yet fruity and grassy. It’s complex whisky for something just 3 years old, and there’s quite a lot of spicy notes already. Must have been an active cask! Rather enjoyable, and very promising.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dornoch 5yo 2017/2022 Cask 10

Dornoch 5yo 2017/2022 Cask 10

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Bright gold
59.06% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, peanut butter, pear drops, vanilla, orange sherbet, malted grains, hints of lemon zest. With water, magic marker, lemon zest, watermelons, peaches, hints of orange sherbet. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Magic marker, watermelons, pear drops, peanut butter, malted grains, walnuts, shortbread, hay, hints of peaches. With water, peaches, watermelons, hay, hints of orange sherbet. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, pear drops, shortbread, hay, hints of orange sherbet. 

Comments: 

Cask 10. Very nutty, but there’s that magic marker / pear drops note again. It’s also almost savoury, almost like acetone, against the backdrop of grassy watermelon and nutty peanut butter. Very interesting, and very good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dornoch 5yo 2017/2022 Blankenship’s Reserve Cask 3

Dornoch 5yo 2017/2022 Blankenship’s Reserve Cask 3

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber 
60% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried apricots, peaches, mangoes, passionfruit, banana peel, vanilla, honey, hints of tomato purée. With water, peaches, greengages, banana peel, magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, dried apricots, photocopy paper, cloves, pear drops, magic marker, malted grains. With water, malted grains, black pepper, oats, banana peel. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, brown paper, photocopy paper, cloves, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 3. Very fruity and floral, over a great strong malty spine. Rather nice neat, but with water it somehow… weakens? Certainly the fruity notes fade, becoming more herbal and malty.

Verdict:

I like this.

Port Charlotte SHC:03 13yo 2006/2020

Port Charlotte SHC:03 13yo 2006/2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Chinese tea 
62.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toast, smoke, honey, lemon zest, figs, leather, peat, white grapes, hints of cloves. With water, tarry rope, smoked bacon, white grapes, hints of figs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slightly numbing, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, smoke, peat, orange juice, tarry rope, figs, charcoal ash, hints of smoked bacon. With water, orange juice, smoke, leather, charcoal ash, hints of figs. 
Finish: Long. Orange juice, lemon zest, leather, tarry rope. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet, despite the peating. At least when it’s neat, anyway. Several drops of water open up some more classic Islay flavours - tarry rope, charcoal ash and smoked bacon - but the sweet figgy character remains just underneath.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kyrö Wood Smoke Rye Whiskey

Kyrö Wood Smoke Rye Whiskey

Official bottling 
Single rye - Southern Finland
Amber bronze 
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, honey, damson jam, black tea, peaches, white grapes, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Damson jam, white grapes, leather, toast, sourdough bread, hints of smoke, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Sourdough bread, toast, malted grains, leather, hints of milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Sweet and smoky, with lots of fruit. Quite unusual, in that the rye spice is quite subtle and gentle. So’s the smoke, really, it’s muted and definitely not a top note. Delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Royal Brackla 9yo 2012/2021

Royal Brackla 9yo 2012/2021

Rebels - Guerrilla Casks, Brave New Spirits
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
55.9% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Yoghurt, peaches, toast, milk chocolate, greengages, hints of damson jam. With water, yoghurt, peaches, damson jam, lemon zest. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, toast, honey, cloves, greengages, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest. With water, malted grains, damson jam, peaches, hints of honey. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, nutmeg, cinnamon, peaches, hints of black tea. 

Comments: 

Cask 493, Banyuls Barrique. Really surprising stuff, redolent of peaches, toast and honey. It’s sweet and luscious, and the high ABV makes it quite light and volatile too. Huge amounts of spice as well. All in all, quite excellent. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.