28/02/2018 March outturn at Cadenhead's

Ha! It is happening again! Gone are the standing tastings in the shop; this one is a relaxed sit-down in the tasting room, and everything is tasted blind, in a bid to counter label-buyage. At least, that is the intention. And in proper nosing glasses, no less!

#1 Nose: green grape, strawberry, strawberry stems, then meadow flowers. Mouth: acidic, it has more green grapes and green hazelnut. Finish: milk chocolate, fermented green grapes, dandelion stems. I guess this is the Auchroisk and I am right. Auchroisk 11yo 2006/2018 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 783b) 7/10

#2 Nose: unripe redcurrants, brambles, bramble sap, squashed cherries, strawberry coulis and milk-chocolate coulis. Mouth: unripe berries, redcurrants, raspberry jam. Finish: raspberry coulis, milk-chocolate coulis, sticky toffee pudding. I venture Benrinnes, but it is Tullibardine 24yo 1993/2018 (43.6%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 444b) 8/10

#3 Nose: crushed-yellow-flower sap, butter, straight out of the refrigerator, dandelion broth. Mouth: soft, creamy and flowery, with an acidic bite to it. Finish: nutty, grassy and long. Glenrothes? The butter, you see... Dailuaine-Glenlivet 13yo 2004/2018 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 432b) 6/10

#4 Nose: fruity, with unripe lychee and green bramble. Mouth: unripe and not my thing. The second sip is mellower, until the unripe bitterness comes back. Finish: bit of meat and a heavy bitterness -- unripe fruit stem, some mellowness too, but it is mostly bitter. This is the most popular dram tonight, which I cannot understand. Linkwood-Glenlivet 20yo 1997/2018 (53.7%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 498b) 5/10

#5 Nose: sweet pastry at first, then cured ham, gunpowder and, finally, polished dashboards. Mouth: oily, with a certain nuttiness -- hazelnut oil. Finish: more hazelnut oil on a crisp salad, with a drop of vinegar too. Glen Spey-Glenlivet 22yo 1995/2018 (57.9%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 438b) 7/10

#6 Nose hazelnut shells, vinegar, unripe greengages and tins of paint. Mouth: rotten plums, crushed hazelnut shells, vinegar. Finish: chalky, dry, with crushed nutshells. Aultmore, perhaps? Teaninich 11yo 2006/2018 (55.2%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 450b) 6/10

#7 Nose: this is more old-school, with hay and a hint of fruit, leaves and dried banana skins. Mouth: acidic and fruity, with dried banana skins again. Finish: warm porridge and a strong acidity. Creations blend, I imagine. Aultmore-Glenlivet 20yo 1997/2018 (51.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 450b) 7/10

I suck at this game, do I not? No-one else is doing better, mind. And some are even cheating!

#8 Nose: lemon tart, a hint of coffee, varnish, apple turnover. Mouth: coconut yoghurt, custard, lukewarm, sweet and beautiful. Finish: superb coconut-y custard and lemon pie. This must be the Strathclyde. Strathclyde 28yo 1989/2018 (55.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Barrels, 390b) 8/10

#9 Nose: red grapes, red-wine vinegar. It opens up to reveal jammy doughnuts. Mouth: lukewarm cherry jam and cranberry compote. Finish: berries, mostly: cranberry, bramble and cherry. No idea what this is, but it is good. Benrinnes 20yo 1997/2008 (54%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Barrels, 408b) 8/10

SW does away with the blind tasting and announces the drams from here on.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 20yo 1997/2018 (56.2%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Butts, 1524b): nose: butter, crushed mint leaves, avocado, then a whisper of smoke. Mouth: acidic, melted butter. Finish: green, acidic enough, with crushed mint leaves again. Meh. 6/10

Light Creamy Vanilla 26yo b.2018 (43.8%, Cadenhead Creations, B#8): nose: dunnage warehouse, lichen on staves and raspberry bubble gum. Mouth: soft and fruity, with more raspberry bubble gum. Finish: soft and fruity, it has similar notes. Good drinking whisky, if a bit monotonous. 8/10

SW: "I'd rather stab my eyes with a blunt pen [than drink the next one]."

Ledaig 20yo 1997/2018 (52.8%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 222b): nose: teriyaki sauce, spare-ribs on the barbecue and a whiff of pickled onions. Mouth: hoisin sauce, teriyaki. This is sweet and roasted. Finish: char-grilled spare-ribs, after they were marinated in teriyaki and hoisin sauces. Sweet and smoky alright. 7/10

OF: "It's an Ardbeg that's had a troubled childhood, this."

Good night out. The outturn is also better than I anticipated.