Springbank 12yo Cask Strength (2024 Edition)

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength (2024 Edition)

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Dark amber 
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, petrol exhaust, winter melons, cream, Demerara sugar, hints of damson jam. With water, raisins, petrol exhaust, honey, winter melons. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, farmyard, petrol exhaust, cream, Demerara sugar, soot, hints of winter melons. With water, petrol exhaust, damson jam, candle wax, honey. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, cream, Demerara sugar, damson jam, soot. 

Comments: 

A very nice Springbank, this - lots of petrol and smoke notes, even soot, and sweet tannins. Water brings out more smoke, some fruit, and on the tongue, even some wax. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Yuza 2023 Edition

Yuza 2023 Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden
51% ABV
Bottle 

Nose: Malted grains, white grapes, peaches, magic marker, apricot jam, gunpowder, hints of sultanas. With water, gunpowder, magic marker, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, volatile, warm.
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, apricot jam, pears, orange peel, black pepper, vanilla, honey, hints of lemon zest. With water, malted grains, apricot jam, pears, hints of sultanas. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, lemon zest, apricot jam, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Extremely fruity, with a frisson of metallic sulphur on the nose. On the tongue it changes to pepper and malt, and loosens up with water. Water brings out more malt, apricots and pears.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balvenie 15yo 1974/1990

Balvenie 15yo 197/1990

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Bright yellow
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, gooseberries, papayas, white grapes, raisins, malted grains, hints of orange peel. With water, pear drops, malted grains, orange peel, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, gooseberries, damson jam, malted grains, cocoa nibs, black pepper, cloves, hints of orange peel. With water, pear drops, fresh baked bread, winter melons, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Winter melons, cloves, malted grains, vanilla, damson jam. 

Comments: 

Leathery and rancio, lots of old dusty notes. It’s estery and cereally, the fruit notes are starting to break down. Very complex and layered, a single session dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blinking Owl Rye Whiskey

Blinking Owl Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - California
Amber, hints of yellow
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, white pepper, sandalwood, vanilla, nutmeg, nutmeg, honey, hints of damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, honey, sandalwood, nutmeg, white pepper, shortbread, hints of milk powder. 
Finish: Medium. Nutmeg, shortbread, honey, milk powder, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual tasting rye, lots of fragrant notes on the nose. On the tongue it moves to the milky and lactic spectrum, with notes of milk powder and shortbread. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Blinking Owl Four Grain Bourbon

Blinking Owl Four Grain Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - California
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, cloves, black pepper, raisins, strawberry jam, cocoa nibs, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Oak chips, honey, moss, fresh cut grass, cocoa nibs, cloves, black pepper, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Moss, coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Interesting bourbon from a now closed distillery. It starts out with jammy sweet notes - so far so normal. On the tongue it turns earthy and green, losing some of the sweetness. There’s more than a smattering of oaky wood too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine Chapter 3

Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine Chapter 3

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, tyre rubber, tarry rope, vanilla, applesauce, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Leather, peat, smoke, tyre rubber, raisins, vanilla, applesauce. 
Finish: Short. Applesauce, cinnamon, smoke, vanilla. 

Comments: 

My word, this tastes more and more like Islay whisky every time I try it. It’s smoky and peaty, even sulphurous, but all that covers a light distillate that carries notes of apple and vanilla.

Verdict:

I like this.

Casks of Lindores - Sherry Cask

Casks of Lindores - Sherry Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Walnut
49.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, red grapes, chicken stock, raisins, damson jam, hints of mushrooms. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, cool, astringent. 

Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, sea salt, chicken stock, black pepper, black tea, damson jam, hints of mushrooms.
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, sherry, olive brine, chicken stock. 

Comments: 

Sweet, but also quite savoury. It’s like drinking good chicken jus with a huge glug of sherry and brandy in it. Slightly harsh around the edges, but otherwise rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 10yo 2011/2022

Glen Spey 10yo 2011/2022

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
46% ABV

Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, gooseberries, white grapes, yoghurt, malted grains, white pepper, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon juice, peaches, cinder toffee, malted grains, vanilla, fresh cut grass, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Cinder toffee, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, gooseberries, hints of sour cream. 

Comments: 

Casks 801625 and 801626. Lactic whisky, lots of fruity notes, but those are under a thick layer of sour cream. It’s grassy and green as well, especially on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Belgrove Oat 3yo (Ex Pinot Noir, ex Tasmanian whisky)

Belgrove Oat 3yo (Ex Pinot Noirc ex Tasmanian whisky)

International Series, Killowen bottler
Single grain - Tasmania
Amber gold 
59.79% ABV

Dram

Nose: Peanut butter, clay dust, white pepper, photocopy paper, sandalwood, birch sap, hints of oak chips. With water, lemon juice, oak chips, hints of tyre rubber. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Salty. Peanut butter, oak chips, sea salt, toast, sandalwood, photocopy paper, lemon juice, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, lemon juice, birch sap, peanut butter. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, peanut butter, butterscotch, toast. 

Comments: 

Salty oat spirit, quite unbalanced. It’s green and sappy, but also laden with peanut butter and some sulphurous notes. Water brings out more sulphur and sappy notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Killowen Rum and Raisin Single Malt (Great Northern)

Killowen Rum and Raisin Single Malt (Great Northern)

Killowen bottler
Single malt - Leinster
Yellow gold
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, yoghurt, sultanas, cocoa nibs, coffee, hints of butterscotch. With water, peanuts, farmyard, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange peel, sultanas, cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, cream, yoghurt, vanilla. With water, damson jam, rum, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Peanuts, white pepper, cream, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Sweet and nutty, but with a bitter edge. Water brings out some interesting notes, mostly from the cask, but there’s a big whiff of farmyard smells on the nose.

Verdict:

I like this.