01/12/2018 G & B Whiskyfest (previously known as Lindores)

We are here for the second year running. JS and I took an early train to the land of chips and mayonnaise, and we make it to Ostend comfortably by noon. Check in is only from 14:00, but not to worry: there are many whiskies to try to bridge the gap.
There seem to be more people than last year, already, though it is nowhere near the madness of the UK festivals; everything here is relaxed and at leisure. Woo.

We do a quick inspection tour and bump into Forrest, stf92 and ManoCornuta. We will spend the rest of the day with them, on and off (but mostly on). The drams start flowing in. Notes are mostly quick: although the pace is relaxed, it is a very social event, more than a cerebral tasting.

Tomatin 30yo (43%, The Highlands & Islands Scotch Whisky The Antique Collection, Sherry Casks, 2400b, b#00873, b. pre-1972): nose: heavy leather, a full tannery, in fact, super-dark chocolate, meat, buccaneered and marinated. This is unexpectedly meaty, with a hint of suplhur. Mouth: soft and chocolate-y, with a note of rancio and marinated meat. It is also punchy! The last thing to emerge are pickled onions. Finish: soft, chocolate-y again, very much so, bitter and dry. Well made, but not my favourite profile. 7/10

I pass the glass to ManoCornuta (blind) and he wild-guesses exactly the bottle.

Littlemill 25yo 1989/2014 (50.9%, Three Rivers for The Auld Alliance, Refill Hogshead, 282b): nose: it is a grassy number, with crushed hay, straw bales and a certain dampness. A woody note develops, lacquered and precious, then plums, perhaps. The nose grows waxier. Mouth: mildly acidic fruit, with apricot, peach, (pink) grapefruit and a dash of pepper. The grassy touch remains, though. Finish: much fruitier, here, it has drops of mango juice, lemon drops, buttercup broth and soaked hay bales. Eventually, buttery fruit comes into play -- squashed mango and papaya. This one is not as immediate as other Littlemills, but I am a fan nonetheless. 9/10

Single Malt for the Single Market 15yo (46%, The Scottish Collection for Edinburgh European Summit 1992, b.1992): who bottled at 46% in 1992? Springbank, of course. No confirmation, but this is likely what it is. Nose: pure candle wax -- at first, I think it is a Clynelish. Peach skins and a whisper of smoke, which grows in intensity. Mouth: punchy, peppery and waxy, it has a pinch of chilli powder, ginger in soy sauce and hot wax. Blackberry jam shows up too. Finish: honey and wax, elegant, refined and a bit smoky. My notes are not the best, but this is lovely. 8/10

I realise I am hungry. We all are. We decide to go back to the same spot as last year: Apero Fish Palace

We order way too much food. The service is a little disconcerting: JS and I order soups, which are brought before everything else. Forrest and ManoCornuta order no starter and are starving by the time we receive our mains, long after JS and I are done with the soup. stf92 receives both the starter and the main together. Odd. That is more than made up for by the outstanding quality (and quantity) of the food, though. I do not manage to finish the chips. But then, I eat one of JS's shrimp croquette.

Grey-shrimp soup

Fish soup

Shrimp croquettes

Chips for all

Back to the venue. JS goes for a little lie-down, whilst we boys hit the floor. We all share glasses and recommendations, becoming merrier and merrier. :-)

Bruichladdich Centenary (43%, OB for the Centenary of the Distillery, b.1981): I have wanted to try this one for a long, long while, now. Nose: marzipan shavings and vanilla ice cream, with chocolate chips on top. A little dry wood. It is relatively simple, but I like it. Later on, horse's hair appears, then shoe polish, then more and more bubble gum. Mouth: soft, fresh, with a gentle fruitiness (melon skins?) It is a tad drying, with the acidity of citrus leaves. Finish: more fruit (unripe melon skins alright), caramel and fudge. Nice drop! 8/10

ManoCornuta lets us try Strathisla 35yo d.1937 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice imported by Co. Import) which is as amazing as it was in February. 10/10

Forrest lets me try his Tormore 10yo (43 G.L., OB imported by Dreher, b. 1970s) and it is lovely too. 9/10

ManoCornuta is on a roll and passes Ledaig 11yo d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice imported by Co. Import), which is earthy and dry with a fruity finish. 8/10

Glen Albyn 1973/1998 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice): nose: a difficult Glen Albyn, with cardboard and dried vinegar stains on oilskin. It soon opens up to reveal fruit, though -- clementines and unripe greengages. Mouth: sweetened barley water, with soaked peaches. Surprisingly fresh, with also lichen on staves, staves that exude sugar. Finish: long, sweet and fruity, it kicks harder than anticipated and delivers muscovado sugar. Lovely this! It becomes much easier to drink than I first thought. 8/10

stf92 lets me try Glen Albyn 21yo d.1963 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail imported by Sestante), which is still as amazeballs as the first time I tried it. 9/10

Clynelish 1997/2014 (53.3%, Liquid Heart, 132b, b#41): nose: cow dung, dry cork, drying mud, stagnant water, and a bit of boggy peat. It grows greener, still, with cooking vegetables. Mouth: sweet and peppery -- it works, somehow! Spicy alright, and very acidic. Stripping, truthfully. Finish: more cork and drying stuff, extra-dry staves and caster sugar. 7/10

Someone makes me try Laphroaig 10yo (43%, OB imported by Spirit, b.1980s) and it is excellent. I tell GB it reminds me of the 31yo for LMDW. 9/10


Banff 15yo 1976/1992 (61.1%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 150th Anniversary Bottling): nose: phwoar! What a brute! Turbo-charged mustard and vinegar, then an earthier tone, with unripe hazelnut shavings and crushed gravel. Reads challenging? It is! Mouth: a sweet attack, but a colossal onslaught of alcohol follows promptly! Boy! this is strong. Behind the heat, it has a sweet, honey mustard and buttercups in the meadow. It even makes me think of young Strathclyde with its high strength and remotely grainy character. Finish: hugely long, coating, bold, assertive, but also pretty elegant. Lovely Banff, though it will likely not please everyone, with its challenging aspects. 9/10

Caperdonich 34yo 1972/2007 (53.4%, Duncan Taylor specially selected by La Maison du Whisky From Huntly to Paris, C#6707, 210b): nose: honey and hazelnut, beeswax, raspberry jelly and a bit of furniture polish. Very beautiful. Mouth: poetry! honey and wax, then pepper -- lots of it! Ginger, galangal and oak-y tannins. this is not too woody, but it is on the edge. Finish: more of the same; lovely honey and fruit jelly with quite a dose of wood spices. Great. 9/10

ManoCornuta tries the above blind and, again, guesses immediately that it is a 1972 Caperdonich. He lets me try Ardbeg 24yo 1976/2000 (50%, Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask 50°, Sherry Cask, 648b), which seems fruitier than other Ardbegs from that era. 9/10

Try pouring this with dignity!

Ireland 24yo 1991/2015 (48.2%, The Whiskyman & Lindores Whisky Society for Lindores Whisky Fest 2015, 130b): nose: spearmint!? It lasts only a minute, before the expected avalanche of overripe, tropical fruit -- mango, maracuja, guava, persimmon. Tantalising nose, once again. Peach and white peach come in as a late addition. Mouth: balanced, with fruit and horsepower, spicy yoghurt and squashed mango. It turns drying, peach-stone style, perhaps, or like lichen-y staves. Finish: a mild metallic note, here, the mango paste, purple passion fruit and a guava/carambola combination that leaves me drooling. 9/10

Croftengea 10yo 1993/2004 (54.8%, OB exclusively selected for The Whisky Fair, 208b, b#12): nose: yup! Roast chicken with warm compote and a Mediterranean spice mix. Squashed apple becomes dominant in the nose. Mouth: bold and fruity, though it also has chicken cracklings, or crispy chicken-wing skin. This really is fried chicken with an apple sauce! Finish: long, with more roast-chicken and apple goodness. Simple and deadly efficient, this is roast chicken for vegans. 8/10


ManoCornuta passes Glen Grant-Glenlivet 19yo (80° Proof, Cadenhead imported by Sutti, Dark Sherry Wood), which is excellent. 9/10

stf92 is exploring his new favourite distillery and passes me Glen Albyn 20yo 1969/1989 (55%, Signatory Vintage, C#483--484, 600b, b#31), which I like. 8/10

Convalmore-Glenlivet 16yo 1962/1979 (80° Proof, Cadenhead): nose: a deep, dusty, fruity nose, the sort I like a lot. Fruity, fruity fruity, yet so noble! Mouth: unbelievable balance, with lots of fruit, the dryness of rum and the deep smell of ancient staves. The whole is coated in flowing marmalade. Finish: suave, sweet, it has muscovado sugar, damp staves and happiness. 10/10

On the neck tag, the price per dram today.
On the sticky label, the price per bottle in 1979.
In today's money, it means £69.73.
Snok.

Strathisla 34yo d.1937 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice imported by Co. Import). ManoCornuta discovered that there are two Strathisla d.1937! Naturally, he wants to try the second -- and lets me try it. Just as good as the 35yo, perhaps with a bolder nose. 10/10

I start adding up the drams I have tried all day, and am baffled by the low number. Thing is: the pours here are not 1cl, but 2.5. Generous. Well, the prices are adjusted, of course, which means it is not cheaper, altogether. And because the pours are much bigger, dramming takes more time. Compared to some other festivals, it means I try fewer things before I have had enough.
It is also difficult not to notice that some of the prices have gone up substantially, over the course of one year only. Everyone talks about prices everywhere, on both sides of the stands. Exhibitors are not immune to that. Some exhibitors also seem to have a more modern selection, their older bottlings probably depleted by a year of festivals.

The French contingent leave for a bit of rest and the Green Man bar. Time for one last one. It will be the first one that caught my eye when we came in, earlier.

Oban 30yo 1963/199 (52%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection): nose: fresh as toothpaste, if they made plum toothpaste. It also has mirabel plums, herbs and fruit, all so harmoniously integrated it is impossible to pick them apart. Mint? Peach? Who knows? Who cares? Superlative is what it is. Mouth: ooft! Perfectly-managed ABV, with jammy fruit and salty winds, brine-y staves and sweet wafts. It has got ginger and cinnamon, dill and rose water, Curaçao and rum -- this is simply unbelievable! Finish: the sweet-and-salty fight carries on, with a lick of salt, a slice of lime after a sweet gulp of fruity cocktail. It is as impressive as it is improbable. Art in a bottle, challenging preconceptions. Life does not suck, right now! I wish I had hours to analyse this, but it is late and, actually, I am not sure it would make much sense. This is the perfect way to end! 10/10