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.
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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)
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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)
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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!
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