25 September 2020

24/09/2020 Affordable whiskies

JS, red71, STL and Bishlouk gather online to try some drams from JS's collection and mine.

I have already taken lengthy notes for all but one, so tonight is a social affair. I do write down a few comments, but very little. For the record only.

Naturally, they try everything blind; I know what all the drams are.


Dram #1 (JS)

Nose: fresh and minty, with pears and yellow flowers.

Mouth: lovely texture, pear drops and minty lozenges.

Finish: custard and mint again, biscuit, green-hazelnut paste, but without the bitterness I would normally associate with that.

Comment: the others seem to enjoy it as much as I do. STL guesses Inchmurrin, while Bishlouk ventures an ancient young Littlemill.

Glenmorangie Artisan Cask (46%, OB, White Oak First Fill Hogsheads, b.2005, L5 244 15:57 4ML) 8/10

Full notes here.


Dram #2 (JS)

Nose: solvents, according to red71 and Bishlouk. The former likes that, the latter less. Solvent dissipates with water, they tell us.

Mouth: astringent and strong. With the difference in ABV, it is hardly surprising!

Finish: they find it drying, not desiccating, and woody, which matches my own impression.

Comment: this did not fare too well, tonight. Tough audience? Sequencing mistake? Who can tell?

64.32 10yo 2001/2011 Nutty delights (59.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 245b) 8/10

Full notes here.


Dram #3 (tOMoH)

Nose: apple peel (STL), lichen, verdigris. In fact, it is orchard fruit, growing mould on the skin.

Mouth: chewy as fook, it has more lichen and apple peel.

FInish: strong alcohol presence, with Bishlouk very close to calling a nurse to revive him. The others do not agree and find the alcohol rather well integrated.

Comment: lost of guesses, none right. In no particular order: Rosebank, Glen Ord, a Speysider finished in Banyuls casks. I laugh my head off. Internally. I have to admit that this is not affordable at all, though.

Garnheath 27yo 1972/2000 (59.4%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#386516, 190b, b#182, 00/81) 8/10

No detailed notes for that one yet. They will come.


STL: "It reminds me of Glenfiddich 21yo. Except that I don't like Glenfiddich."

tOMoH: "Is that because of the triangular bottle?"


Dram #4 (tOMoH)

Nose: mud and peat, as well as cow dung, drying in the fields. The others detect no peat at all. Bishlouk finds it "very young," and immediately puts out a disclaimer that he is very bad at recognising new makes. Out of courtesy, we do not point out to him that he is very bad at more than that.

Mouth: Bishlouk is finally struck by light peat.

Finish: elegant, with more refined peat.

Comment: lots of guesses, none remotely close.

Gerston (46%, The Lost Distillery Company, Series #3, B#1.I, b#0399, L13/9035, b.2013) 7/10

Full notes here.


Dram #5 (tOMoH)

Nose: minty and fresh too, this one has squashed raspberry, this time, and a pinch of ginger powder.

Mouth: fresh, sweet, and... silt-y. Bishlouk has sweet vanilla.

Finish: juicy peat, intertwined with faded leather, squashed raspberry and Chinese gooseberry.

Comment: third time I have this, and it was a different experience each time. It jumped out of the glass at nosing time, changed a lot, then became tamer, more polished and more "usual," say the others. I do not fully agree, but it does change.

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019 (51.5%, Thompson Bros., Refill Hogshead, 256b) 8/10

Full notes here.


Another fine night of fun. I did not even take pictures. :-/

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