Yamazakura Peated Blended Whisky

Yamazakura Peated Blended Whisky

Official bottling 
Single blend - Tōhoku
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, peat, leather, molasses, malted grains, toffee, hints of sandalwood, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, molasses, tyre rubber, toffee, peat, leather, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Diesel exhaust, peat, leather, molasses, tyre rubber, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Malty, with a gentle lick of smoke on the nose. On the tongue it gets a bit more sulphurous, before fading to a short sharp finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bushmills 21yo Rare

Bushmills 21yo Rare

Official bottling
Single malt - Ulster
Amber 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, icing sugar, orange peel, white pepper, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. White pepper, raisins, sultanas, icing sugar, caramel, coffee, strawberry jam, gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. Grapefruit, coffee, sultanas, gooseberries, parchment paper. 

Comments: 

Jammy and light, with a big glob of coffee on the tongue. On the finish, it’s bitter sweet with citrus notes. Very pleasant indeed, it’s also not overly woody.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Spirit of Yorkshire 5yo 2018/2023

Spirit of Yorkshire 5yo 2018/2023

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber, hints of pink
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raspberry jam, meringues, vanilla, milk chocolate, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, meringues, vanilla, black tea, coffee, walnut skins, milk chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, gentian, hoppy beer, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity and creamy, lots of slightly eggy notes that turn sweet. There are some bitter elements here, especially on the tongue and more intensely, on the finish. Decent dram, although a little young.

Verdict:

I like this.

MB Roland 2yo Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 2

MB Roland 2yo Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 2

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky 
Amber, hints of red 
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, orange peel, malted grains, sandalwood, cinnamon, hints of brown paper. With water, vitamin C tablets, fresh baked bread, cornflakes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Sea salt, honey, brown paper, orange peel, fresh baked bread, cornflakes, white pepper, hints of sandalwood. With water, brown paper, oak chips, vitamin C tablets. 
Finish: Short. Cream, malted grains, honey, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Peppery and spicy, and quite sweet. It belies its very young age, not many plasticky notes. Water brings out some dustiness and paperiness, even woodiness. The finish is quite good, lovely creamy maltiness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yellowstone American Single Malt

Yellowstone American Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Kentucky
Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, peanuts, honey, brown paper, orange peel, white pepper, hints of lemon juice. With water, brown paper, malted grains, corn syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, astringent. 

Tasting:  Salty sweet. Brown paper, honey, lemon juice, malted grains, cream, fresh baked bread, hints of corn syrup. With water, malted grains, fresh baked bread, corn syrup, hints of new plastic. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, brown paper, honey, cream. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet as befits an American whisky, but there’s also heaps of salinity as well as some lemony citrus. Water brings out maltiness and even more sweetness, and some plastic notes that imply it’s a rather young dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Carpathian Single Cask 2024 Greek Beer Cask

Carpathian Single Cask 2024 Greek Beer Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Sud-Muntenia
Dark bronze gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, leather, peaches, mushrooms, autumn leaves, yoghurt, sea salt, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty bitter. Malted grains, hoppy beer, peaches, dried apricots, autumn leaves, white pepper, roast chicken. 
Finish: Long. Grapefruit, dried apricots, leather, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Cask 2602. Bitter and hoppy, but underlying that is a meaty, fruity sweetness. It fades very gradually, going through a long, intense finish, which turns from fruity to earthy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Carnock Glen Blended Whisky

Carnock Glen Blended Whisky

Carradale Blending Co
Blended malt
Amber gold
43% ABV

Dram

Nose: Cucumbers, gooseberries, dark chocolate, roast chicken, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, slightly watery around the edges. 

Tasting:  Sweet salty. Strawberry jam, gooseberries, dark chocolate, black pepper, cloves, hay, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Butter, dark chocolate, black pepper, cloves. 

Comments: 

Fruity and vegetal, with more than a lick of smoke. A long, rich, buttery and sweet finish rounds the dram off. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Antiquary De Luxe (bottled 1950s / 1960s)

The Antiquary De Luxe (bottled 1950s / 1960s)

The Antiquary, J&W Hardie
Blend
Amber
43.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cookie dough, vanilla, hay, milk chocolate, leather, honey. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cookie dough, lohan fruit, camphor, vanilla, hay, leather, sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, lohan fruit, vanilla, hay. 

Comments: 

A very interesting dram. Whisky from those days tastes almost dirty, but this is very pleasantly delicate and sweet. But there’s a bitter herbal edge to the sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cape Wrath Special Blended Whisky

Cape Wrath Special Blended Whisky

Cape Wrath Hotel
Blend
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast beef, raisins, malted grains, black pepper, toffee, Demerara sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Toffee, burnt sugar, bananas, raisins, cinnamon, kiwifruit, parchment. 
Finish: Long. Cinnamon, raisins, bananas, black tea. 

Comments: 

Rich, meaty blend, lots of sweet flavours, and a slightly surprising, bourbony banana note. It’s old, the Cape Wrath Hotel is long gone. A really lovely old blend.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 17yo 1983/2001

Millburn 17yo 1983/2001

Unchillfiltered, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Pale yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vitamin C tablets, lemon zest, almonds, walnuts, malted grains, gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Candle wax, lemon zest, vitamin C tablets, malted grains, leather, petrichor, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Leather, candle wax, lemon zest, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Cask 1538. Waxy and tart, with slightly chalky fizzy flavours. There’s a little earthy zing on the finish, with a gentle wispy peatiness. No water required, just enjoy the long lemony finish.

Verdict:

I like this.