29/08/2019 September outturn at Cadenhead's

Lots of W, fast-paced, in good company, but standing. No sample of the Creations that we can try. Only samples of the Tomatin and the Craigellachie, not full bottles, hence missing information. Live with it.

Glenburgie-Glenlivet 27yo 1992/2017 (48.9%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 222b)
Nose: straw and Virginia tobacco, freshly-shampooed hair and lovely, warm tart.
Mouth: juicy and fruity, it has peach and pressed apricot.
Finish: juicy again, mellow, it has warm apricot turnovers and a hint of metal.
Comment: lovely start! 8/10

Glen Spey-Glenlivet 17yo 2001/2019 (53.3%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 546b)
Nose: very mineral, with flint, limestone, ink, thyme and soft smoke.
Mouth: mellow, reeking of crayons and warm mayonnaise. I know.
Finish: earthy, giving out black fruit and menthol.
Comment: mellow and very good. 8/10

Tomatin 10yo 2009/2019 (57.7%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads)
Nose: plum, overripe and soft, fleshy, juicy. The nose also emits a note of earth.
Mouth: a little astringent. Fruity, with a blend of apple and plum, but also stripping lemon juice (or is it grapefruit?)
Finish: big, plummy and not bad at all.
Comment: perhaps not ripe enough for my liking. 7/10

Knockdhu 9yo 2010/2019 (56.2%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 888b)
Nose: strong and spirit-y, before it turns full-on wax and plasticine. Oh! And a discreet whiff of smoke too.
Mouth: wax again, with shiny apricot peels.
Finish: long, it coats the mouth with a waxy layer.
Comment: nice, very drinkable. 7/10

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 22yo 1996/2019 (50.1%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 942b)
Nose: flowery, with lovely violets and minty cardboard.
Mouth: minty too, it has more flower petals to complement.
Finish: hot and minty, with mint lozenges and mentholated cough drops.
Comment: wow, a good 'rothes! 8/10

For comparison, SW pours this one, from last month.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 21yo 1997/2019 (57.1%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, Sherry Butt, 510b)
Nose: very different, of course, this is hairy and leathery, yet it has the now-familiar menthol touch as well.
Mouth: thick, with cloying toffee and... mint. Suggestion? Not sure, but the note seems too assertive for me to simply imagine it.
Finish: fresh, coastal, with a softly meaty side to it. It becomes drying in the long run.
Comment: pretty good too, but the Small Batch edges it for me. 7/10

Benrinnes 21yo 1997/2019 (58.7%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Barrel, 156b)
Nose: damp clay floor, dunnage warehouse, then perfume, with jasmine and fresh tea leaves.
Mouth: fresh, it has the trademark forest floor and pine cones.
Finish: fruity, it ends with a mix of yellow fruits and nuts.
Comment: unsurprisingly nice. Those Benrinnes have become recognised for their quality and sought after. 8/10

Craigellachie-Glenlivet 10yo (54%, Cadenhead Small Batch)
Nose: spirit-y, it soon reveals tanned leather and smoky rum (!) Yes, I find it slightly petrolic. The Caroni of the whisky world.
Mouth: characterful, it has leather, faded to oblivion and... green-leaf salad.
Finish: it feels peaty in the finish, or certainly very earthy. Farmyard, Dirndl and a cow's backside.
Comment: this is interesting. An alternative to a lightly-peated Bunnahabhain, perhaps? 7/10

Cambus 28yo 1991/2019 (55.8%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 276b)
Nose: metallic pastry. Is this a headache-inducer? Raw dough, apple turnover and distant custard.
Mouth: mellow, with custard and warm apple tart.
Finish: super creamy, is has lots of custard and squashed bananas.
Comment: I love it... today. Let us see tomorrow how the head feels... Well, it does not feel well. It is a Cambus that strips my tongue and gives me a headache, no matter how little I sip. Downgraded by a point, but that is only my reaction to it. 7/10

Ord 13yo 2006/2019 (53.3%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Bourbon & 1 x Madeira Hogsheads, 588b)
Nose: fruity, with citrus overflowing through the cork, ripe satsuma and mandarin.
Mouth: mellow, chock-full of citrus again, with juicy tangerine and satsuma.
Finish: long and fruity, with more citrus. Others find salt in it, but I think they have been drinking.
Comment: I love this. The best Ord in a year that has seen many. Perhaps longer. But then, it is a combination of Bourbon and Madeira casks, which make for an original profile. 8/10

Balblair 8yo 2011/2019 (57.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Puncheon re-racked into 2 x 1st Fill Sherry Hogsheads, 648b)
Nose: another leathery number, with also old rags, super-fresh liquorice and gingery wood pulp.
Mouth: Gocce Pino, pine needles, forest floor and liquorice. This is woody alright.
Finish: cinnamon, ginger, liquorice.
Comment: so young and past its best, in my opinion. Too woody for me, tonight. Pity, because one does not come across Balblair every day. 7/10

Bowmore 17yo 2002/2019 (53.6%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 294b)
Nose: ink, mud, squid ink, wet sands. None of the anticipated citrus, but the vase and brine one would expect to smell on Cthulhu's tentacles. It opens up to overlook earthy farm paths. Much later, some fruit comes through.
Mouth: spicy and inky, it has the intensity of citrus, but none of the taste... until the second sip, which brings fruit at last (papaya and jackfruit).
Finish: very long, salty and a little peaty -- no! Very peaty, with a notch of fruit down the back, upon second sip.
Comment: initially, I think I was expecting more. The second sip meets my expectations. 8/10

Very good outturn, once again. Young drams that give older things a run for their money.