29/06/2020 One dram to welcome cooler temperatures

There was a fierce heatwave, last week. tOMoH cannot stand the heat. If tOMoH liked the heat, tOMoH would live in Madrid, for example.
On the other hand, tOMoH enjoys talking about himself in the third person.

Heat outside means 30+°C, inside tOMoH's castle

I received a parcel, recently, in which the bottles were poorly secured in their canisters. Styrofoam beads everywhere in the box (big boo!), hardly any inside the metal tubes to stop the bottles wiggling (double big boo!)
One of the bottles shook so much in its non-snug tube that the seal broke off and the cork came out a little (from the picture below, one can see it was probably a faulty cork in the first place, mind), which led to a leak. It probably only lost five to ten centilitres in total, and, all things considered, the damage caused by the leak was limited to a few minor stains on the labels and lovely-smelling styrofoam beads. Still, I was not impressed. But since the bottle is kind of open, why not try the juice?

Minor staining to label

The glue stopped sticking the cork to the wooden part of the stopper

Caol Ila 31yo 1983/2014 (48.7%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#5300, 248b, b#172): nose: a big, smoky slap in the face, and a complex one too! Ink, old parchment, menthol, tar, the diesel engine of a trawler, sea water, drying fishing nets, smoked haddock, sea shells, sandy beaches, oilskins, watercolour and pencil lead, it would seem. The ink note turns into a black tide of engine oil and kerosene, but also malted milk. Styrofoam beads are next, synthetic and almost medicinal in scent. Behind all that, however, a faint note of red fruits comes up, more lingonberry/elderberry than cherry or strawberry. And then, the menthol is back. The second nose seems more farm-y, with mud and muck, as well as putty and a lit cigar. Mouth: milky and sharp at the same time, the attack is hotter than anticipated. with grated ginger and turmeric carrying juicy berries. Swirling it around the mouth reveals exotic smoke and fruit-tree-fire smoke (cherry tree, apple tree), bonfires and a pinch of gunpowder. More importantly, the juicy fruitiness grows in intensity -- now grapefruit, honeydew melon, unripe pineapple and ripe kiwi, sprinkled with ashes. The smoke is only detectable in the back of the throat, via retronasal olfaction, and it is quite discreet. Perhaps sandy beaches and ink again? Finish: all the aromas and flavours explode in the finish, with citrus-infused peat, smoked haddock, smoked fruit (pineapple, grapefruit, honeydew melon), a pinch of ash. The whole is balanced by a softly medicinal touch of menthol, rubbed onto surgical gloves, guaicol, germoline and roasted pineapple, charred on the grill. Strangely enough, and just as on the palate, the berries have turned into citrus; nowt wrong with that. Very clean and sharp, citrus-y, smoky and simply excellent Caol Ila. 9/10

24/06/2020 Celebrating one hundred days of confinement

Yup, today is day #100 of tOMoH's confinement. And tOMoH sees no end nearing. It calls for drams.

I believe that those cream labels were the first grain whiskies
William Cadenhead released as singles

Dumbarton 25yo 1959/1984 (46%, Cadenhead): nose: perhaps it is the current temperature (over 30°C, today), but it seems much stronger than 46%... It is rather ester-y, with notes of fruits and solvents; pineapple drops and papaya drop, alongside white spirit and other paint stripper. Fresh persimmon, Chinese gooseberries, soaked in rum, a drop of industrial glue, a dollop of resin... What is remarkable is how little wood makes it to the nose. A few minutes in, the nose becomes wider, with drying orange peel, something vaguely herbal and something fusty. Crystallised fruits and pine resin remain the loudest, though After the first sip, it turns into a textbook grain, with coconut and vanilla custard aplenty. As a last-minute guest, a whiff of ground spices comes in -- probably sumac, and maybe ground turmeric too. Mouth: bold on the tongue, it is obvious that the fruits on display have spent some time in a bath of strong spirit (vodka, at first, then brown spirit). Once the alcohol bite goes (and it does), it is all citrus, with tangerines, satsumas, oranges and the bitterness of unripe mandarins. It is closer to nectarine than persimmon, here, more firm and less juicy. In the long run, cedar wood shows up, although it is never too spicy. Finish: the finish still has that softly bitter aspect, more than compensated by a huge sweetness. That bitterness, however... Is it verbena? Marjoram? My money is on sage, with an almost-metallic edge. From the second sip on, that is almost forgotten, replaced by hot apricot turnovers and coconut shavings, sprinkled onto custard cream. Well, well. This is great, is it not? 8/10

Dumbarton 51yo 1964/2016 (45.8%, Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular, Refill Hogshead, C#11181, 162b): nose: unsurprisingly, this one is a lot woodier; old books, old newspapers, but also some fruit: apple sweets, apple mint, stewed rhubarb, baked plantain, then back to old wood, with hot ink. I can smell a hefty dose of ground pepper and a strange mix of ground desiccated orange peel and splinter-y sandalwood. Soon, it shifts again, this time, to focus on soft-flesh fruits; peach and nectarine. Distant herbs appear as one tilts the glass to sip. Extended sniffing brings more tropical fruits into the mix (papaya cubes, dried mango slices), and then some cork. Mouth: as strong as it was on the nose, it feels a little weak at first sip. Aside a milky texture, it has the taste of almond, cashew, or hazelnut. On the tongue, a similar procession of fruits comes and goes (nectarine, peach, barely-ripe plantain), as do apple mint and coconut cream. A couple of sips in, it does become spicier, with gingery milk and balsa-wood sawdust. Finish: huge, minty and coconut-y, it is crushed mint in a bowl of coconut-and-vanilla custard, fresh pineapple cubes, ripe bananas, smashed nectarines, dried mango slices, banana rum... Dare I say Piña Colada? Well, I just did. Very good as well. 8/10

20/06/2020 Quart-sebridge

Carsebridge 1965/2017 (unknown ABV, cask sample, C#9, Station Ref #1805): nose: an appealing grain nose, with all sorts of wood lacquers and varnishes, then bakery goodness; vanilla extract, toasted coconut, candied pineapple, mixed peel, soaked in Bourbon, and olive oil. A moment later, fresh paint, turpentine, cellophane and plastic products come rushing in, maybe with industrial glue too. Scratching deep, I detect a note of pine sap, yet it is very faint. Soaked staves. Later on, fudge and Scottish tablet, spiked with Bourbon and coming straight out of the oven come tickle the nose. Mouth: mellow and gently acidic, it is tinned-pineapple juice, coconut milk from a tin opened too long ago, which is to say it is tainted by a metallic note, glue. That tin-and-pineapple combination is strong! American cream soda, pine essence, warm lemonade, as well as something green and bitter -- laurel leaves, perhaps? Repeated sipping sees some spices, as if balsa-wood shavings had been added to it, but, considering how long this has spent in a cask, the wood is remarkably discreet. Finish: long, coating, it has glue and that bitter, green touch to accompany more tinned pineapple (slices, this time), pine essence, custard powder, butterscotch and crystallised pomelo segments. All in all, it is vaguely woody, but very ester-y, with solvents and lots of fruits, both cooked and fresh. 8/10  (Thanks for the sample, kind donor)

Carsebridge 52yo 1964/2017 (41.7%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#2, 285b): nose: annoyingly, tough perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems very similar to the above, with solvents, fruits and wood. In no particular order, we have industrial glue, vanilla extract, fudge, glycerine, pear drops and lacquered coconut shells. This time, however, we also have berries: raspberry coulis and dried strawberry slices. Stewed rhubarb and caramel flan, butterscotch and piping hot chocolate éclairs. Mouth: very fruity, it has pear drops, candied pineapple cubes, crystallised citrus, baked banana, coconut notes and stewed persimmon, all augmented with a drop of bitter tonic, borderline metallic. That lick of metal could be a herbaceous tone gone extreme too -- tarragon or fresh oregano, maybe. It doesnae last, though: soon, it is custard-y chocolate éclairs on the tongue too, perhaps served with a spoonful of caramel coulis. Finish: I hate to say it, but I like this one better than the first. Better balance. Custard powder, powdered sugar, and a deluge of pineapple drops and crystallised pomelo segments, pear drops, lemonade, timid raspberry coulis, stewed rhubarb (sweetened). On top of that: baked custard (not quite as caramel-y as a crème brûlée, though), hot flan, treacle. Well, I never! I wonder where they got this Carsebridge. In any case, it is one of the best TBWC bottlings I have tried. 9/10

Carsebridge 50yo 1965/2015 (40.1%, Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular, Refill Hogshead, C#DL10993, 101b): nose: this one feels heavier on the nose, whatever that means. More wood and less fruit than in the previous two. It is pine-like, with resin and minty Gocce Pino, yet I also find older-wood markers, such as blotting paper, old books and even soaked cardboard. There might be a drop of glue amidst all this, hardly worth mentioning, at this stage. On the other hand, I can clearly smell tinned pineapple, yet it is the kind that has been on a buffet plate for too long and has gone stale. After a while, the nose becomes this strange combination of powdered-sugared pear drops and bung cloth. I like it. Far in the back, fresh paint reminds one that this is a grain whisky. After the first sip, the nose adopts toasted notes of coffee grounds, black cardamom and toasted bread. Mouth: soft and velvety, this one has the perfect strength for me, today, even though I am dead certain others would find it too weak. Cellophane, pine essence, bubble gum, at the point it loses whatever artificial flavouring it had. On the back seat, we see pear drops, pineapple drops, dried banana slices, raspberry drops and glycerine, vanilla extract and butterscotch. The texture makes me think of fudge: buttery, coating and chewy. It remains a little musty, though not quite bung-cloth-like, now. Finish: very elegant, it has the same beautiful cooked fruits and woody tones, none too loud. It is assertive, not boisterous. In the finish too, the wood seems to be older, and results in old books and even earth, as well as toasted notes of cake crust and, perhaps, a spoonful of coffee grounds. Pineapple is still there, hardly noticeable, pear drops, dried brambles (the plant, not the fruit), treacle and liquorice powder. This one, despite the just-legal ABV, feels the most warming of the lot, so far. Probably the wood. 9/10

Carsebridge 38yo 1976/20 (55.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection for La Maison du Whisky Exclusive Bottling, Hogshead, C#130950, 184b): is it not amazing to have a thirty-eight-year-old whisky that is twelve years younger than the second-youngest whisky in the line-up? What a wonderful time capsule whisky is! 1976 saw the Portland Trail Blazers win their first NBA championship, the Summer Olympics take place in Montréal, and Wings top the year's charts with their single Silly Love Songs. It was also the year of a severe heatwave that would be talked about for generations -- that recurring reference became boring quickly, as we started suffering yearly heatwaves. Enough nostalgia. Nose: infinitely more herbal than its older siblings, this one has verbena and marjoram, dried sage, thyme, almost metallic. It is also much more powerful, if not quite stripping, and that translates into solvents, with turpentine and pine essence, white spirit and lint-y hospital corridors. I smell virtually no fruit or pastry, unless it is so smothered in thyme and other herbs it is unrecognisable. Later on, the nose takes on an almost-earthy character, for a second, with plant pots, soil and tagetes. Mouth: citric on the tongue, it has pomelo, ripe lime, bergamot, unripe mandarin, and enough horsepower to stun a horse. With power. Peel zest, apple mint, American cream soda, pine liqueur (if such a thing exists), perhaps unexpected walnut shells, pine sap, lovage seeds, candied ginger and candied angelica. It is lively and fresh, silky in texture and comforting in nature. It might be just less silky than the fifty-year-old. Finish: meow! All the citrus is here, although blended together so seamlessly that it is hard to describe it more precisely than "citrus." The herbs are gentler in the finish, with lemon mint and kaffir lime leaves coming through most. Baking soda, kumquat foliage and a huge pine influence -- thuja branches, douglas-fir bark, cedar sap and something between Suc des Vosges and candied angelica. A metallic note is also present, if subtle, the residue of the knife used to cut all the above. Nothing to worry about, for all who are allergic to metal. Again, little pastry to speak of. It coats the mouth as custard or choux dough would, no more, no less. Great selection by LMdW. I love it. 9/10

Love the different shades too, ranging from almost green to gold, via hues of brown

18/06/2020 Two more Glenlossies

Can one have too many Glenlossies? Second Glenlossie tasting in a row, and no sign of overdose yet.
Let us have two sister casks, bottled by the same bottler, ten months apart.

Ta-da!

Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1978 (80° Proof, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: phwoar! A mix of modelling clay, lichen, fruits, wood and faint flowers. Seemingly all at once, we have pottery, drying in the sun, mirabelle plums, lichen on staves, gorse flowers, what almost appears to be honeysuckle, but is more likely forsythia, and dusty larders. Cut quince is next in line, kumquat, bergamot, yellow tomatoes -- this is quite a ride! Roasted yellow peppers, a spray of furniture polish, and then, unexpectedly, old newspaper and old notebooks. Further nosing cranks up the citrus, with calamansi and pomelo yoghurt. Coming back to it an hour later, it wafts of baked bread and Dundee cake, with fluffy bread crumbs and yeast, yet also pollen, wax, and even plasticine. Mouth: it is all delicate and juicy, with plum juice, fresh kumquat, persimmon -- it has the velvety texture of persimmon flesh too! Next to the fruit: manuka honey, green-peppercorn shavings, a pinch of dust and lichen. A soft acidity develops; it is calamansi and banana, smashed together on milk-soaked white bread. It has something creamy and acidic at the same time, though it is not pronounced enough to be lemon curd. In any case, it is utterly, utterly brilliant. Finish: persimmon, plum and citrus (kumquat and bergamot) perfectly blended with honey, furniture polish and yellow flowers (welcome back, gorse and forsythia) in a bowl of unctuous custard cream. In the long run, a faint acidity becomes more obvious, harking back to that calamansi-and-banana pairing. Whatever honey is left at this stage is melted spreading honey, rather than pouring honey, thicker than before, while not completely solid either. Perfect mouthfeel, perfect strength, perfect balance, superb aromas and flavours. Win. We had this several years ago, which triggered my interest in this lesser-known distillery. It remains the best expression I have had, to-date. 10/10

The difference in colours is astonishing

Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1979 (80° Proof, Cadenhead imported by Mario Rossi, Sherry Cask): this one, I procured whilst trying to purchase the other. At first, I was annoyed to receive a different bottling, then I became curious, so I kept it. Nose: after an initial impression of rancio and a fleeting scent of meat, the nose becomes very elegant, with soft leather, polished oak, ripe figs and blackcurrant liqueur. Blackberry pie, wine-infused jams, rum-toft, as well as toasted-wood notes of burnt cake crust, caramelised tomato sauce and, well, toast. Later on, coffee grounds emerge, supported by musk and grilled sausages. Once that dissipates, the nose welcomes mirabelle plums and roasted yellow peppers. Laurel and olive-tree leaves make a last-minute appearance, bringing some welcome greenery into the picture. And then it is scented candles that have sat dormant in a cupboard for decades, and soaked blood-orange peel. Mouth: blackcurrant to the core, juicy and acidic in equal measures. Beside that, stewed prunes, dried cranberries, aniseed and resin. It is a bit spicy, with sumac and caraway fighting the fruits' sugars for attention. The rancio from the nose persists on the palate, just as discreet here as it was there, but giving a nice, chewy texture. I could be dreaming, but I seem to find the most minute amount of smoke, far in the back of the throat. It is anecdotal, however. Finish: the sherry is most pronounced in the finish, with earth, coffee grounds, faint liquorice and, perhaps, a whisper of cured meat. Dark fruits are still there, but more in the background, this time -- blackcurrant, blackberry, myrtle, bramble, elderberry. The sweetness from the mouth is a distant memory: the finish focuses on the bitterness brought by the earth, coffee and liquorice root. It does not turn too bitter, mind. After a few sips, and out of nowhere, currant liqueur coats the back of the mouth. This is excellent, but it seems less complex than the first dram. It is also less my personal preference. 9/10

Love the differences between labels, so close apart in time

14/06/2020 Two Glenlossies

Glenlossie-Glenlivet 24yo 1993/2018 (53.6%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 240b): I won the draw to buy this when it was released, but I let someone else have it, who liked it more than I did. Let us find out if I did well. Nose: deep and powerful, it smells of dark furniture wax, apricot stones and flesh, until peach jelly shows up and smothers everything else, for a moment. Then, it recedes, as the sea from the shore, and lets herbaceous notes through (vine leaves, ivy leaves, laurel leaves). Soon after that, droplets of black coffee, sprinkled onto crystallised cherries, soaked cork and, much later on, sticky toffee pudding with a hazelnut coulis. Last, but not least, a belated cloak of wood veils the above, with wormwood, decaying bark chips and rotting logs. Hours later, faded mocassins appear timidly, soles covered in earth. With water, the nose turns more herbal, with dandelion stems, pot-pourri and linen clothes. Mouth: ooft! This is hot. Red chilli peppers, fierce ginger, stone-dry, splintered pine wood. Once the mouth is accustomed to the heat, warm marmalade comes in, followed by raspberry jam, rum-toft and orange zest. The mouth becomes fruity, while also clearly bitter. Also, if the heat cools off somewhat, the alcohol bite is still not to be underestimated! Water makes it perfect, in terms of balance and greener in taste, with dandelion stems and forsythia. Finish: yes, fruity and bitter, still. Similar orange-y notes as in the nose (zest and marmalade), this time augmented with milk chocolate. It remains spicy, with ginger, lemongrass and cardamom pods, as well as ground white pepper, sandal wood and cigar boxes. Decent, but the balance is messed up, in my opinion. It gets better with (a lot of) breathing. With water, the balance is restored, and the spices seem better integrated. Seville-orange marmalade with a bitterness close to rubber. I prefer it with water, I think. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Glenlossie-Glenlivet 42yo 1975/2017 (44.5, Cadenhead Single Cask 175 Anniversary, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 138b, 17/517): this, I did not get in the draw, much to my disappointment. Ah! well, at least, I managed to blag a sample. Funnily enough, WFun reviewed it yesterday. This tasting was planned for weeks, so it is a coincidence. Nose: how different these two whiskies are! This one is borderline smoky, with marmalade, sure, but simmering away in a cast-iron cauldron on the open flame. It has a depth that the young one can but dream to emulate one day. Pineapple drops, dried grapefruit peel and a drop of lime juice, all bathing in a voluptuous custard. Roasted apples, glycerine, pomelo and lemonade. The thin smoke has almost completely disappeared to let that glorious fruitiness shine in all its splendour. There is a hint of varnish too, before a lit cigar brings the nose back onto remotely-smoky territory. Much later on, it takes on a sweeter profile, yet it remains citrus-y. I call limoncello. Mouth: very fresh and citrus-y, it has pomelo, lime, a slice of carambola and... smoked cucumber (eh?) A salty, very salty tone shows up -- anchovies, perhaps? On paper, that salt should not work with the fruit, but... IT DOES! Pineapple yoghurt, anchovies, melted into a paste, peach slices, cigar leaves, curry leaves. The anchovies take a discreet back seat, in the long run, and turn into capers, letting the sweeter citrus do most of the talking. Finish: gently bitter, it has lots of fruit (pomelo, lime, tinned pineapple), that smoked cucumber again (I know!) and salt, if less than in the mouth. Really, it is a fruit salad, topped with anchovy paste, tapenade, or shrimp paste, come to think of it. A gently metallic note appears, followed by mint and dried banana leaves, crushed and sprinkled onto custard. Spicy, velvety and fruity, this is truly amazing. Winning! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

13/06/2020 Three Glen Grants

Soundtrack: In Quantum - Memory 417

Glen Grant 25yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1980s): nose: caramel, cold coffee and a pinch of dust. Immediately behind that, we have encaustic, lacquered wood, furniture wax, then pineapple slices in syrup, physalis, soaking in liqueur, caramel-and-liqueur-topped flan, treacle, poured on custard, banana skins, slightly-nutty peach syrup, kumquat, crystallising in simmering liqueur. Fresh peppercorns complete the picture, straight from the plantation. Mouth: soft and silky, it soon cranks up the volume, with a pinch of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder), though it is mostly a gentle one; caramel poured on custard, butterscotch, smashed banana, baked banana, buttery fudge, wine-soaked tangerine segments, a drop of furniture wax and olive oil. Finish: similar notes, here, with coffee-infused banana bread, custard and caramel fudge. Some olive oil again, ground macadamia, oily and softly nutty, a pinch of cocoa powder, and a distant hint of honey. Honey-glazed banana bread becomes clearer with each sip. I could drink this all night! 8/10

The following miniature has a terrible fill level. It was one centimetre lower when I received it than on the seller's picture -- and the stopper does not close properly. Fingers crossed!

Seller's picture

Picture on arrival

Glengrant-Glenlivet 18yo 1972/1990 (46%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: zomgue! Lychee, carambola, dragon fruit, ripe Chinese gooseberry, juicy pineapple chunks, white peach, even strawberries... Yeah, it is quite the f-bomb, in case I was not clear. An empty tin lies next to that (even though the pineapple is fresh, not tinned), and half a spoonful of coffee grounds is sprinkled on the lot. It is fresh and clean as a fresh-and-clean thing. Ridiculous nose! It has a gentle herbal note too: mint, perhaps, or tarragon. As I tilt the glass, honeysuckle invades my nostrils, complementing the fruit perfectly. Pomelo, calamansi, pink grapefruit -- holy shiznit! Much later, it becomes a spicier fragrance of mukhwas (roasted coriander, sugar ball, sesame seeds, chanoti leaves, fennel seeds -- they are served with the bill, in Indian restaurants, if you have ever dined in one). Mouth: all sorts of honeys on the tongue (clover, manuka, prickly-pear, acacia), beeswax and some of that gorgeous fruit from the nose: peach, pineapple, dragon fruit. This time, mirabelle plum and persimmon are also present. Lychee soon comes back, covered in honey. Rosewater, orange-blossom water, magnolia... This is beguiling! Further, canary melon, hints of maracuja, as well as tatters of mint leaves. I mean: phwoar! you know? Finish: the spell continues, with lychee, dragon fruit, white peach, canary melon, mirabelle plum, notions of grapefruit -- the latter is shy, but it is there. It has less honey, here, and more coffee, although it is not a bother to me. One can also feel the reduction, which does not move the attention away from the sheer brilliance of the dram; simply, the French would likely complain that it is not cask strength. By luck, no Frenchman is around. Phew. Mint ends up settling down, giving the whole a remarkable freshness, while letting the fruit shine. And what is this? Celery sticks? As unexpected as it may be, you better believe it. What a dram! Whatever comes after this has big shoes to fill! 10/10

Glen Grant-Glenlivet 25yo 1992/2018 (50.4%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Barrel, 144b):  I remember being very enthused by this one, when it was released. But how will it face such stern competition? Only one way to find out, innit! Nose: it is, of course, a much more potent potable, and it smells that way. Lots of honeys and beeswax, furniture polish, as well as white peach, cut apricot and polished wood -- more armchair than dashboard. Suddenly, the wood vanishes and makes way for honeysuckle, gorse flowers and yellow tulips. Later on, oily Brazil-nut paste and bergamot jam show up, maybe augmented with a couple of waxy kaffir lime leaves. Mouth: velvety, bursting with apricots, beeswax and manuka honey, it also has green-capsicum shavings. Soon enough, mango appears as well, sprayed with a thin honey drizzle. Cooked fruits are next: baked banana and caramelised satsumas, poached pineapple, crystallised pink grapefruit, basking in lukewarm Montbazillac wine. Soaked cask stoppers, in the back, subtle and pleasant. Finish: the honey and furniture polish are loud, much to my delight. They are supported by milk chocolate, cocoa butter, Brazil-nut paste, baked tangerine and (pink?) grapefruit, whilst a lovely vanilla custard is poured on the whole. A very gentle bitter note keeps one challenged too. This is just as good as I remembered it. It does not have the indomitable brilliance of the 1972, unsurprisingly, yet it is far from ridiculous. I am sure it will benefit from bottle ageing too! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

10/06/2020 Bruichladdich tasting

SLT, Red71, Bishlouk, JS and I are having another video tasting, woo. We visit SLT's favourite distillery, tonight. All blind-ish: we know the distillery, the age and the ABV. Not difficult to cheat, and Red71 does so almost systematically. He does not spoil it for the others, though, which is nice.

Woo.

Dram #1
Nose: horse's hair, horse blanket, hay, suede. "Apricot," says Bishlouk, who has clearly had too many gin & tonics, already. Cardboard and a thin veil of smoke are there too, a pinch of dry earth and unripe gooseberries. I find horse's stable and dry farmyard dominate, though, punctuated by a few mint leaves. Much later on, dried raspberry slices. Mouth: powerful and equally dry, with some similar notes of horse's hair. There is an added acidity, perhaps of grapes or melon skins. Desert dirt and salt, sandy dust. Finish: dry, earthy and a tad smoky, it has grape skins, faded leather and melon peel, as well as unripe elderberry. A saline touch, too. Once we are told what this one is, I find all sorts of wine-y notes, none of which is really obvious in the first instance. Surprising, especially the farm-y nose. Bruichladdich 5yo b.2011 (50%, OB Exclusive Vatting by Jim McEwan for the 5th Anniversary of The Nectar, Château d'Yquem Casks Finish, 500b) 7/10

Dram #2
Nose: rather mineral, this one, it has flint and limestone, then honeydew melon storms the scene, alongside scented pen erasers. Lilac, faded chamomile, sweet potatoes (yup, really). After the first sip, the nose becomes well fruity, with plums and nectarines soaked in liqueur. Mouth: it feels a little watery, with apple peel, flowers (lilac again) and sweet potato, before the scented erasers re-appear, waxy, rubbery and flowery, with a softly bitter touch of tannin. Finish: the boys find this peppery and alcoholic. I disagree. For me, lilac again, pencil erasers, mashed sweet potatoes, plum skins, mashed nectarines and some peach to soften a rubbery note. I like. Bruichladdich 14yo 1993/2007 (46%, OB The Italian Collection, Sassicaia French Oak Casks, 3000b) 7/10

Dram #3
Nose: watermelon, sangria, peach skins, rum, oozing through staves, and a lick of pine wood. Next come vanilla extract, empty coconut shells and mead. All of a sudden, the nose turns tropical, with papaya and canary melon. Mouth: this is liquid honey! Manuka honey, thick and syrupy. The alcohol becomes obvious, after a few seconds, with strong pepper and jalapeño. It is borderline anaesthetising, yet honey remains. Lichen on staves shows up, and fruit comes back, pepper-sprinkled papaya. Finish: long, fruity and sweet, it has similar notes of sugar-and-lichen-covered staves, on top of moss and an almost metallic side. Further sipping brings the fruit back (papaya and grapefruit, this time). Not the most well-balanced, perhaps, but I love it. Bruichladdich 14yo 2003/2017 (56.8%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Barrel, C#MoS17015, 248b) 8/10

Dram #4
Nose: exuberantly fruity, this, with pears, white plums, satsumas, blueberries, but also violets, waxy mango skins and unripe-grapefruit peel. Soon after that, a spoonful of plasticine rocks up, Play-Doh style. Mouth: soft and silky, with the same plums, mango skins, satsuma, plus kumquat, now. Plasticine is still there, subtle enough to be pleasant, and totally unable to hide the fruit. Finish: explosive and fruity, it has perhaps a bitter note of fruit foliage. Lots of blueberries, plums, satsumas, kumquats, mangoes and nectarines. This kicks royal bouteille. Bruichladdich 25yo 1993/2018 (49.3%, Cadenhead Single Cask for the 25th Anniversary of Bresser & Timmer, Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) 9/10

Dram #5
Nose: sweet, salty, it has horse's hair, just like the first. Faded leather and dark prunes -- smoked prunes. Heady red wine is next, syrupy and char-tainted, tobacco and smoked elderberry. Mouth: soft, velvety, with a backbone of Virginia tobacco. Smashed smoked nectarines, smoked apricot and the bitterness of melting rubber complement it. That bitterness is subdued and totally acceptable, since it is balanced by the dark fruit. The smoke, on the other hand, there is no escaping from. Finish: Port Charlotte speaks, here, with sherry-soaked plums, sherry-stained earth, rubber -- this is pretty rubbery, in fact, tyre-like. Fresh red chilli, bits of cucumber peel and super-dark chocolate (>95% cocoa). It is warm, but balanced. Very nice. We are told it is a mix of three 1970s casks of Bruichladdich with some Port Charlotte, which would make this a 3yo whisky, since Port Charlotte was not produced until 2002 or so. I believe I tried batch three of this expression, at some point, and this one pisses all over it. Bruichladdich Infinity b.2005 (55.5%, OB, Sherry Casks, B#1, 05/0108) 7/10

We are reasonable, this time, and stop at five -- thank Cthulhu! Great night and surprisingly varied selection. Roll on the next one!