30/12/2018 Southeast Asia

Well, well, well. It was difficult to gather many people for this one, but considering how few tastings took place in 2018, it seemed fitting to hold one anyway. Also, no trip to Dornoch, this year, and that meant an additional three days to sip whisky elsewhere -- at tOMoH headquarters, for example.

JS, GL and OB join me for a selection focusing on Southeast Asia. An excuse for good puns, of course. :o)

It takes me an hour to find the first bottle. I am ready to give up when I finally locate it, stuck at the very back of a broom cupboard.
Fortunately, I have poured GL Inchmurrin 20yo (40%, OB imported by T.A.C., b. late 1990s). To keep him hydrated, you understand.

But we have real work to do!

Grand Royal Special Reserve (43%, International Beverage Trading Company, LM006/0281N 6027) (tOMoH): it appears this is the best-selling whisky in Burma, Myanmar, or however one wants to call it (current official name is Myanmar, though that has changed more than once in my lifetime). FN spent a holiday there, a few years ago, and brought this back as a souvenir for me... for shits and giggles. The bottler is a Thailand-based group, it is bottled for the Burmese market, yet the label clearly states that it is blended by a Scottish master blender. Nose: a bit of spirit, a bit of varnish, a bit of perfume, plum liqueur (JS), umeshu (OB, showing off his own latest travels), and the tiniest hint of polished wood alongside fresh butter. This is inoffensive, if not very interesting. Mouth: prune juice with a hint of wood and a gentle alcohol bite. It is round and inoffensive again. I can see the local populace sipping this on ice, in the humid heat of the land (which, I should add, I have never set foot in). Finish: soft, round and short, this is really neither challenging, nor very good. However, it is also not very bad. It tastes of whisky, the sort of which one would get in a pub, upon ordering "a whisky." GL reckons  a high-grain content, whilst I am simply happy it does not seem toxic. 5/10

GL: "It's not paint-stripper."

OB: "At least, it is proper whisky."

OB refers to what passes as "whisky" in Laos, which, apparently, has nothing in common with the amber liquid. He is well-travelled, our OB!

Inver House Green Plaid (40%, Inver House Distillers for Portugal, L0:292:510 12:22:00:06904, b. early 1990s) (GL): GL brought this because Inver House is now owned by Thai Beverages, a large conglomerate. Nose: green-tea leaves, a hint of metal, a pinch of salt. Even less is happening here than in the Burmese one; neither good, nor bad. Mouth: candied lemon, pomelo zest, barley sugar. It is a tad more complex, here, with some tongue-dancing citrus. Finish: yup, barley sugar, lime drops and muscovado sugar. Simple, but pleasant alright. Historically interesting too; plus, there is a chance that this is a single blend of Garnheath and Glenflagler -- though the salty note makes the boys think of Pulteney instead, which is also in Inver House's portfolio, these days. 6/10

Food. Home-made caramel shortbread and Christmas cake. Yum!

Lady-boy-burn 20yo 1966/1987 (45.7%, Cadenhead) (JS): they are a bit of a cliché and the subject of jokes, in Europe, but those who have been to Thailand assure us that lady boys are really a thing there, and such a part of the culture that they are mainstream. In any case, far from passing judgement, we are only after a good pun. Nose: we are shifting gears. Fantastically deep, the nose has a combination of controlled wood and lovely fruit; apricot turnovers in a rustically-furnished kitchen, dusty tangerines, overripe, dusty satsumas. Mouth: fresh, fruity, it has satsumas, mandarin juice, ripe-orange flesh and a lot of zing. I love this. Finish: citrus, milk chocolate, a drop of lime juice -- scratch that! Pomelo juice. A pinch of dust. Superb dram. I hope to spend more time with it soon. 9/10

South-East Village-ia 44yo 1973/2017 (47.4%, East Village Whisky Company Jack's Finest, Sherry Butt, 142b, b#125) (OB): a Jack Wieber bottling in disguise? Nose: extremely floral, with jasmine, honeysuckle, snowdrop, thrush, hyacinth, honey and cut red apple, as well as dead leaves... This nose is stunning! It develops earthy tones and daffodil as well. Mouth: raspberry coulis, cut strawberries -- phwoar! Apricot compote and a pinch of spices. This is very, very good! It later becomes dryer, with dried daffodil stems. Finish: mellow, it has caramel and chocolate, apple and strawberry. This does not have the depth of the Ladyburn, but it is a great drop too. 9/10

OB: "It is good enough, if you want to Asia-culate."

Imperial 1976/2005 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection imported by Charles Hofer, C#10171) (JS): a big part of of Southeast Asia formed Indochina, which was a result of French Imperial-ism. Nose: it is initially very musty and leathery, which surprises me a lot. Then, it calms down and moves towards squashed raspberries and humid hay, thatch, even. The leather comes back, with mud, then bandages, hospital lint, cigar ash, gummi bears in alcohol, paint and linseed oil. This is most unexpected. Mouth: punchy and hay-like, it has wine gums, lots of drying lichen and dried moss. Next is gentle-if-acidic fruit. Finish: earth and smoke, surprisingly -- rather bold, too. The general impressions are red wine, moss and a distant note of fox's skin. Crikey! The earthiness is strong, in this one! I love this. After breathing in the bottle for a while, it will probably score higher. For now, it is 8/10

Mekong-valmore 22yo 1984/2007 (52.%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#1538) (me): nose: ink and flint, very dry hazelnut shells, some sort of nut oil, hazelnut vinegar, currant juice, grape juice. Later on, raspberries show up as well. Mouth: nutty and sherried, with a bit of rancio, pressed raisins, strong red wine, tawny Port, jellied hazelnut and a pinch of earth. Finish: more of that hazelnut and raspberry combination, which works a treat. The finish is creamy and lovely, fruity, punchy, yet also light and well balanced. Great dram. 9/10

OB: "I have yet to become a Convalmore fan, but this is better than I expected."

Glenflagler 23yo 1970/1994 (50.1%, Signatory Vintage, C#1260+7861, 350b, b#119, 94/923) (me): same story as the Green Plaid: Glenflagler was part of the Moffat complex, owned by Thai Beverages -- although, really, I only selected it for GL, who is from Airdrie, where the distillery used to be. This, by the way is one of the rarest malts in Scotland, and only my second Glenflagler. I am not a little excited. Nose: a dusty cellar, dunnage warehouses, mint, lime leaves. A minute in, it has aerosol, vaporised scents, ozone. Later still, hazel tree comes through, Brazil-nut butter and milk chocolate. Wow. Mouth: mild, sweet and fruity, the palate showcases squashed raspberries (a recurrent, today!), raspberry yoghurt, nutty body butter and a pinch of spices. Finish: super fruity, with loads and loads of raspberry, a hint of hazelnut and pineapple yoghurt. Amazeballs! Who would have thunk, eh? 9/10

Glen Moray-Glenlivet 25yo 1991/2016 (55.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch for The Whisky Hoop, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) (OB): The Whisky Hoop is a bar in Japan; Japan, of course, is in Asia (albeit not Southeast). As soon as JS sees Whisky Hoop, she remembers the fantastico Tomatin that OB brought a while ago. Nose: warm wool, then it becomes generically fruity (which means I cannot clearly identify which fruit it is), with, perhaps, old peach and walnut stain, warm cigars, traces of ink, hot tarmac... Then it settles for blotting paper. This is surprisingly old school, but what a lovely nose. Mouth: mellow, with peach flesh. Pepper grows quickly and intensely: cracked black pepper and lots of plump, fluffy peach. Finish: the finish is very peppery again, and remains peachy. Superb mixture of fruit and spices. The third sip is very nutty. This one is not too complex, but it is nice. JS now compares it to Bladnoch 23yo RMS, and that is a fair point. 8/10

OB sadly has to leave.

Springban-gkok 1965/2002 (46%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland) (me): a weak pun, and one that I have used in the past, but I stop at nothing. Also, I really want to pour this. I reviewed this at length elsewhere, so short notes. Nose: it is still fruity as fook, with cut apple, carambola, bubble gum and plasticine. Mouth: juicy fruit, coated in honey, waxy apricots, plums, and memories of metal shelves. Finish: walnut stain, crushed peach flesh, rhubarb compote and happiness. This is a capital dram. I might easily be convinced to give it top score, but I will stick to my previous. 9/10

Garnheath 42yo (44.3%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#1, 120b, b#49) (GL): Airdrie boy in full swing! This grain made at Moffat was owned by Thai Beverages too, before it closed, in 1986. Nose: wood varnish, nail polish, polished mahogany or chestnut, with an undercurrent of custard. A new chessboard, with new pieces; the queen is shiny with wax. JD would hate this with a passion. Coconut soon follows, then caramelised hazelnut and hazelnut paste (none of that palm-oil-rich Ferrero shite). Mouth: full-on coconut yoghurt with a good dose of pepper. In fact, coconut and custard. It is milky and fresh, zesty and herbaceous. Finish: toasted coconut savings, waxed furniture and a lot of wood. It is a bit plank-y, even, drying and bitter in the aftertaste. 8/10

44.98 15yo d.2002 Umami of smoke (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-PX Hogshead, 238b) (GL): umami is a very Asian concept, hence why GL brought this. Nose: very chocolate-y, it has hot pain au chocolat, pine cones, roasted chestnut shells, toasted cocoa beans, chestnut butter and a hint of mocha. Mouth: rich and sherried, it has polished dashboards, walnut stain and (very) hot chocolate coulis. Ginger comes in, hot, grated over sultanas. Finish: long, warming and syrupy, it displays elderberry, dark chocolate and gentle coffee. This is good, if cloying. Glad we have it as the last whisky.  7/10

We finish with a PX sherry that feels like sultana juice -- and it is very nice.

Great one, as usual.

25/12/2018 Active distilleries MkII (Part 2)

It started here. Yes, there was a break.

Strathisla 40yo 1967/2008 (48.6%, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld, C#2716, 160b, b#96, 107 08/113): nose: the woodiest of the lot, so far, with polished oak, chocolate, fudge, Brazil-nut butter, linseed oil and antique furniture. A minute in, the nose whispers of an old engine, with engine oil, petrol and oxidised metal. Further on, one can find toned-down coffee grounds, stale Virginia tobacco, hay bales in the sun, fresh-but-dry peat, salty sea sand, spent fireworks and a dash of strawberry coulis. Wow! Funny how this one has an almost medicinal side, alternating with wood and even fruit. The second nosing brings forth lemon marmalade, balsa-wood shavings, yeast, iron tonic, allspice and incense. Mouth: good balance on the palate, it has caramelised honey, white pepper on peach slices, gun metal, the bitterness of marmalade -- actually, it is so acidic that it must be be lemon marmalade, -- ginger powder, ground cardamom, clove, allspice, ... This is rather spicy! Sandalwood, incense ash, tonic water, cucumber skins.This is as original as it is unexpected, really. Finish: the fruit returns in the finish, subtle, but present alright, with peach slices and strawberry coulis. Neither dominates, however: ground white pepper is louder than the fruit, as are the woody notes -- cigar boxes, cedar-wood sheets, ground, dried orange peels. Somewhat later, the fudge comes back, augmented with a coulis of bitter, dark chocolate, poured alongside a cup of coffee. What a corker! 9/10

The BenRiach 40yo 1975/2016 (53%, OB Limited Release, Sherry Butt, C#7028, 511b, b#101): nose: let us see... A splendid combination of precious and tropical woods (teak, mahogany, acacia, ebony, even), farm-y peat, and a jam made of the darkest cranberries and cherries known to mankind. Blackcurrant liqueur, Madeira wine, Patras wine, gravy, but also freshly-ploughed fields, oily earth, bog myrtle and blackberry cordial. The nose grows earthier and earthier, with the wood and fruit sharing the back seat... until they come back in force. Wood polish, lacquered coffee tables, Kluwak-nut oil and rawon (an Indonesian beef black soup, though this is not meaty). Much later, candied grapefruit and pomelo walk in too. Mouth: very mellow and pillow-y, despite the significant ABV shift. The palate displays prunes in juice, sangria-soaked fruits (oranges, peach slices, plums), a pinch of greasy earth and polished dashboards (Bentley dashboards, no less). The second sip has more prominent smoke, exotic smoke, to be precise (fruit trees, burning in the hearth), a bonfire made of cherry tree and pear tree, yet also peach nectar, drops of mango juice, prune juice and memories of a picnic: a fruit basket on a blanket in the midst of a ploughed field. Finish: ha! ha! This delivers the goods! :-) First comes prune, then peat, then tropical fruit, then wood. Let us try and do this in the right order. Prunes in juice, soaked sultanas, Irish-stew sauce (without the meat), coal, incense ashes, burning cinnamon sticks, then mango, jackfruit and roasted pineapple, before it settles on varnished armchairs and lacquered desks -- with a soft-leather desk blotter. Yes, a bit of peat, a bit of wood and a bit of fruit, wrapped up in just the right amount of alcohol. This is as noble as it gets, and pretty much flawless, though I find it less tropical-fruity than the first couple of times. 10/10

Springbank 40yo 1969/2009 (54.4%, Signatory Vintage Casks Strength Collection Rare Reserve, Refill Sherry Butt, C#263, 356b, b#244, 09/471): nose: as in June, I am baffled by the freshness of this baby! A stroll in a vineyard, pressed grapes, fresh ink, blackberry, blackcurrant. Then, suddenly, it takes an unexpected turn and goes all old school on your arse, with boiler-room smoke, old ink on parchment, cardboard, bung cloth, clay floor and faint dunnage warehouse -- faint in that the thick walls and clay floors are there, the soaked staves, not so much. Roasted nuts, nut-and-liqueur pralines, oil paint... It is very oily, when I think about it. This nose is so complex, so rich, and it evolves so much! Dried fruits storm the scene, soaked in warm water -- prunes, sultanas, Smyrna, cranberries. Finally, a fleeting touch of rubber completes the picture. Mouth: fresh, almost leafy, it has green tomatoes, flowering currants, apple drops and violet foliage, before morphing into a fruity number (blood orange, marmalade, caramelised hazelnut, roasted chestnut, berries aplenty) with an entertaining touch of cooked beetroot, chocolate-coated raspberry, warm bakelite, hot sticky toffee pudding with warm berry coulis, Pedro Ximénez sherry, sweet and sticky, mince pie (topical, I guess: it is Christmas; after all), figs, and still that wood-varnish note in the back. Finish: rhaaaaaa! How is this possible? The perfect and absolute integration of earth, gentle smoke, nuts, berries and subtle furniture polish. It has squashed, wild strawberries on toast, Seville-orange marmalade, piping-hot apricot compote, a pinch of spices (white pepper and ground ginger, mostly, but also ground lemongrass), chocolate and peach juice, distant cork, a minute dose of liquorice, rowanberry, elderberry, squashed dark cherry, all sorts of fortified wines, incense ashes and, well, happiness, in a nutshell. Exceptional dram, this! 10/10

23/12/2018 Active distilleries MkII (Part 1)

In June, I promised I would revisit the drams on a day I do not have to present them to a group of twenty, a day I could spend more time with them. Well, it is today.

Dew of Ben Nevis 40yo 1962/2002 (40%, OB, Sherry Cask): as I found out in June, this appears to have been sold as a distillery exclusive. It is also a single blend -- a mix of malt and grain (blend) produced at the same distillery (single). Dew of Ben Nevis is the name of the blends made by Ben Nevis. Nose: it seems much shyer than it was in June, and then, when it does wake up, the first impression is that of a typical Ben Nevis, with must and wine sauce. Puzzling, as that it is not at all how I remembered it. Once the wine-y character dissipates (ten minutes or so), the nose brings red apple, overripe fig, a touch of glue, Dundee cake, mince pie, but also pork sausage and dust. After a longer while, the aromas become a bit more assertive, at last: cooked strawberries, rhubarb compote, warm cellophane, baked plantain and stewed tangerines. It is definitely on the fruity tip, this one, though perhaps less so than in my memory. Cashew-nut oil, Madeira wine, damp bung cloth and a good dose of timid fruit. After the first sip, the nose is less timid, pushing the same aromas, but more strongly (cellophane, citrus, citrus peel, lime zest, oily Brazil nuts), alongside an unexpected, earthy note. Mouth: it is now gently tickling, with orangeade, kiwi slices, pear drops, rhubarb compote again and candied apple. Retro-nasally, I find dunnage warehouse, with its soaked staves and lichen. On the tongue, the next wave unleashes fresh pineapple, a dash of grapefruit juice and peach yoghurt. Lots of citrus on the back of the palate, moving towards pink grapefruit and blood orange. Finish: it is bolder, here, with clay floors, musty warehouses, mushrooms, even, yet also a big, fruity side -- red apple, stewed strawberries, stewed tangerines, soaked sultanas and citrus-sprinkled custard. In fact, once the custard takes off, it is hard to notice anything else... Oh! Bay leaves! Yes: lime-sprinkled custard with a few bay leaves thrown in for good measure. More citrus arrives: a fifty-fifty blend of pink grapefruit and blood orange. Amazing. This is a cracking dram, but it seems like a different whisky, really. I suspect the temperature difference (it is easily ten degrees cooler today than it was in June). It might suffer a bit from the reduction too, if I am totally honest. 8/10

Secret Stills 02.02 40yo 1966/2006 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Hogsheads, C#1204+1449+1452, 600b, JF/CHH): the Cragganmore that dares not speak its name. Nose: this reeks old school from the word 'go', with stewing marmalade, caked at the bottom of the cauldron, placed on a coal stove. It has an unusual mix of cooked potato skin, baked plantain skin, warm ale, honey-coated malted barley, fig-and-rhubarb jam, a surprising and subtle note of dried heather and oily, dark pipe pipe tobacco. Further, it has discreet tincture of iodine (Iso-Betadine), before becoming more floral (Weigelia, Hydrangea) and finally die with another surprising note of chilli, rubbed on oilskin. How can a dram be fruity, cereal-y, floral, medicinal and plastic-y at the same time? This is magic! Mouth: the first to hit the taste buds is the coal stove, 1836 style. Then, the marmalade, still stuck to the bottom of the pan. Flowers? Check (Weigelia and white rhododendron). Cereal? Check (honey-coated, puffed wheat). Plastic? Check (subtle oilskin). Medicinal peat? Ah! The iodine is pretty much absent, making room for very tame smoke and incense ashes. Fruit comes back as well in the shape of softly-smoked Smyrna raisins. Finish: meow! Mashed potatoes, baked potato skins, draff, but also marmalade on Swedish rye bread, mince pie, raisins (Smyrna again), marinated orange peels, baked banana and rhubarb compote. This is an important whisky, as PS would say. :-) 9/10

Tamnavulin 40yo 1968/2009 (40.6%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Hogshead, C#3659, 335b, b#210): this one was divisive, in June, with the majority liking it, and the Belgian table rather unanimously disliking it; they found it "dusty." Nose: dusty custard! Confectionery sugar, powdered on top of Turkish delights, sugar dust on pineapple cubes, then chou dough and Bourbon-barrel staves, unripe melon, Custard Cream biscuits, rosewater, sprinkled on a sponge cake (coconut, almond, sugar, flour). This is all very promising, although it does feel somewhat anaesthetised (the June sun is still nowhere to be seen, of course). When I warm it up in my hand, the aromas grow louder, resolutely in the pastry department, with custard, confectionery sugar, rose water, almond powder, lokum, panettone and pineapple cubes. Mouth: soft and fruity, it has sweet satsuma, squashed Chinese gooseberry, ripe pear, citrus peel, candied pineapple cubes, confectionery sugar and, perhaps, a minute note of wood (birch). Yes, it is indeed the vaguely-drying touch of young, white wood -- very vaguely, mind. Sawdust, we will call it, although, really, this is not a particularly woody whisky. It is elegant, refined and delicate, very much on the pastry side of the house. Finish: it pats you in the face three times at once: wood, custard and citrus -- the latter now being a forty/sixty blend of grapefruit and satsuma. New staves from a recently-disgorged Bourbon cask, custard and baking powder, rum, exuding from the new cask and ginger powder, sprinkled on candied citrus segments. The Turkish delights are still present, yet the finish is less sweet than the nose and the mouth. Candied angelica! Yes, that is it; slightly liquorice-y and sticky at the same time: that is candied angelica. The finish harks back to rose water, near the death, which is rewarding for the patient taster. This dram impresses me a little less today than six months ago, but the Belgians were idiots regardless: this is an excellent whisky alright! 9/10

Enough for one day.

19/12/2018 Three blended malts

Samples are piling up and bottles begging to be emptied. I will opt for increasing ABV, although it likely means decreasing peat levels, tonight.

Peat (45%, Speciality Drinks Elements of Islay, b. ca 2017): Elements of Islay, of course, is that popular series of malts from "undisclosed" Islay distilleries, where each "element" (Ar, Bn, Br, Bw, Cl, Kh, Lg, Ln, Lp, Ma, Oc, Pe, Pl) represents a distillery or a style of whisky made at one of the distilleries (e.g. Br, Ln, Oc and Pl are all made at the same factory). It does not take a genius to figure out which is which, naturally, but that is not the point. The point is that each name is presented in the fashion of a chemical element, straight out of Mendeleev's periodic table (e.g. Bw₅), in a half-litre bottle that looks like it belongs in a pharmacy. Some are single casks, others are small batches. Funny approach. A few years ago, they launched Peat, which was supposedly a blend of all the others (bar Pe, I would imagine). Not sure how constant the recipe is, and it does not matter. Nose: well, what shines immediately is... the peat. TCP, iodine, hospital detergent and disinfectants, but all that is soon joined by an earthier wave: dry peat, bracken, bog myrtle, fishing nets, turf. The third sniff brings incense, exotic smoke, smoked tea (Lapsang-Suchong) and scorched earth. At last, exhaust fumes, spent matches and shotgun barrels emerge. This is resolutely peaty and smoky (it covers all the bases on those two fronts), with not much else going on. After the first sip, the nose presents roasted sausages. Mouth: a bit fruitier, here, with smoked orange segments, barbecued strawberries, mixed peel in an ashtray, black bun, stored in front of an open fire place. It feels a tad watery, yet that is relatively well covered up by the relentless peat attack. Barbecue grille, incense ash, surgical spirits, minty tar (what?) Finish: it hits a weaker spot, at this point, despite the honest ABV; it feels soft (not in a good way). Puffy, re-hydrated, dried apricot thrown into an ashtray, burnt wood, after a November rain, smoked mussels. This is a decent introduction to peaty whiskies, but nothing to rave about. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, MR)

Gerston (46%, The Lost Distillery Company, Series #3, B#1.I, b#0399, L13/9035, b.2013): I love the concept of this one: a reinterpretation of a style of whisky from a long-gone distillery. (in this case, Gerston closed in 1882) by blending modern malts. It is all a bit futile considering virtually no-one can tell if it is close to the original, the last drop of which is also long gone (in this case, 1914). But I am a ghost hunter, and this is not far from a guilty pleasure. The opaque bottle is also beautifully presented, which is a bonus. Nose: much deeper than expected from a no-age-statement blended malt (prejudice, eh?), it has the coal and soot of something very old indeed, straight out of a black-and-white picture of a fishing village around 1860. A coal stove in a decrepit classroom, dried crab shells, sea shells, fleeting stagnant water but also more sustained fruit -- crystallised satsuma, pineapple cubes, barbecued mixed peel, dried peach slices and dried plantain slices. That is all very pleasant! Mouth: it has a better balance than the previous dram, with the additional 1% very welcome. The mouth has citrus in copious doses, with grapefruit, clementine, blood orange, just a smidgen of gun powder or bonfire, and orange peels. Perhaps barbecued grapefruit? Caramelised orange segments? Burning cinnamon sticks? Orange zest? Yes, yes and yes. Finish: similar interaction here, balancing fruit (clementine, very distinct blood orange, nectarine) and smoke (a coal boiler, a bucket of soot, incense ashes). It works really well! The back of the throat is positively invaded by citrus, with the sweet acidity of clementines and the bitterness of blood-orange pith. I could drink this all night. Much orange zest, slightly bitter, but fruity, smoked clementine, a tin of pineapple cubes in a boiler room (a proper boiler room, not that fake party zone for trendy DJs) and flat, lukewarm lemonade. This one is worth at least trying. It is a bargain, at RRP. 7/10

Exotic Cargo 11yo 2006/2018 (50%, SMWS, 1st Fill ex-Sherry Spanish Oak Hogsheads, B#2, 925b): the announcement of the first batch of this resulted in much outrage. How dared the SMWS bottle a blend? It did not matter that it was a blended malt, and that the society announced it as an experiment; members around the world were intent on letting their membership lapse and boycotting the institution. But then, the same happened when they released Irish whiskey, grain whisky, Japanese and American whiskies, rum, and probably other things. Some simply like to complain. PS, on the other hand, was all over social media defending his beloved masters pied-à-terre and clamouring his unconditional love. Fanboi. I found the whole episode amusing and saw it as a storm in a tea cup. It was not as though they stopped releasing single malts straight from the cask or anything! Finally, I  get to try the cause of all that commotion, then. Nose: where is the avalanche of fruit the label promised? At first nosing, it is absent and leaves the space for wood to fill up -- exotic wood, but wood nonetheless. Then, the fruit arrives, not unlike that in a freshly-open bottle of 117.3. Initially, it is juicy mango, papaya, stewed pineapple, tinned mango in syrup. Then it is cinnamon sticks, and galangal shavings, then fish stock or delayed fish sauce, then cassia bark, jack fruit, soaked dried chilli. The wood influence is not discreet, but it is balanced by the fruit. Mouth: it seems like a different whisky altogether, with thin peach-and-orange juice, ripe pear, sweet marmalade. Eventually, the wood spices also show up, bitter, but under control -- orange pith, green wood, cassia-bark splinters, orange pips... Eurgh! Not quite so under control after all. Finish: lots of fruit (orange, apple, Chinese gooseberry), none very ripe. It makes for a very bitter finish that simply hampers this, without making it totally bad. Orange liqueur, unsweetened, kiwi skins, very bitter Seville marmalade, mandarin peel, cough syrup (not the good kind), nail varnish (not the good kind). This is all a bit meh, innit. The nose prevents it from crashing in flames, but I cannot help but feel this is less than the sum of its parts, whatever those parts are. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, JS)

12/12/2018 Warehouse on the Road tasting at Cadenhead's

Jenna McIntosh is on the road, bringing Cadenhead's warehouse tastings from Campbeltown to the world -- well, to the Cadenhead shops, which are all in Europe. Thirteen of us are gathered to sample warehouse juice and exchange general banter. Jenna pours everything blind, which makes for amusing guesses, none correct.

Dram #1
Nose: white wine at first, then white-chocolate-coated sultanas and diluted peach nectar. The next whiff brings in new carpet -- woah! Pressed green grapes and lozenges follow (the wedding kind of lozenges). Mouth: mild and juicy, with a mixture of grape and peach juices, as well as gentle wood spices and pepper. Finish: milk chocolate and a pinch of soft spices. This is good, not exceptional, we all agree. I guess Linkwood 15-18yo and am, of course, wrong. Strathmill 25yo d.1993 (52.9%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Bourbon Hogshead) 7/10

Explaining how one cask in the warehouse still ages between two tastings...
JMcI: "This whisky has aged a year, since..."
PP: "Since twelve months ago."

Dram #2
Nose: a weird mix of overripe orchard fruit, mud and dunnage warehouse. The second nosing brings forth chocolate pudding, rubber, then furniture polish. It even has an animalistiches touch. Much funnier to write than 'animal.' Complex, but odd. Mouth: similar pudding notes, with a gingery chilli undercurrent. Finish: it seems very short, though it is pleasant. The chilli disappears quickly, leaving under-ripe hazelnut as a lasting note (not soooo short, then). Hazelnut-and-chocolate paste, with a drop of orchard-fruit juice. Several guesses, none right. Tomintoul-Glenlivet 12yo d.2006 (57.9%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Bourbon Barrel) 7/10

Dram #3
Nose: instant chicory coffee, then chalk, which prompts me to guess Aultmore (wrong, of course), bland salty biscuits, pretzel style. Later, a note of bubble gum appears, and some unidentified herb. Mouth: milk chocolate, forsythia, kerria japonica, then red chilli. It feels rather powerful. Finish: very coffee-like, here, with crushed green pepper and ginger shavings. This was Jenna's pick for the fight vs. Cameron McGeachy, during the Campbeltown festival this year. Before she spills the beans, I rate it the same now as then. Aberfeldy 22yo d.1996 (52.2%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Bourbon Hogshead) 6/10

WK: "There was a time when I didn't have enough whisky... But I didn't know it, at the time!"

Dram #4
Nose: fruity bubble gum, very fruity, with strawberry and perhaps a little salt. Mouth: soft and bubble gum-y, strawberry again, with also spices and a whisper of smoke. Finish: hints of smoke and lots of strawberry, fresh and chemical, in a way (as in: strawberry sweets, rather than the fresh fruit). I venture a sherry-matured Bowmore. And fail. Bunnahabhain 18yo d.1999 (49.8%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Bourbon Hogshead) 8/10

TE: "There was an Authentic Bunnahabhain, recently..."
MSo: "They're all fake."

Dram #5
Nose: ginger, cinnamon, some fruit (tamarind?), apricot and hazel tree. Mouth: wood wax, furniture polish, diluted apricot juice and a pinch of sawdust. Finish: lots of apricot, here, dried apricot, to be precise, and a hint of coconut. We stop guessing. Dufftown-Glenlivet 11yo d.2007 (51.6%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Sherry Hogshead) 7/10

JMcI: "Mark [Watt, who does the cask selection] has his own office, so he can have all his samples around him."
tOMoH: "Seems perfectly safe."

JMcI reminisces a time she was stuck in Dufftown at night.
JMcI: "Dead. Ghost town. There's no 24/7 shop or anything."
WK: "It's not Campbeltown, after all!"

Dram #6
Nose: "smells froggy," says JS. Shoe polish, peat smoke. The peat grows bolder, overshadowing the sherry influence. Nonetheless, it remains very sherried, with lots of shoe polish. Mouth: soft, mild, though spices come up too, with cloves and black cardamom, as well as machine oil (JMcI). Finish: very long, peaty and smoky, with coal and burnt tractor tyres. Clearly a Sherry-matured Islay peater. Nope. It is not even peated, according to the host (I blame another Campbeltown label mix-up). Paul John 6yo d.2011 (56.7%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Refill Bourbon Hogshead) 8/10

DW: "Is this the cask from the festival? Has it been around?"
JMcI: "Probably."
TE: "You dirty cask, you!"

Because we have been nice, we get to try a seventh dram.

Dram #7
Nose: leather, very dry hay, dried mud, banana -- no! plantain and cured meat. Mouth: simple and deadly efficient, with plantain and peat smoke. Lots of that. Finish: big, leathery, smoky and efficient. This is a bit of a crowd-pleaser. Of course, that means I refuse to like it much. B-) An Islay 9yo d.2008 (59%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Sherry Butt) 7/10

JMcI: "I've taken Longrow from the cask. Really good for the cold."
WK: "Whereas Caol Ila is good for cuts and bruises."



Good little tasting. Not necessarily the whiskies I would normally go for, but it is nice to try different things.
Pourers would be good, though, since Jenna is not pouring from a valinch. The pours were hefty; that eroded the senses quite quickly. One centilitre of each would have been enough.
As a nightcap, I pour everyone Cooley 11yo 2001/2012 (55.9%, A.D. Rattray Cask Collection imported by Pacific Edge Imports, Barrel, C#3443, 210b), but do not try it myself as a result of the previous, hefty pours.

05/12/2018 Christmas outturn at Cadenhead's

Lots of people, lots of whisky, not a lot of time. They are poured randomly. Let us cut to the chase.

Girvan 12yo 2006/2018 (60.3%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Bourbon Barrel, 216b): neutral nose, soft and vaguely cereal-y in the mouth, with a strong finish -- as in: spirit-y. 6/10

Caol Ila 36yo 1982/2018 (54.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 120b): ink, squid rings and fishing nets in the nose, with a soft mouth that recycles the ink theme and added brine. The finish is long, coastal and inky. This might as well be a 1965 Ardbeg. 9/10

Highland Park 30yo 1988/2018 (49%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 270b): honey on the nose, heather and very mild, subdued peat smoke. The mouth has more honey, as does the finish; honey and sweetness. Lovely. 9/10

Loch Lomond 11yo 2007/2018 (55.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 306b): faded leatherette on the nose, yellow-flower broth and a touch of farmyard. The mouth is thin and the finish is long and leathery (Dirndl, which is short, but leathery). 6/10

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 17yo 2001/2018 (53.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 276b): buttery nose (of course), flowers with an astringent mouth (lemon curd). The finish has more curd, sweet and buttery, but also liquorice (JS). 6/10

Bunnahabhain 9yo 2009/2018 (58.8%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 300b): tanned leather and red wine, perhaps milk chocolate. The mouth is grainy, with more chocolate, while the finish is wine-y and chocolate-y. 7/10

Cambus 30yo 1988/2018 (45.5%, Cadenhead, Bourbon Hogshead, 258b): super citrus-y nose, with added vanilla and ginger, followed by a soft mouth, juicy and sweet. The finish is also very citrus-y. Love this! 9/10

Longrow 15yo 2002/2018 (51.4%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, Sherry Wood, 276b): heavy peat and sherry in the nose, dark earth and coffee grounds on the comforting mouth, coating and farm-y, and an earthy finish. Nice one. 8/10

Inchgower 9yo 2009/2018 (56.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 294b): acidic and leathery, this smells like a tannery. Forsythia is present too. The mouth is creamier than expected, but still acidic, with a citric finish. 6/10

Benrinnes 18yo 2000/2018 (58.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 150b): excellent nose, with vanilla and meadow flowers and green grapefruit, a mild mouth, with more green grapefruit and a lovely finish. 8/10 (or is it 9?)

Deanston 10yo 2008/2018 (53.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 270b): lots of leather, with rotten flesh on the bone, then it becomes more grassy. The mouth is soft, with rotten fruit and a fruity finish. 7/10

Hazelburn 13yo 2005/2018 (54.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 192b): ash and dark grapes in the nose with a soft, prune-y mouth and a sweet, wine-y note in the finish, as well as a note of blackcurrant squash. 7/10

Burnside 26yo 1991/2018 (46.7%, Cadenhead, Bourbon Barrel, 174b): peach and vanilla on the nose, a hint of hay, too. More peach on the palate and a dark, concentrated, peachy-and-chocolate-y finish. 7/10

MSo: "Success! It must feel nice."
tOMoH: "It does. In fact, I need a new pair of trousers."
SW: "That's very nice!"

We will never know if he was talking about the whisky. :-)

"Help me kill some bottles," says detachedblue.

Bruichladdich 16yo (50%, OB Private Single Cask Bottling, Sherry Cask, C#0737): dark prunes and oiled leather on the nose, with a coating mouth and a long finish that boasts horse's hair and mucho farmer's leather. There is a fetish club, there, somewhere, waiting to be opened. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, detachedblue)

Port Charlotte 11yo 2006/2018 (62.9%, OB The Distillery Valinch, 1st Fill Sherry, C#2134, 1134b, b#0714): peaty and meaty nose, with hunter's sauce and horse's sweat. The mouth is powerful and warming, sherried and gently peaty (which is a surprise), while the finish is a bold combination of peat and sherry. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, detachedblue)

Excellent session, great outturn!

02/12/2018 Show business

The yearly bash at dom666's. MQ, sonicvince, PSc, Psycho, kruuk2, dom666, JS and I are joined late by adc.

The train journey is a bit of a nightmare; works on the tracks make the train leave fourteen minutes early from Ostend, which means we miss it. The conductor informs me that we could have paid five euros for each ticket, instead of twenty-three, but he will not give me a refund, now (why rub it in, then?) JS and I miss the connection in Liège by thirty seconds, which makes us waste another fifteen minutes. Finally Liège is full of roadworks, which delays our progression even further. A two-and-a-half-hour journey turn into a four-hour trek, and we are very late, subjected to the teasing of the gang. The muppets barely started, though, which is inconceivable, considering how many drams are scheduled.
Ah, well.

Secret Still 01.01 50yo 1955/2005 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Butt, C#1312) (dom666): this is off-theme and selected just for its age. It has an off position in the line-up, but I will not complain, this being one of the very few drinkable expressions from that distillery (the name of which starts with "Talisk-". Nose: lovely rancio, teak cabinets, ultra-deep sherry tones and lacquered bars. Mouth: similar lacquered-wood notes, varnish and rancio -- this is still amazing. Finish: long, fresh and woody, it has teak, dry sherry, leather and show polish. Each time we have this, I am reminded of what a corker it is. To think dom666 almost did not buy it, back in 2009! 9/10

Trois Rivières Whisky Finish Rum (40%, OB, Whisky Cask Finish, EMB 97211) (MQ): Mrs Q does not like whisky, but she has a soft spot for rum. MQ found this and thought it was a good way of introducing her to ze W. It has no link to the theme. Nose: very gin-like! It has juniper and botanicals. Astonishing! Mouth: soft, sweet, with a touch of rubber. Finish: soft again, with more juniper and botanical herbs. Very refreshing, even if it is not exactly my preference. 6/10

Glencraig 1970/1996 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, IF/CCC) (sonicvince): another old acquaintance. sonicvince chose it for Flash Gordon (& MacPhail). And Flash Gordon Phails, sometimes. Nose: beautiful citrus, with satsumas and clementines, spoonfuls of sugar. This is pretty! Mouth: thin-ish, yet still fruity, with gorgeous citrus (satsumas and clementines again) and a mild acidity. Finish: coating chocolate, toffee and a sliver of orange marmalade. 9/10

vs.

Clynelish 1997/2013 (48%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection, Marsala Finish, C#6874/5/6/7/8) (sonicvince): because when Flash Gordon Phails, he ends up in a Clynic. Ahem. Nose: very Clynelish-y, with candlewax and a whiff of smoke. Mouth: here too, it is an archetypal Clynelish, with candlewax aplenty and soft smoke. A little drying, perhaps. Finish: it becomes sweeter, here, with rum exuding from staves in a dunnage warehouse. Nice little Clynelish, this. 8/10

Food enters.

Comté grande réserve
3yo Parmesan

Gorgonzola cremoso
Calvados-cured Camembert
Marc de Bourgogne-cured Epoisse
Brie de Meaux with truffle

Rocco, Zenza, Christopher, Peter, Hakan and Roberto

And more seriously, white puddings:
Apple-and-Calvados sausage
Leek sausage
Truffle sausage
Cabbage sausage
Raisin sausage
Traditional sausage

Pâté crème
Chanterelle pâté
Apple, pear and raisin pâté
Duck mousse
Vegetable pâté

Fawn terrine with lingonberry
Foie gras terrine

Brora 1982/2008 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, Refill Sherry Butts, JH/AAE) (kruuk2): chosen as an homage to popular 1980s band Broraski Beat. Nose: it is clearly affiliated to the Clynelish, with wax and smoke, but I find much ashier than its younger stepbrother. It has a farm-y note as well, which becomes obvious as soon as JS mentions it, but had gone completely over my head prior. Mouth: waxy, with plum -- yellow plum, even, a lot of horsepower, and the drying, ashy note of the nose. Finish: long, bold, gently spicy, with old stave, old cork, and the low bitterness of peach stone. Nice. 8/10

Auchentoshan American Oak (40%, OB, American Oak Casks, L4590/L4441) (MQ): we help MQ shoehorn this into the theme by suggesting the hotbed of show business is Hollywood, which is in the US of America, just like the casks that were used to mature this. Nose: milk chocolate and vanilla, then paper paste, thick and gooey. Mouth: soft and vanilla-ed, it has more milk chocolate. Finish: soft, easy and unchallenging, with, again, notes of milk chocolate and a splash of greengage juice. Inoffensive, 6/10

Chocolate and lemon cakes enter. We slay one of them and make a good dent in the second.

Littlemill 23yo 1990/2013 (54.8%, Silver Seal, C#33, 290b) (JS): Silver Seal is an Italian bottler. In Italian, 'Silver' is spelled 'Argento.' One of the first alleged victims of Harvey Weinstein to come forward was Asia Argento. Nose: full-on bakery and a pinch of herbs. Time allows it to reveal mango and papaya, which is always a winning combination to me. Mouth: despite the higher ABV, it remains soft and flowery, pastry-like, with buttery fruit. Finish: mango paste, through and through, perhaps augmented with a pinch of herbs. An excellent Littlemill! 9/10

vs.

Ben Nevis Single Blend 43yo 1970/2013 (44.5%, Speciality Drinks, 300b) (JS): More recently, Asia Argento came under fire for trying to cover up an affair she allegedly had with an under-aged bloke, whose name was Jimmy Bennet Nevis. JS rules. Nose: jammy as fook, with raspberry and strawberry bubble gum. Mouth: soft and balanced, it has honey, raspberry, strawberry, liquorice gum, liquorice all-sorts and a drop of lime juice. Finish: a bit woody, here, with gingery pudding, custard cream, coffee drops and armchairs. I remember being underwhelmed by this the first time (when I was still comparing it in my mind to TWE's almighty Lochside 46yo). I love it, this time. Cannot wait to spend more time with it. 9/10

Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (51.4%, Murray McDavid Mission Gold, Cognac Casks, 1800b, b#0553) (tOMoH): this is for Mission Impossible, on the album London, by Jackie #Mittoo. #Metoo. Gettit? Nose: the unlikely St Magdalene combination of grass, fruit and flowers, with a hint of coffee (or is that dom666 grinding beans?) Mouth: gravel, flint, limescale, crystallised kumquat and sage-y lichen. It is lovely and powerful! Finish: a steamroller, long and jammy, with satsumas and limes. Short notes, great whisky. 9/10

dom666 grinding beans

kruuk2: "This one is more masculine."
tOMoH: "The others were more elegant, you mean?"
Psycho: "More metrosexual?"

MQ and PSc take a leave, as adc joins us. kruuk2 and sonicvince threaten to leave, but I have another plan: three #BalanceTonPortEllen. No need to call your favourite retailer: none of them is available, nor will any ever be.

Port Ellen 1967/2017 (52.3%, private cask sample from Mayfair stash, 2nd Refill Sherry Hogshead) (tOMoH): no guarantee this one is actually fifty, but who cares? Nose: coffee heat and dark earth. It is concentrated and complex, but mostly focused on those dark, earthy tones. Mouth: powerful and sweet, with melted Demerara sugar, sugar on staves, and the shyest lick of smoke. Finish: sweet smoke (excellent smoke), refined and soft, smoky caramel. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)

vs.

Port Ellen 1967/2017 (unknown ABV, private cask sample from Mayfair stash, Refill Port Cask) (tOMoH): nose: grass, a drop of red wine, damp hay, straw broth. The wine influence is growing. Mouth: jammy, rum-y, with Demerara sugar and sweet chilli sauce (Sriracha?) and ground peach stones. Finish: long, devastating, drying, rum-y and sweet. Not usually a big fan of Port maturations, but this works, even if I prefer the first cask sample. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)

vs.

Port Ellen 1967/2017 (unknown ABV, private cask sample from Mayfair stash) (tOMoH): nose: this has more traditional peat influences, such as farm paths and greasy, fat peat. Mouth: jammy, sticky and coating, with, again, a drop of rum, but also refined smoke and lots of chilli. Finish: huge, savaging and smoky with melted sugar. This is likely my favourite of the three, maybe on par with the first, while the second, although also very good, is the one I like least. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)

There is no way any of those three would justify the price tag they would command if they were released commercially, but what a great opportunity all the same! Superb whiskies!

Ram-pam-bum!

"Don't spill it, or it'll be a Bunnaha-split!" says dom666... just as he breaks the cork of the final bottle.

Woops!

adc cannot believe the contraption dom666 uses.
It is known as... a tea pot!

Operation Bunnaha-rescue in progress

Bunnahabhain 16yo b.2007 (54%, OB Limited Edition for Feis Ile 2007, Oloroso Sherry Cask, C#276, 190b) (dom666): I was hoping dom666 would serve this one, today. JS, dom666 and I discovered it at the Port Ass-keg Hotel a decade ago. We were extremely impressed. It was a bit of a challenge to source it, but we are resourceful. Tonight, we confront memories from a decade ago. Often dangerous, always exciting. Nose: the mahogany colour is reflected in the nose -- it is clearly the most outstanding sherry maturation. Precious wood, mahogany, liquorice roots, pipe tobacco, earth, thick and rich soil -- this has an Oloroso influence that reminds me of Black Bowmore 2nd Edition, no less. Mouth: a flabbergasting balance, with wood, earth, dark fruit, wood lacquer and dark tobacco. Everything in this palate spells d-a-r-k, and not in a Sigur McGoth way. It is absolutely elegant. Finish: massive, leathery and earthy, it has tar and thick, greasy tobacco, basking in juicy dark fruit -- black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant and elderberry. It is always a mix of interest, excitement and terror to approach legendary whiskies or to try and reproduce great memories. I remember this as fabulous, the one Feis Ile Bunnahabhain worth hunting down. Fast forward ten years, past lots of spectacular drams, and this one still nails it. Believe! 9/10

Happy birthday, dom666!

JS pours herself a proper bucket Glencairn of Talisker 50yo