27/11/2022 dom666's birthday bash

After not aging one day since 2019, dom666 turns three years older in one sitting -- and does so at adc's. The theme (or themes), as is increasingly customary for our esteemed guest, is all over the shop:

• The Qatar world cup, which will gather the best ballerinas of the 32 qualified countries, including an epic Belgium - Morocco that will certainly see kruuk2 sleep in the sofa for at least 12 nights (and is the reason our dear kruuk2 is not joining us, today)
• The Liège tramway before the end of the XXIst century (they are laying the tracks in front of our host's, and, since those are not made of copper, they have not yet been stolen)
• The energy crisis (please all bring a log for adc). Do not do as the Latvians, who have sawn the (wooden) benches of bus shelters
• Bad puns relating to songs (tOMoH is forbidden to recycle Cavalier66's pun from 2017; if he is to bring any Bowmore, it has to fit otherwise)
• Five UK Prime Ministers in eight years -- just one more, and they can pull Santa's sled, and at last make themselves useful

dom666 goes to the end of the joke and does, indeed
bring adc a log. It will burn this afternoon

Who? dom666, adc, sonicvince, Psycho, JS and tOMoH, who opens the dance.

Modest line-up of thirteen bottles

tOMoH presents: one of the candidates to become Prime Minister in the most recent (July and October 2022) couple of beauty contests: Glen-ny Mhor-daunt.

Glen Mhor 8yo b.1989 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, HI/CAH): nose: fresh and metallic, with the cold lids of jam jars, marmalade, and hot fruit-turnover filling. Mouth: soft, not weak, the tongue catches similar notes -- marmalade, the metallic lid of jars, but also clove shavings. Finish: it feels more assertive than the low ABV suggested. It is velvety and warming, with warm marmalade and caramel scrapings that had stuck to the bottom of a pan. Full notes here. 7/10

sonicvince presents: a Czech whisky, certain that the Czech Republic is in the world cup. He is wrong: they did not qualify. But who cares?

Hammer Head 23yo 1989/2013 (40.7%, OB, Czech Oak Casks, L19178): talk about a curiosity! This. It was made at the Prádlo distillery, in the Czech Republic, or indeed in Czechoslovakia, since that was the country, at the time: it was distilled shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, at the request of the rulers of the day, who wanted something that could compete with Scotch, but that would be produced behind the Iron Curtain. It was allegedly found again when the land was sold upon which the distillery was located. History or fantasy? Does it matter? The truth is that here is a 23-year-old whisky from an unusual whisky-producing country. Nose: it smells like a nice grain, with corn syrup, and a pinch of herbs, sprinkled on top of melted marshmallow. Mouth: corn syrup through and through, crushed bay leaf, and custard, in a chocolate-éclair way. Finish: it is sweet, with salted caramel (adc), a lick of vanilla, fudge, dried apricot (sonicvince), overripe peach, Pandoro panettone and hazelnut paste. It is well convincing. A nice surprise. Dram of the day for adc. 8/10

dom666: "Have you been to this restaurant in Prague?"
tOMoH: "No."
dom666: They serve this eau-de-vie, in which they add cloves."
tOMoH: "Uhuh."
dom666: "It's not good."

dom666 [talking about the consequences of COVID-19]: "No-one is kissing hello at work, any longer."
tOMoH: "That's because you only work with women. They don't want to kiss you."

sonicvince presents a French whisky (albeit bottled by a Belgian company), because France is in the world cup. A bit of a one-trick pony, our sonicvince...

August 17th 3yo (40%, Wave Distil, ex-Port + ex-Cognac Barrels, 4250b): hard to tell when this one was bottled: the MMXIV mention seems to appear on all the yearly batches. Nose: eau-de-vie, grappa, Arquebuse. This smells very close to a white spirit, though it does have a lick of staves. adc finds cleaning fluids, "but not the ones that smell nice." Hawthorne completes the picture. It is not an enticing start. Mouth: it is very marked by the wood, here, even at this young age. There is a bit of hay-like vanilla, as if it were an éclair topped with a hay paste, instead of chocolate. But the custard is definitely there. Finish: short, neutral (Psycho), inoffensive. The eau-de-vie note is well balanced by a good dose of custard. 6/10

adc: "Not that I have tried cleaning agents..."
tOMoH: "Perhaps it's time you tried."
sonicvince: "To compare, see?"

Food enters

Cheeses:

Epoisse

Calvados-cured camembert

Soumaintrain

Reblochon fermier

Pavé de Savoie

and a a cheese with nuts, but without nuts

Puddings:

White pudding

Raisin pudding

Leek pudding

Green-cabbage pudding

Foie gras and chanterelles

Pâtés:

Creamy pâté

Apple, pear and raisin pâté

Sauternes-cured duck mousse

Foie gras terrine with oyster mushrooms

Saltufo

JS goes for the one mega serving

Psycho presents Guns 'n Roses - Knockando On Heaven's Doors

Also, he breaks the cork

Knockando 25yo 1980/2005 (48.3%, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld, C#1908, 260b, b#10): nose: pure lemon (adc), limestone. Mouth: a bit dry and bitter, but in a perfect way. There is a bit of crushed bay leaf and pepper too. In fact, it feels surprisingly spicy, for something of that ABV. Finish: medium long, with hay again, and aromatic herbs. Short notes; this is a lovely drop that we know well. 9/10

adc explains that the current energy crisis started with the war in Ukraine, and therefore presents a Wolfburn bottled for Ukraine.

Wolfburn 7yo 2015/2022 (46%, OB supporting the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, ex-Bourbon Quarter Casks, 1550b): nose: it smells pastoral to me, with orchard fruit (heirloom apples abound) and honey-glazed baked potatoes. Psycho finds it aromatic, and I detect olive oil. Far in the back, we have squashed raspberries on a bed of hay. Mouth: lightly acidic, fresh (Psycho), balanced (Psycho). It is less successful than on the nose, since it cannot hide its brash youthfulness. Keep it on the tongue, and raspberries come back, this time accompanied by cherries, and desert-dry leather. Finish: dry, hay-like, here are brambles so dry they will crumble into a powder if one just looks at them. There is also an iodine note, at this point. 7/10

dom666 presents George Harrison - My Sweet Lord (of the Isles)

dom666 insists on emptying the bottle. I give him my glass... full of Wolfburn. Yay. Here is a Lord of the Wolfburn. :-(

Ardbeg Lord of the Isles (46%, OB, L3170 1209 4ML): nose: well, well, well, what have we here? Tarry ropes on a sailboat, ink, tapenade, briny anchovies, oilskins heated by the sun, Kalamata olives, age-old blotting paper, and docked trawlers, which is to say: fishing nets, diesel and crab cage traps. We even find oysters with a drop of lemon. The second nose welcomes hot sands and a coating of wax. Mouth: perfectly balanced. It is salty, briny, with cockles and mussels, jellied olives, ashes and honey-glazed cherry stems. In the long run, some fruit appears too. Finish: olive, tar, bitumen, menthol, and a pinch of ash. With exactly zero surprise, this is just amazeballs. It seems much better than the previous time we had it, and a good way to bid the bottle farewell. 9/10

dom666 reckons the Ardbeg goes well after a mouthful of Calvamembert.

dom666: "Les whiskies d'Islay vont bien après les fromages a pâte molle."
tOMoH: "Tu as remarqué que ces whiskies passent bien après des fromages bleus, du chocolate noir, du chocolat au lait..."
dom666: "Au lait, au lait..."
Psycho: "Après le café..."
tOMoH: "...au lait, au lait... Au bal masqué..."
Psycho: "...au lait, au lait."

And, since we must:

Lord of the Wolfburn: nose: the Ardbeg easily dominates the Wolf, though berries emerge, that seem to be imparted by the latter. Mouth: mellow, it has a combination of seafood and custard powder. Finish: long, it is all berries, with a dusting of ashes. Another Serendipity as JS says. 8/10

sonicvince proves once and for all he knows nothing about football, and presents an Irish whisky, on the off-chance that they are in Qatar, for the world cup (they are not). That is why we like you, sonicvince!

The Whistler Mosaic (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrels + finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks, L21/014 152, b.2021): from the Boann Distillery, in Co. Meath, this is another first for me. Nose: herbal liqueur, with a display of gentian, angelica and smoked thyme, alongside rosemary. Mouth: sweet, showcasing pouring honey, Lyle's Golden Syrup, maple syrup, corn syrup. This is borderline cloying, so sweet it is. Finish: long, powerful, it clings to the roof of the mouth, with lots of syrups of all sorts. 6/10

Dessert enters: pear tart and caramel/apple muffins, courtesy of adc

adc presents the consortium that is developing the tramway in Liège: Tram'Arran (for Tram'Ardent, for the out-of-towners).

Lochranza 8yo (unknown ABV, blend of cask samples, ex-Sassicaia Casks): I tried this earlier in the week, so minimal notes, today. Sweet and bitter, like a sharp cocoa custard. I love it. So do most of, if not all the others. 8/10

JS reminds the tasting that, between 2016 and 2019, Teresa May was Prime Minister in the UK. May happens to be peak puffin-breeding season. And look...

Orkney 15yo 2006/2022 (57.1%, Thompson Bros. bottled for Milroys of Soho, 280b): had this one not long ago too, so short notes again. Caramel butter, half-baked fudge, butterscotch, chicory granules, and even coffee. 7/10

Psycho presents: Michel Sardou - Les Lacs du Caol Ila. And since we can, JS presents: Philippe Timsit - Henri, Porte des Caol Ila

Caol Ila 36yo 1982/2018 (54.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 120b) (Psycho): nose: shrimps, mild coffee, fine ash, maraschino cherries and dusty furniture. Much later on, a faint fruitiness comes up, supported by a minute touch of sulphur. Mouth: a strong attack, acidic, with unripe pears, ashes, fishing nets, and oyster shells. The second sip is much more acidic, and earthier as we go on: rich dark earth. Finish: wide, generous, salty and smoky. Here are smoked dried-pear slices, barbecued cockles, and pineapple slices. This is never-ending and all-enveloping, it warms up one's soul! 9/10

Caol Ila 35yo 1984/2020 (47.5%, The House of Macduff The Golden Cask Reserve, C#CM260, 204b, b#128): nose: amazingly more sandy than Cadenhead's, it has salted caramel poured on cotton candy, wet swimming costumes after a sunny day at the beach, smoked marshmallow, and old gauze. Despite those old-school notes, it does not want for freshness. The second nose adds a tiny drop of coffee. Mouth: mellow, but full, with honey-glazed ashes, smoked fudge, Reflex spray, and gauze. The second sip has sweeter notes of peaches, but chargrilled peaches, with a spoonful of cocktail sauce. Meow! Finish: tarry ropes, smoked mackerel, charred pineapple, roasted apples and happiness. I like it better than the Cadenhead bottling -- by a nostril hair. JS disagrees, but, of course, she wants what she does not already have. :) 9/10

Chilling

dom666 presents: AC/DC - Islay to Hell

Bunnahabhain 16yo b.2007 (54%, OB Limited Edition for Feis Ile 2007, Oloroso Sherry Cask, C#276, 190b): a bottling that needs no introduction, really. Nose: cork and dust (adc), blackberry compote, dark plasticine, dark shoe polish, leather belts, rich earth, polished dashboards. It is hugely powerful, nostril-cleansing, even. Chocolate coffee, mocha custard. Mouth: big, full of dark honeys, wood varnish, polished mahogany, shiny leather, blackcurrant jam, and a huge dose of cracked black pepper, which I do not recall feeling in the past. We also have bone-dry orange rinds. Finish: outstanding Oloroso maturation, a masterclass of balance. It is leathery and spicy, with loads of leather tatters and cracked black pepper, harmoniously combined. The death sees rich earth and berries, where elderberry complements dark cherries and blackberries. Masterpiece. 9/10

dom666: "I'm like an old yoghurt jar: the expiry date has long passed, which means I am dangerous."

tOMoH presents something that tastes like burnt peat, to mark the energy crisis

Undisclosed Islay ~3yo b.2020 (~57%, cask sample, Cognac + Armagnac Casks): I do not try it, tonight. It seems appreciated, but I have had enough, and the Bunna was a great ending.

The long-haired bunch goofing around

Excellent tasting, with a wonderful balance of glories and curiosities, delicious (indulgent) food, and great company (aka good banter).

Special guest Jim Murray made a brief appearance

22/11/2022 Arran

Lochranza 8yo (unknown ABV, blend of cask samples, ex-Sassicaia Casks): leftover from that tasting, last June. Nose: very quiet, though it still manages to emit a delicate sweetness, something between peach tea and satsuma foliage. 'Foliage' seems too strong a word, at first, but a couple of sniffs reveal exactly that: citrus foliage. And, here it is: rich Italian wine slowly-but-steadily wraps all of the above in a growingly-heady bouquet that spells part earth, part fruit. Overripe quince, grape stems, clay, and still that peach tea, in the background, now coming closer to peach jelly than before. The second nose has a dusty layer coating everything else, probably sawdust or dried orange peel, ground into a powder. That almost masks a soothing note of flowery tea -- some kind of fruit blossom. Mouth: resolutely acidic, it strips the teeth clean without further ado. We have crushed peach stone, which brings a newfound bitterness, grape stems, grapefruit pith, and a pinch of earth. Digging deeper, one may detect chocolate too, closer to roughly-crushed cocoa beans than to pralines. The second sip welcomes oil cloth, an unexpected waxy cloak that wraps the citric character, and proves an adequate pairing for those cocoa beans. Finish: ooft! The finish definitely has cocoa beans, and they are supplemented with citrus zest -- yuzu or oroblanco would be my guesses. It is acidic in a fruity way, and that works very well to tame the root-y bitterness of the cocoa beans, which, by the way, become clearer with each gulp. Repeated sipping also enhances the citrus side; it is no longer zest alone, but whole segments (orange, grapefruit, pomelo), fresh and crystallised. What a wonderfully successful wine maturation! 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, MR)

21/11/2022 StilL 630

StilL 630 4yo Missouri Straight Bourbon b.2019 (45%, OB Bill 266, B#10, b#177): nose: one may be hard-pressed to spot a Bourbon, so much it resembles an old herbal liqueur -- Chartreuse, Becherovka, Bénédictine, Brancamenta, Génépi. It has a strong wood presence, with charred oak, toasted and scraped, old shelves that have just received a lick of varnish. At last, more traditional markers appear in the shape of corn syrup and wood lacquer, reminiscent of a grain whisky -- which, of course, this would be, were it following the Scottish nomenclature. Herbs do not stay far away, mind: pine liqueur comes back with a vengeance, now spilled on golden toasted bread. The second nose adds a note of autumn fruit, though it is difficult to tell which -- walnuts, perhaps? The drupe, not the shelled kernel. It does develop a musky tone too, at any rate, as well as mulch. Mouth: more pine goodness and toasted wood. In fact, we have toasted pine cones, oozing delicate sap. Delicate? Well, not for long! Soon, we have fierce menthol, acidic pine needles, Gocce Pino, and a minute note of rubber, unless it is mulch again. The second sip is in line, the texture walking a tightrope between acidic and chewy, and the whole achieving a remarkable freshness, despite being clearly influenced by wood. That small note of eucalyptus, perhaps. Finish: much more behaved than the mouth suggested, it does not break with the tradition; here are strong pine-forest tastes, menthol, old shelves, and an overall rubbery impression (the texture, more than the bitter taste). Corn syrup and wood lacquer are virtually absent, strangely enough, as is vanilla. Repeated sipping brings eucalyptus oil to the fore. Solid Bourbon. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

15/11/2022 Clydeside

Clydeside 34mo (unknown ABV, cask sample, re-racked ex-Sherry Cask + ex-Bourbon Casks): nose: it has an allure of eau-de-vie (it is exactly what this is, after all), wrapped in a fruity blanket; apricots, mirabelle plums, nectarines. Soon after that, it puts on the scent of the wines aisle at Colruyt or Delhaize (oddly, the wines aisle of supermarkets in the UK do not smell the same -- it must be the screw caps). Then, we have vin de paille, a couple of cut daffodils, and a sip of Maitrank, before we return to yellow fruits, this time with a splash of ether. The second nose turns the youthful brashness into unexpected flint and a hazelnut liqueur so dry one could think it is a hazelnut spirit. If that does not exist, then why not? Finally, clean socks appear, as an afterthought. Water unleashes tutti frutti on damp blotting paper, as pleasant and entertaining as it is weird. Mouth: there is a strange dichotomy at play, here; on one hand, it is fiery, rough, and eau-de-vie-like, as one might expect of a spirit from this age; on the other, it balances that with yellow fruits and a comforting warmth that is seldom achieved by a spirit of this age. Plums, nectarines, Golden apples, soaked in eau-de-vie, a dollop of vanilla custard via retro-nasal olfaction, and a shot of fruit-flavoured pékèt on top. The second sip has a bitterer edge, almonds or barely-ripe hazelnut. Keeping it on the tongue adds a cereal taste as well -- barley, oats, spelt. Water takes the edge off, pacifies it, almost, leaving tutti frutti here too, and a droplet of rubbing alcohol. Finish: it is a winner, now, with vanilla custard perfectly ironing out the asperities of youth. It is not just vanilla, however: we also have a spoonful of sirop de Liège, which is to say caramelised apples and quinces, mashed into a sticky spread. Repeated sipping welcomes a note of menthol that becomes so fierce it feels as though it will melt the teeth. Not sure water works as well, here; it adds milk chocolate to the vanilla custard, but also mocha, which is less my thing. This is very promising, yet also very good as is! 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, kind donor)

12/11/2022 A few drams at the SMWS

MS escaped the Big Smoke three years ago. He is in town today -- yay! PS and JS join us. The idea today is to socialise, not to take long notes.

63.12 14yo 1989/2004 Hard pears in a freshly shaved carpenter's shop (57.8%, SMWS Society Cask): a lesser-spotted bottling from yesteryear.
Nose: crumble, sugar-coated cake and hay.
Mouth: sweet, with sugar-sprinkled peach slices.
Finish: lovely, sweet, like swallowing a mouthful of peach tart. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

85.44 10yo 2006/2016 Have your cake and eat it (59.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 234b): this was distilled on 22nd June 2006 and is ten years of age. It was released (and therefore bottled) in 2016, possibly in the same month of June, perhaps on its anniversary, or a day later, on 23rd June 2016. The attentive reader will note that that was the date of the Brexit referendum, a connection that is is very hard not to make, given the name of this bottling, "Have your cake and eat it," has often been used to describe the Brexit negotiations, to the point the attitude became known as cakeism. The bar lad acquiesces my little explanation as if he were in on the joke, but I can see he did not understand a word of it. Never mind.
Nose: Virginia tobacco, pine jelly (Gocce Pino) and dead leaves.
Mouth: fresh, velvety, with just a minor bitterness.
Finish: tangerine peels, dried tangerine segments, pine needles. 7/10

64.88 13yo d.2003 'Put Through One's Paces' (62.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 210b): from the time the Society were randomly adding quotes to some of their bottlings... and using capital letters liberally.
Nose: white chocolate and lozenges (dragées). Yes, loads of mint dragées.
Mouth: warming, it has a touch of metal to complement the chocolate. It reminds me of PiM's.
Finish: warm and comforting, giving away a copious amount of milk chocolate. 8/10

PS lets us try his Brora again (we had it last night).

Brora 23yo 1981/2005 (48%, William Maxwell Dun Bheagan, Refill Sherry Butt, C#1512, 648b):
Nose: burnt dung, a discreet-yet-distinct whiff of sulphur, hot rubber, warm earth and liquorice root.
Mouth: sticky toffee pudding with a gooey core, caramel. The sherry influence is big, and the texture is velvety, earthy and cloying.
Finish: earthy chocolate coulis, caramel, overdone toast. More and more caramel comes out, alongside sticky toffee pudding. I like this better than last night. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

Good times! The venue, empty for the first couple of hours, was particularly pleasant, today.

11/11/2022 Private tasting with Colin Dunn

After a couple of hours machetting our way to an unknown destination, JS and I arrive in the far reaches of North London. The temperature and remoteness are closer to Svalbard, though.

We locate the venue, are led in, and that is when I spot MSo, and put two and two together to make twenty-two. The next person I see is Colin Dunn, proving that if one wants friends to flock out of town for a dram or two, one has to hire a celebrity. And who is complaining? Not me. I am not complaining.

The gig is an interesting concept: Colin brought eight tipples from his collection to share with us.

While MSo made sure we would not be hungry
(cheese, crackers, cold cuts, and, later, biryani)

On site are PP, BB, PS, AN, DW, Cavalier66, CC, and of course, MSo (who is hosting), JS, tOMoH, and Dunn's acolyte TH on guitar duties.

In other words: a jolly bunch

We are outside the whole time, in the middle of November. It is fairly mild, for the season, but cold for a tasting. The liquid is not always as expressive as it would otherwise be, and we are often standing, hovering between the patio heater and the (capricious and very smoky) campfire. That results in short notes, which are compatible with the very social nature of this shindig.

76.114 26yo d.1987 Grand gardens in Goa (58%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 218b): Colin tells how he did a Mortlach tasting with MR at the SMWS, and she gave him this bottle to thank him. Turns out several of us were there, but we have not tried this since then... and it was seven years ago.
Nose: dry white wine, fruity and gravel-like. Outside, in the cold, it is a bit mute. Upon insisting, we find apple slices.
Mouth: bigger and bolder (and rougher and tougher, in other words, sucker: there is no other), pepper in a cracked-black-pepper-on-peach-slices way. It is fresh as a rocket salad with a good, pepper vinaigrette. The second sip has fruit stones too.
Finish: ashy fruits. Here are apples, crushed pine cones, soft menthol, crushed black cardamom and cloves.
Comment: nice. 8/10

CD: "I had the managing director of Shirakawa [at my stand]. He said: 'Are you Colin Dunn?'"
PP: "I've been asked that too."

Colin Dunn: "There are only 218 bottles. This is bottle number 1."
tOMoH: "Really?"
Colin Dunn: "There is always a collector in the house to believe it."
tOMoH: "And I walked straight into it, like an idiot."
Colin Dunn: "But this one is signed by Adolf Hitler!"

Inchgower 15yo 1993/2009 (61.9%, OB The Managers' Choice, Bodega Sherry European Oak Cask, C#7917, 564b, b#009):
Nose: caramel and dark-fruit jam, tree bark, mulch, and soft, rubbery cassia bark. Later on, we have lukewarm, flat cola.
Mouth: obviously an Oloroso maturation, with damp mulch, cinnamon shards, and crushed cloves, as well as coffee grounds.
Finish: spicy, it is not too earthy, but still has some coffee and root-y tones.

Comment: always curious about those Managers' Choice (note the plural possessive). It is not bad, but it is hard not to find it overpriced (it was pushing £300 upon release), and lacking in personality a bit, smothered by the sherry. Love the oystercatcher on the label, though.. 7/10

AN: "It's like a punk song: it's got a few notes, but it's not a symphony."

TH tells how he met Dunn twelve years ago, and it led to this here tasting.
tOMoH: "Are you saying tonight was twelve years in the making?"
Colin Dunn: "Twelve years a stave."

Lagavulin New Make (63.5%, cask sample):
Nose: well, it has smoke, cream, and hints of peach. A few minutes in, it is stagnant water and spongy peat bogs.
Mouth: rough, raw, dirty, full of dirty rags at a mechanic's. Unexpectedly, considering the nose, it also has super-dry earth.
Finish: stagnant water, peat bogs, and a pinch of ash.
Comment: interesting enough, but not particularly pleasant, and it does not stand repeated sipping very well either. 6/10

vs.

Lagavulin b.2017 (57.6%, OB bottled especially to celebrate Islay Jazz Festival 2017, Refill American Hogsheads + Refill European Butts, 6000b, b#4546):
Nose: old cheese rind, butyric, and a touch of faint smoke. Smoked baby vomit? Hm.
Mouth: hot tinned orange segments, ashes, smoked earth, and white pepper.
Finish: rope-y as fuck. Rough. Roughael (the classic Italian painter). Ropes and a spray of stagnant water.
Comment:  Not my thing at all. 5/10

vs.

Lagavulin 7yo b.2022 (59.5%, OB Festival Exclusive bottled especially to commemorate Islay Jazz Festival 2022, Refill + ex-Bourbon Hogsheads, 2490b, b#2140): DW brought a Lagavulin too. It would be rude not to have it now.
Nose: it is a very similar DNA, though it is perhaps more subdued. It smells young, but offers a little fruitiness.
Mouth: plums, rolled in dust, and fierce ginger.
Finish: wet clay, earth, bathing in stagnant water, silt.
Comment: this is clearly not a Lagavulin night for me. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

CC: "If you pull a can of Stella on a train, you're an alcoholic. If you pull one of these bottles, you're a connoisseur."
Cavalier66: "In Essex, ..."

Cavalier66 [about AN]: "Ah! The tea cozy has come out!"

tOMoH and Colin Dunn [cannot remember the context]: "Sukhinder Bell's, Sukhinder Bell's, Sukhinder all the way!"

Dram #5 (blind)

Nose: very Bourbon-y, with root-y plants, gentian, ginseng.
Mouth: odd. It is apple-y, full of plasticine, wax (the taste, not the texture), herbs liqueur and angelica.
Finish: strange. Calvados fighting whisky.
Comment: it kind of works, but it feels like a novelty more than something I would want to drink again. Contains Clynelish and Dailuaine, amongst other whiskies, and a Calvados from Christian Drouin, we are told. Short notes; I cannot be bothered.
Affinity b.2019 (46%, Compass Box, 6028b) 6/10

Colin Dunn [about the next dram]: "This is all I managed to ferret away."
DW: "Colin, did you have to body-filter it?"

Talisker 44yo b.2022 Forests of the Deep (49.1%, OB in support of Parley, Marine Charred Casks, 1997b, b#1787): this tasting is suddenly taking a turn for the better! For the more upscale, at the very least.
Nose: nothing else smells like this. Ethereal orchard fruits and cracked black pepper; a lot of it -- more than in the 40yo. But we mostly see pressed currants, marzipan, and an extreme depth.
Mouth: amazing. Balanced, fruity (currants again), still displaying lots of pepper (too much for PS). This is clearly not the right setting for this kind of elegant whisky (what with our being outdoor), yet it still shines brightly.
Finish: refined smoke, gentle sherry.
Comment: amazeballs. It warms up one's soul like a 44yo single malt from the isle of Skye. All the same, my memory of the 40yo is better. This has more sherry, and that is simply less my thing, these days. 9/10

Tam's Dram (unknown ABV, cask sample): this comes from the living cask of (one of) the founder(s) of Scotch Whisky Auction. Nothing is known about it: it comes in a plain sample bottle.
Nose: nutty marzipan and wax.
Mouth: teeming with cinnamon, it is rather desiccating and earthy.
Finish: long, ends in a show of herbs and liqueur.
Comment: am I beyond notes, or am I simply not very enthused by this? 6/10

Next is one from this year's Special Releases.

Cameron Bridge 26yo b.2022 (56.2%, OB Special Releases 2022, Refill American Oak Casks): datz ryte: Cameron Bridge, not the bastardised Cameronbridge. It is the name of the distillery, after all.
Nose: custard, vanilla, coconut yoghurt. Is this a grain? One would be forgiven for thinking so.
Mouth: there is a gentle herbaceousness to complement more custard. Imagine mint thrown into a bowl of vanilla custard.
Finish: gentian and mentholated coconut cream. 7/10

Colin Dunn {in answer to PS's pulling a bottle from a bag]: "I can resist anything, except Brora."
tOMoH: "Is that an Oscar Wilde quote?"
Colin Dunn: "No, it's his brother Jimmy. He used to clean my car."

Cavalier66: "I'm getting a lot of dung in this."
tOMoH: "Coling Dung. Perfect for Chinese speakers."

Brora 23yo 1981/2005 (48%, William Maxwell Dun Bheagan, Refill Sherry Butt, C#1512, 648b):
Nose: inky at first, it soon offers currants. It is not really smoky, rather closer to Demerara-sugar caramel. An hour in, it comes across as vaguely meaty.
Mouth: Oloroso, with some earth and chewy rubber.
Finish: big, long, full of prunes, currants, and a dollop of mud.
Comment: JS does not care for this. It is not the most impressive Brora there is, but it has its strengths -- chiefly that it is a decent Oloroso-matured whisky. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

More bottles materialise, among which an unmarked Springbank from cask #444. Thanks, BB; unfortunately, I will never get to try it.

tOMoH [to Colin Dunn]: "I hate Cambus. I love the taste, but it gives me a headache -- inevitably. The only three exceptions are a 31yo by Cadenhead, a 35yo by Hunter Laing for Park Avenue Liquor Shop, and the 40yo official bottling."
Cavalier66: "Funny, considering the old Cambus ad: 'Not a headache in a gallon.'"
Colin Dunn: "You should attend my Cambus tasting: two Panadol with each dram!"

PS: "Cambus did not use maize, except for the years they used maize."
Colin Dunn: "It's a-maize-ing."
Colin Dunn: "It's a bit corn-y, I hear."

Yup. That kind of nights.

There are more to try, but I have hit my limit, and want to go home before I make bad decisions. For the last half hour or so, I hear Dunn tell TH that they need to go, that someone is waiting for them elsewhere, and that MSo will sort out transport. All the same, they are still there when tOMoH leaves the building. Half a dozen of those good folks are plotting to meet at the SMWS tomorrow; only one will show up, various excuses rolling in as the day grows older. :)

Someone steals my notebook, while I am not paying attention:
the end of my notes read the above
in someone else's handwriting (the only bit you can read)

PS shows the world he has more than one t-shirt
by lending one to DW

11/11/2022 Springbank

Springbank 10yo 2011/2021 (51.6%, OB Local Barley, Bourbon Casks, 15000b, 21/207): nose: here is a raw, distillate-driven (argh!) nose if I ever smelled one. Dry green grapes are first, white wine (Chenin blanc), and apple cider for a starting whiff that evolves to become something warmer and somewhat more welcoming. Smoked apples, wood fire, ashes are all subtle, yet contribute to a lovely feeling that the initial impression did not let on. Green grapes make a comeback, now softer, sweeter, and lukewarm, maybe augmented with a spoonful of plum jam. Very far away, a gentle smell of harvest hovers (hay, straw, dust), reminding us that it is a Springbank we are having. The second nose adds vegetation -- reeds, gorse, bulrush, saltmarshes in a drought. A drop of water reveals pink toothpaste -- either one for kids, strawberry flavoured, or an abrasive, eco-friendly one. Mouth: woah! Woah! Woah! Woah! Dry as an old limestone wall. Sauvignon blanc, then teriyaki sauce on charred chicken skin. We also have a copious dose of salt, overly-baked terracotta, and burnt rubber. It is certainly interesting, but pretty hard. Too dry for tOMoH. The second sip cranks up the bitterness with dandelion stems. Even the buttercup petals, and a late-coming mentholated honey do not turn this around. It is more mellow with H₂O, perhaps it adds a dash of chocolate, yet it is still rocky, and hard like a dry white wine. Finish: it redeems itself a little, here, as it regains some complexity. It is still dry and bitter, showcasing charcoal, burnt rubber and charred nigella seeds, but the finish also brings back a subtle fruitiness -- charred grape pips and a drop of grape juice. Further sips are increasingly numbing and chewy in equal measure, very much like a visit to the dentist's: on one hand, we find anaesthetics, on the other, it is that putty used to mould a cast of one's teeth. Both seem sprinkled with droplets of too dry a white wine. Water gives it the feel of a drywall that has been rained on, and is superficially humid as a result. Hm. I cannot understand why this is so popular. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, WK)

05/11/2022 Banffire Night 2022

Brig o' Banff (70° Proof, W. G. Paterson & Son, b. ca 1970s): an oddity that even Philip Morrice seems to know nothing about. W. G. Paterson & Son are/were based in Banff, so it is possible that this was sold exclusively locally. It is a blend, by the way, and I have no way of ascertaining whether it contains any Banff. But then, why would it not? In the 1970s, when this was possibly bottled, Banff was not exactly as sought after as it is today... Anyway, today is the day to try this! Nose: OME in full swing, with cardboard, pickled nuts and blotting paper, as well as a soft metallic whiff. That last one grows bolder, with copper coins, both old and new, adjustable wrenches, and tin caps maculated with jam -- stale quince paste and raspberry jelly. It has something spicier and rootier about it too, subtle mustard seeds, and (very) tame horseradish sauce. The second nose has woodworm, a drop of wood varnish, and shy fruits -- baked guava and star fruit share the space with brown apples, now. Yum! That metal lick remains, though it is more and more distant. Mouth: a toffee-heavy attack, caramel coulis, honey-glazed fudge and Mackintosh's Toffee Penny. It is fairly mellow on the tongue (at 70° Proof, and with that fill level, who could be surprised?), but rather pleasant. The second sip adds a minor note of cardboard, or papier mâché, to be accurate, and a cup of oat "milk" with a handful of coins. After several minutes of swirling around the mouth, a gentle fruitiness appears, tinned pineapple slices and tinned peaches enjoying some emphasis. The tin is fairly apparent, yet it does not spoil the fruit. Coming back to it ten hours after opening the bottle, the mouth will pick up gingery orange rinds, and a soft note of menthol. Finish: it appears to have lost none of its potency, despite the low-ish level. We have more toffee (wheelbarrows of it), gooey fudge, and generous caramel flan, yet also other things -- things such as herbs and coins, this time slowly-but-surely covered in Verdigris. The herbs are harder to pinpoint; parsley, maybe? Chives? Probably the latter, juicy, yet discreet. The second gulp is in the same vein, though it welcomes a (blurry) tropical fruit -- tinned pineapple again, baked carambola and Korean-pear slices, all doused in melted toffee, it goes without saying. Well, what an outstanding ancient blend! I would bet it has a high-malt content, and likely plenty of Banff. What else, though? 8/10