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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