Ben Nevis 15yo

Ben Nevis 15yo

WhiskySponge, Decadent Drinks
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Green gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cream, peaches, strawberries, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Cream, yoghurt, black tea, peaches, lemon juice, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, lemon juice, white pepper, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite a straightforward Ben Nevis, lactic and fruity, but not very sweet. Not too complex, but it’s got a fair bit of citrus and spice. Nice one from WhiskySponge.

Verdict:

I like this.

Unnamed Speyside 15yo 2006/2021

Unnamed Speyside 15yo 2006/2021

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, caramel, iron filings, pear drops, sea salt. With water, red grapes, honey, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, thickens, hot. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Fresh baked bread, sea salt, lemon zest, butterscotch, egg nog, hints of mint. With water, cocoa nibs, red grapes, honey. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, butterscotch, rhubarb and custard sweets, caramel, iron filings. 

Comments: 

I have it on good authority that this is a Glen Elgin. It’s certainly a very pretty label of a swallow against a pink background. Swallows, of course, nest around Glen Elgin distillery. 

The whisky is sweet, thick, spicy and eggy. There’s a metallic aftertaste, and even some iron filings notes on the nose. Not a bad start to an epic tasting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Royal Lochnagar 16yo 2004/2021 (2021 Special Release)

Royal Lochnagar 16yo 2004/2021 (2021 Special Release)

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Highlands
Dark gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, honey, peaches, butterscotch, guava, hints of yoghurt, hints of orange peel. With water, peaches, lemon zest, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, peaches, guava, green tea, yoghurt, leather, hints of tobacco leaf. With water, peaches, green tea, butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, tobacco leaf, peaches, honey. 

Comments: 

One of the very nicely packaged 2021 Special Releases, also known as the Spring Stallion. Lots of sweet tropical fruit, with a slightly bitter, tannic edge. It fades to a tannic, fragrant herbal finish. Very good indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balblair 29yo 1990/2020

Balblair 29yo 1990/2020

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - North Highlands 
Amber
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wheat porridge, sea salt, leather, lemon zest, honey, golden syrup, raisins. With water, farmyard, dunnage, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loosens, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black tea, oats, leather, lemon zest m, sea salt, hints of dunnage. With water, sea salt, oats, dunnage, golden syrup. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, oats, leather, malted grains, dunnage. 

Comments: 

Cask 4166. Lovely old Balblair, lots of savoury leather notes, together with dunnage. It’s almost dusty, yet drank neat, it’s quite sweet and citrusy. Very interesting and a real treat. Thanks Lutz!

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Reserve No 4

Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Reserve No 4

Official bottling 
Single malt - Cumbria
Amber
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, cloves, cinnamon, orange peel, raisins, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, butter, cloves, orange peel, black tea, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, red grapes, butter, cloves. 

Comments: 

Well-sherried whisky from the Lakes distillery. It’s a little bit more cereally than previous editions, and I think the distillate really marries well with the sherried sweet notes. Highly enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cambus 35yo (bottled 2018)

Cambus 35yo (bottled 2018)

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Lowlands

Pink gold

51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, cornflakes, coconut jam, vanilla ice cream, pandan, hints of oats. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Cornflakes, coconut jam, sea salt, oats, pandan, vanilla ice cream, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, cornflakes, oats, vanilla ice cream. 

Comments: 

Cask DL12331. Savoury, yet sweet old grain whisky. There’s a herbal scent to it that I identify as pandan leaf, and it transforms the whisky into something quite delicious. Well balanced and highly enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mannochmore 13yo 2008/2021 (Milroy’s Exclusive)

Mannochmore 13yo 2008/2021 (Milroy’s Exclusive)

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, cinnamon, brown paper, black tea, black pepper, hints of cloves. With water, fresh baked bread, orange peel, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, raisins, fruitcake, orange peel, black pepper, hints of cloves. With water, chocolate, sea salt, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Orange peel, black pepper, fruitcake, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask 362236. Classic, well-sherried Speyside, but it’s a little bit too much cask and too little distillate for me. Lots of nice fruity flavours, and more than a little spice. Good Christmas dram, but it’s spring...

Verdict:

I like this.

Aber Falls Inaugural Release

Aber Falls Inaugural Release 

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Amber orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cinnamon, yoghurt, vanilla, orange peel, hints of cloves, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, sticky, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cinnamon, breadsticks, rolled oats, orange peel, raisins, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Rolled oats, breadsticks, orange peel, raisins. 

Comments: 

I’ve been very keen to try some Aber Falls distillate for a while. It’s nice that Wales is now a proper whisky producing country (that is, with more than one distillery). The whisky itself is promising, quite cereally with a little bit of fruit on the nose and palate. I’m quite looking forward to future, older releases.

Verdict:

I like this.

Garnheath 45yo 1974/2019

Garnheath 45yo 1974/2019

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing 
Single grain - Lowlands
Bronze
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Desiccated coconut, sea salt, popcorn, vanilla, sandalwood, lime zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, expands. 
Tasting: Sweet. Red grapes, sea salt, popcorn, lime zest, cookie dough, vanilla, hints of pear drops, hints of cinnamon. 

Finish: Long. Oats, cookie dough, desiccated coconut, vanilla.

Comments: 

Cask 13462. A very cereally old grain, with some fragrance spice notes and a little citrus. Some small remnants of possible sherry flavours on the tongue, but the predominant flavour is vanilla and cereal. Very well balanced, a real treat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dumbarton 27yo 1987/2015 Inverleven Stills

Dumbarton 27yo 1987/2015 Inverleven Stills

Closed Distilleries, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Lowlands
Sunshine gold  
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, cotton sheets, sandalwood, white pepper, sarsaparilla, hints of lychees. With water, peaches, orange peel, cotton sheets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, turns oily. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Cola nuts, sandalwood, sarsaparilla, fresh baked bread, sea salt, jasmine, peaches, hints of lychees. With water, fresh baked bread, oats, cotton sheets, jasmine. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, jasmine, sea salt, cola nuts, cornflakes. 

Comments: 

An austere Dumbarton, lots of cereal notes, a little floral jasmine and some fruit. A long savoury, spicy finish. Very well balanced, almost perfect old grain whisky. 

Edit: turns out this is actually an Inverleven, and it’s a single malt (of course, since Inverleven was Dumbarton’s malt distillery). Whatever it was, it’s delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.