30/09/2021 Speyside again

Speyside Blended Malt 22yo d.1997 (55.4%, Chorlton Whisky, Hogshead, 133b): a teaspooned Kininvie, allegedly. Nose: mostly-intact distillate, seemingly untainted by the cask or what it contained before. This nose is fruity, dry and a little cereal-y, perhaps. White wine (Riesling), white peach, plum, red Anjou pear, gently-toasted barley. There is something of a dried bunch of flowers too; it is far from perfume-y, yet it has that unmistakable dry-stem sort of air about it. And then, a gentle note of candlewax rises, in the distance. The second nose surprisingly brings about dark grapes, and it dials up the candlewax. At times, it flirts with plastic... in a good way! Oilskins, perhaps? As I nose it further, acetone becomes clearer and clearer. Acetone-cleaned windows (not recommended), windows that are guarded by heavy velvet drapes. Mouth: oily and peppery. The first impression is that it is unctuous, silky. Then, the taste buds pick up green peppercorns, loud and clear. What follows is, in no particular order, dried flowers, candlewax, dried fruits (almost-juiceless green grapes, dried peach slices, oily walnuts), membrillo, and something vaguely leafier and bitter. Hard to identify. It is not quite ivy; perhaps vine leaves? The back of the mouth sees a minute, blink-and-you-miss-it woodiness. Even after a few sips, it is amazing how peppery this is! It remains balanced, but it is distinctly peppery. Finish: velvety, this seems dangerously drinkable. The fruits are juicier, here: fleshy plums and nectarines in the lead, and it still has a drop of candlewax too. Repeated sipping makes the fruits go darker: blueberries, dark plums (black splendor), cassis. Actually, yes, this reminds me of crème de cassis. The pepper is very much in the background, now, if it is even present at all, and the plastic and oilskins are superseded by waxy plum skins. Och! aye, this is a delicious plum tart, after all, and that in no way means the plum-eau-de-vie that often comes with too young a whisky: it is ripe plum on a crust with a dollop of custard. What a pleasant surprise this dram is! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, WK)

29/09/2021 Speyside

Speyside Blended Malt 30yo 1988/2019 (53.7%, Le Gus't, Selection XVIII, Sherry Butt, C#15A/105, 510b): nose: a comforting whiff of stewed fruits and caramel. Berry jam simmers away, and caramel coulis awaits to be poured onto a flan. Further on, heirloom apples, overripe and stewed, promise a mix of sweetness and acidity. There is also a hint of rancio and a nuance of old wood, both of which point to a dunnage warehouse. Even later on, a myrtle tart cools down on a grille, next to a basket of citrus fruits (clementines, bergamots). The second nose is more cloying and the caramel is now proper treacle. It also has something of an Indian tonic, though I cannot pinpoint what. Come to think of it, the dominant ends up being vermouth, very obviously. It is only obvious to someone with a lot of experience in vermouth, I suppose -- not my case. (Ver)mouth: dry and metallic to begin with, it develops an apricot-jam aspect. It feels warm on the palate, with hot knives and aluminium cans. If you have ever drunk a can of soda that had been left in the sun, this is close to that. It is not only the metal, actually: it feels slightly fizzy and warm-soda-like  -- unless that is very powerful auto-suggestion. The second sip makes it seem more syrupy, hinting at treacle here too, yet it remains closer to caramel, on the palate, with toffee and soda, still. I would go as far as saying salted caramel, or perhaps some salty, red-vermouth-based cocktail. Finish: thick, coating and sweet and a half, this has cough syrup, Cinzano, caramelised apricot juice, and soda residue, at the bottom of the glass. It is so sweet it feels drying, desiccating, and makes me think of a rum: an avalanche of fermented Demerara sugar that leaves the tongue like a piece of old leather. That desiccating side is so pronounced it is close to a tablespoon of salt on the taste buds; almost nonsensical, seeing as it started off with sugar. Metal is still present, even if it is much harder to detect, underneath all that sweet-and-salty syrup. What an exhausting dram! The nose was lovely, but the finish lets it down, due to its overt sweetness. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, WK)

27/09/2021 Fête de la Communauté française de Belgique

I used to know a Charlotte in Belgium, so a Port Charlotte will do.

127.44 12yo 2003/2016 Cantina Mexicana (65.9%, SMWS Fèis Ìle Islay 2016, 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Sherry Butt, 588b): nose: just pouring it fills the room with an obstinate bacon smell. Then, it is a mix of warm fortified wine and dark berries, both thrown onto the earthen ground and trampled into a pulp. The earthy note turns greasier and greasier, and it is augmented with corroded copper, so oxidised and eaten by verdigris that one would be hard-pressed to identify it with any level of certainty. I is definitely metallic, though. Perhaps a hint of petrol as well? Or is that oil print. Braised tournedos, colour markers and, much later on, cooked cabbage -- red cabbage, to be accurate. Water tones down the earth and smoked meat, and lets some fruit shine brighter. And shine it does too: we now have tinned orange segments, smoked lychee, then hot wax and cedarwood ash. At a push, one might detect spent matches -- Union Matches, with the red sticks and yellow tips. Mouth: shy and discreet to a flaw, this barely registers as whisky. Why did they reduce this? It could have been half decent at cask strength... ;-) Seriously, it is more tolerable than one might fear, considering the ABV, yet it is hot -- and it grows in intensity too! Hot barbecue sauce, biltong (this is salty and a half, on the tongue) and manure. One is transported to a cattle-rearing farm that doubles up as a smokehouse. It has some berries on the palate too (cherry compote, lingonberries), and a drop of Madeira wine (it is rather dry). Peaty, earthy, hairy, fruity in a stewed-fruit way, this has no subtlety whatsoever, et it does what it does in an adequate fashion. It becomes earthier and earthier as time passes, with the berries moving away from sweet compote, and coming closer to vinegar. It could be a bed thing, yet it hangs together. With water, it falls apart, or so it seems; it turns watery with only a drop, and struggles to emit anything. Distant spent matches, maybe? Finish: big without being monstrous, it is assertive alright. Warm Madeira wine, scorched earth, warm hair, and, eventually, a minerality that comes as a bit of a surprise: limestone and shale. We do have a drop of red-fruit vinegar, at this stage too, though it is hard to pick, behind the bold earthiness -- an earthiness that morphs into cigar smoke and oily tobacco. This is properly viscous! Plum liqueur, elderberry cordial. As it did on the palate, water turns this into something utterly forgettable. In fact, it gives me the impression of drinking a half-evaporated blend miniature from the 1970s: it is a glass of water with a drop of whisky in it, making for a dusty-water profile, in which only the bad notes make it through (sulphur and vinegar). As disappointing as it is surprising, really. Avoid water! I realise I like my peated whiskies first in the morning, as opposed to last in a line-up. I am much more alert and open-minded about it. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

22/09/2021 Chichibu

It seems only a few days ago that we had this one (and it was too). OB was foolish kind enough to leave his bottles at mine; I am taking the opportunity to try them again (with his approval, it goes without saying).

Chichibu IPA Cask Finish b.2017 (57.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt imported by Number One Drinks, IPA Cask Finish, 6700b, b#5469): nose: this initially smells like an Indian Pale Ale, plain and simple; fragrant grapefruit, pineapple skins, hops... I can even smell the foam, in this nose! There is a sweetness to it as well that is close to chewy royal icing cake, a mix of sugar and dye. Behind that, candied apricots and line-drying bath towels. Finally, a gentle Bourbon influence appears: melted toffee, caramel cream and vanilla custard. The second nose brings vanilla-scented candles to the table, alongside grapefruit-scented cream or soap. Really, though: the grapefruit! Water tones down the grapefruit a bit and introduces something more rubbery -- is it scented plasticine? Mouth: grapefruit still dominates, now dishing out the bitterness of its peel, almost masking the acidity of the fruit's flesh. Boy! this is bitter on the palate alright. It is not unpleasant, mind. I can imagine someone who finds lager too bitter would struggle with this, though. Keeping the whisky in the mouth for a bit unleashes furious grapefruit flesh via retro-nasal olfaction, while the whisky itself and the Bourbon-y notes one could expect are barely noticeable. Maybe some toffee, if looking hard enough. The second sip somehow seems more powerful than the first -- a proper shock to the gums. Water makes this chewier. It is still grapefruit-y, but that is dialled down here too, leaving room for fresh ginger, Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Finish: long, warming (it kicks like a mule, if an old mule), yet refreshing at the same time, which is quite a feat! It is that grapefruit again, delivering the cool and advertising its adequacy in hot weather. Do not fall for the publicity, however: at 57.5%, this is more suited to the cold; a September morning is particularly fitting, with its blue sky and a high of ten or twelve degrees Celsius. This dram is indeed perfect for the Indian summer, reminiscent of warmer days, whilst ushering in a season that calls for scarves and blankets. With water, the finish is strongly acidic, until a woody yoghurt settles down, a blend of ginger paste and powdered mace. And grapefruit, of course! 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

21/09/2021 Macallan

Macallan 20yo 1975/1995 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#8899): nose: supremely elegant -- something I do not often say about Macallan, I know. This appears to be from a Bourbon cask, and, therefore, it lets the spirit breathe -- and what a fruity spirit it is! Candied pineapple, crystallised grapefruit, mandarin peels and syrupy marmalade. Candied angelica (cangelica?) and Gocce Pino are present, balancing the fruit rather nicely. After a short while, woodier notes grow in intensity, though it is hardly woody; in fact, we have all sorts of resin and beeswaxes, dark honeys and a drop of furniture polish. Vibrant. Mouth: crisp and, perhaps, a little unripe, this has bright-green apples, white wine and paint thinner in comparable doses. It is a tad sharp and spicy, serving what may come across as pickled galangal shavings. Wet wood shavings, faint liquorice root and wooden knife handles. The fruity tones are much more subdued, here, if they are even present at all. The texture is oily and the taste has hints of nut oil (probably hazelnut). The third sip showcases raspberry or elderberry boiled sweets, as unexpected as they are pleasant. Finish: aaaaaand the fruit is back! Crystallised citrus, Bourbon-y custard, flan, topped with a caramelised Madeira coulis. The finish is long and develops a mild bitterness that can be felt down the chest. Hazelwood, probably, unless it is holly. Honey comes back, although it is blended with hazelnut oil, this time, and a drop of sherry vinegar. If it makes for a nice vinaigrette, it is perhaps a bit much without a salad. Over time, and with repeated sipping, warm, Bourbon-y custard coats the gob in a warming and comforting fashion, reducing the bitterness and vinaigrette feel into an easy-going furniture polish. Tantalising nose. The mouth and finish are behind, unfortunately. As Macallans go, this one is top-shelf material all the same. 8/10

18/09/2021 The Mexican tasting

JS, OB and Caballero66 join me to celebrate the Gateway to Central America (if that ever catches on, you read it here first!) Why this theme? Well, why not!

Soundtrack: Black Lung & Xingu Hill - The Andronechron Incident

Lots of work again

JS presents: Bunnahabhañero

Bunnahabhain 11yo b.2020 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Discovery, Sherry Casks, 20/6032): there is little left in the bottle, and I had it the other day, so I give up my serving. The gang finds vanilla on the nose and a gentle bitterness on the palate. All agree it is a good entry-level dram, which is exactly what it claims to be. 7/10

Soundtrack: Lustmord & Karin Park - Alter

The Old Man of Huy presents: Yucatanmavulin (in the chilli con Càrn Mòr range, no less)

Tamnavulin 40yo 1968/2009 (40.6%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Hogshead, C#3659, 335b, b#210): nose: banana, banana bread (JS), a pinch of sawdust, Bourbon cream, old-matured apples (Caballero66), chemical compounds, all broken up into small pieces (Caballero66). It even has bay leaves and soft leather. This nose is restrained and elegant, we all agree, yet no less complex. Mouth: creamy, displaying pouring custard, peaches, overripe plums, stone fruits and fruit stones. It is amazingly full, for this low ABV, almost powerful, actually. Finish: OB thinks it becomes a bit woody, while Caballero66 detects pepper. It does have dusty old books, but also toffee. The bay leaves come back, as do the stone fruits. This is amazing. Full notes here. 9/10

Food enters. Artisan bread, cheeses, membrillo
and a nutty chocolate cake whose name escapes me

The next dram is introduced by Caballero66. The first connection with the theme is that, like so many Mexican names, this one is not pronounced the way it is written. The second connection is that it was bottled by Cancunenhead.

Auchroisk 29yo 1988/2017 (44.6%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, Bourbon Hogshead): nose: chiselled and mineral (Caballero66), putty (JS), dunnage warehouse (Caballero66). It smells younger than the age tag suggests (OB). I find hay, just as I think I remember it (but not at all as I found it in the past, it turns out). Caballero66 calls Grany Smith apples ("Grany Smitcho," I correct him). Citrus (calamansi, to be accurate) joins the mineral side, which is likely flint. Caballero66 and JS note some Chablis, too. The nose seems to dissipate over time; time to drink it, I suppose. The second nose brings full-on citrus foliage (grapefruit or bergamot). Mouth: all is here -- flint, citrus, hay, all perfectly integrated and all balanced. Nothing shouts, here; it is all elegance. The mouthfeel is creamy, yet it retains the mineral aspect too, and leaves the tongue in the same state as after licking stone. Finish: it hits hard in the throat, much more than the modest ABV leads one to imagine. It is simultaneously citrus-y and grassy, adding maraschino cherry into the mix. Another cracking Auchroisk, really. 8/10

Caballero66: "I've got too much cheese left on my plate..."
tOMoH: "Auchroisk con queso!"

Caballero66 is rocking his best Mexican-lime shirt, by the way

tOMoH: "I'm really enjoying this nose. It's very pure. I'd say it's distillate-driven."

Caballero66: "It's a bit harsh..."
tOMoH: "That's a harsh thing to say."

We move to the sunny terrace. It calls for a hat.

tOMoH presents: Sombrerhosdhu

Rhosdhu 26yo d.1979 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#3236, b#163): as it were, this one is not an "Old" Rhosdhu. Nose: plasticine (Caballero66), Play-Doh (JS), fruity, says OB, who specifies it is plums, slightly more mature than overripe ones. I find lots of red fruits (mostly cherries) complementing custard and pastry. Mouth: velvety plums, bordering on plasticine, with a mild bitterness and a kick that hints at a stronger ABV. Plum turnovers, cherry tartlets, perhaps fruit-scented marzipan. Finish: long, warming, fruity and velvety again.  Superb whisky, really. Looking forward to spending more time with it. 9/10

Caballero66: "Do you know that bird phobia is the most widespread phobia after arachnophobia?"
OB: "Do you think it's a social construct, because of the [Hitchcock] film?"
Caballero66: "Which came first? [The film, or the phobia?]"
tOMoH: "The film, of course; it's an old film!"

JS notices OB's Garmin, and talks about altimeter and other built-in gadgets.
OB: "Mine has a built-in barometer..."
tOMoH: "How does that work, now that we're going back to imperial [measurement units]? Barofeet?"

Caballero66 presents: Guadalajura. Also, Jura was founded 1810, the same year the Mexican War of Independence started. Finally, Caballero66 observes that the seal on the label looks a bit like Zorro.

Jura 30yo 1990/2020 (46.33%, Thompson Bros., Refill American Oak Hogshead, 186b): nose: very particular nose, quite unlike any other whisky I can remember. It has citrus (Caballero66), lime (OB), but it is also herbaceous (lemon thyme and lemon sage, if that exists) and petrolic, with nuances of oil and petroleum jelly (Caballero66). I, for one, detect smoked cantaloupe skins. Mouth: oily as fook, it has more petroleum jelly, and the texture of Vaseline more than its taste. Speaking of taste, this one has a fascinating-yet-strange mix of fruits, seawater and diesel -- none too loud. In fact, everything is subtle, in this dram, which is great. It is not shy a palate, though: it has powerful pepper and hot cast iron; I find it a bit stripping, to tell the truth. All the same, the complementary notes are nuanced. Finish: long, robust, it comes with a tad of dusty metal and a pinch of marjoram(irez). It ends up turning pretty bitter indeed, but delicious. It is challenging, without a doubt, because of that dusty, old-boiler metal, even though it is made more approachable by compote. Funnily enough, bigger sips make it less bitter. 8/10

OB: "You look disappointed."
Caballero66: "I'm not too unhappy."

Soundtrack: Various - Rock To The Beat - The Ultimate New Beat Collection (CD1)

With a last-minute change of sequence, OB pulls out a Chichibu. I venture it is certainly for Chichibuabua. Nope.

OB presents: Chicharrón, Chilaquiles, Burrito. To boot, this was made by Ichiro Akutortilla.

Chichibu IPA Cask Finish b.2017 (57.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt imported by Number One Drinks, IPA Cask Finish, 6700b, b#5469): nose: noticeably more powerful, it is also very fruity, teeming with pineapple and souped-up bergamot. Next to that are plastic buckets and oilskins. The strength, though... It really clears the nostrils, this one! Mouth: lukewarm beer, sprinkled with a hefty dose of pepper. On the tongue too, this is very powerful, fierce, even. However, it is also sweet, with raspberry tart, doused in custard. A lick of metal brings a discreet bitterness that feels like a mere afterthought. Finish: huge, long, gum-melting, intoxicating from the first sip. The finish does feel much influenced by the beer that was in the cask before. I like it. 8/10

Caballero66: "There are so many of them. They release special bottlings for the Whisky... Sorry: for Whisky Show."
OB: "For every festival, actually."
tOMoH: "You can say: 'for the every festival,' you know."

OB: "I was hoping you'd hate it..."
tOMoH: "I don't know why you'd think I hate Japanese whisky. I don't buy it; it doesn't mean I don't like it."
OB: "It's so leftfield..."
tOMoH: I like Leftfield. I prefer Apollo 440, but I don't mind Leftfield."

JS presents: Invergordon Diego de la Vega (in the chilli con Càrn Mòr range, no less)

Invergordon 37yo 1972/2009 (46.6%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel CC#60478/63675, 259b, b#236): nose: dunnage warehouse, rancio and dusty blackcurrant on overdone pastry. It is less full-on blackcurrant than other expressions, as Caballero66 observes, but the markers are there. Mouth: creamy, lemon-y, this one has lemon mint and citrus-y pastry. Finish: it seems huge for the ABV, especially considering it is more than 10% lower than the previous. It packs a punch, still! Some bitterness that make me think of metal and marjoram(irez), alongside squashed, unripe blackberries. 8/10

Caballero66 presents: Drug Taliskartel (coincidentally and conveniently, a Diego distillery). Tequilasker would have worked too, but our dyslexic readers might have taken offence.

Talisker 30yo b.2009 (53.1%, OB Limited Edition imported by Ntiatzeo Ellas, 3000b, b#1907, L9170CM000 02023677): nose: ozone and photocopier toner (Caballero66), peat and metal (Metalisker). It also has a note of wet fishing nets. The peat smoke is subtle and dry, and, therefore, mesmerising to me. Cockles, whelks, then a pinch of ground white pepper and bandages. Mouth: flowers, pot-pourri, bone-dry peat, crumbling into a fine powder. It has a generous fruitiness too, with papaya and roasted pineapples, making this much to my liking. Finish: long and intrusive (a good thing, here), the finish has more of the same: hot fruit (charred pineapple) and dry peat, this time accompanied by hot embers. To think that we used to take these for granted, when they came out. Certainly 9 in other circumstances, but for today... 8/10

tOMoH: "Supermarket whisky alright, but from Waitrose."
Caballero66: "Well, it's a Greek import, so..."
tOMoH: "Waitros!"

Soundtrack: Ambre - Le Mensonge

JS presents: Buenas Bladnoches (in the chilli con Càrn Mòr range, no less)

Bladnoch 20yo 1990/2011 (60.6%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre for Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel, C#30005, 194b, b#131): nose: a whiff of leather and a lot of alcohol. Bone-dry flower bouquets and stencil-duplicator ink (also known as mimeography). It has a soft peat scent too, we all agree, but we all reckon it is the Talisker clinging to the glass. It is fooking dry, though. Mouth: lemon-y, custard-y, very much like a tart-casing, before it is overlayed with plums. In the long run, though, Alka-Seltzer and lemon-y pepper rock up, super dry again. Finish: peppery and full of sawdust. The fruitiness comes out, and the whole feels balanced, despite the high ABV, but it also has a robust sawdust layer. A big dram! 8/10

Caballero66: "So, the 24yo Fèis Ìle..."
OB: "You want it?"
Caballero66: "Well, I have a bottle, but I haven't tried it. I'm looking forward to it."
OB: "You're not getting any of it. Open your own bottle."
tOMoH: "...motherfucker!"

Soundtrack: Cities Last Broadcast - The Umbra Report

OB jokes about the next one being from a Don Diego distillery, and matured in puncheons, puncheon being the Mexican propensity for boxing. But the real (tenuous) connection is the Mexican-sounding first name Pedro (Ximénez) and Central-American-oak casks. Someone should point out to OB that PX is Spanish and so are the casks, but hay-ho.

Lagavulin Triple Matured 1991/2015 (59.9%, OB bottled especially to celebrate Fèis Ìle 2015, American Oak/Pedro Ximénez & Oak Puncheons, 3500b, b#991, L5079DQ000 50251395): nose: it smells like the coal mines (Caballero66, who no-one knew is from Yorkshire), ink, tons of ink; ink wells set on fire, window mastic, smoked-tomato chutney, shoe polish. What an elegant peat influence! Stone-baked pastry and smoked plums, ash and ink (would those not kick arse as heraldic tinctures?) Mouth: the peaty ink continues, perhaps with smoked corn. It is pretty strong and peppery, with smoked Szechuan pepper. An hour in, perhaps timid berries come out in the form of cherry jam. Finish: it is massive, and the peat smoke is not shy, here. In no particular order, we have pastrami-ed (cured) salmon, cigar ashes, hot embers, smoked black pepper, heavily-barbecued grapefruit... This is very ashy indeed. I am enjoying it, even though it is very heavy, intense and cloying. I like it better than the first time, in fact. 8/10

JS: "I feel knocked out."
tOMoH: "Do you want some Mex-tasy?"
Caballero66: "Or some MDMA? Mexican DMA?"

Soundtrack: Various - Rock To The Beat - The Ultimate New Beat Collection (CD2)

What? A bonus dram?

OB presents: Cantina Mexicana

127.44 12yo 2003/2016 Cantina Mexicana (65.9%, SMWS Fèis Ìle Islay 2016, 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Sherry Butt, 588b): nose: farm-y, it also a tractor's exhaust pipe on top of ploughed fields, a vague nuance of soft-boiled eggs and, even further, sewers that are backing up (that would be sulphur, then). Nothing detrimental, but it is distinguishable. Shiitake mushrooms appear as well. This nose is pure destruction, however. Very, very powerful. Mouth: phwoar! This is really uncompromising. Greasy peat, barbecued pineapple, crude oil, spilled on a ploughed field, yet also juicy fruit -- pineapple again, and also squashed strawberries. Finish: strawberry coulis and pineapple juice parade on scorched earth. This is dry, farm-y to a point (it still oozes tractor diesel from every drop), but it also has an unexpected sweetness. Wow! Were it not for an almost rubbery bitterness towards the Death, it would score higher. For now, it is... 7/10

High-flying tasting again. Pity CB called off, in the end.

17/09/2021 Glencadam

Glencadam 29yo d.1972 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#7639): nose: very fresh from the start, erupting with lemon-y custard and fruity yoghurt, calamansi, peach and sweet grapefruit, white peach, white nectarine, and a drop of Yves Rocher's Magnolia fragrance. In the long run, the fruit welcomes a woodier waft: faint cedarwood sheets, subtle eucalyptus powder and distant mint lozenges. All that is very timid, mind. Even later, a soft note of putty emerges, closer to window mastic than it is to plasticine. Oh! and it is plum-infused putty, to be sure. The second nose seems more vegetal, with lichens and mosses seeing the return of the citrus. Mouth: mellow and fruity again, it has juicy plums, blood-orange-and-apricot juice. Next to that fruity onslaught, one finds a pinch of wood spices (grated ginger, as well as cloves and cinnamon) and putty here too. The texture is somewhere between oily and custard-y, which is very pleasant. Repeated sipping adds a gently-metallic touch to the palate, maybe a pinch of dried verbena on clementines (foliage included)? It definitely has got that steel-blade quality to it, to some degree. Finish: long, custard-y and creamy, thick in a Dr. Pepper way, it blends the wood spices and the fruits to reach a perfect equilibrium. The second sip underlines the vegetal note that also appeared on the nose; it is not quite leafy, not flowery in the slightest, yet it has that light bitterness that comes with unsweetened peas. It just might be metal too, after all. Towards the Death, a delicate note of milk chocolate (or chocolate milk, at that rate) shows up too. Terrific dram. The markers seemed similar as the first time, though the spotlight was on different ones. 8/10

07/09/2021 Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain 11yo b.2020 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Discovery, Sherry Casks, 20/6032): nose:  soft and gentle, this nose has plum juice, and plums and peaches starting to decay -- as in: a thin layer of lichen is forming on their skin. It has a drop of nut oil and subtle wood lacquer. Hazelnut oil, yet also walnut shells and polished walnut, even though it never reaches dashboard levels. The hazelnut turns creamy, after a moment, and it is joined by berries -- wild strawberries, to be precise. Maybe also greengages. Pretty soon, all that is submerged by a wave of assertive wood scents; cutting boards, wood shavings, straight off the plane, paper pulp and stone-dry orange rind. Mouth: light, lively and pretty dry, the palate restores the plum, although it is not juicy, here, and relegates the hazelnut oil to the background. Not much strawberry to speak of, here, and, if there is, it is dried slices of it, more than the fresh fruit. On the other hand, the tongue is treated to the bitterness of orange rind (of the dried kind too). One would be forgiven for finding a very-faint note of burning wood, so distant that it is hardly worth mentioning. Balsawood, birchwood, not quite cedarwood, but you get the picture: a woody bitterness catches up with the fruit from the attack, without ever dominating too clearly. Finish: this is much more modern, with the cask doing much of the talking; vanilla, custard-cream biscuit, toffee. Very good too, just a tad less original. Not much bitterness makes it this far; instead it is sweet, custard-y pastry: pineapple upside-down caramel tart, toffee, yellow kiwi turnovers and mild sawdust, as well as a spoonful of melted white chocolate. A big, boisterous Bourbon cask indeed. Fits very well in the Discovery range. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, KM)

03/09/2021 Macduff

Macduff 12yo 2008/2020 (55.1%, CWC The Electric Coo Series, Sherry Butt): nose: oily nut spread on warm toast, before a wine-y wave takes over. Then, it is fortified wine, drinks cabinets, nut liqueurs, yet also oily exotic woods, teak and mahogany, redwood and sequoia. There is a subtle hint of coffee in the background, and rain water, stagnating in a hard-plastic tank. The second nose gives more-straightforward liqueur. It remains nutty and oily, but that takes a back seat, now. In fact, it is borderline brandy-like, at times. After an eternity, Macduff's trademark earthiness peeks through, timidly, with rich soil, in the distance. Mouth: roasted cereals, caramelised rice, coffee beans, and a substantial amount of wood too. We have spices (cinnamon bark, black cardamom pods, cloves), as well as varnish and furniture polish. That wood brings a softly-bitter note, which, again, hints at faint coffee. The second sip dials up the oily-wood touches, back to mahogany and teak, maybe even iroko, now. In the long run, roasted cocoa beans rock up. Finish: assertive, spicy without being hot, earthy and chocolate-y. This bold, long finish has as much wood as the mouth, if not more. The spices are now familiar (cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, cardamom), but the earthy touch and the bold chocolate are new; and it is cocoa beans being roasted and oozing oil, here, more than hazelnut paste. Repeated sipping makes it become sweeter, though it retains the spiciness. A good, rather full-on wine-cask maturation. I could go to 8 (I did, last time), but today... 7/10