27/01/2018 Burns' Night 2018: the Walloon tasting

Because why not? It will make sense in a minute and, of course, a little knowledge of Wallonia, Walloon and Walloons helps, here. Failing any knowledge of those topics, it is pretty certain this edition will see good whisky poured.

And haggis served!

The suspects: kruuk2, adc, JS, dom666, Psycho, sonicvince, ruckus, Bishlouk and tOMoH.

Loaaaaaadsa whisky!

I build the line-up. As soon as I am done, Psycho announces he has to leave early and will take his bottle away with him. It goes straight from last place to first and we therefore start with it as an apéritif, to accompany bruschetta and smoked-salmon toasts.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen...

The soundtrack:

Psycho presents: Julos Beaucarne - La Petite Caol (for La petite Gayole)

Caol Ila 33yo 1984/2017 (54.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 144b, 17/339): because it is always a good idea to start off a tasting with a 33yo, cask-strength Islay whisky, is it not? :-) Nose: balsamic vinegar, superb olive oil, fishing nets, capers and warm tomato sauce -- is this putanesca sauce? Smoked mussels are here too. Mouth: chargrilled toasts, anchovy paste and black olives. Finish: charcoal, a spent log fire, cockles, fishing nets again. This is won-der-ful. A tough act to follow! 9/10

Food is served. A turnip soup that everyone agrees is excellent.

sonicvince presents: a Walloon distillery (Lambertus is in Raeren, in Wallonia)

Lambertus 10yo (40%, OB): we had this one years ago, and I remember liking it. Nose: sweet, it has powdered sugar, toasted coconut, yoghurt and blackberries. Mouth: soft, sweet, yoghurt-y, with coconut paste, blackberry and blackcurrant. Lovely palate, this. Makes me think of Invergordon. Finish: more blackcurrant, blackberries, blueberries. The last note is soft and sweet. 8/10

tOMoH presents: Kéne clette! (meaning: how incompetent!)

Kinclaith 1968/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, ID/DIB): one of the few GMP offerings for which the code does not match the bottling date, suggesting the label (upon which the code is printed) was printed at the tail end of 1994 and the bottle was filled early in 1995. First Kinclaith for everyone, bar JS, adc, dom666 and myself. Nose: it oscillates between lemon and kumquat (adc), while I reckon it is satsuma, as well as a hint of banana, whiffs of burnt rubber and warm caramel. Mouth: balanced, it has oranges and burnt wood, a drop of lemon juice and PiMM's (the far superior incarnation of Jaffa Cakes, for our readers outside of PiMM'slandia). Finish: long, it has burnt orange peels, burnt caramel and PiMM's, which means orange and dark chocolate. It is almost bitter with orange, towards the end. In any case, it is excellent. 9/10

The soundtrack:

New decoration, by the way

tOMoH presents: to come from Liège, half of us had to follow the Meuse to Huy (self-explanatory)

MossTowie 18yo (40%, Sestante, b.1980s): this really is a Lomond-still Miltonduff, in case that was not clear. Those stills were only in place between 1964 and 1981. Many tonight reckon this is their first Mosstowie, forgetting that we had one several years ago (C#5816). Nose delicate, with cocoa, coffee -- no! it is sticky toffee pudding, with chocolate and Atholl Brose. Mouth: milky, yoghurt-y, it has coconut milk and varnish. Finish: caramel, pralines, chocolate coulis, woody water and a dash of pepper. The finish is nice, but not very long. 8/10

ruckus (about the music): "Depeche Mode. Pas très wallon, ça!"
sonicvince: "En Wallonie, on aime les training peau de-pêche!"

Main course is served: haggis (exploded in the oven), vegetarian haggis, parsnip purée, swede, leeks and potato gratin, potato gratin.

kruuk2 presents: Vasti fé Arran-gie (from: vasti fé arindjî, meaning: go stuff yourself)

The Arran Malt 18yo (46%, OB, b. ca 2017): nose: vinegar from Modena, sticky toffee pudding, grapefruit peels. Mouth: slightly acidic custard and Atholl Brose (again!?) Finish: big, it has lots of pepper, lemon juice and grapefruit. Those official Arrans are really well made, are they not? 8/10

vs.

Glenmorangie Cellar 13 (43%, OB, 2nd edition): nose: bizarrely, it has a drop of coffee (never happened before), as well as the expected golden syrup and manuka honey. Mouth: soft, with lots of honey, peaches in syrup and a few wood splinters. Finish: creamy, with custard and coconut water. I have always liked Cellar 13; thirteen years on, it has not changed. 8/10

JS presents: Toma-ti n'y es nin, séés-tante (from: ti n'y es nin, séés, meaning: you don't get it, do you?)

The Tomatin 15yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail imported for "Il Sestante", b.1980s):  nose: closed at first, but a few minutes of breathing help fruit come out (cherries, pears and squashed apples), masking a tiny hint of sulphur and warm wood. Mouth: milk, dark cherries, redcurrants. The palate is warm and gently smoky, full of fruity yoghurt. Finish: very complex, it marries fruit, caramel and a bit of smoke (!), with dark-chocolate-coated marshmallows. Another killer Tomatin. 9/10

kruuk2 (about the music): "Ah! This is well-known."
ruckus: "Is it Front 242?... Ah, no, it's me." :-)

Dessert is served.

That cake

sonicvince presents: Nic, k'a co fé? (meaning: Nic, what have you done again?)

Nikka Coffey Grain (45%, OB imported by La Maison du Whisky, 6/02G341337): nose: typical grain, with lots of coconut, vanilla, yoghurt and milky custard. Mouth: again, soft, silky, custard-y with, perhaps, a tiny metallic edge. Finish: lovely wood-driven grain, with tons of custard, coconut and yoghurt, as well as a pinch of verbena. 7/10

ruckus presents: Braine-l'Alleud-chie (from: Braine-l'Alleud, in the middle of Belgium)

Glenallachie 1992/2009 (46%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre The Càrn Mòr Vintage Collection, Barrel, C#587, 953b): not every day that we try an 'allachie. Nose: Grany Smith apple, a hint of coffee liqueur and... Alka-Seltzer. Mouth: gentle, with acidic apples here too, crisp and lively. Apple-flavoured wine? Cider? Bubbly? Finish: dry and short, it leaves warmth in the back of the throat, like a good brut Champagne. Pleasant enough. 7/10

tOMoH presents: Glen Esk-e c'est tot? (from: est-ce que c'est tout? meaning: will you stop it?)

Glen Esk 1982/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice imported by LMDW, IE/DBD): I had several Esks to choose from, but I picked this one, because it was distilled in 1982... when Standard de Liège was champion of the league. Nose: sulphury, cardboard-y, "it sticks to the teeth," says sonicvince. Rotten plums. After a few minutes, fresher fruit comes out (ripe plums), and then smoke. Mouth: caramel, chocolate and smoky water. Finish: a bit short and indistinct. It probably suffers from its low ABV. Praline, liqueur, cardboard. Not an easy malt, but I like it anyway. 7/10

ruckus presents: Knap-oog Castle, which he says is Dutch for le Château de Beloeil (at a push) (Beloeil is a town in Wallonia, which, unsurprisingly, has a castle)

Knappogue Castle 12yo (46%, Castle Brands Special Barrel Release bottled exclusively for K imported by Castle Brands NY, 216b, b#210, L15 004 200 10:57): nose: berries aplenty and juicy peaches. Mouth: an interesting bite, with lots of fruity syrup and elderberry cordial. Finish: fruity pastry, chou dough, apricot turnovers and peach syrup. 9/10

JS presents: Oufti-ling (oufti is not translatable; the closest is: ooft)

Teeling 21yo 1991/2014 (46%, Teeling Vintage Reserve, Bourbon Barrels, Finished in Sauternes Casks, B#3, 5000b, b#2663): liquorice, earth and distant fruit. Smoked ham (JS), green grapes. This is not the fruity extravaganza I expected. Mouth: creamy, with fruity syrup, peach liqueur and a touch of chilli. Finish: hiking boots, decaying tropical fruit, Parma ham on melon slices and mango slices. Breathing will probably open this up to reveal more fruit, but it is already amazing. 9/10

Quick line-up reshuffle to allow adc to hit the sack soon.

adc presents: E-25 (the motorway from Liège to Luxemburg; look at the picture)

93.78 25yo 1992/2017 Like a vintage dessert wine (53.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill Oloroso Butt, 186b): nose: lots of leather, varnish, glue, wonderfully refined sherry maturation, earth and drying paint. Mouth: polished furniture, walnut oil, argan oil, furniture wax, apricot juice. Finish: long, with, again, the effects of a wonderful sherry maturation, slightly drying, it has rancio, leather and fortified wine. 8/10

Bishlouk presents (brace yourselves): Fexhe-le-Haut-Cloch-side (from: Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher, a village in Wallonia)

Good effort for a first participation, but he does not stop there. Near Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher is the Belgian Owl distillery, whose new stills are from Caperdonich. Caperdonich was in Rothes, which is close in name to Rotheux-Rimières, in Wallonia. Rothes is a two-hour drive away from the coast. In two hours, one can drive from Huy to Koksijde. -sijde is the Dutch equivalent of -side, from Loch-side. Koksijde/Coxyde is also the most French-speaking town on the Belgian coast. Full of Walloons, it is.
One would think he would stop there, but not so.
Lochside was a brewery from 1781 until 1957 -- another obvious common trait with Wallonia, home to so many breweries. Finally, Lochside used to belong to DYC, a Spanish distillery during the Franco years. Spain is the choice destination for the most Walloons, leading to several songs about the fact (as played in the mixes above).

Good to see someone took the theme very seriously indeed! And yes, of course, Bishlouk wanted to bring a specific bottle and shoehorned it into the theme as best he could. In any case, we laugh a lot.

Lochside 48yo 1964/2015 (41.2%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. The Cooper's Choice, Sherry Butt, C#6799): the mathematicians amongst our readers will observe that the age does not match the dates. The whisky was so low in alcohol that it was put into flagons in the early 2010s. No ageing officially takes place outside of wood, so the age remained static from then on. Those flagons were eventually bottled in 2015. Nose: a walk in a pinewood forest, after a gentle spring rain. Chocolate paste on toasts, roasted cereals, bubble gum, sizzling blackberry compote. Woah! Mouth: jammy and fruity, with caramelised compote and orange marmalade. It turns softly drying with sherry-like fruit and rancio. Finish: a hint of rancio, the acidity of unripe redcurrants and... more currants. Lochside has always been one of my favouritest grains, and this (yes, it is a Lochside grain) is no exception. 9/10

We devour the cheese Bishlouk bought on Arran with home-made jam, cured with a fiery sherried Ledaig. Yum!

The soundtrack:



At last, we are about to discover why dom666 brought a flipping sock to this tasting!

dom666 presents: Je tends le bas de laine, on prendra le dram 33 (paraphrasing Brel's: "J'attends la Madeleine, on prendra le tram 33")

A this stage, dom666 realises he brought... the wrong bottle. This one is not 33yo and therefore makes no sense. I refuse to drink it. But really, I do not.

Ardbeg 31yo 1972/2004 (44.2%, OB Single Cask for Belgium, Bourbon Hogshead, C#3038, 148b): nose: marvellous, with dried hay, dried mango slices, a gentle bubble gum touch, fishing nets and even ink on old parchments. Mouth: hot, it has chilli, burning hay, dried-apricot and dried-mango slices, and also a pinch of dried earth. The texture is creamy. Finish: spent embers, ashes, scorched earth, hay bales and unripe currants. I used to think the vintage vattings were superior to these single casks, but this is the second in a row that blows me away. Perhaps they simply needed twelve years of breathing in the bottle to give their full potential? I love it, tonight. No barley tone, only old-school complexity. Stuart T. certainly knew how to pick a cask! 9/10

The second cake enters. adc disappears.

What a mistake-a to make-a!

dom666 presents: Je tends le bas de laine, on prendra le dram 33 (paraphrasing Brel's: "J'attends la Madeleine, on prendra le tram 33")

Yes, he is good, our dom666, but he likes to repeat the jokes. He also breaks the cork. :-)

Port Ellen 33yo 1982/2005 (55.7%, M & H Cask Selection, Bourbon Cask, 240b): being 33yo, this is actually in theme, unlike the Ardbeg. Nose: superbly refined smoke, with fishing nets and... toothpaste. Peppermint? Mouth: very strong almond liqueur, dark pralines, smoked mussels, a trawler's diesel engine and fishing nets again. Finish: nice, with burnt hay and lots of liquorice -- lots and lots of it. This is almost sickly. Hot sand, wood varnish, sea water. Good, not great. It is always interesting to try a Port Ellen, of course, yet this is not the best of them. The liquorice hints at it being left in the wood for too long. It still deserves 8/10

JS marvels at dom666's pours.
Of Port Ellen, no less

Bishlouk leaves us. He is helping someone move in a few hours. The fool.

I am behind in drinking, and am kept busy with the official line-up. Some have left things behind that need clearing. The others have:

G5.5 18yo 1993/2012 Rich, sweet and comforting (65.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Virgin Toasted Hogshead, 243b)

117.3 25yo 1988/2013 Hubba-bubba, mango and monstera (58.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 199b)

Port Charlotte 14yo 2002/2017 (60.1%, Creative Whisky Company The Exclusive Malts, Sherry Hogshead, C#1140, 228b)

North British 45yo 1963/2009 (50.7%, Signatory Vintage Rare Reserve, Hogsheads, C#117362 + 117363 + 117365, 290b, b#19)

JS leaves in the middle of this after-party, while we soldier on until 5:30.

I am next to last in getting up in the morning (after five hours of shaky sleep), and offer a breakfast dram. We have Banff 35yo 1975/2011 (42.4%, Douglas Laing Old & Rare A Platinum Selection, 158b, b#149).

Dram of the day:

dom666: Caol Ila
kruuk2: Ardbeg
ruckus: Kinclaith
Psycho: tbc
Bishlouk: Lochside
sonicvince: Kinclaith
adc: Kinclaith
JS: Tomatin and Port Ellen
tOMoH: Kinclaith

Excellent times, once again. Hard to believe we have been celebrating the bard for thirteen years, now.

24/01/2018 Japanese whisky

I do not review books every day, not even books about whisky. It is not a first, but it takes something special to take me away from making notes about whisky. This book is one of those special ones.

First, I would like to underline that I am not a Japanese-whisky aficionado. There is no doubt the Land of the Rising Sun produces good whisky, to be clear. After all, Taketsuru and, through him, Tory, learnt at the source (chiefly Hazelburn and Strathisla) and made it a life's mission to constantly perfect their craft. My lack of enthusiasm is the direct result of the hype around Japanese whisky.
In the early-to-mid-Noughties, it was seen by many Westerners as a novelty. For those who started their whisky journey then, it was tempting to follow that path, rather than that of the more traditional Scotch whiskies. Why? Instead of around one hundred and thirty distilleries to choose from, a newcomer only had half a dozen to explore. Collectors and completists (most men are to some degree, and generally speaking much more so than women) could have a field day with J-hisky for a much lower effort (and cost) than with Scotch. As a consequence, a vast number of collectors tried to procure a very finite product, driving the prices through the pagoda and removing it from most whisky drinkers' grasp. When it came to closed Japanese distilleries' offerings, amounts took a very fast lift to beyond the furthest stars, with no correlation to the quality of the liquid inside the bottle. Is Hanyu any good? Sure. Is it good enough to justify its £10,000 price tag for a 30yo single cask bottling? You would be forgiven for reckoning not many people would think so.
Unfortunately, businessmen saw opportunities. Big cats first, who secured existing stocks, as well as import and distribution monopolies. Smaller players second, with many hoarding bottles with the clear intention to flip.
Really, J-hisky is not high on my priorities' list. Dave Broom's latest book, therefore, was probably never going to rock my boat.

And then in October 2017, Broom did a mini masterclass at Whisky Show to showcase J-hisky. That was good. The week after, he did a tasting to promote his book, which I also went to. That was good. I like supporting the artist, so the book came home with me.

Most whisky books are the same. They talk about the whisky tradition in Scotland for a couple of pages, the whisky-making process for a few pages, and give details about distilleries, with or without tasting notes for selected bottlings (these days, mostly with) for the rest of the book. The formula is tried and tested, it works. The most notable exception is Peat, Smoke and Spirit, which is an excellent read about Islay folklore, more than a whisky book.

The Way of Whisky joins the ranks of the exceptions.

To say Broom carries on Michael Jackson's legacy would be stating the obvious. Broom first travelled to Japan with Jackson; Jackson was his mentor and a clear influence. Broom gladly recognises that himself. He has a similar stance on knowledge too: learn and humbly pass on.
In my opinion, he does better than his master, though. His style is more structured and clearer to follow. It is light and to the point, yet not shy with anecdotes. It pauses to spend a couple of pages defining a concept or a thought, yet it never drags on, nor does it ever lose the reader. It has technical details, but is not an encyclopedia. Many books about whisky are clinical and sterile, works of reference, rather than bedside-table material. Not this. In fact, this book is not about whisky. It is about Japan. About meeting its people and discovering its culture. About deciphering the differences and nodding at the similarities. About how Japan the land shapes Japan the nation. It takes the reader on a passionate journey and initiates them without their noticing. Humbly. The book is alive and Broom tells the story in a way that transports the reader. To Japan. That, to me, is the mark of a talented writer. Far from stone-cold factual Misako Udo, Dave Broom, here, is Henry Miller.

The Way of Whisky almost made me fall for Japanese whisky. If shelf space and money were no object...

I am not a J-hisky fan, yet we will have one all the same. From Karuizawa, no less. I unfortunately do not have the details of this sample -- I only know it is a 30ish yo Karuizawa distilled in the 1980s.

Unknown Karuizawa (unknown ABV, unknown bottler, unknown cask, d.1980s, b.2010s): nose: one thing is certain: it is truly a Karuizawa. No other whisky is that concentrated, as far as I know. It reeks of strong, exotic wood, resin, pine sap and cigar boxes. It also has ink on blotting paper, menthol, carbolic, wood varnish and industrial glue. I would like to say some fruit appears in the background, but it is almost impossible to say which one(s). Pine cones, certainly, and maybe unripe ginkgo (an Asian, peculiar-smelling fruit). Burning oakum and fresh leather join the dance. In fact, a peaty note grows and grows until it is a mound of dried peat, left in the wind. Mouth: much peatier than the first nose suggested, it has earth, boggy turf, bonfires, extinguished with a bucket of moss water, wormwood. Here too, the concentration is remarkable, and the ABV seems rather high (high 50s, in my opinion). That makes for a woody mouth, as soon as the peat calms down -- resin, old books, bung cloth, gingery tablet. At second sip, tincture of iodine, stencil alcohol, mentholated cigarettes and a smoky bothy on a rainy day. Finish: big, smoky and rich, with Marmite, dried shellfish and a medicinal touch. On top of that, some paint, sawdust, pencil lead, spent incense, cassia bark, gunpowder tea and fishing nets. It still has lots of wood (see: paint and sawdust) and spices (ginger powder), but the dominant is now the smoke. The leather has all but gone, making room for mentholated mouthwash, 95% dark chocolate melted over a log fire. This is a very good Karuizawa, I have to admit. As usual, though, it is not something one can drink all night: too intense, too spicy, too woody. I like how the smoke plays with other notes, in this particular winner. Kampai! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

11/01/2018 Blind tasting at Cadenhead's

New year, new formula. The good guys at Cadenhead's have decided that pouring sample after sample of new stock is a boring way to spend an evening, and that the outcome is too predictable: punters end up buying labels, rather than good whisky. Tonight, then, paves the way for a new approach. And it is a prototype too, because no new bottling has been released yet; we are therefore trying stock from the previous months. We do not know that yet, though. All we know is that it is a blind tasting, for which SW did the selection and RO did the sequence. All are poured in pairs, and we are only told what they are once the pair has been tasted.
There are eight of us chatting (PP, CC, DW, SOB, JS, cavalier66, BH, xildeblix, or however one writes his name, newcomer D and tOMoH) and the pace is quick. Notes are therefore short and unimaginative.

Lots of delicious nibbles too!

Dram #1: nose: fruit eau-de-vie, Turkish delights, grapes. This nose is sweet, though not over the top. Mouth: light and spritey. Finish: soft, custard-y and warming, it has warm coconut yoghurt. I think it is a 10-to-14yo Speysider, or perhaps an Ord. It is Linkwood-Glenlivet 24yo 1992/2017 (50.9%, Cadenhead Small Batch 175th Anniversary, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 384b) 7/10

Dram #2: nose: this is nuttier, with notes of chestnut purée and baking marzipan. Mouth: it is warm, peppery, nutty, still, with a hint of wasabi (cavalier66) and chalky cardboard. Finish: spicy, it has white pepper, ginger, nutmeg and hay. Decent dram. The nose beats the mouth and finish. I venture it is a Pulteney between 10 and 13yo and miss again. Linkwood-Glenlivet 20yo 1997/2017 (57%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 282b) 6/10

Dram #3: nose: tobacco, balsamic vinegar, aged olive oil and, as I discover later, raspberry vinegar. Mouth: bitter, with nut shells and grape pips. It also has unripe grapes and anti-freeze. Hm. Finish: unripe grapes, pistachio shells. This is bitter and acidic, now. What a disappointment. The nose is initially enchanting, whilst the finish is much less my thing. It feels unbalanced to me. My money is on a 17yo Glenburgie, perhaps a Fettercairn. Wrong again. Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16yo 2001/2017 (55.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 282b) 5/10

cavalier66: "I like the nose of this."
tOMoH: "Of course you do: it has balsamic vinegar."
cavalier66: "How do you know I like balsamic vinegar?"
tOMoH: "You married a Greek. Of course, you like olive oil and balsamic vinegar!"
CC: "I married a girl from Essex and I don't like white stilettos!"

Dram #4: I fail to take any note for the nose. In my defence, it is in a tall plastic cup, making nosing rather arduous. Mouth: plum liqueur and warm peach skins with a compote-y texture. It reads delicious, but somehow does not work for me tonight. Finish: I find it rather bland; warm, with fruit skins rather than fruit flesh. I suggest it is a 15--17yo Glen Moray. Nope. Glen Spey-Glenlivet 21yo 1995/2017 (57.7%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 150b) 6/10

Dram #5: nose: flowers, yellow and cut. A dash of almond milk, too. Mouth: warm flower broth, slightly bitter. In fact, very bitter. Finish: it has the gentle bitterness of flowers, complemented by milk chocolate and verbena. This is revealed before I have a chance to guess. Glenburgie-Glenlivet 25yo 1992/2017 (54.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) 6/10

Dram #6: nose: acidic, with the softness of flowers, once more, crème brûlée and, later, sulphur. Mouth: very acidic, strong, black pepper and chilli. Finish: acidic too, with a touch of fruit, then a lot of unpleasant, unripe fruit and unbloomed flowers. I do not like this at all. Glenburgie-Glenlivet 13yo 2004/2017 (54.7%, Cadenhead Small Batch 175th Anniversary, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 576b) 4/10

DW wins the guessing game.
SW: "We have a clear winner... Do you want to risk it all?"

cavalier66: "What was that weird spice you talked about?"
tOMoH: "Black cardamom? Black cumin?"
cavalier66: "No..."
JS: "Nigella seeds?"
cavalier66: "She has her own seed?"
tOMoH: "Yeah. Bitches grow from them." :-) (No offence, Nigella, I do not know you)

Of course, extra drams are poured too.

Dram #7: nose: lots of gherkin brine, then grapes and brand-new, squeaky rubber. Later, mirabel plums come out, flour and chalk. Aultmore? Mouth: warm, with a pinch of hot paprika and green chilli. Finish: nice, fruity and chocolate-y, with an acidic touch. I think I like this better than the first six. Aberlour 17yo 2000/2017 (52.8%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 258b) 7/10

Dram #8: nose: cork, old staves and fine smoke. Mouth: spent camp fire and old logs. Finish: cork, wood smoke and pizzette (crackers dressed as a small, dried pizza; try them, they are delicious). Kilkerran 8yo (55.7%, OB, b.2017) 7/10

The following two are kindly offered by club members.

Ledaig 12yo 2005/2017 (61.1%, Cadenhead Single Cask 175th Anniversary for Taïwan, 1 x Butt, 510b): nose: immense, it has peat, vinegar, potato skins, shoe polish and tyres. Mouth: big, earthy, vinegar-y, with also tobacco and shoe polish. Finish: huge, pungent, with spent matches, burnt wood and a camp fire in a smoky bothy. Lovely, this. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, SOB)

Knockdhu 10yo 2006/2017 (56.5%, Cadenhead Small Batch 175th Anniversary, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 768b): newcomer D bought two of these on the back of its being voted one of the best Cadenhead drams of 2017 by staff and customers... and he does not like it. He thought he would share it tonight with people who do. Nose: green grapes, boiling custard and cologne. Mouth: fruity, custard-y, it has peaches in creamy crème caramel. Finish: chocolate, dunked into melted, liqueur-infused chocolate. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, newcomer D)

Great fun. None of the drams impressed me much, tonight, but it was a socially rich experience, and certainly interesting from a sensory point of view. Cannot wait to do it again!

1/01/2018 NYD drams at Dornoch Castle Hotel

With our session aborted yesterday, we decide there is no time to waste today. The weather is beautiful, but who cares about hikes? We can hike another day. Many of those bottles are almost empty and another chance will likely never present itself.
Hiking is therefore cancelled. To be fair I do feel silly for not taking advantage of the weather more, but hey! One cannot do everything at the same time.
Consequently, we are at the bar at 10:10. So early, in fact, that the receptionist has to ask if she is allowed to serve us. Scottish law forbid early alcohol consumption, you see. Since we are staying at the hotel, she is allowed, we are told. Bring it on!

She does break two corks, though, which presents another obstacle...

Tamnavulin d.1970 (40%, OB The Stillman's Dram): nose: pickled onions, gherkins, pickled quail eggs, dry hazelwood. Mouth: this pickled profile is most peculiar -- pickled quail eggs, pickled onions, a touch of rancio (!)... It is gently drying too, which is not surprising, considering the vinegar-y profile. Finish: much softer, with custard, vanilla, but also pickles. Just about makes it to 7/10 (by the skin of its teeth)

Balblair 1973/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Centenary Reserve): nose: pickled sherry, with rubber and burnt wood. Soon, peppermint and fruit come out too, which is more to my taste. Mouth: strawberry bubble gum, gentle rubber, smoky wood. Interesting mix of sherry and fruit, this palate. Finish: perfect blend of, again, fruit (raspberry, sultana, prune) and warm, dry wood, softly smoked. 8/10

Chichibu ePower b.2015 (61.1%, OB Ichiro's Malt, Hogshead Mizunara Heads + New Barrel Hard Charred, C#1490+1683, 538b): nose: sweet, caramel-y, butterscotch-y, tablet-y. Mouth: it has the undeniably rounded elegance of a Japanese whisky, with caramel, custard cream biscuits and Bourbon cream. Finish: long, warming, with hot coulis and happiness. 8/10

The time has come. We set off, following the course of our yearly hike. Today, though, no hike: we stop on the beach. After seeing it last year, I was foolish enough to decide I would take part in the Loony Dook. We have met lots of people doubting, or, worse, daring me, which convinced me even more -- although I have to admit it feels like a dodgy idea as soon as we exit the bar: the road is slippery as an eel, covered in icy frost, and the temperature is around -1°C. But then, the sky is blue and the sun is shining. How could the conditions ever be better?

A big group is gathered on the beach, some with wet suits, some in bath robes, some with a drink in their hand, hinting at their not having been to sleep yet (it is almost midday).
The MC counts down, a piper starts playing, and it is off... to the sea! It is hard to explain how alive I feel, after what must have lasted fifteen seconds in total. Lots of giggling, searching for my towel, then the drying process starts. The sun is shining and it feels warm. My skin dries and it is comfortable. And then, as I hurry to dry up, I realise my feet are on damp sand, and my toes are completely numb. Numb to a point they have never been before. I do my best to move and friction them as I pass the towel, but with all the sand, it is too soon to put my socks on. Only once I have done that do they slowly come back to life.
I am so happy to have done this silliness! :-)

One of these muppets is yours, truly

Back at the hotel, I go for a shower to clean off the salt, JS goes for a nap. I join dom666 in the bar. To warm up, you understand.

Glen Mhor 21yo d.1976 (43%, Hart Brothers Finest Collection): nose: brine, capers, sardines, bread, bread crumbs, bread crust. It also has crackers (biscuits for cheese) and granola. Top nose, this. Mouth: soft, sweet, mildly briny, it even has black pepper. The texture is milky, whilst the taste is vaguely herbaceous, with a pinch of thyme and oregano, as well as a note of wood. Later on, marmalade comes out. It does not feel weak at 43%, even coming back to it after the next dram, which has a very high ABV. Finish: long, earthy, with bits of charcoal and, perhaps, a touch of smoke. Smoky marmalade, embers, capers, anchovies -- this is a tomato-less putanesca sauce! 8/10

vs.

Glen Mhor 17yo 1975/1992 (60.9%, Cadenhead Original Collection): an oddity at cask strength, when the Original Collection is usually bottled at 46%. Nose: Ah! It is from that period when Cadenhead were bottling whiskies with oddly-integrated alcohol. It has petrol, lamp oil, engine oil, ... is that fruit? Roasted apples, apricot stones, then dried orange rinds. Mouth: more fruit, here, but it is quite austere all the same -- apricot stone, flint, dried orange rinds, ground to a dust, acidic, not juicy. In fact, it is rather drying; but then, with an ABV such as this one, it is hardly unexpected. Finish: powerful, sooty. This is another old-school dram. It is not extremely outspoken, but pleasant, if one can muster up the resistance to the high strength. Marmalade develops, as does mixed peel. 8/10

Both Mhors are superb!

PT emerges from the depths and invites us all to a distillery tour -- JS has reappeared, by now. The distillery looks much more used than last year, and PT is his usual enthusiastic self to explain the process, which is great. He pours Longmorn 23yo 1969/1993 (61.2%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask, C#3271+5297) which is my favourite dram of the stay, so far. Unbelievable stuff that I rate 10/10.

Disclaimer

This, now, ...works

The kit has been put to good use. Not shiny, any longer

A long wash

We are then treated to a dram of...

Dornoch New Make (unknown ABV, unreleased): nose: herbs and a little metal, such as old copper coins, sage, dried parsley and maybe kale. Behind that, glazed pears, coated in sugary syrup. Mouth: soft, it has custard, almond milk and squashed banana. Finish: big, with the promise of lots of fruit, almond paste, and light nut liqueur. I am not a fan of new makes, but this is promising alright. 7/10

And bowls of...

Mushroom soup

Cullen skink

PT bids good bye and leaves us at the bar.

Millburn 31yo 1974/2006 (52.3%, Cadenhead imported by Japan Imports System, Bourbon Hogshead, 246b): nose: balsamic vinegar, engine oil, olive oil, old wood, leather-bound books. A moment later, marmalade shows up and the nose dies on a whiff of a smoky workshop. Mouth: similar notes to the nose's, with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, books and engine fumes. This is complex and wonderful, as well as rather warm. Finish: smoky, with burnt wood, crusty earth and caramelised marmalade on a roaring camp fire. How amazing is this? Totally my style, that is how amazing it is! 9/10

vs.

87.6 16yo 1983/2000 (57%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: the nose is pretty closed, and not much comes out -- even alcohol is muted. Very faint jams, marmalade, even, ashy hearths. At last, marzipan and baked apple struggle through the nasal canal. Is there a metallic note, too? Mouth: green chilli in custard, souped-up custard creams, a pinch of hawthorn or oregano, nigella seeds on marmalade, citrus chutney. This is intense, in the mouth. Finish: big, spicy (nigella seeds, dried chilli), vaguely musty. Dried leather, hay and hot marmalade, or caramelised apricot compote. Scary stuff! 8/10

Bowmore 25yo 1973/1998 (51.2%, Blackadder, C#3174): nose: quite tame, but it has some smoke and an underlying layer of squashed raspberry, as well as candied cranberries, blood-orange paste, tamarind paste and raspberry-scented marzipan. Oh-ho! Will this be the best dram of the stay? Mouth: gently smoky raspberry coulis, caramelised raspberry and cranberry jams. It is rather spicy, too; the alcohol bites a little. Finish: the raspberry madness continues, joined by lingonberry compote, stewed pears and the subtlest smoke. Fruit turns yellow and more exotic (tinned peaches), if not quite tropical. A splash of raspberry vinegar completes the picture. Phwoar! Dram of the stay for JS. 9/10

dom666 has Royal Lochnagar John Begg (unknown ABV, OB, b. late-1930s)... because he can. Only a dram left of it after our passage, hint-hint. It is still a great mix of fruit and yesteryear's soot. Wonderful drop. 9/10

Miltonduff 23yo d.1973 (43%, Hart Brothers Finest Collection): nose: extremely floral, it also has faded leather, drying grass, sunflowers and a hint of wet cardboard. Mouth: soft, light and flowery again, with a milky texture. Dandelion broth, lemon juice and baked salmon fillets. Finish: more flowery goodness, with sunflowers, dandelions, buttercups, lemon juice sprinkled on custard, flower petals, custard-cream biscuits, lemon juice, and even delicate smoke. The acidity and the bitterness compete in the background. 8/10

Welcome, 2018

JS goes for a short nap and joins us for the last drop of the following couple.

Glenturret 20yo 1978/1998 (53.8%, Signatory Vintage imported by V.E.L.I.E.R., C#356, 196b, b#176): nose: earthy fruit, strawberry bubble gum, peach nectar, strawberry turnovers, almond paste, mocha sponge cake. Another amazing nose! Mouth: meow. This has strawberry coulis, soft bubble gum, pink marshmallow (lards, for the French speakers), raw choux dough. This is sweet and fruity, really lovely, with a pinch of spices -- ground rose petals, cassia bark, black pepper, paprika and cardamom powder. Finish: long, with a soft bitterness to it, it has more of that strawberry- or raspberry-bubble-gum goodness, crushed rose petals, marinated cassia bark and paprika. Fabulous dram! Unctuous, creamy, with just the right bitterness. Simply beautiful. 9/10

We are treated to live music by a couple with a guitar and a tambourine. They only play two songs. Unfortunately, one is by the Beatles, and I do not care for it.

Lochside 1981/2015 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, RO/15/07, 161b, AE/JBDI): this is for dom666, obviously; JS and I already know how good it is, since we had it two years ago. Nose: a touch of dusty books, then juicy mango, overripe peach, ground nutmeg and tree bark. Mouth: soft, fruity, peachy, creamy. Finish: an explosion of fruit, with creamy mango, banana, peach, overripe plum. Mostly yellow-flesh fruit. This is exceptional. Better than the first time, even. Dram of the stay, for me. 10/10

Food is served: it is the traditional day-three buffet with a baked salmon to die for as starter, then roast beef and gammon as mains. There are lots of accompaniments too, of course. No lamb, this year and, most annoyingly, no gratin dauphinois! :(

Starters

Oven-baked salmon and pasta salad

Roasted potatoes, parsnips, carrots, kale

Slicing the gammon

First serve

Second serve

The gammon is the donkey's bollocks, just like last year. The roasts are served with English mustard (eye-watering) or horseradish sauce (also rather hot). I chat at length with the cook, who recognises me from the previous years. I mention my morning adventure at sea to whoever cares to listen and am met with lots of admiration.

Looking back, it was the size of Cornwall

dom666 takes a slice of strawberry pavlova the size of his head, which amuses JS and me greatly. I am not too enthusiastic about the dessert myself (too much meringue) and complain that I should have gone for a third serving of the main instead. dom666 jokes that if I go for third after dessert, my legendary status here would be guaranteed until the end of times. I toy with the idea, but really, I am not hungry any longer. The food disappears before I can change my mind -- phew!

Back at the bar, the usual band of youths is playing folk music -- no accordionist, this year, but a flautist has joined. They get better and better as the years go and I like it a lot. It is a pity not many people stay to listen, though.

We have work to do at the same time.

Tamdhu 1971/2011 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail The MacPhail's Collection, AA/JDAD): nose: roast beef!? Yes. Pineapple juice sprinkled on char-grilled roast beef. The pineapple becomes louder as time passes. Mouth: powerful, surprisingly so, considering the ABV. High-octane pineapple, ginger, horseradish and meat juice, black tea and hot ginger. Finish: lots and lots of ginger, galangal shavings, cold black tea. This is bitter, drying and not exactly my thing. 6/10

vs.

Tamdhu 34yo 1969/2004 (40.2%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, C#7314, 253b, b#62): nose: waxy orange skins, pithy tangerine segments, discreet rosehip and then ginger rises. Orange rinds grow in intensity, over time, but the ginger remains. Mouth: this too is surprisingly hot for the low ABV. It has juicy peach, but then it is so smothered by ginger and galangal it is just too spicy. Unexpected. At second sip, it is less aggressive. In fact, it now feels weak and tired. Finish: warm, woody, gingery, galangal-y, with also lots of pepper, dried lemongrass and a pinch of ground coffee. 7/10

How disappointing, these two Tamdhus. dom666 blends the last drops of both together, and the result is better than the sum of its parts. The ginger is gone, leaving peach stones and a softer mouthfeel. Fruit and milk chocolate appear in the finish too.

Cannot win every time

Littlemill 12yo (54%, OB imported by F&G, b#0462): nose: wood, sawdust, ginger, galangal shavings. Crikey! Three in a row that are too spicy! Dust, shit in the loft... this is too woody, really. Dried orange peels turned blue and ground into a powder. With water, dusty oranges and gingery heat. Mouth: dust and gingery here too, with a little more fruit (dried tangerine segments) and fierce horsepower. With water, orange shines more and the ginger is more controlled. It is still hot though. Finish: ridiculously hot and astringent, gingery, biting, poorly integrated and dusty. Water helps more fruit come through, as well as chocolate, but it does not make it much more to my taste. I suspect this is the sort of bottles that gave Littlemill a bad reputation for so long. It is simply not enjoyable, according to tOMoH's taste. 5/10

Glenglassaugh 22yo 1978/2000 (48.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection imported by Preiss Imports, Sherry Wood): nose: coffee, OXO, oxtail broth, miso paste. This is a sherried nose, without a doubt! Mouth: heavily sherried too, with peppermint, liquorice allsorts and black-lace liquorice sweets. Finish: coffee and liquorice, heavily sherried and heavily woody. A decent dram, though I expected more. This is not dissimilar to the bottling for TWE's 10th Anniversary. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, NB)

The bar is now deserted, leaving the band to play for a minimal audience (us three and the staff). Enjoyable nonetheless.

Coleburn-Glenlivet 17yo 1978/1995 (62%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection): nose: austere, powerful Cadenhead offering, with horse's hair, faded leather, lots of alcohol, old hay bales. Pine-forest freshness too, which is counter-intuitive, when one sees the first notes. Ink and... ginger, yep! Later yet, ash comes to the fore. Mouth: hot, but better balanced than some of the previous. However, the gingery heat cranks up, with a touch of fruit in the back and the green leaves of leeks. Odd. Finish: huge, warming, disinfecting, with burning citrus peels and lemon-flavoured boiled sweets. 7/10

Am I super-sensitive to ginger and wood, after supper? It feels odd that I note so much of it in so many drams in a row.

Glen Albyn 29yo 1979/2008 (56.5%, The Whisky Shop Glenkeir Treasures Cask Strength Selection, 208b): nose: caramelised marmalade, roasted pears, baked apples, wood stove, charcoal, brine, burning fox skin. Much later on, hot custard pierces through too. Mouth: grape-y, very powerful, but balanced, with hot embers, stewed prunes, puffed-rice crackers, roasted honey toasts, apricot liqueur and hazelnut shells. Finish: huge, it has prunes, sultanas, Smyrna and lots of alcohol, ink, ground apricot stones, boiling apricot compote. This is great, but too powerful to score higher than 8/10

There. We did the Inverness triplets in one day. Again.

Port Ellen 1982/2003 (60.5%, Robert Scott Scott's Selection): nose: a car's exhaust, hot engine, refined-but-strong peat smoke. Much later on, it is minty sweets, then back to earth. Later yet, cockles, fishing nets and a camp fire on the beach. Mouth: sharp and hot, very hot, with red chilli, spicy mussels, curried cockles and charred wood. Finish: it has the burning heat that the nose suggested, lots of smoke, a distinct sweetness and then roasted barley, which I like less. Good dram. The roasted barley makes it lose a point. 8/10

JS has gone to bed. We realise that the lad at the bar has been waiting, in case dom666 and I were to order something else -- which we will not, of course. We happily relieve him of his duties and bid each other good night. The stay has come to an end. We seem to have made up for the premature closure of the bar, last night. Today was long and intense.