31/12/2024 Trio - La La La

Laphroaig QA (40%, OB, ex-Bourbon & Un-Charred American Oak Barrels, b. ca. 2024): I have a dreary memory of QA, but this is much nicer than I expected. It has barbecued courgette, scorched earth, and a dash of citrus juice. Burnt hazel follows, with a whiff of smoked ham too, hanging in the distance. When it comes to that citrus juice, it is a sweet kind, calamansi or mandarine, rather than lime, and it appears to be sprayed on oysters. Inexorably, however, tarry sands rise and rise. The second nose is in line, maybe tamer. Mouth: ooft! If it feels a tad watery, it is definitely sea water. Very salty and petrolic, it is close to a spoonful of sea water from a puddle on a tarry-sand beach. One can almost taste that characteristic rainbow-like colour pattern caused by petrol on a water surface. Chewing reveals very-shy tangerines, including the mild bitterness of their skin, though it is virtually eclipsed by sandy oysters washed with petrol. This is absurdly petrolic. And, after liquid petrol subsides a little, we find ourselves licking tyres, which is just another oil product, of course. Charred pork skewers make a late appearance, though, which restores some interest. As was the case on the nose, the second sip does not see much deviation. Oysters may turn into urchins, salty, sprinkled with sweet citrus, and covered in petrol. Finish: burnt tyre, baked rubber seals, tar. Citrus has now virtually gone, and sea water is reduced to the moisture of tarry sands. Confusingly, it does not seem long a finish, yet that rubbery, tarry note clings to the palate for dear life. Looking for it, one might detect a sooty lick from the back of a chimney, yet I reckon it is still burnt tyre instead. The second gulp gives a nice fruit turnover, baked to perfection. That is quickly overtaken by petrol-laden sea water. What is new is that lingering combination of sphagnum moss and stagnant water, one that makes me think of the Tyrone whiskey -- again, after a similar experience only last week. 7/10

Laphroaig 10yo 1994/2005 (52.5%, Creative Whisky Company Exclusive Malts): nose: incredible! The first whiff is a soured-cream punch in the face. It is not undrinkable (the cream), but the edge of the carton are turning pink, and it is time to empty it. Past that, we have warmed cardboard (clean), spring wood, drying in preparation for winter, and the most minute smoke. That is unexpected, because it felt very smoky, last time we tried it. A few minutes in, it gives pineapple skins (it is they that are gently smoked), and cut branchlets, the result of a day's pruning shrubs. It takes a lot of time and insistence before this nose turns dry, and closer to an old car's engine, with all the oxidised metals, cooked oils, and engine fumes that entails. Tilting the glass, we even note roasted barley and dusty hay. The second nose sees overheated plastic containers with rubber seals -- contents unclear; likely nuts or dried pasta, if not breakfast cereals. Billows of soft smoke emerge from those containers, surprisingly subtle. Mouth: here, the roasted barley is on steroids. It is almost a bother, actually. Chewing adds mocha pudding, then re-ignites the engine, bringing back hot, corroded metal, engine fumes, and baked oil. Caramel puffed wheat could be spot on, provided the heat to puff the wheat were generated by a diesel engine. The second sip has a chemical sweetness that is dangerously close to vulgar. Too much corn syrup, in other words. Overly-sweetened breakfast cereals and gelatinous pudding, industrial toffee or stale dehydrated Turkish delights. Finish: big, not brash, it is a bowl of mocha pudding and a cup of liqueur coffee, both made on a diesel cooker. If there is a wood fire in the house, its scent is eclipsed by that of the diesel. Smoked barley is in the background, as are toasts from yesterday, that have lost most of their fragrance, along with the appeal their freshness gave them. Repeated quaffing adds smoked toffee (not to be confused with smoked tofu), and, at last, a sign that we are still at the same distillery: stagnant water or vase water. At the same time, with the significant shift in ABV, this may well appear medicinal to some. Indeed, that greenish-greyish vase water is at such a strength that it could be mistaken for surgical or rubbing alcohol, or even an industrial cleaning agent. This is rustic, simple, and efficient. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, kruuk2)

Laphroaig 2017/2023 (58.5.%, Cask Sample, Fino Sherry Cask, C#899): nose surprisingly (or not), this could hardly be more different. Here are honeys, pouring and set, rich and luscious, and made of dark wild flowers. It has some wood too, acacia and oak, elegant and refined. Thirty minutes of breathing emphasise that with billowing cigar smoke and Sherry copitas in a wood-panelled lounge that contains teak furniture. Digging deep, we unearth some fruits too, berries of one sort or another, served on a slate. The second nose welcomes white smoke from burning paper, and a few fruit stones thrown in the flames (cherry, apricot). Mouth: it is berries central, even if they are not very ripe: strawberries, elderberries, cranberries, lingonberries, greengages, fruity and bitter. Chewing reveals a teak cabinet, or mahogany shelves, chocolate, likely filled with liqueur (is it Mon Chéri?), and axe handles polished and weathered by decades of use. It grows darker and chewier with time, and concentrates all the above into a dark paste that sticks to the teeth. The second sip presents glossy magazines, smoked maraschino cherries, and oily mahogany near the fireplace. There are hints of smoked mussels here and there, for the attentive taster to spot. Finish: well, it is certainly ripe, now, sweet and explosively fruity, if also strongly smoky. Chewy berry sweets (blackberry, blackcurrant), raisins, burnt wood and embers -- it heats up the sternum dramatically, in fact! Cigar smoke resumes its billowing, calming and comforting, and would make the absent-minded drinker miss the mossy vegetal peat or dirty vase water at the death. A recurring thread, is it not? It feels much darker, heavier, and smokier than the nose and the previous two drams were. The smoke is now that of burnt chocolate. The second gulp is woodier, with polished walnut shells, smoked Brazil nuts, and smoked maraschino cherries again. It then comes back to cigars and fortified wine (Sherry or Port). Pity this is only available by the dram  at the distillery. 8/10

I am told that is all we have time for this year. Next stop: 2025!

30/12/2024 A pair of Scapa

Scapa 12yo 2009/2022 (48.2% OB Distillery Exclusive, First Fill American Oak Barrels, 1998b, b#226, LKNS 2095): nose: softly maritime, as if eating a spoonful of vanilla pudding by the sea -- on the shore of Scapa Flow, say. However, that maritime side, if it does not fully disappear, clearly lets the sweeter aspect take over: vanilla custard, vanilla sugar, sweet shortcrust pastry, mince-pie casings. A whiff of chamomile sneaks in, and then, it changes, and takes a rubberier path. It does not turn rubbery, to be clear; stale plasticine is as far as it gets, topped with a pinch of dried herbs (oregano, mostly). Of course, this is a Scapa, so none of that shouts. No, it all sings quietly and harmoniously. The second nose introduces fluffy green grapes and white peaches, soft, fleshy and appetising. Beside the green leaves of those peaches, this brings back the salty sea air for a second round, and even adds fresh whelks. Fascinating! Mouth: bolder than expected, the palate has toffee, butterscotch, and, well, booze. One would be hard pressed to guess the meagre ABV: it tastes rather stronger. A tame bitterness teases the tongue, which I will liken to too generous a pour of herbs-infused grappa on butterscotch. Indeed, it is butterscotch's game, with boozy caramel, almost sickly. Almost. Chewing provides lichen growing on unpolished granite, and a sprinkle of quarry dust. The second sip does not deviate much. Perhaps it is more mineral than custardy, now, yet we are we are talking about similar notes, and none clearly smothers another. Chewing some more reveals pressed dark and green grapes, and blackcurrants, enhanced with a dash of lychee juice. Finish: in terms of strength, this is a masterclass of balance, low enough for even neophytes to not be put off, yet strong enough for Gauloises-sans-filtre chain-smoking Frogs to be able to feel the burn, and not call it weak. This finish recycles some of the same notes, namely butterscotch and vanilla pudding, augmented with a dash of booze and quarry chippings. The bitterness from the palate is here too, easily bested by the loch of souped-up custard. The second gulp puts the spotlight on custard, which is now borderline minty, so fresh it comes across, then adds butterscotch once more. A novelty: a wave of chocolate teases the roof of the mouth -- hazelnut chocolate, to be precise. Cannot go wrong with that, eh? 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, adc, and happy birthday)

Scapa 19yo 2000/2019 (49.9%, Chivas Brothers Distillery Reserve Collection, 1st Fill Barrel, C#26, 312b, b#38): nose: same provenance, no question about it. A faint whiff of sea breeze opens the dance, with a pinch of oregano (rosemary too, this time), and a dollop of custard. That custard takes off, with menthol in a JATO role. A few sniffs in, we find smashed blackberries and blackcurrants -- a nice addition. Deeper nosing latches on to those berry notes, and, down the rabbit hole, we detect the presence of dark smoke, albeit fairly indistinct (diesel, maybe). We come out of that smoke with newfound fruits, yellow this time: peaches and cured apricots. The second nose has Mirabelle-plum jam (or compote, since it is warm), baked peaches, and hot custard from a tin, however strange a concept that may read. All those fruits end up boiled into baby food, and become less and less distinguishable. On the other hand, cast iron emerges slowly, before crusty white bread shows up, baking in the oven. Mouth: clean and to the point, it has warm yoghurt, punctuated with slices of tinned peaches. Chewing just once infuses that with a thick black smoke, metallic as if coming out of a corroded car's exhaust pipe, acrid. It is but fleeting, however: in no time at all, we succumb to a tsunami of fruits: peaches, nectarines, Golden Delicious apples, Korean pears. It retains a gentle metallic touch throughout, and does unearth berries, eventually, brighter than on the nose (strawberries, rather than blackcurrants). The second sip is at once mellower (flower petals, watered-down fruit juices), and drier, close to licking a slate. or munching on quarry dust. That dryness is fleeting too, and minimum chewing restores the juicy-fruity glory. Golden Delicious apples come out particularly strongly, very juicy, with a tame bitterness imparted by their pips. Finish: warm peaches of the fresh kind mingle with tinned fruits. It is properly metallic, tin and stainless steel, yet the consequent bitterness is only anecdotal, akin to a lid on a jar of jam: sure, it is there, but the fruits dominate easily. One may add baked nectarines to the lot, by the way. The second gulp injects liqueur pralines into the finish, strongly boozy, but far from sickly. This is no Edle Tropfen! Chocolate is virtually undetectable. Masquerading in its stead, we have a hardened-banana-filling shell of sorts. Chocolatiers of the world, here is a source of inspiration, for you. With imagination (or a lack of it), one may picture banane flambée, but it is not exactly that. Torched banana-vanilla custard would be closer. Oh! and retro-nasal olfaction sees timid lychee like a mole out of its molehill. The death brings back a certain herbaceousness, without rendering the whole bitter, sappy or dry. It is just balanced. Killer dram. 9/10

27/12/2024 Benriach

The BenRiach 17yo Septendecim (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrels, b. pre-2017): nose: heavy peat, earthy, mossy. There is nothing maritime at play, here. Instead, we have crusty earth, baked by weeks of uninterrupted scorching weather, and corroded swarf or rusty metal filings. Soon thereafter, that becomes moist, excessively moist. The dried earth becomes not mud, but chewed food, masticated into a homogenous mass of nutrients (le bol alimentaire, as it is called in French), spat out in an unappetising puddle of barf. This is dirty as a Ben Nevis, minus the wine influence. Thankfully, that passes too: a minute later, we are in the company of breakfast cereals (no milk yet), and crusty bread, flour and yeast, Weetabix and dried-out gravy, the last of which is less breakfast-y, I suppose. The second nose is more-straightforwardly smoky. Smoke from dried wood, meandering through a chimney made of hollow concrete blocks. It somehow makes me think of a Roman hypocaust. The longer one noses, the drier it becomes, by the way. Mouth: oily and custard-y, thick, it almost immediately turns inky. Purple and black inks that are bitter as soon as one chews. Watercolour, earthenware clay, a dash of wood stain too, to give it an ethylene lick, and, fleetingly and gobsmackingly, a kick of Chaource rind, acidic, milky, oh! so recognisable, but blink and you will miss it. The second sip has yellow-white fruits, clearly outlined: Mirabelle plums, nectarines, white peaches. Chewing adds a bold smoke from burning twigs, slightly acrid. It gives the firm belief that one has just taken a swig of warmed vase water. Finish: strangely, it is mostly chocolate, here. Smoked chocolate, to be sure, but chocolate nonetheless. Melted milk chocolate, smoky chocolate milk, smoked chocolate pudding. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up a huge note of stagnant water from a dug-out peat bog, which gives decayed lichens, gunpowder infusion, then dried sphagnum moss, all floating around the herbs-fuelled fireplace in a remote bothy. Very peaty and smoky, the finish has remnants of rusty metal, though it is closer to the antique farming tools outside the museum in Rackwick than it is to corroded swarf, now. The second gulp is smokier still; a chicken covered in herbs (oregano, marjoram), and charred to a point it is clearly no longer good to eat. In the long run, we find charred yellow fruits in a mugful of soot-y vase water. Remember the whiskey from Tyrone? This is similar, but at a decent ABV. I am not convinced I could drink loads of this, but in small doses, it is good. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, WhiskyLovingPianist)

2024/12/24 The Arngibbon

The Arngibbon 10yo 2013/2024 Speyside Release 5 (50%, Stirling Distillery Sons of Scotland, Bourbon Barrel, C#1793, 222b, b#171): another while-we-wait bottling from Stirling Distillery. The Cashly was a Highlander, this is a Speysider. Nose: surprisingly grassy, which is not in line with my recollection of it, but closer to The Cashly, Fresh sage, lemon thyme, some kind of conifer, juniper, and tiled-floor detergent. Behind that is a pasty or another, butternut squash topped with lemon thyme, perhaps rosemary, and rolled in a flaky puff pastry. All in all, it is light and bright, but that grassiness is hard to miss. The second nose has hardened crayons, dried-out marker pens, and old colour-pencil leads. Those are still punctuated by lemon-y herbs: thyme, chamomile, not really mint, but fresh Kaffir lime leaves, maybe even lemongrass. Mouth: hm. There is a soft-but-clear bitterness at play, and the inside of a new sports shoe (synthetic foam, glue, processed leather). or the synthetic carpet/fur inside a case of Douglas Laing Old & Rare A Platinum Selection from 2011. Chewing reveals a soapier side, albeit an ashy soap, rather than a horribly-shampoo-y one. Time adds burnt lichens and Verdigris. The second sip is more palatable, less synthetic. Instead, we have sage stems, crushed pine cones, minty biltong (a matter of texture, not meatiness), and mentholated custard. It tastes as odd as it reads. In the long run, one may detect citrus peels too, mandarine, to be precise, juicy, chewy, and bitter. Finish: still grassy, but not only. We see dried sage sprinkled on vanilla custard. A long, warming finish it is, that ends up rolling out liquorice wheels. The second gulp is strongly custardy, with enough herbs to compete with the vanilla. Those herbs morph into mandarine foliage, over time, with the fruity bitterness that implies. This is not terrible, though not a resounding success either. 6/10 (Thanks for the samples, PSc)

15/10/2024 Jura

We are on Jura. Obviously, it would be rude not to stop by the distillery.

How far we are from Islay, in terms of footfall! We are the only ones there, for a long while. On the shelves, however, it is the same story as on the neighbouring island: the entry level is affordable, and the top range has the specs of the mid-range, but is three times as expensive as logic would dictate. Bah.

After a brief discussion we decide to take the exclusive tour that starts shortly. We have to wait, in case someone else shows up, but I am confident it will just be us... until five minutes from the start: a guest from the hotel across the road wants to verify what tour his group is on, and whether they can change it. They are on tomorrow late morning, but they have a midday departure that they cannot miss, and would prefer to tour today. The staff is as accommodating as possible, which delays the start of our tour. The bloke goes back and forth between the shop and his pals, who are still at the hotel. In the end, they decide to tour tomorrow as planned, probably not wearing the right makeup to cross the street today. Honestly, we are at peace with that. It means we have the place to ourselves, yay!

The tour is informative. The guide cleverly focusses on what is unique at Jura, so we can spend more time in the warehouse. The Porteus mill is in full swing, which is nice to see; it is noisy AF.

The mill

The mash tun

The mash

We get to put our mugs on top of the washbacks: it is like being punched in the face by a shovel made of vinegar. Never smelled that elsewhere.

KA-POW!

The still room

Racking warehouse

Our tour ends in the warehouse, where five drams are waiting to be poured (or eight, in the end). No valinching here (COVID-19 has well and truly happened): bottles have been pre-filled.

Jura 15yo Sherry Casks (42.8%, OB UK exclusive imported by Stillman Spirits, ex-Bourbon Barrels finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks): nose: sticky toffee pudding and melted chocolate of a high cocoa content. Next are prunes, currants, and a softly-earthy side too. This is Sherry maturation one-o-one. Deeper nosing adds a dollop of blue plasticine that seems flavoured with berries -- blueberries most prominent, yet also lingonberries, shortly thereafter. That marches towards yellow fruits in a jam form, and we end up with apricot jelly and nectarine compote, as well as honey-glazed pear slices. Shaking the glass awakens a gentle vegetal greenness, spring green hazel, or such. The second nose offers baked honey-glazed strawberries, and a cherry tart augmented with thick crème pâtissière and sugar-free Haribo Bananas. Mouth: thinner than anticipated, the attack is full of yellow-fruit juices (plum, nectarine, apricot), none of the pulp. The texture is that thin without being frankly watery. Chewing unleashes a generous dash of liquid wax, whether that is furniture polish, car polish, or floor wax. It is slightly bitter here too. All that wax, surely. The second sip sees banana flambée, fruity, caramelised, and alcoholised (as in: there is alcohol in the preparation, not that it is invasive). It comes across as chewier too, which takes us back to Haribo Bananas. Finish: milky, the finish reignites the nose's chocolate, even if it is now a lot shier, and has a significantly-lower cocoa content. All the same, this is a fairly-long finish that sticks to the gob. Indeed, chocolate coats the walls of the mouth. Confectionary appears with the second gulp: something with hazelnut or yellow fruit, not spoiled by any layer of granulated sugar. No, this is chewy and moreish. Very pleasant, if, perhaps, not very special or unique either. 7/10 (I finally try this on 16/12/2024)

Jura 16yo b.2024 Perspective No. 01 (46.5%, OB Perspective imported by Stillman Spirits, American White Oak Bourbon Barrels finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks, L4222 P/026236): nose: this is a slap of hazelnut in the snoot. Chopped hazelnut, hazelnut oil, and hazelnut liqueur, after a few seconds. A bit of swirling in the glass, and it gains chocolate truffle, pralines filled with hazelnut liqueur, hazelnut chocolate, and ganache. More shaking, and coffee comes out, cut with hazelnut cream. A little further on, we spot grated nutmeg, which, one might say, would go well with a hazelnut-cream coffee. It is creamier and creamier with time, and reaches affogato levels. Suddenly, plasticine rocks up, as if fallen from the sky. The second nose is fruitier: it adds mixed peel, or, more accurately, mixed citrus zest (not candied, in other words), then splashes that with hair produces -- lacquer at first, followed by shampoo. Mind you, it also has warmed hazelwood branches by the fire. Nice. Mouth: plasticine-y, chewy, if not quite rubbery, it has a soft bitterness, then rushes back to its hazelnut roots: oily hazelnuts, far from the chickpea-like thing a hazelnut can turn into when drying. Chewing brings back the liqueur impression, now closer to Mandarine Napoléon. The second sip is somewhat more stripping. It combines the bitterness and acidity of citrus, with the dryness of cut branches from two-or-three seasons ago. Chewing makes it juicier, close to orange juice, in fact. Thinking about it, it is closest to orange jellies. Finish: ooft! this is creamy. A flood of hazelnut cream, punctuated with dried mandarine zest that provides a pleasant bitter touch. It has an undeniable sweetness too, even if that is almost obfuscated by the creamy bitterness. This feels very much like a dessert whisky -- something that would go really well with profiteroles, for example, or with a chou à la crème (vanilla cream puff, as they are sometimes called). As with the nose and mouth, repeated quaffing unveils a more-citrus-y profile in which orange jellies shine, supported by marmalade spread on sourdough, and a dash of mandarine liqueur in a cup of chococino augmented with a splash of hazelnut milk. One may struggle to find any Jura character, here, but, if one is ready to overlook that, it is a cracking drop. 8/10 (I finally try this on 20/12/2024)

Jura 7yo 2016/2024 (60%, OB Distillery Cask, C#1428, b#16): nose: pretty neutral at first, with a trace of surgical alcohol, for someone intently looking for it. Warming up the glass in the hand creates a timid medicinal number, with plaster glue, old gauze, and medicine boxes made of cardboard in an overheated pharmacy. Over time, that opens up to give strawberry gums and laurel leaves. In fact, those leaves become more pronounced and waxier as time goes on, hinting at hebe. We keep the medicinal touch, however. The second nose feels more welcoming; it offers more sweets of the red and purple varieties, chewy fruit-flavoured stuff pumped with processed sugars and colorant. The only medicinal note at this point is that of plaster glue. Mouth: chewy, fruity, here are violet gums, grape-flavoured gums, and Mirabelle plums. Chewing gives a fleeting-but-clear lick of wood stain, which is to say: solvents and carbonyl. Scratch that! It is not fleeting at all; it is an unexpected combination of wood stain and wine gums. The second sip strangely comes across as more powerful, in terms of alcoholic strength, and spicier. Our confectionary discoveries land on brown Boules Magiques, which spells ginger and cinnamon. It is slightly numbing. Further sips have a faint celery paste that is well original. Finish: oh! wow, what lovely chewy fruit-flavoured sweets. Currants, blueberries, elderberries, myrtles. Although the alcohol is well integrated, it is obviously present, which means we have wine gums here too. This is a trip down memory lane, and into a 1980s sweets shoppe, to be precise. Next to chewy fruit drops and gums, we find red bootlaces and Cola Bottles. Repeated quaffing makes for a milky impression on the tongue, a milk that is augmented with powdered cinnamon. Dough-y cinnamon rolls, not totally baked, chewy cassia bark, and a little liquorice to boot -- bootlaces come to mind (see what I did, there?), yet it is not intense enough be the black kind. It dies with a gob-warming note. I will rate this conservatively. May go one higher on another day. 7/10 (I finally try this on 09/12/2024)

Jura 2014/2024 (58%, OB Distillery Cask, C#422): bottle number not written on the label. Nose: a bit indistinct. Twigs and dried herbs, maybe. Let us allow it to breathe a bit... Yes, that is better. It comes across as a typical Bourbon maturation, with shortbread and custard-cream biscuits. It has a fleeting note of alcohol that shouts "whisky" without being more precise, as well as a whisper of bathroom detergent (meant in a good way). Shaking the glass brings us back to twigs and dried herbs, although it is now closer to dried cereals than herbs, really: wheat, spelt, corn. The second nose has melted toffee, shortbread dough, (caramel?) flan, and a gentle boozy layer that is neither particularly refined, nor well defined. Mouth: Bourbon maturation alright! We have butterscotch, caramel flan, and toasted brans. Next to those are caramelised wheat puffs, a drop of cough syrup, and wooden-pencil-case lacquer. Chewing releases a certain bitterness, herbs or polished wood, and stone chippings. It remains rather fresh, though, which suggests Tiger Balm, or camphor. The second sip feels greener, with oregano, lichen, gentian, jellies rocket, dried moss, and even dead leaves (from an unidentified tree). Finish> the arrival licks like a donkey, then disappears just as quickly as it rocked up, and leaves the tongue numb and the mouth coated in toffee, butterscotch, and thick vanilla cream (think of the filling in a custard-cream biscuit). The second gulp adds a minty freshness, and a herbal-mineral bitterness, yet it remains a vanilla-fuelled affair. Simple. Efficient. 7/10 (I finally try this on 23/12/2024)

Jura 33yo 1990/2023 (44.8%, OB Distillery Cask, Sherry Hogshead, C#2188, b#15): our host must have been gauging our level during the first few drams: at some point, she looks at the line-up, rummages through a cupboard, and replaces a young, distillery-exclusive expression with this. Who do I hear complaining? Exactly. Nose: phwoar! The depth and richness a whisky gains with an additional ten-fifteen years in a cask cannot be faked, can it? We have dark-wood rustic furniture (cupboards and wardrobes, mostly), but also forest floor -- dead leaves, slightly-damp rich soil, wild mushrooms. We promptly go back to furniture; encaustic and decades' worth of layers of wax have created a patina the smell of which is so characteristic. Perhaps we can smell car polish too, or a drop of nail varnish. This is a very-elegant Sherry-cask maturation, at any rate. The second nose adds cocoa and coffee beans, with the former louder than the latter by a comfortable margin. It really is an earthy one, though neither dry, nor toasted. Nor is it muddy: the dampness is akin to that of potting soil upon opening a new bag, or of decaying tree bark. It smells like the greenhouse of my grandfather. Mouth: on the tongue, we have a blend of flat cola, lukewarm ginger beer and cinnamon water. Chewing asserts just how woody the palate is, yet it is neither bitter, nor plank-y; rather balanced and elegant, with all sorts of wax and furniture polish, propolis, encaustic, and even waxed black-marble floors, when searching for it. The second sip brings back the nose's decaying tree bark, and sprinkles it with flat cola droplets. Chewing somehow adds a pronounced fruitiness -- that of a white wine, fresh, sweet, exuberant. It could be Maitrank. A little later, toffee tags along. Finish: here, flat cola returns, punctuated with shards of cinnamon bark. on its tail are golden-brown cinnamon buns and croissants, ever-so-slightly overdone. It is a medium-long finish, even if it becomes indistinct fairly quickly. The second gulp has a strong PX note: pressed currants, pressed sultanas, golden Smyrna raisins, sweet, juicy, despite being dried, and oh! so comforting. That nature produces delicious grapes is something to marvel at. That those grapes remain exquisite when dried is remarkable. But that a spirit can taste similar that contains no such grape or raisin is truly baffling. To accompany those sultanas, we note dried apricots and a pinch of mocha. I love this. 9/10 (I finally try this on 13/12/2024)

Jura 2005/2024 (53.7%, OB Distillery Cask, C#2492): a peated expression without a bottle number. Nose: immediately, we are transported to the middle of a field that was recently ploughed. This is very farm-y, with dark earth, greasy and fertile. A couple of sniffs in, we find the same earth turned to crust on the farmer's boots, and the murmur of a maritime influence -- drying fishing nets, at this stage. That latter note grows in intensity, slowly but surely; it is not oysters or mussels -- rather dried kelp amidst the farm-y earth. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, we have a wave of chocolate flooding the nasal cavity. When it recedes, it leaves a layer of salty kelp on dark earth. Tobacco smoke lingers for a while longer. The second nose is smokier yet, and introduces a medicinal element: burnt gauze, smoky philtres, and a smoked-thyme-based poultice that also contains smoked hawthorn. Mouth: salty and smoky, the palate wastes little time with field-related considerations. Indeed, this mouth is salty and maritime from the get-go, with razor clams and cockles, and sweet citrus (calamansi, tangerine, kumquat) augmented with a sprinkle of sea salt. It is as original as it is delicious, and points more towards the distillery across the Sound of Islay than the Craighouse attraction. Chewing adds salt and more citrus juice; it takes copious insistence to see some of that dark earth from the nose. The saltiness of the second sip gives us a sandy impression -- hot sands, to be precise. The citrus is more acidic and less juicy, now, but smokier. Smoked grapefruit, is it? Finish: initially light, in terms of alcohol (read; very-well integrated), the finish more than makes up for it with its earthy intensity. Yes, we have earth so dark it could just have been scorched, littered with burnt wood, charred, yet still oily. The second gulp balances the earth and the char with hot sands, and salty seafood, topped with droplets of pressed citrus (pomelo or Shaddock pomelo, rather than lime). This is very convincing! 8/10 (I finally try this on 23/12/2024)

What have you there, young lady? May we try? In return, here is a sample of Isle of Jura d.1976 (57.5%, Harleyford Manor for Geoffrey Folley, b.1980s). (Notes here.)

Jura 21yo Tide (46.7%, OB travel retail exclusive by Stillman Spirits, American White Oak ex-Bourbon Barrels enhanced in Virgin American Oak Casks): why the distillery has a bottle earmarked for Spain and the Continent that also wears a UK tax seal is a bit of a mystery. I do not get a sample of this one, but on the day, I give it 8/10

Jura 21yo Time (47.2%, OB travel retail exclusive imported by Stillman Spirits, American White Oak ex-Bourbon Barrels enhanced in ex-Peated Malt Casks, b.2019): this is another EU bottle, though it does not have the UK tax seal. Living dangerously! No sample of this either. Similar quality, though I prefer it the Tide. 7/10

Once done, we come back to the shop for some goodies. Sadly, our branded copitas magically transform into clean Glencairns to take home. Who needs another effing Glencairn?

Anyway, an excellent time in this largely-underappreciated distillery.

20/12/2024 DW's birthday bash at 3 Greek Street

The yearly bash is back for the first time since 2019 (not counting a virtual shindig in 2020). If you wonder why there has not been one for five years, it has to do with a certain pandemic.

Anyway, fifteen-or-so of us meet up at Milroy's 3 Greek Street (as it is now known) for an evening of libation. Some we know, others not, and exchanging business cards is high on no-one's list, tonight. So, beside a handful of the organiser's colleagues, whose names I do not catch, we have DW, YM, CDn, CBn, BA, JS, VK, JL, T&S, SW, and yours, truly. PS calls in sick and MSo never turns up.

We meet at the bar, surprised that it takes us over half-an-hour to be shown to our room. Being such a large group, we require a bit of manoeuvring to reach it too -- through the secret bookcase, down the staircase, close the bookcase, up the staircase, up another flight of stairs, here we are.

The room has changed a lot since we were last here in June: the tables and stools all replaced by sofas going around the room, and a couple of coffee tables down the middle. Bottles appear from bags, and, apparently, it is a free-for-all. DW initiates the proceedings.

DW: "I was a bit miffed that [tOMoH] panned my contribution, in 2020. So I chose this one for today. I looked on [his] blog, and saw [he] rated it 10/10, so I hope it ticks [his] box."

Gelston's Old Irish Whiskey 26yo b.2017 (54.2%, Halewood, Bourbon Cask, 300b, b#165) (DW)

Nose: tropical fruit splosion.
Mouth: it has not yet completely opened up (DW popped the cork tonight). Several minutes in, it is spritzy and peppery, though the main act is that avalanche of tropical fruits.
Finish: surprisingly powerful and stupidly fruity.
Comment: well, how could one go wrong with this? Have we peaked too soon, perhaps? 10/10 (full notes here)

How does one follow that? Oh! An aged Glenkinchie…

Glenkinchie 27yo b.2023 (58.3%, OB Special Releases 2023, Refill American & European Oak Barrel & Butts) (BA)

Nose: cut plums, cured apricots, and fruit stones. There is a delicate grassy touch too. It is heavier than BA remembered it, and, indeed, it does not lack wood. Further nosing piles on the sandalwood.
Mouth: oily and mineral at the same time, which is unusual and makes it both lubricating and drying.
Finish: almost murky, here, thick as gel, fresh, it offers a serving of chocolate with a lemon filling. It becomes creamier with time, adding crushed hazelnut and mocha custard. 8/10

CDn tells how, when famous warehouse manager Pinky retired from Lagavulin, owner Diageo did not even know who he was. How he tried to convince them to throw a party in his honour, only for that idea to be mooted. How he then called Pinky's friend to find out what would make him happy. How he convinced a London whisky outfit to throw a charity tasting, the proceedings of which helped fund the purchase of a gift for Pinky -- a bull, no less. How he went to Islay to present Pinky with the bull, as said Pinky came out of the distillery for the final time. How they embraced, emotional, on the car park. How the charity tasting raised more money than necessary, and how CDn used the remainder of the bounty to invite Pinky and his wife to London (date TBD). How Diageo, well after the facts, realised their faux pas, and invited CDn to Islay to present Pinky with their very-own parting gift -- a cask of Lagavulin. How, on the day, Pinky gave CDn bottle number 2 of said cask. It is yet another of CDn's tales that capture an audience, and leave no-one cold. How does he do it?

JS starts pouring her St. George Single Malt Whiskey Lot 17 (43%, OB, B#SM017, b.2017). I do not try it, tonight. Full notes here.

VK passes me a bottle.
VK: "I thought I'd bring this, because you have not had a chance to try it at the [Campbeltown] festival."

How thoughtful are our friends?

Kilkerran 20yo 2004/2024 Open Day 2024 (49.2%, OB Single Cask, 10 years Fresh Rum Cask + 10 years Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 432b) (VK)

Nose: it starts off almost ashy, and frankly woody, then turns into ground fruit stone in the space of ten minutes. Later, we have jelly capsules and plastic caps that have been used to store saffron. Then, an earthy, farm-y side emerges, driven by baked mud patties.
Mouth: a muddy, earthy number with fruit stones (apricot) and crushed fruit tatters. The second sip is more drying -- the fruit stones, probably.
Finish: ginger biscuits topped with marmalade, resting on an earthy undercurrent.

Comment: JS is not a fan. I like it. 8/10

CDn brought a rather-exclusive Clynelish. It will take me a while to get to it. In the meantime, I am intrigued by JL's claim it has a holy smell.

Sanmi-Ittai The 1st Edition (57.6%, Toachuzo imported by Atom Supplies, B#9585, L.10.18) (YM)

Comment: I try this in JS's glass. It is fresh, minty and vanilla-ed, pretty good al round. 7/10

One of DW's unnamed colleagues talks about this little blog. However, unlike DW, he did not check it to see what whisky tOMoH gave 10/10. He read it, and then decided, all curious, to buy that Glen Scotia. He confirms it is not good (I have to ask, of course).

Dimple 15yo Original (40%, John Haig, b. 2020s) (JL)

Nose: dusty old blend. Old cardboard and newspapers, stale toffee.
Mouth: a bit thin on the palate, of course. Dusty toffee aplenty.
Finish: yeah, toffee to the max, dusty or not.
Comment: Honest blend. Linkwood, Glenkinchie, Caol Ila, says our host. And Cameronbridge, CDn tries to make us believe. He has no idea, and explains that, at the time this was made, it could have been any grain from Diageo's portfolio. 6/10

Chichibu London Edition 2022 (51.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt imported by Speciality Drinks, 1861b) (unnamed colleague)

Nose: airy and ethereal, it has confectionary sugar, flowers (jasmine or cherry blossom), and soft bakery shenanigans. Perhaps sugared corn flakes too.
Mouth: light apricot tea -- or is it jasmine infusion?
Finish: long, pretty ashy, it has burnt fruit stones, and, increasingly, peach flesh.
Comment: allegedly nine ex-Bourbon casks, including one peated (my ashy impression reads less ridiculous, now, eh?), finished in ex-Sherry casks. Satisfying to tick this box. Very good whisky too. 8/10

Clynelish 15yo 1992/2007 Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year (46%, The Whisky Exchange for Salt Whisky Bar, Bourbon Barrel) (CDn)

Nose: dry, fruity and floral at first, it turns waxy-and-three-quarters in mere minutes. I can see why JL thought it smelled like church candles.
Mouth: ooft! Incredibly waxy, coating, peppered by a lick of wick. Past that candle action, we note plump apricot, (Mirabelle) plum, and nectarine skins. YM detects salty sea water, undoubtedly influenced by the name of the bar this was bottled for, while JS tastes banana.
Finish: long, waxy, it is teeming with minty custard.
Comment: this is extraordinary. My dram of the night, if we except the Gelston. Perhaps I am being overly enthusiastic, but hey! 9/10

tOMoH [to JL]: "You're drinking your Dimple again?"
JL: "Yeah. I really like it."
tOMoH: "You make me think of this French joke: how do you recognise a Belgian in an orgy?"
JL: "How?"
tOMoH: "He's the only one shagging his own wife. Similarly, you come to a tasting like this, and you drink your own bottle."

Highland Park 14yo b.2023 (63.8%, OB Distillery Exclusive, Refill Butt, C#6571, 638b) (CBn)

Nose: I want to say burnt heather, but not really. It is hugely alcoholised; it presents flavoured alcohol, rather than neutral, surgical stuff. In any case, it is nostril destroying, in the long run.
Mouth: very powerful, it has sphagnum moss and lichens of all sorts. Later on, we find strawberry jam, boiling on the hob.

Finish: at last, the Highland Park DNA comes out, with smoked-heather sweets, and chewy cough syrup minus liquorice.
Comment: difficult. More interesting than really good. It is hard not to compare it to the 18yo distillery exclusive we tried a couple of years ago; that one was more to my liking. Funny how the ABV and the outturn match, though (63.8 vs. 638). 7/10

CDn reminisces about his early days in London, during which he would spend time with the Milroy brothers.

CDn: "We would start in this room, then go out, and go to private clubs. You wouldn't believe what went on, then. Then, we would come back here, usually in the basement, to finish the night."
JS [pointing at the picture on the back wall]: "Did you drink from those glasses?"
CDn: "Possibly. Are those wine glasses?"
tOMoH: "I believe they are buckets. I saw some like those. In a fire station!"

It feels the right time to start pouring my own contribution. Port Dundas 10yo (60.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection World Whiskies, 318b, b. ca 1998). Full notes here.

Bowmore 22yo 1996/2019 (50.8%, Aberdeen Whisky Shop Islay Reserve, C#901271) (DW)

Nose: wet, fruity peat through and through. The fruity side grows, yet the whole remains earthy.
Mouth: very-fruity mud, dotted with peaches and nectarines.
Finish: long, it delivers more fruit, as well as earth and mud.
Comment: my notes do not do it justice; it is a nice dram. 8/10

JL makes it abundantly clear we are to vacate the room. We can carry on at the bar downstairs (with whiskies from the bar only), but we are essentially evicted.

BA hurriedly pours me his Malört (35%, Carl Jeppson) -- "the worst thing you will try tonight/this year/ever," he says. Could not agree more. It is a drink to dare your foes with. No pleasure here, other than laughing at the reaction of someone who tries it for the first time. Well, at least, it is not Baiju. 3/10

Downstairs, we finish our conversations and try another couple of things without taking notes.

Causeway Irish Whiskey 31yo 1991/2023 (47.8%, Milroy's Vintage Reserve, Bourbon Barrels, C#RC649+650+651+652): on par with, if not better than the mighty Gelston. Total, pornographic fruit bomb. 10/10

YM leaves a barely-touched dram of Glenglassaugh 12yo 2011/2023 (55.3%, Milroy's Soho Selection, PX Hogshead) behind. It is rich, earthy, borderline meaty, and not subtle at all. It is also pretty strong. "So good my colleague bought two bottles," the bar lass tells everyone. She can have my allocation. 6/10

DW: "I plan to do something similar around Easter. I don't know what it will be called, yet. Perhaps Eastermas."
JS: "Surely, if this is DWmas, doing it at Easter should make it DWster?"
tOMoH: "Yeah, you're not moving Christmas to Easter..."

Time to call it a night. This place has the potential to become dangerous. Tomorrow will be a trifle difficult.

Happy birthday, DW!

03/11/2024 + 09/12/2024 Belgium #9

Another virtual tasting spread over two episodes to accommodate the busy schedules of our friends.

adc, sonicvince, kruuk2, Psycho and JS join me for the first, while ruckus, red71 and Bishlouk attend the second. Below is an aggregated account of both sessions.

We start the first session a little late, thanks to technology. Whoever invented COMputers, eh?

Dram #1

Nose: lemon and mint (adc), lemongrass (adc and sonicvince), light in alcohol (adc), perhaps an Irish (adc). Not very expressive on the second night, even as a starter. Bishlouk finds it evolves over fifteen minutes, and soon detects a little smoke.

Mouth: oily and fatty (kruuk2). Bishlouk has a fine peat smoke here too. The first sip was uneventful, he says, but there is plenty of action from there onward. ruckus, on the other hand, finds it syrupy, as does red71, who calls it sugary, and suspects it is not even a whisky.

Finish: Tomatin? (Psycho) It is a little marked by wood (kruuk2), but also has pastry (Psycho). A very-long finish with a delicate bitterness. Smoky, woody, and watery, according to Bishlouk. For ruckus, it is drying.

Comment: this never fails to win crowds. Bishlouk ventures it could be a Highland Park. Geographically sound. ruckus kicks himself for not recognising it: he has a bottle. Full notes here.

Scapa 14yo (40%, OB, LF340RGK, b. ca 2006) 7/10

kruuk2: "Scapa moyen d'avoir du whisky?"
Psycho: "Qu'est-ce que c'est que ces fourberies?"

(Best not to translate.)

Dram #2

Nose: rural or agricultural (adc), dried cow dung (adc). sonicvince thinks it could be a grain, while adc has gingerbread. kruuks finds it less characterful, diffused and light (adc and kruuk2). Citrus-y (sonicvince), it has dusty toffee, a spice cabinet (Psycho), passion fruit (sonicvince), carambola (adc), fresh figs (sonicvince). Bishlouk says it is very different from the first. red71 has toasted bread, which, Bishlouk adds, is very diffuse. ruckus thinks it is much more assertive than the first, which is interesting. I find cardboard-y toffee on the second night again, whereas Bishlouk calls it a bit flat and indistinct. On the late tip, he picks out a dried bunch of flowers.

Mouth: a little grain-y here too (sonicvince), it has lemon curd (adc), and is rather chewy (sonicvince). Astringent (Bishlouk), with a flatter texture (red71), and it is rather austere (red71).

Finish: it leaves a drying mouthfeel (kruuk2), astringent, borderline desiccating (kruuk2). Psycho finds it slightly bitter, whereas sonicvince finds it a short finish, yet a well-pleasant one. Bishlouk calls out the come-back of the astringent side, though it is a rather short finish, all in all (ruckus). red71 thinks it is sour, ruckus dry, red71 bitter. ruckus observes a note of Communion wafer, which triggers red71 into reminiscing edible paper and flying-saucer wafer.

Comment: generally liked on the first night, save for kruuk2, who is allergic to the distillery's output. Bishlouk does not like this, red71 finds it not great. ruckus likes it, even it he would not buy a bottle, and, of course, so do I. It tastes like an old-school blend, from where I sit; perhaps not very sophisticated, but full of old-fashioned charm. Full notes here.

Tobermory (40%, OB ceramic decanter, b.1980s) 7/10

Psycho: "La solution [aux cyclistes], c'est la voiture australienne. Là-bas, ils ont pas des pares-buffles; ils ont des pares-kangourous."

tOMoH: "C'est Walibi, ça, le parc kangourou?"

Dram #3

Nose: a blast of conifer bark, hay or straw (adc), pepper (sonicvince). adc likens it so a rivulet (adc, in riparian mood). One for a dark, gloomy day (adc), more rural (sonicvince). On the second night, it comes out much more exuberant, overflowing with flowers and fruits (Bishlouk). Littlemill-y or Rosebank-y, he adds. Floral, vanilla-ed, this has ripe fruits (Bishlouk). red71 calls out that the exuberant fruits fade out. ruckus has wood (ho! ho! ho!), planks, old cupboards, and old wooden artifacts ("medieval dildos," Bishlouk is quick to specify).

Mouth: astringent (adc), it has cinnamon and ginger powder, yet is also fruity (sonicvince) and acidic (kruuk2). According to Bishlouk and red71, a similarly-exuberant fruitiness struggles to conceal an austere background.

Finish: anaesthetising (adc), it bites a bit (kruuk2). We have some mushrooms via retro-nasal olfaction. Psycho calls it a persistent finish that sticks to the mouth. It remains fruity and floral throughout (Bishlouk), but red71 finds a harder, earthier touch too. ruckus is now certain it is not Littlemill, though he does not clarify why.

Comment: sonicvince loves it, kruuk2 likes it too. Bishlouk suspects a Lowlander, probably a Littlemill, were it not for the austere background that throws him off.

Glen Elgin-Glenlivet 30yo 1978/2009 (49.1%, Cadenhead Chairman's Stock, Bourbon Hogshead, 234b) 9/10 (full notes here)

ruckus: "I just did a search for medieval dildos. The results are interesting."
He then carries on, and finds a steam dildo.

Dram #4

Nose: "I think I'll like #3 more." (kruuk2) Rain and chalk (sonicvince), a tranquil force (adc), a whisky cave (adc, referring to that place on Mull), rain-soaked cliffs. (sonicvince). A herbaceous explosion with a fruity layer behind it (Bishlouk) -- oranges, says ruckus. It is not as expansive as a 1984 Littlemill, says Bishlouk, but well fruity and floral anyway.

Mouth: oily (adc), aromatic, it has oregano, marjoram and rosemary grown on dry land (adc), thyme (sonicvince). sonicvince finds it less aggressive than the Glen Elgin. "So much going on, on the palate!" (ruckus) Each sip is different, with more fruit complementing the floral notes each time (Bishlouk). All find the alcohol very-well integrated (remember they are trying it blind).

Finish: it is an onion, full of layers (Psycho). Whiffs of lemon (adc). kruuk2 says it has changed, over ten minutes, and is now excellent. Bishlouk tells us it has the austerity of an old thing from the 1970s.

Comment: less aggressive, they said; only 10% higher. Guesses about the ABV on the second night range from 49 to 55%. Ha! Ha! St. Magdalene. Hard to beat. Funnily enough, Psycho started a whole discussion about the distillery just before trying this, yet no-one joined the dots. red71 and Bishlouk wax lyrical about this. Bishlouk is reminded of the 40yo Littlemill Cadenhead bottled in 2017. red71 even prefers this to dram #3. Full notes here.

St. Magdalene 26yo 1982/2009 (59.1%, Douglas Laing for The Whisky Shop Glenkeir Treasures Cask Strength Selection, 144b) 9/10

Psycho and kruuk2 tell the story of dom666 being asked to leave, alongside everyone else, at the end of a whisky festival, and his replying to the organiser: "I don't like you."

tOMoH: "We were at Kilchoman, a couple of weeks ago. The [person] at the bar said they have importers in France, Germany etc. adc asked about Belgium. The [person] replied The N_____ is the importer for Belgium. I smiled and said: 'Ah! You have to deal with [organiser].' The [person] rolled [their] eyes. It's interesting talking about [that organiser] abroad. It gives a new perspective on them. Especially from those who aren't too keen."

Psycho: "Don't know what to think about that person's tastes, or about their relationship with dom666!"

Dram #5

Nose: adc does not find it extraordinary. sonicvince has cold coffee and varnish, while kruuk2 has cold Nescafé capsules, which is an interesting precision. Rancio aplenty on the second night, elderberry jam, pressed currants, almond essence (ruckus). Bishlouk finds it a sweet sensation (he's such a good vibration), and red71 confirms by noticing pastry.

Mouth: adc revises her judgement and finds it excellent on the palate. Bitter (Bishlouk), almond-y (Bishlouk), hot (Bishlouk). "It warms one up," red71 confirms. I detect hot chocolate pudding.

Finish: carambola (sonicvince) and milk coffee. Woody (red71), medieval dildos (Bishlouk), pastry-like (ruckus). Bishlouk wonders if it is even whisky, upon first gulp.

Comment: this wins hearts. It is as good as ever. 55% (ruckus), Sherry cask (red71), more traditional than the previous two (Bishlouk). Full notes here.

Bunnahabhain 27yo 1978/2006 (55.6%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Sherry Butt, C#2542, 509b, b#84, 6/0098) 8/10

red71 [after ruckus finds almond essence]: "I hope I don't find engine oil, now!"
tOMoH: "Why? That's what you like best..."
red71: "True."
tOMoH: "That said, if your engine oil smells like this, I want to know the make of your car!"

Bishlouk: "Ah! It is a Sherry butt. You were right, red71."
ruckus: "We stay on anal territory."

Results:

kruuk2: 4, 3, 5, 1, 2

Psycho: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2

adc: 4, 5, 2, 1, 3

sonicvince: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Bishlouk: 4, 3, 5

red71: 4

sonicvince:"Les trois derniers m'ont vraiment scotché."
toMOh: "Bien joué."

adc: "It's the first time I do a tasting with earbuds, and I can hear things. And the radio doesn't bother me."

tOMoH: "Us, on the other hand..."

Roll on the next one!

07/12/2024 December outturn at the SMWS

Long time, eh? Well, JS and I are back. We take bets on the way: is PS going to be there before or after us? As JS opens the door, the first sound coming from the inside is PS coughing. That is that, then. :-)

128.22 6yo d.2015 Muscat gravy (59.9%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Barrel finished in 1st Fill ex-Muscat Barrique, 292b): nose: caramel-covered marzipan, toffee, cured-apricots, and a lick of grain-whisky-like metal. The second nose brings mint and caramel flan, then a little chocolate. Mouth: fierce. It makes me think of a grain again, in that it is hot and has a metallic-vegetal lick: sage, dried freshwater algae, clearly bitter. Treacle and liquorice show up when chewing. The second mouth pushes chocolate forward. Finish: cured apricots or peaches, dripping with boozy caramel. Butterscotch, dessert wine (JS), and lichen. Repeated quaffing sees some liquorice, and blackcurrant fruit gum move to wine gum (PS). It is only after that comment of PS's that I realise this is a wine-cask finish. That will be why I am less enthused than usually by a Penderyn. Good, far from blinding. 7/10

112.124 19yo 2005/2024 Supping on sweetness (50.6%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in HTMC New Oak Hogshead, 234b): Heavy Toast Medium Char. Get used to those denominations, because they are now everywhere. Nose: cooled-down crème brûlée, panna cotta, fragrant yellow flowers (tulip petals, baked daffodils), but not just yellow (pan-seared rose petals too). Mouth: soft and mellow, it has some flower petals afain, yet chewing reveals an earthy bitterness that walks towards plant sap. It is not intolerable, but it carries a bitter vibe indeed, supporting a slightly-more-pronounced fruitiness. Later on, we have confectionary-sugar-coated mangoes. Finish: rum-splashed custard, rum-soaked tutti-frutti floating in peachy yoghurt. 7/10

2.140 17yo 2007/2024 Calorific nonchalance (56.7%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Oloroso Butt finished in 1st Fill STR ex-Oloroso Butt, 611b): STR stands for Shaved Toasted Re-charred. A few years ago, that would have been called "wood technology". Nose: burnt plastic, melted liquorice, burnt apricot tart, Sherry on steroids, more Manzanilla or PX than Oloroso (sweet Sherry, in other words). It becomes grapier with each second, and not far from sickly, to be honest. Burnt Christmas cake, charred cake crust, and a dollop of caramel in a cup of coffee. Mouth: ooft! This is a glass of Sherry on steroids, simply. JS finds Fino, this time, with fruity grapes, acidic, and a little bitter. Further sips remain in line. It is essentially Sherry at 100° Proof. Finish: initially neutral, it soon becomes a strong Sherry here too, nothing more. Sipping more of it does not change that impression. This is not my thing. 5/10

134.18 4yo d.2019 Ham and lobster apple crumble (58.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 228b): nose: JS finds it powerfully tropical, but, for me, it is medicinal jelly capsules, then a resolutely-farm-y scent: mud patties, dark grains, smoked treacle, even. Later on, we find tropical fruits covered in fine white ash, and a hint of nail varnish, at second nose. Mouth: thin and dry, it has leather and suede, then turns desiccating -- it sucks all moisture out of the cheeks rather aggressively. The second sip is pretty fierce, strong and ashy. Finish: earthy fruit, black tea leaves, crispy omelette scraps, stuck to the Teflon pan. Ashes and scorched earth become louder. Water increases the bitterness: now, we have mocha custard. 7/10

163.1 6yo 2018/2024 Smokin'! (58.1%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 240b): nose: how farm-y is this!? Tractor diesel, leather saddles, muddy farm paths, and also white caster sugar. It then turns mineral and citrus-y: lemon juice splashed on slate. Mouth: what? It is all maritime, all of a sudden, with smoked whelks and cockles, smoked oyster shells, and fishing nets with kelp stuck in it. The second sip has hardened, very-crisp pine bark. Finish: peppery alright (PS's earlier assessment was correct), yet it also has a sweetness to it, so it is peppery custard, augmented with a lick of mint. Further sips bring out diesel fumes in a mechanic's workshop, sans grease or oil. Perhaps a prolong relationship with this bottling reveals its young age and lack of complexity, but it is properly impressive in a brief encounter. 8/10

140.17 3yo d.2019 Bowled over by cinnamon cola (62.8%, SMWS Society Cask, #3 Char New Oak Barrique, 217b): nose: a whole host of lovely mahogany shenanigans, with bookshelves and treasure cabinets. Then, we graduate to chocolate éclairs, and, well, Bourbon casks, whish is to say custards of all kinds (chocolate and vanilla most obvious), crème pâtissière. Deeper nosing brings forth cola-flavoured sweets and cola-soaked bread. Perhaps an unusual concept, but one that works surprisingly well. Shaking the glass awakens black sands and volcanic stones, still with some sweetness attached to it. Later on, we have pressed raisins, prunes, and dried currants. About thirty minutes in, it turns assertively citrus-y -- calamansi, Ugli fruit, white grapefruit, and blush orange (not as much of a clash as it may read), and citrus turnovers of some kind (kumquat, bergamot, tangerine). Water does not alter it. Mouth: woody-and-a-half, this presents lacquered pencil cases and cabinets. Chewing adds pineapple rings in a cracked-pepper crust, mahogany shelves and wood stain. It is rather intense -- in a good way. Subsequent sips step the fruity path more resolutely, with cured peaches and apricots, but still a hefty drop of mahogany-infused hot water. It is more comforting with each sip, offering pecan-and-maple tart, or sweet-potato tart drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with a copious serving of milled black pepper. Yes, this is spicy, drying with time, yet it does not lose its fruitiness. Water dials it down a notch, and it seems fruitier. In truth, it is comparable to the undiluted palate. Finish: super concentrated, here are walnut stain and peach-stone oil. It gets sweeter the more one tries it, almost rushing to one's head: polished wood coated in caramel, dark maple syrup, and a distant minty touch, lozenges of sorts, faded almost beyond recognition. Further gulps have honey-glazed black cumin, cardamom pods in a bath of dark pouring honey made from mountain shrubs. Water changes it not. Perhaps, the woody bitterness of mahogany is a little louder. 8/10

It is good to be back -- with caveats.

I am not a fan of the system in which one has to book a table and a time slot, I must say. It feels less spontaneous, welcoming, and friendly.

Apparently, tasting the new outturn with cheeses is now open to non-members. One can only assume that the objective is to lure non-members in on that day, and give a hint of what they could access every day, were they member. Considering this is the only time some of the bottles will be available to purchase, I do question whether non-members would be tempted back on another day, once their hard-earned has been spent on those bottles. I suppose some treat the venue as a pub, and that is fair enough.

The current configuration of the room means there are fewer than twenty seats. Highly insufficient. Also, the huge sofas are not very comfortable: they are too deep and their armrests too tall. And since the sofas serve several tables, it is hard not to feel like one is sitting in on another table's conversation. Proximity is pleasant when it can be turned off, not so much when it is forced.

On the other hand, if there seem to be fewer cheeses, they come in delicious big slabs (so big that much goes to waste -- not at tOMoH's table it goes without saying). The best part is that one may now request more crackers.

Also, this jumper