Inchgower 14 yo

Inchgower 14 yo

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marshmallows, raisins, glace cherries, dried orange peel, apricots, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, quickly turns syrupy, oxalic, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Orange peel, apricots, vanilla, marshmallows, hints of leather, hints of lemon.
Finish: Short. Orange peel, lemon, walnut skins.

Comments:

Quite a lot going on here for such a low strength. I quite enjoyed this, although the finish was a little short and anaemic. Not bad at all, I only wish this was bottled stronger.

Verdict:

I like this.

Elijah Craig 12 yo

Elijah Craig 12 yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Red amber
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, cherry, corn bread, vanilla, melon, hints of mint.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, vanilla, black tea, cherry, oak, hints of leather.
Finish: Short. Black tea, vanilla, apricot.

Comments:

Quite delicious! Usual banana and corn bread notes, but hedged all around with cherry, some leathery, almost peaty flavours, and strong black tea. Not bad at all.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 93.33 (Glen Scotia 16 yo 1992/2008)

SMWS 93.33 (Glen Scotia 16 yo 1992/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Campbeltown
Pale amber
64.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear, magic marker, pine, sea salt, hints of salt fish, hints of apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Black tea, pine, apples, pears, sour plums, salt fish, hints of black pepper.
Finish: Long. Butter, black tea, salt fish, sour plums.

Comments:

Not a little fishy! But the salty savoury fish goes well with black tea and pine. Very Russian, in a way. There's a fair amount of fruit as well, and the whole is surprisingly sweet. Not unpleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 33.70 (Ardbeg 10 yo 1998/2008)

SMWS 33.70 (Ardbeg 10 yo 1998/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Amber gold
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, pear, smoke, hazelnut, tobacco leaf, raisins, hints of grape.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens quickly, warm, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, pear, butter, demerara sugar, raisins, toffee, sherry.
Finish: Long. Spicy, beetroot, toffee, honey, chillies, smoke.

Comments:

Quite sweet for an Islay whisky - something I wasn't expecting. Interesting flavours wreathed in peat and smoke, with great pear and beetroot notes, and even sherry punching through the usual Ardbeggy ruggedness. Captivating.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 73.33 (Aultmore 10 yo 1997/2008)

SMWS 73.33 (Aultmore 10 yo 1997/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, lemons, sea salt, olive oil, plums, hints of chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, velvety, thickens in the mouth. With water, turns even more thick and velvety (very surprising!).
Tasting: Salty sour. Lemons, olive oil, menthol, sea salt, chocolate, hints of plum. With water, sweeter, more orange peel and marmalade than lemon.
Finish: Long. Coconut, olive oil, hazelnuts, plums.

Comments:

Takes water very well, which is a little atypical of the SMWS whiskies. Nice and fruity with water, without, it's a little savoury and minty. I could drink this one all day, slightly diluted. Very tasty indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 64.17 (Mannochmore 16 yo 1992/2008)

SMWS 64.17 (Mannochmore 16 yo 1992/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cedar, watermelon, butternut squash, strawberries, grapes, lemon sweets.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, volatile, loosens in the mouth.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemon sweets, watermelon, vanilla, macadamia, hints of cedar.
Finish: Long. Honey, cedar, watermelon.

Comments:

Quite refreshing, at least the watermelon bit. Very different from the last Mannochmore, which was peated to some extent. This one is fragrant and fruity, a little perfumy, in fact. Enjoyable, as a dram to start the evening.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 18.27 (Inchgower 23 yo 1985/2008)

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

Nose: Cake, butter, cherries, rum and raisin, marmalade, glace fruits.
Mouthfeel: Light body, metallic, thickens quickly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Brass polish, rum and raisin, cake, cinnamon, hints of honey.
Finish: Medium. Honey, marmalade, rum and raisin.

Comments:

Very pleasant. I like the rum and raisin notes - they come out very clearly, along with lots of other tasty sweet things. Not very complex, but a tasty way to start an evening of dramming.

Verdict:

I like this.

Suntory Hibiki 17 yo

Suntory Hibiki 17 yo

Official bottling
Blended malt
Golden brown
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Soy sauce, raisins, oatcake, apricots, cucumber, hazelnuts, hints of peat, hints of sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Light body, water, expands.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Malty beer, apricots, raisins, hazelnuts, soy sauce, butter.
Finish: Medium. Butter, apricots.

Comments:

Mmm... flavour explosion! Very fruity, with some soy sauce notes that create a savoury counterpoint, overlaid with butter. If there is a weakness it's the finish, which is a little short and slightly too buttery. Great whisky, I don't care if it's a blend.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2005

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2005

Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Golden yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peaches, leather, orange peel, rosehips, malty beer, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Coffee, leather, malty beer, raisins, walnut skins, white grapes, peaches.
Finish: Long. Coffee, raisins, leather, walnut skins.

Comments:

Sweet and fruity. Nice notes of coffee in the taste and finish, with walnut skins to provide and accentuate some bitterness. Could do with a little more strength, then it would really taste like rum and raisin...

Verdict:

I like this.

Braeval 8 yo

Braeval 8 yo

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
50% ABV
Mini

Nose: Vanilla, barley sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, christmas pudding, cookie dough, hints of orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens in the mouth, egg white.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Coffee, orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla, cookie dough.
Finish: Short. Coffee, vanilla, orange peel.

Comments:

Lousy packaging - the bottle started leaking before I got home! The smell was glorious though, Christmas pudding, all manner of sweet spice and orange peel, and even a little chocolate chip cookie. The nose however promised more than the taste delivered. The mouthfeel and taste gave away how young this whisky was.

Verdict:

I like this.