Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark gold 
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, five spice powder, sultanas, nectarines, pears, leather, hints of roast chicken. With water, nectarines, leather, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, sultanas, nectarines, white pepper, hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, hints of pears. With water, honey, sultanas, hoppy beer, nectarines. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, sultanas, pears. 

Comments: 

Semi official release by Phil and Simon Thompson. Well, this is pretty good. For such young distillate, it’s got amazing complexity and a rather unique character. Like peaches steeped in beer. It’s not that widely available in the UK, and costs a pretty penny if you can find it, but it’s worth the price.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dartmoor Oloroso Sherry Cask

Dartmoor Oloroso Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Devon
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, grapefruit, sultanas, pencil erasers, dark chocolate, orange sherbet. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, thickens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, malted grains, grapefruit, gingerbread, vitamin C tablets, cinnamon, hints of vanilla, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Vitamin C tablets, orange sherbet, malted grains, green tea. 

Comments: 

Tart and citrusy, with a slightly dusty note that reminds me of vitamin C tablets. Eddu whisky also tastes a bit like this. Not too sweet surprisingly, oloroso casks normally impart some grape flavour, but not here.

Verdict:

I like this.

Four Seasons Single Barrel 13yo 2013

Four Seasons Single Barrel 13yo 2013

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
63.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, strawberry jam, sandalwood, black pepper, hints of orange peel. With water, strawberry jam, roses, cinnamon, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberry jam, menthol, brown paper, raisins, black pepper, orange peel, hints of liquorice. With water, black pepper, strawberry jam, menthol, orange peel. 
Finish: Medium. Menthol, raisins, black pepper, liquorice. 

Comments: 

These Four Roses limited editions are surprisingly (at least to me) popular. They’re nice, but they’re really more intense and highly flavoured versions of the basic dram. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth paying for, but I prefer whiskies that showcase a different aspect of the distillate. Still, I enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aberlour A’bunadh Alba Batch 005

Aberlour A’bunadh Alba Batch 005

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
62.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, violets, dandelions, honey, green apples, lemon sweets, hints of sandalwood. With water, lemon sweets, green apples, fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Violets, lemon zest, cream, dandelions, white pepper, green apples, hints of apricots. With water, cream, green apples, white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Apricots, lemon zest, cream, green apples. 

Comments: 

A bourbon matured expression of the very sherried A’bunadh. Very floral, tart and herbal. Slightly challenging to get past the initial violets note, but with water it lightens up into cream and green apples. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Strathclyde 29yo 1993/2022

Strathclyde 29yo 1993/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange peel, butterscotch, vanilla, photocopy paper, allspice. With water, sea salt, butterscotch, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, butterscotch, allspice, salt caramel, brown paper, cocoa nibs. With water, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, raisins. 
Finish: Long. Salt caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Old grain is one of the best whiskies, and Phil & Simon Thompson have one of the best eyes for casks out there. This is excellent, lots of sweet old notes, like cocoa and allspice, with a lovely texture.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardlair 11yo 2010/2022

Ardlair 11yo 2010/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, lemon sweets, cream, vanilla, sea salt, leather, hints of walnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, sultanas, orange juice, vanilla, leather, hints of smoke, hints of damson jam. 
Finish: Long. Orange juice, lemon sweets, walnuts, leather, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Never had Ardlair (“Ardless”) but I like the look and taste of it. Lots of sweet and sour fruit infused with a rich dark nuttiness. I must hunt out some older expressions, if they’re available.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Wyvis 3yo 2018/2021 Inaugural Release

Glen Wyvis 3yo 2018/2021 Inaugural Release

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw, hints of green
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, fresh cut grass, malted grains, lemon zest, cream cheese, apricot jam. With water, apricot jam, fresh cut grass, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour. Fresh cut grass, lemon juice, peaches, apricot jam, white pepper, cinnamon, sourdough bread. With water, lemon juice, sourdough bread, raisins. 
Finish: Long. Apricot jam, white pepper, chillies, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Heard a lot of good things about this distillery. The distillate is good, citrusy and light with accents of herbal grassiness. I like the stripped back nature, it’s a way for the distiller to show his skill. Very enjoyable. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Annandale Man O’Words Oloroso Sherry Butt (Cask 813)

Annandale Man O’Words Oloroso Sherry Butt (Cask 813)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber orange 
60.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, cream, oolong tea, pencil erasers, pomeloes, honey, vanilla. With water, orange peel, clay dust, buttermilk. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Orange peel, malted grains, vanilla, raisins, photocopy paper, white pepper, saffron. With water, orange peel, buttermilk, saffron, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, pomeloes, saffron, oolong tea, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Cask 813. Very smooth (not an adjective I like to use, but apt in this case). Lots of fruit and feinty notes, together with herbal saffron. A very faint hint of smoke around the tannins.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bodding Lokn Special Edition Cask 2017

Bodding Lokn Special Edition Cask 2017

Official bottling 
Single malt - Niederösterreich 
Amber pink
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, raisins, red grapes, brown paper, cherries, black pepper, cocoa nibs, hints of pears. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Hazelnuts, mushrooms, brown paper, cherries, malted grains, cream cheese, cocoa nibs, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Long. Mushrooms, cream cheese, orange peel, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Burgundy wine cask. Not necessarily a fan, sometimes it can work though. It’s imparted an earthy mushroomy flavour to what was otherwise quite sweet and fruity. It’s not unpleasant, quite unusual.

Verdict:

I like this.

Waldviertler Single Malt Whisky

Waldviertler Single Malt Whisky

Official bottling 
Single malt - Niederösterreich
Amber gold
41% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, fresh cut grass, brown paper, green tea, anise, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, thickens slightly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh cut grass, raisins, toffee, anise, tarragon, brown paper, cream, hints of violets. 
Finish: Medium. Anise, tarragon, raisins, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Austrian whisky again, very floral and herbal. It’s got a lot of slightly soapy violets notes, but it’s quite faint and not unpleasant. It’s rounded out by a finish redolent of anise and tarragon.

Verdict:

I like this.