20 October 2014

19/10/2014 A lazy Sunday afternoon

Ben Wyvis 31yo 1968/2000 (51%, Signatory Vintage, C#685, 191b): long time since I have had that one. Time to finish the mini. Nose: starts with butter and olive oil. It then unveils pine wood before moving towards cheesecake and primrose. Mouth: oily and soft, with a good balance of honey, buttery pastry and a hint of oak. Finish: wood takes control, though it never becomes invading. Notes of freshly cut birch, ripe hazelnut, perhaps slightly roasted, even. It dies out with creamy milk chocolate. An excellent dram, yet I still prefer C#687. 8/10

The Inverarity 10yo (40%, Loch Fyne Whiskies, b. ca 2011): according to speculations this might be an Aultmore. Nose: freshly-cut, juicy spring flowers (daffodils), butter and melting in the sun. Mouth: there is a great softness in this one too; a puffy pillow of flavours, starting with vanilla and toasted coconut, alongside flowers. Finish: something green now, as well as perfume. Green hazelnut shells made into a fragrance? No bitterness, however. This is soft and easy, with more than a drop of warm chocolate milk. 7/10 (thanks www.lfw.co.uk for the sample)

Glendullan 12yo (47%, OB, b. late 1980s): nose: salt, pine planks, pine branches, glue, slightly over toasted bread and, finally, a certain sherry influence (roasted coffee beans, ground coffee). The sherry is subtle, yet becomes more and more obvious with time. Mouth: Americano coffee (warm milk with a touch of coffee). The wood becomes quieter. Finish: spicy and woody; I compare it to green chilli on an uncoated Ivar shelf, with someone having coffee elsewhere in the room, which the nose cannot help picking up. 7/10

Convalmore 16yo 1984/2001 (43%, Ian McLeod Dun Bheagan): nose: a baking tray with crusty pastry and plenty of malted barley. Mouth: soft and silky, with a touch of acacia honey, almond milk and just a background note of almond skins. That will be a faint bitterness, then. Finish: the almond milk carries on, now supported by woodier tones. Not too complex, well pleasant all the same. 7/10 (thanks mars for the sample)

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