Tamdhu-Glenlivet 22yo 1991/2014

Tamdhu-Glenlivet 22yo 1991/2014

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Amber rose
57% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Strawberries, red grapes, raisins, dried apricots, white peaches, hints of milk chocolate. With water, white peaches, cedar, cinnamon, papaya. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Red grapes, cream, vanilla, red grapes, walnut skins, white peaches, hints of allspice. With water, allspice, cinnamon, papaya, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, milk chocolate, cream, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Fruity, highly fragrant and quite spicy, this whisky is complex and intense, especially at cask strength. There's a lot of wood influence in this, and I must have a miniature filled from the dregs of the bottle, because there's a a fair bit of sediment in it. It's delicious, the type of intense sweet, Speyside that I enjoy very much.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold

Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Golden honey
43% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Honey, cinnamon, blackcurrant cordial, honeycomb, hints of orange blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Walnut skins, vanilla, honeycomb, orange blossom, dark chocolate, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Honeycomb, orange blossom, blackcurrant cordial, vanilla, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

This whisky is meant to be tried straight from the freezer, but I think it's actually better at room temperature. There's the distinctive honeyed Dalwhinnie character, and additional layered notes of chocolate, orange blossom, and something very much like leather. It's delicious, and, whilst I normally think 40% ABV is a little weak, in this instance it's quite appropriate. The whisky is extremely easy drinking and gentle, and lovely when relaxing in this awful lockdown.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Milk and Honey Young Single Malt

Milk and Honey Young Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Tel Aviv
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, smoke, leather, charcoal powder, raisins, hints of cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, warming. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, charcoal powder, eat, orange peel, applesauce. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, leather, orange peel, vanilla sponge. 

Comments: 

It might be that this dram is less than 3 years old, as the word 'whisky' is suspiciously absent from the label. Oddly peaty and leathery on the nose, there's also an ashy hint of charcoal. It's sweeter on the tongue, even fruity, but the ashy charcoal note is still there. Very interesting indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Royal Brackla 19yo 1991/2011

Royal Brackla 19yo 1991/2011

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
46% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Cola nuts, raisins, malted grains, cloves, cream, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla cream, orange peel, raisins, winter melon, sponge cake, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla cream, black tea, orange peel, winter melon. 

Comments: 

A nice gentle Royal Brackla, spicy, at a very nice strength. Lots of fruit notes, and baked goods notes, as well a very nice mouthfeel indeed, almost luxurious. Somehow, whisky doesn't come like this anymore.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Balvenie 17yo Doublewood

Balvenie 17yo Doublewood

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale amber
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Ginger, red grapes, cloves, marmalade, Horlicks, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, marmalade, cloves, chocolate, Horlicks, honey, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, raisins, vanilla sponge, orange peel. 

Comments: 

I've had the younger version, many years ago. This is sort of 'classic' Balvenie, lots of orange in it, but also some interested malted notes. Is 17 much better than 12? Well, the additional 5 years of aging does add some complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Mhor 16yo 1979/1995

Glen Mhor 16yo 1979/1995

Cask, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark orange gold
66.7% ABV
Half bottle

Nose: Leather, pears, cucumber, butter, honey, hints of sea salt, hints of smoke. With water, white pepper, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, spirity. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, white grapes, greengages, sea salt, soy sauce, leather, hints of smoke With water, allspice, white pepper, white grapes, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Long. Cucumber, greengages, ginger, cinnamon, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Finally cracked this bottle open, it's been sitting in my cupboard for a good decade or so. It probably wasn't a magnificent whisky when it was bottled, but time plus rarity value has really made a difference. It's fresh and fruity, quite light, plenty of green and white stone fruit. There's also a lot of old bottle effect, leathery, savoury rancio that covers quite a spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Caol Ila 14yo 2005/2020

Caol Ila 14yo 2005/2020

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
Straw
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, buttered toast, peanuts, marmalade, tinned peaches, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Buttered toast, peaches, golden syrup, peanuts, hints of leather, hints of pears. 
Finish: Long. Tinned peaches, leather, peanuts, hints of peat, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask DL13823. I was a little sad - this is probably the last dram I'm going to drink in a bar for a while. But it was a worthy one - practically unpeated, lots of fruit notes, even buttered toast. The peat is very gentle and mild, almost unnoticeable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenlossie 24yo 1995/2019

Glenlossie 24yo 1995/2019

Celebration of the Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, peaches, raisins, damson jam, hints of leather. With water, driftwood, sea salt, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Peaches, orange peel, white grapes, leather, vanilla, hints of cotton sheets. With water, more savoury, orange peel, peaches, sea salt, sawdust. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, peaches, orange peel, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Cask 1325. Lots of peaches in this one, along with other fruit. But it's oddly salty, with a slight umami savour. With water, it opens up a bit, but is still heavy on the peach, and also the salt. Very nice.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aultmore 8yo 2008/2017

Aultmore 8yo 2008/2017

The Octave, Duncan Taylor
Single malt - Speyside
Brass
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, barley sugar, brass polish, vanilla, hints of kiwifruit. With water, sandalwood, cinnamon, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, soursop, green tea, barley sugar, white grapes, hints of vanilla. With water, more lemon sweets, white grapes, dust. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, black pepper, white grapes, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Excellent cask strength Aultmore, lots of barley sugar, which to me is the typical note for this distillery (also many other distilleries in Speyside!). With water, it loosens, and more fruit notes appear. I really enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Paul John Christmas Edition 2019

Paul John Christmas Edition 2019

Official bottling
Single malt - Goa
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla sponge, red grapes, black tea, leather, raisins, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, slippery, loose. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, leather, red grapes, vanilla sponge, cacao nibs, raisins, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, pear drops, red grapes, raisins, cacao nibs. 

Comments: 

Well, it certainly does what it says on the label. Christmas spice, something bitter sweet, lots of chocolate and raisins. Rather young, but I think the cask strength might be very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.