Bushmills 21yo b.2004 (40%, OB, Madeira Wood Finish, b#16296): nine years, one month and two days have passed since we latest had this. Unfathomable. Nose: a musty cellar. And that does not mean fruity dunnage warehouse, in this case, but a musty cellar. It has a blend of damp clay, woodworm and cured meat, which is unexpected. Further onward, we find glue and wallpaper, as if someone had wallpapered the wooden shelves of a larder (if you lived through the 1970s or 1980s, you know). It gains more and more wood with time; oaken shelves so old they are starting to crumble, nuts kept in a basket for years, if not decades. Very slowly and gradually, that morphs into charred-chestnut spread wet with pressed-prune juice and a drop of nail varnish. Tilting the glass brings synthetic scents such as linoleum and flooring glue, but also a drop of urine. We swiftly go back to prunes, now served in a lacquered-ebony case. The second nose is screaming CURRANTS and PRUNES, RAISINS and SULTANAS. That comes with the Madeira finish, presumably, yet it is still a bit surprising, following that musty first impression. Okay, there are fortified-wine-glazed button mushrooms to prolong the cellar-y theme going, but it is not the same... until we dig up potting soil, which comes much closer to the damp clay from before. Ha! Ha! Mouth: a soft -- I dare not call it 'bite' -- introduces a silky mouthfeel. Following an initially-woody taste (oiled mahogany), it becomes fresh and presents pressed Mirabelle plums and physalis. There may even be filtered lychee juice in it. Chewing catches one off guard, however: a tide of tropical fruits floods the palate, with lychee indeed, rambutan, mangosteen and dragon fruit gracing the roof of the mouth. It has a tame wine-y touch too, somewhere between rosé, vin jaune and sangria. That could spell a catastrophe, but it works rather well. The second sip has a tame chocolate-y touch, augmented with a drop of cherry liqueur. Moving the liquid around the mouth revives the fruit -- the same as before, in the same order. Astonishing! Finish: it only has a modest kick, at the legal minimum of 40%, yet that is more than enough to trigger an incredibly-long finish that sticks to the gob like a good cough drop. We find as much wine (rosé, jaune, orange) and much less fruit, although that grows in intensity. Once again, we are talking about Mirabelle plum and physalis, rambutan, dragon fruit, perhaps even mangosteen, yet also dried cranberries and sultanas, some of them coated in yoghurt. The second gulp adds a pinch of cinnamon powder and one of mango powder, as well as chewy dried mango slices. Surprisingly, considering the low strength, the whole leaves the tongue and gums a bit numb. Finally, as the taste buds come back to life, they pick up sirop de Liège, or a berry paste out of a tube, thick, concentrated, sweet. This is good. 8/10 (Thanks, OB)
I bumped into JPH (PH for short) on Friday where he told me about this tasting he would be hosting. It had somehow slipped my radar, so that was pure serendipity to meet him on a day I had not planned to be there, and at an unusual time to boot.
Before the tasting starts, I am treated to a dram of 10.288 16yo d.2008 Savour the savoury (60.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 237b). I take no notes. The Oloroso influence is a little loud for me. It should score 6 or 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)
We know the format quite well, now: an SMWS member showcases Society bottlings from their private collection to a group of people who signed up to be there. Amongst those, PS, Dr. CD, GT, YM, DW, JS and tOMoH.
PH starts by telling us how he fell into whisky (through wine and Michael Jackson) and how he became an SMWS member in 1991. He quickly points out that he is not the most-senior member -- of all, in London, or even in this room. Indeed, Dr. CD famously joined on the 29th February 1495, so he predates even Pip Hills. And Friar Cor.
As he continues his story, I start with the work. The data is given more or less as we go; we are not really tasting blind, this time.
45.8 16yo 1982/1998 (64.6%, SMWS Society Cask, finished for 16mo in ex-Sherry Gorda, 577b): nose: apple slices peppered with a pinch of ashes, super-dry hazelwood, incense. That incense grows and grows into refined ash from a fruit-tree fire. Candlewax rises, as do fruits (plums, grapes). Mouth: crisp, it has fruity dry white wine -- Riesling, then Sauvignon Blanc. It is a tad ashy, but that is balanced by green grapes and chestnut oil. There may be a drop of cider vinegar too. It is ashier at second sip, but also immensely fruity (crunchy apples). Finish: delightful ashy white wine. This is positively fruity. It develops a coat of wood polish at second gulp, but Paula Red apples dominate, roasted, yet still crunchy. What a way to start! 9/10
PH tells us the last cask of distillery 45 was filled on 16th March 1983 and he regrets that he could not do the tasting yesterday to mark the anniversary (the SMWS is closed on Mondays).
61.9 18yo 1981/1999 Crepe bandages and lavender oil (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill American Oak Barrel, 305b): from a time when the Society gave its bottlings names, but did not write them on the label. Nose: phwoar! Here are matchsticks, guaiacol, a fire of twigs and brambles. Behind that are cactuses and white-fish skewers. It is not strongly charred, but charred alright. Old burnt staves and scorched marshland plants. Mouth: another cracking old glory that has a blend of roasted fruits and ashes, incense and peach nectar (unless it is orange juice). The second sip is drier, waxy, with lots of burnt candle and incense. It is quite chalky too, but no big whoop. Finish: long not big. It is elegant, fruity, a little ashy again. Despite its provenance, it is not particularly farm-y. The second gulp has more earth, and the whole is warming and comforting. Wood dust (not sawdust) at the bottom of a log basket by a fireplace. PH finds it a citrus freshness too, but that does not hit me. 9/10
Someone near me is wearing enough perfume to distract me and lower my enjoyment. Hm.
44.35 14yo 1994/2008 Egg sandwiches and walnut cake (58.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Hogshead, 124b): nose: water colour, dried plasticine and daffodil petals. It also fans a roaring fire in a cast-enamel wood-burning stove, and warm metal that has been used to cut baked apples. The second nose brings cosmetic powder. Mouth: baked Paula Red apples and sugar. It then gets metallic and sees lichen forming on copper (not Verdigris). The second sip is a trifle chalky, much like a Granny Smith apple. That is augmented with a pinch of ash. Finish: medium-long, it has fermented apples (Paula Red again). The second gulp is well warming. In the long run, it takes the bitterness of mahogany shelves. 8/10
PH: "There was once an SMWS Port Ellen [maybe 43.13 Sweaty gym shoes?]; the notes said it smelled of fart, sweat, urine and decayed fruits." PS: "For Charlie Maclean, that's a good night out!"
PH explains he and Dr. CD have large collections of SMWS publications, and are sometimes asked if they would provide original tasting notes for an old bottle.
PH: "We are not hoarders, we are archivists."
66.20 20yo 1985/2005 Sun-dried sprats and prune juice (54.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 310b): nose: smoked plasticine, burnt cow dung, clay and cut meadow grass, thick and juicy. This is a farm-y nose. PH talks of wood, but I do not agree. The second nose is an even-farmier affair, ripe with muddy pastures and cattle droppings, followed by charred dried raspberry slices. Mouth: greasy earth and peat smoke. It has a lick of fruits too, mainly grilled grapefruits and satsumas. The second sip is a little more pine-like, fresh and acidic. Finish: charcoal, burnt wood and charred citrus slices. That turns a little greener at second gulp, reminiscent of pine needles after the rain. I could give this a higher score any other day. Tonight... 8/10
PH tells us how to reproduce the smell and taste of a certain release of distillery 19, called Peat, germolene and strawberry jam. It involves double-toasting bread on the highest setting, scraping some of the charred surface, then slathering the toast with jam.
PS: "Now I know why your psychotherapist lives in a mansion."
The two guys at the next table have not stopped talking for the whole dram and story -- roughly twenty minutes. They are showing pictures of their family on their phones, debating the merit of phone models etc. It is starting to lower my enjoyment too.
33.76 10yo d.1998 A civilised scout camp (56.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b): nose: a big slap of peat smoke, without surprise. Embers, charred wood, tarry sands and dark ink, spent incense, spent wick. Suddenly, it comes up with sea spray and briny air, then wood-fire smoke. The second nose brings out guaiacol and smoked plasticine to supplement the incense. Mouth: dark ink it is, a pinch of sugar, then a raging bracken fire and burnt tyres. The second sip is juicy, thick, with apricot nectar in terms of texture, and apples roasted on a wood fire in terms of taste. Finish: it is well balanced, here. Oh! it is smoky alright, this time with petrol fumes, but also some fruits, such as smoked roasted apples. It also has a lot of ink. The second gulp serves tarry sands and crude oil in unbaked pottery made of smoked clay in a smoky boat shed. It may be the least convincing dram tonight, yet it is excellent nevertheless. 8/10
Very good tasting. I managed to overlook the talkers and the perfume, in the end. It was hard. PH somehow selected only things we had never tried before -- yay!
The Society released a sextet of bottles in The Creators Collection, all of them from young distilleries, three of which are new to the Society. The launch was hyped up quite a bit to boot. It is time to see what the fuss is about. A quintet of those were available online as a set, with the sixth only available from SMWS venues.
149.21 9yo 2016/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Machair medley (60%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Butt, 666b): nose: it is light and discreet. Probably, the cold of the day is muting this; let us give it a moment... There! Dark, greasy earth, a pinch of cocoa powder, then crates and crates of mushrooms: button, portabella, boletus, armillaria. Those pave the way for wood oil (iroko, maple, walnut) and, increasingly, moss on cobblestones. That is right: it acquires a gentle mineral touch that complements the above nicely. Hazelwood comes next, about to ignite. The second nose has honey and propolis spread onto wooden shelves, followed by a chicory infusion. Mouth: surprisingly soft and a tad wine-y (white Port). Chewing adds liqueur pralines (Mon Chéri comes to mind, yet it is not cherry liqueur) and booze-soaked pineapple chunks, before a lick of wood oil joins, augmented with a drop of turpentine. It becomes vibrantly woody with time, which is staggering, at that young age, yet it it never loses the volatile, ester-y components -- pineapple and wood oil. The second sip has a vegetal nectar, yellow tulips or daffodils, plump and soft as petals, yet sweet as fruit juice. It has little of the bitterness of plant sap, thankfully. It is also fresh, and chewing some more helps discover mint crumbles, sweet at first, then chalky and rather bitter -- the bitterness of chalk, not of plant sap. Finish: remarkably balanced, it continues the pineapple-and-wood-oil trip. Wood oil ends up a bit louder than the fruits, which translates into a clear bitterness. In the long run, we have leather saddles, quickly replaced by untreated wooden shelves and a pinch of sawdust. Retro-nasal olfaction reveals more pineapple, albeit dried, this time. The second gulp seems fresher, a mix of mint crumbles and pouring honey, not to say dried plum slices in syrup. It dies with a faint note of caramelised puff wheat. Very good. 7/10
162.8 6yo 2019/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Cruising on custard (58.8%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 204b): nose: this is more expressive from the off. A medicinal number, with TCP, guaiacol, ether or hydrogen peroxide. That turns into ashes and hardened embrocation and bandages. Behind that are timid orchard fruits (Golden Delicious apples, Comice pears, quinces, hardly ripe) and a later blast of tame oregano reminiscent of a traybake pizza slice. It also reminds me of a specific pack of paper tissues I used recently that had notes of cold tobacco smoke, hay, old carpet and leather boots stored for too long in a musty basement. Long story. However, this is elevated by slices of dried fruits (apricot, pineapple, papaya). The second nose is strangely closer to pastry, with a sweet shortcrust, confectionary sugar and a shy dried-pineapple filling. Mind you, all that is served in a green-rubber boot. Mouth: a tad medicinal again, it has more ether and TCP, surgical alcohol and a modest dose of dried fruits. Keeping it on the tongue promotes ashes to the top job, while chewing adds a green-rubber-glove feel on the palate. Sure, that means a slight bitterness, but it has more of an impact on the mouthfeel. Further chewing stirs ashes and throws a fistful of fruits in the midst, such as torched cherries and clementines. It is pretty hot, yet, behind the heat, we have a lick of inflatable party balloons (blue). The second sip brings back the rubber boot and fills it with ash and unsweetened pineapple juice. It has boiled ink too, and a drop of ether again. Finish: there seems to be less medicinal influence, at this stage, and more unripe orchard fruits and windscreen-defroster spray. The bitterness on display is well pronounced without being a bother. Probably it is the youth talking. The second gulp is a notch sweeter, a cocktail of pineapple juice and tequila served in a sugar-frosted coupe with a dusting of ashes. Via retro-nasal olfaction, we identify a runny chocolate cake in which the egg is underbaked, or a sticky toffee pudding in which the core contains so much alcohol it stubbornly remains sloppy. Lastly, hazelnut praliné shows up. This one has some novelty value for sure. 7/10
166.2 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Hawaiian skewers (61.9%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 226b): nose: although warmly welcoming, this is immensely peaty. Peat briquettes, toasted cereals, tincture of iodine, Merbromin followed by dried cow dung and smoked-strawbales, to finally land in an empty vase, which spells dried algae and lichens. There is a lingering impression of the interior of a smoker's car in the 1980s -- without the smoker in it. That was atrocious in a car, but brings all sorts of confusing memories when it comes out of a glass. With time, we catch seal wax, spent matches, matchbox strikers and lighter fluid. The second nose has potting soil and sacks of dark, natural fertiliser (more soil than manure). A vague fruitiness is at play, maybe kiwi peels, as are old branches decaying in a forest clearing. Mouth: ooft! What a non-subtle entry! It starts out similar to licking a lighter, with that mix of metal, flint and what comes across as gunpowder. It is strangely soft and velvety in texture, though that could prove hard to tell, behind that lighter action -- ha! Chewing shovels a tonne of dark, greasy earth and earthy peat onto the tongue, rich, welcoming and comforting, a bit farm-y, soon joined by the afore-mentioned notes of lighter (including lighter fluid, this time). Thick earth rises from a ploughed field, not quite mud, but certainly in that general direction, then charred fruits (pineapple slices, grapefruits) and a generous splash of xylene. The second sip is brighter and fresher. It seems fruity at first (apple and pineapple), then it becomes clear we are dealing with xylene again, or some kind of anaesthetic in liquid form (xylocaine? I do not know what that smells like, honestly). It is also hot. The earthy profile is not far behind, though. Finish: more of that greasy earth. It is very, very thick, reminiscent of an impenetrable black smoke from an open fireplace in a bothy. It is pleasant, if one likes that, even though one knows it causes all kinds of cancers in three sips. The second gulp has dead leaves, hardened mulch, mushrooms powder doused in Merbromin, and garam masala. Torched cherries and dark chocolate emerge from the rubble. Call it dark chocolate melted in too powerful a microwave oven and that consequently caramelised in places, forming crunchy, charry crystals. It is bad for chocolate, but it works in this dram. A perhaps-generous note. I like this a lot. 8/10
167.1 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Well-fired and mouthwatering (61.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 257b): how sneaky (or cunning) to release a .1 as part of a set collection! Nose: even though the colour suggests a strong Sherry maturation, it is fairly mute, after the massive 166. Let us give it a minute to breathe. There. Sweet-and-a-half, this presents boatloads of pressed currants, prunes and dried figs, followed by lichen-covered plum-tree branches. We then have membrillo, apricot compote, peach jelly and caster sugar blended with limestone dust. The sweet, syrupy note prevails, however. The second nose has caramel coulis ready to be poured on flan, stewed fruits removed from the pan, some of which have stuck to the side of said pan a bit. Mouth: and syrupy it is! Marmalade, jelly, compote. Yuzu marmalade comes to mind, but apricot jam is on its tail, as are Conference pears in syrup, rose-petal jelly and melon jam (with a few crumbled mint leaves). The growing acidity signals citrus, and we witness kumquat, bergamot and satsuma marmalades enter the scene, with some of their foliage on the side to give a leafy bitter boost. The second sip cranks up the citrus, especially their peels, which become almost rubbery. Nae bother, though: half a chew is enough to inject some citrus oil into that -- that spray that results from folding and pinching citrus peel, bitter, but ultimately fruity. Finish: hugely sweet again, while retaining a gentle bitterness, we have, once again, marmalades of various kind (kumquat, satsuma, bergamot, tangerine), mixed peel ground into a powder, honey-glazed citrus peels. In truth, there is not much else than citrus going on (a pinch of menthol, probably), yet what it does, it does so convincingly there is hardly a need for more. The second gulp doubles down on candied or honey-glazed citrus peel, which provides an optimal blend of sweetness, acidity and bitterness. Fruity, faintly mineral, win. Another cracking dram from Glasgae. 8/10
168.3 8yo 2017/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Barbecue cure (58%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st fill American Oak ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 215b): of course, SMWS! Release .3 before .2 or .1. One can see why releasing three .1 at the same time would not be a terrific idea, naturally. Better to stagger the excitement. Nose: this is even peatier than 166.2, believe it or not. Turf, peat bogs, sphagnum moss, ploughed fields. It is an agricultural type of nose and we find ourselves driving a tractor on farm paths after the rain. Freshwater algae are there, somewhere, but earthy is what this is. Big, bold, earthy scents (and burnt wood, as one tilts the glass). The second nose is earthier yet, muddy, and adds wood gratings -- not quite sawdust, more the mulch that comes from a garden shredder: dead and felled branches becoming compost, if we dare say. In parallel, cattle dung grows in intensity. Mouth: initially mellow and a little fruity (apple compote), it does not take much chewing for it to reveal as much earth as the nose did. Dark, greasy earth from a fertile field, albeit bathing in apple compote, which is original. The smoke is impossible to miss, even if it is a particular kind of smoke that comes from burning mud cakes rather than anything else. In that, it feels unique, at least today. We have a spent fire in an empty vase, which suggests torched algae. Then, apples roasted for so long that they burnt, and orchard-soil embers. The second sip is more drying, and that comes from a blend of caster sugar, sawdust and dried earth. Only via retro-nasal olfaction do we rekindle with the algae (they are less dry, now) and moist dark earth. Finish: huge. Of the lot, this is probably the most bombastic finish. It has plenty of dried freshwater algae, pressed orchard fruits spilled onto dark, greasy earth then set alight, and a fistful of dead leaves -- from orchard trees too, of course. The second gulp drops a few apples into the orchard earth and incinerates it all with a flamethrower. That gives charred fruit, scorched earth and a few drops of juice that painstakingly manage to escape evaporation. This is impressive. 8/10
166.1 7yo 2018/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Toasted almond fruit tea (61.4%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 227b): what do you know? This venue-exclusive bottling is also available. It would be rude not to try it at the same time, especially considering it has the same label as its sister cask 166.2. Nose: it is initially as mute as 149.21 was, with just a whiff of cardboard or crumpled newspapers to keep it standing. A fine smoke rises slowly, more meek flames of aromatic herbs than a raging fire, really. Smoked cucumber, lukewarm tarry sands, still humid, grilled chipolatas, a drop of sea water and another of ink. It is very distant a nose, playing hard to get. Maybe a dollop of (blue) plasticine? Putty? The second nose is more talkative and pushes smoke from a fruit-tree fire, a little acrid, mostly warming and welcoming like a bothy on a dreich day. Tilting the glass adds a ganja aroma, albeit subdued. Mouth: sharp and incisive (not rough), it confirms blue plasticine, somehow -- plasticine that would have been sunk in surgical alcohol , then scooped out with metallic pliers. Chewing unlocks a gentle profile and swaps the surgical alcohol for raspberry jelly and candlewax. Hot and chewy, it slowly rolls out its appeal. We see hot plums, physalis (leaves included) and clay, all cloaked in smoke so thin one would easily miss it. The second sip sees more medicinal notes -- TCP, guaiacol, tincture of iodine, clear disinfectant of one kind or another, old bandages or gauze. Finish: well, the smoky tone is less discreet, now! Along with fruits (plums, physalis, dark grapes), we have soot and ashes from a fireplace riding a charred chipolata to the bottom of an ashtray. It somehow still manages to feel creamy, despite (or thanks to) a mouthful of smoked tiger prawns -- first the flesh, then the shells. How unusual! The second gulp throws roasted chestnuts onto that, smoky and sweet -- as well as nutty, obviously. Someone has sprayed droplets of orange juice onto those chestnuts, then mashed them into a purée. Speaking of purée, we also find the charred skin of jacket potatoes, most of the flesh of which was removed to mash into a purée too. What stands out is that skin, blistered and charred, bubonic. This is astonishingly different from 166.2. It is also very good and seems better with each sip. If I had more, it may end up with a higher score. 7/10
At the SMWS for a reason that will become obvious in the next article, tOMoH takes advantage to try a few things.
72.129 11yo 2013/2025 Sip Sherry in a cigar smokeasy (58.1%, SMWS Two to One, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill Spanish Oak ex-PX Butt, 580b): nose: a nostril-stripper, very pungent, it combines stale roast beef and cigar smoke, followed by limestone gratings, terribly mineral. We are back with bloody roast beef soon enough. Mouth: sweeter and more pastry-like than expected. Burnt-cake crust, burnt caramel -- no! toffee. Water makes it thick as Marmite, perhaps punctuated with smoked blackberries. Finish: beautifully balanced in the finish, which is unexpected. Custard-filled waffles, slightly burnt. Then, it turns metallic, bitter at second sip. Water gives it an acidic edge, which takes us back to blackberries and blackcurrants. The nose had me on the fence (6/10), but the rest is fine. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)
29.305 11yo 2013/2025 Seaweed and smokies (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 262b): nose: smoky, peppery black pudding and smoked seaweed, medicine, jelly capsules, then the stones that circle a camp fire. The second nose has shiny metal and chalk broken into small pieces. Mouth: cobblestones wet with plum juice and sprinkled with smoked confectionary sugar. Finish: smoky, but also a chunk sweeter than anticipated. The seaweed and smoke settle in gently and comfortably at second gulp. Clean, simple, it does the trick. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)
Port Charlotte 6yo 2001/2007 PC6 Cuairt-Beatha (61.6%, OB, Bourbon / Madeira Casks, 18,000b, b#10998, 07/018): nose: some bacon, but the overwhelming dominant is baked mud cakes. It is extremely farm-y, this one. It has a haze of blurry fruits behind that, but it is mostly farmyard. Then, all of a sudden, it slaps one with dried strawberry slices in a chocolate-and-cream cake topped with strawberry coulis. The second nose is pure smoky mud. Mouth: mud, strawberry and, all of a sudden, a tide of ink. This is akin to biting into a squid, tentacles and all. The second sip has clay, slowly baking in the oven. Finish: tarry earth, inky mud patties and tyres after a race. This is a firm favourite of some people (WhiskyLovingPianist, amongst others). I am much less enthused. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JN and PS)
Port Charlotte 10yo 2013/2024 Syc: 01 2013 (54.4%, OB Cask Exploration Series, 1st + 2nd Fill Bourbon + 1st Fill Syrah, L166641 24/002): nose: mud, Cologne, dried strawberry slices in yoghurt. It is not that smoky on the nose, funnily enough. Mouth: wide, inky and surprisingly bitter. Ink and dried strawberry slices laid to rest on a tyre. A pot of strawberry yoghurt was spilled on the inner tube too. There is a dusting of chalk on that at second sip, rather desiccating. Finish: big, it keeps the smoked mud and strawberry yoghurt going, yet there is a bitter, rubbery kick that will stop it scoring higher, tonight. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JN)
149.17 9yo 2016/2025 To sup by starlight (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill Spanish Oak ex-PX Butt, 638b): nose: well, that is a lot of Cologne here too! Or has someone in the room bathed in the stuff? I have sparkling red wine, then pink candyfloss and marshmallow. Mouth: mellow, it has berry-flavoured marshmallow covered in chocolate, followed by quarry gratings that feel rather desiccating. It has got hot metal and tar as well. Finish: warm sparkling red wine gone flat, hot pink candyfloss and chewy sweets of a dark-pink colour. It is fairly wine-y, not over the top. Finally, we spot red chewy sweets and cotton candy. This is OK. I remember not liking it much when it came out; I do not necessarily like it more today, but it is decent, in passing. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)
Caperdonich 16yo 1972/1988 Benan 1875 (40%, Signatory Vintage Sailing Ships Series No 1, Sherry Casks, C#7130-7132, 1200b, b#135): nose: fairly delicate, it has what one would expect of an elegant Sherry maturation: a lick of encaustic, Medjool dates, dried figs, prunes, currants. Soon, it brings blueberries too, both fresh and dried. Despite what the dried fruits may suggest, it smells like a juicy number, this one! It graduates to smashed plums and pouring honey in a matter of minutes, flirts with rambutan, and comes back to prunes, now earthier than ever -- so earthy, in fact, that it takes on the form of potato peels dripping with lumps of clay. And here are an oiled cabinet desk or a full desk with a leather desk blotter littered with old pens. The second nose is an unsubtle slap of Sherry-soaked currants in the face, welcoming, warming, reminiscent of that bearded friend you have not seen for decades, yet you remember being the life of the party whenever he was there. We have a mix of dried currants, blueberries, prunes and cranberries, with chopped dates to elevate the mix, but not enough to recognise them with certainty. Mouth: a relaxed attack introduces all sorts of dried fruits, chiefly currants, but also prunes, cranberries and Corinth raisins. Those are so dark it is tempting to make a parallel with black liquorice, yet that would be a mistake. No! it stops well short of that kind of rubbery bitterness. Chewing reveals a drop (just a drop) of black-as-night coffee, promptly submerged by a generous pour of plum juice augmented with prune syrup. It has an earthy side too, to be sure; Pedro Ximénez, cream Sherry (remember: a blend of PX and Oloroso), leather saddles and rehydrated-mushroom water. At a push, one may even spot a horse, somewhere, though it is not really animal. The second sip manages to be both juicy and drying, with more of those excellent dried fruits (prunes in the lead, this time), dark honey and earth that reeks of petrichor. This comes close to honey on toasts eaten in a forest clearing in late September. The earthy freshness that comes from chewing may even be the fragrant layer of pine needles on the floor of said clearing. Finish: more of the same; earthy-leathery notes soon succumb to the joint assaults of currants, prunes, cranberries and honey (this time tar-black). It has an almost-minty freshness, which is quite astonishing and comes across as a mint drop dunked into a glass of sweet Sherry, with a bowl of currants to eat along. It is a very-long finish in which the fruity, raisin-y notes recede to make room for bold earthy ones -- liquorice root, now, as well as teriyaki sauce. The tongue is left to deal with cooling embers, and that is pretty pleasant. The second gulp strikes a masterly balance of dried fruits and earthy compounds. Mulch, potting soil, mushroom juices in a frying pan and mocha-flavoured toffee. Despite the fact that the bitterness associated with the latter lingers on the tongue enough to redact the dried fruits, it remains a remarkable drop,nallnin all. When JS opened this, I was nervous it would have suffered from evaporation: at 40% with a level just below the base of the neck, it could have been weakish. Not so. Not even tired -- phew! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)
Auchentoshan 23yo 1992/2015 (46.6%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Oak Barrels, 456b, 15/260): nose: it starts off with a stripping whiff of pure alcohol. Industrial cleaning alcohol that one can easily imagine is used to make metal plates shiny. However, after a couple of minutes' breathing, it opens up and starts pushing fruits -- pineapple, tinned peaches, warm mango slices. Aha! It goes from fresh and tropical to stewed and preserved in a short period of time, and we find ourselves navigating jams and jellies: apricot, peach, but also poached apple. It has a gentle pastry thing going on, buttery shortcrust dusted with confectionary sugar, but nothing over the top. That pastry becomes bolder and more eggy, and I swear pastel de nata, a note that I read last Friday and that I have never used myself to-date (I think), is applicable, here. It soon becomes brighter and fresher, with tinned grapefruit segments and Mirabelle plums, followed by ground roasted nuts (which is less fresh). In the end, we catch a glimpse of caster sugar turning green with mould, and Verdigris. Wait! That is not the end: the Verdigris morphs into dried sage, after a while. The second nose has limoncello spilled into an open toolbox: sticky screwdrivers and wrenches smell of citrus. A minute later, we find a spoonful of confectionary sugar spilled in the same toolbox, and a pinch of dried sage. Mouth: it is a tad metallic on entry; moss-covered zinc and oxidised sheet-metal coils. Chewing cleans that up, gives us shiny metal once more, reminiscent of a razor blade, or a pencil-sharpener blade (though not as pronounced), which means it has a certain bitterness. There is a green side too (spurge) and an unripe-fruit aspect too, with bitter pomelo or satsuma that barely has any juice yet. Keeping it in the mouth long enough, it ends up giving some juice alright, with so much green-citrus peel that it will not be for everyone. The second sip is juicier, sweeter. Kumquat, bergamot, physalis in syrup. Only when chewing does one remember the metal (still a blade), yet it is so doused in fruit juice it is nothing to read negatively. Is there a pinch of ground white pepper, maybe? Furious chewing unveils something else: the stuffy velvet interior of an American town car left in the sun for too long. Finish: although green here too, the fruit starts to show a stronger personality. It still exhibits citrus, riper now, and paired with yellow fruits such as Mirabelle plum and physalis. That may well be served on a pewter plate, yet there is hardly any moss, let alone Verdigris (which only affects copper anyway). The second gulp is more-openly fruity; it revives the pineapple from the nose, couples it with pomelo and Shaddock, then augments the whole with dried bergamot foliage and one Kaffir lime leaf. Once the whole is sufficiently integrated, it is served in a metal ladle. It is the stainless steel of that ladle that gives us the final note: still full of the fruits it comes in contact with, but also confidently metallic and, therefore, a bit bitter. The lingering impression is that of chocolate-flavoured whipped cream, though, and that is delicious. This will probably have its detractors, while others will love it. Strangely enough, I had it a couple of days ago (from the same bottle), and it felt like a different dram altogether. Go figure. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Psycho)
Taking advantage of tOMoH and JS's flying visit to the Heimat, Psycho invited the gang for an afternoon of dramming.
The invitation said that the theme would be *drumroll* Maman (or Mum, in English -- or Mom in American). Of course, some toyed with the idea of using *drumroll* as a theme, a threat which others regret not seeing put to action.
Anyway, JS, ydc, GD, Bishlouk,red71, ruckus and tOMoH join Psycho, then, who delegates building the line-up to Bishlouk.
A task he carries out dilligently
dom666 is not at the station where the shuttle is supposed to pick him up. He will let us know almost an hour into the tasting that he is sick.
Psycho tells us (in French, because it is not translatable): "Quand on est petit et pas sage, que dit Maman? 'Attention! ça va Tulli-barder!'"
Tullibardine 10yo 2015/2025 (46%, James Eadie imported by BV Munros, finished in Refill Malaga Butt, C#373085, 630b, CBSC4 13812) (Psycho): nose: fresh, it then turns grassy and wine-y. We have crisp white wine, then olive oil and green olives, perhaps plums, but well hidden. The second nose has a dollop of sweet-and-sour sauce. Weird. There is also a fistful of hay. ruckus finds it spring-like. Mouth: oh! yeah, it is a big wine cask, this. Funnily enough, it flits from white to red. It becomes tannic at second sip, a notch leathery, which puts the fruit (plum) in the shadow a little. Finish: big, grape-y, it has a lick of cork and plum juice. The second gulp brings a cloud of dust. On the late tip, bitter chocolate rocks up, though the bitterness comes from crushed almond rather than a high-cocoa content. It could also be almond brittle. Competent. 7/10
Psycho's pigs-in-a-blanket
red71's famous chorizo canelés Psycho's dry sausage on the left, that JS and I almost finished before anyone arrived
For the second dram, Psycho tells us that: "James Eadie est un embouteilleur independent, et Maman a fait toute sa carrière comme indépendante," which is French for 'freelance.'
Tamnavulin 11yo b.2025 (46%, James Eadie imported and distributed by BV Munros, 1x finished in Refill Bual Madeira Hogshead + 1 x Refill Butt, C#373078 & 800100, 1133b, CBSC4 13813) (Psycho): nose: red71 finds a certain freshness, while I detect musty warehouses. Behind that is butterscotch, followed by kaju katli and caramel-topped flan. Cereals slowly emerge, granola of some kind, brans. Mouth: the wine influence is more pronounced here. We have spices too, namely cinnamon gratings, cloves and wine-soaked orange slices. Perhaps hardened leather too, crackly, and dead leaves. This feels apt for a Christmas market, somewhere in Germany. Finish: boozed-up plum cake, sweet and full of purple fruits. 7/10
We talk about cops.
red71: "[Psycho's] superpower is to be stopped by the Police." Psycho: "It's been a while. I'm due a control and, statistically, it'll be a big one." Bishlouk: "Ah! Cavity search, then."
tOMoH introduces a Camembert-onbridge, because one of the most-well-known brands of cheese, Le Rustique, sports a red-and-white plaid in its wooden cases. That motif is similar to that of the lid on the jars of jam under the Bonne Maman brand. It has the desired effect.
And to illustrate...
Cameronbridge 33yo 1974/2007 (48.3%, Jim McEwan Celtic Heartlands, 1600b, b#0272) (tOMoH): nose: "smells like grain," a few voices go. I have pineapple and citrus peel, red71 has jam -- "Bonne Maman," says ruckus. Maybe it is apricot jelly. There is also a touch of tin that is typical of some grains. Mouth: "it stings!" (Bishlouk) Pure pineapple juice on entry, it develops a jam-jar-lid aspect that works well. Chewing gives a desiccating dimension. JS, on the other hand, finds buttered popcorn. Finish: a blend of pineapple juice and oat milk drunk from a metal cup. The second gulp sees a small explosion of pineapple and even mango that linger for a long time. 9/10
ruckus [looks at the next bottle]: "This bottle is disturbing. From here, I can only read: 'Martini.'" Bishlouk: "From this side, I can only read: 'nique.'"
ydc explains that the next bottle was a gift from her brother. She adds that the link between her and her brother is their mother, whom they call Maman.
Trois Rivières Rhum Vieux (43%, OB, finished in Teeling Casks) (ydc): nose: dried mango slices and curry powder. Bishlouk finds it a medicinal touch -- "That's the Martini!" (ydc) Psycho smells latex -- that must be the nique! Mouth: super fruity, it has grapefruit, pomelo, pink grapefruit, peels and all. It is sweet too, combined with a bold bitterness -- we even have pith. Finish: light and fruity. In fact, the fruit is exuberant, almost too much. red71 calls it a little over the top and, yes, it is close to vulgar. It still works for me. Last to speak is ruckus, who pinpoints lychee. 7/10
tOMoH tells the story of the businessman who visits a factory in China in the 1980s and desperately needs to visit the commodities -- where he finds no paper. (You had to be there)
ruckus tells the group that his mother's name is Gi____. Everybody calls her Gigi. That brought him to the famous song: Dalida - Gigi l'Oloroso
Millstone Oloroso Sherry (46%, OB, B#4) (ruckus): for clarity, the distillery is called Millstone; the family who operates it is Zuidam. A bit like Dornoch is the distillery and Thompson the owners. No-one goes around and calls it the Thompson distillery. Not sure why online resources are so confused when the information is clearly written on the label. Nose: red71 detects sulphur. I have plum-scented erasers, earth soaked with heady wine, a drop of ink and a whiff of rubber. ruckus, who bought this unknowingly in a garage sale, finds it vulgar, while Psycho calls it a bit of a caricature. There is a certain aroma that reeks of wet old socks. Mouth: heavy and heady. Mulled wine, Christmas candles, heady pot-pourri pouches... This is really a Christmas-market lodge, with the sort of random wooden tat and clay pots one can only find in that setting. Finish: mellow and velvety, it quickly turns fruity (grapes, plums, prunes). This finish is clearly the strongest feature, especially the cured-citrus slices that it now gives. The nose is, ahem, particular. The rest is fine. 6/10
red71: "For a Dutch whisky, it's not bad."
red71: "Do you know Chuck Norris's father? He doesn't have one. Nobody fucks with Chuck's mother!"
Psycho invites us to change rooms and eat. red71 goes wash his hands.
red71: "tOMoH! There is no paper in the toilets!"
In better news: two batches of pasta salad with cucumber and chicken
Not much remains after our efforts
ruckus and red71 brought something from the same distillery. ruckus because of Maman-nochmore. red71 has a longer story.
red71: "Someone asked me for my name. I said, 're-re-re-red71.' The guy asked me if I had a stammer. I don't, but my father had. And the employee at the register office was a proper arsehole about it. Well, my father would have called my mother (In French), 'Ma-ma-ma-mannochmore."
Mannochmore 13yo (54.8%, Dràm Mòr, Refill Bourbon Oak Hogshead, C#3088, 275b, b#257) (ruckus): nose: gravy and egg white, Horlicks, porridge. We note some fruits and a pinch of ash too. It has a dirty touch that reminds Bishlouk of some Ben Nevis. red71 observes dusty cardboard. Mouth: it kicks harder than expected. Ground pink pepper, sawdust and chopped prunes. Chewing makes it juicier, yet it remains a woody affair. Finish: it seems tamer, here, meaning less punchy. Ink-stained prunes and plums, gravy again, cereal dust, gravy granules, tannins. It does the trick. 7/10
vs.
Mannochmore 15yo 2007/2022 (54%, Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Cask Strength exclusively bottled for Whisky Club Luxembourg & Whiskyworld Massen, Hogshead, C#6680, b#224) (red71): nose: buttery (Psycho). Indeed, it is croissant dough and Kouign-Amann, buttercups, daffodils, even narcissuses. There is a whisper of waxy plums, then honey starting to settle. The second nose has dry, earthy prunes and the associated syrup. Mouth: very similar to the Dràm Mòr on the tongue. Strong, peppery, dusty. It is clearly woody too, with dark wood falling into rot, mushroom-soaking water and pan-gratings at second sip, in which were fried mushrooms. Finish: long, it has slightly-rotten tree bark. The second gulp is earthy and prune-y. Same general quality as its sibling. 7/10
We tease Bishlouk about his haircut.
Bishlouk:"I do have hair. I shave it." GD: "Are you sure it's head hair, not body hair?" tOMoH: "It's anal hair climbing up his back. Sorry, it was too tempting." Bishlouk: "Bah! I hear that once a week." red71: "...and consider that he works from home four days a week!"
Last-minute line-up change: Bishlouk swaps the next two bottles, confident that the Mannochmore duo are a perfect introduction for his own bottle.
Bishlouk, armed with decades of research, tells us that Ben Nevis is a mountain. We are all stunned at the revelation. He adds that a mountain is shaped like a woman's breast, which is a very motherly thing.
Ben Nevis 21yo (53%, Artful Dodger, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, C#674) (Bishlouk): nose: it has a dirty-Ben Nevis profile, with wet plaster, unripe orchard fruits and a warm Flokati rug, if not sheep skin with tatters of flesh still attached to it. It then pushes warm umeshu and rambutan. Bishlouk finds it an industrial side, with turpentine and white spirit. I tell him he should drink turpentine and white spirit, because they are much cheaper, while noticing cranberry sauce. Mouth: hairy, greasy, it has shiny engine pieces (cylinder heads) splashed with unripe plum juice. It feels a little green and bitter, but full of charm nonetheless. Despite that, each sip has a drop of windscreen defroster that I enjoy, but is not for everyone. Finish: it starts off on the dirty side, then quickly acquires a bitter fruity profile, with unripe orchard fruits (plums are really prominent). 8/10
Time for ydc's desserts. Finger-licking good.
Chocolate fondant (bottom) and a cake with chocolate granules (top)
JS presents 99.13, whose name is Exotic scenes in a Bedouin tent. She tells us of the Bedouin keffiyeh, the well-known headscarf that often has a motif that looks like... that on the lid of a Bonne Maman jar.
Case in point (Hergé, Coke en Stock, Casterman)
And to illustrate that Hergé was not making it up...
99.13 31yo 1980/2011 Exotic scenes in a Bedouin tent (43.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 98b) (JS): tOMoH tried this one earlier in the week, so these will be short notes. Nose: fruit turnovers, or, at least, pastry, that much is really clear. Mouth: jammier than the other day and still exquisite. Finish: "It lets itself drink," says Bishlouk, who is the source of many a dad noise, all of a sudden. I adore this. 10/10
GD explains he opened the door of his drinks cabinet and saw the next bottle, the label of which sports a duck. He thought it is a drake and spring is around the corner, so it must be looking for a female to make her a mum."
Caroni 18yo 1997/2015 (50.5%, Whisky-Fässle, Barrel) (GD): nose: corn syrup and rye (as in: rye whiskey). Then, we have plastic and shiny new tyres, as well as oilskin. Mouth: hot, it has plastic, melted cellophane and torrefied coffee. Finish: melted plastic here too, oilskins laid on a stove to dry. Psycho calls it volatile, to which Bishlouk replies: "Of course! It's a duck." It is another good Caroni. 8/10
We reach the end. Everyone observes how reasonable we were, today, and that it is just as well. Indeed, it must not be Burns' Night line-ups every time we meet.
Glen Garioch 46yo 1958/2004 (43%, OB Limited Edition Bottling, 336b, b#117, L045209 007): nose: is it too soon or too early to say: "phwoar?" Because it is truly justified. Here are aromas of fruity sweets and earth in a way that takes us to farmland in the 1950s. At first, it is rasp- and strawberries, fresh, dried and sliced, yet also as bubble gum or toothpaste flavouring. Then, almost simultaneously, but with a fraction of a second's delay, it is dry earth from a pine-tree clearing, followed by the remnants of a camp fire on a spring morning. We go back to fruitier tones, this time chewy citrus jellies (with but little added sugar), then charred-wood gratings in Indian ink. That ink ventures towards sea water, never reaches it, and rushes to puddle water instead, dotted with droplets of diesel. Indeed, it is suddenly a puddle of water with a film of diesel on the surface that looks like a rainbow. However, it changes again, now becoming lukewarm black coffee with too much sugar in it. And dry earth returns, with a few roots thrown in for shits and giggz (beetroot peels, sugar beets), and a splash of a delicious nut liqueur. The second nose is earthier yet; dark earth caked between the tracks of tractor tyres, mocha ground, a hay bale full of field dirt, and tobacco ashes. It even has a whisper of gas, in the long run, which gives another farm-y, manure-like allure to this too. I dare not say, "septic-tank-like" for fear it could be seen as a negative trait when it is not. To punctuate that, it peddles orange concentrate. Mouth: a mellow entry introduces something calm, yet more powerful; a sleeping warrior. Already, it has a root-y, earthy bitterness (chicory, beets, endives). Chewing adds fleeting ink, then pumps in a bold sweetness to balance the bitter touch. Cold chicory infusion would be the logical descriptor, yet that is not all. It is more root-y than it is bitter and the sugar one would expect of a chicory infusion oscillates between strawberry bubble gum and maple syrup -- and either would be unusual in one such infusion. There is a thin smoke rising in the background, as if coming out of a steaming Moka pot, and the bitterness grows, which supports that hypothesis. Bringing the glass close to one's ear while chewing, one can hear some Frenchman somewhere regretting the low ABV. In truth, it does not distract one much and, let us face it, if this was diluted at all, it must have been by one or two percent at most: after forty-six years in a cask, a whisky tends to be in the low forties, in terms of strength. The second sip feels more acidic, if not stripping. It is still earthy and fruity, with new fruits: we now spot fresh pineapple, unripe tangerine and citrus bark. Chewing revives the root-y infusion, now closer to mocha than chicory, and it is accompanied by a gentle smoke to coat the gob. On the late tip, we even detect discreet lychee. Finish: chicory infusion augmented with maple syrup. It is warming, sticky, sweet and bitter in equal measures, and satisfying to a point that is hard to describe other than with a sigh of comfort. A very, very long finish that tops the tongue with a veneer of earth, then sprays a Mokatine solution on the roof of the mouth. The second gulp has more Mokatine, this time intertwined with citrus flavours, more acidic and bitter than they are sweet: citrus bark (blush orange front of stage), dried pulp, pink-grapefruit slices dunked in sangria, then air-fried to a crisp, cinnamon sticks and star aniseed soaked in blush-orange juice. Repeated quaffing dares introduce heather brush, lavender twigs and tropical fruits (rambutan, lychee), which supplements the gentle smoke, mocha and citrus in a way that will make some giddy. This is un-fucking-believable. 10/10
Dailuaine 46yo 1973/2019 (45.1%, Hunter Laing Old & Rare A Platinum Selection, 231b, b#151): nose: one sniff and it is heaven already! Green grapes, sultanas and a crisp Chablis. This is light, ethereal and very, very fruity. One could explore this for hours and never suspect how long it has spent maturing in oak, so fresh and vibrant it is. At the same time, it is not without complexity -- far from it! It has a whiff of brine and a minute wood scent limited to an oiled kitchen table made of birch. Then, it is waxy (Mirabelle) plums and physalis, unripe apricot displayed on a hay bale, a pair of wellies worn once or twice indoors (to try them on, you know), distant cheese (Pié d'Angloys, freshly wrapped)… Yes, between the hay and the freshly-made cheese, it develops a countryside allure, for a bit. It is not long before we are enjoying white wine again, however. Tilting the glass adds raisin soaking water to the mix. The second nose is fruitier yet, with baked Mirabelle plums, apricot jelly stewing in a cauldron, and distant forsythia (which is a flower, not a fruit, I know). We still detect that subtle cheese reference, now closer to Brie, still not overly ripe. It must be a British cheeseboard: soft-rind cheese, not very ripe, a bunch of grapes (green and dark, now) and a celery stick, fresh, fruity, vaguely nutty and, well, cheesy. Mouth: mellow, it prolongs the wine-like quality of the nose with squashed grapes (skin on), plum skins (which hints at orange wine) and fortified wine -- Fino comes to mind, though not as mineral; Manzanilla? Chewing pours sultana soaking water on the lot -- water that was warmed on a wood fire. It grows a soft bitterness, likely sultana stems that were also soaked in the same water, candlewax, plastic grapes... This is insanely good! The second sip appears more acidic; it has a dash of orange wine, cut grapes soaked in said wine, and an ashy touch that each chew amplifies. To say it is burnt-vine ash may be a stretch of the imagination, but it still comes across as fruity, ashy green grapes, in a Sauvignon-blanc kind of way. Finish: warming and comforting it still retains that fruity, waxy freshness. Grapes, real and plastic-y, both green. It has a tiny dryness akin to that left by a glass of Fino, and a sprinkle of ashes. It is a long finish, strangely plastic-y, waxy, fruity. Once more, one would be hard pressed to guess that this has spent forty-six years in oak, so unwoody it is. Brie rind re-enters, timidly, which suggests a faint lactic-acid note. The second gulp drops beach pebbles into the wine, polished by millennia of tides, yet with none of the salt. It is resolutely grape-like in flavour: a drop of white-wine vinegar and grape-pip oil complement the grape-y story. On the late tip, the finish introduces warmed prunes, darker, earthier and a little hairier, reminiscent of Madeira or Pedro Ximénez, rather than Fino or Manzanilla. Amazing. 10/10
Glen Grant 46yo 1966/2013 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail specially bottled to celebrate Gordon & MacPhail being awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, Sherry Hogsheads, C#5062+5063+6717, AC/ACBH): nose: this is less shy with the wood and shows its age a bit more clearly. We suffer a slap of rancio, then catch oiled shelves made of oak, a pile of logs for the fire, and woodworm-riddled old doors to secret cellars. Little by little, that opens up and allows other aromas to filter through: blue- and blackberry jams, amber honey setting slowly, embers cooling off, and dried currants stored in a yellow corrugated-plastic container (think of that brand of cocoa powder). Breathing time makes this nose more discreet, save for the embers, which become warmer, augmented with cut plums and blueberries. We also spot hazelnut paste smeared on a wooden cutting board. The second nose unfolds an odd mix of pipe tobacco, chalky masonry dust, grout, grated prune, charred wood and musty clay from a mushroom cave. What a ride! Mouth: rancio it is! Prunes, syrup, a pinch of dark earth. Chewing exposes just how sweet this is: it explodes with rehydrated raisins, before moving to dried figs and dates, which is to say earthier dried fruits. Madeira wine joins the party, as do stewed grapes, a spoonful of dark honey, and raisins and currants aplenty. The second sip converts raisins into sultanas and Smyrna, and adds preserved ginger slices dripping with syrup. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up whispers of tropical fruits (dried mango slices, dried apricots) and oily Virginia tobacco. The palate is now both sweet and gently smoky, which, if unexpected, works very well. Repeated sipping brings forth chewing tobacco and a lick of tannins to supplement the sultanas that remain the loudest. Finish: it continues in the same mood: a cascade of raisins and prunes (though no syrup, this time), earthy, borderline rubbery. Honestly, there is less wood involved, here, perhaps a gentle patina, or a build up of dark honey. It shows a thin bitterness, yet namedropping coffee would be inaccurate. At a push, Mokatine would be closer -- or caramel. Lastly, we have Paxarette and oily-tobacco pouches made of worn-out soft leather. Despite all that, this is the first dram of the series in which the dilution is noticeable, if one wants to be pernickety about it. Although absolutely not weak or thin, it feels less coating, even at the commendable strength of 45%. The second gulp pours a drop of green-grape syrup on Virginia tobacco, spreads honey onto the seat of a rustic Condroz chair, and mixes sultanas with earthier, rootier candied ginger. It may be a bit behind the previous dram, but larger gulps elevate this from very good to excellent. I like it better than the first time. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)
99.13 31yo 1980/2011 Exotic scenes in a Bedouin tent (43.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 98b): nose: tasted blindly, one would be excused for thinking this is another Sherry maturation. It has got rancio and pickle brine more pronounced than any of the preceding drams, some of which were from Sherry casks. That said, pickled pearl onions quickly fade away and make room for rows of books on honey-golden wooden shelves, followed by toasted sourdough and almond butter. Each sniff reveals deeper meaning as the honey jar divulges plastic tubs of chocolate spread, itself giving way to wooden cutting boards, followed by baked papaya and lukewarm tin cans. It then drops a dollop of mild mustard onto the papaya, before coming back to tin -- this time, tin cutlery used to cut the papaya on a slate. What emerges the most is the knife grating against the slate. In the background, surreptitiously, a baked mango rises. It never shouts, content to satisfy only the inquisitive noser. The second nose has tobacco (cigar leaves, to be precise) and faded aromatic herbs (marjoram, rosemary twigs, thyme brush, lovage seeds) -- oh! nothing brash, really; it is as subtle as possible. In fact, it could be tumbleweeds. That all turns fresher, more vibrant, at some point: mint or sage twigs, dry lime leaves. Tobacco follows closely, then quince jelly, less sweet than membrillo. Mouth: velvety on entry, it feels calm yet complete. The modest ABV is largely sufficient, and the fact it went down naturally, rather than by adding water, gives the impression it kicks more than the previous dram, despite the lower strength. Chewing opens the floodgates to honey, chocolate spread and mango paste. One may be tempted to say fig relish, yet it is not as sweet, and certainly does not have the pips that would give such relish texture. Suddenly and without warning, the whole mouth is filled with a gentle smoke -- smoke from burning fruit-tree wood, toaster smoke (where sourdough touches the resistance), grilled fruits. The second sip has a noticeable lick of metal. Then, it reignites the pickled-pearl-onion fire, albeit briefly: that soon turns into moist cigar leaves and tropical fruits, as if one were alternating between drinking fruit juice from a tin cup and sucking on an unlit cigar. Exquisite, I say. Repeated sipping suggests a blend of Fino and Riesling. Finish: it is an explosion of slightly-smoky fruit jams that splatters dusty old metal (zinc or cast iron). Mango skins rubbed on a zinc plate, papaya in a galvanised-steel bucket, a puff of smoke from a canal-boat's boiler room, dried cranberries with a dusting of ground cumin, candied cubed papaya and cubeb. The second gulp cranks up the cigar impression; it has dry smoke, but also nicotine and, once again, tOMoH is pushed to think of Paxarette, for some reason, although it is more likely oily tobacco in a tea bag and a spoonful of elderberry or prickle-pear jelly. The smoke is increasingly acrid while remaining soft, overall, and the whole feels a tad acidic to boot. Smoky quince jelly kept in a faded-suede pouch, probably. Imagine filling an Aosta wineskin with quince jelly, then blowing cigar smoke into it -- ha! ha! Look, I could write another ten pages about this, but what would the point be? It is better than last time, if that is possible. No wonder it made me fall in love with the distillery, when it was released. 10/10
Bushmills 21yo b.2004 (40%, OB, Madeira Wood Finish, b#16296): nine years, one month and two days have passed since we latest had this. Unfathomable. Nose: a musty cellar. And that does not mean fruity dunnage warehouse, in this case, but a musty cellar. It has a blend of damp clay, woodworm and cured meat, which is unexpected. Further onward, we find glue and wallpaper, as if someone had wallpapered the wooden shelves of a larder (if you lived through the 1970s or 1980s, you know). It gains more and more wood with time; oaken shelves so old they are starting to crumble, nuts kept in a basket for years, if not decades. Very slowly and gradually, that morphs into charred-chestnut spread wet with pressed-prune juice and a drop of nail varnish. Tilting the glass brings synthetic scents such as linoleum and flooring glue, but also a drop of urine. We swiftly go back to prunes, now served in a lacquered-ebony case. The second nose is screaming CURRANTS and PRUNES, RAISINS and SULTANAS. That comes with the Madeira finish, presumably, yet it is still a bit surprising, following that musty first impression. Okay, there are fortified-wine-glazed button mushrooms to prolong the cellar-y theme going, but it is not the same... until we dig up potting soil, which comes much closer to the damp clay from before. Ha! Ha! Mouth: a soft -- I dare not call it 'bite' -- introduces a silky mouthfeel. Following an initially-woody taste (oiled mahogany), it becomes fresh and presents pressed Mirabelle plums and physalis. There may even be filtered lychee juice in it. Chewing catches one off guard, however: a tide of tropical fruits floods the palate, with lychee indeed, rambutan, mangosteen and dragon fruit gracing the roof of the mouth. It has a tame wine-y touch too, somewhere between rosé, vin jaune and sangria. That could spell a catastrophe, but it works rather well. The second sip has a tame chocolate-y touch, augmented with a drop of cherry liqueur. Moving the liquid around the mouth revives the fruit -- the same as before, in the same order. Astonishing! Finish: it only has a modest kick, at the legal minimum of 40%, yet that is more than enough to trigger an incredibly-long finish that sticks to the gob like a good cough drop. We find as much wine (rosé, jaune, orange) and much less fruit, although that grows in intensity. Once again, we are talking about Mirabelle plum and physalis, rambutan, dragon fruit, perhaps even mangosteen, yet also dried cranberries and sultanas, some of them coated in yoghurt. The second gulp adds a pinch of cinnamon powder and one of mango powder, as well as chewy dried mango slices. Surprisingly, considering the low strength, the whole leaves the tongue and gums a bit numb. Finally, as the taste buds come back to life, they pick up sirop de Liège, or a berry paste out of a tube, thick, concentrated, sweet. This is good. 8/10 (Thanks, OB)
