Yamazaki 18 yo

Yamazaki 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, raisins, orange peel, custard, cloves, marmalade, grilled pork.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, expands in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Peat, orange peel, walnuts, sherry, raisins, bitter melon, black pepper.
Finish: Long. Oranges, bitter melon, peat, ginseng.

Comments:

Voted best whisky in the world in 2008. Even at low strength the spiciness comes through, and there's excellent variety - I almost wrote down coriander seed and cardamom, but realised that they were ghost notes, not even hints. It's not that easy to describe this whisky. Excellent char siu in the nose, reminiscent of five spice powder perhaps?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 78.39 (Ben Nevis 10 yo 1997/2008)

SMWS 78.39 (Ben Nevis 10 yo 1997/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - West Highlands
Amber red
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, custard, leather, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, dry, astringent, tannic.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oat porridge, dried cranberries, raisins, black tea, mulled wine, hints of citrus.
Finish: Long. Dry, citrus, vanilla, coca cola.

Comments:

For something so young, this has excellent depth of flavour - almost like an aged Glen Grant. Except there's a lot more fruit, and hints of cereal, tea and coca cola. Loaded with leather and butter in the nose too. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 77.15 (Glen Ord 21 yo 1987/2008)

SMWS 77.15 (Glen Ord 21 yo 1987/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - North Highlands
Peach gold
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Custard, butter, hazelnuts, rose petals, vanilla, oranges, walnuts.
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, hot, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Marmalade, custard, hazelnuts, fried eggs, vanilla, tobacco leaf, coconut, hints of cloves.
Finish: Medium. Rose petals, coconut.

Comments:

If you could make crumble out of roses, it would taste like this. Perhaps enhanced a little with some drops of orange oil, and hazelnuts scattered on top. Loaded with custard and other nice eggy flavours!

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 3.142 (Bowmore 18 yo 1990/2008)

SMWS 3.142 (Bowmore 18 yo 1990/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grilled meat, smoke, peat, marmite, carbolic soap, soy sauce, hints of toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Smoke, peat, peanut butter, soy sauce, marmite, grilled meat, caramel, hints of garlic.
Finish: Long. Chillies, peat, soy sauce, black pepper.

Comments:

Interesting, slightly harsh and abrasive Bowmore. I like the notes of marmite and carbolic soap, one of those "madness or genius" combinations (although carbolic soap is poisonous, no?). Lots of soy sauce, grilled meat and black pepper too - very barbecuey.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 19.43 (Glen Garioch 19 yo 1988/2008)

SMWS 19.43 (Glen Garioch 19 yo 1988/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, coca cola, oranges, lemons, brass polish, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, thickens quickly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Apples, pears, lemons, orange peel, peaches, pistachios, hints of jasmine.
Finish: Medium. Pears, peaches, hints of smoke.

Comments:

Flowery and fruity, with a punchy tangy sweetness that sits strangely with the high alcohol content and light body. This whisky draws you in, and demands that you drink more. I had another couple of drams just sitting and thinking.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 1.140 (Glenfarclas 14 yo 1993/2008

SMWS 1.140 (Glenfarclas 14 yo 1993/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, raisins, custard, grilled beef, honey, pineapples, peaches, vanilla .
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Hazelnuts, butter, custard, walnut skins, green apples.
Finish: Medium. Lemons, green apples, raisins, vanilla.

Comments:

Green apples, lots and lots of them, combined with meaty, fruity notes, with a slight bitter tang. Interesting, and very unlike those fruitcakey official Glenfarclas bottlings. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 72.20 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

SMWS 72.20 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Gold, tinge of pink
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange oil, vanilla, cedar wood, lemon zest, hints of garlic, hints of smoked meat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, thickens in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Butter, vanilla, orange peel, cedar, wood ash, lemon zest, Moroccan preserved lemons.
Finish: Medium. Garlic, butter, vanilla, caramel.

Comments:

Fruity, citrusy and sweet, nice smoky notes in the background. Quite tasty, except for the hints of garlic, which spoil it somewhat. Some you win, some you lose.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 64.16 (Mannochmore 23 yo 1984/2008)

SMWS 64.16 (Mannochmore 23 yo 1984/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grilled meat, grilled skate, smoke, caramel, popcorn, toffee, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Coffee, smoke, cinnamon, vanilla, toffee, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Buttery, lemons, smoke, vanilla.

Comments:

Meaty and smoky, with quite a lot of fish... but slathered in caramel and vanilla! A strange combination, one that doesn't quite work, to my mind. Almost Ardbeggy, but not peaty enough.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 45.25 (Dallas Dhu 33 yo 1975/2008)

SMWS 45.25 (Dallas Dhu 33 yo 1975/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden brown
48.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, tobacco leaf, raisins, vanilla, salt caramel, hints of oak.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, rich, thick, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Coffee, custard, melon, honey, tobacco, strawberries.
Finish: Long. Slightly astringent, chillies, honey.

Comments:

Extremely fine whisky! Honey-laden, slightly spicy, tangy like a Cuban cigar. Perfect body that rolls around on the tongue. I love this. It's one of the best I have ever tasted.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 104.11 (Glencraig 34 yo 1974/2008)

SMWS 104.11 (Glencraig 34 yo 1974/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coffee, raisins, runner beans, cedar, sandalwood, apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Salty sour. Coffee, butter, vanilla, starfruit, mango, cloves, chocolate, melon.
Finish: Medium. Citrus, sandalwood, incense, mango.

Comments:

Ooh. Lovely perfumy notes - incense, sandalwood, like a Buddhist temple. Chocolate and mango too, with some other fruits and spice. Very nice indeed. Less perfumy than this one (described to me as "a Sophia Loren whisky") and actually a lot tastier.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.