Macduff 23yo 1992/2015 (64.6%, House of Macduff The Golden Cask, C#CM222, 223b): nose: a morning camp fire, boughs on the forest floor. After a few seconds, it is closer to an orchard in the late autumn, with lots of apples fallen off the trees and decaying in the grass. Bubble gum appears next, shy, alongside cleaning products (detergent). Just as I think it is over, earth and leather show up too, before it all goes back to stripping, flower-scented cleaning products. Mouth: whoof! the heat is palpable. Some old leather behind it, prunes, a spoonful of honey in a dark ale. This is hot, rich and dark, hinting at a sherry cask. Apricot compote straight out of the oven -- do not burn yourself! Finish: leather and burnt wood, initially, then a stew of prunes, overcooked carrots and boiled cola. This is much more complex than I expected! I unfortunately do not have enough of it to try it with water, but I like it without. 8/10 (
Thanks LM for the sample)
Littlemill 22yo 1992/2014 (53.8%, Hunter Laing Old & Rare a Platinum Selection, Hogshead, C#HL10882, 194b): nose: honey, gentle vanilla, crushed yellow fruit (apricot? Peach, rather). It evolves to unveil red fruit, after a minute (gooseberry, cherry), then melting butter, distinct, yet delicate. Forsythia is there too, and... nettles!? Yep. Combava leaves, perhaps, very discreet. Mouth: soft and mellow, it has pears, seared in sizzling butter, fluffy doughnuts and a hefty dose of spicy heat generated by the alcohol. Finish: bland heat, at first, it then quickly unleashes decaying tropical fruits. This finish is very long, soon dominated by woody tones (i.e. a slight bitterness of dark chocolate and plant-stem sap). It does becomes rather drying, though it remains pleasant. Really, there are better Littlemills around. All the same, this is very good. 8/10
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| One must bow more |
Bowmore Bicentenary b.1979 (43%, OB, Sherry and American Casks, 20400b): nose: ZOMG, another pair of trousers, quick! Furniture polish, at first, then it opens up to an avalanche of fruits (maracuja, mango, papaya, melon, peach, pink grapefruit). It also has a coastal quality to it: tinned sardines, believe it or not. The gigglefest beings. Rubber on the tarmac after the start of an amateur race -- actually, the rubber becomes more and more pronounced, Black Bowmore style. Mouth: the cavalcade of exotic fruit continues, with melon, mango, papaya, guava. The freshness is astonishing. Drying fishnets on a sunny beach. The hairless beach apes are eating fruit. Finish: it was probably a mistake to drink a 43% whisky after the previous beasts. All the same, the finish is shrouded in a cloak of smoke (both coal and peat) and has a dose of tropical fruit that is less and less subtle as you drink it. This is whisky royalty. If drunk on its own, it would probably achieve top score. For now, it is 9/10
Macduff 23yo 1992/2015 (64.6%, House of Macduff The Golden Cask, C#CM222, 223b): nose: a morning camp fire, boughs on the forest floor. After a few seconds, it is closer to an orchard in the late autumn, with lots of apples fallen off the trees and decaying in the grass. Bubble gum appears next, shy, alongside cleaning products (detergent). Just as I think it is over, earth and leather show up too, before it all goes back to stripping, flower-scented cleaning products. Mouth: whoof! the heat is palpable. Some old leather behind it, prunes, a spoonful of honey in a dark ale. This is hot, rich and dark, hinting at a sherry cask. Apricot compote straight out of the oven -- do not burn yourself! Finish: leather and burnt wood, initially, then a stew of prunes, overcooked carrots and boiled cola. This is much more complex than I expected! I unfortunately do not have enough of it to try it with water, but I like it without. 8/10 (Thanks LM for the sample)
Littlemill 22yo 1992/2014 (53.8%, Hunter Laing Old & Rare a Platinum Selection, Hogshead, C#HL10882, 194b): nose: honey, gentle vanilla, crushed yellow fruit (apricot? Peach, rather). It evolves to unveil red fruit, after a minute (gooseberry, cherry), then melting butter, distinct, yet delicate. Forsythia is there too, and... nettles!? Yep. Combava leaves, perhaps, very discreet. Mouth: soft and mellow, it has pears, seared in sizzling butter, fluffy doughnuts and a hefty dose of spicy heat generated by the alcohol. Finish: bland heat, at first, it then quickly unleashes decaying tropical fruits. This finish is very long, soon dominated by woody tones (i.e. a slight bitterness of dark chocolate and plant-stem sap). It does becomes rather drying, though it remains pleasant. Really, there are better Littlemills around. All the same, this is very good. 8/10
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