Clynelish 20yo 1997/2018

Clynelish 20yo 1997/2018

Candlelight Series, Whisky Illuminati
Single malt - North Highlands 
Silver gold
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, plums, lemon zest, candle wax, vanilla, cream, hints of cinnamon. With water, lemon zest, honey, cucumbers, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Plums, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, sea salt, hints of candle wax. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, bananas, toasted coconut, green tea.  

Comments: 

Whisky from an indie bottler that I’ve never tried. It’s quite classic Clynelish, lots of lemon zest and honey, together with a gentle waxy quality. Very delicious, well aged and rare. And expensive of course, sadly. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 105.24 (Tormore 25yo 1992/2018)

SMWS 105.24 (Tormore 25yo 1992/2018)

2018, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Olive oil, lemon zest, bananas, creme chantilly, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, bananas, creme chantilly, digestive biscuits, lemon zest, candle wax, cream cheese. 
Finish: Medium. Barley sugar, malted grains, digestive biscuits, lemon zest, olive oil. 

Comments: 

This is lovely, malty whisky. The malty notes are overlaid with biscuit, cereal, and fruit. To top it all off there’s a funky note that makes dramming this like eating banana cheesecake. It’s delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teaninich 33yo 1973/2006

Teaninich 33yo 1973/2006

Mission Cask Strength, Murray McDavid
Single malt - North Highlands
Dandelion 
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, jackfruit, leather, tobacco leaf, pear drops, hints of white grapes. With water, cucumbers, fresh cut grass, white grapes.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns airy, slightly fizzy, astringent. 
Tasting: Sour bitter. Tobacco leaf, white grapes, leather, green tea, cucumbers, butterscotch, hints of jackfruit. With water, cucumbers, fresh cut grass, winter melon, green tea, malted grains. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, cucumbers, menthol, leather. 

Comments: 

Lingering, and complex. There’s some jackfruit fermentedness to this whisky, sweet and funky. Neat, that is. Water opens it up, creating a more herbaceous, floral set of top notes. Lovely and delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Amrut Triparva

Amrut Triparva

Official bottling
Single malt - Bangalore

Silver gold
55.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, plums, lemon zest, candle wax, vanilla, cream, hints of cinnamon. With water, lemon zest, honey, cucumber, vanilla.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Plums, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, sea salt, hints of candle wax. With water, sweet sour, plums, lemon zest, honey, honeydew melons. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, bananas, toasted coconut, green tea. 

Comments: 

A triple distilled whisky from Amrut. Very young of course, but has been finished in quite a few different casks. It’s also got that odd combination of complexity and rawness that (I think) comes from maturation in a warmer climate than Scotland. It’s very pleasant, but I’d prefer a bit more age on it. 

Verdict:

I like this.

North British 20yo 1994/2015

North British 20yo 1994/2015

Single Cask, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Silver gold 
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lavender, oats, bananas, vanilla ice cream, toffee, hints of apple juice.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Oats, cornflakes, white grapes, bananas, toffee, vanilla ice cream, hints of popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Popcorn, toffee, white chocolate, hints of lavender.  

Comments: 

Not quite old enough, but pleasant for all that. This single grain is rather cereally and sweet, lots of corn notes alongside some floral top notes. I like my grain whisky older, but this was very drinkable. 

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 66.167 (Ardmore 7yo 2012/2020)

SMWS 66.167 (Ardmore 7yo 2012/2020)

2020, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside 
Sunshine yellow
61.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, orange peel, autumn leaves, toffee, cocoa nibs. With water, germolene, vanilla ice cream, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, syrupy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, peat, orange peel, marshmallows, vanilla, dark chocolate, golden syrup. With water, sweeter, vanilla ice cream, candle wax, orange peel, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, orange peel, lemon zest, marshmallows, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

This is a strong young Ardmore, high ABV, lots of fruit but also not shy with the peat. It’s two very distinct layers, bitter peat and fragrant fruit, and it opens up quite a bit with a drop of water. It somehow melds the two layers well, and is really quite delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Compass Box Magic Cask 2020

Compass Box Magic Cask 2020

Compass Box 

Vatted malt
White wine
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, wet stones, white grapes, winter melon, sultanas, lemon zest, hints of pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, tingly.  
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, yoghurt, white wine, white grapes, pears, vanilla sponge. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, sultanas, lemon zest, hints of cream. 

Comments: 

92% Imperial, and 8% Aberlour, according to the bottle notes. There’s certainly a lot of Imperial in this, lots of fruit and cream. It was rather like a very high proof white wine, quite refreshing. I wonder what this would be like diluted to wine strength, around 15-17%, it would probably hold up against good wines. Unfortunately I did not have enough to try it. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Edition Colheita

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Edition Colheita

Official bottling 
Single malt - Cumbria
Amber rose
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, strawberries, red grapes, grape soda, cocoa nibs, hints of fresh baked bread.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, mouth coating, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberries, shortbread, cocoa nibs, vanilla sponge, sea salt, toast, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Damson jam, strawberries, toast, hints of marmalade.  

Comments: 

No water for this, there’s plenty of delicious sweet fruit here. And the Colheita finish adds strawberries and cocoa. I really enjoyed this, a masterful finish from a great whisky maker. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

 

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Reserve No 3

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Reserve No 3

Official bottling
Single malt - Cumbria
Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, cucumber, raisins, sultanas, black tea, shortcrust pastry. With water, raisins, cucumber, marmalade, hints of sulphur.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, sultanas, damson jam, orange peel. With water, chocolate, damson jam, marmalade, fresh baked bread.  
Finish: Short. Black tea, marmalade, vanilla sponge, raisins.  

Comments: 

Clearly a sibling of the No 2, lots of the same marmalade, pastry and damson jam notes. But this one is more vegetal, and so a little more refreshing. There’s also a bit of tannins on the finish, and it’s more subtle at the lower ABV than the No 2. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Reserve No 2

Lakes Whisky Maker’s Reserve No 2

Official bottling
Single malt - Cumbria 
Copper brown
60.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, croissants, shortcrust pastry, vanilla, sea salt, blackberry jam, marmalade, hints of mint. With water, marmalade, red grapes, vanilla, fresh baked bread.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, tingly, astringent.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackberries, blackcurrant cordial, red grapes, damson jam, croissants. With water, marmalade, raisins, red grapes. 
Finish: Short. Blackcurrant cordial, damson jam, marmalade, hints of mint. 

Comments: 

Like eating a croissant stuffed with a mince pie. It’s a masterpiece of sherry aging and finishing, heaps of fruit, especially Ribena with mint on top. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.