04/04/2025 Caperdonich

For the geeks, we will have something from a distillery that can no longer be found. Two things from the same distillery, distilled a year apart, bottled twenty-nine years apart.

Caperdonich 11yo d.1968 (70° Proof, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice): nose: a wicker basket full of fragrant orchard fruits. Quince, pear, apple, peach and apricot (suggesting it is not strictly a Scottish orchard) veer towards caramelised apple, compotes and turnovers of various kinds. Closing one's eyes, one could easily picture that basket in a cellar lined with metal shelves, and a coal bucket made of galvanised steel -- devoid of coal, but rightly sooty. That metal grows bolder, flirts with lichen at times, yet never eclipses the glorious orchard fruits. It has a little whiff of a dusty warehouse, in the long run. The second nose seems dustier yet, with Golden Delicious apples that have sat on the worktop for days, if not weeks. Suddenly, that is elevated by a timid explosion of chilled pinecone sap. Ha! Swiftly, we go back to apples, now coated in nail varnish. Much later on, we spot a hint of Virginia tobacco as well. Mouth: less fruity upon entrance, it has an unsuspected lively character, with cassia bark and ginger shavings throwing a (not-too-rowdy) party on one's tongue. Soon, the orchard fruits return, sit down and have a chat: apples, quinces, nectarines, a mere pinch of crushed dry mint. Chewing unearths polished oak, which adds a slight bitterness. All in all, it is elegant, composed, and one would struggle to find a current eleven-year-old that presents this sort of profile. The second sip welcomes hot metal as the endoskeleton of a wood girder. Bitterness controlled. Finish: to the orchard fruits, which, by the way, are now clearly presented as a compote whose surface is golden from the caramelisation process, the finish adds a teaspoon of chocolate. The reduction is clearer here, and probably helps the fruits shine brighter than the wood spices (ginger powder, cassia bark, ground sumac), yet one would have to be grumpy (or French) to complain about the ABV. Repeated quaffing makes one forget the reduction entirely anyway. That is helped by the awakening of hot metal -- old cast-iron radiators covered in dust and fruit juice. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Caperdonich 39yo 1969/2008 (42.2%, Lonach, Oak Casks): nose: this is more fragrant, more powerful, more precise, and also woodier. Oh! it is no woody oldie; it has some spices is all. Ginger powder, ground mace, a few grains of asafoetida. But behind that, it is just as fruity as its sibling, with Mirabelle plums and berries of the straw- and rasp- varieties. It turns a corner to deliver shaving foam and a pine-flavoured paste (softer than Gocce Pino, mind). A bit of time and breathing gives pineapple bark and, perhaps, a type of watercolour. It has citrus peels too, dried then crushed, before coming back to a fragrant paste that somehow makes me think of chewing gum. And, believe it or not, that gum impression grows and grows, leaving no doubt whatsoever: it is, indeed, strawberry chewing gum with just a touch of cinnamon. The second nose brings oily white wood (acacia?) to gently counter the chewing gum, which has the effect of turning the strawberry into the filling of an-otherwise somewhat-uninspiring pastry -- one that has been kept at room temperature for too long and has become soft, if not flabby. The sort that no-one wants at the end of a breakfast shift in a hotel not primarily reputed for its in-house baking. Mouth: milky in texture, it soon adds wood spices -- namely cinnamon, ground mace, perhaps mango powder, with a lot of imagination. The most-modest chewing unleashes a torrent of smashed strawberries, not on toast, but on fresh bread that has been subsequently roasted lightly, with the fruits already in place. It feels fresh (some may detect mint) and considerably more powerful than the younger expression, despite the marginal difference in ABV. Natural 40% really is not the same as reduced 40%, eh? The second sip delivers warm fruit jam, strawberry, most likely. Some has leaked onto the oilcloth tablecloth in the sunlit conservatory. This also has rustic wooden chairs and a warm mug of an infusion or another. Very breakfast-y. Finish: here, fruits mostly take a back seat to let wood spices do the talking. We see stem ginger, mace (whole, this time) and a cinnamon cream dance energetically, while Mirabelle plums and nectarines catch up in the back, not completely out of sight. Long finish, balanced and, honestly, rather moreish, it leaves the mouth stimulated, wanting for a drop of fruit juice -- preferably strawberry (or more Caperdonich, please and thank you). The second gulp pushes oilcloth and wooden (birch) furniture forward for a second, then we go back to wood spices and orchard fruits. The latter slowly but surely reclaims the upper hand; apricot, white peach, Mirabelle plum and Golden Delicious apple, with just a slice of quince. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Capital-donich whiskies!

31/03/2025 Longrow

Longrow 16yo 2001/2018 (56%, Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting, Chardonnay Cask Finish): souvenir from a couple of months ago. Nose: at once sweet and smoky, it brings one back to a 1980s arcade, with a mix of lingering tobacco smoke and cotton candy. If I remember well, some of those arcade machines had an ashtray built into the control panel. It seems like a wildly-mad idea, in hindsight. Anyway, that morphs into breezy margaritas and smoked jelly beans, candy necklaces and scorched earth, crusted mud and sherbet. It has something of a seaside kitchen too, if that makes sense: I am made to think of uncut sponges, fluffy and soft, then ink and crayon shavings. Lastly, dried strawberry slices rise, gently smoked, and introduce ancient smoke-dried pine cones. The second nose feels softer and fruitier, ripe with Fruit-tella or Tubblegum, with the smoke clearly taking a back seat, now. Yes, the sweets become chewier (not quite Gummibärchen) and closer to plasticine, yet they are not too-obviously chemical. In fact, we spot a nice clafoutis, a some stage -- a clafoutis with a caramelised crusty top. Mouth: big, fruity and smoky, the palate has a hodge-podge of sea water, dried banana slices, smashed plantain, smoky custard, cassia bark, limestone, and eucalyptus or laurel leaves. It is a tad bitter indeed, with a mineral side that competes with the smoke. At the same time, it remains fruity and, actually, gains in fruitiness upon chewing: green grapes, calamansi. The second sip is surprisingly sweet, full-on caramel and smoked-apple compote. It is chewy in a caramelised-pastry way. Smoked blueberries emerge, as does weathered chicken wire mesh. Finish: without surprise, it is a bold finish too, with some cinnamon, lemon bark, preserved lemons cut on a limestone plate, and a generous whiff of smoke via retro-nasal olfaction. It is a scorched-earth type of smoke. The whole mouth if left as if one had just swallowed smoke-dried grapefruit peels coated in quarry dust. Without turning chalky, it certainly is bitter and gritty. The second gulp welcomes orange juice spilled on scorched earth, and it is only careful analysis of the retro-nasal olfaction that reveals quarry chippings and smoke from an industrial fire, acrid -- so acrid, in fact, that it may be a burning heap of citrus peels that creates that smoke. At the same time, it manages to hold a creamy mouthfeel. This is good. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, BA)

28/03/2025 Mystery sample #7

Last in the series, although one more is coming soon.

Nose: this must be a wine cask! It smells of red wine, cork, and a wooden winepress. It is fairly elegant, a lightish Bordelais Claret, but wine all the same. Deeper nosing brings forth some manner of vegetable -- steam-baked red onions and stewed red kidney beans, -- before fleeting crayons and empty saffron capsules enter the scene. A little later on, dried, crackled oilcloth comes under the spotlight to introduce earthier notes of potting soil and tagetes or gerania in a planter. The second nose welcomes citrus, orange in colour (oranges, clementines, tangerines), many of them soaked in red wine. Some pastry is also at play, here, hard to identify. Blueberry muffins dipped in red wine? Let us go with that. Mouth: very wine-y in texture, this is a tannic number, fruity, but drying. Chewing unleashes a bucket of plums intertwined with dark earth. One could call it rancio, probably, and marvel at the dunnage-warehouse quality of it. Tannic and spicy, it is, though, with sumac, ground cloves, and just a pinch of ground cinnamon. The second sip is juicier, more focussed on (blush-)orange segments, Shaddock pomelo, and hardly-ripe mandarines, bitter and acidic in equal measures. When chewing, one notices the wine influence again, almost minty, so woody and tannic it is. Finish: big and wine-y in the finish too, it has plenty of fruits in various forms (lingonberry compote leads the dance, dark grapes in its wake), counteracted by at least as much tannin. It is as if someone had rolled all the fruits in ground sumac. Fortunately, the lingering note is one of bitter-blush-orange marmalade augmented with a more-approachable pinch of ground cloves. Towards the death, we perceive a kick of wine-cured cantaloupe skin. Unusual. The wine influence is a bit much for me, in this one.

Old Perth 12yo (46%, Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers Aged Collection, Sherry Casks, b. ca. 2025) 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, Whisky-Online)

24/03/2025 Mystery sample #6

Nose: subtle and discreet, this has candlewax and pouches full of faded dried herbs (distant thyme and oregano), though not pot-pourri. Deeper nosing doubles down on those herbs, and adds a spoonful of vanilla custard. It veers towards metal, with empty tin cans and old cheap cutlery to supplement the (lemon) thyme and dried hawthorn. The second nose is as subtle; a whiff of flowers in a greenhouse, cactuses on a window sill, faded leaves in a planter, and an old sheet of cardboard. Mouth: lukewarm and bitter, this is a herbal infusion drunk from a tin can. Pencil-sharpener blades follow, new razor blades, moving to quarry chippings and street pebbles. It is rather desiccating, and, well, not the most-approachable whisky there is. Chewing reveals its warmth, yet it does not become more welcoming. Warm metal is all. The second sip has grist so dry it may as well be medieval dust, and the bitterness of green hazel leaves. That is somewhat balanced by a minty nut paste that does not fully convince. Finish: the same herbs and metal crash the gob for a second, and, fortunately, open the door to a much more pleasant minty custard, and even some fruits. That turns out to be fleeting, however: soon, bitter tin is all that stays on the tongue, with quarry chippings filling the gaps between the teeth. Gritty. The second gulp is bolder with the minty custard. It is trying to offer a pine-tree freshness, but never gets there. The death sees glossy paper, which anyone who has tried to chew it will know is not exactly delicious. Original, though! This is interesting alright, if not too pleasant. Could it be a Fettercairn?

M & H 4yo 2019/2023 Series 023 (64.2%, North Star, Refill Hogshead, 198b) 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, Whisky-Online

22/03/2025 A few drams at the SMWS

Just JS and me, today. Incredibly, PS is not there. He is, in fact, sunbathing at the seaside, something so out of character it needs to be mentioned.

121.114 8yo d.2015 Citric peppermint smoke (61.9%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 230b): this comes recommended by the staff as a substitute for 163.2, which is sold out. Nose: spring flowers on steroid. Daffodils, forsythia and yellow tulips. However, there is also a veil of earthy smoke that I initially blame on the next table's drams, but is definitely from this one. The second nose has a vague rubbery note and softer earth, maybe potting soil. Water turns this ashy. Mouth: bright and sharp, it pushes a delicate whiff of scorched earth, or smoke in a bothy with a clay floor. The second sip is still lively, sparkly, with sherbet and lime zest. Finish: warm and flowery, here are heated forsythia and honey-glazed lemon zest. In the second gulp, we have a soft vegetal note, mint tea or otherwise. Water makes it too hot. Another good (peated) Arran. 7/10

149.8 8yo d.2016 The fable of the tortoise and the hare (61.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 174b): nose: powder puffs, cosmetic powders of all sorts, old oilcloth tablecloths, clean linen, and a whiff of tame coffee. As one tilts the glass, metal rises. Mouth: sweet upon entry, it quietly takes on a kitchen-y profile, with clean Scotchbrite pads. The second sip has oily dolmas and a nice vinaigrette. Finish: the strangest combination, part sweets, part sparkling mineral water, part Alka Seltzer, part flower stems. Desiccating as fook, though it kind of works. JS finds it juicy, on the other hand, showing once more that perception is a very personal thing. 7/10

59.89 17yo d.2007 Tempura toast (56.4%, SMWS Society Cask, American Oak ex-Oloroso Butt + 1st Fill Spanish Oak ex-Oloroso Butt Finish, 498b): another staff recommendation. Nose: it smells like an empty oven, initially. Then, smoked currants appear, which is as enticing as it reads. It remains a hot-metal affair all the same, despite the clear sweetness. Baked prunes, baked plums, stewed nectarines. The second nose has a nice hazelnut chocolate. Mouth: thick, coating, oily and fruity in the way of prunes or currants. Velvety, rich, faintly earthy. Perhaps we spot trifle, or sticky toffee pudding. The second sip seems earthier and more drying, desert dirt and crusty earth. Finish: the kind of dram people not in the know call: "Christmas in a glass." It has clotted cream topped with a berry coulis, caramel cream, and maybe some chocolate. The dominant is easily prune, though. 8/10

52.45 30yo d.1993 Sea breeze through quince trees (51.7%, SMWS Vaults Collection, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 187b): nose: light and ethereal, it has a whiff of weed, but that is fleeting. Soon, it is submerged by jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, snowdrops, and white magnolia. Regardless of what the label reads, I find nothing coastal or maritime, here. Instead, it is poached apples and baked peach slices. The second nose brings raspberry into the mix, but also fresh butterhead lettuce and scented talcum powder. Mouth: soft and light, what strikes first is a certain chalkiness. Oh! it is nothing too drying, but it certainly has chewy powder -- speaking of which, chewing unleashes some fruits, baked apples and sliced nectarines with a splash of pomelo soda. The second sip is richer, juicier for a second, with squashed raspberries augmented with a drop of lemon juice, then served on limestone. Finish: a lovely woody touch introduces citrus-y tonic water, lime or pomelo Schweppes, which means it is pretty chalky and bitter, I suppose. The second gulp is just as good, long with a subtle bitterness in an otherwise increasingly coastal dram (battered fried fish, of all things!), sprinkled with chalk and lemon juice. This is obviously not in the same league as the first three, yet I flip-flop between a strong 8 and a weak 9. Bah! 9/10

21/03/2025 Mystery sample #5

Nose: we have a fruity, dry white wine, probably a Riesling, maybe from Chablis, and rubbery  green grapes. It is not as rubbery as plastic green grapes, but not too far off either. That is followed by plump white plums, Mirabelle, at a push, then deeper tones: nectarines and damsons hint at blueberries and currants. Stupendously, that is soon almost entirely replaced with subtle smoke, the result of burning orchard wood. Then, we start from the top again, with rubbery fruits making way for sultanas and fresh crayons. The second nose is more enticing, with more plums, nectarines, and blueberries, juicier with every sniff. Mouth: ooh! This is dry and bitter, quite mineral. If still a tad rubbery, the grapes are now Chenin Blanc, sixteen grapes to the juice drop, and they come with an earthiness that tOMoH did not expect. Crayon shavings -- older crayons, which means they are dry-ish. It is pleasant on the palate, not thick, while not watery either. The second sip feels fuller, thicker, and closer to fruit juice. If they make nectarine juice, this is close to it (and if they do not, why not?) Chewing adds fruits, namely darker plums and even tangerines, the latter sweet enough to be close to fruit jellies. Finish: pure crayon with a horseradish kick. Black, brown, or purple crayons, earthy, rubbery, vaguely fruity. That fruit is now desiccated plum peels, or nectarine skins. It sticks to the top of the gob, despite not feeling long or big. Just a pleasant warmth, as well as a distant bitterness -- that of fruit foliage, it appears. The second gulp does not deviates much. It does occupy a wider space with repeated sipping, as one may expect, and offers chewy crayons at the death. For some reason, this reminds me of The Pogues.

Tobermory 12yo (46.3%, OB, ex-Bourbon Casks Finished in Virgin Oak Casks, b. ca. 2025) 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, Whisky-Online)

Welcome, spring!

17/03/2025 St. Padraig

Midleton d.2014 (unknown ABV, Duty Paid Samples, Double Charred Bourbon Cask): nose: slightly cork-y dunnage warehouse, a combination of musty, dusty clay floors and dried raspberry slices. That latest note expands to become fruit yoghurt, and, if the earthy impression stubbornly sticks around, it becomes so intense it is borderline gingery -- a ginger touch that lets one glimpse juicy passion fruits. As is to be expected, the more this breathes, the more those passion fruits reach the nostrils. We also find an oilcloth tablecloth, warmed by the spring sun. The second nose has candied angelica, fresh and green, which promises a soft bitterness. It moves more and more-clearly towards candied fruits and mixed peels. Perhaps it has lovage seeds, in the long run -- just a couple of them. Mouth: it is immediately fruity on the tongue, with mango, papaya and jackfruit, served on a wooden stave. Baked pineapple and baked Mirabelle plums rise and deliver, and the wood becomes a mere accessory. It is all very pot still, as cavalier66 put it last month. It has a faint metallic touch too, a clean knife blade. The second sip adds a drying, almost-mineral touch; Verdigris, then a growing sense of dust, or lichen on limestone. It is not long before lovely fruits catch up: Ugli fruit, cherimoya, pomelo and mouldy mango dusted in cinnamon powder. It ends up being a softly-drying number, after all, with lichen and green bitterness, yet the fruits keep the upper hand. Finish: what a beauty! A parade of delicate tropical fruits here too, with baked banana, cut mango, diced papaya, and pineapple juice. Only via retro-nasal olfaction does wood provide a comforting warmth. The second sip offers warm mango (perhaps the skin comes out most), papaya cubes sizzling in a copper pan green with Verdigris, and lichen grated off of limestone, and subsequently dry-roasted. But then, bergamot and kumquat take over with their foliage balancing the juicy bits with a subtle, leafy bitterness. Magnificent. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

15/03/2025 The afterparty

Of course, a group like that assembled for EG's shindig does not disband just like that. Instead, we follow our guide for a well-deserved dinner at Le Golosità Di Nonna Aurora.

How are we going to ingest all that?

The quality of the food is very, very high. The two Lambrusco we drink alongside are also pleasant, even for this grumpy old man who tends not to get along with bubbles of any kind.

Affettati misti, Crescentine bolognesi,
Squacquerone, Sott'acetto e soot'oli (not pictured)

Tagliatelle al ragù
Lasagne verde

A fourth basket of Crescentine bolognesi

Cotoletta Bologna

But we have work to do. Back to the venue, we anschluß a collection of poolside tables to focus on those other things that everyone brought to the game. This is a social event; notes are succinct.

Predictably, the staff asks us to come in in thirty minutes or so, and carry on partying inside. Naturally, we forget, and no-one bothers us for hours, other than one angry guy who shouts at us whilst ignoring that the table a bit further on are playing loud music (they stop soon thereafter and the angry guy never comes back).

Let us have a barbecue!

Chåteau de Beaulon 30yo 1985/2015 (18%, OB imported by Speciality Drinks) (CB): a Pineau des Charentes, would you believe it. Sweet, rich and fruity. In that context, it works really well. 8/10

Chåteau d'Yquem Lur-Saluces 1987 (14.5%, OB imported by Ercole Brovelli) (JKr)

Nose: frying oil, ashy prunes and dates.
Mouth: fresh and juicy currants and prunes.
Finish: it is a little sickly, intensely sweet, with prominent wood and blueberries. 7/10

JKr has spent the past thirty minutes warming up a bottle in his lap that has spent the afternoon in the fridge. He eventually proudly announces:

JKr: "Port!"
tOMoH: "Balls finish!"

Ar almost dies, crimson with laughter.

Noval 40yo Tawny b.1989 (21%, OB imported by Ditta Ennio Pescarmona) (JKr)

Nose: cork, wood, old fruits.
Mouth: yes, this is corked. It is not horrible, but corked, definitely.
Finish: sweet, very sweet, borderline sickly. 6/10

AH: "We could blend the Port, the Pineau and the Yquem..."
tOMoH: "If you did, you'd have PorNeauQuem..."
AH: "If you blended those, you'd have type-2 diabetes!"

Cantillon Lambic d'Aunis (6.5%, Cantillon, b. ca. 2019) (NH): bretty on the nose (from Brettanomyces), almost butyric. It then reveals a strong acidity, and turns somewhat fruity. 7/10

Time for whisky!

Glen Keith 30yo 1985/2015 (41.9%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland, C#12299-12302, 389b, b#170) (JS): full notes here. It seems appreciated by all. 9/10

Bunnahabhain 12yo 2012/2024 (55%, C.Dully Selection, Barrel, C#2305, 216b) (PG)

Nose: muddy peat and ground cockles.
Mouth: desiccating sands, and talcum powder sprinkled on bicycle inner-tubes.
Finish: long, gritty, ashy. Here is a challenging finish! 6/10

The night is well under way, now. Many have left already, and the time is opportune for smaller samples.

Royal Brackla 24yo 1979/2003 (63.4%, Scotch Single Malt Circle, C#4131) (Ar)

Nose: gravel-y, austere, it blends a subtle chocolate cream with hot metal and ashes. Phew!
Mouth: ashy raspberries, more gravel. This is intense, and rather hard. Chewing brings lemon, chilli and chalk.
Finish: earth, leaves, and lemon-y chilli. This is mineral, austere, and plain difficult. 7/10

PG pulls out a flask of his "Emergency Laphroaig". That amuses me very much. (Islay 25yo b.2024 (47.9%, C. Dully Selection imported by Sansibar Whisky, Bourbon Barrels, B#CD 24-88, 357b)

Dailuaine 35yo 1971/2007 (45.6%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask, Refill Hogshead, C#DL3519, 152b) (Ar)

Nose: fresh fruits cross paths with metal blades. A pinch of ash adds a bit of variety.
Mouth: lovely nectarines, subtle bark shavings.
Finish: nectarines, a lick of smoked cork, shaved eucalyptus bark. Very, very good. 8/10

Ardbeg 14yo d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice) (JKr)

Nose: smoked parchment and old ink, sands and salt water. Over time, we find smoked black pepper and smoked seashells.
Mouth: fresh, bright, it is surprisingly lively, teeming with smoked black pepper sprinkled on sea water (why would one do that?), augmented with a drop of India ink. It has charred orange rind too. Phwoar!
Finish: huge, it does not know if it wants to be fruity, ashy, or peppery, and goes from one to the next like a hyperactive child. Smoked orange segments, cracked black pepper, burnt tyre, calligraphy ink, and hot sands. What a beast this is! Excellent! 9/10

It is coming close to 2:00. I decide it is time to go check the inside of my lids. How could that Ardbeg be topped, anyway? Others carry on indoors until 4:00. Tomorrow, I will hear stories of pre-ban absinth that almost does not make one blind (one of PG's top-10 pre-ban absinth, he will tell us). There will be less pride on display, and a few sore heads. Astonishingly (considering the variety of alcohol absorbed), tOMoH's own head will be fine. Not even a hangover will spoil that wonderful weekend, then! :-)

15/03/2025 EG's birthday bash

EG is not one to celebrate his birthdays, but, for some (welcome) reason, he decided to do it, this year. He announces early on that this is (and I paraphrase) "no more than an informal meeting with a group of friends to try some interesting whiskies."

EG introduces us to the world of whisky

When that group of friends covers around ten nationalities and as many uprooted folk, it can perhaps be informal, but not casual! Amongst those in attendance, we count MW & Hk, KCF & EF, JKr, AH, CB, PG, JS, TM, NH, Ar, and a handful of EG's colleagues (Em, An, Cl, Da). NF makes a brief early appearance, then vanishes like a ghost at dawn. Ha! Ha!

First, let us fix the lighting

Local Mortadella (EG), and aged Gouda (Em) that most (tOMoH)
confuse for a mature Parmesan

Beside nibbles, EG has concocted a line-up of whiskies all distilled in the same year. As many whiskies, in fact, as years he has spent working in the industry. Several of us have known the energumen for all those years.

That's a lot of years, yo!

Glen Grant 5yo d.1985 (40%, OB, 1l): nose: light and spirit-y, it focusses on few things, and does them with precision. Pear and distant raspberry provide a little fruity entertainment. Mouth: soft, thin, pear-like, it also has a lemon-y perfume (JS). It remains precise, then, akin to limoncello, at times. Finish: clean, lemon-y, filled with limoncello. It even has almond cream in the long run. It is fairly simple, but a designated starter. We all agree it feels a lot bigger than 40%. 7/10

Glen Avon 5yo 1985/1990 (40%, Avonside Whisky Selected and Bottled Exclusively for P.A.I.S.S.A. imported by Sestante): many discussions and assertions about this. An undisclosed Glenfarclas, all reckon. In any case, it is the most-recent vintage bottled under this name. Nose: very plastic-y, with flexible rubber and cured meats, electric cables and wire insulation (jacket insulation), PVC ducting and plastic-doll heads. Mouth: pickled-pearl-onion brine, dusty cured meat, charred bits off a barbecue grill... Meaty? Yes, a little. Finish: spirit-y, if wider than the nose hinted at, it is somewhat chalky, then adds some roast beef, and a drop of brine. 7/10

S & E Wedding Reserve 1985/2021 (unknown ABV, Nadi Fiori): if you think that NF dropped off a one-off bottle before he buggered off, you are right. He made this blended malt exclusively for EG's wedding. Nose: warm wool with pearl onions in milk. Mouth: odd. Perhaps plastic? Old rubber? Finish: here, an unexpected note of liqueur chocolate rocks up. How original! Here is a dram that works better in large sips, by the way. 7/10

Strathmill 11yo 1985/1997 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Oak Cask, C#2342, 480b, b#196): nose: this is a step-up in quality, it seems. Orange bark, cassia bark, bitter orange liqueur and limestone gratings. The second nose welcomes pot-pourri. Mouth: it is quite woody on the tongue, with slabs of oak, yet it remains juicy to complement the mild bitterness. Finish: citrus-y, it has orange rinds and dried-up plasticine. A divisive dram, for some reason. Some say it is the best Strathmill they have had (the best of two, you understand), others care less for it. I like it a lot. 8/10

Bruichladdich 12yo 1985/1997 (46%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection): nose: very mineral, this is like granite torched with a flamethrower. It surprisingly progresses to give dried strawberries and dried peach slices. Mouth: CB finds it charred, whereas it is mellow and a tad mineral for JS. Strawberry yoghurt, cassia-bark shavings and eucalyptus bark. Finish: mellow again, it has a dash of orange juice and cassia bark. This is my favourite so far. 8/10

MW, KCF and EF meet outside of
a festival, for once -- or an airport!

JS [about the nibbles]: "That mortadella!..."
EG: "Do you want me to move it?"
PG, JS and tOMoH: "Put it away!"

PG [grabs the toolbox]: "Later, I'll come to your room to do some plumbing."

The Macallan 15yo d.1985 (43%, OB, Sherry Oak Casks): nose: it smells like a spectacular Pedro Ximénez maturation: sweet, bold, and darkly fruity. Prunes, dried figs, hazelnut paste. More and more smoked dried fruits come out, as does cured orange. Mouth: it is more mineral and drier here, and hints at a Fino. Oily roasted chestnuts, wine-cured lychees and green grapes. The second sip is earthier and drier, with quarry dust and tree bark. Finish: long, sticky as cough syrup, it has camphor and liquorice, but also sweet prunes and dried figs. 8/10

TM: "This group has had more-exclusive Macallans, single casks and all, but this really does the trick."

Pineapple cake, courtesy of KCF and EF

Yum!

EF shows tOMoH how to eat the cake like a local

Aultmore 14yo d.1985 (60.1%, Adelphi Distillery Limited, Sherry Cask, C#2900, 612b): nose: this is super-dry, chalky, overflowing with quarry dust. Grated limestone, and piles and piles of chalk. It certainly does not hide its provenance -- Aultmore tends to be chalky; this is but an extreme example. Mouth: PG finds sulphur, and, indeed, it has something of an old-school sulphur-y limestone fertiliser, were it heated. Just another side of chalky, really. Finish: burnt rubber (PG). I get none of that, but quicklime instead. Chalky and hot, and, if that reads repetitive, so be it. There are some flashes of pineapple, though that might be a remnant of those pineapple cakes from Taïwan. In any case, this stays hot on the palate for a long time. It is also the most-disliked dram today by everyone present. 6/10

TM: "The Aultmore smells shit, tastes good."

Emergency cork-removal skills required.
At least, we know it is not a fake!

EG goofs around with the next bottle, pretends to take a swig straight from the bottle, and ends with a generous sip of whisky in the gob, much to his uncomfortable surprise (and our amusement).

PG: "Can you pour it straight from your mouth [into mine]?"

Ord 10yo 1985/1995 (56.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Oak Cask): nose: ooft! We have a rich mix of minerals and fruits, with cut mango and pineapple rings served on slate. Granite chippings show up, and it appears at last that this is very strong. The second nose has cigarette smoke, grist, and a flour millstone. Mouth: phwoar! Papaya, tamarind, stewed jackfruit. After chewing, hot metal joins the dance (copper, brass). It is warm, but tolerable, despite the furious ABV (it is actually less strong than it feels). The second sip has cracked black pepper wrapped in ciggy smoke. Finish: long, full of smashed heated fruits. Smoke appears, in the long run, and it becomes quite the robust dram. 9/10

PG: "Proper dram for real people. [Grabs the toolbox] Now I can get some shit done!"

EG distributes vouchers to all.

KCF: "Give me ten, man!"

54.2 9yo 1985/1995 (58.2%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: leather grease, old leather coats that have just ben waterproofed again. Then, we move on to jams and marmalades slathered on hot boilers (dusty cast iron). Water makes it nuttier and woodier, with a stack of extremely-dry oak logs. Mouth: chicory infusion... and quite some power! This is hot, from a time before the Society discovered water. Hazelnut spread, almond butter, chestnut purée. The desiccating second sip sucks all moisture. Water renders it sharper and more chiselled, almost grappa-like, so sharp it is. Finish: hot, dusty metal mingles with hazelnut and almond spread, perhaps chocolate, and chestnut purée again. The hot metal is incisive, though. Very bold. It is all darker and warmer at second sip, chocolate-coulis galore. Water brings out grapes and keeps it sharp. 7/10

Pittyvaich-Glenlivet 15yo 1985/2000 (59.1% Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 240b): nose: initially very briny, it turns into roast beef and crushed sand. With time, it is geranium stems, and, slowly, earth and potting soil, augmented with cork shavings. Mouth: hot tomato sauce, musk (JS). This has meaty elements -- cold gravy, mortadella, -- and retains the cardboard. Finish: it turns hot again, earthy, flowers trampled into mud. 7/10

CB: "This is a technical whisky."
PG: "One of my top-100 Pittyvaich."

tOMoH [to AH]: "I didn't realise you were a big The Cure fan. JS told me: 'Are you kidding? He's rocking a Siouxie and the Banshee t-shirt!'"
AH: "It's Suze. My Cure t-shirt is wrapped around [a bottle of] olive oil I just bought."

Glenlivet 10yo 1985/1996 (57.9%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection Cask Strength, Sherry Hogshead, C#19.765, 271b): nose: dry polished wood (AH), a bold Sherry cask indeed, but one that brings one a lot of squashed fruits (figs, dates), and a bit of earth too. Mouth: thick, rich, Sherry-matured whisky that exhibits raisins, prunes, and figs. It is thick, coating, rich, and fairly strong too. Last to strike are heated lychee shavings. Finish: dark fruit, stewed, juicy, lovely. The second gulp brings cured lychee too. This is very good. 8/10

We pick up the pace for the final couple, which makes for scrambled notes.

Glen Garioch 16yo 1985/2001 (51.9%, OB Individual Cask Bottling for The Whisky Exchange, Sherry Butt, C#1585): nose: lavender (EG). There is some, as well as sultanas, raisins and violet candy (I am not talking about Parma Violet, but the superior Continental variation; Verquin's, for example). Mouth: oh! This is so full of hard-boiled violet sweets it is hilarious. Of course, everybody hates it. Everybody but me -- I like it. :) Finish: dirty earth and a lot of violet sweets. So much violet it is extremely entertaining. 8/10

Bowmore 16yo 1985/2001 (50%, Silver Seal Special Reserve, Sherry Cask, 480b): nose: a notch of peat and mud make way for a roasted-nut paste. We then have faint shoe polish and distant pot flowers. Mouth: mellow and earthy at first, shoe polish develops, spread onto the softest leather. Flowers are nowhere to be found, here. Finish: earth-soaked violet sweets -- and the earth is certainly easier to spot than the violet. Later on, hazelnut spread becomes more and more obvious. I try this on the spot, later on in the evening, and again the following morning and love it each time. 8/10

PG: "The Garioch is more 1980s Bowmore than the 1985 Bowmore!"

Ar: "The best thing about the Bowmore is that it was not the Glen Garioch."

Bodegas del Mundo Nuevo 40yo (84 Proof, OB imported by Schroeder Bros.)
Em brought this Brandy de Jérez.
I will never get around to trying it.