16/06/2025 Strathmill

Strathmill 11yo 1985/1997 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Oak Cask, C#2342, 2460b, b#95, 97/617): nose: oh! it is a lovely dusty one, with old fruits, dried and chewy. Dried apple slices, dust-covered easy-peelers, and a pinch of ground white pepper. It is far from a peppery nose, yet it displays a softly-spicy touch. It has got a fresh kick too, minty, somewhat leafy -- laurel and olive-tree leaves. The nose becomes bolder as it parades strawberry foliage on a wooden board. The second nose adds hardened raisins, or prunes splashed with ink. An odd combination augmented with white-wood shavings and one preserved cherry -- unless it is a bunch of dark grapes. Mouth: urgh! Very bitter, borderline shampoo-y, this takes a few seconds to feel more welcoming. Fortunately, enduring the pain for that short time seems enough: soon, we are treated to crystallised orange segments, crushed clove, and the most subtle violet sweets. The initial bitterness never truly disappears, but it is quickly reduced to a vaguely-earthy note -- mushrooms, mulch. The second sip is still as difficult upon entry, and it is with a huge relief that the bitterness comes back down, leaving citrus peels, cassia bark and ground clove. A cold mulled wine, in a way. Finish: sweet as hard-candy, it is not violet, here, so much as liquorice. Oh! it is far from offensive; merely a root-y type of earthy sweetness. This finish leaves the mouth throbbing gently as would a camphor-flavoured mouthwash. Unusual, but not without merit. The second gulp feels more traditional: woody and creamy, it has a little fruit too, whether that is squashed strawberries or black-cherry jam. It has an unexpected pinch of grated medicine tablet (Zyma Fluor comes to mind), which brings us back in the bitter realm, albeit one that is tolerable. It is alright, this. 6/10

13/06/2025 Old Fettercairn

Old Fettercairn 10yo (43%, OB, L4165G1): nose: a typical Fettercairn, which is to say: a bit bizarre. It has brine, pickled gherkins, cardboard, and some farm-y aspects too -- a mound of muck drying in the summer sun. Cardboard soon takes the lead, and it is complemented by billowing cigar smoke. With a few minutes of breathing, that morphs into ink-stained blush oranges, also wrapped in smoke, and a touch of strawberry chewing gum. Just how weird can this be. eh? The second nose is drier. It exhibits a bunch of dried flowers (carnations and lunaria) and woven straw upholstery from a smoker's house. In the long run, we might even spot a desert-dry hand-soap bar, or the beige leather interior of a 1970s car that belonged to a smoker. Even the label colour points towards that! Mouth: briny cardboard it is! Peach juice tainted with a mix of cork and smoky cardboard. It has ashes of burnt paper, ground peach stone in the fruit's juice, bone-dry leather, still attached to the carcass of an animal dead in the desert for weeks, and the bitterness of very-dry blush-orange zest. There is a tame spiciness too, probably ground mace or amchur. The second sip starts off juicy, yet that is quickly matched by this peculiar mix of brine-soaked straw, dried zest, and desiccating spice powder. Here too, the feeling is 1970s, when everything was beige and faded orange, because everyone smoked absolutely everywhere. Finish: gentle and fruity for a second, it resumes its strange ways quickly: cardboard, dried zest, cork shavings, coarse white pepper, and brine. It leaves the tongue dry and slightly stripped. The second gulp has a drop of chocolate milk, when one gives way to one's imagination, yet it remains largely the same: zest, brine-stained cardboard, and ground spices. Never a dull day, with this distillery! It must have its afficionados, yet it is easy to see this being pretty divisive. 6/10 (Thanks GN)

09/06/2025 Mosstowie tierce

Because we cannot do a Kinclaith tierce each year. Not even ten years apart. Ahem.

Mosstowie 35yo 1979/2015 (48.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Bourbon Barrel, C#25756, 171b): nose: delicate and floral, it presents saxifrage, lilac, honeysuckle, faint jasmine and maybe bluebells. That suggests a combination of white and purple, surely. It promises a tame, woody bitterness, white wood or plant sap. The whole is ethereal, ideal for spring, or the beginning of summer, which is topical, since that is the period we are in -- though the weather hides it well! Further nosing includes meadow flowers -- daisies, cornflowers, myosotis, perhaps buttercups. Mind you, we also spot cut hazel as we tilt the glass. The second nose flirts with scented nail varnish, lipstick, or other cosmetic artefact. That said, it takes very little effort to fall back onto a flowery character -- one that seems grassier, now, with cut lawn and hedge trimmings. Mouth: yes, it is very spring-like, bursting with flowers of all kinds (lilac, daisies, cornflowers), a dash of plant sap (is it dandelion stem?) and a dose of a sweet gingery paste, Boule Magique style. It is augmented with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder too, giving the whole a slight bakery feel. Cinnabuns, runny apple turnovers dusted with cinnamon... Yum! The second sip has unsweetened apple juice, perhaps enhanced with a drop of quince juice. Chewing injects hard candy; it points at violet sweets, but only the texture, not so much the taste. Crystallised Seville-orange segments, maybe? Finish: a beautiful, light, floral profile is on show. We come back to white flowers (lilac, jasmine, lily of the valley), and add a fifty-fifty mix of crushed mint and stem ginger. It is indeed sweeter than the nose would have us think, although it retains the spicy freshness. The second gulp carries on, and it is lush to see that fresh, fruitier aspect riding on a spicy backbone. Now, we find ginger powder and ground mace pushing sliced Golden apples and, perhaps, grated dried slices of pineapple or raspberry -- those two are so similar it can be heard to tell them apart. Ahem. A strong 8/10 that could very well become 9 on another day.

Mosstowie 36yo 1979/2015 (45%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Bourbon Barrel, C#25757, 150b): nose: even more flowery, this one has dominant yellow flowers (forsythia, daffodils, tulips, yet also honeysuckle) and crusty bread not fully baked yet. Like its sister cask, it promises a soft bitterness, yet, here, that manifests itself with a pot-pourri pouch -- one that contains meadow flowers. It is once more a tranquil, delicate nose that does not shout, and one that would be easy to miss in festival conditions, I suspect. Today, it shines. There is a leafy note coming from the back, part ivy, part mint, all gentle, and a spoonful of honey, when one tilts the glass. The second nose is fruitier, with kiwano, dragon fruit and jackfruit turning earthier as time goes on, as if mangoes grew underground (in which case one would have to go to the mango, obviously). Mouth: a modest attack, elegant rather than brash, it delivers on its promise of bitterness with some leaves alright. Half a chew is enough to unleash a strong fruitiness, however: apricots, peaches, nectarines, longans and, more surprisingly, blueberry squash. It is fairly thick, coating, acidic, and softly bitter, as if not all the fruits were ripe yet. Over the space of a minute or two, the texture becomes that of chewing gum, and it presents cinnamon powder. The second sip feels a little nutty or liqueur-like... At least until one chews, at which point, it regains its fruity splendour, now greener and less ripe -- green gooseberries, unripe greengages. Finish: well, it remains fruity, pulpy, with similar peaches and apricots (both smashed), yet what stands out is a yoghurt-y, root-y addition. I want to say tamarind paste, but it is not that acidic. Pulped chikoo, maybe? Some yoghurt with a tablespoon of mango powder? That might well be it! The second gulp confirms tamarind paste, yet it is diluted in coconut yoghurt, with some cherimoya slices thrown in for good measure. Ooft! Only at the death is there a minute note of older wood (which is nae bother at all). Stupendous drop. 9/10

Mosstowie 36yo 1979/2016 (46.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Bourbon Barrel, C#25758, 178b): nose: what!? This one is peaty! Have Master of Malt mislabelled a sample of Craigduff? I may have bought some around the same time. Bah! This nose has mud patties drying in the summer sun and farming tools (ploughs, harrows) from which dried lumps of mud are falling. Oh! There are plenty of meadow flowers, to be sure. Simply, they are hidden behind the crusty mud. Also on display are dry hay and chargrilled orchard fruits (mostly apples), which confers this a barbecue-in-the-fields feel. How unexpected! Shaking the glass dispels the earthy smoke, which allows fruits to enjoy some attention. Let it sit for a second and the muddy smoke comes back. The second nose has pencil shavings, apple peels, the clay floor of a smoke-filled bothy, and, with vigorous shaking, dried crayons. Behind it all, a fistful of cranberries licked by billowing smoke. Mouth: ...and muddy it is! Roasted apples covered in crusted mud, chargrilled apples whose peels came off in parched ashy dust, and, well, burnt-paper ashes. Chewing gives embers, torched orchard fruits (torchard fruits?), and, generally, produces an interesting mix of juicy and ashy fruits. It feels less muddy here, even if some of that remains. The second sip fleetingly has a vaguely-aquatic feel akin to dried algae on the shore of a mountain loch. Quickly, we return to fruits, now mostly berries, and a notch more wine-y than before -- cranberry or lingonberry compote, even smoked elderberry, though less syrupy. Finish: long, it continues the ashy-muddy-orchard-y story. Apples on the barbecue, forgotten for hours and hardly recognisable, their flesh lost in the midst of embers and ashes. The second gulp sees berry compote spilled onto the earthen floor of a smoky bothy. It is sticky, acrid, yet warming and somehow comforting. And increasingly woody too, like a pile of logs for the fire. It certainly grows on tOMoH. This is a proper surprise! Mind you, it is almost certainly not what it claims to be either. 8/10

Happy birthday, Kim Clijsters (it was yesterday, I know).

06/06/2025 Blair Athol

The soundtrack: Lustmord - Rising (06.06.06)

Blair Athol 14yo 2008/2022 Release No. 101 (53.1%, Angus Dundee Distillers for Alistair Walker Infrequent Flyers bottled exclusively for Whisky Bible imported by MetaBev Korea, Sauternes Hogshead Finish, C#807414, 278b, CBSC4 11681): a bottling for South Korea. One does not see that every day, eh? Well, unless one lives in South Korea, I suppose. Wonder how it got here... Whisky Bible (the shop, not the book) also had an exclusive Miltonduff in the same Infrequent Flyer range, as well as an official-bottling single cask of Arran. Nose: dessert wine and nail varnish. It is generally discreet, however, and a tad indistinct at first sniff. Shaking the glass pushes big wafts of polished furniture, teak, mahogany or redwood. Red wood, in any case (the colour, not the species). That wood seems to crawl back into its roots with a few seconds of quiet, and the nose goes back to sweet aromas -- now, we have puffy and slightly-oily muffins, cupcakes and rum baba. Suddenly, we are treated to a big slap of honey-glazed strawberries, followed by raspberry muffins served on a wooden board. The short version is that this is sweet, not sickly. The second nose has an unexpected mix of coins (brass, nickel) and desiccated pot plants, then fallen leaves and honey-coated banknotes (of the paper kind, not the current synthetic ones). Later yet, it displays qualities close to those of the liqueur de chicon that we tried many moons ago. Mouth: punchy, nutty, sweet, it also has a clear bitterness that hints at a nut liqueur or another. Moving the liquid in the mouth adds a creamy texture and transforms the juice into an almond paste. It is potent, not fierce, and has a lick of tree bark, when kept on the tongue for an extended period of time. The second sip is sweeter yet, and a trifle bitter -- not chicory-bitter; closer to almond liqueur. And lovely that is, too! It has a bite of raspberry-filled dark chocolate, PiM's style, and a lick of wood again. Finish: soaked cask bungs, honey-coated wooden cutting boards, and a gentle spicy note, somewhere between milled white pepper and grated nutmeg. Those spices give a lasting mouthfeel more than they give taste -- slightly numbing. The back of the palate registers a lingering sweet-wine note that comes close to syrupy. The second sip is sweeter and bitter too. The overall feeling it provides is that of a shot of eau-de-vie sweetened with cordial, taken with a honey-glazed strawberry. It works a treat! Water makes the whole more diffuse without changing it much. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

01/06/2025 Masters of the Juniverse

It seems to be harder and harder to find a date that works for a tasting, but we still manage, albeit more rarely than I would like.

When we do have a date, it is perhaps as challenging to find a theme -- not for lack of ideas; rather for inclusivity reasons: it needs to be a theme that inspires guests, and one that is wide-ranging enough to allow rummaging in one's collection without the need for a new purchase.

JS observed that June is here, and, with remarkable flair for a good pun, she suggested Masters of the Juniverse.

JS, YM, OB, BA and MJ join me for an afternoon of dramming. JMcD calls off, unfortunately.

Just as I hoped, someone brings a figurine.
Just as I predicted, that someone is BA.

YM presents: Masters of the Jenevers (or Masters of the Junipers).

Jenever spelled with a 'g'

Zuidam 15yo 2008/2023 (38%, OB, American Oak Barrel, C#55, 284b, b#150): nose: pleasant and fruity, Bourbon-y (OB), it has similar notes to "that beer brandy that I actively hate, but I like this" (BA). This has citrus zest too. The second nose introduces a whiff of coffee. Mouth: a slap of honey, really. It is very Bourbon-y before revealing plenty of gin spices. All the same, those spices are well behind the Bourbon influences (vanilla, toffee). Finish: delicate, ripe with toffee, a hint of vanilla and mint drops. In the long run, juniper ends up peeking through as well. I like this better than the first time, I think. 7/10

tOMoH presents: Miodulok

Miodula Presidential Blend (40%, Mundivic, Oak Barrel, C#256, b#268): short notes for this. YM detects chocolate and nuts, MJ has holly, OB calls it sweet, while BA and I compare it to mead. Full notes here. 7/10

JS introduces: Prince Glenc-Adam

And if you think that sounds familiar, it is because JS used the same pun for another tasting in 2022. When the juice is so good, who cares that the pun is recycled?

Glencadam 14yo 1964/1979 (45.7%, Cadenhead): nose: YM says it smells nice (clearly inspired, our YM), while OB observes we are definitely switching gears, and calls out bruised apples (OB). Mouth: weedy and hoppy (BA), leafy and herbal, almost soapy, though it stays on the right side (OB). Finish: OB confirms the hoppy note in the aftertaste. My full notes here. 9/10

YM, when he read the email with the theme, wondered what a Juniverse is. He typed it into a search engine. One of the first results was a weird Japanese-anime blog of sorts. so he brought a Japanese whisky. Or, at least, a whisky sold by a Japanese company: none of us knows what it actually contains, yet we all reckon the marketing stories are hardly believable.

Kaiyō Japanese Sakura Wood (Cherry Blossom) (54%, OB Exclusive Single Barrel hand selected by Binny's Beverage Depot imported by Park Street Imports, Japanese Sakura Wood Cask, C#9921): nose: very fragrant, especially after the Glencadam (OB). It smells like the back of a lawnmower (BA), freshly-cut grass (BA), lilies (MJ). All that converges towards incense and somehow "reminds" me of a temple or a shrine in Japan, even though I have never been. It waltzes from ashy to leafy, from grassy to burnt wood. Later on, it pushes wafts of cask scents in a musty warehouse. Mouth: sharpish attack, with parched yuca leaves, dried bunches of flowers and incense ash. BA finds a certain sweetness that he attributes to the Sakura cask. "Damp wood, which is less my thing" (YM). The second sip has more ashes, and that gives it a clear bitterness. Finish: flower nectar, rather sweet. Perhaps honeysuckle sap? It retains a little of the ash of the nose, but it hardly compares. Wood dust and old, decaying staves come up with the second gulp. Another UFO from YM, really interesting, and, for me, enjoyable. 7/10

BA presents: The Adam Malt.
He adds that the bottle bears Sorceress-like wings, which is perhaps less far-fetched.

The Arran Malt 1999/2010 (54.6%, OB Anniversary Bottling for the 15th Anniversary of the Isle of Arran Distillery, Bourbon Casks finished in Amontillado Sherry Casks, 5640b): nose: it is almost game-y, wine-y, with sauce grand'veneur and oil cloth, none sickly, thankfully. Mouth: citrus-y, it has a clear orange-y note (YM). "I feel like I should get orange" (MJ). Discussion follows about suggestion from the orange box. Blush orange, wine-cured orange, dried orange peels. BA finds it flinty. The citrus-y elements really take off in the long run, not just zesty, but acidic too, with fresh oranges. Finish: long, warming, zesty and summery. This has a remarkable balance. It has more citrus upon repeated quaffing, and a sprinkle of white pepper. 8/10

JS [about K-pop]: "In the early acts, nobody could dance. It was pathetic and I loved it."

OB presents: Skeletormore

Tormore 27yo 1992/2019The Dram With The Mash Tun Tokyo (44.6%, The Whiskyfind, C#101154, 276b): a bottle OB opened in 2022, but we did not give enough attention, then. Nose: metallic chocolate. This has hazelnut spread on a tin knife. The metallic bit is almost perfume-y, spirit-y, with a whiff of Teflon-plated baking trays. With time, it gains chicory infusion and waves of passion fruits. Mouth: mellow in a similar way to pouring honey left on a metal tray. Then, fruits start to grow, with cut peach slices and smashed apricots. It is a little warmer at second sip, yet still juicy, metallic, and amazingly fruity. Finish: long and fruity as hell. Here are warm mangoes, smashed apricots or apricot compote. It is a jammy, juicy, lush number, and it is excellent. I immediately think of the other beautiful expression we had recently. OB is as glad as I am to try this again in a setting in which it shines brighter than in 2022. 9/10

Family picture

MJ looks over his shoulder, spots the SMWS bottle that comes next, and asks if it would be appropriate for him to step in. He reveals an additional bottle from, he explains, a distillery that thinks it is the Master of the Universe.

24.156 12yo d.2008 Utterly unctuous (63,7%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Oloroso Sherry Butts finished in 1st Fill American Oak ex-PX Hogshead since 2018): nose: wine and chocolate, oily teak. One can also feel the relentless power under the bonnet. From that point onward, it is leather and burnt chocolate, as well as torched blush-orange peels. Mouth: drying, Oloroso-style, but also fairly fruity, with more of the same blush-orange peels. It is powerful, yet not ridiculously so, despite what my co-tasters of the day say. Perhaps there is a small note of fried egg at second sip, weird, but not a bother. Finish: long and powerful, it is also very, very bitter. Oh! not bitter as if sucking on a dandelion stem (do not try). No, it is orange peels, cured grapefruit rinds, mixed peel and Seville marmalade. 7/10

MJ talks about ortolan buntings that were part of François Mitterand's last supper.

YM [to OB]: "Have you had it?"
OB: "No. It's illegal."
tOMoH: "...and no Frenchman would do something illegal."

YM presents: Encounter of the exotic, which, he says, seemed to fit the He-Man universe. He adds that this was bottled for the Japanese branch of the SMWS, which was good enough a connection to the J-universe.

68.44 8yo d.2011 Encounter the exotic (57.3%%, SMWS Society Cask imported by Japan Import System, Re-Charred Oak Hogshead, 262b): nose: crazily, it feels punchier and stronger than the Macallan that came before. We have white wood and wood dust. Not much else. YM finds gooseberries. He is clearly inebriated. BA says he could drink this as a cordial. It has a strong metallic note, after a moment. Water somehow makes it even more neutral, with wood shavings soaking in water. Mouth: lemon zest mixed with vanilla shavings. Perhaps notes of golden grass? It feels as though the ABV prevents this from telling all its story. Let us add water, then... It turns fruitier, yet also bitterer. Finish: warm, dangerous, close to grainy in that I can see this going to one's head. The more one drinks it, the more sweet mint drops (dragées) come out. Water gives it an Indian-tonic vibe, with a similar balanced bitterness and tame fruit. This is good. 7/10

MJ departs (with a sample of the last dram).

tOMoH presents: Man-at-Ardmore

Ardmore 1992/2010 (49.4%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Barrel, C#5014, 158b, b#169): nose: soft leather, smoked raspberries, and the same Bouvier-des-Flandres scent I mentioned in relation to a Balblair, a while ago. Well, this is closer to the house that dog lived in than to the dog himself, but still. It is very farm-y, this, farm paths and mud patties. Mouth: mellow, creamy, it has raspberry-filled milk chocolate and a square of dark chocolate on the side, which adds a slight bitterness. Finish: phwoar! Smashed raspberries and dark chocolate. Lovely. Full notes here. 9/10

BA [about the new Dornoch distillery]: "It's in Dornoch. Nothing is more than ten minutes away [from anything else in Dornoch]."
tOMoH: "Ten minutes is even stretching it."
BA: "Dodgy knee, mate!"

tOMoH and JS present: Evil-Lynlithgow -- two of them, so that is Two Bad covered too. :-)

JS's was distilled in June to boot.

Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2008 (59.2%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection for La Maison du Whisky Collectors' Edition, Wine-treated Butt, C#2201, 388b, b#313, 8/513) (tOMoH): nose: sooty-and-a-half, it soon picks up a faint note of wine. Mouth: och! meow. It has yellow flowers, cut peaches, white plums... Phwoar? Finish: sooty fruits, mostly white peaches, and even passion fruits. Full notes here. Today, it is 9/10

vs.

Linlithgow 22yo 1975/1998 (51.7%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#96/3/01, 335b, b#243, 98/0632) (JS): nose: orchard fruits, roasted apples and nut liqueur. Mouth: it displays the St Magdalene austerity, combined with the fruits of the Lowlands. Extraordinary. Finish: sweet soot. Incredible orchard-fruit juice spilled over soot-y gravel. Phwoar again! Full notes here. 9/10

OB and YM prefer the 1982, while BA and I vote for the 1975. Both are phantastic. To think I used to not like mine that much...

tOMoH [to OB]: "I was sure you'd had the one for LMdW, but my blog says you haven't. But if you're sure you've had it, give it to someone else."
OB: "No. I'm not sure."

BA: "Neither of them is stabbing me behind the eyes, which is the effect many St Magdalene have on me."

BA: "How hard life is!"
OB: "How much does it suck, right now?"

BA presents: Orko-ney

An Orkney 16yo 2004/2020 ((59.1%, Campbeltown Whisky Company Watt Whisky specially bottled for Watt Whisky Buds, 2 hogsheads married together in a Brandy Butt, 290b): nose: mud patties, cured apples, leather, and no wine stain whatsoever. Dried peat comes out later, as does crackly-dried plasticine. Mouth: strong, it is fresh, but also earthy. It has a generous dose of cracked black pepper. Chewing unleashes some fruits that I identify as blackberries. Finish: bog myrtles trampled into the mud. BA and YM find tinned peach, nectarine and artificial orange drink (YM). BA specifies it is Raspberry-Ripple Irn Bru. 8/10

We talk about undisclosed distilleries. YM jokes about the whiskies that are marketed as made at a distillery on the isle of Jura.

tOMoH: "There are two distilleries on Jura."
BA: "Yeah. Lussa makes gin exclusively."
tOMoH: "That's right. Still a distillery."
BA: "If you go to the hotel, the other building on Jura, you can taste it."

OB flatteringly announces that JS and tOMoH are the Masters of the Universe, so he brought a bottle he opened with us on the weekend in which he made that opinion.

Port Ellen 22yo 1978/2000 (60.5%, OB Rare Malts Selection, 4580b): nose: this is super mineral, brutal and relentless. It has leather, berries squashed in moccasins. Ashes too, elevated by chocolate, in the long run. Mouth: immediately austere, full of quarry dust, stone chippings and rusting tools. It is desiccating, sandy, and, at this strength, how could it be otherwise? At the same time, it is also strangely sweet, like only Port Ellen can be. That carries over at second sip. The mix of austerity and sweetness is simply staggering. It is saltier at second sip, with cockles and beach sand mixed with a sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar. Finish: huge, and it proves a timebomb, in that it starts off sweet, then blows up on the way back up the oesophagus. Earth and crème brûlée emerge at second gulp. It becomes saltier upon repeated sipping, but the overall mood does not diverge too much. It does gain a lick of chocolate, however. This is what one might call a killery. Like Killery Linton. Tonight, top score. 10/10

After that intensity, everyone is whiskied out. Another excellent afternoon has been had.

Happy birthday, JS!

30/05/2025 Laphroaig Day

Is it today? No, it was on Tuesday, the 27th. Well, today seems like the right day to try this bad boy. Hard to accept that the latest time we celebrated Fèis Ìle was five years ago, when the real event did not happen.

Laphroaig 31yo 1966/1997 (49.6%, Signatory Vintage Dun Eideann bottled for and imported by Divo, C#1095, 280b, b#226): curious how both Dun Eideann and Signatory appear on the label (the latter on the back), seeing as Symington uses Dun Eideann for markets where Signatory cannot go. Nose: o-o-f-t! Even though it is far from boisterous, it is immediately recognisable as a great drop. It emits scents of mosses and moist peat, bogland and fruits, such as wild raspberries and blueberries, but also melon and papaya. It is easy to detect a clear note of smoke, grey and acrid, yet that is fairly subtle. In 1966, Laphroaig was importing malt from the mainland to complement what they were malting on site, and their supplier(s) never managed to hit the same specs as the distillery. That is likely why this and other expressions from that era are much less in-your-face than similarly-aged expressions released today, that were made with malt from Port Ellen. The longer it sits in the glass, the ashier it becomes -- and the more tropical too! Indeed, the berries become kumquat, dragon fruit and chikoo, Korean pear and persimmon, the juices of which somehow ended up in an ashtray, blended with a dash of vase water. One could say that is the bogland from earlier, taken to the next level. The second nose seems more straightforward, with benches made out of orchard-tree wood, and the carpenter's workshop in which he smokes. Then, unannounced, a bowl of fruits comes back, some fresh, some roasted, some honey-glazed, some sprinkled with ash. Deeper nosing turns those fruits a glossy scarlet, similar to a cherry about to pop, or candied apples, almost heady. That also adds a whiff of cordite, which is unexpected. Later yet, we even spot a note of waxy plasticine. Mouth: ooft! again. Without being strong in alcohol, this somehow feels burning. That does not mean it lights a fire on the tongue; more that it is like having embers in the mouth. Ashy, smoky to an extent (with zero acridity, mind), yet also very, very fruity. Raspberries, blueberries, Korean pears, roasted snakehead fruit and dragon fruit, chargrilled lychee, and the minutest drop of pineapple juice. Chewing stirs up some more smoke, which is now darker than on the nose (no pope, then). All that makes it easy to miss a discreet resurgence of vase water. The second sip is more acrid and acidic. It briefly shows brine from a jar of pickled lemons. Even minor chewing takes us back to the fruity uplands, with ashy Korean pear or guava, carambola with a veneer of lichen, and tamarind -- phwoar! Later on, there is a dollop of tame violet-flavoured candy paste, as if such a thing came out of a tube. Finish: elegant and rustic at the same time, this is a finish worthy of a black-tie shindig in a barn. On the tables are bowls full of berries and tropical fruits, while a fire in the hearth is roasting other tropical fruits, and the smoke from it is slowly impregnating the wooden chairs and tables. We have women in evening dresses wearing chic perfume, and men in dinner jackets gathered around ashtrays. The whole atmosphere is smokier and smokier, if still refined, yet that does not eradicate the gorgeous fruits. The second gulp sees a partially-burnt mahogany cabinet, orchard-tree-wood planks also partly consumed by flames, a pinch of white ashes, and subtle fruit. Now, we are talking about peach, persimmon, perhaps apricot. Once more, some are fresh, some are chargrilled, some are roasted, most are juicy. In the long run, bogland and mossy moor join the party -- a moor that would have been scorched, then subjected to rain for several days, and is consequently gorged. Masterpiece. 10/10 (Thanks for the sample, CD)

Happy birthday, PS!

23/05/2025 Littlemill

We are breaking a cardinal rule, here, that says one must not have a Littlemill, the quintessential breakfast dram, after midday. And it is the afternoon. tOMoH expects a call from the Littlemill Police. Or from the Swissky Mafia, at least. Fingers crossed they bring Littlemill.

Littlemill 16yo 1991/2008 (50%, Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask 50°, C#DL4064, 276b): we have had this multiple times, but never on its own -- and not in many years. Nose: this, to me, explains why Littlemill was on no-one's radar until around 2011: at sixteen years of age, it has few of the fruity markers that longer-aged expressions released later became famous for. Instead, this has ground stone, cast-iron filings, and, shortly thereafter, nuts. Nuts aplenty! Walnuts, hazelnut, almonds. Only with persistence does one pick up crushed Aspirin, which is a distillery regular. This one is much closer in style to the 8yo and 17yo official bottlings from the late 1990s or early 2000s than it is to the 20-30yo independents that came out since. Once it has had a few minutes to breathe, it does become more orchard-y, with cut apples and unripe quince in a dark-wood fruit bowl. Bruised red apples and heated butter knives follow, soon met by piping-hot thick custard -- a nutty custard, that is. Deeper nosing adds more wood. The second nose welcomes a pouch containing oily light tobacco and something golden, perhaps a glass of natural pressed apple in a field of barley on a sunny summer day. Mouth: creamy in texture, it has unsweetened almond paste and lukewarm fruit yoghurt (orchard fruits). Chewing opens the door to a softly-metallic heat, a fistful of bitter walnut shells, crushed Aspirin tablets, and oily fruit-tree wood -- cherry tree, pear tree, plum tree. In other words, we do find some fruit, albeit submerged by bold, oily wood, which gives a pronounced bitterness. The second sip seems fruitier and, therefore, more acidic. Apples turn crisper, tarter: crab apples, Crispin, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, now in a mesh bowl. Yes, it remains gently bitter, even if Aspirin is less loud, and makes way for hot fruity custard. Finish: it is in line with the preceding; oily wood, bruised red apples, walnut shells, walnut oil and mahogany all end up in some kind of thick custard that is then heated, and eaten with a metal spoon. Only very late does grated Aspirin timidly speak. Hot chocolate-and-almond milk leave a gentle impression. The second gulp too is more acidic, with underbaked slices of tart apples (not baked long enough to erase the tartness) and a sprinkle of grated Aspirin. If grapefruit peels and pith can be made crispy, the result must taste close to this. Over time, it manages to be both juicier and chalkier or bitterer, which is quite an extraordinary achievement. Maybe it is reminiscent of Indian tonic with fruit juice? In any case, the whole falls somewhere between old- and new-school whiskies, and it is commendable for that. It is also delicious. Just not tropical as some of the longer-aged expressions can be. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

19/05/2025 Balblair

Balblair d.1989 (46%, OB): nose: how strange! Today, this has a mix of sliced apples and briny sea air. Soon, that is matched by a note of leather polish (a Chesterfield sofa comes to mind), and lime peels in an empty cocktail glass. If looking stubbornly, one will certainly detect a drop of orange juice too, yet that is so discreet, it is easy to overlook. Then again, leather sofas and oranges, albeit peels, often go hand in hand. It smells heady and robust, which is a bit of a surprise, perhaps. Rancio and cardboard stored in a damp-ish cellar emerge slowly but surely. The second nose is sweeter, with fruit jellies and those candied mint leaves they use to top a rum baba. There is a whisper of lukewarm diesel-riddled sea water, as welcome as it is unexected. Mouth: oh! yes, definitely oranges. This is faintly bitter, actually, and dry too. That would point at well-dried orange peels, rather than the fruit's flesh. At a push orange syrup, or thick marmalade, but certainly not juice, Chewing gives drier notes yet, desiccated mushrooms, oily old newspapers, maybe cardboard. Nuts seem to rise, after a while, oily and bitter -- almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil, macadamia, -- with a splash of orange liqueur. The second sip is even bitterer, though it does not lack in the sweetness department: candied angelica and Mandarine Napoléon fight for dominance. Finish: nuts and oranges to a degree, but, strikingly, whatever it is, it is enjoyed in a leather sofa, outdoors, facing the sea. Indeed, this claws back its briny sea air, and it is actually saltier than it was on the nose. All the same, at the death, it is fruity again, and sweeter too -- orange jellies, most likely. The second gulp has a fresh bitterness to it, which seems to confirm candied angelica. Fortunately, it is nowhere the bitter intensity of Salmiakki, yet the well-travelled taster may spot a resemblance. Yup, the orange bitterness is hesitantly heading towards that of liquorice and camphor. Thankfully, it never goes that far. This is pretty good. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, kruuk2)

16/05/2025 Spitfire

Highland Park 1961/1997 (48.1%, S & JD Robertson Group The Dragon, Hogshead, C#4493, 216b): this one is not an undisclosed malt that everyone knows to be a Highland Park: it clearly states its provenance, as do all bottlings with this version of the label. Nose: and it is an immediate phwoar! We have, in quick succession, rancio, bone-dry smoke, split granite and associated chippings, and the darkest raspberry coulis known to Man. It feels at once welcoming and austere, mineral and fruity, dry and pleasant. Picture a campfire delimited by stones, just as they are depicted in the comic books from your childhood. In that fire, heather brush is consumed by flames, turning into embers and white ash, and emitting a clean, dry smoke. On that fire, you are heating squashed raspberries in a tin. A pile of old logs are ready to fuel the fire. The logs have started to decompose. This nose is an incessant ballet between those notes: one moment, one is slapped on the nose with an empty tin; the next, one is chewing raspberry gum. One second, it is dry pebbles; the next, it is the smoke of a heather-brush fire. It is hypnotic, really. It develops a faint whiff of old tyre, in the long run -- very old! The second nose enhances the rancio, a floating scent of berries and woodworm. It ends up adding talcum powder too -- unless it is cold dry smoke or quarry dust. Finally, we spot nail varnish, applied (on nails), then torched. Mouth: it is a similar story on the tongue; it oscillates between smoky-dry and juicy-metallic, goes from mineral to fruity, hot to fresh. Chewing reveals cinnamon to refresh the palate with a wave, but also adds the fruity bitterness of vine. In fact, we see smashed green grapes peppered with quarry dust. The second sip has rehydrated dried raspberry slices, concentrated, juicy, and a more-generous billowing smoke (clean, dry). Furious chewing stirs up the vine again, yet most of the related bitter aspects have vanished. Over time, we find a less-intense version of a Boule Magique, meaning some fruit (berries), some spices (cinnamon, candied ginger), and a thick, creamy texture. Later yet, it is chewy citrus peels that surface: pink grapefruit, tangerine, mandarine, orange. Finish: perfectly balanced, in terms of ABV, it has smashed raspberries, quarry dust, numbing, almost medicinal cinnamon powder, and a a minute puff of smoke. Hardly any metal, at this point. tOMoH cannot explain why, yet it is somehow reminiscent of thick-cut potato chips with a sprinkle of malt vinegar and a tiny dollop of mustard. Perhaps it is the mouthfeel? The second gulp brings cranberries into the picture, acidic, juicy, and neither bitter, nor sweet, yet not completely devoid of those two traits either. Could it be citrus pith? Retro-nasal olfaction picks up spongy turf, mulch, or wood so old it is decomposing into a rubbery mess. This is a work of art. 10/10

09/05/2025 St Magdalene

Souvenir from Limburg. There is not much left in the sample, but hopefully we can get an idea nevertheless.

Linlithgow 30yo 1973/2004 (59.6%, OB, 1500b): nose: there is an immediacy that comes with a Maggie, something that promises a good time. This is no different. Fields of barley in the summer, after the harvest, roasted cereals and a puff of thin smoke. That smoke turns to light cigarettes (best guess is hand-rolled Virginia tobacco) and limoncello, would you believe it? Indeed, behind the oily, warming tobacco is this crisp, fresh fruitiness that acts as a counterbalance. True to its provenance, the nose brings forth delicate mineral notes too -- flint, granite, or a bowl made of polished black marble. A bowl? Nay! A holy-water font that would have been cleaned recently with lemon juice. The second nose sees a plastic planter in a greenhouse, filled with soil, though not a single flower yet. Mouth: ooft! Powerful, of course (the ABV!), but precise, focussed as a neurosurgeon (one hopes, at least!). Here are, in order of appearance: chewy sweets, quarry chippings, droplets of lemon juice, and, upon chewing once (just once, mind), a cloud of smoke. Chew more and it is all sorts of sweets that show up, chiefly the chewy kind, red and yellow (Rhubarb & Custard). Surprisingly, that is all that seems to remain, after a while, those sweets, although they are supplemented by purple cough drops. That might simply be the infinitesimal quantity that is to blame. It becomes darker and earthier with time -- not liquorice, but berries, certainly. Blackcurrant drops, if not blackcurrant-flavoured Lemsip. The second sip is more-openly flirting with purple cough drops, possibly coming too close to chewy violet sweets for some. For tOMoH, it is simply magnificent. Finish: we pick up more traditional St Magdalene notes, here, with a serving of stones, a spoonful of soot, a bunch of (unidentified) dried flowers, and the same cough drops we had on the tongue (blackcurrants again). It sports a non-negligible bitterness, yet that is hardly a turn-off. The second gulp is perhaps earthier; dry peat with lots of tangled heather roots, and a few berries or currants, squashed. The berries shine brightest at the death, supported as they ae by a thin layer of melted milk chocolate. Gorgeous dram. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, GN)

Hard not to remember how cavalier66 painfully claimed this here Linlithgow was the worst thing he drank at Whisky Show Old & Rare 2018. The above note is confirmation that he knows nothing on the subject a reflection of the quality of those other things he tried that weekend that were even better to his taste.

Happy birthday, Bishlouk!

06/05/2025 Industry Giants: Sukhinder Singh at the SWMS

Here we are again, for a tasting led by The Whisky Exchange's founder. With me are PS, DW, GT, YM, JMcC, JS and many others I do not know.

SS: "I became a member of the SMWS in 1989 (or 1990?) I loved it. This was heaven. I have amassed a huuuuuge collection of SMWS bottling, including most of the .1 [releases]. I think I am missing maybe twenty. By the way, if you can help me find them..."

Dram #1

Nose: lights, fresh, it has a whiff of pine-scented paste, not far from Gocce Pino, if less intense. There is also a fruity custard in there, or fruity yoghurt, and a dusting of confectionary sugar. Lemon-scented hand soap grows in intensity, soon followed by ripe-citrus segments covered in dust. Mouth: it is warm and pine-y, and it has a good dose of boozy cereals. That, in turn, is augmented with dried apple slices. The second sip is fruitier with little of the grassy-metallic profile I associate with the distillery (we have been told, by now). Finish: we are told the ABV, but, if the number is modest, this kicks booteille. It has ether and a vaguely medicinal note, closer to surgical alcohol than gauze or tincture of iodine. Perhaps we find dry Bourbon-cask staves, which is to say white-wood shavings, and a whiff of blond-tobacco smoke via retro-nasal olfaction.

Glencadam 11yo 2011/2022 Parcel No.10 (48%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks) 7/10

Dram #2

Nose: ooft! This smells creamy. Caramel-flavoured whipped cream, melted chocolate, an emulsion of sorts, and crumbs from a crushed pine cone. It turns more pine-y with each sniff, then adds crystallised tangerine segments. We spot dried mushrooms and nuts upon second nosing. Mouth: extremely fruity, here, it has maracuja, mango -- phwoar! It dabbles with spices too, and the second sip comes with a pinch of chopped green chilli. Mostly, it keeps shouting cut maracuja and runny persimmon and peach, however. Finish: an explosion of tropical fruits in the finish. It kicks like a young'un, but mostly, it is wave after wave of tropical goodness. In the long run, those fruits are presented in a plastic container, which is an original take. Wow.

Tormore 23yo 1999/2023 (54.5%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Barrel, C#5173, 197b) 9/10

YM [about the Tormore]: "It is the poor man's 117.3."

Dram #3

Nose: are the drams related, or do I have a one-track nose? (I have a nasty cold, so do not answer). This one is drier, with cocoa-bean shavings and tree bark, yet also a touch of pine scents, just like its predecessors. It turns woodier with time, and something else happens: Dextro Energy tablets emerge, fruity and chalky. Strangely, adding water increases that chalky impression, and adds a whisper of soft-boiled eggs. Mouth: a little syrupy and chocolate-y. In truth, it is a cascade of melted chocolate. Rich, coating without being cloying, it has oily nuts too. The second sip is dripping with chocolate. Water does not change it dramatically -- perhaps it gains even more chocolate, in a sauce form, now, then as a coulis, which is less thick -- at least in my mind. Finish: more chocolate coulis, melted chocolate ice cream, chocolate spread on plain crackers... Oh yeah! The ABV is quite impossible to guess. Good integration. Sukhinder declares it very fruity. I heroically guess the distillery (with a subtle hint).

71.106 11yo d.2012 Bellinis and bouquets (60.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b) 8/10

PJ: "We will have a short recession before the second half."
Punter: "Recession?"
PS: "Thank you, Donald Trump!"

Dram #4

Nose: this is flowery as a scented shampoo, yet it does not have the soapy bitterness that usually comes along. Forsythia and kerria, both kept in a plastic vase. Indeed, there is a lot of plastic action, as well as hot beverages. It also has a lick of fruit-tree wood. Mouth: waxy, polished. Here are physalis, greengages and Mirabelle plums, none too ripe, and even a drop of lemon juice, given time. Much later on, we have sawdust mixed with dried citrus zest. Finish: pepper and marmalade, squashed yellow fruit not quite ripe. It is long, loud, fruity, with a shy-but-clear bitterness. It lacks personality for my liking, perhaps. Later on, we find a fruity heat that is quite staggering.

Linkwood 14yo 2008/2022 (53.2%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland, Hogshead, C#804632, 153b) 8/10

SS: "Here is a clue: it is a Diageo distillery."
punter: "Does it have a visitor centre?"

Dram #5

Nose: expensive leather, faded suede, game bags, rancio, perhaps roast beef, and a whiff of soft smoke. Repeated nosing brings shards of glass, a woodworm-eaten wardrobe and ground wood spices (cinnamon and dried ginger, naturally). It then turns towards drinks cabinets, before welcoming touches of lychee, much later on. Mouth: wow! It is a lot smokier on the palate, with a whisp of mint and crushed pine cones. The mint morphs into a minty paste, fresh and lively. Oh! and this burns too, to be sure. Finish: big, it has a spoonful of honey, the smoke of a dried-herb fire, and a certain fruitiness -- roasted apples and quinces. The smoke persists, yet it is but a component, at this stage.

4.387 14yo d.2009 Sweet smoky dreams (62.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads + 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel Finish, 228b) 8/10

Dram #6

Nose: ah! It is a rum. Full of glue, the kind that works less well for me. Despite trying really hard, I struggle to find anything past that glue. Melted plastic tubes and oilskins -- heaps of oilskins. Mouth: oilskins to the brim, with a fistful of dried pineapple cubes thrown in for shits and giggles. It becomes drier and more drying in subsequent sips, sucking moisture from the gob like hot shrink wrap. Finish: more plastic, its bitterness somewhat balanced by caramelised sugar and darkened burnt apple tart, until that turns into torched molasses. This really does not do it for me.

Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve b.2023 (54.5%, Elixir Distillers) 5/10

Sukhinder is very excited by that rum. He explains how old sailors contacted him in waves (see what I did?) to sell him their Navy rum (the one they received a ration of when on a ship), how that was the best rum he had ever tasted, and how Black Tot is the brand under which he sold that Navy rum. The current batches aim to replicate the profile, since the original stock is depleted or close enough, and rotate between the production of various countries (Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Granada). It is an excellent story; I simply do not enjoy the rum very much. Others do, much to my relief. I will not have to force it down.

GT: "The ration was a quart a day..."
tOMoH: "Which quantity did you say?"
GT: "A quart a day."
tOMoH: "You're telling me the sailors were given a litre [of rum] a day!?"
GT: "And a gallon of beer."
PS: "Two pints a day. We conquered the world with it. We just don't remember how."

The tasting ends. Some people leave, some stay for a chat. At some point, I need the loo. PS exits as I head in.

tOMoH: "Fuck you!"
PS: "Later. The invoice will be enormous."
tOMoH: "Unlike your dick."

(Yes, it is late.)

We talk about concerts. Kiss, Queen and others.

YM: "I wasn't cool enough, back then, to go to those shows."
PS: "Back then?"
tOMoH: "Hate to burst your bubble, but..."

On the way out, we spot MJ and IR downstairs, which prompts warm greetings, and delays the walk home. Fortunately, I know better than to share another dram with them. ZzzZzz. :-)

27/04/2025 The Whisky Fair (Day 2 -- Part 2)

Across the hall we go, to TM's stand. JS pours her Glenlivet 26yo 1968/1995 (52.1%, Signatory Vintage selected by, bottled for and imported by Whyte & Whyte for The Spirits Library, Barrel, 95/137)

TM: "Tasty!"

Classic TM. Cracks me up.

Ichiro's Malt & Grain 20th Anniversary (48%, Venture Whisky distributed by Japan Import System, B#8)

Nose: custard, shortbread, pineapple.
Mouth: stroopwafel, pouring honey, cured-peach juice. It is also fairly hot.
Finish: long, bright, it dies in a puff of dried pineapple slices.
Comment: very good. 8/10

Oishii Wisukii 43yo 1980/2024 (46.9%, The Highlander Inn)

Nose: oily nuts and roasted bananas.
Mouth: oily and fruity, we have fruit jellies, a little ground almond shells.
Finish: long and bold, it is at once fruity and drying.
Comment: yup, another good one. 8/10

Glen Garioch 22yo 2003/2025 (57.8%, Highlander Inn Maggie's Collection bottled for 9th Anniversary of The Whisky List, C#165, 219b)

Nose: this bursts with pineapple and dried mango.
Mouth: bright and yellow, grapefruit segments and the bitter dryness of its peels.
Finish: this is terribly fruity, mostly grapefruit and pineapple, with a sprinkle of ginger powder.
Comment: excellent. 8/10

Chichibu 2016/2023 (63%, Highlander Inn, Mizunara Heads Hogshead, C#5824, 191b, b#130)

Nose: creamy, custard-y, it has confectionary sugar.
Mouth: apricot through and through, but also Mirabelle plums.
Finish: what!? It is a fruit explosion, with grapefruit, pineapple, Mirabelle plum and apricot.
Comment: just how good is this? 9/10

Auchentoshan 26yo 1997/2023 (49.2%, Highlander Inn, C#101747, 187b, b#45)

Nose: fresh, fruity, it has minty custard and squashed peach.
Mouth: fruity and a tad earthy.
Finish: delicate, fruity.
Comment: terrible notes. I love this. 8/10

TM: "I am not sexist, but the flavours appeal to ladies."
tOMoH: "TM got a lot of action since he bottled this."

On my way to "say goodbye" to EG, I bump into pat gva. Like last year, it is a chance encounter late in the day.

Glen Grant-Glenlivet 23yo 1964/1988 (46%, Cadenhead)

Nose: fuckin' ay! pat gva done it again. Lychee, fresh peach slices, milk chocolate and coffee beans, then mocha chocolate.
Mouth: phwoar! Milk chocolate filled with a lychee paste. This is incredibly balanced too.
Finish: lychee shavings (!) stuffed into a slice of tiramisù.
Comment: a work of art. 10/10 (Thanks for the dram, pat gva)

Chichibu 2012/2025 (65%, Venture Whisky Ichiro's Malt cask sample for Germany distributed by Japan Import System, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon American Oak Barrel, C#2264)

Nose: grapefruit yoghurt with a dollop of butterscotch.
Mouth: a tad metallic, it is also powerful.
Finish: floral (meaning a smidge bitter), hot, marked by heated metal, that yoghurt, and baked grapefruit segments.
Comment: this is amazing. It also drinks very well at that monstrous ABV. 9/10

There is one more person I have not yet spent time with: OC. Upon seeing me, he tells his interlocutor he now wants to talk to me instead. The bloke takes it in good spirits, turns around and greets me, after OC tells him he has known me for twenty years, long before the other became an influencer -- or discovered whisky, probably. Ha! Ha!

Tormore 10yo (48%, OB Blueprint Cask Program Official Pre-Release, Bourbon Barrels, 1500b)

Nose: lemon-y, custard-y, and a little minty.
Mouth: it feels very mellow (but, of course, we have been ingesting cask-strength whisky for a long while, now), milky, with just a smidge of vanilla.
Finish: more vanilla-ed custard, pandoro, βανίλια.
Comment: perfect sipper. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, OC)

Final sprint. A mad dash to The Whisky Jury to try their rums. We promised them to, yesterday.

TDL 21yo 2002/2024 (55.7%, The Whisky Jury The Many Faces Of Rum bottled for The Antelope Macau, Refill Barrel, C#10, 238b, b#236)

Nose: fruity glue.
Mouth: strong, glue-y and ridiculously fruity, without reaching 1964 Bowmore territory.
Finish: sweet, sugary, it peddles Lyle's Golden Syrup and honey-glazed banana slices in a plastic tub.
Comment: pretty good. 7/10

The Ester Hunter Catch 2 (52%, The Whisky Jury)

Nose: metal glue.
Mouth: grapefruit juice poured on earth. Chewing releases drying glue and plastic.
Finish: roasted pineapple starting to caramelise, melded plastic pipes.
Comment: another good one. 7/10

It is over. Exhibitors are packing up, and crowds are pouring out of the venue. There is no security service to round us up and push us out, but it is clear there is little left to do indoors.

MD somehow finds us: we are dining together, along with the Swissky Mafia bosses and their henchmen. One of them harvested all the bottles of Daftmill for the Nectar that were available. JS is subjected to fomo, who did not even know there was a Daftmill on offer, this weekend. The story has a happy ending, mind: the owner will let her have one bottle for what he paid for it, provided we help him carry his bottles to his car. It being Limburg, nothing is ever far away. Soon, his bottles are in his boot.

It is another brief walk before we reach the Gasthof Schwarzer Adler, where we meet the rest of the gang.

Tomatin 34yo 1976/2011 (51.2%, Liquid Sun, Sherry Butt, 272b)

Comment: phwoar! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD)

Spargelcreme-Suppe

My Schwarze Tortelloni mit Lachsfüllung in Hummerbutter und frischem Parmesan

JS's Lachs-Filet Spargel dazu Sauce Hollandaise und Salzkartoffeln

CD: "Truffle on my pasta and pork belly..."
PG: "Is that a euphemism?"
CD: "I'm truffling high!"

Caperdonich 32yo 1966/1998 (53.1%, Signatory Vintage selected by Velier, Dark Sherry Hogshead, C#134, 250b)

Comment: jammy, yet more peppery than expected. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD -- I think?)

PG: "Have you seen my Blair Arsehole?"

PG [about EG's shindig in Bologna]: "On the Saturday, if you know Italy and EG, it was okay. Almost on time."

From the restaurant, we head to Villa Konthor. I am whiskied out, but it seems daft to come here and not go to the Villa. Plus, it is a last chance to say goodbye to all our friends who are bound to be there. Case in point, we bump into KCF at last, whom I pour JS's Glenlivet (and nearly get thrown out for doing so inside the pub, the idiot that I am).

I have:

Loch Lomond Single Grain (46%, OB, b, ca. 2025)

Comment: it is delicious, and just what I need tonight: a light, no-frill dram that is not intellectual in the slightest. 7/10

Outside, on our way out, PG ambushes us. Indeed, he has just the perfect thing to bookend the weekender:

Littlemill 33yo d.1990 (53.9%, Brave New Spirits bottled exclusively for Galli Drams, C#65051A)
9/10 (Thanks for the dram, PG)

There. We survived the second day of the second year. What a whirlwind!