Clynelish 25yo 1993/2019
Celebration of the Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
48.6% ABV
Dram
Nose: Green apples, lemon sweets, brass polish, raisins, fresh baked bread, green tea, hints of autumn leaves.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, loosens, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Leather, green tea, green apples, lemon sweets, black tea, celery salt, hints of autumn leaves.
Finish: Long. Lemon sweets, black tea, chocolate, leather, hints of celery salt.
Comments:
Cask 11218. Highly complex and more than a little herbal, this isn’t classic Clynelish, although most of the major flavour notes are present. There’s a bit more smokiness than usual, and it’s a little bit savoury, but these extras make the whisky better. Lovely.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Friday, 8 April 2022
Benrinnes 18yo 1962/1980
Benrinnes 18yo 1962/1980
Dumpy, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon sweets, cotton sheets, green tea, jasmine tea, brass polish, hints of cinnamon.
Dumpy, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon sweets, cotton sheets, green tea, jasmine tea, brass polish, hints of cinnamon.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, honey, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, tangerines, jasmine tea, hints of leather.
Finish: Long. Mint, honey, tangerines, honey, jasmine tea.
Comments:
First time I’ve ever had a dumpy bottle from Cadenhead. It’s magnificent, floral and citrusy, with a tannic bite. Highly complex, with just a whisper of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, honey, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, tangerines, jasmine tea, hints of leather.
Finish: Long. Mint, honey, tangerines, honey, jasmine tea.
Comments:
First time I’ve ever had a dumpy bottle from Cadenhead. It’s magnificent, floral and citrusy, with a tannic bite. Highly complex, with just a whisper of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Caperdonich 18yo Peated Small Batch CP/002
Caperdonich 18yo Peated Small Batch CP/002
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine yellow
48% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon sweets, leather, vanilla, sea salt, pineapple jam, limes, driftwood smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, warm.
Tasting: Salty sweet. Lemon sweets, driftwood smoke, honey, farmyard, sea salt, hints of pineapple jam, hints of limes.
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, leather, driftwood smoke, lemon sweets.
Comments:
Lovely smoky Caperdonich. The classic lemon sweets and pineapple jam notes are still present, but it’s alongside saline smoke, and a wedge of leather. Very enjoyable, and a whisky I’ve been after for a while.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine yellow
48% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon sweets, leather, vanilla, sea salt, pineapple jam, limes, driftwood smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, warm.
Tasting: Salty sweet. Lemon sweets, driftwood smoke, honey, farmyard, sea salt, hints of pineapple jam, hints of limes.
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, leather, driftwood smoke, lemon sweets.
Comments:
Lovely smoky Caperdonich. The classic lemon sweets and pineapple jam notes are still present, but it’s alongside saline smoke, and a wedge of leather. Very enjoyable, and a whisky I’ve been after for a while.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Benromach 18yo 2003/2021
Benromach 18yo 2003/2021
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
57.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, limes, honey, white pepper. With water, fresh cut grass, honey, limes, green apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, turns sticky.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Limes, honey, toffee, golden syrup, smoke, peat, leather, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, limes, honey, leather, green apples.
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, honey, toffee, golden syrup.
Comments:
Single Cask 51. Spicy yet sweet, citrusy yet a little sticky. Lots of juicy limes, a little bit like citrus chewing gum. Some tartness with the honey, but it all fades into a sweet toffee finish.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
57.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, limes, honey, white pepper. With water, fresh cut grass, honey, limes, green apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, turns sticky.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Limes, honey, toffee, golden syrup, smoke, peat, leather, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, limes, honey, leather, green apples.
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, honey, toffee, golden syrup.
Comments:
Single Cask 51. Spicy yet sweet, citrusy yet a little sticky. Lots of juicy limes, a little bit like citrus chewing gum. Some tartness with the honey, but it all fades into a sweet toffee finish.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Mortlach 25yo 1993/2019
Mortlach 25yo 1993/2019
Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
56.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, black pepper, raisins, ink, pear drops, roast beef, black tea. With water, raisins, pear drops, orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, loosens, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, black tea, chocolate, pear drops, ink, brown paper, hazelnuts, hints of roast beef. With water, red grapes, raisins, orange peel, honey.
Finish: Long. Ink, hazelnuts, raisins, black tea, hints of cherries.
Comments:
Lovely old Mortlach, heavily sherried, to the point where the Mortlach meatiness is almost lost. Lots of sweet honey, some fruit and nuts and a little iron-rich beefiness. It’s lovely.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
56.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, black pepper, raisins, ink, pear drops, roast beef, black tea. With water, raisins, pear drops, orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, loosens, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, black tea, chocolate, pear drops, ink, brown paper, hazelnuts, hints of roast beef. With water, red grapes, raisins, orange peel, honey.
Finish: Long. Ink, hazelnuts, raisins, black tea, hints of cherries.
Comments:
Lovely old Mortlach, heavily sherried, to the point where the Mortlach meatiness is almost lost. Lots of sweet honey, some fruit and nuts and a little iron-rich beefiness. It’s lovely.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Aberfeldy 12yo Spiritual Home Exclusive #9
Aberfeldy 12yo Spiritual Home Exclusive #9
Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
56.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Chocolate, caramel, coffee, vanilla, red grapes, cherries, cinder toffee, hints of aluminium foil. With water, fresh baked bread, cookie dough, honey, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, cherries, cinnamon, orange peel, coffee, cinder toffee, black tea. With water, cookie dough, fresh baked bread, black tea, honey.
Finish: Long. Cherries, chocolate, orange peel, red grapes.
Comments:
Lovely sherried Aberfeldy - lots of chewy toffee notes, yet the texture of the whisky is still quite light. There’s a fair bit of fruit as well, which when mellowed with water, breaks up into sweet vanilla goodness. Highly enjoyable.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
56.4% ABV
Dram
Nose: Chocolate, caramel, coffee, vanilla, red grapes, cherries, cinder toffee, hints of aluminium foil. With water, fresh baked bread, cookie dough, honey, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, cherries, cinnamon, orange peel, coffee, cinder toffee, black tea. With water, cookie dough, fresh baked bread, black tea, honey.
Finish: Long. Cherries, chocolate, orange peel, red grapes.
Comments:
Lovely sherried Aberfeldy - lots of chewy toffee notes, yet the texture of the whisky is still quite light. There’s a fair bit of fruit as well, which when mellowed with water, breaks up into sweet vanilla goodness. Highly enjoyable.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Ardnamurchan AD/12:14 CK.440 (FC Whisky Denmark Exclusive)
Ardnamurchan AD/12:14 CK.440 (FC Whisky Denmark Exclusive)
Official bottling
Single malt - Western Highlands
Pale amber
59.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sandalwood, cotton sheets, sage, pu erh tea, orange peel, sea salt. With water, orange peel, mint, pu erh tea, aluminium foil.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Orange peel, red grapes, raisins, sea salt, Chinese angelica, fresh cut grass. With water, Chinese angelica, pu erh tea, sea salt, sandalwood, aluminium foil.
Finish: Long. Chinese angelica, fresh cut grass, orange peel, sage, sea salt.
Comments:
Ardnamurchan is always intense and coastal. No different with this one, it’s got lots of herbal notes, including the bittersweet savoury notes Chinese medicinal herbs have. There’s also some earthy pu erh tea, and some metallic notes dancing on the edge of the tongue. Very good, young Ardna can stand up to whisky of much greater age.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Western Highlands
Pale amber
59.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sandalwood, cotton sheets, sage, pu erh tea, orange peel, sea salt. With water, orange peel, mint, pu erh tea, aluminium foil.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Orange peel, red grapes, raisins, sea salt, Chinese angelica, fresh cut grass. With water, Chinese angelica, pu erh tea, sea salt, sandalwood, aluminium foil.
Finish: Long. Chinese angelica, fresh cut grass, orange peel, sage, sea salt.
Comments:
Ardnamurchan is always intense and coastal. No different with this one, it’s got lots of herbal notes, including the bittersweet savoury notes Chinese medicinal herbs have. There’s also some earthy pu erh tea, and some metallic notes dancing on the edge of the tongue. Very good, young Ardna can stand up to whisky of much greater age.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Balvenie 21yo The Second Red Rose
Balvenie 21yo The Second Red Rose
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Copper pink
48.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rose petals, caramel, orange peel, cinnamon, dark chocolate, hints of black tea.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, expands, astringent.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Caramel, orange peel, strawberry laces, dark chocolate, cinnamon, cookie dough, rose petals.
Finish: Long. White pepper, orange peel, rose petals, dark chocolate.
Comments:
Wine finished Balvenie. Rosy by name, rosy by nature. The rose petals are quite evident throughout. Some Balvenie orange is there too, with some spice and vanilla throughout. Very nice whisky, and a real treat to sample.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Copper pink
48.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Rose petals, caramel, orange peel, cinnamon, dark chocolate, hints of black tea.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, expands, astringent.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Caramel, orange peel, strawberry laces, dark chocolate, cinnamon, cookie dough, rose petals.
Finish: Long. White pepper, orange peel, rose petals, dark chocolate.
Comments:
Wine finished Balvenie. Rosy by name, rosy by nature. The rose petals are quite evident throughout. Some Balvenie orange is there too, with some spice and vanilla throughout. Very nice whisky, and a real treat to sample.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Singleton of Dufftown 30yo 1988/2019 Prima & Ultima
Singleton of Dufftown 30yo 1988/2019 Prima & Ultima
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
48.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sandalwood, lemon zest, white pepper, jasmine, rose water, tangerines.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, static.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon zest, tangerines, caramel, butterscotch, toffee, hints of white pepper.
Finish: Medium. White pepper, rose water, lemon zest, sandalwood.
Comments:
Never had a Prima & Ultima before, but this one is quite sweet and complex. Lots of citrus fruits, and floral spice. There’s the Dufftown caramel bitterness buried underneath, and it’s far down enough that I only found it because I was looking for it. Quite delicious.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Sunshine gold
48.8% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sandalwood, lemon zest, white pepper, jasmine, rose water, tangerines.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, static.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon zest, tangerines, caramel, butterscotch, toffee, hints of white pepper.
Finish: Medium. White pepper, rose water, lemon zest, sandalwood.
Comments:
Never had a Prima & Ultima before, but this one is quite sweet and complex. Lots of citrus fruits, and floral spice. There’s the Dufftown caramel bitterness buried underneath, and it’s far down enough that I only found it because I was looking for it. Quite delicious.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Rosebank 13yo 1991/2005
Rosebank 13yo 1991/2005
Dun Bheagan, Ian Macleod Distillers
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Coal smoke, leather, lemon zest, pomeloes, charcoal ash, hints of jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Charcoal ash, leather, coal smoke, lemon zest, starfruit, hints of vanilla custard, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Long. Vanilla, starfruit, orange peel, lemon zest, coal smoke.
Comments:
Very rare treat this - not only is it a Rosebank, it’s a peated, smoky Rosebank. Lots of fruit underneath that bitter coal smoke, alongside notes of leather and vanilla custard. The usual Rosebank rhubarb and custard has disappeared. Unusual and quite an experience.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Dun Bheagan, Ian Macleod Distillers
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Coal smoke, leather, lemon zest, pomeloes, charcoal ash, hints of jasmine.
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Charcoal ash, leather, coal smoke, lemon zest, starfruit, hints of vanilla custard, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Long. Vanilla, starfruit, orange peel, lemon zest, coal smoke.
Comments:
Very rare treat this - not only is it a Rosebank, it’s a peated, smoky Rosebank. Lots of fruit underneath that bitter coal smoke, alongside notes of leather and vanilla custard. The usual Rosebank rhubarb and custard has disappeared. Unusual and quite an experience.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
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