04/09/2025 September outturn preview at the SMWS

MD of the Swissky Mafia is in town and is quite excited: he has been an SMWS member for many years, but he was never around for an outturn preview. Tonight, JS managed to book us a table. This time, it is far from the table where PS, YM and DW sit, which means we will have limited interactions with them.

5.131 22yo 2003/2025 Blissfully lost (52.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 188b)

Nose: marzipan and horsepower. This smells surprisingly close to a grain, the alcohol purified to a degree few malt distilleries reach. Of course, distillery number 5, Auchentoshan is triple-distilled, which explains. Past the (neutralish) alcohol, we spot cinnamon, ginger, plums and chewy sweets. MD finds glue, on the other hand, another note that many associate with a grain whisky.
Mouth: it is a bit green, weirdly enough. Lime peels, tree bark... Yes, this is bitter and a little acidic. Not in a bad way, but it will deter some. It turns woody upon chewing. Water mellows it out without changing the profile much.
Finish: long, warming, intense. It has tart fruits and chewy wood, mulch or cork.
Comment: I was looking forward to this one, hoping it would be a fruity extravaganza, but I find it just okay. 7/10

4.353 13yo d.2009 Lavender honey and chimney lobsters (62.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b)

Nose: it is pretty farm-y, with mud patties, farm paths and muck. It also has a whiff of chewy violet sweets. With water, it opens up and turns more vanilla-y. Custard Cream biscuits.
Mouth: smoked sweet citrus, such as Buddha's hand, calamansi, kumquat. Phwoar! How delicious is this? MD finds it a soft bitterness, however. Water increases the citrus-y feel, makes it more acidic.
Finish: glowingly warm, close to burning, it offers baked cherimoya and metal-filing-laced tangerines. Water makes it a tad too acidic for my taste. It loses its balance.
Comment: I enjoy this a lot. Strikingly, just as I start tasting it, Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again plays in the room. And as we all know, the opening sequence of the video is shot in front of the Old Man of Hoy, on Orkney, the very archipelago where this whisky was made. 8/10

4.397 19yo d.2005 The old man and the sea (59.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 301b)

Nose: this is much more sherried in an animal way, with musk and old leather, wine-stained belts and game bags. Maybe dust and confectionary sugar too. The second nose brings more faded leather, augmented with cured prunes.
Mouth: rancio. It is sweeter than elderberry, yet we find some berries alright -- cured strawberries, in all likelihood. It is fairly fiery, a hay bonfire, sprinkled with currant juice. The second sip adds a good dose of crushed chilli.
Finish: very rich and full (MD), it has currants and some papier mâché-like paste made of macerated hay. JS finds the chilli too strong, which is disturbing, considering her usual affinity for that. Water unleashes vegetal goodness such as dried-flower stems and dried hay topped with custard powder.
Comment: clearly, Eurythmics would be even better playing now than alongside the previous dram (something to do with the Old Man, you know?), but I am a slow drinker. This is the one I was most excited to try tonight, and I am a smidge disappointed. It is good, but I prefer its younger sibling. 8/10

36.204 13yo d.2009 Truly an outlander (57.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill ex-Rum Barrique, 258b)

Nose: coffee-scented sweets. Mokatine would be the obvious, but it is not as in-your-face. This is thick a smell, like a thick soup -- a sweet one. Chocolate milk erupts on the second nose with studs of dried peach and dried papaya.
Mouth: sweet and mineral (a fistful of beach pebbles), it is also fairly fruity, offering crystallised orange and candied papaya cubes. A tame bitterness appears upon chewing.
Finish: long, warming and fruity, here are more crystallised fruits, chiefly orange segments. The second gulp is creamy, unctuous as chocolate custard.
Comment: another cracking Benrinnes. The distillation date suggests it is a reissue of an older bottling that they sat on for a couple of years. 8/10

1.295 13yo 2012/2025 Dance in the air (58%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel finished in 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 197b)

Nose: cherimoya, candied cherries. The latter becomes very prominent, almost heady, soft, sweet, chewy and fragrant.
Mouth: pine needles and sap, and a pine-flavoured gel, Chewing confirms and adds a desiccating lick. The second sip is woodier, drying.
Finish: long and fruity. Here are fresh cherries surfing on an almost-medicinal feel -- as in: numbing; not the taste so much. The second gulp is darker, it has more cherries.
Comment: a nice offering from a distillery I usually overlook. 7/10

6.83 17yo 2007/2025 Chewy-textured meanderings (53.6%, SMWS Society Cask Two to One, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill Spanish Oak Oloroso Hogshead & 1st Fill American Oak Oloroso Hogshead, 409b)

Nose: fresh and sharp, with spearmint, apple peels and Haribo Bananas. Green citrus comes out upon repeated nosing.
Mouth: dried pineapple rings, tulip petals, papaya cubes and blond tobacco. The second sip is more stripping, citric and sharp, though that is balanced by a nice custard.
Finish: big, fruity (dried fruit). That turns more to orange peels at second gulp.
Comment: distilled on MD's birthday anniversary, it is another good one. 7/10

19.92 20yo 2003/2023 Illicit toast (55.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 171b)

Nose: grape sweets, blueberry muffin, fluffy blueberry pancakes (of the thick, American kind). This is certainly on the blueberry tip, with added cinnamon gratings, then recently-polished Chesterfield sofas.
Mouth: round and plump, it has booze-soaked plums. The second sip is a tad duller.
Finish: bay leaves and cinnamon gratings are carried by a current of currants and blueberries. There is a soft, numbing lick of cardboard towards the death.
Comment: winner! 8/10

112.138 17yo 2008/2025 A warm fuzzy crowd pleaser (57.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 237b)

Nose: this shouts fruits, nectarines and plums. There is some shoe polish too, and a maritime touch reminiscent of Barbour grease on a boat. Plums come back, discreetly but surely.
Mouth: thick, bold, a bit wine-y. The second sip has intense sweets (Monkey Balls, for those who know, a type of citric-powder-coated, cherry-flavoured hard candy). Indeed, this is plenty citric.

Finish: very-ripe papaya (MD). Nectarines mixed with blueberries and plums.
Comment: delicious. A strong 8/10

Next up is the 115.

MD: "I love anCnoc distillery."

Here is something one does not hear every day. 

115.38 10yo 2004/2025 The seven ages (61.2%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 294b)

Nose: this is pretty neutral to start with. Rubbing alcohol, maybe? Actually, it is a little medicinal, come to think of it: gauze, straps and shortbread. If it cannot be cured with shortbread...
Mouth: it starts out comfy, then turns quite drying. Chewing reveals boozy berries (elderberries, blackcurrants, dried cherry slices) and some cinnamon bark. It gets even more drying upon repeated sipping, adding dust and a mushroom-y aspect.
Finish: long, cinnamon-y, numbing and also creamy.
Comment: this is not the Basque Country, but it is good. 7/10

MD [asking if he can buy the Basque Country]: "Can I Basquet it?"

A Secret Orkney Distillery 25yo 1999/2024 (52.4%, East Village Whisky Company, Hogshead, 78b)

Nose: refined smoke, smoked lemons, dried flowers.
Mouth: juicy, it has just a pinch of heather petals. Soon enough, it is all hot and spicy.
Finish: very smoky, acrid and inky, at this stage.
Comment: this is good too. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD)

Distillery 4 Rare Release 20yo 2003/2023 Take me to the chippy (54.7%, SMWS In celebration of the Highland Whisky Festival 2024, Refill ex-Bourbon, HTMC & Oloroso (ex-Islay) Hogsheads, 924b)

Comment: longer notes here. This is still staggeringly good, today, with a tropical finish jumping out of nowhere. 9/10

115.29 32yo 1991/2024 Visions of the Basque Country (47.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 152b)

Comment: glad to try this again and confirm our impression from last month. Head and shoulders above everything else we have tried today. 9/10

The staff produce a sheet with two whiskies that should have been in the outturn list but were somehow left out, complete with incorrect prices and all.

24.188 16yo 2008/2025 Flamenco fruitcake (62.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Oloroso Butt finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 307b)

Nose: dark chocolate, strong leather and strong alcohol. Once that last item calms down, we have prunes and seared mushrooms, Maggi sauce, which, MD adds, means a slight sulphury note of matchsticks.
Mouth: mellow in texture, it is also hot. Burning heat, red chillies and Scotch bonnets.
Finish: long, invasive, it is partly redeemed by the introduction of raisins and dried dates.
Comment: I still cannot understand the hype around Macallan. This is just decent. 6/10

13.114 15yo 2010/2025 A Hansel and Gretel gingerbread house (59.6%, SMWS Society Cask, finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 222b)

Nose: meaty in a way that does not agree with me. Meat on the bone, soaked cork. It also has a slightly-medicinal touch.
Mouth: tea-like, bitter. Not unbearably so, but it is not for me. Wine-soaked cork again and prunes.
Finish: yeah, this is woody, bitter. Prunes show up again, which helps a little.
Comment: not my thing. 5/10

Caol Ila 30yo 1982/2012 Fourth Release (51.2%, Archives, Bourbon Hogshead, C#758, 207b)

Nose: so inky! This is 1974-Ardbeg territory, with ink-stained fishing nets, hot water bottles and warmed (microwaved) blankets.
Mouth: soft and fresh, it has citrus and, while I try to identify those, oyster mushrooms come up unexpectedly, doused in ink.
Finish: it is incredibly inky again. India ink, black as night.
Comment: special juice that is hard to beat. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD)

53.484 14yo 2011/2025 Burn a sprig of rosemary (56.8%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 171b)

Nose: drying fishing nets, cockles, mussels, wet sand and mud patties.
Mouth: sea water, mussels, mussel compote (if you know, you know), whelks and periwinkle paste.
Finish: powerful, reliable, it dishes out sand, ink, crustaceans and molluscs, tarry sands and candyfloss.
Comment: this is excellent. It is also fantastic to see it hold its own after its venerable ancestor. 8/10

MD: "The only problem [with Caol Ila] is that, between 13-14yo and 20yo, it's wasted years. What should they do? Bottle it now, or wait another twelve years?"

After taking a while to count how many drams we are entitled to and how much each one is, we never get to try 153.4 we had selected. I will only realise tomorrow. That said, they are closing shop, we leave last again, or almost, and I certainly have had enough to drink for one night. Also, they likely undercharged us for the Basque Country, so no complaint other than we did not keep track as well as we should have.

Solid outturn.

01/09/2025 Springbank

Springbank 8yo 1985/1994 (61.1%, Cadenhead, Sherrywood, 94/285): nose: this one has OME too, just like the Scapa the other day, wood dust and metal filings (tin, brass), yet that does not hide a strong distillate, at once fruity and rustic. Dried-apple gratings, farm paths, encaustic, patina-covered wooden chairs, and WD-40. It has new ploughs, harrows and various agricultural tools, though little earth, especially for a Springer. Time adds more of that earth, dark, fertile, musty, mushroom-y, yet what dominates the nose are furniture polish and WD-40. The second nose turns all wintry, with logs on a cast-iron rack by the fireplace, a fireside set (that little shovel, the pliers, brush and hook), and a minimal dose of soot. Next up are roasted apples, smoked lemons, chargrilled yellow peppers. The furniture from earlier is now but a fading memory. There may be a drop of prune juice. the only sign this used to rest in a Sherry cask. Water operates a strange transformation: this now exhibits a mix of leather and rubber, discreet orchard fruit and limestone. Mouth: crisp as lime juice, acidic and sharp as a blade. It dishes out one spray of WD-40, chewing tobacco and, in a matter of seconds, surgical alcohol. Indeed, this is strong, anaesthetising. Chewing delivers a lime-scented spray that may well be metal lubricant applied on shiny-blue metal (a cylinder head comes to mind, or razor blades) and marries that with dried apple gratings (or dried-apple gratings). All that is happening in a field in which are a tractor and its new plough. The second sip is sweet and mineral; it combines caster sugar and sandstone chippings -- ha! Chewing helps sugar get the upper hand, only to meet acidic citrus, now not just lime, but pomelo too, with stone chippings in the background. Adding water confirms the acidic, warm, smoked limes, pressed, and the juice heated again. Finish: softer than expected (though not soft), it prolongs the fruity-earthy trip with cut apples laid cut side up in a ploughed field in dry weather. It is also remarkably metallic, and that goes further than the blade that cut the apples; we have tins full of brass buttons, belt buckles and tins of tobacco. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up dark soil (not of the potting kind), a whisper of smoke, burning wood and the hot cast-iron grille of a fireplace. The second gulp is more powerful for a split second, then becomes perfectly tolerable neat again. It is a slow burner: low heat for a veeeeeeery long time. Now, we perceive the bitterness of apricot stones mixing with split slate, bone-dry lime (pomelo?) zest, the smoke of blond tobacco, and hot cast iron. Funnily enough, it feels punchier with water. It has hiking boots (not worn enough to hint at tropical fruits, yet undeniably funky to a point), powdered eucalyptus and smoked pomelo. The limestone, so present on the reduced palate, is virtually absent, here. And the pomelo zest from earlier is less dry; in fact, it becomes chewy again. This is rustic, uncompromising and excellent. 8/10

30/08/2025 A few drams at the SMWS

Last day of the summer sales, see? PS, GT, Dr. CD and JS are there too, of course.

Invergordon 36yo 1965/2002 (51.8%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, C#15539, 252b, b#45): nose: lovely caramelised pineapple, then a whiff of dark tobacco in the background. It has shiny hot metal too. Let us call it pineapple rings sizzling on a hot metal plate (some kind of alloy with a blue hue), caramelising in their own juice. It being an Invergordon, we, of course, have blackcurrants in vanilla custard, which tOMoH finds unthinkable not to like. The second nose has gingerbread and sponge-y speculoos (the kind they hardly export). Water adds shaved hazel bark and lime zest. Mouth: with that ABV, it is suitably drying, toasted, and bitter with unripe fruits (blackcurrants, obviously). It is rather unripe and bitter, and that detracts from the fruitiness and sweetness, to some extent. Chewing brings about rancio-y elderberry, thick and desiccating, as well as fruity and dark. With water, the palate seems bitterer and drier, especially to the gums around the top incisors. Finish: punchy, fruity, it has razor blades, or pencil-sharpener blades and unripe blackcurrants. The second gulp feels more balanced, with lots of dark fruits (mostly blackcurrant and elderberry), now less bitter. It has some dusty earth at the death, coupled with old staves falling to dust. Water adds steeped bay leaf and cassia bark, which make it drying again. This is very good, if not ripe enough to deserve a higher score. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

We are treated to another round.

GK: "A celebratory dram."
tOMoH: "What are we celebrating?"
GK: "Grimsby beat Manchester United."
JS: "Why did you choose this one?"
GK: "I asked for something up to G [one of the price points]."
JS: "'G' for Grimsby?"
GK: "Oh... I hadn't thought of that."
tOMoH: "Well, it is very good."
GK: "Yeah. I'm not sure which distillery it is."
PS: "Miltonduff."
tOMoH [with help from JS]: "It's Glenburgie."

71.113 29yo d.1995 Desert island sponge cake (48%, SMWS Society Cask, Re-Charred Hogshead, 222b): nose: explosively floral, with daffodils, yellow tulips, irises and dried bunches of honeysuckle, then peach slices and floury pasties. Or is it confectionary sugar? In any case, it is well delicious. The second nose is sweeter, with sherbet and flying saucers (the sweets), and various kinds of confectionary-sugar-coated sweets. Time piles on the sherbet. Chewing adds a lot of fruits, namely peaches, dried banana slices, papaya cubes and faint candied angelica. More sweets come up with time, both of the hard and chewy sorts. Crushed lime leaves mingle with sherbet, after a wee while, and more dried flowers, as well as bergamot foliage, if not clementine peels. Finish: long, comforting and fruity, it is also a tad bitter, dolmas style. It is as if dolmas had been rolled into shortcrust and turned into a pasty. The second gulp fans candied papaya cubes, soaked in wine. Over time, citrus appears too, peels and foliage, rather than flesh. We have tangerine and bergamot once more. Water adds a chocolate-y dimension to the finish, a chocolate stuffed with dried raspberry chunks, that is. Excellent. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, GK)

115.19 27yo d.1992 Venerable vitality (44.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 121b): nose: a little blond tobacco does not hide a burst of blossom. Honeysuckle and apple blossom, and they transform into strawberry coulis and lime Tic Tac. The second nose adds jasmine and apple peels. Mouth: apple blossom it is! We have apple slices too, and a few hazelwood shavings add complexity. It is velvety as nectar, just not full-on fruity. The second sip has cassia-bark splinters, maybe a pinch of black cumin seeds and raisins. It is a strange combination that works extremely well. Further chewing even introduces some chalk. Finish: peaches in syrup, rehydrated dried apricots, and blossom tea. What kind of blossom is harder to tell -- apple? Lilac? Jasmine? Dried fruits rock up at second gulp, such as apricots, papaya, and cubed apple. Yes, dried apple, cubed -- and why not? This is good. 8/10

7.283 33yo d.1990 The sun sets behind clementine clouds (40.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 74b): nose: we have fruity red wine (or is it the conversation at the next table?), then apple-flavoured sweets, and we end up with a lump of blue plasticine. Are we building a smurf? That then becomes mortar and grout. It returns to apples, and it is chalky apples, crunchy and acidic. The second nose has more confectionary sugar or sherbet. Mouth: dry white wine (Chenin blanc), Fino Sherry. Yes, this is fruity and also dry and mineral. Pebbles polished smooth by the elements, tonic water. The second sip is a lot chalkier yet, desiccating, with pressed raisins added to keep it tolerable. Finish: long, balanced, it has a great chalky side with lots of dried fruits thrown in. It is fruitier with each sip, in fact, which is good. 8/10

PS [about whisky-related news]: "I have an alert for these things. I usually get shit from Macallan and Bowmore, because they have PR teams and arseholes."
Dr. CD: "They have arseholes in a PR team."

What is this? Another round? They come hard and fast, eh?

53.474 13yo d.2010 Ultimate pub grub smackdown (59.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 214b): drying fishing nets, mussel shells in a wooden crate on the quay. Then, suddenly, it turns all chalky -- and that is chalk, not crushed Aspirin. There is also some earth and chilli flakes, which is unusual . The second nose has warm sand -- black sand, to be precise. Perhaps it has a touch of rubbery earth, if not quite tar. Mouth: strong. We spot ink-stained fishing nets and inky earth. In the long run, this becomes pretty drying, with lots of crushed seashells, more ink, and sea water. It is juicy, then drying. Finish: here is a lovely sweetness deployed over seafood (molluscs and crustaceans). Cockles and mussels in a sweet-and-sour sauce, dusted with confectionary sugar. This is a typical Caol Ila of a certain age, in other words. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, Ro)

Cam [about a sample of Tomatin 11yo 2009/2021 (54.9%, Le Gus't for La Confrérie du Whisky, Bourbon Barrel, C#262, 217b, b#36) I shared]: "I like this. It's weird and I really like it."
tOMoH: "You threatened me, two minutes ago."
Cam [paraphrasing]: "It's because it's not what I associate with Tomatin. I felt du[ed."
PS: "Last time I was disabused by tOMoH, it involved a radish and a polar bear."

The next dram came earlier, but, since it is heavily peated, I kept it until now.

121.119 9yo d.2015 I then produced my rapier (62.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 190b): nose: this is a much-earthier type of peat. Mud, then dry paint turn to wet-sand patties over time, and the whole becomes less monolithic. It has cured fruits too, with too much wine for my taste, smoked ham, and hot velvet car seats. Mouth: juicy, this is full of peaches coated in mud, and super-drying, dusty elderberry. Did I say it is drying? Finish: big, muddy, it has fruits (chikoo, of all things) and mud patties doused in chilli oil. It remains earthy and muddy in the long run too. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, Dr. CD)

Another one? Well, if you twist my hand...

10.270 11yo d.2009 Vinegar three ways (57.3%, SMWS Society Cask In celebration 19 Greville Street Exclusive cask 2025, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 253b): nose: it is a fruity one, with white plums, and everyone's favourite fruit: baked potato. Huh?  Later on, we have ink and a paste made with some kind of herb. Baked spinach, perhaps? Or is it blotting paper? Mouth: another drying number, fruity and muddy, with smoked apples fallen into the mud and quince pumped full of booze. Finish: it is a lot peatier here, with clogged sink, hair balls and build-ups of gunk that have developed their own biotope. GT asked for a bottle kill for this last dram. It is hot and bitter and less to my taste. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, GT)

tOMoH [to GT]: "Thanks for the Bunna."
GT: "What?"
tOMoH: "The Bunna. The bottle kill?"
GT: "Ah! Don't know what it was. I asked for a bottle kill. [The staff] chose it."

Cam talks about his retirement plans. Once he is a couple of years into his job, he can purchase stock.

tOMoH: "They'll give you measles if you don't pay attention."
Cam: "Yeah, but... tax-free."

Unbelievably, JS and I manage to leave after PS, GT and Dr. CD. This has never happened before that I can remember.

29/08/2025 Scapa

The level worried
me a little, but it
has not lost in power

Scapa 24yo 1965/1990 (50.1%, Cadenhead): nose: oh! meow. OME in full effect, with metal, dusty fruits and corroded brass buttons. The fruity side ends up the most obvious, which is always good news to tOMoH. Sliced nectarines and peaches, tangerines and mandarines turning dry, a pineapple that is starting to grow its own hair. Behind that fruit is a cardboard-y, metallic presence. We are talking about rusty tin and dusty card, here (flat-packed, you know? We are not psychopaths). Minutes into it, that opens up to deliver a delicious tart, all hot apricots and custard. The rusty metal is now relegated to a knife that will cut said tart. Oh! and it smells powerful too. The second nose sees fleeting dried strawberry slices and bone-dry wood covered with a thin lichen. Hot sawdust -- really one dusty number, this! Further nosing adds more and more custard, which is appealing, augmented with smashed raspberries and dried cherry slices. Water does not alter it; it simply makes everything louder. The fruits, as well as the wood and cardboard. Only the corroded metal is more discreet, now, dull tin, rather than a derelict car in the woods. Several minutes in, at last, custard starts shining a little brighter. Mouth: ooft! How punchy. This is properly numbing, close to disinfectant. Once the tongue recover some feelings, it picks up rusty metal (this time an old armoured vehicle abandoned on a Pacific island in the mid-1940s) and cardboard again. That eventually dissipates and makes way for barely-ripe nectarines, served in a white-hot tin can. Chewing brings about dusty, stained blotting paper and a bitterness that is hard to identify precisely; it is not that of a metal blade, nor that of leaves. Maybe lichen-covered sheet metal? The second sip is just as hot and numbing. Despite some fruit, it feels close to downing a nip of disinfectant from a wooden drinking vessel. Once more, the recovering taste buds detect warm nectarine slices in amongst woodworm-riddled walnut wardrobes. All that wood is a bit drying, in the long run. Here too, water seems to amplify the flavours. We get Merbromin-sprinkled dried berries and a warm custard tart served on dusty cardboard plates. How amusing! It still has a faint bitterness too, though that is not accentuated by said addition of water. Finish: neutral on arrival, it gains character within a couple of seconds. Then, we spot flashes of fruits (nectarines, white peaches), and metal and cardboard again. The whole is warming and long-lived, even if calling it "coating" or "sticky" would be inaccurate. Instead, it is borderline earthy and reminiscent of an old cellar with a dusty earth floor, in which one would have stored cardboard boxes. The second sip is more focussed on fruits, yet it is not a walk in an orchard by any means. It is still a big, muscular, cardboard-y affair with fruit slices dotted here and there. The more one samples this, the more the fruits morph into dried berries (raspberries, strawberries, cherries). Water perhaps changes the finish most. Despite an obvious bitterness still pervading, what strikes is a wonderful vanilla custard punctuated by cut berries, or a warm berry custard cake, which suddenly turns this into an outstanding dram. From the first nose, I reckoned this would score higher. All in all, it is a challenging beast, this. 8/10

22/08/2025 Pittyvaich

Pittyvaich 14yo 1986/2001 (43%, Ian McLeod Chieftain's, Hogsheads, C#9519-22, 1074b, L1212BB 3 11 58): nose: it was not that way when I opened this bottle, a few months ago, but, today, it feels remarkably close to how I remember the James Macarthur bottling we had previously, which is to say wine-y and butyric, with fermented fruits macerating in cheap wine. The wine is then spilled on cardboard, and topped with sweaty Parmesan (the cheese, not a factory worker). That comes with a leather wineskin filled with red wine. It is a little game-y and leathery, as well as wine-y, even if we are not talking about sauce grand'veneur, here. It is more nuanced than that. It has dried apricots too, and, on the late tip, thick tulip petals. The second nose increases the fruits-on-cardboard note. Some of those fruits are dried, some are decaying, some were kept in a leather pouch. Deeper nosing puts the spotlight on plums and tulips, then warm, wet leather. In the long term, we have fresh dark grapes stored on a wooden shelf in a cellar. Mouth: porridge served in a leather pouch, splashed with red wine. Reads weird? It tastes it too. It is not unpleasant, mind; just unusual. A bit of chewing adds cured plums and lukewarm custard, rehydrated raisins, a dollop of shoe polish, butter cream, engine grease and an old, crackled leather jacket. The second sip welcomes more plums, fresh and cured, nectarines, peach slices, maybe even clementines. All those come both fresh and soaked in wine. If looking for them, one may find elderberry and lingonberry, and those would suggest wine, surely. Perhaps it has a pinch of cut grass too, though this is hardly a grassy number. Finish: it peddles the same raisins and cardboard in the finish too, with a splash of wine, naturally, all served in a recycled-cardboard cup. There is a sangria element to this, highlighted by the cardboard one inevitably finds where sangria is served, whether that is cardboard plates for the buffet, or cups for the drinks. Only, here, that cardboard is dusty. The second gulp adds discreet, overly-sweetened chocolate and a drop of berry liqueur. It is not Edel Tropfen by a long shot, yet it points in that direction. Repeated sipping introduces a spoonful of pineapple custard and a drop of mint filling such as the kind one finds usually in After Eight. An unconventional dram that may score higher in the right sequence. 7/10

HB ruckus!

18/08/2025 Tormore

Tormore 15yo 1998/2014 (57.4%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition, B#TM 15 001): nose: how seasonal! Lemon custard, lime-cake filling, βανιλια. It then opens up to a herbaceous profile, with oregano and citrus foliage. We also find crystallised apricots, in which the fruit is almost eclipsed by the sugar. There is a toasted-white-bread side too, perhaps with a lick of honey on it. Breathing time brings this back to the lime-custard-herbs trio, and, this time, we may even detect candied angelica and a dusting of Parmesan. The second nose adds a pinch of tobacco and a pouch of eucalyptus powder, the kind one uses to soothe clogged respiratory canals, for example. Soon enough, we come back to mint sweets, though, intertwined with crushed citrus leaves. Mouth: lively and herbaceous, this has mint sweets more than mint leaves, candied angelica alright, and citrus foliage. Chewing injects a lime paste and attempts to blend it with tame custard. It is not really metallic, yet one may be lured into thinking it is, so clean-cut it is. Clean-cut and a tad bitter, actually. Margarita? However, the dominant (by a hair) on the palate are the mint sweets. Tic Tac, a mint filling in a hard-shell sweet, and lime paste. The second sip dials up the citrus and, next to the now-expected lime, we find pink-grapefruit zest. It does not take long for mint and vanilla to reclaim their throne, which is firmly anchored in a lovely custard. Finish: fresh in the finish too, here are more mint paste and lime foliage blended into a custard-y purée. It is that creamy freshness that persists, when all is said and done. The second gulp is in line. Maybe it has stem ginger and paper paste. Indeed, a slight woodiness leaves its mark, yet it remains in the shadow of the ever-creamy minty citrus. Delicious. 8/10

10/08/2025 A few drams at the SMWS

The television at the hotel has a collection of German channels. One spends twenty minutes advertising for a ten-CD compilation of the work of Roger Whittaker, "unser Roger", "der Seigneur des Schlagers." It amuses me immensely. I will find out a few days later that said Roger, an Anglo-Kenyan man who died in France, did not even speak German. He learnt his songs phonetically.

More seriously, they were showing Party Zone and Chill-Out Zone on MTV, last night, shows I have not seen since the 1990s. The selection was a blast from the past too.

Party Zone

Age Of Love - The Age Of Love (Radio Version)

Cherry Moon Trax - In My Electric House

Talla 2XLC - The Eternal Mystery

Chill-Out Zone

Single Gun Theory - Fall

Electrotete - I Love You

Goldie - Inner City Life

Adam F - Circles

Carl Craig - Televised Green Smoke

Computerjockeys - How Fish Do

Wellington now wears a septuple cone-hat

Anyway, JS and I are still in Glasgow today, and the SMWS is open. Would be rude not to visit the cosy and spacious venue in a discreet basement across the street from The Good Spirits Co. But before that...

Everything Bagel, White Chocolate & Coconut Pudding
2 x Lemon Poppy Seeds

At the venue, as often, it takes a few exchanges for the staff to gauge (incorrectly) where we are on our whisky journey.

JS: "Where can we see what you have available?"
Waiter: "This booklet has the new outturn..."
tOMoH: "We have the same outturns in London. We are more interested in things we cannot find elsewhere."
Waiter: "So, this booklet has the new outturn, and if you tell me what type of profile you like, I will guide you."
JS: "Do you have 162.4?"
Waiter: "I *think* it is sold out by the bottle. perhaps by the dram... No, also sold out. I have .5 and .6."

162.5 5yo d.2019 Invigorating and refreshing (61.1%, SMWS Society Cask Whisky Wanderers Festivals 2025, 1st Fill Chinkapin Oak Barrel, 269b): nose: deep and wide, it is also pretty woody. Dark-wood planks, seasoned pine cone, heady mahogany or teak oil. It is ester-y and goes to one's head quite quickly. Mouth: woody indeed! Wood oil, carbonyl and polished mahogany cabinets. It is also hot. Chewing brings out some toffee, but it remains a hot and warming number. In the long run, we find fierce citric powder, Fizzy Cola Bottles (the sweets) and chilli powder. Finish: hot cola alongside polished shelves. There is a hefty dose of polished wood, in fact, and hints of shoe polish, more esters and other volatile compounds associated with wood-treatment agents. Also cola. Very-strong cola. 7/10

162.6 5yo d.2019 A Hebridean idyll (61.4%, SMWS Society Cask Whisky Wanderers Festivals 2025, 1st Fill Chinkapin Oak Barrel, 234b): nose: similar, yet different in that it is more toasted. Toasted wood, toasted brown bread and Tabasco splattered over shelves. Only later do we perceive volatile wood oil and wood polish. The second nose brings baked plums. Mouth: cola in this one too, cinnamon cream and freshly-oiled shelves. The second sip has cured candied papaya cubes. Finish: clean and more precise than its sibling. It is less woody, has as much, if not more cola, more cinnamon pastry and liquorice sweets. In fact, it is a little numbing in a pleasant way. It dies in a puff of pine-tree honey. They both play in the same ballpark, but we prefer this one. 7/10

When we visited Raasay, the girl doing the tour told us that the proprietor liked chinkapin oak, as if it were a slightly-eccentric but completely-understandable personal preference. Based on these two, it would appear that chinkapin helps whisky mature more quickly than quercus alba or quercus robur. Those woody notes after only nine years...

JS asks for any expression of Glasgow. They have one -- by the dram only.

156.5 9yo d.2015 A glass full of summer vibes (62.1%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 207b): nose: flower stamens, confectionary sugar, powder puffs, cotton-candy -- ho! ho! ho! This is very appealing. It has lukewarm custard slathered onto birch shelves, and chocolate éclairs. The second nose raises ironed linen. Mouth: milky, sweet and mellow, it still has some kick (look at the ABV!). Numbing custard, cream of Tartar. Chewing enhances the creamy-pastry aspect, Bourbon cream, or even toffee and fudge. The second sip has less personality at first, but quickly wakes up: warm milk cereals sprinkled with herbs. Finish: toffee to the max, including the slight earthy bitterness of caramel. It has burnt sugar at second gulp, but shakes off most of the bitterness to focus on a delicious hot sweetness. Perhaps it adds torched coconut shavings to the lot. 7/10

105.44 35yo d.1988 Honey jam (48.1%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 218b): nose: we dial up the complexity, of course. All sorts of flowers, starting with roses and carnations, continuing with black tulips and pansies, ending with cherry blossom and berry flowers. There is even a hint of jasmine at play. Mouth: oh yeah! Flowers in a bath of prune syrup, lychee juice... The power of suggestion tells me honey-glazed apricots and fruit tartlets too. Finish: long, fruity, it has plums, peaches and apricots augmented with a lick of Verdigris, a layer of bone-dry lichen and saxifrage. This is in a different league altogether, of course. 9/10

Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh!

The staff recommend a few things.

12.80 34yo 1989/2023 Heaven in a leather hammock (59.2%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Oloroso Butt + 1st Fill Ex-PX Butt Finish, 452b)

Nose: Sherry, prune syrup, dark grapes soaked in brandy.
Mouth: leather, rancio, elderberry. It heats up the palate with burning mixed peel.
Finish: very sweet finish, it has jams and candied raisins.
Comment: lovely drop, but more Sherry than we would like. 8/10

94.51 27yo d.1997 Whispers of Spring: A journey of reawakening -- Verdant reawakening (55.8%, SMWS The Creators Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 247b)

Nose: in pure Fettercairn fashion, this is weird and loaded with hay. Metal too?
Mouth: jellied lime peel. What!?
Finish: surprisingly sweet and vibrant, it has more candied and jellied lime goodness.
Comment: I find it appealing to a degree, but it is so unique others will undoubtedly disagree. 8/10

115.29 32yo 1991/2024 Visions of the Basque Country (47.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 152b): nose: cut lychee, cut greengage, jasmine, lilac, nectar-filled honeysuckle, cherry blossom and flowers from some kind of berry tree. We do have primrose too, syrupy pear liqueur and lemon foliage. The second nose is similarly ethereal. Mouth: sweet-citrus foliage, chalk gratings. The second sip has firmer fruits, mandarines and clementine zest. Finish: big, flowery and mildly chalky. It is fairly strong and has lingering flowers intertwined with citrus. The second gulp slaps refrigerated marmalade onto the gob to match a rather-assertive alcohol. JS adores this. 8/10

38.42 31yo d.1992 Cigars in sweetie jars (50.3%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel Finish, 189b): nose: freshly-cleaned pillows move towards warm sofa cushions in a warm living room in the autumn. The second nose sees pineapple, which is less folkloric, perhaps. Mouth: chocolate milk tainted with citrus juice (pomelo, calamansi). This is both creamy and fruity, a little sparkly too. The second sip brings soda to the scene, citrus-y soda, augmented with citrus foliage. Quite peppery and numbing, even now, though not overly so. Finish: ooft! Tropical fruits rise, mango, persimmon and maracuja, all joined by cherimoya and citrus at second gulp. This is exquisite. 9/10

Funny how the staff insists on helping us choose based on flavour profiles, then consistently recommend bottlings in their own favourite style, only for us not to like them as much as they do. We choose one and bang! Success. :-)

It is the end. A couple of guys just arrived in our little space wearing too much cologne. The kitchen smells were a little distracting, but temporary, and I was fine putting up with them. Cologne, on the other hand, is more durably intrusive. Anyway, it is otherwise a great venue. Time for the train.

09/08/2025 Whisky Fringe 2025

JS and I are back in Edinburgh (after an eight-year hiatus) for the Whisky Fringe (after a ten-year hiatus). The whisky world has changed more than Auld Reekie, in that time. Not that we will notice the latter much: Oasis are playing in town tonight, which means everything is fully-booked and/or delayed. We have had to stay in Glasgow as a consequence, and will have virtually no time for the whisky shops tourism.

Glasgow first, then. Despite a late arrival last night and a busy day ahead, despite even the morning rain, we head for an earlyish run towards Clydeside distillery. We will turn around before, because we do not want to jeopardise our breakfast or risk missing our train.

Boston Cream, Crème Brûlée, Everything Bagel

Chai latte (JS)

Hot chocolate (me)

Good thing we were reasonable with the doughnuts: we have a 12:00 reservation at L'Escargot Bleu, a restaurant we have not visited in a decade or almost. We reach there fifteen minutes early, which does not buy us enough time to climb the Royal Mile. Instead, we call at the grocery shop across the road, kill the fifteen minutes, then enter our eatery. It has been open for a couple of minutes only, yet a customer is already sitting. It is AMcR. Lolle. I exchange a few texts with OB about the chance encounter before we order.

The food is its usual outstanding. 

Talonmore & apple (me)

Lost Orchard Cider (JS)

Lobster Bisque (me)
Waitress: "When I say 'lobster bisque', I mean it.
It is made with real lobster."
It is unclear what we are supposed to believe
lobster bisque is usually made of.

Steamed Shetland mussels, squid & courgette sauce (JS)

Ayrshire duck breast & black pudding w/ cabbage & girolles Sce.
Best duck breast I have had

Plaice fillet w/ monkfish cheek, squid & carrot pure (JS)

Beetroot Salad to share

Duck egg crème brûlée (me)

Griottines in Kirsch (JS)

It is time to make our way to Mansfield Traquair, which is conveniently located in the same street. The queue is long already. A bloke just ahead of us distributes lanyards to the others in his group who are incredulous. Incidentally, I pull mine out at the same time; one registers it and makes a comment.

tOMoH: "Trust me, you'll look like an idiot, but, in ten minutes, you'll think: 'this is fucking genius! Where was this during the rest of my life?'"
Him: "Sounds like we'd look like idiots and amateurs without them!"

The doors open, and despite the length of the queue, which certainly costs us fifteen minutes, we are in swiftly and easily.

In all its grandeur

I remember being a little underwhelmed with the quality of the selection, last time, so our strategy today is different.

Firstly, we will plan our half-time orange dram more carefully to avoid disappointment when the time comes. For memory, that is the local version of the dream drams: every stand has one, and they will pour it at 16:00 in exchange for the coupon that everyone gets with their entry ticket. Naturally, the most in-demand drams disappear quickly.

Secondly, we (I, at least) will spend the rest of the time exploring the New Kids On The Block. The late-1980s-early-1990s boyband from Boston is not here, so that means distilleries or bottlers I have not yet tried (or very little thereof).

Good. Let us start. Festival conditions, hence short notes.

Daftmill 12yo 2012/2025 Summer Batch Release (46%, OB, 23 x First Fill Barrels, 5250b)

Nose: lemon-y cereal and custard, or whichever way around.
Mouth: quite thin, it feels like a boozy custard. Then, it offers nice flowery tones, in the back.
Finish: lovely finish, creamy and cereal-y.
Comment: good start. 7/10

Daftmill 15yo 2009/2024 Fife Strength (56.3%, OB, 19 x First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels + 1 x ex-PX Cask, 3840b)

Nose: rich, fruity custard topped with smoked berries. It is jammier at second nose.
Mouth: there is a slight bitterness akin to berry pips spread on toast.
Finish: long, bold, acidic and bitter in equal measure. It is also fairly nutty.
Comment: fruity dram. 7/10

Glasgow 1770 10yo 2015/2025 Sauternes Cask Matured (53%, OB Limited Edition Release hand selected by Royal Mile Whiskies to celebrate 10 Years of Whisky Making at The Glasgow Distillery, Refill Sauternes Barrique, C#15/97, 340b)

Nose: it is fairly woody, with mostly sandalwood. Some fruits emerge, such as cured apple. It becomes quite leather at second nose.
Mouth: drier than expected, light but almost grassy.
Finish: boozy toffee, brandy and birch oil.
Comment: Glasgow Distillery turns 10 this year, and this is the first I try them. Kwazy. 7/10

Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon & Virgin Oak Casks, d. ca. 2025)

Nose: this one is super fruity and ethereal, choc-full of candied pineapple and papaya cubes.
Mouth: yes, this is candied fruit cube galore -- papaya, mango, pineapple, Chinese gooseberry.
Finish: mellow, floral, delicate and elegant.
Comment: a proper Lowlander and a standout, really. 8/10

Glasgow 1770 6yo b.2024 Cognac Cask Finish (58%, OB Small Batch Series, 5 x First Fill ex-Bourbon Casks + French Cognac Casks Finish, B#2, 2250b)

Nose: briny smoke in the style of smoked ham drying in a barn by the sea.
Mouth: ash, chargrilled sardines, cigarette ash. It is pretty punchy and peddles burning hay.
Finish: hot and very smoky, ashy. It balances that out with timid smashed strawberries.
Comment: only an undeniable youth prevents a higher score. This was dubbed a lightly-peated dram, with 3 of the five casks filled with peated spirit. 7/10

Family picture

Ballindalloch 8yo 2017/2025 (62.7%, OB Single Cask bottled exclusively for UK, Virgin Oak Hogshead, C#69, 330b)

Nose: it has a mix of buttery pastry and white-wood oil (acacia, birch). The second nose adds apricot jam.
Mouth: pastry it is, with choux dough, faded tinned peaches and stale custard turning into cardboard paste.
Finish: very good, it has white wood and a huge associated bitterness. In fact, in the long run, that bitterness is a little bothersome, hardly made up for by pineapple gratings on a worn-out wooden cutting board.
Comment: from a refill virgin oak cask, the festival booklet tells us -- ha! ha! It is not exactly a winner in my view. 6/10

I try the oatcakes that are provided at almost every stand. They taste like sweat.

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength (56.5%, cask sample)

Nose: delicate and floral, it gains melted toffee at second nosing.
Mouth: woody, drying, yet also fruity. We spot cut fruits with their slightly-scarred stones.
Finish: dry, woody. Sawdust and ground spices.
Comment: JS asked for a Hazelburn and got this decent unreleased Springer. 7/10

Springbank 5yo 100° Proof (57.1%, OB)

Nose: toasted bread turns strongly perfume-y.
Mouth: soft (!), light, then furiously peppery (black pepper). It keeps a fresh touch nevertheless.
Finish: juicy and woody, it has a sprinkle of white pepper.
Comment: alright. 7/10

There is a tent?

Hi ST!

ST: "What would you like to try?"

Torabhaig 7yo 2018/2025 (57.1%, The Dornoch Distillery Co. for Thompson Bros., 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels)

Nose: smoky earth, dark earth, toasted barley and peat smoke grow alongside citrus (bergamot).
Mouth: it is very peaty, here, and big. We have hot tar, greasy earth and tarry sand.
Finish: chargrilled sausages, charred pineapple, char and coal. It is cloying.
Comment: my first Torabhaig, despite having been to the distillery. I like the label better than the whisky, but it is good enough. 7/10

Hi PT!

PT: "Is your glass empty?"
tOMOh:"No, but JS's is..."

Glenlivet District 12yo (40%, Grant Bonding, b. ca. 1970s)

Nose: very vinous, sherried, which, in this case, means extra fruity. (Rehydrated) prunes and dried figs are particularly impressive. Maraschino cherries are not far behind.
Mouth: syrupy, it is thick and coating, yet also rather fruity.
Finish: currants, prunes, figs.
Comment: "70% paxarette, 20% Sherry, 10% whisky," says PT (or something similar). Quite right! A strange undisclosed Glenfarclas by the proprietors. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PT)

It is almost 16:00. We position ourselves strategically for the mid-point. In a way we are wasting fifteen minutes; in another, it is not a minute too soon: some of the stands have huge queues in front of them. "Queue" is an orderly word to describe the blobs of punters, really. Where I am is a shapeless mass of enthusiasts that, as the bell tolls, quickly degenerates into a free-for-all, full with freeloaders jumping the queue using their elbows. It is a miracle it does not descend into fisticuffs. JS, for comparison, will wax lyrical about the well-oiled organisation at the stand she is queueing at, with assembly-line responsibilities, queue management and all. Bah!

TAKE MY TOKEN!

We both get what we are after; that is the most important.

Tomatin 45yo b.2023 (41.5%, OB Travel Retail Exclusive, Oloroso Sherry Cask, B#1, 225b)

Nose: this is on a different planet -- nay! In a different galaxy. To everything that preceded it. It rolls out an incredible depth of grapes, lychees, ripe peaches... Rhaaaa! The second nose may bring tame coffee in amongst all that fruit. Considering it is an Oloroso cask, that coffee is firmly under control.
Mouth: mellow and super-fruity here too, with (Mirabelle) plums, greengages and lychees. Chewing unearths more fruits, with only a minute bitterness. The whole is mouth-coating. "Tasty!" says JS, channelling her inner TM.
Finish: long, juicy and fruity again. Plump plums of all kinds, ripe apricots and all sorts of jams.
Comment: right? The context does not do this justice. It is amazeboulanger. By far the best dram so far. 9/10

Rosebank 31yo b.2022 Release 2 (48.1%, OB Limited Release, 4000b)

Nose: honeysuckle, lilac, jasmine... This is as floral as can be! It has cut orchard fruits too. The second nose brings honey-glazed apricots.
Mouth: mellow, juicy and drying all at once. We have apricot juice and quarry chippings competing for attention. Kumquat and bergamot round all that off.
Finish: sweet jams simmering in a hot tin pot, a dollop of melted milk chocolate, just a sprig of a herb or another -- tarragon, rosemary or sage, perhaps?
Comment: phwoar! 9/10

Back to our regular programme.

Inchdairnie The KinGlassie 8yo 2017/2025 Raw (46.3%, OB, ex-Bourbon Casks)

Nose: TCP, hay so dry it is falling to dust, a mix of ashes and cereals.
Mouth: creamy, custard-y, yet also smoky. Shall we call it ashy custard?
Finish: ashy custard indeed, although the ashes are loud, here.
Comment: I was eager to try this distillery, after pat gva commented about it, earlier this week. Based on this sole expression, I am less enthusiastic than he was. 7/10

Gone Grant 30yo 1994/2025 Chapter Eighteen (51.2%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland for WhiskySponge, 26 Years in a Refill Barrel + 4 Years in a First Fill Sherry Hogshead, 230b)

Nose: a slap of nectarine on the olfactory organ. Then, it becomes ridiculously floral, with pink flowers that flirt with pink wafers from Champagne.
Mouth: soft and floral again, it ends up slightly drying in a vegetal way.
Finish: spellbinding. This has fruits, cosmetic powder and confectionary sugar.
Comment: love it. Excellent Caperdonich. 8/10

I try the other type of oatcakes on offer. They are bursting with chilli. Who had this terrible idea?

Secret Wigtownshire 6yo 2018/2025 Lemon sherbet, anyone? (50%, Keeble Cask Company Elevenses Whisky, 2 x 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels, 565b)

Nose: it Is pretty mute, initially. Mild and soft-spokenly floral, it has little to say.
Mouth: the distillery is recognisable, here. Bold pastry, sugar and lovely fruits.
Finish: sweet, with a dusting of sugar, poached pears and baked shortcrust.
Comment: excellent undisclosed Bladnoch from a lesser-known bottler. 8/10

Benriach 17yo 2007/2025 (47.3%, Keeble Cask Company Fragrant Drops, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, C#700204, 278b)

Nose: a lot of wine smothers faint orchard fruits.
Mouth: fruits and gravel. I am not seduced. It gets juicier and a little more to my liking at second sip.
Finish: it is a fruitier finish than foreseen, but not enough to win me over.
Comment: no picture of this one, and it is not mentioned in the festival booklet. As for my feedback: meh. 6/10

Ah! It is that time of the festival when it starts smelling of fart.

Annandale 6yo 2019/2025 (60.2%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Seasoned Oloroso Barrique, C#14201, 334b)

Nose: kippery AF, briny. It then develops smoked earth.
Mouth: ooft! Very drying, it is soon earthy and smoky, with crushed stones and abrasive sand.
Finish: very smoky and hay-like, this is also ember-hot.
Comment: second peaty Annandale that impresses me. 7/10

Random bloke: "CALLUM!"
JS: "Five hundred people turn around."

Glen Garioch 16yo 2008/2025 (55.4%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Ribera del Duero Red Wine Finish, C#108, 309b)

Nose: winy and gamy, this may as well be a Mortlach. Or anything, really. It is overcome by the wine maturation.
Mouth: thick, winy, it has lots of tannins and mud patties. It is very chewy in texture.
Finish: huge, even after the colossal Annandale. This is earthy, with burnt mud and hay.
Comment: not my thing. 6/10

We (I) do not resist commenting on the logo that
looks grubby on the boxes.
We are assured it is not the founder's thumbprint
and it is not an easy way to crack into his phone

ST: "What can I pour you?"

Sutherland 5yo b.2022 (48.5%, Thompson Brothers celebrating 20th anniversary of whiskyfun.com, 590b)

Nose: lots of cosmetic powders and sherbet. Tickly!
Mouth: rather mellow and fruity, with apricots other turnovers, yet also ground apricot stones.
Finish: dry and fruity, reminiscent of peach and citrus juices poured onto rocks.
Comment: a blend of Clynelish, Dornoch and Brora (from a bottle), this is pretty good. 7/10

Glen Garioch 10yo 2014/2025 (56.2%, Little Brown Dog, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels, 337b)

Nose: sand and crusted mud.
Mouth: blackberry-flavoured cough drops and earth.
Finish: yeah, earthy berries which never reach elderberry stages.
Comment: same as the one MR poured in June? Yes. Same score. 7/10

I confirm with PT and ST that the guy I do not know behind their stand is French and proceed to introduce myself. Shortly after, he offers...

An Islay 33yo 1991/2025 (49.1%, Thompson Bros. specially selected and bottled to celebrate the Thompson Family's 25th anniversary at Dornoch Castle Hotel, C#2681, 244b)

Nose: muddy fruits.
Mouth: beautiful smoked fruits augmented with a spoonful of mud.
Finish: mud, ink, crushed seashells and fruits.
Comment: excellent. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, Shalil)

Ben Nevis 26yo 1999/2025 (50.5%, Little Brown Dog, Bourbon Hogshead)

Nose: concentrated and potent, it displays mild fruits only.
Mouth: mineral and fruity at once, which is pretty nice.
Finish: it is a little too hot for me in the finish, not to mention funky (it is a Ben Nevis, after all). That distracts from the subtle fruitiness.
Comment: too funky for me to give a higher score. 7/10

It is getting sweaty and blurry in that tent!

Lochlea Our Barley (46%, OB, Bourbon + Sherry + STR Casks, b. ca. 2025)

Nose: fresh and crisp, full of cut apples and candied fruits.
Mouth: fresh, candied fruit cubes -- lots of them! Mango and papaya first in line.
Finish: creamy, here are milk chocolate and more candied papaya cubes.
Comment: remarkable. Their basic bottling, at 46%, at the end of a festival, after several 60+% drams, and it still shines. 8/10

Secret East Highland 46yo d.1978 Half Time Orange (40.6%, Little Brown Dog for Whisky Fringe Edinburgh)

Nose: phwoaaaaaar! An explosion of candied tropical fruits, topped with colour-crayon shavings.
Mouth: watery candied fruits, which tastes better than it reads, probably. Even though it is less explosive than on the nose, it remains outstanding. In an odd sequence of flavours, it adds oysters and shrimps at second sip.
Finish: it is in the same vein, super-fruity and fresh, adding smashed strawberries to an-otherwise full roster.

Comment: yet another Glen Garioch, albeit an undisclosed one. They made only two or three bottles of this just for the half-time orange. What a belter to finish with! 9/10

There are fifteen minutes left, but exhibitors are packing up and everyone is leaving. I wish they had rung last pour a few minutes prior. We tried more and better than we bargained for, but I feel stopped in my track, with this surprise festival end. Ah! well.

Outside, Mary_Poppins / Strawberry_Shortcake / Nana_Smith picks us up in her automobile. We drive to The Fishmarket Newhaven, where we have supper before taking a digestive walk during which we see four herons over the space of a few metres.

Crispy Squid and Chips

Battered Scallops

Haggis Bon Bons

The Forth Bridges in the distance.
We spot three, but cannot see the Forth
*cough*

From there, Poppins takes us to S. Luca for an ice cream. The Black Hawaii flavour impresses us much and helps us overlook the noise from the Oasis concert which we hear in the distance.

Time to say goodbye, though.