25/11/2017 The Festival previously known as Lindores

JS wanted to attend Lindores last year. And the year before. And possible the year before that. Seeing how much temptation is around me, I never really was interested. This year, though, we are both invited to a tasting in Belgium on the same weekend this takes place. It seems like the right opportunity to come have a look. Although officially, I was waiting for the organisers to change the name before attending. Lindores was too well-known for me. :o)

Early Eurostar to Brussels, then a bit of waiting to finally step into the train to Ostend. The ride is long-ish, but very easy and comfortable. This time, Ostend seems welcoming, pleasant and open. It takes me les than two minutes to step in dog poo. Yay. And for that too, Ostend is the perfect place. We call at the hotel (Hotel Bero, where the shindig takes place), then I rush to the beach to take care of my inconvenient adventure. It is as if sand had been invented to take care of dog shit. Yay.

Finally, the grandness of the setting hits me. It is a tiny strip of beach, in Ostend, but it is grand nonetheless. It is also very windy.

Watch your step, though. There is dog poo amongst the sand.

I feel like spending more time soaking in the iodine and sea air, but I have work to do. Back to the hotel to grab my notebook, and into the festival.

The first thing that strikes me is how intimate this is. One room, two exhibitors, one empty table, suggesting one of the exhibitors did not show up. The attendance is also manageable -- in the tens, rather than the hundreds.
Ah! Here are JS and Bishlouk. They tell me there is another room with two more exhibitors. Still, manageable.

The madness begins. Notes are short, and I do not even take notes for everything. It is a festival, festival-goers are keen to share and impress and pass glasses around that are not always identified properly. Fine.

Littlemill 24yo 1988/2013 (50.3%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 309b): nose: grass, hay, earth and delicate fruit in the back. Later on, fine-milled pepper emerges. Mouth: warm, with jam and yellow fruits. Finish: long, with jammy fruit, burning hay and a bit of earth. Great start. 9/10

Bishlouk pours this.

Loch Lomond 33yo 1084/2017 (47.9%, Edition Spirits First Editions specially selected for Belgium, Refill Hogshead, C#DL13287): an Inchmurrin in disguise? Nose: jam again, putty, wax, a hint of polish. Mouth: soft at first, it quickly becomes rather rough, herbaceous and nutty. Finish: nope... not good... ah... yes! Subtle fruit, then oily nuts, very oily nuts. Nice! 8/10

We meet Savoureur.

Oban d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice imported by Sestante, b. ca late 1980s): when did you last try an independent Oban? Exactly. Nose: a mix of fruit and manure, with added waxy tones and greasy earth. This is really dirty. Squashed strawberries in earth. Mouth: a bit watery, but the earthy dirt remains. Fruit, not so much. Finish: much longer than anticipated, with damp earth, mud, nut liqueur. Nice. 8/10

Into the second room, where I meet PG (of the Swissky Mafia). He gives me...

Tomatin 36yo 1976/2012 Full Metal Dram (49.3%, The Whisky Man selected by and bottled for Fulldram, 103b): nose: custard and tropical fruit, innit. Mouth: gentle, coconut-y, with papaya and jack fruit. Finish: more of that gentleness, custard and lashes of soft, tropical fruit. 9/10

Longmorn 35yo 1975/2011 (50.8%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams selected by and bottled for Bresser & Timmer and the Nectar): nose: custard and apricot turnovers. After a minute, Virginia tobacco and added tropical fruit. Mouth: peppery, peachy, with some cardboard, perhaps. Finish: good balance of Virginia tobacco and gentle fruit. 8/10

Milton Duff 14yo (40%, Sestante Pluscarden Valley, b.1980s): this was probably bottled for Sestante by Gordon & MacPhail. I have wanted to try it for a while. Nose: sweet, prune-y, with wood varnish, cocoa and non-sugared, hot waffle. Mouth: it seems watery, with notes of caramel and diluted prune syrup. Finish: nuts, wood, caramel, mulled wine and pine cones. This is decent, not great. It is also probably below 40%. 6/10

Milton Duff 12yo (61.1%, Sestante Pulscarden Valley, b.1980s): similar story. Nose: nuts, nut oil, wood varnish, an antique shoppe, barbecued apricots. Mouth: surprisingly balanced (check out the ABV!), with walnut oil and furniture polish. Finish: wow! Powerful, with dates, prunes, wood polish. As suggested by the exhibitor, this is far superior! 8/10

Miltonduff 20yo (95.5° Proof, Forth Wines, SC 247, b. early 1970s): this is very likely 1950s distillate. Nose: horse's stable. Water adds dunnage warehouse to it. Mouth: hot custard, hay, stable. My style. Finish: hot custard, lots of hay. Water allows more fruit to come through. This is simple, but good. 8/10

Caperdonich 39yo 1972/2011 (55.6%, Maltbarn No. 2, Ex-Sherry Butt, 73b): nose: hay, horse's sweat, stable. Mouth: fiery grass, hay. Finish: little fruit, lots of hay and horsepower, even a drop of coffee. Atypical 1972 Caperdonich. 8/10

Savoureur calls Forrest, whom we met in Campbeltown. The group he is part of had a big night out, last night, and have not yet shown up today. Forrest is to join us in the lobby, where others are also waiting. Someone asks us:
"Do you know Forrest?"
"Yes, he is coming here."
"Ah! I will wait for him."
"They had a difficult night."
"Ah. That seems normal, here."

We proceed to a restaurant without waiting. It is almost 16:00 and we are starving.
Apéro Fish Palace it is, where we all have the shrimp soup, then the shrimp croquettes with chips. It hits the spot. We could all eat more, but then we still have a lot to do. BACK TO THE VENUE!

That killer tartare sauce

En route, we bump into Forrest, glued to his phone, in the middle of the street. He has no recollection of last night and seems rather lost, still. I offer to host his bottles whilst he goes for a bite. We rendez-vous at the venue.

Back in, I go for...

Talisker 24yo d.1953 (43°, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice imported by Co. Import, Sherry Wood, b#1431): nose: ethereal, with fruit, dried fish, a dash of sink funk, grass and sea air, sea spray. A hint of fruit stones too, maybe? Mouth: super salty, it still has the mellowness of velvet and the salt of sea water. Finish: long, almost bitter, with lots of salt, sea water, some fruit and a touch of coal. Not as fruity as the 1957 offerings, but very high quality all the same. 9/10

PG passes me...

Clynelish 5yo (43%, OB distributed by M. Di Chiano): nose: very peaty, with scents of a stable. Mouth: soft and gentle, with hints of leather and a camp fire. Finish: burnt hay, then coal and soot. Wow. 8/10

Rosebank 34yo (88° Proof, George Strachan, b. early 1970s): we tried this one in Glasgow, earlier this year, but Bishlouk has never had it. Nose: so austere, with lots of herbs and flint. Mouth: jam and herbs. Finish: verbena and flint. As good as in my memory. 9/10

Milton Duff 21yo (43°, Sestante Pluscarden Valley, b.1980s): with lunch, I almost forgot I wanted to try this one too! There is even a fourth one, at a different stand, which I will never get round to trying. Nose: rich, with power, dark-chocolate praline, apricot in liqueur, vinegar. Mouth: soft at first, it soon shows spices -- star anise and crushed cardamom. Finish: long, with part mint, part spices, part bakery. Nice. The nose is better than the rest and, if it is superior to the 14yo, the 12 is my favourite. 7/10

GB: "Nobody tries this one. It's amazing."
PG: "It's the right size of bottle!"

It is late and, although they will pour until 22:00 (!), we try to elaborate a strategy for the rest of the day. JS is reaching a limit, so am I. Also, funds are running dry. Time to focus. We look at the Springbanks.
JS goes for...

Springbank 21yo 1953/1974 (43°, OB for Italy importer undecipherable): nose: amazingly fruity, with also leather, vinaigrette, and a softly animal touch. Mouth: salty apple tart, with an amazing intensity and a perfect balance. Finish: meow. Fruit, salt, hot apple tart, soot, coal dust, perfection. This is refined, sophisticated and unbelievable. 10/10

PG: "Springbank?"
R: "1972 Ardbeg."
PG: "Did you like the Ardbeg?"
R: "No. Total rip-off."

I have cash for one big dram, or two more modest ones. GB asks me if I have had the Mortlach. I have not. Not a big fan of Mortlach. This one comes highly recommended. I decide to trust the man.

Mortlach 25yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail imported by Co. Import, b. early 1980s): nose: an amazing blend of lichen, dust, damp earth, decaying berries, brambles, dunnage warehouse. Mouth: soft, not thin, it has bacon jelly (eh?), smoke, lingonberry compote. Finish: long, jammy, with hints of soot and caramelised fruit compote. Stunning. Thanks for the recommendation, GB! 9/10

Savoureur passes me a glass, which I try absent-mindedly, all excited that I am about the Mortlach, and still under the shock of the Springbank. Shame on me. It is a Talisker 35yo d.1947 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail). I feel stupid for wasting that terrific opportunity. To make up for it, I have half a dram of...

Bruichladdich 21yo Penny Black (46%, Brae Dean Int. imported by Moon Import The 500th Anniversary Celebration, 3216b, b#726): nose: meat and vinegar, a big sherry influence (and not in the way I like it). Behind that, subtle bakery aromas try and pierce through. Bishlouk says it smells sulphury. Mouth: here too, it is close to an old Mortlach -- meaty, vinegary. It also seems sparkly, like cola. Finish: cola, sulphur, fish sauce, rancio, even a touch of smoke. This is drying and sherried. Lastly, some fruit comes through, but not much. I do not care for the nose much, the rest is better. This is not worth the hype, according to my taste. 7/10

Final sprint.

Banff 38yo 1975/2013 (43.7%, Malts of Scotland selected by Dram Brothers Whisky Society Luxembourg and Vinothek Massen, C#13056, 72b, b#37): nose: very gentle smoke and mustard powder. Mustard, actually. Wow. Mouth: gentle and elegant, it has dunnage warehouse and tartare sauce. Finish: never-ending, with more smoke (yes, really), and sandy beaches. Superb. 9/10

Dramming for a living

Time to stop. We are pretty much the only ones left and the exhibitors are putting away their stock. JS has a headache, I cannot really keep going. I still have Forrest's bottles, though. I will meet him at the bar. First, a shower.

I really enjoyed this formula. Relaxed, friendly and not too busy. There was less rush on my part to try and score as much as possible.

Fifteen minutes later, I am delivering bottles to the bar. Forrest offers me a dram of his Glenfarclas 41yo 1973/2014 (40.7%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 186b), which is excellent. I pour my Lochside 22yo 1966/1989 (43%, Signatory Vintage, C#7253-55, 800b, b#444) which goes down well and attracts attention. Swedes join us, Belgians, exhibitors, Savoureur. Soon, the bottles and samples start rolling in. I am trapped. Allt-A-Bhainne 12yo 1980/1992 (60.3%, Cadenhead), Glenlivet 18yo 1972/1991 (53.7%, Cadenhead), Glencadam 29yo 1972/2001 (52.5%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#7821, 298b) and others. I drink more than I should. We go on until 1:15am. I can feel tomorrow will be difficult.

The morning is difficult indeed. I hardly slept. I am full of cramps. The first bite of croissant is a challenge and brings no pleasure whatsoever. GB teases us, but he looks rather tired himself. By the third mouthful, I feel better. Once I attack the eggs, bacon, salmon and sausages, I feel human again. Phew.

Breakfast of champions for JS: Tamnavulin 1966 Moon Import

We bid everyone good bye in the hotel lobby. JS and I have a train to catch. Savoureur kindly offers to drive us to the station. Once there, it dawns on me that he is driving back to Luxembourg, almost in the same general direction we are heading towards. He accepts a slight detour to drop us off in Liège, where we arrive on time for new adventures.
Thanks! We just saved an hour's travelling and did so in good company.