Arran 10yo (pre-2019)
Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram
Nose: Orange peel, honey, wet stones, malted grains, barley sugar, white pepper, hints of golden syrup.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, warm, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, apricots, golden syrup, vanilla, barley sugar, cinnamon, hints of wet stones.
Finish: Medium. White pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, apricots.
Comments:
Stone fruit and minerals, along with some spicy notes. I missed this style of whisky when they were making it, the new Arran 10 is different. Quite pleased to get a sample of something that feels like it’s from a bygone era.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Friday, 30 June 2023
Tuesday, 27 June 2023
Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Reserve No 5
Lakes WhiskyMaker’s Reserve No 5
Official bottling
Single malt - Cumbria
Amber red
52% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, raisins, strawberry jam, cloves, marshmallows, honey, hints of black tea. With water, honey, black tea, strawberry jam, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberry jam, fresh baked bread, black tea, malted grains, honey, black pepper. With water, honey, raisins, black tea, strawberry jam.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, black tea, hints of apricot jam.
Comments:
Classic sherried Lakes whisky, lots of jammy notes with a heap of black pepper. It’s spicy yet sweet. Well constructed and delicious.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Cumbria
Amber red
52% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, raisins, strawberry jam, cloves, marshmallows, honey, hints of black tea. With water, honey, black tea, strawberry jam, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberry jam, fresh baked bread, black tea, malted grains, honey, black pepper. With water, honey, raisins, black tea, strawberry jam.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, black tea, hints of apricot jam.
Comments:
Classic sherried Lakes whisky, lots of jammy notes with a heap of black pepper. It’s spicy yet sweet. Well constructed and delicious.
Verdict:
I like this.
Glendullan 12yo 2009/2022
Glendullan 12yo 2009/2022
James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
52.6% ABV
Dram
Nose: Green apples, orange juice, vanilla, fresh baked bread, shortbread, butterscotch, hints of toffee. With water, cinder toffee, orange juice, vanilla, hints of toffee.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Shortbread, fresh baked bread, malted grains, toffee, butterscotch, maple syrup, hints of coffee. With water, toffee, maple syrup, shortbread, butterscotch.
Comments:
Cask 306085. Malty and sweet, with biscuity shortbread notes. There’s a little complexity here, but not too much. Probably needs a bit more aging. Decent dram, nevertheless.
Verdict:
I like this.
James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
52.6% ABV
Dram
Nose: Green apples, orange juice, vanilla, fresh baked bread, shortbread, butterscotch, hints of toffee. With water, cinder toffee, orange juice, vanilla, hints of toffee.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Shortbread, fresh baked bread, malted grains, toffee, butterscotch, maple syrup, hints of coffee. With water, toffee, maple syrup, shortbread, butterscotch.
Finish: Long. Malted grains, orange juice, butterscotch, fresh baked bread, hints of coffee.
Comments:
Cask 306085. Malty and sweet, with biscuity shortbread notes. There’s a little complexity here, but not too much. Probably needs a bit more aging. Decent dram, nevertheless.
Verdict:
I like this.
Pike’s Creek 10yo
Pike’s Creek 10yo
Official bottling
Single malt - Ontario
Amber
42% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sugar cane, molasses, vanilla, Demerara sugar, hints of milk chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Molasses, vanilla, green tea, Demerara sugar, molasses, hints of white grapes.
Finish: Short. Molasses, Demerara sugar, vanilla, hints of fresh baked bread.
Comments:
A very rum-like whisky. In fact, if you’d given this to me and not told me what it was, I’d have said that it’s rum. It’s sweet and you can taste sugar cane. It’s not hugely complex.
Verdict:
I like this.
Official bottling
Single malt - Ontario
Amber
42% ABV
Dram
Nose: Sugar cane, molasses, vanilla, Demerara sugar, hints of milk chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, astringent.
Tasting: Sweet. Molasses, vanilla, green tea, Demerara sugar, molasses, hints of white grapes.
Finish: Short. Molasses, Demerara sugar, vanilla, hints of fresh baked bread.
Comments:
A very rum-like whisky. In fact, if you’d given this to me and not told me what it was, I’d have said that it’s rum. It’s sweet and you can taste sugar cane. It’s not hugely complex.
Verdict:
I like this.
Irish Reserve Single Malt Whisky
Irish Reserve Single Malt Whisky
Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Leinster
Pale yellow
44.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Vanilla, lime zest, shortcrust pastry, lemon juice, green apples, malted grains.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, tingly, cool.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Vanilla, lime zest, lemon juice, greengages, fresh baked bread, malted grains, honey, hints of white grapes.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, shortcrust pastry, fresh baked bread, lemon juice, hints of green tea.
Comments:
A new Irish distillery, from BBR. Quite tart and citrusy, lots of malty, slightly tannic notes. Promising, and worthy of the BBR label.
Verdict:
I like this.
Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Leinster
Pale yellow
44.2% ABV
Dram
Nose: Vanilla, lime zest, shortcrust pastry, lemon juice, green apples, malted grains.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, tingly, cool.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Vanilla, lime zest, lemon juice, greengages, fresh baked bread, malted grains, honey, hints of white grapes.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, shortcrust pastry, fresh baked bread, lemon juice, hints of green tea.
Comments:
A new Irish distillery, from BBR. Quite tart and citrusy, lots of malty, slightly tannic notes. Promising, and worthy of the BBR label.
Verdict:
I like this.
Sunday, 25 June 2023
Blair Athol 26yo 1973/2000
Blair Athol 26yo 1973/2000
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
57.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Pear drops, raisins, malted grains, milk chocolate, marshmallows, honey, peaches, hints of orange peel. With water, milk chocolate, leather, fresh cut grass, marshmallows.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, syrupy.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peaches, apricot jam, malted grains, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, honey, black pepper, hints of strawberry jam. With water, black pepper, cocoa nibs, strawberry jam, hints of cloves, hints of roast pork.
Finish: Long. Apricot jam, milk chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon.
Comments:
Cask 5016. Sweet and jammy stuff, very spicy, lots of bitter cocoa notes. Very complex, multi-layered, with some grassiness on the nose. Amazing stuff, with a whisper of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
57.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Pear drops, raisins, malted grains, milk chocolate, marshmallows, honey, peaches, hints of orange peel. With water, milk chocolate, leather, fresh cut grass, marshmallows.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, syrupy.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peaches, apricot jam, malted grains, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, honey, black pepper, hints of strawberry jam. With water, black pepper, cocoa nibs, strawberry jam, hints of cloves, hints of roast pork.
Finish: Long. Apricot jam, milk chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon.
Comments:
Cask 5016. Sweet and jammy stuff, very spicy, lots of bitter cocoa notes. Very complex, multi-layered, with some grassiness on the nose. Amazing stuff, with a whisper of old bottle effect.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Glenury Royal 30yo 1973/2004
Glenury Royal 30yo 1973/2004
Vintage Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Eastern Highlands
Dark gold
49.7% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, cocoa nibs, honey, orange peel, black tea, coffee, hints of black pepper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, turns watery around the edges.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Black tea, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, orange peel, greengages, hints of honey, hints of black pepper.
Finish: Long. Cocoa nibs, black tea, raisins, candle wax, black pepper.
Comments:
Cask 6860. Bitter sweet and raisiny, lots of complicated complexities, like greengages and honey. It’s subtle yet bitter sweet, very unusual and interesting. An hour a dram whisky. Brilliant.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Vintage Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Eastern Highlands
Dark gold
49.7% ABV
Dram
Nose: Red grapes, cocoa nibs, honey, orange peel, black tea, coffee, hints of black pepper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, turns watery around the edges.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Black tea, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, orange peel, greengages, hints of honey, hints of black pepper.
Finish: Long. Cocoa nibs, black tea, raisins, candle wax, black pepper.
Comments:
Cask 6860. Bitter sweet and raisiny, lots of complicated complexities, like greengages and honey. It’s subtle yet bitter sweet, very unusual and interesting. An hour a dram whisky. Brilliant.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Banff 23yo 1976/2000
Banff 23yo 1976/2000
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Bright yellow
55.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, white grapes, apples, white pepper, fresh cut grass, kiwifruit, honey, hints of grapefruit. With water, magic marker, apples, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, hints of turmeric, hints of horseradish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Apples, white pepper, lemon zest, grapefruit, white chocolate, fresh cut grass, hints of cinder toffee, hints of basil. With water, honey, magic marker, fresh cut grass, hints of horseradish.
Finish: Long. White grapes, white chocolate, fresh cut grass, honey, apples.
Comments:
Cask 2249. Spicy and fruity, with some interesting notes of horseradish and turmeric. It’s unusual, maybe it’s old bottle effect, but a very specific one. It’s also quite tart with a sweet finish, magnificent stuff.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Bright yellow
55.5% ABV
Dram
Nose: Lemon zest, white grapes, apples, white pepper, fresh cut grass, kiwifruit, honey, hints of grapefruit. With water, magic marker, apples, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, hints of turmeric, hints of horseradish.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sour sweet. Apples, white pepper, lemon zest, grapefruit, white chocolate, fresh cut grass, hints of cinder toffee, hints of basil. With water, honey, magic marker, fresh cut grass, hints of horseradish.
Finish: Long. White grapes, white chocolate, fresh cut grass, honey, apples.
Comments:
Cask 2249. Spicy and fruity, with some interesting notes of horseradish and turmeric. It’s unusual, maybe it’s old bottle effect, but a very specific one. It’s also quite tart with a sweet finish, magnificent stuff.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Glenugie 27yo 1976/2003
Glenugie 27yo 1976/2003
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale yellow
51.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Candle wax, pears, papayas, kiwifruit, barley sugar, greengages, white grapes, hints of white pepper. With water, greengages, white grapes, lemon zest, custard apples, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, warm, tingly, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. White pepper, clay dust, white grapes, candle wax, barley sugar, lemon zest, custard apples. With water, lemon zest, white grapes, custard apples, Demerara sugar.
Finish: Long. Candle wax, barley sugar, papayas, clay dust, leather.
Comments:
Cask 2700. Fruity, slightly spicy, and a little dusty, this tastes old. Lots of stone fruit, and custard apples, which is a relative of the soursop. Some surprisingly waxy notes in the finish too.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale yellow
51.1% ABV
Dram
Nose: Candle wax, pears, papayas, kiwifruit, barley sugar, greengages, white grapes, hints of white pepper. With water, greengages, white grapes, lemon zest, custard apples, sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, warm, tingly, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. White pepper, clay dust, white grapes, candle wax, barley sugar, lemon zest, custard apples. With water, lemon zest, white grapes, custard apples, Demerara sugar.
Finish: Long. Candle wax, barley sugar, papayas, clay dust, leather.
Comments:
Cask 2700. Fruity, slightly spicy, and a little dusty, this tastes old. Lots of stone fruit, and custard apples, which is a relative of the soursop. Some surprisingly waxy notes in the finish too.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Linkwood 42yo 1974/2017
Linkwood 42yo 1974/2017
Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
40.9% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, candle wax, toffee apples, cinnamon, orange peel, cream, barley sugar, honeysuckle, hints of lilac.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, loosens.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toffee apples, red grapes, orange peel, candle wax, cloves, greengages, fresh cut grass, hints of lilac.
Finish: Long. Candle wax, greengages, barley sugar, lilac, honeysuckle.
Comments:
Cask 8440 + 8441. It’s barely whisky and the angels have taken a lot. But it’s still fruity and spicy, if not quite as bright as younger Linkwoods. It’s a little too old, but still very, very good indeed.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
40.9% ABV
Dram
Nose: Raisins, candle wax, toffee apples, cinnamon, orange peel, cream, barley sugar, honeysuckle, hints of lilac.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, loosens.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toffee apples, red grapes, orange peel, candle wax, cloves, greengages, fresh cut grass, hints of lilac.
Finish: Long. Candle wax, greengages, barley sugar, lilac, honeysuckle.
Comments:
Cask 8440 + 8441. It’s barely whisky and the angels have taken a lot. But it’s still fruity and spicy, if not quite as bright as younger Linkwoods. It’s a little too old, but still very, very good indeed.
Verdict:
I like this a lot.
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