11/03/2020 The London Whisky Club -- Closed distilleries

The London Whisky Club is a growing name in town, with many events and a rather large following. If they put up a tasting with bottles from closed distilleries, who would I be to not attend?
JS and MSo are also there, and it turns out I know quite a few of the attendees from elsewhere too. Small world, this.

The concept is that of a club, with a membership fee, and members bringing their own bottles, rather than someone presenting and curating a line-up. Each member introduces their own bottle, when the time comes.

(Elaborate) nibbles are served at the start, which is great, considering it is dinner time, but quite awkward too: fried things make one's fingers greasy for the rest of the tasting, and they are very fatty when cold.

Cold cuts, toasted bread, olives, roasted almonds, hoummous and what looks like a pide

Onion rings and chips
There were cheeses as well

The programme

Rare Ayrshire 40yo 1975/2015 (47.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection Rare Reserve, Bourbon Barrel, C#3421, 166b, b#162): nose: honeysuckle, jasmine, cut lychee -- this is super-fragrant, perfume-y, ester-y, with also Turkish delights and powdered sugar. This nose is plainly exquisite. Mouth: slightly bitter honey, with dandelion, Turkish delights again, and rose-petal jam. It is a little thin, which causes zero issue. Ginger grows in intensity to give a spicy, tannic note, subtle, but definitely present. Finish: extremely floral and perfume-y, though it has a bitterness that is a bit off-putting (too long in wood?) Certainly a woody touch, with lemongrass and ginger shavings. Lovely drop and the nose is exceptional, but I fear the finish is past its prime. For that reason, I will downgrade it from 9 to 8/10

Littlemill 28yo 1990/2019 (50.7%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 282b, 19/207): I reviewed this at length previously, but am excited to try it again. Nose: fresh and fruity, it has peach, soaked apricot and mango skins. Mouth: powerful, but gentle at the same time (that will be assertive, then), it has cut pears, cut peaches, white peaches and whole black peppercorns. Finish: long and creamy, with squashed papaya and hints of passion fruit (yay!) It seems less exuberantly fruity than the first time, but it is beautiful all the same -- and time in the glass does make it fruitier. 9/10

Ardbeggie, on my left hand side, brought a bottle to share. The group goes off piste to try it now. It is Millburn 25yo 1975/2000 (61.9%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#6095), which I know very well. I am surprised at the move, considering the furious ABV, when the next dram in the line-up is 43%. I carefully keep the Millburn for later.

Banff 34yo 1976/2010 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice, Refill Sherry Hogshead, AJ/AFGJ): I reviewed this for last year's Banffire Night, though I am more than happy to try it again. Nose: dunnage warehouse, nut oil, berries, currants, juicy and plump greengages, clementines, soaked in sangria, perhaps a drop of ink, dust. This is marvellous. Mouth: soft and mellow, it has more of the currants, ripe and juicy, hazelnut-and-raspberry vinegar, pressed green grapes. The second sip brings dark grapes, skins included, which makes the palate remotely bitter. Finish: quite big, at 43% (remember I have not yet had the monstrous Millburn), it has a dunnage-warehouse feel to it, with clay floors and lichen on staves, stagnant green-grape juice and happiness. This really benefits from spending time in an open bottle, apparently. 9/10

Imperial 23yo 1995/2019 (53.1%, Thompson Bros., Bourbon Barrel, 166b, CBSC5 06093): nose: barley and porridge, plastic and warm soap bars, soap boxes, warm cereals. It becomes fruity, after a while: apples, poached pears, then juicy peaches. Do I detect a whisper of smoke, too? Mouth: juicy alright, with candied chestnut, pan-fried pears, roasted apples, elderberry, warm cigar leaves, roasted papaya. Water increases the creamy feel. Finish: huge, with mud and sink funk, browned peach, browned pear (as in: decaying), a touch of cork, elderberry and rancio, almost. Water, unfortunately, makes it more watery (duh!) and plain. Not a swimmer. 8/10

AO'H [talking about another tasting led by a well-known bottler]: "I am not saying all their whiskies are shit, but all the whiskies they brought to the tasting were shit."

Cambus 26yo 1993/2019 (55.4%, James Eadie, Sherry Butt, C#48094, 617b, b#525): this is allegedly the last distillation at Cambus. Nose: pickles aplenty, pickled onion, onion relish, ... soaked sandalwood? Mouth: big and spicy, with onion relish and candied ginger. Finish: long, pickled, combining leathery vinegar-y, sherried notes. This is most unusual (of course, all sherry-matured grain whiskies are, to an extent). I hope it is not one of those headache-inducing Cambuses (tomorrow morning, I will be dehydrated, but not too badly). 7/10

Caperdonich 18yo (48%, OB Small Batch Release, B#CP/001, b#03536, LKRN 2032, b.2019): nose: lovely refined smoke, with burnt hay, roasted sausage, horse's hair, farm paths under the spring sun. It feels like a subdued Longrow -- I am loving it! Mouth: fresh, juicy and subdued, it has apple juice, little of the smoke, quince and hay broth. The second sip is a little dryer than the first, enhancing the impression of a Longrow in disguise. Finish: a kick of smoke that is unexpected, considering the mouth had hardly any! Tractor tyres, mud, caked on to the tyres, soot, diesel and graphite. This is very nice indeed! 8/10

Old Guns (40%, Low Robertson & Co. imported by S. Cobianchi, b. ca 1970s): a blend that allegedly contains 66.66% of Port Ellen -- a stance I have a hard time believing, but hey! Nose: dusty, pickled vinegar, dusty apple, stale lemonade, faint smoke. Mouth: soft, weak and out of sequence, unfortunately. Shame, because it has a pleasant fruity/dusty profile; mineral too, with dry lichen, limescale and dirty linen. Finish: dusty apple, old linen and old newspapers. It feels really weak, now, which is a pity. The potential is there. I call sequencing mistake. 6/10

I then have the Millburn 25yo 1975/2000 (61.9%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#6095), which I previously reviewed here. (Thanks for the dram, Ardbeggie)

MSo brought some goodies too, and I have this

Blended Scotch Whisky 21yo 1998/2019 (44.6%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Sherry Butt): nose: beautiful sherry maturation, with gorgeous horse's hair, wine, dust, elderberry, tobacco and extremely-dry fir bark. Mouth: soft, too soft to shine, it has berry, poached apples, a drop of pickled vinegar and shoe polish. Finish: big, sherried, with more berries and a lick of chocolate coulis. 8/10

More drams do the round. I politely decline most (it is a school night, after all) and take no notes for those I do try.

A pleasant evening, with good drams and good company. A couple of sequencing mishaps, in my opinion, but all in all, a cracking night out.