25/04/2018 May outturn at Cadenhead's

The usual ceremony, with proper glasses, but limited quantities and time. This is a preview, not a literary exercise.
Small attendance, today, and club members are annoyed to hear that BC and DW had a pre-preview this afternoon. [DW since objected in private that he was bed-ridden and went exactly nowhere this afternoon. I stand corrected]
We try all blind, with the big reveal at the end.

Dram #1
Nose: plum eau-de-vie, soft cork and ripe apricot. This feels young. Mouth: soft, fruity and meadow-like, it has lemon pie. Finish: warming, yellow and buttery. Somehow, most drams today feel like colours to me, tonight. This is yellow. I guess it is a 10yo at 46%, probably Teaninich or Auchroisk. It is in fact Knockdhu 11yo 2006/2018 (54.7%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 792b) 6/10

Dram #2
Nose: this is wider, and it oddly reminds me of the smell of detergent in my grandmother's bathroom. Custard later emerges. Mouth: lively, with blackberry jam and a touch of paprika. Finish: fruity as a nigella-seed-sprinkled jam -- strawberry jam. Cough lozenges (French cachous). I venture a young Macduff at 46%, and claim this to be lavender in colour. It is Tomintoul-Glenlivet 11yo 2006/2018 (55.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Barrels, 666b) 7/10

Dram #3
Nose: pink and purple flowers, lilac, violets, saxifraga. Mouth: soft and marshmallow-like. Finish: gentle, short and relatively discreet, it has violet- or lilac-flavoured bubble gum. This is purple and, obviously, a 10yo Tomintoul. Except it is Bunnahabhain 28yo 1989/2018 (43.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 432b) 7/10

Dram #4
Nose: lichen, soaked moss, shampoo foam. Mouth: super soft, honey-like, sweet and velvety. Finish: very fruity, but so shy! A greyish-green dram that I am convinced is the 44yo Creations blend. Wrong again. Ord 12yo 2006/2018 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 606b) 7/10

Dram #5
Nose: raspberry pie, shortcrust, crème brûlée, banane flambée, even maracuja. The second glass I have, after the whole session is over, is closer to pickled vinegar. Much less convincing. Mouth: soft and velvety, it becomes überfruity through retronasal olfaction. Finish: milk chocolate and lovely tropical fruit. This is subtle, yet excellent. I had it at 9/10 the first time, but had to bring it down when trying it again. It is yellow-y pink to me. Ben Nevis 21yo 1996/2018 (52.9%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 210b) 8/10

Dram #6
Nose: perfume, marzipan, white chocolate and a hint of chalk (Aultmore?) Mouth: soft, sweet, and almost weak. Finish: light, with a dropkick of boiled sweets, as well as a touch of hand wash. I have stopped guessing, by now, though this is magenta to me. Macduff 11yo 2006/2018 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 228b) 8/10

Dram #7
Nose: glue, industrial glue. Mouth: more industrial glue. Finish: long, with extremely-dark blackcurrant... and glue. This is rusty brown to me, and reminds me of R5.2. We all guess it is the North British. Yep. North British 32yo 1985/2018 (55.2%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Butt, 582b) 6/10

Dram #8
Nose: grass, warm sand, coastal air and bubble gum. Mouth: putty and plasticine. Finish: Parma violet, violets (the flowers), plasticine. Is this sandy-coloured dram the Glentauchers? Glenrothes-Glenlivet 21yo 1996/2018 (50.9%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 990b) 7/10

Dram #9
Nose: lots of warm plasticine, crayons, pencil eraser. Mouth: slightly bitter, rubbery, with plasticine again. Finish: bitter and rubbery -- as in pencil-eraser rubber. Purple. Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16yo 2001/2018 (54%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 858b) 5/10

Dram #10
Nose: warm hay in the summer sun, a camp fire in the distance, warm custard. This is a deep yellow. Mouth: warm, it has French toast. Finish: warm bread crust, shortcrust pastry. Glentauchers-Glenlivet 27yo 1990/2018 (54.4%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Barrel, 168b) 7/10

Dram #11
Nose: wax, hand wash, candle wax, candle wick, even. Mouth: soft, with toffee and Scottish tablet. Finish: Turkish delights and dust. This leaves me lukewarm. Linkwood 22yo 1995/2018 (48.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2  Bourbon Hogsheads, 456b) 6/10

Dram #12
Nose: citric acid and butter, then lots of smoke and struck matches. Mouth: gently smoky, it has grappa and white wine. Pretty acidic, this. Finish: apples, soaked in alcohol, crisp, acidic and warming. A bit heady. I find it light blue. Tomatin 10yo 2008/2018 (54.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 528b) 7/10

Dram #13
Nose: marzipan, gherkin vinegar, Parma violet, warm plasticine. Mouth: drying, off. It has blackcurrant, but also soft cork. Finish: long, fruity and nicely metallic. Excellent nose. The rest is a bit underwhelming. I reckon the high Invergordon content keeps it interesting. Light Fruity Sherry 44yo b.2018 (43.4%, Cadenhead Creations, Sherry Hogshead finished, B#1) 7/10

Good outturn. Top budget drams that many will miss, because the name or the age does not immediately stand out.