Casks of Lindores - Red Wine Barrique

Casks of Lindores - Red Wine Barrique

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber red 
49.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, strawberries, honeycomb, honeysuckle, brown paper, golden syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Golden syrup, barley sugar, strawberries, honeysuckle, black tea, jasmine, hints of rose water. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, black tea, rose water, honeysuckle. 

Comments: 

Very sweet stuff, with a bit of body. The Lowlands characteristic of light, slightly overdistilled whisky is not present here, and it’s probably long gone anyway. There’s some fragrant and floral notes on the tongue, and very apparent in the finish. Very pleasant whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

North of Scotland 47yo 1972/2020

North of Scotland 47yo 1972/2020

Stillwater Whisky Co
Single grain - Lowlands
Dark brown
41.1% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Toffee, caramel, vanilla, wet stones, cloves, nutmeg, honeydew melons, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Oats, popcorn, wet stones, black tea, toffee, nutmeg, caramel, oolong tea. 
Finish: Long. Oolong tea, nutmeg, popcorn, caramel, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Long, sweet and flinty. Its well aged and very old of course, but as grains often do, the whisky has developed a huge amount of complexity. Lots of cereal and spice compete with feinty, minerally notes. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Deanston 19yo 1994/2014

Deanston 19yo 1994/2014

Small Batch, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Central Highlands
Sunshine gold
56.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, green apples, candle wax, white grapes, fresh baked bread, jasmine. With water, marshmallows, kiwifruit, candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, candle wax, jasmine, malted grains, vanilla, pear drops, hints of rolled oats. With water, pear drops, green apples, kiwifruit, candle wax. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, candle wax, green apples, hints of malted grains. 

Comments: 

A very nice Deanston, full of appley tartness, and a heap of cereally, waxy notes. There’s also some floral fragrance around the edges, especially on the nose. Well aged and complex.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 3yo 2017/2020

Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 3yo 2017/2020

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, malted grains, orange peel, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, vanilla, honeycomb, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, turns watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, popcorn, rolled oats, coffee, cocoa nibs, fresh baked bread, brown paper, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, coffee, malted grains, honeycomb, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Lots of flavour in this for a 3 yo whisky! Plenty of cereal and cocoa, and hints of orange peel, with significant spice on the finish. Lovely, and surprising.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker 30yo (bottled 2015)

Talisker 30yo (bottled 2015)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Pale amber
45.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast beef, driftwood smoke, leather, peat, sea salt, tobacco leaf, raisins, applesauce. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Driftwood smoke, leather, tobacco leaf, raisins, black pepper, applesauce, dried apricots, hints of roast beef. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, black pepper, peat, tobacco leaf, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Wonderful, wonderful, lots of smoke, apple and meaty robust roast beef. The age shows on this one, it’s intense and complex, with each note clearly defined. It’s beautifully balanced whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bunnahabhain 30yo (bottled 2020)

Bunnahabhain 30yo (bottled 2020)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, orange peel, vanilla, coffee, hazelnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thickens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Milk chocolate, hazelnuts, black tea, black pepper, raisins, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, vanilla, honey, orange peel, cocoa nibs, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Lovely old Bunnahabhain, complex and bitter, lots of fragrant coffee notes. There’s a lot of peach on the nose as well, and it’s gloriously nutty on the tongue. Brilliant whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardmore 30yo 1987/2018

Ardmore 30yo 1987/2018

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Golden, hints of amber
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honeycomb, raisins, leather, marmalade, strawberry jam, farmyard, beef broth, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marmalade, leather, winter melon, peat, raisins, tobacco leaf, hints of Chinese angelica. 
Finish: Long. Honeycomb, raisins, Chinese angelica, tobacco leaf, hints of beef broth. 

Comments: 

Beautiful bitter sweet old Ardmore. The leathery peat is evident, and there’s a huge amount of old Chinese herbs in the tongue. Surprisingly savoury, both on the nose and on the finish. Such a treat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenglassaugh 30yo (bottled 2019)

Glenglassaugh 30yo (bottled 2019)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, red wine, damson jam, sandalwood, oak, honeysuckle, honey, bitter orange. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, slippery, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Oak, raisins, honeysuckle, bitter orange, damson jam, black pepper, black tea, red grapes, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, damson jam, black pepper, raisins, hints of dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

Quite a classic old sherried dram. Spicy edges of black pepper perk it up a bit, and the jammy chocolatey notes are comforting. A very good nose that’s quite alluring, even if on the tongue it doesn’t quite live up to the promise.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cameronbridge 30yo 1990/2020

Cameronbridge 30yo 1990/2020

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Lowlands
Bright gold
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Almond butter, limes, lemon zest, popcorn, vanilla cream, hints of toffee, hints of orange liqueur. With water, oats, vanilla cream, pencil erasers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla cream, pencil erasers, almond butter, toffee, lemon zest, hints of orange liqueur. With water, sweeter, vanilla cream, toffee, milk chocolate, pencil erasers. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, orange liqueur, limes, popcorn, hints of pencil erasers. 

Comments: 

A slightly atypical old grain. It’s not very sweet, instead it’s for some sulphury, rubbery notes, citrus, and a heap of nut butter. It opens up with water, turning cereally and chocolatey.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ballantine’s 30yo

Ballantine’s 30yo

Chivas Brothers
Blended malt
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, orange peel, white grapes, pear drops, ink, coffee, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Coffee, dark chocolate, orange peel, leather, lemon sweets, ink, honey. 
Finish: Long. Barley sugar, dark chocolate, orange peel, leather. 

Comments: 

Lots of bitter sweetness in this blend. It’s very gentle, and perhaps doesn’t taste its age. But there’s a bitter sweet depth to it, lots of leather and dark chocolate. Very nice, I love old blends.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.