Drum Whisky Black Label
Official bottling
Single malt - Bali
Yellow gold
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Caramel, toffee, new plastic, orange juice, matches, hints of butterscotch.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, loosens, slightly tingly.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Matches, caramel, burnt sugar, butterscotch, kombucha, hints of vanilla.
Finish: Short. Sourdough bread, matches, butterscotch, toffee, burnt sugar.
Comments:
I did not know that Indonesia made whisky. This one is fairly straightforward, and it’s also one without any tartrazine in it. Some tart notes, wreathed through with sulphur and toffee.
Verdict:
I like this.
Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Friday, 11 August 2023
Ardbeg 14yo 2008/2023
Ardbeg 14yo 2008/2023
Cut Your Wolf Loose, Woolf Sung
Single malt - Islay
Amber
63.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, orange peel, pears, lemon zest, golden syrup, hints of dark chocolate. With water, smoke, dark chocolate, orange peel, cloves.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, hot, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, smoke, honey, toffee, pears, raisins, molasses. With water, smoke, leather, dark chocolate, cloves.
Finish: Long. Pears, smoke, golden syrup, leather, hints of peat.
Comments:
Lovely Ardbeg from the famous Brighton bar. It’s sweet and chocolatey, quite quintessentially Ardbeg for me. There’s other stuff - bitter dark molasses, fragrant cloves - that make this very interesting.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Cut Your Wolf Loose, Woolf Sung
Single malt - Islay
Amber
63.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, orange peel, pears, lemon zest, golden syrup, hints of dark chocolate. With water, smoke, dark chocolate, orange peel, cloves.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, hot, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, smoke, honey, toffee, pears, raisins, molasses. With water, smoke, leather, dark chocolate, cloves.
Finish: Long. Pears, smoke, golden syrup, leather, hints of peat.
Comments:
Lovely Ardbeg from the famous Brighton bar. It’s sweet and chocolatey, quite quintessentially Ardbeg for me. There’s other stuff - bitter dark molasses, fragrant cloves - that make this very interesting.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Balmenach 10yo 2011/2022
Balmenach 10yo 2011/2022
Casks of Distinction, Lady of the Glen
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
56.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Cream, yoghurt, green apples, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, grapefruit, hints of vanilla. With water, yoghurt, green apples, grapefruit, raisins, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Green apples, grapefruit, dark chocolate, toast, toffee, cocoa nibs, hints of sour cherries. With water, green apples, raisins, toffee, cinnamon, yoghurt.
Finish: Medium. Raisins, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, sour cherries.
Comments:
Cask 417. Fruity and bright Balmenach, with some darker, more bitter notes lurking underneath. Slightly unbalanced - more tart than sweet - but interesting and sparked discussion.
Verdict:
I like this.
Casks of Distinction, Lady of the Glen
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
56.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Cream, yoghurt, green apples, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, grapefruit, hints of vanilla. With water, yoghurt, green apples, grapefruit, raisins, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Green apples, grapefruit, dark chocolate, toast, toffee, cocoa nibs, hints of sour cherries. With water, green apples, raisins, toffee, cinnamon, yoghurt.
Finish: Medium. Raisins, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, sour cherries.
Comments:
Cask 417. Fruity and bright Balmenach, with some darker, more bitter notes lurking underneath. Slightly unbalanced - more tart than sweet - but interesting and sparked discussion.
Verdict:
I like this.
Port Charlotte SYC:01 2006
Port Charlotte SYC:01 2006
Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
60.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, honey, apple juice, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, cream, hints of greengages. With water, honey, cooked rice, smoke, cocoa nibs, cream.
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peat, driftwood smoke, leather, apple juice, cooked rice, cinnamon, sandalwood. With water, peat, new plastic, honey, cooked rice.
Finish: Long. Raisins, cooked rice, honey, cocoa nibs, driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Sweet, but with a peaty, smoky, bitter edge. So far, so expected. The creaminess was something that I did not expect, however, and it was very pleasant. Water unfortunately didn’t improve it, bringing a slightly acrid plasticky note to the fore.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
60.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, honey, apple juice, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, cream, hints of greengages. With water, honey, cooked rice, smoke, cocoa nibs, cream.
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peat, driftwood smoke, leather, apple juice, cooked rice, cinnamon, sandalwood. With water, peat, new plastic, honey, cooked rice.
Finish: Long. Raisins, cooked rice, honey, cocoa nibs, driftwood smoke.
Comments:
Sweet, but with a peaty, smoky, bitter edge. So far, so expected. The creaminess was something that I did not expect, however, and it was very pleasant. Water unfortunately didn’t improve it, bringing a slightly acrid plasticky note to the fore.
Verdict:
I like this.
Auchroisk 14yo 2008/2022 Cigar Malt Edition
Auchroisk 14yo 2008/2022 Cigar Malt Edition
Single Cask Family Series, The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red
55.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, molasses, toffee, butterscotch, strawberry jam, hints of sage, hints of camphor. With water, marmalade, butterscotch, honey, raisins.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, oily, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toffee, honey, strawberry jam, marmalade, sage, fresh cut grass, camphor. With water, marmalade, camphor, cooked rice, honey.
Finish: Medium. Honey, toffee, marmalade, cooked rice.
Comments:
Cask 806008B. Oily, sherried dram, it would be perfect with a cigar if I still smoked. There’s some interesting cereal notes too. Still that lingering, earthy camphor, I had to double check that it wasn’t the previous dram.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Single Cask Family Series, The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red
55.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, molasses, toffee, butterscotch, strawberry jam, hints of sage, hints of camphor. With water, marmalade, butterscotch, honey, raisins.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, oily, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toffee, honey, strawberry jam, marmalade, sage, fresh cut grass, camphor. With water, marmalade, camphor, cooked rice, honey.
Finish: Medium. Honey, toffee, marmalade, cooked rice.
Comments:
Cask 806008B. Oily, sherried dram, it would be perfect with a cigar if I still smoked. There’s some interesting cereal notes too. Still that lingering, earthy camphor, I had to double check that it wasn’t the previous dram.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Ardmore 11yo 2009/2021
Ardmore 11yo 2009/2021
The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside
Orange
55.7% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, apple juice, heather, germolene, leather, petrichor, hints of wet stones. With water, honey, apple juice, apricot jam, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, oily.
Tasting: Sweet. Apple juice, sandalwood, apricot jam, petrichor, wet stones, autumn leaves, leather. With water, sandalwood, leather, apricot jam, camphor, black tea.
Finish: Medium. Germolene, malted grains, apricot jam, leather.
Comments:
Cask 709249. Ardmore, but with the peat a little stronger. It’s sweet but earthy, with a lot of camphor, but also apricot jam and some sandalwood. A good session dram.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside
Orange
55.7% ABV
Dram
Nose: Honey, apple juice, heather, germolene, leather, petrichor, hints of wet stones. With water, honey, apple juice, apricot jam, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, oily.
Tasting: Sweet. Apple juice, sandalwood, apricot jam, petrichor, wet stones, autumn leaves, leather. With water, sandalwood, leather, apricot jam, camphor, black tea.
Finish: Medium. Germolene, malted grains, apricot jam, leather.
Comments:
Cask 709249. Ardmore, but with the peat a little stronger. It’s sweet but earthy, with a lot of camphor, but also apricot jam and some sandalwood. A good session dram.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Sonoma Distilling Company Cherrywood Rye
Sonoma Distilling Company Cherrywood Rye
Official bottling
Single rye - California
Amber, hints of red
47.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, strawberry jam, malted grains, black tea, cloves, honey, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Black tea, black pepper, raisins, oatcakes, shortbread, vanilla, cloves.
Finish: Long. Black tea, black pepper, cloves, oatcakes, honey.
Comments:
Californian rye whisky, which is peppery and sweet, lots of jammy notes. But so far so standard, although the oatcake notes are slightly unusual. Pleasant dram, but not a stand out.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single rye - California
Amber, hints of red
47.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, strawberry jam, malted grains, black tea, cloves, honey, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Black tea, black pepper, raisins, oatcakes, shortbread, vanilla, cloves.
Finish: Long. Black tea, black pepper, cloves, oatcakes, honey.
Comments:
Californian rye whisky, which is peppery and sweet, lots of jammy notes. But so far so standard, although the oatcake notes are slightly unusual. Pleasant dram, but not a stand out.
Verdict:
I like this.
Thursday, 20 July 2023
Strathearn 9yo 2013/2023 ex-Sherry PWWT Private Cask
Strathearn 9yo 2013/2023 ex-Sherry PWWT Private Cask
Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark amber
60.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, rum and raisin ice cream, honey, orange peel, camphor, cloves, cream. With water, cream, rum and raisin ice cream, honey.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, turns airy, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, rum and raisin ice cream, honey, dark chocolate, camphor, cocoa nibs, black tea. With water, cream, honey, raisins, dark chocolate.
Finish: Long. Orange peel, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, camphor.
Comments:
Cask 27A. A private cask for Phil and Simon Thompson, of which a bottle was kindly shared for a Strathearn tasting. It’s glorious - sweet and raisiny, like a fine PX sherry. It’s also heavy, almost chewy on the tongue. Delicious.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark amber
60.3% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, rum and raisin ice cream, honey, orange peel, camphor, cloves, cream. With water, cream, rum and raisin ice cream, honey.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, turns airy, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, rum and raisin ice cream, honey, dark chocolate, camphor, cocoa nibs, black tea. With water, cream, honey, raisins, dark chocolate.
Finish: Long. Orange peel, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, camphor.
Comments:
Cask 27A. A private cask for Phil and Simon Thompson, of which a bottle was kindly shared for a Strathearn tasting. It’s glorious - sweet and raisiny, like a fine PX sherry. It’s also heavy, almost chewy on the tongue. Delicious.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Strathearn 9yo 2013/2023 Spirited Angels Virgin French Oak Cask
Strathearn 9yo 2013/2023 Spirited Angels Virgin French Oak Cask
A Seven Cask Series, Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
53.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Bananas, malted grains, barley sugar, orange peel, white pepper, honey, raisins. With water, cherries, honey, barley sugar, raisins.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loosens, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet. Malted grains, honey, raisins, bananas, chocolate, vanilla, white pepper, cinnamon. With water, malted grains, bananas, white pepper, barley sugar.
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, vanilla, honey, raisins, cherries.
Comments:
Cask 010. Malty and sweet, lots of fruit. I’d expected this to taste like bourbon - which it did, a little - but the banana note in bourbon was less evident, and this was more spicy. Nice stuff.
Verdict:
I like this.
A Seven Cask Series, Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
53.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Bananas, malted grains, barley sugar, orange peel, white pepper, honey, raisins. With water, cherries, honey, barley sugar, raisins.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loosens, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet. Malted grains, honey, raisins, bananas, chocolate, vanilla, white pepper, cinnamon. With water, malted grains, bananas, white pepper, barley sugar.
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, vanilla, honey, raisins, cherries.
Comments:
Cask 010. Malty and sweet, lots of fruit. I’d expected this to taste like bourbon - which it did, a little - but the banana note in bourbon was less evident, and this was more spicy. Nice stuff.
Verdict:
I like this.
Monday, 17 July 2023
Strathearn 8yo 2014/2023 Spirited Angels Sherry Cask
Strathearn 8yo 2014/2023 Spirited Angels Sherry Cask
A Seven Cask Series, Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
51.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, cooked rice, strawberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, leather, dark chocolate. With water, strawberry jam, vanilla, marshmallows.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Cooked rice, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, raisins, black tea, hints of lychees. With water, strawberry jam, raisins, lychees, marshmallows.
Finish: Long. Black tea, leather, cocoa nibs, lychees.
Comments:
Cask 049. Very impressive sherried dram - chocolatey, bitter and complex. There’s also a very light fruity note that reminds me of lychees. Delicious whisky.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
A Seven Cask Series, Thompson Bros
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
51.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, cooked rice, strawberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, leather, dark chocolate. With water, strawberry jam, vanilla, marshmallows.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Cooked rice, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, raisins, black tea, hints of lychees. With water, strawberry jam, raisins, lychees, marshmallows.
Finish: Long. Black tea, leather, cocoa nibs, lychees.
Comments:
Cask 049. Very impressive sherried dram - chocolatey, bitter and complex. There’s also a very light fruity note that reminds me of lychees. Delicious whisky.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)