Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Private cask sample
Single malt - Islands
Amber
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, fresh cut grass, malted grains, toffee, white pepper, hints of smoke. With water, peat, raisins, orange juice. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peat, autumn leaves, malted grains, toffee, orange juice, cucumbers, hints of smoke. With water, autumn leaves, clay dust, toffee, peat. 

Finish: Medium. Toffee, malted grains, orange juice, peat. 

Comments: 

Thank you SM. Citrusy, and slightly smoky, with an earthy layer that I like in Highland Park. There’s some dustiness as well, which is surprising given the age, that improves with water. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Macduff 2009 (Private Cask Sample)

Macduff 2009 (Private Cask Sample)

Private Cask Sample
Single malt - Speyside
Amber pink
62.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinder toffee, burnt sugar, strawberry jam, blackberries, tyre rubber, cream. With water, cream, yoghurt, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, blackberries, cinder toffee, cream, fresh cut grass, malted grains. With water, malted grains, yoghurt, tyre rubber, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, blackberries, malted grains, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Thank you SM. Spent time in a bourbon cask and almost as long in a Chateau de Palmer wine cask. Quite fruity and mild, but with a little edge of burnt sugar and rubber. Complex and interesting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Pelter 5yo Batch 3

Pelter 5yo Batch 3

Official bottling 
Single malt - Northern District
Dark gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Gooseberries, lemon zest, malted grains, white pepper, fresh cut grass, white grapes. With water, pears, magic marker, malted grains, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Magic marker, gooseberries, malted grains, pears, white grapes, hints of cloves. With water, white pepper, lemon zest, malted grains, magic marker. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, lemon zest, gooseberries, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Light fruity notes, lots of pears, grapes and a grassy character underneath. This distillery uses a cognac / charentais still, the distillate is predisposed to a light fruity character apparently. This is quite decent.

Verdict:

I like this.

Anohka This Is Not Whisky

Anohka This Is Not Whisky

Official bottling
Single malt - Alberta
Very pale gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, lemon juice, lime zest, honey, marmalade, hints of diesel exhaust. With water, lime zest, lemon juice, smoke, cucumbers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Lime zest, marmalade, smoke, peat, grapefruit, photocopy paper, sea salt, smoke, peat. With water, sea salt, lime zest, hints of roast chicken. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, peat, smoke, lime zest, grapefruit. 

Comments: 

Tried this on a whim, very positively surprised. It’s rather like a very youthful Ardnahoe, definitely the same style of whisky. Peaty, smoky and citrusy, grapefruit and limes forever.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Hardenberg Club Straight Rye Whiskey

Hardenberg Club Straight Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - Lower Saxony
Amber
42.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, fresh cut grass, tarragon, black pepper, honey, strawberry jam, hints of black pepper, hints of cucumbers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange juice, honey, black pepper, fresh baked bread, tarragon, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, strawberry jam, fresh cut grass, tarragon, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Grassy and light, quite unlike other ryes I’ve tried. Lots of orange notes, and plenty of tarragon, an unusual whisky tasting note for me. It fades to a good jammy herbal finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapegrace Timbre Limited Release IV

Scapegrace Timbre Limited Release IV

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago 
Light amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, honeycomb, cream, brown paper, plums, haw flakes, hints of redcurrant jelly. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, white pepper, damson jam, honeycomb, redcurrant jelly, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, white pepper, fresh baked bread, haw flakes. 

Comments: 

Plummy and sweet, lots of damsons and redcurrants. There’s a fair bit of malt here, but it’s quite buried underneath the cask influence. Still, quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

London Rye Whisky Chardonnay

London Rye Whisky Chardonnay

Official bottling
Single rye - London
Golden, hints of pink
57.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, lemon zest, strawberry laces, white wine, blackcurrant cordial, white pepper. With water, honey, apricot jam, rye bread. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberry laces, soot, cinder toffee, white wine, pencil erasers, honey, rye bread. With water, honey, pencil erasers, apricot jam, white wine, rye bread. 
Finish: Short. Apricot jam, strawberry laces, soot, white wine. 

Comments: 

Cask 57. Sweet and sour, but with an undertone of soot and smoke. There’s some peppery rye notes, but this is unlike most other ryes I’ve had - it’s less sweet, and perhaps spicier.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tormore 20yo 1996/2016

Tormore 20yo 1996/2016

Single Cask, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, peaches, raisins, fresh baked bread, cream, honey, hints of white pepper. With water, cream, wet stones, peaches, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, wet stones, honey, cream, peaches, white pepper. With water, peaches, cream, honey, hints of pencil erasers. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, white pepper, wet stones, peaches. 

Comments: 

Cask 5655. Rich and apricotty, lots of jammy, even peppery notes. There’s some sulphurous, rubbery notes that appear with water. Very complex and tasty.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Powers Gold Label 12yo First Release

Powers Gold Label 12yo First Release

Official bottling 

Single malt - Munster 
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, peaches, vanilla ice cream, malted grains, honey, hints of toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, apricot jam, vanilla ice cream, icing sugar, honey, hints of toffee. 
Finish: Medium. Apricot jam, peaches, vanilla ice cream, milk powder, hints of icing sugar. 

Comments: 

Peaches forever and a day, that’s what this tastes like. It’s got apricots as well, and a dusty sweetness that reminds me of icing sugar. Lovely delicious dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Nc’Nean 4yo 2020/2024

Nc’Nean 4yo 2020/2024

#12, The Heart Cut
Single malt - West Highlands
Orange gold
54% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Raisins, vanilla ice cream, dried raspberries, dried blueberries, malted grains, magic marker, red grapes. With water, magic marker, wet stones, red grapes, hints of gentian. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, expands, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla ice cream, dried blueberries, shortcrust pastry, toffee, honey, hints of wet stones, hints of walnut skins. With water, wet stones, raisins, dried blueberries, hints of gentian. 
Finish: Medium. Dried blueberries, raisins, shortcrust pastry, wet stones, hints of walnut skins. 

Comments: 

Magnificent whisky, lots of body, almost chewy, with plenty of blueberry pie notes. There’s a pleasant bitterness that develops slowly on the finish, almost herbal. Everything I’ve had from this bottler is excellent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.