28/04/2019 First and Last and Always

A couple of people called off, unfortunately, including birthday boy GL, but we press ahead regardless, as those tastings can never be too frequent.
The suspects: JS, PS, cavalier66 and yours, truly.

Seeing the modest turnout, I decide against my initial selection and go for miniatures.

Glencadam 1974/1991 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice) (me): the bottling date is extrapolated from the big bottle, as it is not written on this one in any way. This, by the way, is in theme because -- wait for it -- it is the first one I pour today! Also, it has a lowish fill level and I want to taste it. Nose: it smells powerful, regardless of the ABV, time in glass, and obvious evaporation. Olive oil (cavalier66), walnut oil, smoked toffee (PS), then the more expected cardboard -- expected in those first-incarnation, map-label Connoisseurs Choice bottlings. It even has something pickle-like, not formaldehyde, but not far off. Teak oil, roasted malt, warm pillows, a bunch of dried, faded flowers and tame coffee, towards the end. Mouth: teak oil and walnut oil. The texture is oily too. This one is oily and nutty, with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings, cappuccino style. Finish: long, assertive, slightly pickle-y, yet what comes out most are lovely notes of bitter chocolate. 8/10

JS: "On a one-point scale, it gets a one."

Edradour 10yo d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, b. early 1980s) (me): there are two versions of this mini: one that reads "Highland Malt Whisky", another that reads "Pure Malt Whisky"; this is the "Highland Malt Whisky". Looking at the equivalent big bottles, one is 12 and the other is 10. The Highland Malt is 10. Although it is not written on the miniature, it is reasonable to think this is the 10yo. Detective work, TSA style! This is meant to be the first soapy dram for the guests and probably the last one they will ever want... But that is only an assumption. Let us see. Nose: trademark dusty cardboard, a little peat smoke, surprisingly, and soft perfume. PS calls it a tart's boudoir, and there is indeed a whiff of shampoo scent. Not so much overt perfume, in my nose. Mouth: mellow, it has a touch of sugar-sprinkled pastry... and then shampoo. Very coating, too. A pinch of black pepper completes the palate. Peppery shampoo, yay. Finish: coating, soapy, shampoo-like, with added fruit to make it less horrible. Still, this is horrible. Not as bad as the Cadenhead from a while ago, but horrible. I do finish mine, though -- for research, you understand. PS finishes cavalier's, probably to show how manly he is, whilst JS's is kept for posterity (for SW, really). 3/10

PS: "Maybe it was not as dire as you had expected."
tOMoH: "Edradire."

Eleuthera b.2001 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail for Compass Box, JA/IJJ) (PS): Eleuthera (cavalier66 gives a masterclass in Greek pronunciation, at this point, and it finally dawns on me that Luther and Éleuthère are the same name) is one of the first products that Compass Box released (alongside Asyla and Hedonism), and it is the first Compass Box that PS bought. Also, this is his last bottle of it. It is a blended malt containing Caol Ila and Clynelish, we are told. Funnily enough, Compass Box explicitly mention Gordon & MacPhail on the back label. Nose: waxy apricots, yellow plums, and fruit-tree embers. Lemon trees under the scorching sun, twigs and a burning bush of lavender. Mouth: soft and thin, it has apricot juice, though none of its texture (not nectar, then). The burning bush is still there, with the smoky Caol Ila reeling off in the background. Finish: peat, damp embers, wet wellies after a hike in the rainy fields. The death sees the apricot return, alongside ash. Nice, though it is a pity the mouth is so thin. The nose promised more. 7/10

Springbank 21yo b.2013 (46%, OB, 1680b, 13/01) (cavalier66): this is the first Springbank cavalier66 bought, and one's 21st used to be one's first adult birthday, back in the day. cavalier66 is so excited about this that he breaks the cork -- but manages to extract it like a champ. Nose: the trademark farm-y notes make way for blackcurrant and crushed blackberry. After a while, the farm paths and tractor tyres do appear, as well as burnt wood. It is striking how berry-driven this remains! Mouth: spicy, peppery (not overly so), with the same berries and blackcurrants, dried mud and a soft sweetness. Finish: farm-y, but again, this blackberry/blackcurrant wave comes through. Beautiful. I had it at 7, but will upgrade it to 8/10

Calling Dr. cavalier for surgery

We all agree this is a good dram, but that it is the wrong event for it. It is sanitised and needs a lot of time and repeated sipping. Polishing a bottle with friends while playing board games, one evening would be a better way to get to know this well and give it the appreciation it deserves. A handful of nerds trying n single casks at cask strength on an afternoon is not the ideal setting and it suffers a bit. PS calls it a grower, not a show-er. He is right.

Italian dried sausage and popcorn

Popcorn tortillas

Soundtrack: The Sisters of Mercy - First And Last And Always (of course!)

G5.1 34yo 1974/2008 Velvet fun (55.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 206b) (PS): this is a .1 and the first bottle PS bought after the arrival of then-SMWS manager JMcG. Considering how much I love G5.2 to G5.8 or so, I am excited to say the least. So much so I do not even realise until much later that this is not from the same parcel of casks -- it is a much older one. Nose: serious blackcurrant-cordial action, crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), dark-cherry jam and pastry cases. Mouth: balanced, it has fruit turnover, apricot and blackcurrant. I mean: this is amaze-boulanger! Finish: long, vanilla-ed, soft, despite the noticeable jump in strength, and rich in blackcurrant and squashed blackberry. This is totally my type. 9/10

Soundtrack: Peter Murphy - Love Hysteria

JS pulls a mystery bottle from under the counter.

Carsebridge 28yo 1962/1991 (54.7%, James MacArthur Fine Grain Selection for the Mini Bottle Club, 180b) (JS): this was selected simply to accompany the next one. Nose: sweet and metallic -- that is a grain alright! Gocce Pino (pine-flavoured cough drops), pine cones, pine resin, sweet freshness. Mouth: very mellow, for the strength, fruity, oily (orange-blossom-infused olive oil) and pine-y. Finish: fruits of the forest (PS), pine resin, pine cones, soda water, tonic water even. Fantastic grain, this, even if my notes do not do it justice. 9/10

JS pulls another one from under the counter.

Ben Nevis 27yo 1963/1991 (54%, James MacArthur Fine Grain Selection for the Mini Bottle Club, 180b) (JS): datz right. A grain Ben Nevis. This is the grail for grain lovers (or the grain for grail lovers): Ben Nevis produced grain between 1955 and 1979 only, and was a very modest undertaking, by grain standards -- approximately 1,000,000 litres of spirit per annum, according to grainmeister PS. It was only bottled twice as a single, and this is the very first one. It is also the first Ben Nevis grain for everyone today. In case it is not clear: this is special. Nose: apricot flesh (cavalier66), hints of pineapple (PS), tinned pineapple, roasted pineapple, with even a touch of smoke. PS sums it up as zesty. It turns more metallic, with hawthorn and verbena, as well as lime, kaffir lime leaves, then seal wax and those perfume cones they used to burn in ancient Egypt. Mouth: it is spicy, with green chilli, crushed bay leaves and lots of fruit. Pears, peaches, apricots, mirabelle plums, but also petroleum (cavalier66) and some herbs. Finish: a huge fruity kick, it has roasted, tinned pineapple, smoked lime, kaffir lime leaves, bergamot, hawthorn, thyme and verbena. Since this morning, I have a new favourite film (Loro); now, I might have a new favourite grain whisky too. 10/10

Soundtrack: The Chameleons - The Radio 1 Evening Show Sessions

WTF?

cavalier66: "This was one of my favourite bands, at some point."
tOMoH: "Is that why you wear those crazy shirts?"
PS: "What is he trying to blend into?"
tOMoH [pointing at the Ben Nevis]: "This!"

Hanyu 1985/2006 Ace of Spades (55.7%, OB Cards Series, Hogshead finished in Sherry Butt, C#9308, 300b) (cavalier66): the ace, cavalier reminds us, is often represented by a 1, it is the highest regular card (the #1), the strongest of the aces, and this one is the highest single cask of the cards series (apart from the Joker Monochrome, I quickly correct him -- no need to thank me for pointing out your failures, I am like that). It is also the last time he brings it to a tasting, after carrying it to the Whisky Show after-party last year, and the Whisky Show Old & Rare after-party this year. Ha! Ha! Finally, Ace of Spades is the only Mötörhead song one always remembers. Nose: manure! Peat and sherry to an obscenely farmyard-like level, souped-up, rubbery cola, black shoe polish, a brand-new saddle and crushed berries. The smoke is subdued, but present alright, next to crayons, eyeliner, caramelised rhubarb, exotic wood and embers from that exotic wood, after it has been burnt, cow dung and farm paths. Mouth: more mellow than expected, it has dark cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries... and horsepower! The mellowness is replaced by assertive power, and it is rather punchy, in the long run. The farmyard action is still there, on the back seat, next to shy rubber. Beautiful. Finish: huge, sherried, it has similar notes of dark fruit, smoke, coal dust (PS), crayon shavings, exotic wood and some rubber. I hate to say it, but this is really beautiful. 9/10

Buffalo Trace 6yo 2005/2011 (64.3%, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac, 4 x Charred New White American Oak Barrels) (cavalier66): the number-one whiskey in the Whisky Bible 2013, as well as the first and last time cavalier66 paid attention to Jim Murray's recommendations. A rye whiskey, too, to have an original note last. Nose: chemical and medicinal in a gelatine-capsule kind of way. Barley snaps, confectionery, sweet shoppe, barley sugar, tarragon (PS). Mouth: sweet, very sweet, it has maple syrup, melted cane sugar, cream corn (PS) and some heat -- at that strength, it is hardly surprising. Finish: black liquorice laces, sweetness aplenty, barley snaps and honeyed beer (Barbãr?) This is nice enough and it adequately follows the big Hanyu, though it is clearly not in the same league. 7/10

Cracking afternoon! Time to call it a day, though. School, tomorrow.

24/04/2019 May outturn at Cadenhead's

Quick fire, blind pours, short notes, lots of banter. Full house, tonight.

Dram #1
Nose: plum eau-de-vie, marc de Champagne, cologne (cavalier66). Mouth: mineral, it has aspirin, quinine and acidic lemon. This is spicy on the tongue. Finish: a few not-very-ripe hazelnuts, spices and leaves. Good starter. Deanston 10yo 2008/2019 (56.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 276b) 6/10

Dram #2
Nose: chalky bubble gum, plaster bands, gauze. Mouth: yup, gauze, plasters, plant-stem broth (nettle, I would say) and a certain sweetness. Finish: sweet, it has liquorice and an unexpected, rubbery bitterness. Benrinnes 11yo 2007/2019 (58.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 216b) 6/10

Dram #3
Nose: tree bark, olive stones and newly-dyed denim (that is original!) Mouth: milk chocolate and a green bitterness. Finish: chocolate again, hot cocoa. Teaninich 10yo 2008/2019 (57.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 276b) 6/10

Dram #4
Nose: animal funk, musk, leather, rotting plums, the rubber joints of a new car, matured Parmesan. Mouth: almond paste, baby sick (cavalier66), milk-chocolate coulis. Finish: acidic, bitter, ivy, butyric acid. This will remain the least favourite of the audience, today -- and mine. Dailuaine-Glenlivet 10yo 2008/2019 (60.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 294b) 5/10

Dram #5
Nose: toffee, tablet, caramel, fudge and a lick of a block of metal. Mouth: much better balance than the first four, with fudge and tablet again, chocolate mousse, a pinch of spices. Finish: soft chocolate and, really, lots of fudge and tablet, as well as millionaire shortbread. Glentauchers-Glenlivet 10yo 2009/2019 (59.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 330b) 7/10

Dram #6
Nose: wooden dashboards, green hazelnut, bubble gum, galangal. Mouth: gingery custard, pickled onions (cavalier66). Finish: long, bitter and onion-y. Fettercairn 10yo 2008/2019 (56.6%, Cadenhead Wine Cask, New Zealand Pinot Noir Cask since October 2017, 264b) 6/10

Dram #7
Nose: flowers and candy floss, very shy. Mouth: soft and subtle on the palate too, shy as fook. Mead, perhaps? Finish: sweet and nice, unpretentious, with rose petals. It does the trick. Dufftown-Glenlivet 11yo 2007/2019 (54.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 282b) 6/10

Dram #8
Nose: acetone (cavalier66), walnut flesh, walnut stain, polished dashboards. Mouth: Brazil-nut paste, marzipan, jellied walnut and a pinch of red chilli. Finish: long and sweet, marzipan-y, it also has... Aspirine Junior (children's aspirin that does not seem to be made, anymore). Royal Brackla 10yo 2008/2019 (56.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 294b) 7/10

Dram #9
Nose: dunnage warehouse, pressed sultanas, warm wood, sweet-corn fritter (cavalier66), tamarind (AN). Mouth: soft and balanced, with a gentle curry flavour (coronation chicken, which we all talk about, now). Finish: long, subtle, noble, with a hint of lichen. Glenrothes-Glenlivet 24yo 1994/2019 (47%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, 1st Fill Sherry Wood since June 2015, 234b) 8/10

That was the best Glenrothes this side of the 1970s, from my point of view!

Dram #10
Nose: hay, purple flowers, freesia (AN), Merbromin, chalk in the back -- or a recently-cleaned black board, as someone else says. Mouth: soft, vaguely bitter, it has butterscotch. Finish: farmyard and apple compote. It is a bit subtle for this late in the line-up, but holds itself regardless. Glentauchers-Glenlivet 28yo 1990/2019 (46.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 114b) 7/10

From a quality-to-price ratio, we all agree the 10yo Glentauchers above is more impressive.

Dram #11
Nose: berries, tobacco pipe, sink funk, metal, a whiff of smoke, even, and overripe plum. Mouth: soft, with sweet barley, sweet corn and barley snaps. Finish: malty, it has boiled sweets and a hint of rubber. Tormore 30yo 1988/2019 (43.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 132b) 8/10

cavalier66: "This is a bit weak. It is low in ABV, which makes me think it is the low-in-ABV one."

Dram #12
Nose: wow! Cola, kola kubes, frozen Dr. Pepper, clove, shoe polish, fresh blue ink, star aniseed, toothpaste. Mouth: anonymous at first, then mildly bubble gum-y. Finish: bechamel (SW), cloves, black cumin, mouthwas without the kick, blackcurrant lozenges. This is very original a drop. Bladnoch 30yo 1989/2019 (40.8%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, Sherry Hogshead since June 2015, 144b) 8/10

Mixed bag, tonight, with something to please everyone but the peat heads. Unfortunately, no sample was sent of the Strathclyde 29yo. We also try a couple of rums, for which I take no notes.
Cracking night.

(Thanks for allowing me to use the pictures, whiskytastingroom.com)

21/04/2019 Three drams spanning three decades on a sluggish, heatwave day

27°C, yesterday. The hottest April day ever recorded in this country.

Auchentoshan 25yo 1992/2017 (44.8%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Barrel, 198b): nose: at first, it is musty dunnage warehouse, clay floors, crushed, black-olive stones, bung cloth and dirty rags. It seems to have lost a lot of its fruitiness (I tried this when it came out), which is a pity, but let us see... Toast, sawdust, sprinkled with green-grape juice, mince pie and black bun. Madeira wine appears, after a while. It is not an immediate-pleasure nose (read: no exuberant fruitiness), but it is nice in a Connoisseurs-Choice kind of way (the first map livery). Mouth: more accessible on the palate, this feels pretty lively, at such a low strength. It has marzipan and crushed almonds, candied lemon peels, dried tangerine segments, almond milk -- I find the texture very milky, in fact, almost creamy. Brazil nuts, milk-chocolate pralines, perhaps a tiny quantity of pouring honey in thick, chocolate-flavoured cream. This is beautiful. The longer one sips it, the more peppery it becomes; soft pinches of ground white pepper. Finish: crushed almonds and Brazil nuts, macadamia too, augmented with a dash of pomelo juice. The finish is creamy on the mouth, with custard-cream biscuits, butterscotch, vanilla pudding and a slice of perfectly-ripe canary melon. Much later, cut mango and yellow passion fruit make a timid appearance. Cracking dram that could well convince me to rate it higher! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Glenburgie 1983/2011 (56.3%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection, C#9806): I bought this when BBR was like a second residence to me, though the bottling itself predates that by a few months. It is also one of the very last bottlings before the current range/labels were introduced (Selected by Berrys' replaced Berrys' Own Selection). The eagle-eye reader will also note this was distilled in 1983, long before the new Glenburgie distillery was built (2004). Nose: orchard fruit by the wheelbarrow -- pears, apples, peaches. Then, more exotic fruits appear, chiefly baked banana, rum-toft... In fact, this reminds me of the recent Venezuelan rum by Cadenhead, in that it has the same sort of fruitiness, alongside this industrial glue scent, which I think works well. Several sorts of jellies (quince, apricot), marmalade and what resembles a whisper of smoke. As it opens up, the nose becomes more tropical too, with mango slices and crushed maracuja (both shy, yet present), alongside butterscotch, dark fudge and a drop of lime juice for good measure. Mouth: big, with glue and buttery fruit, candied pineapple cubes, pear drops, Chinese gooseberries, peaches, lots of peaches, actually, yellow and white, ginger shavings, lemongrass, Kafir lime leaves and raspberry coulis, which adds an acidic touch (it may read incompatible with the above, but it works). Finish: it is huge, with, again, the industrial glue and lots of fruit of all kind. From the second sip on, the glue almost disappears to leave only fruit (peach, marmalised orange, jellied quince, dried mango slices, pineapple cubes) and a minty freshness, underlined by crushed bay leaves and a pinch of black pepper. Another beautiful dram. I reckon it will open up with oxidation and become even better. 8/10

Caperdonich 16yo 1977/1994 (58.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Sherry Cask): nose: wine-y from the get-go, this one does not hide its maturation type! At first, it is sun-drenched Claret, but it quickly morphs to reveal fortified wines (Madeira and, well, Jerez, innit). A few minutes later, it becomes chocolate-y, as in: chocolate brownie, augmented with strawberry coulis. Awesome. It retains a certain dustiness as an underlying current, which is very nice indeed. A hint of pine sap, resin, maybe cigar boxes and cardboard. With water, coffee emerges, mocaccino. Mouth: chocolate-y alright! Dark, chilli-infused chocolate. This is obviously quite strong and has toffee, cocoa butter, linseed oil, Brazil-nut body butter, hot cocoa... The palate is not overly complex, but, provided one likes chocolate (and who doesn't?), it does the trick very well. With water, it feels much softer, still (very) chocolate-y, but less in -your-face. Milk chocolate, this time. Finish: the alcohol is a hit on the head, to be honest, with notes of camphor. Once that has dissipated, it is full-on chocolate again, with sticky toffee pudding and hot brownie (though not that killer one that JS makes with tahini). Scottish tablet, fudge, treacle and a dash of fortified wine. With water, it turns into dark-chocolate coulis, poured on wine-infused brownie. Very nice, if a little one-dimensional.  I prefer it neat, even at this frightening strength. 7 or 8? Hesitation... 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

12/04/2019 Campbeltown pair

Little over a month to go.


Springbank 1995/2018 (51.4%, Whiskybroker.com for Old Analyst, Sherry Hogshead, C#457/1995): nose: there is a remote sweetness to this, akin to jars full of jams off the pot, cooling down, yet the dominant is the undeniable farminess; dried mud, farm paths, crusty tractor tyres. Perhaps the nose also has an undergrowth, as it begins to rain (everyone has started using the word 'petrichor', over the past few weeks, so I refuse to follow), peat bogs, pile of logs, left out in the damp and half-eaten by moss, turf. It grows less and less dry, as time passes. Mouth: the jams reappear on the palate, slightly bolder and soon joined by cracked black pepper. It also has old wooden shelves, parchment, century-old inkwells and... hot soup (don't ask!) It really reminds me of tomato soup with meat balls, for some reason. Let us file this in the "warm and comforting" folder, then. Cinnamon sticks and cassia bark are also present. Finish: it is big, long and wide, with carrot chutney, nigella seeds and all, spread onto warm flatbread, resting on a log table. This finish nevertheless remains earthy and brings forth a cloud of smoke from bone-dry peat. As with the nose, the more one drinks it, the less dry it becomes, which is nice. The second sip is mustier, with whisky-imbibed bung cloth and humid hessian. Well, it is an excellent S'bank, unsurprisingly. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

93.31 16yo 1992/2008 Cigar boxes and fish crates (65.5%, SMWS Society Cask): this is a leftover from the recent tasting. I liked it then, despite its rocket-fuel strength. Nose: deeper than its Longrow-based neighbour, it has old dust, dunnage warehouse (more clay floor than angels' share) and precious old books. In fact, it is not far from entering the vaulted, underground library in a monastery. All sorts of faded inks, old, dusty papers, but also overly-baked potato skins, caramelised clover honey, overly-roasted hazelnuts and almonds and roasted chestnuts, kept on a flattened, old cardboard box. At second sniff, it is bog myrtle and turf, with a cup of rooibos tea. Mouth: roasted, unsalted peanuts at first, then the huge salty kick enters the scene. It catches me by surprise, just as it did two weeks ago. So salty! Dried anchovies, seashells, fishing nets, beach sand, sea water. Fried smelt with NO sauce, dried, smoked mussels. I feel dehydration running towards me. In a good way. Finish: well, it is powerful, but it does not knock me out. The salty sea influence remains (seashells, rollmops), accompanied by meringue -- most unexpected! In the long run, peat appears in the finish too, greasy, juicy, boggy peat, with also cinnamon-bark shavings, which is very original indeed, next to the salt and sweet meringue. A dram like no other, this. Interesting and also very good. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, PS)

Two great drams, with the Scotia edging it (just), if only for its original profile.

09/04/2019 Clearing the shelf #23

A couple of random, low-fill samples, before what should be a sure-shot...

Burnside™ 27yo 1991/2019 (44.8%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Barrel): this one just came out. I missed the launch, missed the bottles (there were only five in London!), but managed to obtain a sample -- though there is hardly any liquid in the sample. Nose: a bit leafy at first, it soon opens up to deliver citrus zest, banana rum, lemonade, soda water and mixed peel. Then, it turns more husky, with iron tonic, pot ale and even a salty edge. Mouth: acidic fruit from the start, with citrus and Chinese gooseberry (some class it as a citrus, but I do not buy that!) Touches of solvent and stewed apples. Finish: gentle, soft, all mellow custard, vanilla pudding and delicate satsuma flesh, with an added dollop of milk-chocolate coulis on top. The second sip brings bolder lime and pomelo. It is hard to make more of it with such a tiny quantity, but I reckon I like it better than the recent-if-slightly-more-ancient 26yo. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Cambus 30yo 1988/2018 (45.5%, Cadenhead, Bourbon Hogshead, 258b): I loved this, when it came out. It proved to be not only one of the three best Cambuses I had ever tried (alongside the mighty official 40yo and another, yet-unreviewed offering -- watch this space), but one of only three to not give me a headache the following morning! Nose: it seems grassier and more metallic than the first time, but it still has the potent citrus and baking scents -- chou dough on a hot griddle, hot apricot turnovers, straight out of the oven. Mouth: this is where it starts shining -- lime-augmented coconut custard, vanilla pudding, butterscotch, honey-glazed doughnuts, green grapefruit, just-ripe pineapple, white Port, orange-blossom-flavoured olive oil. The texture is very oily, especially for a grain whisky; no strippage, here! Finish: meow. Pineapple ahoy, now, dried mango slices, pineapple cubes, super-ripe conference pears, melting on the tongue, baked bananas. This is amazeboulanger. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Gelston's Old Irish Whiskey 26yo b.2017 (54.2%, Halewood, Bourbon Cask, 300b): funnily enough, the screen print on the bottle clearly reveals this was bottled in 2017, yet it is released this month only (we are in 2019, if you do not have a calendar). You may remember I kinda liked last year's... Nose: wham! Bam! Slam! Huge waxy fruitiness boldly rubbed in one's nose. Yellow plums, carambola, barely-ripe mango, papaya, but also melon skins. This smells syrupy, cloying, rich and sweet, but especially fruity. Apricot compote, apricot turnovers, mango chutney (without the spices) and hints of incense. This is quite a stunning fruity display, though, to be honest, the most poignant is the wax. Perhaps the waxiest whisky I have ever smelled. Mouth: it is a miracle! A flipping miracle! All sorts of plums (yellow, mirabelle, sibirica), waxy apricots, ripe greengages, mangoes, guavas, jackfruit, fruity syrup -- oh! It is syrupy alright. Tropical-fruit nectar, plain and simple. Such a fruit avalanche never fails to amaze me, even when I expect it. Finish: it goes down a treat, then comes back radiating a strange combination of ripe, juicy fruits and ashtrays -- I was looking for smoke, well, here it is. It does not last long, mind. Soon, the fruity cavalcade simply crushes all in its path: mango, papaya, canary melon, persimmon. The finish coats the palate, but it holds little of the nose's wax and domestic fruit; pure tropical debauchery, here. Cannot fault that, though! The obvious question is: how does it compare to last year's bottling? I think this one is thicker and has less smoke. Perhaps, one could call it less subtle. In terms of fruit bombs, however, this is more in your face -- closer to the fabled 117.3, I dare say. Capital dram, in any case. 10/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

03/04/2019 April outturn preview at the SMWS

New bar manager. PS is here, of course, as is JS. I tease CD quite a bit throughout the evening.

46.74 21yo d.1997 Orchard perambulation (54.4%, SMWS Society Cask, Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Red Wine Barrique, 245b): nose: juicy fruit, ripe plums, overripe apricots in cases left in the sun. Later, it is light shoe polish and perfume (late-night perfume, if you see what I mean), as well as body butter. Mouth: lively and fizzy like a high-strength beer, it has citric-powder capsules (an excellent type of sweets), limoncello, lemonade and an undercurrent of plum juice. Finish: wide, rich and loaded with ripe yellow fruit (plum and apricot). The finish also has red wine, which I only identify after seeing the label more closely. Gawjus. Coming back to it after the second dram, however, it suffers. 7/10

35.224 23yo d.1994 Fata Morgana (57.1%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Toasted Hogshead, 241b): nose: shoe polish, leather, horse's hair and horse stable, cola-bottle sweets, shaving foam, lacquered wooden chests -- this has so much going on! This interplay between those cola sweets (you know the kind) and the farm-y notes is remarkable. Mouth: cola sweets subsides, with shoe polish as a backbone. Greasy teak cabinets, shaving foam again, ripe plums and roasted cashew nuts. Finish: long, dignified and fresh at the same time, it has more of the cola sweets, liquid shoe polish and a mild touch of shaving foam, once more. Lecker! 8/10

73.110 18yo d.2000 Warm as a welcoming hug (57.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Cask finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 240b): nose: another leathery number, it has shoe polish and soft-leather coats, 1980s style, mocaccino, liquorice laces, bacon rind, and then, after a while, promises of tropical fruit (maracuja, carambola, roasted jackfruit), as well as cola sweets (!) Mouth: liquorice, rubber, spearmint, and lots of fruit (roasted pineapple, drops of maracuja juice, plum), blackberry cough drops and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg). Finish: long and überfruity, the finish has cherries, hints of maracuja, pressed sultanas, prunes and figs (fresh and dried). Loverly. 8/10

9.157 22yo d.1996 I drambled lonely as a cloud... (60.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 228b): nose: much, much more drying than the previous drams, it has dried earth, horse's sweat, saddles, and, at second sniff, some more inviting polished dashboards and walnut oils. The nose turns fruitier and sweeter, after the first sip, while chalkier too. Mouth: peach skins, plum jam, mirabelle plum, sweetened rhubarb compote, powdered sugar and rosemary sprigs on a doughnut. Finish: yellow flowers, after the big alcohol hit. This is warm, make no mistake, but it never smothers the flavours. Very ripe warm peach, sugar-glazed, apricot-jammed doughnuts, and chocolate, perhaps. Water brings out more juicy berries, but also more chalk. Not the Michael Phelps of whiskies, this one. 7/10

7.221 16yo d.2002 Hop Scotch (50.3%, SMWS Society Cask, Bourbon Barrel finished in 1st Fill ex-IPA Barrel, 171b): nose: hot and flowery, it has buttercups, forsythia, then cut peach, Turkish delights (the ethereal side of them; think of: orange-blossom water) and butter, apricot compote, margarine, warm hespenworst (some kind of processed sausages), hints of incense ash. Later, it is fruity Cognac, plain and simple. The Vallein-Tercinier of Speyside. Mouth: soft and lush, very different to the nose, in terms of intensity. The palate does retain some notes of yellow fruit. Finish: mellow and luscious, with more ripe yellow fruit (peach, plum) and buttercups in a vase. The aftertaste has a certain bitterness which prevents it from scoring higher. 7/10

Time to go home. Good outturn, from what I have had (about a third of the offering).

31/03/2019 The Brexit tasting

If you have not lived under a rock for the past two years, you will undoubtedly know that the Great Kingdom of England was supposed to leave the European Union on the 29th March 2019. In the end, that departure was postponed. It did not stop us meeting up to mark the damp squib occasion. Still no politics, here, mind; simply light-hearted puns. And were the lot inspired, too! Usually, it takes a team of experts to shoehorn a bottle into a theme; this time, said team came up with ten theme links in addition to the one chosen by the bottle owner.

The suspects: Cavalier66, GL, PS, BA, JS and myself. Cavalier66 arrives last, and obviously had lots of fun, last night. He is unusually quiet for a time. :-)

Whilst waiting for everyone to arrive, the soundtrack is: Urawa - The Most Boring Thousand Years Of My Life

Provisional line-up

By the time everyone is there, soundtrack is: Shrine - Celestial Fire

Shyte Whisky (40%, Adelphi) (me): this is for Brexshite, of course, which is the nickname given by many Remainers. Nose: earthy, salty and muddy, it reminds me of mudflats. Mouth: soft toffee, caramel, salty mudflats again, salted caramel. Finish: more salt and mud, soil, clay. This will never change anyone's life, but it is pleasant. 6/10

Glen Albyn 1975/2006 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, JF/BAE) (BA): BA disappears for a year and a half, then he rocks up with this. "I've decided to rejoin society." "Springbank Society, or Scotch Malt Whisky Society," I ask (of course). If he is going to bring this sort of things, he can disappear again. Anyway, he chose it, because 1975 was the year of the first referendum on the European Economic Community. Also, Glen Albyn was demolished and replaced by a B&Q; that did not thrive and became a discounted B&Q, before shutting down permanently. BA tells us he went on the site and found the place empty, with all windows smashed, sure-tell sign that the situation was better before -- one of the arguments of Brexiteers. Nose: old school from the word 'go', it has brine, old bookshelves, old newspapers, musty corks and bung cloth. All the way in the back, tinned pineapple appears as well. PS insists it is the tin more than the pineapple, to which I object that one has to lick the tin to extract all the pineapple juice from it, especially from the rippled bit of the tin. BA observes that licking the top of the open tin leads to other results. We all shrug at the thought of pineapple juice on a flesh wound... on the tongue. Mouth: jammier than anticipated, it has marmalade and apricot jam. Cracked black pepper shows up, mild chilli (jalapeño) and ginger. The whole remains juicy, mind. Finish: long, lovely and peppery, it has an excellent combination of peach jam, rose-petal jelly and dusty cardboard, a Glen Albyn trademark. 8/10

I recommend a particular expression from 1983 (another distillery).
BA: "1983 seems to be a good year."
PS: "Lots of distilleries tried to justify their existence!"

Soundtrack: Roxette - Tourism

Balmenach 25yo (43%, Glenkeir Whiskies Glenkeir Treasures The Gold Selection, 213b) (me): because Brexit has proven to be both a complete Balls-up-menach and a Ballache. I had initially selected another Balmenach, but the fact this one could be related to Glen Keir Starmer was too good to pass. Starmer is emerging as a more moderate Labour representative than the party leader, in case, again, you have been living under a rock, or managed to not witness a slow-motion car crash, over the past months. Speaking of car crash, I break the cork upon opening it. There is another Brexit allegory there, somewhere, I am sure. Nose: more rose-petal jam, but this time, it is joined by Virginia tobacco, mentholated tobacco, and candied peach. Mouth: fresh and jammy again, though it is probably a sequence error and should have come before the Glen Albyn. More menthol on the palate, as well as galangal shavings. Finish: rich and fresh, it has the same jam and menthol alongside a distinct wood influence that stays under control. A lovely Balmenach, this! 8/10

GL produces the next bottle, Optimism, which is heavily scrutinised by all.
Cavalier66: "The Brexiteers are seeing the glass half full; is that what it is?"
tOMoH: "You need a bit of optimism in hard times is what it is."
Cavalier66: "You have to believe?"
PS: "No, that's fairies... Or, if you're Grayling: ferries!"

Nibbles!
Cavalier66's bread, olives, cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella
My dried sausage

Optimism b.2009 (44%, Compass Box, American and new French Oak Casks, b#124) (GL): it would seem Clynelish and Laphroaig are big components of this blend. Nose: medicinal, salty and coastal with bitter orange rinds. Mouth: more medicinal stuff -- I have a blister inside my lip, and this one disinfects it alright! Acidic orange, coupled with a splash of lemon juice, wood stave. Finish: smoke and soft soot, sea spray and burning cinnamon sticks. Perhaps ink and blotting paper, too. This is nice. Possibly my favourite Compass Box offering. To think this was a last-minute one-off for a festival!... 8/10

Littlemill 24yo 1990/2014 (50.6%, Maltbarn No. 28, 158b) (JS): the gang tries long and hard to find the connection. It is only when I mention the EU's chief negotiator that all find Maltbarnier. Of course, we push further and find it also works for Little-Englander-mill. Nose: creamy and milky, almond milk, to be precise. A few seconds later, the mad fruity gig starts off: peach, mango, papaya, mango skins, then a touch of crushed quinine tablet also appears, ground Aspirin and pickled chilli slices. Mouth: powerful, surprisingly peppery and fruity (the same as on the nose). Finish: big and fruity in a tropical way, peppery, still (is this a Littalisker?), and very, very dusty. 8/10

Soundtrack: Atrium Carceri - Codex

Cavalier66's turn. He immediately stops and claims we cannot have only one of those Speyside Region casks, reaches into his rucksack and pulls another bottle out. Both work on the same level: distilled 1973, when the UK joined the EEC and bottled at 43yo, ca. 2016, when the UK voted to leave the EU.

Speyside Region 43yo d.1973 (51.6%, Mancarella Limited Edition, Sherry Cask) (Cavalier66): we had this one a while ago (last time BA was here, actually) and I remember liking it, but finding it spicy. Nose: tantalisingly syrupy, it has golden syrup, candy floss, jasmine and Cologne. Fragrant, in one word. Mouth: hot golden syrup, quite simply. This is soft and sweet in taste, but intense in flavours and not without its share of spices. Finish: the finish is fiery, with red-chilli powder in honey and souped-up golden syrup. Same impression as last time: good, but spicy. I am surprised PS likes it as much as he does, considering his usual intolerance for all things spicy. 8/10

vs.

Speyside Region 43yo 1973/2016 (49.2%, The Whisky Agency, Sherry Butt, 324b) (Cavalier66): nose: this one is even sweeter, with jelly and golden syrup again, sweetened plums, overripe peaches and manuka honey poured on yellow fruits. Mouth: wider and rounder than its sibling, it has squashed cherries, ripe plums and peaches; some spices too, but they are softer than in the Mancarella. Finish: phwoar! Full-on berries, here, blackcurrants leading the charge, supported by a pleasant note of oak. 9/10

Cavalier66 stops us again. He brought two more bottlings and organises a referendum to decide which one to try. The options on the ballot are:

• 51.9 15yo d.2002 Sinful indulgence (54.2%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 240b)
• Glen-leave-it 38yo 1973/2012 (48.6%, Berry Bros & Rudd Selected by Berrys', C#10658)

51.9 is chosen by 51.9% of the voters. Or indeed three to one. Cavalier66 forgets to vote, while I do not take part: being an EU national, I am barred from referenda in the UK.

Last-minute development, however: Theresa May's solution is a third option: Glenallachie 39yo 1973/2013 (48.9%, Maltbarn #13, Bourbon Cask, 51b). This one has a butterfly on the label, which Cavalier66 informs us is the symbol of the chaos theory, which is exactly how the negotiations have gone, over the past years. The majority sticks with 51.9 all the same, proving once and for all that it does not matter how much facts change, the voting public tends to not change their mind with more evidence. JS consistently voted for the least popular option.

51.9 15yo d.2002 Sinful indulgence (54.2%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 240b) (Cavalier66): on one hand, 51.9% of the voters voted to leave the EU, on the other, this is the Irish Backstop™. One could also observe that Brexit is the Brexiteers' sinful indulgence. Nose: candy floss, talcum powder, powdered sugar, then a little pinch of Virginia tobacco. After fifteen minutes, it mellows out further to give doughnut. Mouth: soft, full of bakery goodness, it is also warm! Candy floss, powdered sugar and pickled gherkins. Finish: flowery, sweet and bakery-influenced, the finish has talcum powder and flower stems. Very nice. 8/10

tOMoH: "CONtroversy or conTROversy?"
Cavalier66: "I switch."
JS: "Why?"
tOMoH: "He's a switcher."

Soundtrack: Wolfsheim - Spectator

44.73 25yo d.1990 Long live the difference (52%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 312b) (GL): this is 52%, close to 51.9% enough, and is the 73rd cask of distillery #44 the SMWS released -- the UK joined the EEC in '73. Nose: buttercups, forsythia and truckloads of smoke from a fruit-tree fire. It might even have wax. Is this a misstencilled cask? I declynelish to comment. Mouth: very waxy, now, with candlewax, beeswax, caramelised apricot compote, caked to the bottom of a cauldron. Finish: old-school smoke, hot wax, piping-hot apricot slices. We have had a few sister casks, presumably from the same parcel, and they were all good. This is no exception. 8/10

Soundtrack: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Best Of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

We take a break with a Cantillon Iris that BA brought. Because Cantillon is in Brussels, capital of the EU. There is another reason, but I cannot remember it. Very nice.

Cavalier66: "You think it is phonetic, but it's not."
tOMoH: "Funny. Brits learning French complain that it's not phonetic..."
Cavalier66: "Greek is phonetic."
tOMoH: "What you mean is: it's phoneticos."

106.18 27yo d.1984 Bottled essence of summer (52.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 197b) (JS): it has been ages since JS last brought this to a tasting. She really wanted to illustrate the consequences of an 'ard Brexit, but has no Ardbeg, Ardmore or Ardnamurchan. A C-'ard-hu Brexit it was going to be, then. And then, when the distillery is revealed, the boys remind everyone that, in every negotiation, the UK was supposed to always hold all the card-hu-s. Ha! Nose: ivy and lots of herbaceous notes, tree foliage and citrus (bergamot, lemon, satsuma leaves). Mouth: mildly aromatic, but still very herbaceous, it retains the citrus foliage and adds citrus juice into the mix. This is fantastic! Finish: big, flowery, long and citrus-y, it has the same bergamot and, this time, calamantsi. 8/10

Speculation regarding the previous bottle.
"75cl. Is it a US bottling? Once we've left, we can go back to UK measures."
"27yo. There are 27 other countries in the EU."
"Summer. We voted to leave in the summer."

In a Kafkaesque moment, PS and Cavalier66 inquire: "Who is this Jack Hughes fella?"

I announce the following dram.
tOMoH: "I didn't plan to pour this, but I found it in the morning and thought I would get rid of it share it."
PS: "Unplanned, palmed off on us... Brexit!"
tOMoH: "Brack-xit, innit."

Royal Brackla 20yo 1992/2013 (52.4%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, 180b): nose: rancio (BA takes the path of least resistance to agree). The sherry influence is undeniable; it has roasted-hazelnut shells and distant cured meat. Mouth: hot and tongue-tingling, it has cured ham and nuts again, never overpowering. It develops to reveal chocolate and hazelnut paste (none of that palm-oiled Nute**a shite, though). Nice. Finish: more chocolate and hazelnut paste, a soft note of smoke or toasted rye bread. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, RO)

BA: "Do not drink the inside of glowsticks. You will not have a good time."
PS: "Still better than Edradour Tokaji cask."

Cavalier66 asks about cask maturation.
Cavalier66: "Someone's done a sake whisky!?"
tOMoh: "Probably Suntory."
PS: "Symington released one and it was sarky whisky!"

128.3 5yo d.2006 Chestnut purée and new hiking boots (61.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 229b) (PS): PS chose this, because the Welsh voted for Brexit. Nose: chestnut purée and hiking boots. One of the most accurate SMWS names ever. I have had this several times and love it each time. It has that clogged-sink-funk-come-tropical-fruit touch that I love and loathe in equal measures. It also has hazelnut paste, and a bright warning sign that the ABV is high. Mouth: sharp. It is bakery delight, sweet and fluffy, with hot apple turnovers, but it is also strong (and stable?) Finish: huge, warm and light, with milk chocolate, hazelnut paste, chestnut purée, maybe, fruit, not so much, here. I still love it. 8/10

PS: "Do me a favour: stretch over there and hit him."
Cavalier66: "That would give him pleasure."
PS: "Astute observation. Well done."
tOMoH: "He's a psychiatrist. He cheated."

Soundtrack: This Mortal Coil - It'll End In Tears

93.31 16yo 1992/2008 Cigar boxes and fish crates (65.5%, SMWS Society Cask) (PS): most people find Springbank the best distillery in Campbeltown. PS reckons this one, Glen Scotia, is, so he brought it. That is a minority opinion succeeding -- like Brexit. Nose: oooh! it is a dirty one, with diesel, boiler rooms, fishing trawlers, fishing nets, refined smoke, pickled lemons and, lastly, eggs. Lastly? No! Merbromin also appears, in the back. Mouth: hot Lemsip, lemon tea, braised thyme and hot rapeseed and linseed oils. Finish: it surprisingly combines all the notes from the nose and mouth, adding hot baked potato and hair balls to the lot. A funky Scotia. I love it. 8/10

JS: "There's a lot of scrolling going on..."
tOMoH (to PS): "Does it hit your scrollum?"
Cavalier66: "I feel sick just saying it!"

Soundtrack: Gary Numan - Sacrifice (Extended Mixes)

We end at 20:20 instead of the 18:00 hard stop, which represents only a short extension to our initial plea (being a school night).

Excellent tasting! Lots of funny nonsense and great drams.