It is not quite spring yet, but the equinox is in a couple of days, and, between that and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we all agreed spring was a little more light-hearted a theme.
Cavalier66, PS and JS join me. WhiskyLovingPianist called off earlier in the week, and OB is not feeling well, today.
The soundtrack: Tinidae - Exo
The boys start by eating. Cavalier66 has not had lunch. At the same time, I give them Cutty Sark Blended Scots Whisky (86 Proof, Berry Bros & Rudd imported by The Buckingham Corporation, b. ca early 1980s).
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| Cavalier66 can never resist bringing too much food |
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| Manchego, Mahon, Gubeen, Fourme d'Ambert, Quince Paste and... |
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| ...Waterloo as a nod to the Belgians. It is, of course, terrific |
Passport Scotch 100% Scotch Whiskies (43° G.L., William Longmore & Co. Japanese import, b. ca. early-1980s) (tOMoH): spring announces the start of holidays, which one needs a passport for. Also, this is a bottling for Japan, a holiday destination well known for its springtime festivals. Cavalier66 says we should expect something floral and delicate. Nose: "it is floral!" (Cavalier66 and PS) Green tea leaves and jasmine flowers are present alright -- more of Japan. There is also a soft fruitiness to it, with chalk (Cavalier66), and something that promises bitterness: toasted aniseed, caraway or lovage seeds along with lichen. Mouth: it is a bit prickly (PS), with a blend of peppery apricot and lychee -- the Japanese theme continues! Mind you, there is dust and coffee grounds too. In response, Cavalier66 makes a gesture that makes all of us think of testicles, rather than roasting coffee beans, which is a little puzzling (note to self: do not drink coffee at Casa Cavalier). Back to the whisky: it has the syrupy texture of quince paste, as well as a lick of metal. Finish: toasted and fruity, it has apricot shavings and more lychee, the boldness of warm metal, yet it remains very pleasant. Lovely blend! Full notes here. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, DH)
Cavalier66 [to PS]: "You're more inclined to give it an 8, because you can taste the grain. Have you ever given a malt an 8?"
Imperial 24yo 1994/2019 (43.8%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland, Barrel, C#5869, 178b) (Cavalier66): Cavalier66 sees this distillery as making a spring whisky, he bought this particular bottling in the spring, and it relates to the current events, in which Russia seems to have imperial ambitions and invaded Ukraine. Nose: PS finds it waxy, while I find it buttery - so much so that it smells like a Glenrothes to me. The butter soon disappears (thankfully) and makes room for honeysuckle, lemon (PS) and limoncello (PS). There is a clear note of citrus foliage too. Mouth: grassy, vanilla-ed (Cavalier66), custard-y with a creamy texture. This is all flan and custard pudding, really, with a gentle herbaceous addition (dried parsley?) The palate has a bitterness that grows, yet stays in check. Finish: citrus galore, though of the sweet kind. Calamansi, bergamot, tangerine peel -- yes: it is acidic, but sweetness balances that out quite nicely. The herbs are much tamer in the finish too, which allows citrus peel to come out clearly -- and it is delicious! 8/10
The soundtrack: Seal Phüric - Phonic Sins
Rosebank 17yo 1991/2009 (46%, Speciality Drinks Single Malts of Scotland, Barrel C#2206, 259b) (JS): spring roses, of course. Nose: meadows by the riverbank (Cavalier66), grassy and floral. Within a few minutes, it opens up to reveal nutty sweetness; it is not marzipan, but it comes pretty close. "Almond oil," says Cavalier66. Decaying calamansi peel, tangerine pith, then marmot balm (Murmeltier Salbe, a muscle-pain relief) and soft leather. Mouth: honey, honeysuckle, a touch of green-plant sap, almost rubber. Mind you, it retains the waxy-bright fruity character, with apricot and even peach. Nectarine, actually. Beautiful, at any rate! Finish: lovely fruity-floral profile, with buttery apricot flesh, dandelions, honeysuckle, some kind of citrus paste, sticky and sweet. PS says water makes it more zesty and prickly. I cannot be bothered trying; it is so good neat! Excellent. I am looking forward to spending more time with this it in the future. 9/10
We move to the terrace.
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| And it is sunny! |
Next is a Springbank.
PS: "Banks open in the spring."
Springbank 12yo 1992/2005 (46%, Murray McDavid, Bourbon / Mourvedre / Syrah Casks, 950b) (PS): spring-bank, of course. Nose: salty and ashy, it has dusty grist, barley burnt to ash, but also a touch of fruit and an odd minerality. We have grape juice, dry earth, dried barley, caramel puffed rice... This is perfect for terrace drinking. Mouth: acidic, borderline astringent, it has more roasted barley and dusty barns. It is rustic and a half, this one! Ash, hazel sawdust. Finish: drying white wine. We are talking Chenin blanc or Sauvignon blanc dryness. Blimey! this is dry. Sand and dry cereal dust join to desiccate even further. 7/10
tOMoH: "Salty, and a bit fatty..."
PS: "How does it feel at the back of your mouth, Cavalier66? Familiar?"
PS is so proud of that one he adjusts his foundations on the garden chair... and breaks it. We go back inside.
The soundtrack: Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring
The BenRiach 33yo 1977/2011 (45.7%, OB for Asta Morris, Refill Bourbon Cask, C#9119, 175b) (Cavalier66): Cavalier66 explains (and shows) a traditional British dance called Morris dancing (see video below). With this one bottled for Asta Morris, he has his connection. Nose: wonderfully-lacquered armchairs, pears and other orchard fruits (Cavalier66), apricot or peach stones, rather than the fruit flesh (Cavalier66). It really has a healthy dose of wood, and it is orchard-tree wood (pear tree, likely). There is fruit, of course, but it is a suggestion, not a clear fragrance. Fruit tree it is. The second nose has boiled sweets (those chewy cherries) to add to the already appealing scents. Mouth: quite similar to the nose, it has an intense fruitiness, entirely suggested and hidden under a barricade of fruit-tree wood. Apricot tree, pear tree, and it is only in the back, once the mouth is salivating, that fruit flesh comes out a little more -- a little. The second sip sees more fruit (as one would expect from a well-aged malt), yet also more greenness. Finish: a very gentle wood bitterness carries this, with cut and dried hazel. Without surprise, now, it is fruit nuances with fruit-tree wood that almost hides the sweet, juicy fruit itself. Almost. Cavalier66 finds it has lots of tannins -- and yes, it does. It is well balanced, though. This one is not a crowd-pleaser; it forces the taster to work a little to detect its appealing notes. It is ultimately rewarding, however, and therefore deserves... 9/10
Cavalier66: "So, it's full of Frankfurters, that club."
PS: "Yes."
tOMoH: "It's a proper sausage fest, when they meat."
PS: "...Anyway, the cask owner is from 1962 (I assume). He asked a supplier [we do not know which] if they had anything from 1962, because that is his year, then bought and bottled the cask."
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| note the ',' in the ABV, instead of a '.' |
North British 1962/2010 (47,9%, Whiskyspirits) (PS): PS dared: aided by a marker pen, he transformed this into a spring-le grain, and taped a spring to the bottle. The kind of stunts that only EG has dared, to-date. Nose: oh! Yes, polished furniture, wood lacquer, then currants -- a torrent of currants. Redcurrants, to be accurate. It is not an Invergordon, but it is very much a currant affair (pun intended). Mouth: good, spicy attack, with a pinch of wood dust and toasted ginger (yes, that should be a thing), then a lick of metal... and currants galore. We have blackcurrants, myrtle, blackberries, dark grapes, prunes. Finish: long, grainy in that ethereal, heady way that makes one blind in nineteen seconds. And then, the currants take over the finish as well. I am tempted to go for 9, but realistically, that is probably because I am a sucker for obscure bottlings that no-one else can try. Still, a bold 8/10
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| PS taped a spring to the glass! |
tOMoH: "That's what she said."
PS: "At least, I'm not the one with toffee wood!"
The soundtrack: DJ Hell - Kern Vol. 02
Springbank 14yo 1998/2013 (54.3%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#448, 229b) (Cavalier66): we wondered how many spring-banks we would have; here is the second of two. Nose: barley, engine oil, soot, hazelnuts that have spent several seasons in the cellar and are therefore very dry. Burnt bread crust, dusty barley in barns and some cigarette smoke to boot. Mouth: this is dirty! It has caramel, poured on embers, puffed rice grains and a dollop of engine oil. This is the sort of drams that could make one fall in love with the distillery -- or not. Finish: long, clinging, it has a strong, mentholated sweetness that complements the trademark Springbank dirt perfectly. Engine oil and engine metal, soot and distant toasted barley whirl with menthol ciggies. This is excellent. 8/10
Columban of Iona 23yo 1991/2014 (57.5%, The Stillman, C#16, 231b) (JS): it is Irish, Ireland is green, green is the colour of spring. Also, St Patrick was two days ago. Nose: that unmistakable mango that immediately reminds me of 117.3. It is oily and exuberantly fruity. A few minutes in, the smoke kicks in, bold and self-confident; fireplace smoke and cigarette smoke interlaced with that gorgeous, otherworldly fruitiness. Mouth: powerful, it has cracked black pepper, black beans, lichen on staves and nectarine flesh, peach and juicy mango. Phwoar! Finish: boom! An explosion of smoked mango, burnt hazel and burnt apricot stones to accompany tatters of fruit flesh (now including blood orange). This is spectacular! I like it better than the first time. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, CD)
Port Dundas 10yo (60.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection World Whiskies, 318b, b. ca 1998) (tOMoH): it is a green-glass bottle. Green is the colour of spring. Cavalier66 is disappointed by the simplicity of the connection. I will live with that. I took full notes a few days ago, so short ones, today. Nose: acetone (Cavalier66). I am upset I did not think of that last week, because Cavalier66 is right. It is hot and pumped with acetone. Mouth: sweet and lichen-y at the same time, it bites, that is for sure. Once the alcohol bite has calmed down, Demerara sugar and caster sugar appear, as does patina-covered copper. Finish: huge, sweet, in a Demerara-sugar way, and actually pretty well-balanced. 7/10
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| Cavalier66 also brought his own water! |
Cavalier66 is disappointed: his Glenallachie, whose link was the Seventeen Moments of Spring, and which he forgot to bring, is such a far-fetched link, and I just have a green bottle. :-)
PS: "That's the second time this week you've told me that!"
The soundtrack: Lustmord + Karen Park - Alter
Nishinomiya 12yo 1995/2008 (63%, Nikka Single Cask Coffey Grain, C#179005) (Cavalier66): a Japanese whisky stands in for cherry blossom, the symbol of spring in Japan. Nose: bready, yeasty, floury, and then a schtickle of menthol appears too. Perhaps it is mild toothpaste? Earlier, while Cavalier66 was explaining the link to the theme, I swear I could smell cherry blossom; now less. Then, we have herbs coming through, but there is also a slice of marzipan. The second nose has Virginia tobacco and hot linen. Water does not change it much. Perhaps it becomes more bready, and adds a blackcurrant note. Blackcurrant turnover? Mouth: strong and peppery, yet the texture is silky and flowery, with tulip petals fending off hot embers almost successfully. A hot metal blade surfaces, clearly a katana forged by a swordsmith. With water, it is full-on blackcurrant, borderline sickly. It stays on the straight and narrow, however. Finish: very powerful, it has the bread of the nose, then berries (blackcurrant, dark cherries). Water makes the finish longer, still powerful, and, here too, increases the blackcurrant and dark cherry. That berry-currant note is very nice, right up my alley. 7/10
What a day! Excellent company, food and whiskies.
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