17/01 & 25/02/2021 Reduced whiskies

Not everyone wants cask-strength whiskies all the time. For this session, JS and I curated a line-up with only reduced whiskies. All poured blind, it goes without saying.

As with the November tasting, we have this over two dates, with two groups, though some join both times.

Group 1: adc, Psycho, PSc, kruuk2, dom666, JS and tOMoH.
Group 2: adc, Psycho (for the first dram only), Bishlouk, STL, red71, ruckus, sonicvince, JS and tOMoH.

kruuk2 even has his samples, this time. He and dom666 explain they met yesterday to split and share the large samples that dom666 held, which led to a few comical situations -- buying plastic containers, damaging one with a cutter, whisky dripping, transfer to a new container and a mental note that whisky #2 was now in container whose lid read #3 -- only for Mrs. kruuk2 to point out the bleeding obvious: that he only had to swap the lids... Them boys, eh? :-)

Group 1

Group 2 observes that ruckus, wearing headphones and sitting in front of his record collection, has a beard to end all beards. Or is it a beard? No! Nothing on the chin.
tOMoH: "You look straight out of the American Civil War."
Bishlouk: "With your headphones on, you look like DJ Ulysses Grant."

Group 2

Dram #1

Nose: adc says it is nice, because she can smell it forever without it assaulting the nose. I find chocolate and a beef-stock cube, to which dom666 and kruuk2 add, 'Oxo'. Next is a hint of forsythia, coated in caramel, then cherry (PSc), a spicy touch and, finally, hydrocarbon (PSc). adc guesses Speyside, Bishlouk thinks it is a grain, whilst STL reckons a sherry-matured grain, likely a Cambus. I find crushed strawberry.
Mouth: dry and spicy (kruuk2), an Islay (dom666, who will later claim he said 'Speyside'), lukewarm cola, ginger ale. PSc finds it spicy on the tongue, after a sweet beginning. It is sweet alright, sugary, even, with toffee and Demerara sugar.
Finish: dry, earthy, it has coffee grounds, mocha and toasted hazelnuts (adc). kruuk2 calls it an interior whisky, to which PSc adds it could be one "to drink on a terrace, but with a plaid." sonicvince finds it caramelised.

Knockando 20yo 1974/1995 Quincentenary (43%, OB specially selected for Aberdeen University) 8/10

Full notes here.

adc: "The nose, the palate, the finish seem like three different whiskies."
Psycho: "You weren't supposed to pour all five samples into the one glass!"

We talk about Top Gun 2 and the Dune remake.
kruuk2: "S'ils l'avaient sorti en salle et en streaming en même temps, ç'aurait fait Dune pierre deux coups"

dom666 [about the GR20]: "All in all, it goes down, even though it goes up and down."

red71: "Psycho [who rocks a mean beard too], if you are not Chewbacca, you must be a young Gandalf!"

Dram #2

Nose: more flat cola, Dr. Pepper, oregano (Psycho -- I note that I am making an oregano sauce, but he cannot be smelling that from another country). red71 finds it vegetal, with fresh plant stems, whilst sonicvince detects mint and adc is reminded of a meadow after the rain. For me, it is a whisper of faded leather. The second group thinks that the nose looses steam rapidly.
Mouth: cinnamon and a soft ginger freshness, adc finds it creamy. Psycho finds it fresh, yet also spicy. ruckus finds it sweet.
Finish: "Dailuaine?" (adc) Comforting, discreet (dom666). Short, though it leaves a strange and persistent taste in the mouth (sonicvince).

Dailuaine 16yo (43%, OB, L0343LS000 00039534, b. 2010) 8/10

Full notes here.

dom666 [referring to Psycho's note and name]: "Tu sais, l'origan, c'est juste de la marjolaine sauvage. Et Nicolas et Marjolaine..."
tOMoH: "dom666 has Dorothée's anthology in fifteen CDs. He puts glasses in front of them; we can't see them, but they're there..."
PSc: "Have you heard of the Wikidomia encyclopedia?"
kruuk2: "Same as the Nicopedia."

adc [during the second session]: "Dram #2 is better than I remembered it."
STL: "How can you tell? You don't remember which is which..."

Dram #3

Nose: "very smoky," says adc, who concedes it loses that smoke over time. Shoe polish, polished leather, charcoal (adc), medicinal and waxy (dom666), borderline plasticine-like. Mull's whisky cave (adc), wormwood, caramelised apple or unbaked bread (Psycho). kruuk2 finds it two-faced, starting out fruity, then becoming woody and more classical. adc calls it schist-y, slate-y or shale-like. Pears (sonicvince), fresh and flowery (Bishlouk), almost solvent-like (red71), dust, elderberry (adc), squashed overripe banana (sonicvince), mirabelle plum, peach and even mango and lychee, from where I stand.
Mouth: more waxy goodness, plasticine, soft shoe polish, citrus (PSc), oregano. It is also mineral (Psycho) and metallic (PSc). Psycho, once prompted, calls pencil-sharpener blade, while PSc retorts graphite. Not much in the mouth for Bishlouk, but STL has banana. ruckus finds it sweet again, and indeed, banana rum for me, and that is quite sweet.
Finish: patina, furniture wax, coating beeswax, thick and dark, even honey and rose-petal jelly. sonicvince regrets that the finish does not match the lovely nose, even with the added frangipane. red71 is not convinced by this one. It does tickle my gums and ticks all my boxes.

Glen Grant 25yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1980s) 8/10

Full notes here.

PSc: "I can smell something I have never smelled before, so I can't identify it..."
tOMoH: "Success?"

PSc teases Psycho that he should use fertiliser to grow his beard

sonicvince: "I love how the discussion moved from lacquemant waffles to Bref detergent..."
tOMoH: "Lacq. The br(i)ef version of lacquemant is lacq."

Dram #4

Nose: hay and dry cereal and a pinch of ash. It is not all dry and barren, though: squashed plums peek, as do oily Lays paprika crisps (Psycho). kruuk2 is not a fan of the nose, whilst PSc finds it lemon-y. I spot pink grapefruit, even if PSc calls it Parasol Citron. Plasticine again. Very ripe banana (sonicvince), but also sea spray (sonicvince), and a freshness that soon turns citrus-y (sonicvince, who is now inexhautstible), acidic (Bishlouk), fresh as a beach (sonicvince), refined (Bishlouk). adc makes the comment more high-brow, saying it has carambola.
Mouth: stone dry, spicy (dried-chilli flakes), then it becomes lemon-y again, with a few chocolate shavings. red71 and sonicvince find it rougher on the tongue, which is odd, as I have sweet beer. It is chewy, though. Peppery spices (Bishlouk), waxy fruit (Bishlouk), a mix of apricot and pink grapefruit. adc calls it mineral, like drinking water that has flowed on granite.
Finish: lemon-y and dry again, it has hay and jute bags, corn flour, then apricot flesh to accompany the comeback of milk chocolate. ruckus finds it drying, which is echoed by red71's comment about bitterness. sonicvince finds the finish very long, Bishlouk finds it complex, yet it leaves a drying bitterness that works less well for him. ruckus does not care much for it. red71 and sonicvince love this almond-skin bitterness.

Macduff 24yo 1984/2008 (46%, Signatory Vintage for Direct Wines First Cask, C#877, b#215, L08/498) 9/10

Full notes here.

dom666: "Nazi Germany loved Coca-Cola. There were several bottling plants in Germany. Of course, when the embargo started, the Americans stopped supplying Coca-Cola, so the Germans made an ersatz..."
tOMoH: "They called it Swastikoka..."
Psycho: Ikea was also making the bunk beds for the camps!"
tOMoH: "...under the name Swastikea..."

Dram #5

Nose: "my grandmother's sofa" (Psycho), dust, old papers (adc), some kind of cloth -- jute? (adc), peach skins, freshly-polished combat boots, liquorice and vanilla (PSc), books kept in a (dry) dusty cellar (adc), "hay in the sun, in the summer, with a fence and a linden tree" (PSc in full poetic mode), bison herb (adc). "It smells like feet after a hike in plastic sandals," says adc during the second session. sonicvince calls this nose "more common," though time makes it more metallic, he admits. I tell everyone it is leather they are smelling, which attracts the response: "leather that smells like feet, then." Moccasins it is. Smoke and damp leather, according to sonicvince, which Bishlouk confuses for industrial metal. sonicvince concedes it is metallic -- metallic and animal; stables, if adc is to be believed.
Mouth: lively, fruity, it has strawberry and kumquat (adc). Psycho finds it sweet, sugary. Soft and sweet (sonicvince), it has varnish, a creamy, custard-y texture (adc), but it is also a tad soapy (sonicvince); 'Bref,' says ruckus, our resident detergent expert. Floral in a rose-petal fashion (sonicvince). Or is it slate? adc says so.
Finish: long, cinnamon-y, citrus-y, the finish has satsumas, pink grapefruit and dried fruits (Psycho). On the other hand, kruuk2 finds it good, but not noteworthy, sort of: "it tastes like whisky." sonicvince finds it spicier than the previous drams, but pleasant.

Bruichladdich 15yo (43%, OB imported by F.Ili Rinaldi Importatori, b.1981, 900b) 9/10

Full notes here.

When it is revealed that only the first whisky is mine, and the other four are JS's:
sonicvince: "Thanks, JS! Good thing you're here!"

sonicvince: "STL changed rooms!"

STL: "Well, either I changed rooms, or I had to leave you..."

tOMoH: "It's the first time we win! \o/"

Interesting to see the two groups' respective preferences. Drams #1 to #3 were very popular with group 1 (#3 being the favourite), whilst #4 and #5 were widely seen as far weaker. Aside ruckus, group 2 was exactly the opposite, loving drams #4 and #5 and being uniformly disappointed with #3, even adc, who was there both nights.

I gave one rule before we started the sesh: no Brexit talk, no COVID-19 discussion. Mostly, we were good about it -- and boy, was it all the more enjoyable too! Lots of friendly banter and general nonsense with minimum stress. Woo!

23/02/2021 Clynelish

Clynelish 21yo 1995/2017 (54.6%, Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular, Refill Hogshead, C#DL12014, 265b, b#237): nose: caster sugar, dusted onto apple pie, a whisper of encaustic that soon turns into bolder furniture polish, pickled red onion -- in a sweet sort of way, if that makes sense, yet without being onion relish. At the next twist, it is baked potato, dusty books, old sheepskin leather, then heady wine, before it finally delivers some jammy fruits: rowan-berry jelly, billberry curd (dedicated to all Roland Casper fans) and elderberry cordial. It certainly evolves to become rather heady, heavy, even. The second nose is full-on jelly, a tad lighter, now, with quince and acorn jellies. Yes, they make that; a hit in Squirrelandia, I hear. Mouth: crisp and sharp, more so than the nose suggested, it immediately displays pouring honey and vinegar-y pickle, as well as a copious dose of wood dust and galangal shavings, dried to brittle, charry shards. There is even a pinch of ash. The second sip is a little more syrupy, until the alcohol catches up and bites the tongue with a wee dose of cracked black pepper. Elderberry and blackberry then set up camp for good, pitching their tent on a bed of solid oak and mahogany ornaments. Maybe bramble is there too. Not bad. Finish: soft at first, it grows in power, with dark honey on a slice of toasted oak (watch your teeth!), sprinkled with a pinch of ash and wood dust. There persists an impression of dusty old books and desiccating ground walnut shells. It is not unpleasant, but it is borderline, according to my taste. Repeated sipping brings about an impression of darkness: dark wood, dark fruits, dark honey, black-magic spell books... Ha! Ha! It does remain drying, in the long run. Decent, but it does not enthral me, tonight. 7/10

22/02/2021 Imperial

Imperial 22yo 1998/2020 Monologue (52.1%, Chapter 7 A Whisky Anthology for Europe & Asia, Bourbon Barrel, C#104355, 218b): nose: amazingly floral, in a dry sense, teeming with dried lavender, buttercups and other meadows flowers, pot-pourri, hay, then yellow fruits: mirabelle plum, peach, even unripe mango. Warm wool appears, recently woven, and that mango becomes more pronounced -- much to my satisfaction, I might add. Quince jelly, sprinkled with ash, warm plastic buckets, dry fern, and burnt bracken, competing with the mango. After a few minutes, the nose has something closer to ink (Pelikan Royal Blue), then warm metal; picture a stainless-steel worktop in a heated professional kitchen. Last but not least, roasted peanuts enter the picture. Mouth: soft and fruity, the palate has a silky texture, though it does not lack character. Ten seconds in, a gentle metallic edge complements the lovely plums, nectarines and ripe peaches. It is definitely stone fruits, and the knife to cut them has bitten into the stone. That, of course, creates a mild bitterness, which in no way takes away from the enjoyment. The second sip is warming like a natural-gas stove (hot metal, then), and also a little woodier. The fruit stones seem more pronounced, over time, with even mango stones thrown into the mix (not to be confused with mangosteen) and maybe a torn peppermint leaf. Finish: marvellously fruity and creamy, it seems a combination of peach flesh and milk-chocolate coulis. A winning combination if I know one! Hot cocoa, dried herbs, as there were in the nose (tarragon and hay, here). The finish is medium-long, slowly fading out with elegance, barely hinting at the metallic hue from earlier. It is dominated by buttery fruit and creamy chocolate goodness, even if, in the long run, the afore-mentioned peppermint becomes more and more numbing. Outstanding Imperial! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, EC)

19/02/2021 Sandy Macnab

Sandy Macnab’s Old Blended Scotch 5yo (40%, Macnab Distilleries, b.1980s): a blend associated with Joseph Hobbs's ventures. This should be full of Lochside. Nose: it is not very loquacious, initially. At a push, it does show its youth, with ether or white alcohol (as in: 'unaged'; not 'white spirit,' the paint remover), yet also transparent wood varnish, carbonyl, and such. Further on, one detects balsa-wood shavings and a jute bag full of dried shallots. Then, even later, something more elegant, reminiscent of patina-covered wood panels in an old countryside holiday home -- 'countryside,' because it has a certain earthiness to it too. Warming and shaking the glass brings shy fruit to the fore (canary-melon slices, physalis, yellow kiwi), as well as roasted pine cones. Timid, dry white wine prevails, however. The nose is obviously trying to present tropical fruits (lychee, dragon fruit, maracuja), yet they never really make it trough. Mouth: ample, silky and oily, velvety, even, it has nutty flavours on the tongue (walnuts, peanuts, nothing too exotic), and cured or wine-soaked fruits (apricots, peaches, poached pears) and subtle cured-ginger slices, mingling with the nuts. Next to that are vaguely-greener nuances on the walls of the mouth, such as hass-avocado skins. White Port, maybe, though that would seem a tad too sweet; Fino sherry, perhaps? It feels thick, not extravagantly sweet. Finish: Stewed apricots, peaches in (red) wine, poached pears, walnuts (skin on), almonds, and simply goodness. It leaves the mouth covered in velvet, wanting for more. Warm-fruit custard with a pinch of ground avocado stone, sprinkled with a teaspoon of avocado oil. No avocado flesh, on the other hand. The finish is medium long and comforting, warming, even. Aside a minor bitterness (the ground avocado stone), this is excellent sipping whisky. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

18/02/2021 New Make

Undisclosed New Make (~63%): a blind sample from Cthulhu knows where, with not even a name of someone I could ask for more information. I remember it is new make and I think I remember 63%, for some reason. How useful is this note going to be, eh? :-) Nose: quite new-make-y, yet it has some interesting richness to it too. Next to the usual plum eau-de-vie (a regular in new-make), there is also roasted corn, toffee, caramelised puffed rice (think: Kellogg's Smacks), warm terracotta, draff... I find it pleasantly cereal-y, in fact. Roasted cocoa beans, Kellogg's Chocos (I see that they swap the monkey and the bears mascots randomly, based on the country in which it is marketed -- not confusing at all! I am talking about the bear and the green box), warm oat "milk" and, lastly, an unexpected drop of of apricot liqueur. Or is it stewed apricot? Mouth: wow! This is shooting marzipan and plasticine left, right and centre a la The Pogues. Naturally, that is quickly matched by plum eau-de-vie, yet it does not fully mask the lovely marziplast™. There is something chalkier too, in the back of the mouth, as one chews on it, then blue shoe polish and not-quite-ripe fruits appear (grapes and plums). Finish: bold, warming and comforting, it is heavily marked by marziplast™, waxy plum and something a little more bitter that I cannot immediately identify. Cocoa, perhaps? Not quite dark chocolate, at any rate. The cereal-y side is nowhere to be found, now, although scratching my throat after swallowing makes me think of stale, lukewarm stout, which is as cereal-y as they come. Go figure! Well done, whoever made this. Assuming it loses the plum eau-de-vie with a bit of maturation, it should become a pleasant sipper indeed. 6/10

17/02/2021 Springbank

Springbank 17yo 2001/2018 (50.1%, OB for Nick Walker, Fresh Port Hogshead, C#123, 234b): nose: superb wine influence that starts out a bit too loud and quickly comes down a notch. Musk, Madeira wine, black shoe polish, dried prunes, pot-pourri abound, before roasted aromas come up too: black cumin, star aniseed, nigella seeds. It does not reach coffee-grounds levels; instead, it U-turns to reveal dried papaya slices and smoked apricot. There is a soft farm-y note, underneath all that (mossy peat and muddy farm paths), as well as a veil of dark smoke (charcoal-fire smoke, chimney fire and soot). The second nosing sees charred marzipan enter the scene, hand in hand with some kind of liqueur. Mouth: it is strong, not aggressive. The cask made the juice almost syrupy, certainly wine-y. It does not hide its DNA, however: it is distinctly and more-assertively smoky on the palate than on the nose, with chimney smoke, coal and soot, yet also cured meat, pastrami and plums. The second sip brings back the farm, with a tractor's black-leather saddle warmed by the harvest-season sun, rich soil and spilled red wine. Later on, red-onion relish and chilli pickle also make an appearance, almost completely hiding the subtlest woody touch, in the background. Finish: well, this finish is certainly a surprise! It is short and discreet to a fault. Oh! The previous flavours are there alright, but blink and you will miss them. Red onions, cured meat, red-wine sauce, char-grilled game meat (duck breast, I would say), a pinch of soot, black pepper, and a drop of brine to boot. Repeated sipping allows some fruit to come through, plums, prunes or suchlike, coming out of a simmering cast-iron cauldron. Again, it is so quiet one wonders if it was a repressed cask. Fair enough. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, DW)

16/02/2021 Tomatin

Tomatin 43yo 1965/2009 (41.1%, The Lonach Whisky Company Lonach imported by Preiss Imports): nose: satsumas and kumquats parade by the nostrils, startled by a drop of lemon juice. Further on, beeswax evaporates from a clean and barely-moist rag. The nose seems to take a turn for the fruitier, with pink-grapefruit peel and juicy pineapple slices. It is almost rubbery, that grapefruit, so waxy it is -- unless I am smelling oilskins in the springtime sun? I find something dryer and more bitter, in a dry-Martini sort of ways, though with cucumber peel instead of an olive. All of that is rather discreet, yet the whole is fresh indeed, after all those years in a cask. The second nose unexpectedly brings its share of wood, though: imagine a decades-old glass-door cabinet that would have never seen a lick of varnish -- raw, but also dry and rustic. Mouth: the attack is on the bitter side, for a moment, like chomping on a grapefruit peel. It soon calms down and unfolds notes that hark back to the nose, with grapefruit (acidic flesh, this time), dry Martini, cucumber peelings, a drop of wax, rubbery oilskins, and unripe satsumas. The texture is milky, and it carries some wood spices that become evident with more time on the tongue (ginger shavings, peppermint, citrus zest). Dried peach skins, ground peach stone... This becomes dryer with each sip, even if that never becomes bothersome. Love it. Finish: creamier than the palate, the finish has fruit yoghurt, or fruit paste, with the acidity of citrus and, in the long run, a bitterness that suggests citrus peel. It does go on forever (that is always a bonus when it is this good), and gives a fuzzy feeling. Pâtes de fruits (fruit jellies), candied angelica, mixed peel, peach skin, dried peach slices, stale peach or apricot nectar. Interesting how it shifted from bitter citrus peel to juicier and juicier fresh fruits. It is also striking how full it feels at barely 41%. All the same, I can easily imagine it not shining so bright in other circumstances. I never really understood why this range has such a mediocre reputation. In any case, this one is very much to my liking. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

14/02/2021 Love, mystery and danger

Three blind samples, courtesy of JW, whose instructions were: "Start with Love and end with Danger."

As anyone who has been young and in love will attest, those can be the same thing, and what tips the balance one way or another is often a mystery, but let us follow the instructions and pretend I am the not-so-Old Man of Huy, for an evening.

🤎

Nose: ooft! A huge sherry influence, on this one, and an elegant one, at that. In no particular order, we have heady red wine, fruit, macerating in sangria, faded leather and a soft, meaty touch. Speaking of fruit, here come soaked oranges, pink grapefruits, lychees, pineapple cubes in wine, sprinkled with a pinch of earth. This nose has the kind of depths that only ancient bottlings seem to offer -- and I am loving it! Satsumas, blood oranges, dried plantain leaves, orange-blossom water, candied calamansi... The longer it breathes, the fruitier it seems to become. Fresh Virginia-tobacco leaves, rose-petal jelly and preserved banana slices, pan-seared and caramelised. Mouth: oh! Yes, it is a symphony, this. Similar citrus (blood oranges, satsumas, pink grapefruits) and sangria, with grated chalk more than earth -- it is gently drying and bitter, while fruity and acidic at the same time, in a Schweppes fashion, which is rather a shock. The texture is light and silky, suggesting a low-40s ABV, but is is not a problem for me. Chewing tobacco (if there is a light kind), minty orangeade, and marmalade-glazed lychee. Finish: more citrus, leaning towards marmalade and coffee grounds (without going so far). This finish is subtle, lasting, yet not invading, and it requires time and attention. Possibly, at a festival between a Caol Ila and a Glenlochy, one would miss the subtleties of this, and that would be a shame. It has the elegance and frailty of age, with none of the wood, nor the spiciness that old malts can suffer from; only fruity acidity, quinine bitterness and the balanced sweetness of marmalade. Outstanding. My guess is a pre-war Strathisla. Nope. St Magdalene 18yo d.1964 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice) 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, JW)

?

Nose: this one is genuine leather. Loafers, belts and handbags, made of soft leather that has not been treated much, polished, or dyed. It reminds me of my 1980s summers in Italy, during which "il marocchino" would go from door to door in the village to sell leather goods. The markets also smelled that way, naturally. Five minutes in, we have hay, hay stacks, apples, fallen in the grass, turned yellow by weeks of drought, lukewarm cider, then coffee filters, woollen socks and dried apple peels. Mouth: spicier, though civilised, this has warm apple compote, dusted with allspice, a pinch of grated nutmeg, apricot skins, creamy almond... Come to think of it, 'almond' as a note nails it: this is both creamy and a little bitter, just like an almond and its skin. Wine-y baked prunes catch the attention for a second, stewed cranberries, then baked apples and a nip of apple liqueur, augmented by a minute spray of WD40. Against all odds, it works. Finish: nutmeg on apple custard, compote-and-potato mash, a drop of detergent via retro-nasal olfaction, and a strange blend of walnut (skin on) and metal. The second sip seems to crank up the wood, with freshly-polished walnut wood, and a drop of dark wax. It never turns plank-y, however. In any case, it is gorgeous, and only the comparison with the previous dram stops it reaching a higher score. Bruichladdich? Bunnahabhain? The first character is correct. Brora 24yo 1981/2005 (48.5%, William Maxwell Dun Bheagan, Fino Sherry Butt, C#1524, 726b) 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, JW)

☠

Nose: I could have sworn I smelled peat, as I poured it, but ten seconds later, it is dry white wine (Sauvignon blanc) and briny mashed potatoes. A Caol Ila, perhaps? Discreet sea spray, porridge, custard, half-fried rösti, earth from Brabant, turned muddy, then dried to a crust, modelling clay that has started to settle, and a platter of fresh oysters. The sea spray in the background is subtle, if insistent, the sort of things one would easily overlook, but as soon as one spots it, it will not go away. The second nose adds ink to the equation, blue and modern. Mouth: oh! This is unexpectedly fruity, with quite a bit of soft and sweet citrus (satsumas, pomelo, bergamot, calamansi), yet also a definite saltiness. The whole hints at margaritas, really -- in a good way. The fruit explodes in the mouth, after a good thirty-to-forty seconds; citrus juice, punctuated with lashes of passion-fruit liqueur. Blueberries and Parma Violet join the dance, both very quiet. I would like to say they turn more assertive over time, but it feels like self-suggestion. The second sip, on the other hand, has a faint smoke of spent match, just extinguished; that will be smoke and sulphur, then. Finish: I knew I could smell peat! Here it is back, with slow-roasted orange peels, gently charred, and, once again, a touch of violet boiled sweets -- and once again, so subtle it is hardly worth mentioning. The emphasis is firmly on the char-grilled fruits, which, by now, have turned into pink grapefruits and pineapple cubes on skewers, as well as charred wood in the fireplace. The texture is not at all thick; imagine flat lemonade. Not much is left of the brine; if there is anything coastal in the finish, it is mussels, being smoked in a shoreline bothy. All the same, one would have to fight one's way past the fruits to detect those mussels. I initially reckoned an old Macduff, though I am now tempted to guess the recently-released Islay Violets 33yo. Not too far, this time. Islay Malt 5yo (40%, Stanley P. Morrison imported by Bonfanti) 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, JW)

Glad to report there was no danger of Death in this session. Love, yes; mystery, maybe; danger? negative!

12/02/2021 ArdbeggebdrA

Did you notice the date is a palindrome? :-) It has not happened in a while (since 02/02/2020, to be precise) and the next one is not for 375 days (22/02/2022). After that, we will not see one before 13/02/2031.

Anyway, torn between waiting for this year's Ardbeg day, on 29th May, the 14th June, when this was distilled, and Belgium's national day, on 21st July, I feel now it is the right time to try this wee beastie.

Ardbeg 31yo 1974/2005 (53.4%, OB Single Cask for Belgium, Bourbon Cask, C#2738, 75b, b#48): with only seventy-five of these bottles made, they do not come much rarer than this. Of course, we have had this several times, over the past fifteen years (most recently in 2017), but never in the right conditions to take full notes. Also, this is a different bottle. Nose: funny how, for fifteen years, I have said these single casks were too cereal-y for me, yet after all that time in an open bottle, this one has lost that aspect completely. Today is all about smoked kelp and tarry ropes, squid ink and fishing nets, black-tide-hit sands and smoked-seafood platters. That tar, though!... Oils slicks, sea water, seaweed, kelp and litres of old ink, which hints at 1960s juice, more than 1970s. Exactly no-one is complaining about that, tonight. Next are creosote, coal gas, cordite, match tips, then back to ink again, with a faint whiff of smoked bran, all that is left of the cereal that was so predominant, fifteen years ago. This manages the difficult balance of being rustic and majestic at the same time. The second nose welcomes very tame fruit in the form of strawberry Fruittela and raspberry-filled dark chocolate. Suddenly, mossy peat passes by to balance the salty dryness on display. Finally, pears, poached in diesel, add a well-deserved (real) fruit touch. Mouth: at this ideal strength, it is assertive without being brutal. The texture is oily, with the same drop of lemon juice one would drop on smoked oysters. And smoke there is! It has an almost medicinal aspect to it, with gauze and tiger balm, Castoreum, surgical spirit and menthol. Soon, the seaweed-y, kelp-y side resurfaces accompanied by diesel fumes from a trawler bringing the day's catch to the pier. It seems to suck all the moisture out of the gums and teeth which is rather remarkable. Fortunately, it then it provides some vaguely-fruity respite in the form of peach stones. The back of the throat detects hot-sand dunes, hot clafoutis and India ink. Finish: long, inky, the finish sees fewer medicinal notes, amongst the smoky and sulphur-y ones: matchbox striker, diesel fumes, even spent fireworks, spent incense, ash. Then, more briny action, with capers in brine, anchovies in oil, rollmops, tapenade, a drop of red-wine vinegar. Finally, minerals rock up (aren't I smart?): pumice and pumicite, scoria, solidified lava and other types of volcanic rocks, ground seashells, and old ink again -- phwoar! This is dry, dry, dry, yet not quite austere: rather mineral. It feels like a teaspoon of ground Vishnu schist and gneiss from the bottom of the Grand Canyon, mixed with silicate-covered basaltic lava from Craters of the Moon, volcanic black sands from a Montserrat beach, black-olive tapenade from Provence, and a slice of peach from the Kunlun Mountains in China, all coated in pitch-black India ink. The more I sip it, the more I am transported onto a fishing boat, breathing diesel fumes and pickling herring fillets to make rollmops. In between two batches of fish, I nibble on charcoal crackers with tapenade, and I use a quill to write my darling a letter on parchment, using XIXth-century ink I found on a beach, amongst the kelp. What a dram! How did they do this? 10/10 (Thanks for the sample, kruuk2)

10/02/2021 Balcones

A little cold for people to be standing on their Balcones, do you not think?

Balcones Texas Single Malt 3yo (67.4%, OB Single Cask for Nichols & Perks): nose: the initial impression is that of wood varnish and teak oil. Then, it is a mix of caramelised corn syrup and warm wool or linen, alongside engine grease, and even kerosene. It has an unexpected metallic side to it: hot metal plates or something like that, yet it is a little hidden behind the sweetness of corn syrup, frangipane and golden apricot turnovers. The second sip brings further baked pastry, now slightly burnt, and dark-chocolate coulis, then something between chemical berry-flavoured sweets and manure -- WTF? It is quite nice, truth be told. Water makes it closer to Cognac, with full-on dark-grape eau-de-vie, and also a thin layer of cardboard. Mouth: sweet and almost brandy-like it has a similar combination of wood varnish, metal (tools, this time) and caramelised corn syrup. However, on the palate, it also displays a certain fruitiness and a faint bitterness -- unripe plums, maybe? Turpentine joins that, next to old paint brushed in dire need of a clean. Considering the ungodly ABV, it feels remarkably civilised. That being said, the second sip brings its share of drying ash and hot embers to balance the sweetness -- oh! It is strong alright; simply not blindingly so. Water, here too, makes it very close to Cognac, still fruity, whilst also simpler. A lot of the character is now lost. Finish: surprisingly mellow, it is full and sweet, with moist sponge cake, baked plums, a drop of liqueur (made of grapes -- would that be a sweet sherry?) and piping-hot fruit, complemented by a minute quantity of melted dark chocolate. Amazingly, water reveals the fruit more in the finish, with dark grapes, macerating in punch, banane flambée and gingerbread. Nice, this. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, PP)

08/02/2021 Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich 10yo (61.7%, OB Private Single Cask for The Whisky Shop Bowmore, Syrah Cask, C#117): nose: it smells vaguely leathery, though it is faded loafers, rather than new coats. Behind that is a whiff of solvents, acetone and lighter fluid. It appears quite fierce too -- and of course, the ABV validates that impression. A pinch of earth, nut liqueur, even a drop of brandy, if not a very fruity one, prunes, beef stock and, maybe, a pinch of grated chalk. On the late tip, warm rubber appears, just poured into the mould. Water makes the nose fruitier and more mellow, now divulging apricot jelly, plum jam and prickle-pear honey. Mouth: surprisingly dry and earthy, full of beef-stock-cube dust, un-fruity brandy and rehydrated prunes. Dark furniture wax, liquid leather polish, drinks cabinets, tequila or margarita. The texture seems pleasant at first, until the ABV catches on and turns stripping; it is not unlike drinking fire, or white spirit. It also becomes even dryer, with old newspapers and dried tarragon leaves. Repeated sipping brings a lichen-y, cast-iron touch, which I enjoy a lot. Water makes it jammier, almost honey-like in texture, with acacia honey and smoked-quince jam. Finish: numbing, warming (with a delay) and seemingly short, though I suspect that is because the mouth is numb. In the long run, the prunes come back, as does the cubed beef stock. The finish is quite drying as well, despite that prune note: chalk lines, old-newspaper ink, ground caraway and sumac. Here too, water seems to underline a certain smoky side, with a cast-iron cauldron, heated red, and jam, bubbling away in it (mirabelle plum or prickle pear). Great swimmer, in any case. This is perfect for a snowy day like today. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, JB)

05/02/2021 Bowmore

Bowmore 12yo 2001/2013 (58.5%, Blackadder Raw Cask, Oak Hogshead, C#20063, 312b, b#21): nose: dirty, tarry earth and mud, almost bathing in hydrocarbons. Beside that is a definite waxiness that makes me think of beauty products (soap, makeup, nail varnish). That quickly takes a back seat, though, leaving freshly-laid tarmac, roofing bitumen, and, finally, earthy peat. There may be traces of figs, fallen into the mud under the tree, too. The second nose is more welcoming, with cake crust, left in the oven a little too long, ploughed fields, after a few dry days, fruit skins, completely dried up. Perhaps, one will spot a hint of sand after a black tide too. Mouth: initially sharp, drying and stripping, in an industrial-fluid sort of way, it soon regains composure and lets out tarmac and acrid peat and diesel smokes, yet also a subtle layer of dried fruit (dried figs, dried dates). Suddenly, in the far back, and well hidden behind the petrolic onslaught, fresh tropical fruits poke their little heads out, mango and, especially, maracuja, as if shipped to these shores in an oil tanker full of crude. It has a good dose of chopped green chilli too -- this feels pretty strong. Finish: never-ending, warming and petrolic again, it has all the markers of kerosene, sticky tar and bitumen. It takes a couple of sips for the fruity notes to re-appear, and they do not disappoint: shy maracuja, acidic and tropical, and smoked mango skins, dried to parchment. It remains a petrolic affair, though, augmented with roasted aniseed for good measure. Char-grilled pineapple peels, a mix of sub-bituminous coal, graphite, pencil lead and, ever-present, bitumen. Roar! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Cavalier66)

04/02/2021 Rhosdhu

G15.1 9yo 2008/2017 Lead us to temptation (58.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 268b): that's right: according to the SWA, Rhosdhu is now a grain whisky. Nose: warm woolly jumpers, corn syrup, boiled sweets (red or purple), jam on toast and barley water. Another shy nose, in any case! Wooden cutting boards, warmed by the summer sun, leeks in the frying pan, a fleeting scent of strawberry bubble gum and preserved ginger slices... That is an odd combination indeed! For a supposed grain, it certainly does not smell much like one. After thirty minutes, there seems to be a whisper of unripe apricot to supplement the above. Again: very quiet. Mouth: more talkative on the tongue, this has blackcurrant jam and blackberry muffins fighting it out. A few shavings of tree bark (cedar?) and other pine-related artefacts, woody, acidic and a little spicy. Mint (lemon mint, actually), cinnamon and ginger, cedar-wood sheets, a drop of resin to give it texture, then cranberry compote, also pretty acidic. The acidity is turned up a notch with the second sip, almost drilling through the tip of the tongue, yet the whole now seems wider in the back, invading the dark recesses of the throat with wood dust and ginger shavings, as well as dried lemon-mint leaves -- unless it is peppermint. Finish: warming, a tad stripping the finish has a similar spiciness and, if it is not plank-y, it is definitely strongly influenced by the wood. Once again, there is a dry-lemon-mint-leaf sort of acidity, alongside wood shavings, galangal peel, ground tree bark, peppermint and cinnamon powder. Of the berries, not much survives this far. If anything, it is vine stems, devoid of fruit. Simple, intense, yet still pleasant. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, SD)

03/02/2021 Auchroisk

Auchroisk 31yo 1989/2020 (44.9%, Thompson Bros., Refill Sherry Puncheon, 122b): nose: unexpectedly musky, meaty, even, as if matured in a vulgar-wine cask. With 'meat', I meant cured meat. I certainly did not remember it to be this way... Pickled red onions, brine, pickled ginger and pickled beets. Weird! Squashed burgundy lipstick is next, heady pot-pourri, some kind of dark-tulip soap, as well as something oily, buttery, hinting at a paste made of shea, Brazil nut and unripe hazelnut. It does smell like a beauty store (think: l'Occitane or The Body Shop), especially after the briny and meaty side subsides. Nothing wrong with it (it is not a soap fest), but it is unusual. When tilting the glass, hard-boiled egg white appears. The second nose is much closer to some kind of nut liqueur or gentle almond coffee. Suddenly, it comes back with more meat; this time, raw pork. Mouth: it is frankly acidic, now. It has the brine from the nose and the red onions too, that would be smeared with burgundy lipstick. Retro-nasal olfaction sees old plasticine, hardened to a point, whilst the back of the tongue welcomes green-grape juice. Unfortunately, the grapes are not very ripe, and it is pretty rough. Olives, plucked from the tree a minute ago (if you have not had that experience, know that it takes weeks of preparation to make the olives palatable), even a pinch of wet coffee grounds, aniseed and, lastly, fresh olives. The mouthfeel, because of the acidity, is quite stripping. Finish: ah! Much better, here. The finish has mild toasted nuances, with mocha, walnut skins and roasted almonds. The creaminess sometimes associated with almonds is well present, though it does not cover up the overall bitterness. Aniseed, black cumin, nigella seeds, maybe. Louder and louder, coffee settles. For such a reasonable ABV, it also numbs the gums spectacularly -- or more than anticipated, at the very least. It seems to be trying to be fruity, but it fails at that, reaching unripe hazelnuts at best. This is weird. It feels much younger than it actually is, with ropey alcohol integration and an uncontrolled acidity. The finish saves it from a true disaster -- just! I am still not convinced at all, though, which is incomprehensible, as it was my favourite dram, back in November.. Has the sample gone off over the space of two months? 6/10

02/02/2021 Magic

Magic Cask b.2020 (46%, Compass Box, 92% First-Fill Bourbon Casks + 8% Oloroso Sherry Casks, 5538b, L 11.03.20): nose: freshly-baked, buttery croissants and green-grape juice, then watercolour and crumbling-dry moss. Next, and alongside the grape juice, come hazelnut, walnut kernels, and a droplet of vinegar, though I cannot tell which. Deeper inhaling reveals Sienna (Mill)Earth, waxy plasticine, a plate of baked whelks or cockles, and plump plums, yet all that is very shy. So shy it becomes rather boring to even try. Damp clothes pegs, no-frill muesli and porridge. Mouth: shaky, sharp and watery at the same time -- how quaint! Once the initial, acidic shock is over, it keeps a mildly vinegar-y feel (cider vinegar), until brine-y green olives join it. There is a vague notion of plasticine, wax or marzipan, hardly assertive enough to mention. Also apple pips, which is in keeping with the cider vinegar, I suppose. Yves Rocher's Magnolia perfume, maybe? This feels young and uncouth on the tongue, I am afraid. Finish: a soft, fleeting note of marzipan, coated in chocolate, but it is not noticeable enough to mask the cider vinegar. Here too, the dram feels young, watered down and lacking elegance. Citrus zest (is it lemon?), green-hazelnut paste, hazelnut oil. Despite all the acidity on display, it somehow manages to leave the palate rather oiled up, which suffices to propel the score to half-mast. It is still not something I would have chosen to bottle, however. Apparently, I liked it better the first time, yet I also thought the finish was more or less carrying the dram. I will finish this, but I do not like it. 5/10 (Thanks for the sample, DW)

01/02/2021 Smögen

Smögen 6yo 2011/2018 (64%, OB Single Cask, American White Oak + Sherry Hogshead, Edition No. 5, C#51/2011, 422b): nose: an enticing aroma of grilled cutlets, ribs and bacon, straight from the barbecue grille, though there is also a drop of ink, maybe even paint -- and not watercolour: we are talking old-school tins of paint that probably contains lead. A dollop of modelling wax, make-up pencils, then new binoculars in their nylon-and-rubber purse. Later, it is smoked hay, dried seaweed, norii, still punctuated by the wax. Come to think of it, this nose may well hold some Chinotto or Gingerino too. Something that would be an acquired taste, in any case... Something at once earthy, root-y, smoky and herbal. Mouth: feisty and peaty, it is somewhat let down by an obvious youth that the peat smoke cannot fully conceal. Burnt rubber, burnt wood (some kind of fruit tree), smoked kelp, and a high-voltage alcohol bite. The second sip feels more approachable, in terms of alcohol, but it also brings rusty water to the fore -- picture a glass of water in which nails have been rusting for months or years. It could also just be the rusty metal pin at the end of a decades-old dry sausage, hanging in too damp a cellar. Finish: strangely enough, it feels a lot mellower in the finish; the integration at this point is excellent, with just the right strength. We have eucalyptus, ground ginger and cinnamon, smoked chocolate, charred bacon (covered in chocolate or served with a cup of hot cocoa). It has a certain bitterness to it, reminiscent of Chinotto again, unless it is metal here too -- in which case, it is not rusty, this time. The gums end up feeling gingery heat, and there are herbal touches arising in the back of the throat. It is not quite there yet, but considering the age, it is remarkable. It will be interesting to try Smögen when it is older. This one is certainly promising! 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, CC)