Our good friends at Cask Trade are hosting the preview of the Phillips' 20th Century to Now collection, which is being auctioned in a couple of days. Why would they do that? Well, to cross-pollinate, probably: whisky enthusiasts will be exposed to paintings and sculptures that they might otherwise be unaware of, and art buffs will have a chance to try whiskies offered by a company that sells casks. It is a good way to bring investors from two separate worlds together.
But enough with those considerations! tOMoH and JS are here for the whisky. The art pieces are a nice visual support only. The delicious canapés represent more of a pull for me.
By the way, we are standing and socialising, so notes are brief.
Indiana Rye Whiskey 4yo b.2022 (56.7%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Oak Barrel, 240b, 22/56): nose: tree-bark syrup, Irn Bru, an odd sort of wood glue, but also melting rubber. Without claiming familiarity with Rye whisk(e)y, this is in line with what little I know of that category. Mouth: ginger and nutmeg power this intense Irn Bru concoction. That said, there is also orange wine and dill (JS). Finish: this kicks like only American whiskeys do; bright, sharp, and long-lasting, it leaves a quaint blend of dill and orange wine in the mouth. 7/10
Ardnamurchan 6yo 2015/2022 (60.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 228b, 22/152): nose: immensely peaty -- dry peat, with crusty earth and smoked ham, rather than any cattle-ranch shenanigan, or maritime nuances. Mouth: it is much more palatable than the nose suggested, displaying Cotton Candy grapes trampled into mud. Past the initial and fairly mellow impression, it also gains a hefty dose of red-chilli powder. Hardly surprising, considering the ABV. Finish: long and warming, it stops just short of being fiery. 7/10
Bunnahabhain 40yo 1980/2020 (45.2%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Refill Sherry Butt): nose: timid banana purée, squashed raspberries, and nail-varnish remover. Perhaps we also pick up stem ginger, in the long run, though it is delicate. Mouth: it seems mellow, with a creamy texture that carries steamed plantain and caramel flan. Finish: long, quaffable, a conveyor belt of smashed banana and delicious custard, augmented with a drop of Irn Bru. 8/10
Ben Nevis 8yo 2013/2022 (57.1%, Regent Street Cask Bottlers, Octave, C#3114): nose: plasticine, cake dough, toothpaste. It gains in sweetness and minty character with time, and there is a whiff of rose petals and mild coffee too. Mouth: marzipan-y and Cognac-y in equal measures at first, it opens up to hot pineapple paste and delicate stem ginger. Finish: long, assertive, characterful, without being a hairy mess, like so many Ben Nevises. Souped-up white wine, lychee shavings, and rose petals in a cup of joe. 7/10
Speyside 23yo 1992/2015 (56.8%, Milroys Soho Selection, ex-South African Fortified Wine French Oak Butt, C#1, 300b): the initial whiff is big, hairy, musky in an animal way, and obviously powered by a boisterous wine cask. That disappears after ten minutes, though Patras wine makes a later appearance. In the meantime, we have ginger powder sprinkled on custard. Why would you? Well, because it works. It has a drop of heady perfume too that is pleasant indeed. Papier mâché is next, before the nose eventually lands on custard. Mouth: creamy, custard-y, yet spicy too. Only a couple of seconds on the tongue and it starts shining. It is not long before burnt toffee rocks up. Finish: massive, ripe with unsubtle rancio, fortified wine, and hair balls. Further sips have toffee, which makes the whole easier. This deserves 7/10, but the complexity and bonkers aspects push me to give it 8/10
Cambus 32yo 1988/2021 (45.1%, Regent Street Cask Bottlers, Bourbon Hogshead): nose: tinned pineapple in custard, apricots, and peaches. It smells enticing, yet I will not go further for fear of jeopardising tomorrow with a headache.
Glenrothes 20yo 1997/2018 (54.4%, Master of Malt, Refill > Oloroso Hogshead > Octave, 95b, b#33): released in 2023, this is one of MoM's rebottlings of Boutique-y whiskies, presumably. Nose: it is a buttery one -- a modern Glenrothes, yet it does not lack in the pepper department either. There are even crushed juniper berries. Smashed strawberries come later on. Mouth: big and hot, full of cured ginger and hot cranberry compote. The spices become almost unbearable, so hot they are -- like biting into peppercorns, or juniper berries. Finish: buttery, spicy, even hot, it is showered in herbs (oregano, sage), and dried-chilli flakes. 7/10
Union 5yo b.2022 (58.4%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Bourbon Barrel, 258b, 22/203): first Brazilian whisky, here -- yay. Nose: astonishingly peaty, musky, loaded with silt and mud cakes. Mudflats, river banks. It is not particularly refined, but I know many people will love this profile. Mouth: surprisingly approachable, it quickly adds a fiery galangal paste to an otherwise plasticine-like texture. This is chewy and a half, like mud cakes on steroids. When the spices calm down, not much occurs, bar all the mud. Finish: muddy, boggy, peaty, and a little ashy. Here too, it is rather unsubtle, but it does the trick like a young Staoisha, even if it is not really my preferred style. The second sip brings about cured meat. 6/10
What a nice opportunity to try confidential bottlings and admire artworks!
Still in Franconia, we have a second tasting, themeless, this one, but ambitious nonetheless. MV, AV, JS, OHH, MHH, Port Ardbeg and I are still there, but MBbn had to leave early yesterday, replaced by none other than our cavalier66.
We open all the bottles to let them breathe. The first one's cork breaks off at the wooden base, and the remaining bit has shrunk so much that it risks falling into the neck. Not even tOMoH's Magic Technique™ (a vacuum cleaner) does the trick. It causes hilarity, though -- and embarrassment, as I initially fail to operate the sucking device. In the end Port Ardbeg gives up and pushes the cork into the bottle. Splash.
At least, we know the bottle is genuine
A modest line-up indeed
Banff 33yo 1975/2009 (44.2%, Gentle Noses, Bourbon Cask, C#1490, 120b) (Port Ardbeg): Jack Wieber is not explicitly mentioned anywhere; the stopper seal states "Bisk Lee", and it seems other bottlings in the same range have "Jack Lee," "Jumping Foo," "Po Foo," or "Mao Lee." Go figure. I am convinced it is a collaboration between Wieber and the other bloke on the label, and that is why I state Gentle Noses as the bottler, rather than the collection. Live with it. Nose: quintessential Banff, with woody tones (galangal shavings) and mustard powder. There is also some custard and a little fruit (tropical, say the others). Dunnage warehouse, dried lemongrass, white-wood sawdust. Ten or fifteen minutes in, we see white orchard fruit enter the scene (quince, crumbly pear), as do berries and propolis. Time pushes this nose closer to banana, which I like. Mouth: mellow at first, it mixes pepper and berries so dark they may as well by liquorice boot laces. The texture is creamy, not unlike a thinned-out horseradish sauce. There are some herbs too, here. The second sip is squashed banana, sprinkled with dried oregano. Finish: balanced, creamy, fruity, here is smashed apricot. Further sips present the same banana as on the nose -- Banffana, obviously. The initial woody notes are reduced to a discreet dusting of sawdust. 9/10
vs.
Banff 39yo 1975/2015 (46.8%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS 15024, 89b, b#47) (MV): nose: this smells more austere, with limescale on a stainless-steel sink. Breathing allows esters to come out, as well as desert dirt. It walks towards a spicier edge, before spouting fruits (dried apricots, mixed peel), yet also frankly-woody things (namely balsawood and sawdust). Mouth: birch sawdust on marmalade. It is mellow to start with, but it grows in intensity, with nutmeg and white pepper. The next sip has pollen on top of the sawdust. There is something bitterer too that I cannot put my finger on. Finish: the woodiness is a lot to take in, now -- almost too much. It is not so much mustard as it is sawdust and nutmeg, easily smothering any fruit. In fact, it is borderline tannic. Long, drying, it flirts with crushed bay leaves. I may go up to 9 in different circumstances, but for tonight... 8/10
Balblair 1966/2007 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, JF/FJC) (OHH): nose: metal, herbs, flint, and fruit. Bracken, juniper, hay bales, cut apart and strewn on pebbles in a courtyard. There is a splintery woodiness, and mayonnaise about to turn. Finally, it settles for wooden shelves. Mouth: creamy and toffee-like, here are caramel and warm fudge, still liquid, before it sets. We have a very faint impression of bay leaves too (again!?) that leaves lichen on the teeth, but mostly it is caramel. It is fruitier in further sips, displaying oranges and marmalade. Finish: a good serving of caramel-coated toffee, augmented with crushed bay leaves and menthol. Next sips unleash more bitter marmalade than one can shake a stick at -- lemon marmalade too. 9/10
vs.
Tomatin 1966/2011 (46.9%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Sherry Butt, C#MoS 11021, 122b) (MV): nose: wood stain, menthol, cold cola (cavalier66), candied apples, caramelised orchard fruits, cassis liqueur, dunnage warehouse. Mouth: wonderful, rich, it has berry juice and pressed cherries -- not maraschino, but not far off. Finish: simple, a little one-note, but it is elegant without a doubt. Booze-soaked cherries, mostly, with vague remnants of varnish thinner. 8/10
Glenallachie 39yo 1973/2013 (48.9%, Maltbarn #13, Bourbon Cask, 51b) (cavalier66): nose: intense, it has wood dust and white fruit -- white peach and crunchy pear. There seems to be a thin veil of smoke that supplements nail lacquer. In the long run, it goes darker and earthier, with pressed elderberry and cured apricot. Mouth: velvety, full and rounded, it has chestnut purée and cherry preserve, riding on a thick texture. This is dense alright! Finish: elegant, but powerful, with more cherries and raspberries, cured peaches, cherry compote -- that sort of things. It may not be overly complex, but it is excellent. Scratch that! The second sip has a more explosive fruitiness propelled by a kick of rubber that really elevates this. I like it as much as the first time. 9/10
vs.
Cragganmore 29yo 1973/2003 (52.5%, OB Special Edition, 6000b, b#2877) (OHH): nose: excessively savoury, it showcases beef stew, Bovril, brine, and pickled onions. It is a really hard nose, closer to the Macallan Full Proof from the other day than to any Cragganmore I have had. It mellows out a bit, given lots of time. Thankfully. Mouth: blueberries and nectarines. The texture is waxy and chewy, while at the same time gently acidic. The second sip has honey with a drop of lemon juice. What a departure from that nose! Finish: big and warming, it clings to the tonsils, with melted honey and honeyed chestnuts. Good, after a worrying start. The nose is nose my thing, but it shines after that. 8/10
Dessert is served: vanilla ice cream with a dash of Eierlikör made by AV's hairdresser. Delicious, and spot on at this point in the line-up, on this hot, muggy June night.
Vanilla ice cream with a dash of homemade Eierlikör
Brora 1972/1997 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, IG/ABC) (Port Ardbeg): nose: boom! Ashy farmyard, dried manure, cow stables, and cow dung so dried it could self-combust at any moment. Cigarette ash, scorched earth, spent wick, and extinguished candles join the dance. Several hours later, coming back to it as a final dram, it still explodes with farm-y and ashy scents. Mouth: the reduction can be felt, a little, like OHH suggested a minute ago, yet it packs a punch. It retains some candle wax to supplement a huge farmyard influence, though this time, there is also a clear hessian-sack note. Later on, it feels more mellow, with honey, tangerines, yellow kiwis, buddha's hands, and steamed potatoes with unsalted butter. Finish: long, ashy, farm-y and earthy. Later sipping brings an almost-inky note, as well as yellow fruits aplenty (mirabelle plum, peach, nectarine), as if they had fallen onto a muddy farm path. This is incredible. As good as the 1992 bottling, and it will remain the dram of the day, for me. 10/10
vs.
Brora 30yo b.2002 (52.4%, OB Natural Cask Strength, 3000b, b#2361) (Port Ardbeg): nose: others do not find this farm-y at all, but I disagree. Perhaps not cow stables per se, yet, for me, it has burnt hessian sacks and hot tractor tyres, both of which I associate with the farm. Beside that, spent wick, torched nail lacquer, and crushed rocks. Yup! Although it is not what initially dominates, it develops a right minerality. Port Ardbeg can detect no smoke at all, and I disagree again, as illustrated by the spent wick. Extended breathing allows more smoke to come out. Hours later, lemon and limescale also appear. Mouth: big and drying, it confirms the mineral side with quarry chippings, before unveiling the ashes of burnt cow dung. The second sip has ginger, cinnamon, and smoked red cherries. Finish: huge, drying, it exhibits a strong minerality again -- more rocks and quarry chippings. The second sip, on the other hand, is full of thick, tarry smoke, tractor diesel and burnt tyres. 9/10
It reads 'Brora', but it is pronounced 'Win'
Glen Grant 1972/2019 (50.9%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Sherry Hogshead, C#MoS19024, 21b, b#18) (MV): he is in full MoS mode, our MV, is he not? Nose: incredibly present, after the two immense Broras. It has chestnut shells, pencil erasers, crusty bread (!), and acerbic citrus. The second nose has cut peach, and it becomes fruitier and fruitier with each subsequent nosing. Mouth: red-cherry compote, and rooibos tea. It turns bitter and drying like an over-infused tea. Finish: a lick of chocolate coats a boiled-berries compote. Very nice, this, despite the irrefutable bitterness on the palate. 8/10
vs.
Glen Grant 39yo 1972/2011 (51.2%, Jack Wiebers Whisky World, Refill Sherry Cask, C#38202, 256b, b#201) (Port Ardbeg): nose: fermented clementines left on the coal stove. Maybe it is accompanied by a dollop of milk chocolate, but it is subdued. Truth be told, overall, the nose is discreet. Mouth: a rather sharp attack gives way to ashy cherry compote. The stones were removed, burnt, and their ashes strewn over the crushed fruit. Finish: big, it brings back the fermented fruit (nectarines, this time), oddly enough. We also have distant coffee beans to impart an earthy bitterness. 8/10
More dessert. The tub of ice cream is in another wing of the building, so we get chocolate-coated cones with Eierlikör. Not as successful a combination as with the ice cream, but beggars etc.
Old Fettercairn 34yo 1975/2009 (57.2%, Whisky-Fässle Limited Edition, Bourbon Cask) (Port Ardbeg): nose: melted chocolate, oily roasted rye, sourdough, then, a dollop of minty shoe polish takes off, straight out of a tin. It veers closer and closer to mint. Mouth: woah! An immediate bitterness seizes the taste buds. A little swirling around confirms that bitterness, which seems to come from white-hot metal. Fortunately, nuts come to the rescue to restore some balance -- almonds, macadamia, hazelnut, bitter, yet also creamy. That seems darker upon further sipping, with Brazil and Kluwak nuts. Finish: nut liqueur and crushed oily macadamia. It gets sweeter over time, now teeming with plump grapes, sweet and crunchy. "Lovely Bettercairn," says JS. Likely to fare even better in less-illustrious company. 8/10
vs.
Ardbeg 28yo 1972/2000 (49.2%, Kingsbury Hand Writing) (Port Ardbeg): nose: tarry ropes, ink (JS), but it is not ink-city (cavalier66). Crushed chalk, crushed dolmas, encrusted in tarry ropes. The next nose has stone-baked rye bread, soot, then coffee beans. Mouth: liqueur-infused mocha custard, sprinkled with a pinch of ash. Incredibly, it manages to stay sweet at the same time, a bit like a 1983 Port Ellen (Moon Import, anyone?) Suddenly, and fleetingly, a wave of dark ink crashes on all that, and then disappears. It is really a mad mix of sweetness, soot, coal dust, and ink. Finish: huge. Indian ink, hessian, old rope, old fishing nets, diesel and black rubber. As cavalier66 observes, it may not be as complex or as classy as C#3038 or C#2738, and it is hard to to tell how this one would fare against those without trying them back to back (which we will not do), but boy! does it tick my boxes, tonight? 10/10
No-one ever finds out how to switch the lights on
JS [to cavalier66 who is trying the Karuizawa from Monday and explaining the technical details]: "You know your Noh!"
Port Ellen MoS-PS001 (57.2%, Malts of Scotland Private Stock, Refill Sherry Hogshead, 104b, b#55) (MV): nose: lots of ink and diesel, as well as lovely, smoky wax. With time, it becomes more maritime (as one would expect), with sea air and smoked mussels. Mouth: oh! yes, it is waxy alright. That wax is quickly joined by chewy dried apricots, and ashy mussels. Chewing on it adds crushed mussel shells, then petrol with a pinch of white sugar. Finish: it is hugely petrolic -- mussel shells overcome by a black tide, black sands, burnt wax, and ashes. It is a very long finish if I know one. It is, however, mildly annoying that, as last year, I am not in the best dispositions to make good notes about this cracking dram. You know? After twelve drams? 9/10
vs.
Port Ellen 24yo 1982/2007 (59.6%, Whisky-Fässle Limited Edition for Whiskystammtisch Rebstock Biberach / Riß, Fino Sherry Cask) (Port Ardbeg): nose: extremely fiery at first, all burning wheat fields and empty pastures that have not seen rain for a season (a bit like life outside, in other words). It has ink too, marker pens, and a drop of ultra-dry white wine (grenache blanc, albariño). This is ashy, ashy, ashy. The second nose has forest-y tones and cypress hedges. Mouth: a bit sweeter on the arrival, the mouth has wheat beer crystallising in an ashtray. It is rather fiery too, with barley syrup hardly covering hot embers and cigarette ash, still red in the ashtray. This is fairly anaesthetising, even medicinal: it numbs the palate, even though a certain sweetness survives. The next sip is perhaps sweeter, though still pretty fierce -- maybe minty boiled sweets? It is not quite peppermint, much to my relief. Finish: what a punch in the kisser! The palate is still tickling from that all-powerful mouth when the finish simply smacks you in the face, relentlessly and continuously. It is a fighter alright, which is no major surprise, considering this teases the 60% mark. Blue mentholated gel comes up, after a bit, then frozen tar, old rubber (wet suits left in the garage for over a decade, and crumbling as a result), and hot decrepit boilers. 8/10
Most go to bed -- it is past 3:00, after all. cavalier66, MV and I go outside, but it is chilly and we are a bit loud; I do not want to disturb the neighbour who has shown herself to be difficult already. I am soon back in to finish my drams, then I hit the sack. Phew.
What a night! As often in these tastings, the generosity on display was exemplary. That someone we have never met would happily pour (or let us pour ourselves, in fact) such special bottles is heart-warming and inspiring. Of course, the whisky community has always been welcoming and keen to share (knowledge as well as liquid), but with the explosion in popularity and prices, in recent years, it is something that is observed more rarely or less openly than before. That makes these shindigs all the more special.
A couple of months ago, MV and AV transformed an open invitation into a specific event, with the precise programme one should expect from Teutonic organisers. Thus, MV, AV, JS, Port Ardbeg, MBbn, OHH, MHH and tOMoH meet in a remote location in Franconia for a few drams. Tonight, the first night, is dedicated to everyone's favourite (or not) distillery: Macallan.
AV has been busy manning the grill and keeping everyone out of the kitchen: her territory. The evening starts with a welcome drink (a glass of bubbly) and canapés (a homemade cheese-and-onion mixture, and a finely-ground-sausage-meat spread; the original names escape me). Yum!
Not long thereafter, we are ushered in for dinner. but before that, we build the line-up and open the bottles to let them breathe.
Port Ardbeg gets to show off his cork-extracting skills...
...several times
Many times
Out of nowhere, Port Ardbeg produces a bottle whose label is covered with a blank sheet. I can just about spot the bottler's logo, printed on the glass. Port Ardbeg: "Since MV is from 1966, we will have a whisky from 1966. You tell me what you think it is." He will give several clues ("It is an old distillery"), but one sniff and JS and I recognise the provenance. tOMoH: "Well, the distillery obviously dates from 1779, but the question is: which cask is it? 3316, 3317, or 3318?"
OHH and MBbn are particularly incredulous. They are too polite to call me the cocky ignorant I probably come across as. When, at last, I say 'Bowmore', Port Ardbeg pulls the sheet of paper and reads the cask number: 3318. My co-tasters go from incredulous to dumbfounded. I succumbed to the appeal of showing off at the first dram. Ahem.
Bowmore 40yo 1966/2006 (43.9%, Duncan Taylor, C#3318, 164b, b#121) (Port Ardbeg): nose: nail varnish, lacquer, and... Well, it is bursting with mango, papaya, and smashed apricot, is it not? I have a sip, and, of course, I love it. However, I do not want to peak too early, so I put it to the side for later. I cannot resist coming back to it once in a while -- neither can JS, who dips her nose in the glass between all the drams. Nose (again): calamansi, yuzu, and a whiff of tar, in the back. Mouth: a sour, vinegar-y note, tarry rubber, and petrol barely conceal ridiculously-ripe mangoes and citrus peel, as if liquorice boot laces had been sunk in fruit nectar. Finish: a humbling balance, despite the modest ABV. It is a mix of rubbery tar and barbecued fruit, augmented with a dollop of nail lacquer. But the fruit!... Mangoes, jack fruits, greengages... Phwoar! We start with this? Provisional 10/10
Not one to be defeated, MV pulls out another 1966 bottle from his game bag -- one that we know from last year. In fact, we tried it one year ago to the day.
Glen Mhor 44yo 1966/2011 (52.1%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve exclusively bottled for van Wees, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#3690, 133b, b#102, AA/JGIF) (MV): nose: it is much more austere, with flint and shiny metal, but also putty, lemon menthol, Scotch-Brite pads, and washing-up liquid. Madly, it all works, and the overall impression is very positive. Mouth: rocky, gravel-y. Here are pebbles, flint, Verdigris, and oxidised copper, as well as orchard fruits turning green. Strangely enough, it carries on with crushed Aspirin, or Alka-Seltzer. Finish: big, long, in the same line as the nose and the palate, with Verdigris, lichen, old staves, and clear wood spices: ginger, grated lemongrass, and hot cinnamon (eh?) There is cedar wood, in the long run. Phwoar! What an excellent drop! I like it even better than last year, I think. 10/10
Then, we eat: artisanal sausages and pork steaks from the barbecue, augmented with homemade, whisky-cured barbecue sauce, courtesy of OHH. Finger-licking good, if perhaps poor in vegetables.
Delicious bread, too
Finally, we attack the Macallans.
Some call this: work
To start off, MV tells how, some years ago, Macallan obtained very old bottles and replicated the taste of the liquid inside. I point out that those very old bottles have been certified as fake, and so the whole Replica range reproduces fake whiskies (post-1950s liquid). There always has to be a smartarse, and one can count on the Old Man of Huy to be that person.
The Macallan 1841 Replica (41.7%, OB Replica, 43 x Sherry Butts, 27402b, b.2002) (MV): nose: balsamic vinegar, pickled onions, cured meat with herbes de Provence, unroasted peanuts, and hairy sherry. I find this not very refined. Mouth: more pickled onions, then pressed grapes mixed with prunes, and a lick of blackcurrant. Yes, that means a mild bitterness. Finish: it is sweeter, here, with more of those prunes, and blackcurrants, now augmented with the bitterness of vine. The balsamic vinegar is still there. 6/10
vs.
The Macallan 1861 Replica (42.7%, OB Replica, 17000b, b.2002) (Port Ardbeg): nose: we have some faintly-smoky fresh fruits, such as red apple, or candied apple. In the distance, a whiff of squashed raspberries is a welcome addition. Mouth: prunes, unripe dates, a chewy blueberry paste, and currants. It is so chewy it is too much, in my opinion. Finish: earthy, chocolate-y, full of chewy dark currants. A clear step-up from the 1841, but still no winner. 7/10
How does it smell in a dickhead glass, then?
Port Ardbeg: "I do not like those. I would never buy those replicas." MV: "Erm, one of them is yours..." Port Ardbeg: "Yes, but if it were not for the experiment, I would never buy this sort of bottles."
The Macallan 18yo 1979/1997 (40%, OB Gran Reserva, Sherry Casks) (MV): nose: ah! Another league. We have a superb rancio, relating to an outstanding sherry. Earth, cocoa powder, staves, once soaked in wine, now dried to a dusty piece of wood. It is pretty musky too. It turns and swirls on its way up the nostrils to reveal balsamico, fruit tea, or fruity tobacco. Mouth: in the attack, we see chocolate-covered lychee and orange marmalade, part bitter, part sweet, part juicy. Finish: prunes, oily tobacco, earth, and a spoonful of coffee grounds, which stops this scoring higher for me. At last, blackberry preserve, and elderberry cordial. Great Macallan. I have been curious about those Gran Reserva bottlings for a bit; this one did not disappoint. 8/10
vs.
Macallan 1975/2001 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt, JA/CEE) (Port Ardbeg): nose: it is the most complex, so far, with char, soot, and washing-up liquid (in a good way) joining caramelised pastry. Beside that, we have oilskins, liquorice bootlaces, and even lychee and blueberry. Mouth: sweet sherry through and through. Sweetened currants, dried figs, sweet wine -- it seems too light for Pedro Ximénez, and too sweet for Fino; I am inclined to say Manzanilla. The second sip bursts with lychee and green grapefruit, or pomelo. Finish: long and sweet, it is ripe with raspberry preserve and soot by the shovelful. The ping-pong from sweet to sooty is impressive. 9/10
The Macallan 18yo 1971/1989 (43%, OB imported and distributed by Giovinetti & Figli, Sherry Oak Casks) (Port Ardbeg): nose: this one has a pronounced woodiness, with tree bark, but also old oilskins, and mocha custard. It gets fruitier with time -- a chewy, chemically-fruity paste. Mouth: maple syrup, cypress sap, dark honey from mountain evergreen. Finish: dark honey, caramelised maple syrup, pine cones, and earthy-sweet tones. 8/10
Macallan 1972/2008 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt, JH/ACB) (MV): nose: gingerbread, dark earth, black cardamom, though less intense, soft liquorice, then dark, dried fruits (prunes, dates, currants). Mouth: cinnamon powder in fortified wine. Tawny Port and flat cola. Surprisingly enough, I have never tried them together. This is potent, sweet and earthy. Finish: long and dark, it has this indescribable blend of sweet, fortified wine and earth, which probably spells elderberry, prunes, liquorice... and candied black cardamom. This is another killer. 9/10
Macallan 1966/2014 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt, AC/AGIF) (MV): nose: leather belts, dark woods, somewhere between cypress and ebony (iroko? Ipe?), jasmine, black cumin, lychee. It becomes more flowery with time, unveiling forsythia and honeysuckle, which pushes this nose closer to that of an old Cognac. Green grapes is next, then sandalwood, and bone-dry orange peels. The second nose brings out orange juice spilled onto dark earth. And suet. Unless that is the men's sweat? It is effing hot, after all, on this Monday night. Mouth: dark marmalade, stem ginger, poached or stewed oranges. The second sip has set sycamore honey, spiced up with ground black cumin. :-O Finish: earthy, intense, it presents a pinch of coffee grounds and distant leather amidst an unhealthy dose of caramelised marmalade. Perhaps we have crème brûlée too (MV keeps mentioning it, so it may be mere suggestion). Cough syrup is here too (JS). This one walks a tight rope, yet stays on the right side of woody. I cannot claim familiarity with this GMP collection, but the three tonight blow me away. 9/10
The Macallan 10yo Full Proof (57%, OB imported and distributed by Giovinetti & Figli, Sherry Casks, b.1980s) (Port Ardbeg): nose: we are back on the same territory as that of dram #1, with pickled onions and vinegar, dried-out cornichons. Further nosing does not change this much. Sour as fook. Mouth: this is full-on sherry on the palate, sickly-sweet Manzanilla, or orange wine. Further sips are more acidic, but also sweet. JS notes cough syrup. Finish: reasonably sweet at first, it soon becomes overly so, sickly and hairy like a ball of wool dipped into cough syrup. This one is definitely not for me. 6/10
vs.
The Macallan 10yo 100 Proof (57%, OB, Sherry Casks, MDF 023, b.1990s) (MV): nose: it is very similar, yet it seems to have more earth and less vinegar, which is good news, as far as tOMoH is concerned. It is a bit cleaner a nose, in summary. Mouth: dry and bitter, like chocolate powder. Desiccating, in fact, and without virtually none of that sickly sweetness the previous one had. Finish: following a string of drams all with a modest ABV, this one has no problem showing its true colour: bulldozer yellow. Sure, the finish has cola, but above all, it punches one in the kisser. I prefer this one. 7/10
Port Ardbeg: "We've drunk lots of sherry and dark-sherry whiskies. We haven't yet had a very-dark-sherry whisky tonight. And I happen to have one here, from Glen Grant."
Glen Grant 33yo 1975/2019 (50.5%, Jack Wiebers Whisky World, Very Dark Sherry Cask, 230b, b#214) (Port Ardbeg): nose: intense sherry, with dark-wood splinters, cut cypress, and iroko shavings. It is woody and a half, and rich in spices that come with said wood (cassia bark, bay leaves, ground cloves). Mouth: sweet, it has blackberries, blackcurrant jam, yet also a fearsome intensity, akin to biting into a black cardamom pod. Finish: dark honey, liquorice, black cumin. It stops short of nigella seeds, venturing instead on chocolate ground -- dark chocolate, at least 95% cocoa. It turns earthy and bitter over time. It stays good, but it is not for the faint of heart. 8/10
Out of a bag comes the next bottle. It is a big one.
Karuizawa Multi-Vintages #1 b.2011 (59.1%, Number One Drinks Company Noh Whisky selected by La Maison du Whisky, Sherry Butts & Bourbon Casks, C#6405+4973+8184+6437, 1500b) (Port Ardbeg): nose: in typical Karuizawa style, this is super concentrated, frighteningly intense, and overly extractive, with tons of splinters, and ladles of shoe polish. The second nose adds a lick of soft smoke and waxy apricot paste. Mouth: it is surprisingly approachable, with prunes, dates, and figs (dried, of course). Keeping it on the tongue for a few seconds guarantees a hole in the muscle, however: this is like (purple) Listerine, after all. Later on, we have molten blueberry-scented plasticine, then a type of wood paste. Finish: it prolongs the palate (and then some) with a similar intensity, and added fruits (blueberries and blackberries). This is so intense! There is clearly some fierce cough syrup to be found, a mix of cough drops and cassis liqueur. 8/10
Look at that colour!
It is late. The Karuizawa was a definite line-up closer. But of course, I still have a full glass, and I do not want it to go to waste.
Bowmore 40yo 1966/2006 (43.9%, Duncan Taylor, C#3318, 164b, b#121) (Port Ardbeg): six hours later, and this Bowmore still pisses on all the preceding drams from a comfortable altitude. It is incredible that something so much lower in ABV just crushes even the monstrous Karuizawa. It is total mango and apricot debauchery, more powerful than before, and a buttery-mango texture precedes a very long and fruity finish. Succinct notes, but all the same, I have to increase my score. 11/10
MV will finish his own dram of Bowmore tomorrow evening, and, even more than twenty-four hours after being poured, it still rocks, with more petrolic notes to make up for the (sadly) dissipating fruit.
In the meantime, the Teutons are singing Schlager at the top of their lungs, and the good mood is communicative to say the least.
Even insects want to join in
Die Draufgänger - Cordula Grün
Udo Jürgens - Bitte mit Sahne
Spliff - Carbonara
Udo Jürgens - Griechischer Wein
We disband around 1:30. Tomorrow is another fun-packed day, and we do not want to jeopardise it by overdoing it on day one.
Indiana Rye Whiskey 4yo b.2022 (56.7%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Oak Barrel, 240b, 22/56): nose: tree-bark syrup, Irn Bru, an odd sort of wood glue, but also melting rubber. Without claiming familiarity with Rye whisk(e)y, this is in line with what little I know of that category. Mouth: ginger and nutmeg power this intense Irn Bru concoction. That said, there is also orange wine and dill (JS). Finish: this kicks like only American whiskeys do; bright, sharp, and long-lasting, it leaves a quaint blend of dill and orange wine in the mouth. 7/10
Ardnamurchan 6yo 2015/2022 (60.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Barrel, 228b, 22/152): nose: immensely peaty -- dry peat, with crusty earth and smoked ham, rather than any cattle-ranch shenanigan, or maritime nuances. Mouth: it is much more palatable than the nose suggested, displaying Cotton Candy grapes trampled into mud. Past the initial and fairly mellow impression, it also gains a hefty dose of red-chilli powder. Hardly surprising, considering the ABV. Finish: long and warming, it stops just short of being fiery. 7/10
Bunnahabhain 40yo 1980/2020 (45.2%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Refill Sherry Butt): nose: timid banana purée, squashed raspberries, and nail-varnish remover. Perhaps we also pick up stem ginger, in the long run, though it is delicate. Mouth: it seems mellow, with a creamy texture that carries steamed plantain and caramel flan. Finish: long, quaffable, a conveyor belt of smashed banana and delicious custard, augmented with a drop of Irn Bru. 8/10
Ben Nevis 8yo 2013/2022 (57.1%, Regent Street Cask Bottlers, Octave, C#3114): nose: plasticine, cake dough, toothpaste. It gains in sweetness and minty character with time, and there is a whiff of rose petals and mild coffee too. Mouth: marzipan-y and Cognac-y in equal measures at first, it opens up to hot pineapple paste and delicate stem ginger. Finish: long, assertive, characterful, without being a hairy mess, like so many Ben Nevises. Souped-up white wine, lychee shavings, and rose petals in a cup of joe. 7/10
Speyside 23yo 1992/2015 (56.8%, Milroys Soho Selection, ex-South African Fortified Wine French Oak Butt, C#1, 300b): the initial whiff is big, hairy, musky in an animal way, and obviously powered by a boisterous wine cask. That disappears after ten minutes, though Patras wine makes a later appearance. In the meantime, we have ginger powder sprinkled on custard. Why would you? Well, because it works. It has a drop of heady perfume too that is pleasant indeed. Papier mâché is next, before the nose eventually lands on custard. Mouth: creamy, custard-y, yet spicy too. Only a couple of seconds on the tongue and it starts shining. It is not long before burnt toffee rocks up. Finish: massive, ripe with unsubtle rancio, fortified wine, and hair balls. Further sips have toffee, which makes the whole easier. This deserves 7/10, but the complexity and bonkers aspects push me to give it 8/10
Cambus 32yo 1988/2021 (45.1%, Regent Street Cask Bottlers, Bourbon Hogshead): nose: tinned pineapple in custard, apricots, and peaches. It smells enticing, yet I will not go further for fear of jeopardising tomorrow with a headache.
Glenrothes 20yo 1997/2018 (54.4%, Master of Malt, Refill > Oloroso Hogshead > Octave, 95b, b#33): released in 2023, this is one of MoM's rebottlings of Boutique-y whiskies, presumably. Nose: it is a buttery one -- a modern Glenrothes, yet it does not lack in the pepper department either. There are even crushed juniper berries. Smashed strawberries come later on. Mouth: big and hot, full of cured ginger and hot cranberry compote. The spices become almost unbearable, so hot they are -- like biting into peppercorns, or juniper berries. Finish: buttery, spicy, even hot, it is showered in herbs (oregano, sage), and dried-chilli flakes. 7/10
Union 5yo b.2022 (58.4%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Bourbon Barrel, 258b, 22/203): first Brazilian whisky, here -- yay. Nose: astonishingly peaty, musky, loaded with silt and mud cakes. Mudflats, river banks. It is not particularly refined, but I know many people will love this profile. Mouth: surprisingly approachable, it quickly adds a fiery galangal paste to an otherwise plasticine-like texture. This is chewy and a half, like mud cakes on steroids. When the spices calm down, not much occurs, bar all the mud. Finish: muddy, boggy, peaty, and a little ashy. Here too, it is rather unsubtle, but it does the trick like a young Staoisha, even if it is not really my preferred style. The second sip brings about cured meat. 6/10
