17/08/2019 Dystopia

Datz right. Two tastings in one day.

sonicvince invited the gang to his neck of the woods, with promises of a barbecue. The forecast is rainy, so prospects of an al-fresco meal are well quelled. kruuk2 called off earlier in the week, whereas dom666 is stuck in bed with the flu (blonde or brunette, we will never know, though we all know he prefers red-heads). Oh! and the national-rail unions are striking to boot, which threatens ruckus's attendance -- he is dedicated, though, and makes it with no trouble. adc, JS and I arrive late, on the other hand. Woops!
sonicvince is a sucker... for dystopias. Barjavel, Philip K. Dick, Terry Gilliam all have his favours. But bringing Jura 1984. was simply too easy. As was 12 Monkey Shoulder.

Psycho presents: 19...
(it is in two parts, the second of which will be the last dram today).

Glenburgie 19yo 1995/2015 (46%, Signatory Vintage for Direct Wines First Cask, 197b, L15/528) (Psycho): yup, only because it is 19 years old. Nose: more discreet than in my memory (this seemed amazing at Burns' Night, this year), it ends up opening to reveal fruit (apricot jam), though it remains soft-spoken. Mouth: here, the fruit speaks louder, with caramelised apricot jams and a gentle acidity. Finish: magnificently jammy with a touch of metal. I do not spend much time on it, but it is beautiful. 9/10

Upon seeing the next one, I guess e-Scapa from New York. I am wrong.

Psycho presents: The Orkney Island.
Orkney is an archipelago, formed of several... islands.

Scapa 16yo (40%, OB, LKRA1067, b.2010) (Psycho): nose: soft, sweet and gently saline, it has honey-glazed chestnuts. Mouth: a little watery in the mouth, to be honest, it has honey, barley water and caramel. Finish: sweet, with caramel and honey-glazed corn, and perhaps a touch of butterscotch. Simple, but efficient. 7/10

ruckus presents: West Cork World

West Cork 12yo (43%, West Cork Distillers, Port Casks, 13516) (ruckus): nose: strong accents of herbs and tropical fruit -- in fact, I find it to be from the same family as 117.3. Sage, oregano and mango. Only adc does not detect tropical fruit -- she is not particularly sensitive to them. Mouth: creamy and soft, plum-y, even peachy. The reduction is felt, but not a distraction. It is silky, fruity and lovely. Finish: long and fruity, with hints of tropical fruit, a soft pinch of dried herbs. Dram of the day for adc. 8/10

Food enters -- barbecued sausages and chicken drumsticks with green-leaf and quinoa salads.

Tasty barbecue

Green-leaf salad

Served with a quinoa salad and remoulade sauce.
Also beef skewers.

The group presents: Deckard Zhora. Deckard is, of course, the hero of Blade Runner; Zhora is the female replicant whom he tracks down and kills (the one with the transparent raincoat).

One of the few shots where they both appear

Zhora is better known with this attire

Inverleven 37yo 1973/2011 (49%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition Deoch an Doras, LD80819) (group): Deckard Zhora < Deoch an Doras. Ha! Nose: a bit of rancio, old staves and candied pistachios. Time helps citrus come out too -- tangerines, unripe blood orange, yet also nectarine peels. Lovely nose that I could spend hours with. A couple of hours later (I come back to it, see?), it is full-on prunes and dried apricots. Mouth: soft, yet characterful, with crisp red apple, a note of oak and walnut vinegar, meow. Later, a little acidity appears, with prunes, apricots in juice, peaches in syrup and preserved greengages. Finish: long, fruity and mildly oaky, it is simply marvellous. Hours later, it has similar prunes in juice, caramelised apricot jam and baked apples. I am far behind everyone else. Regardless, this will remain my dram of the day. 9/10

Hoo!

sonicvince presents: nothing. "Dystopias are usually about a dictatorship," he says. "I am hosting. I am the dictator. I decide this is in theme, even if it is not."
We quickly shame him into: They Live-ttlemill, though ruckus notes it is bottled in 2010, which can easily be linked to 2010: The Year We Make Contact.

They Littlemill is adopted

Littlemill 19yo 1991/2010 (50%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask 50°, Refill Hogshead, C#6552, 340b) (sonicvince): nose: super herbaceous, it has tarragon, thyme, unripe citrus and foliage. Mouth: lemon-sprinkled cocoa yoghurt and bitter orange pith that morph into more citrus and hazelnut. Finish: yes, hazelnut paste, peppered with lime-juice drops. Wonderful. It reminds me very much of its sister cask, the 16yo C#DL4064. Dram of the day for ruckus. 9/10

ruckus is even wearing a They Live t-shirt for the occasion

Cake enters.

Of course, that one!

Chilling

ruckus and JS present: Bladenoch Runner.
Twice. Two casks distilled on the same day.

50.60 24yo d.1990 Complex and interest sustaining! (52.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Regill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 34b) (ruckus): a delayed souvenir from ruckus's trip to SMWS. Nose: rose water, pomelo peels, lychee and persimmon -- phwoar! Refined, gentle, elegant, and really fruity! Mouth: velvety, sweet (not overly so, mind), it has mildly-coffee-tainted lychee syrup, caramel water and toffee. Finish: gentle, with the fruit and flower water from the nose. This is excellent. Glad to know where to find another bottle. Joint-dram of the day for JS. 8/10

vs.

Bladnoch 20yo 1990/2011 (60.6%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre for Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel, C#30005, 194b, b#131) (JS): nose: creamy melon, watermelon, even, and a faint note of disinfectant. The latter disappears quickly, leaving but the fruit and an infusion of yellow flowers. Mouth: without surprise, it is strong. Behind the strength, it has lychee, green melon, green chilli (phew! it is hot!) The power is soon tamed and leaves more room for peppery melon skins. Finish: huge, spicy (green chilli pepper, pink peppercorns), with the fruit taking a back seat (more green melon skin). I bet it takes water well, but I am too far behind to start playing. JS's other joint-dram of the day. 8/10

Very interesting experience. Those two sister casks are very different, yet both great.

Biscuits enter.

Chocolate cookies, woo!

tOMoH presents: Total Re-Caledonian

Caledonian 28yo 1987/2016 (52.3%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 246b, 16/196) (me): I skip this one. Too far behind.

ruckus needs to leg it and catch one of the few trains that have not been cancelled (strike, remember).

adc presents: Min-Orkney Report

Unnamed Orkney 13yo 2005/2018 (56.2%, Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection for Flanders' Finest Cask Selection, Hogshead B#DRU 17/A6365, 342b) (adc): nose: salted beef, meaty leather. It turns very, very coastal, with warm seaspray, rollmops, mackerel and casked herring. Mouth: big and rocky, with salty pebbles, sandy seashores, whelks, kelp. It has no petrolic side, but it is maritime alright! Finish: ooomph! Big, earthy and salty, it has salt beef coming back for more, tatters of leather, hot mackerel, and pickled herrings. Not overly complex, this one, but it does deliver the goods. 7/10

tOMoH presents: Timecoperdanich

Caperdonich 16yo 1977/1994 (58.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Sherry Cask) (me): I reviewed this at length not too long ago. Short take, this time. Nose: lots of leather and polished sofas, (blazing saddles), cow-boy boots. Mouth: hot, peppery, it has leather and meaty meals around a campfire. Finish: huge, with similar notes to the nose and mouth. It is good, but redoubtable, due to its strength. 8/10

Psycho presents: ...84
The second part of 1984.

Caol Ila 33yo 1984/2017 (54.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Hogshead, 144b, 17/339) (Psycho): sure, it was distilled in 1984, but the connection is due to the fact Cadenhead started in 1842. Wow. We had this at Burns' Night, last year; it floored everyone. Nose: rhaaaa! Earth, peat bogs, fishing nets and the diesel engine on a docked trawler. This is another nose that would deserve spending hours with. Mouth: mild and soft, it retains the earthy-come-coastal character of smoked seafoods, combined with a more petrolic side that is very appealing. Finish: long, coastal, salty and earthy, it has cockles, smoked mussels, whelks and, well, a coastal smoke house, generally. I am done with lengthy notes for now. Suffice to say this is excellent. 9/10

Attention-seeking pets. :)

Excellent, relaxed afternoon, with top drams that covered a wide range of profiles. I felt the party was a little tense at the start, likely because of our late arrival. I overlooked the start time in the first comm ("around noon"), then forgot about it and assumed it would be the same as usual (around 14:00). Mea culpa.