Royal Lochnagar 9 yo 1998 (1998/2007)
Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Peaty, hint of smoke, pencil leads, grilled beef, apple sauce.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toast, lemon curd, malted barley, red fruits, sour plums.
Finish: Short. Peaches, slightly salty.
Comments:
Interesting combination in the nose - a little wild-tasting I think. Gets more mellow in the mouth (must be because the whisky is young). Nice meaty notes, but it's like having a steak placed in front of you and then having it whisked away.
Verdict:
I like this.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Yoichi 15 yo
Yoichi 15 yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Hokkaido
Amber
45% ABV
Dram
Nose: Musky, bubble gum, strawberry, plum, sour mash.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Apples, cinnamon, saffron, oak.
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, cloves, walnuts.
Comments:
First foray into Japanese whiskey! Very fruity and spicy - they must have used some good casks for this one. A little bourbony at the beginning, but maybe that's a Japanese characteristic. Slight reminder of ume in the nose, but without the salt. Not as Japanese as Oban (?!). New bottling, with a line drawing of the distillery on the label.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Hokkaido
Amber
45% ABV
Dram
Nose: Musky, bubble gum, strawberry, plum, sour mash.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Apples, cinnamon, saffron, oak.
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, cloves, walnuts.
Comments:
First foray into Japanese whiskey! Very fruity and spicy - they must have used some good casks for this one. A little bourbony at the beginning, but maybe that's a Japanese characteristic. Slight reminder of ume in the nose, but without the salt. Not as Japanese as Oban (?!). New bottling, with a line drawing of the distillery on the label.
Verdict:
I like this.
Aberlour 10 yo
Aberlour 10 yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram
Nose: Tea, hint of smoke, strawberries, malt, caramel, bread, honey.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, refreshing.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Fruity, cherry brandy, salted popcorn, red fruits.
Finish: Short. Sour cherries, plums, melons.
Comments:
Very tasty indeed. Classic Speyside - fruit, cereal, made interesting by the slight hints of smoke and salt. Probably the most worthwhile malt price wise. It's less than 25 pounds (as well as free at WhiskyLive!).
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram
Nose: Tea, hint of smoke, strawberries, malt, caramel, bread, honey.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, refreshing.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Fruity, cherry brandy, salted popcorn, red fruits.
Finish: Short. Sour cherries, plums, melons.
Comments:
Very tasty indeed. Classic Speyside - fruit, cereal, made interesting by the slight hints of smoke and salt. Probably the most worthwhile malt price wise. It's less than 25 pounds (as well as free at WhiskyLive!).
Verdict:
I like this.
Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008
Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008
Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
White wine
50% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, coconut, soya sauce, salted popcorn.
Mouthfeel: Heavy, thick, syrupy, velvety.
Tasting: Salty. Cigar smoke, peat, oranges, peanuts, horse dung.
Finish: Long. Fried onions, walnut skins.
Comments:
Refill butt 4112, 589 bottles. This is lovely stuff. Oh why did they close this distillery?! Great savoury spectrum of flavours - fried onions, soy sauce, salted popcorn. Heavenly (even the horse dung is good, I now know what "clean" manure flavour refers to). Excellent indeed. I bought a bottle which I'm going to husband very carefully.
Verdict:
I like this a lot!
Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
White wine
50% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, coconut, soya sauce, salted popcorn.
Mouthfeel: Heavy, thick, syrupy, velvety.
Tasting: Salty. Cigar smoke, peat, oranges, peanuts, horse dung.
Finish: Long. Fried onions, walnut skins.
Comments:
Refill butt 4112, 589 bottles. This is lovely stuff. Oh why did they close this distillery?! Great savoury spectrum of flavours - fried onions, soy sauce, salted popcorn. Heavenly (even the horse dung is good, I now know what "clean" manure flavour refers to). Excellent indeed. I bought a bottle which I'm going to husband very carefully.
Verdict:
I like this a lot!
Mackmyra Preludium 06
Mackmyra Preludium 06
Official bottling
Single malt - Gastrikland
Straw
50.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Peat, smoke, spirit, sour mash, pears, pine, juniper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly watery, refreshing.
Tasting: Salty. Hint of smoke, hint of peat, coffee, gin, lime, cloudberries, pork sausage.
Finish: Short. Spicy, freshly squeezed lime juice.
Comments:
Made with barley dried over juniper and peat fire, there's no mistaking its Swedish origins. There are even cloudberries in the tasting! The theme for this release of Mackmyra (the age statement ones come out next) is "Swedish smoke". Oh yes, it's Swedish smoke alright, almost ginny.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Gastrikland
Straw
50.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Peat, smoke, spirit, sour mash, pears, pine, juniper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly watery, refreshing.
Tasting: Salty. Hint of smoke, hint of peat, coffee, gin, lime, cloudberries, pork sausage.
Finish: Short. Spicy, freshly squeezed lime juice.
Comments:
Made with barley dried over juniper and peat fire, there's no mistaking its Swedish origins. There are even cloudberries in the tasting! The theme for this release of Mackmyra (the age statement ones come out next) is "Swedish smoke". Oh yes, it's Swedish smoke alright, almost ginny.
Verdict:
I like this.
Glenkinchie 1992 Distiller's Edition (1992/2007)
Glenkinchie 1992 Distiller's Edition (1992/2007)
Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Hint of chlorine, lime juice, fresh apples, butter.
Mouthfeel: Syrupy, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Tangy, hazelnut syrup, nutmeg, light lemon sorbet.
Finish: Short. Malty, apples, pears.
Comments:
Very good indeed! The slight chemical notes go very well with the abundance of fruit. The whisky is also more substantial, quite heavy for a Lowlander. I think the nuttiness might have been something harsher before being mellowed by the aging. Nice stuff, this.
Verdict:
I like this a lot!
Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Hint of chlorine, lime juice, fresh apples, butter.
Mouthfeel: Syrupy, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Tangy, hazelnut syrup, nutmeg, light lemon sorbet.
Finish: Short. Malty, apples, pears.
Comments:
Very good indeed! The slight chemical notes go very well with the abundance of fruit. The whisky is also more substantial, quite heavy for a Lowlander. I think the nuttiness might have been something harsher before being mellowed by the aging. Nice stuff, this.
Verdict:
I like this a lot!
Clynelish 1991 Distiller's Edition (1991/2006)
Clynelish 1991 Distiller's Edition (1991/2006)
Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Hoppy beer, toast, oaky spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried fruits, pineapple jam, cloves. Spice rack whisky.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, static, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet. Hibiscus, key limes, figs, pineapple jam, bread, toast.
Finish: Short, sweet, cinnamon, toast, fig jam. Has bags of "sandwich" character.
Comments:
One of Diageo's Distiller's Editions, finished in Oloroso Seco casks. 46% isn't bad, but I think this might have benefited from an even higher strength. Tried it with water - lost the floral notes, but kept the toast and fruit. Definitely better when it's more complex.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Hoppy beer, toast, oaky spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried fruits, pineapple jam, cloves. Spice rack whisky.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, static, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet. Hibiscus, key limes, figs, pineapple jam, bread, toast.
Finish: Short, sweet, cinnamon, toast, fig jam. Has bags of "sandwich" character.
Comments:
One of Diageo's Distiller's Editions, finished in Oloroso Seco casks. 46% isn't bad, but I think this might have benefited from an even higher strength. Tried it with water - lost the floral notes, but kept the toast and fruit. Definitely better when it's more complex.
Verdict:
I like this.
Glenkinchie 12 yo
Glenkinchie 12 yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
White wine
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon, violets, other cut flowers, beer, malt, hint of hops.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, full, light body.
Tasting: Sweet. Lemon, creamy vanilla, hint of leather, hint of new plastic.
Finish: Short. Warming, sweet peanuts.
Comments:
Light and slightly chemical. Because of the latter, not as refreshing as I thought it might be. Interesting nonetheless, although I think that the combination turns out, in the end, to be a little like the artificial lemon flavouring you get in Lemsip. Rosebank has artificial lemons in it as well, but it's different - evokes summer, rather than medicine...
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
White wine
43% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon, violets, other cut flowers, beer, malt, hint of hops.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, full, light body.
Tasting: Sweet. Lemon, creamy vanilla, hint of leather, hint of new plastic.
Finish: Short. Warming, sweet peanuts.
Comments:
Light and slightly chemical. Because of the latter, not as refreshing as I thought it might be. Interesting nonetheless, although I think that the combination turns out, in the end, to be a little like the artificial lemon flavouring you get in Lemsip. Rosebank has artificial lemons in it as well, but it's different - evokes summer, rather than medicine...
Verdict:
I like this.
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Ardbeg 10 yo
Ardbeg 10 yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Straw
46% ABV
Sampler
Nose: Peat, smoke, sea salt, golden syrup, lemon citrus, soy sauce, malt beer underneath.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, full, static, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter. Walnut skins, smoke, peat, barley malt, citron, grapefruit.
Finish: Long. Bitter, freshly baked bread.
Comments:
Supposedly the best single malt in the world, according to Jim Murray. It's pretty good, but not quite my dram of whisky - not enough fruit. Lots of soy sauce without being salty. Interesting bready finish.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Straw
46% ABV
Sampler
Nose: Peat, smoke, sea salt, golden syrup, lemon citrus, soy sauce, malt beer underneath.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, full, static, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter. Walnut skins, smoke, peat, barley malt, citron, grapefruit.
Finish: Long. Bitter, freshly baked bread.
Comments:
Supposedly the best single malt in the world, according to Jim Murray. It's pretty good, but not quite my dram of whisky - not enough fruit. Lots of soy sauce without being salty. Interesting bready finish.
Verdict:
I like this.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Clynelish 13 yo 1990/2004
Clynelish 13 yo 1990/2004
Signatory UnChillFiltered
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
43% ABV
Sampler
Nose: Beer, wet stones, peat, hint of smoke, hard fruits, pear, vanilla. A little harsh.
Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy body, static, holds together.
Tasting: Sweet. Pears, plums, vanilla, oaky spice, toast, fig jam.
Finish: Long. Fruity, smoky, toasty, jam. Smoke obscures some of the fruit.
Comments:
Cask #12732. Another bourbon refill barrel Clynelish. Less fruit somehow - there's a fair amount of smoke in this one. Not pleasant on the nose, but alright once in the mouth. It's at the right strength for me.
Verdict:
Not bad.
Signatory UnChillFiltered
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
43% ABV
Sampler
Nose: Beer, wet stones, peat, hint of smoke, hard fruits, pear, vanilla. A little harsh.
Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy body, static, holds together.
Tasting: Sweet. Pears, plums, vanilla, oaky spice, toast, fig jam.
Finish: Long. Fruity, smoky, toasty, jam. Smoke obscures some of the fruit.
Comments:
Cask #12732. Another bourbon refill barrel Clynelish. Less fruit somehow - there's a fair amount of smoke in this one. Not pleasant on the nose, but alright once in the mouth. It's at the right strength for me.
Verdict:
Not bad.
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