31/03/2026 Bishlouk's online tasting: reduced whiskies

Bishlouk gave us samples in August 2024, and we are meeting tonight at last to try them. Psycho, red71, JS, sonicvince and I join our host online. STL sadly calls off a little before it starts.

I tried all those on 12th May 2025, ahead of the party, so as to be able to spend time with them, and enjoy the company on the night.

Bladder issues

Dram #1

Nose: it has an air of an old blend, at first, with a whiff of brine on cardboard and myriad of fresh fruits of the orchard variety, though not only. Apple slices, quince, yet also lemon zest and dried papaya cubes. We detect some cereals underneath that, golden wheat flakes topped with pineapple shavings. The nose timidly hints at butyric, but never quite reaches it. The second nose is somewhat more leathery, as if the fruits from earlier were kept in a suede bag. On the night, I find hay and dried aromatic herbs, as well as a whisper of smoke, or ash. Mouth: orgeat syrup, barley snaps, lemonade gone flat, flat pomelo soda. This is fruity and pleasant upon entrance, and revives old-blend notes when chewing -- cardboard and brine, perhaps a sprinkle of dust. This makes me think of a Glentauchers semi-officially bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. The acidity grows with time, surfing on an increasingly-woody structure, though, at what seems to be a modest ABV, none of that is detrimental in the slightest. It really is a fruity number. Could that be grated Aspirin, that adds this faint bitterness? Could it announce a Littlemill? The second sip is crisp, bright and milky. Apple lassi, pulped pineapple, a drop of lime juice... and tonic-water residue in an empty glass. Finish: more orchard fruits here that cover the height of western Europe, which is to say we see apples and quinces as well as lemons and limes. With imagination, one may find citrus-flavoured tonic water, which harks back to ground Aspirin. Then again, it could be because Bishlouk is a Littlemill fanboi and, subconsciously, I may believe he has hidden one in this selection (he suggests several times that it might be one too). The second gulp weirdly combines warm custard, pomelo zest and a splash of Indian tonic with a spoonful of chocolate milk. It has a lingering drying bitterness that reminds me of Alka Seltzer or grated Aspirin, discreet, but identifiable. On the night, it is a tad more austere, with cardboard and old newspapers.
Comment: I guess an old blend or a Fettercairn. It is neither. After the reveal, I wager a Bladnoch. This is a bottle Bishlouk got from his brother's restaurant.

Lowland Single Malt (40%, Delhaize le Lion, b.early 1990s) 8/10

Bishlouk: "It smells better than I remembered it."
tOMoH: "You're trying to get rid of the horrible stuff you don't like?"
Psycho: "As usual."

Dram #2

Nose: wide, rich and noble, this has polished-mahogany cabinets lined with precious leather-bound books. We have a lick of burgundy shoe polish and a terracotta flagon of an elegant red wine. We are then transported to a dunnage warehouse overcome by smells of rancio, clay floors and a soft dampness. In that warehouse, a tray of baked red apples cools down at pace. The second nose has oily wood, still mahogany rather than teak, but in that general mood. Or could it be a massive redwood table? On the night, it displays vanilla sugar (sonicvince), cherry-flavoured sweets, Cola Bottles, toffee, red liquorice bootlaces (Psycho) and even black ones, with a touch of aniseed (Psycho). Mouth: ooft! this is fruity. Squishy baked red apples, dark grapes, overripe plums. Chewing adds a serving of papier mâché, or simply pours the juices of the afore-mentioned fruits onto a sheet of dusty cardboard. It is wine-y to a point, and some may find cured meat, or a game sauce, but, for me, it is closer to a piping-hot lingonberry compote. The second sip doubles down on the fruitiness, with squashed blackcurrants, cranberries, blueberries, and myrtles. It wears a mild bitterness too, brambles and wine-cured blush-orange peels, purple lipstick, or a mere drop of mulled wine. Finally, cocoa-bean shavings complete the picture. Finish: it is very, very, very fruity again, with plums, baked nectarines, hot elderberry jam, and a pronounced note of dusty-warehouse floor. It also has a dash of liqueur de cassis, or, let us face it, a slice of roast beef on a piece of toasted sourdough, topped with a spoonful of cranberry compote. The second gulp is sweeter, for a second, yet is quietly invaded by a Patras wine, bold, heady and fruity. This is very good.
Comment: only when Bishlouk announces a distillery once part of Morrison Bowmore does it hit me in the face. It is, of course, a Glen Garioch of a certain era. A gift from Bishlouk's brother.

Glen Garioch 21yo (43%, OB, blue ceramic decanter, b. early 1990s) 8/10

Bishlouk: "There is a theme."
Psycho: "Bottles you inherited from your brother?"

Dram #3

Nose: now, this is even fruitier, full of fresh grapes and lychee. One sniff and I am convinced we are dealing with a Cognac. A brandy, at least. Apple peels mixed with squashed plums, cassia bark and pressed grapes. tOMoH finds a pinch of mocha too, yet it may be a figment of his imagination. In any case, the plump grapes easily dominate the nose. The second nose is jammier, or sweeter, to put it bluntly. Chewy sweets, fortified wine, some kind of syrup. sonicvince finds coffee grounds and fruits. Mouth: brandy indeed. There is nothing whisky-like at play, except for a reasonable ABV. Grapes, plums, lingonberries, even a bit of earth. Chewing reveals a mineral side too, more lime-rich soil than even limestone, let alone granite. We find scorched earth or ashes too, not a match for the fruits. The second sip is woodier and bitterer. Oh! it is not difficult or anything; just a little woodier, vine and twigs trying to compete with the grapes (and losing). Finish: rich and fruity, it has, again, grapes, plums, prunes, now, soaked sultanas, and juicy compote. Burnt-wood gratings join on the late tip, hardly a threat to the fruits. The second gulp has chewy sweets: Cola Bottles, Blueberry Creams. It dries the gob a little, just like fortified wines sometimes do. Psycho and I find it slightly woody and astringent on the tip of the tongue.
Comment: red71 is the first to say Cognac on the night. Once Bishlouk confirms, I correctly guess the distillery. When asked how, I admit that the whisky tasters I know (including myself) hardly know another.

Vallein-Tercinier Hors d'Age (42%, OB Réserve de la Maison, b#009058) 7/10

Dram #4

Nose: back with a whisky, though this one is certainly a grain. Puff pastry turns to turnovers. What kind of turnovers? A deep sniff suggests blackcurrants. That would mean only one thing: Invergordon. It has a minty freshness to it, and a generally custardy allure. In any case, it is a fresh-fruity number with none of the solvent notes of glue or varnish that grain-haters call out. Looking hard and with intent, naysayers may pick up nail-varnish remover, I suppose, and insistent nosing may give away baking trays, not just pastry. But that is nitpicking. The second nose dials the custard to eleven. That and puff pastry come to dominate, though there could be a pinch of chalk too, by now. It is all cake (Psycho) and pastry (sonicvince) on the night. Mouth: mellow and fruity, acidic, even, it has baked pineapple rings, apple turnovers, and, upon chewing, mango and chocolate. Some chocolate-makers make dark-chocolate pralines filled with a mango cream; well, imagine the opposite: a mango stuffed with dark chocolate. We have virtually no blackcurrant, here, and, indeed, find a lick of orange-capped Pelikan glue. The Invergordon lead is perhaps not the right one, after all. It may be a North British. Does it matter? Not one bit! The second sip is still acidic, even if one would be exaggerating in calling it stripping. Acidic fruits, no more. Finish: creamy-and-three-quarters, it fans the flames of chocolate-y mango, but now augments it with a slice of maracuja. That adds an acidic touch to what would otherwise be a sweet, buttery character. The second gulp is still mainly fruity, but it injects a dollop of mint cream for good measure. It is no After Eight, mind. Just a little minty freshness. On the night, I have piña colada, loud and clear -- coconut and pineapple. It also has something very bitter akin to 90%-cocoa chocolate (sonicvince). Psycho detects Malibu, which supports the coconut impression. Excellent, this.

Redbreast 21yo b.2021 (46%, OB, Oak Casks, L124431612) 9/10

tOMoH: "It smells like a grain. Coconut, coconut milk, vanilla."
All: "Yes, coconut alright."
Bishlouk: "I think it's not a grain."
tOMoH: "You are clearly wrong."

Psycho: "Oh! yeah, in the mouth, it is obvious."
tOMoH: "It's a grain. If Psycho likes it, it's a grain."

[Laughter]

tOMoH: "Years ago, a friend stayed here for a few nights. We had a tasting, so I invited her. She was not into whisky, so she did not attend. Instead, and to be self-sufficient, she brought a bottle of Malibu... which remained here when she left. Thanks! What was I going to do with that?"
Bishlouk: "Gift it to someone."
tOMoH: "It was open."
Psycho: "What did you do with it?"
tOMoH: "I drank it while listening to music."
Psycho: "What did you listen to? Barbie Girl?"
tOMoH: "You know what I listen to."
Bishlouk: "If you approach music the same way you approach whisky, I'd say you listen to a bit of everything."

About my broken glass...

red71: "Is it a Peugeot?"
tOMoH: "That's pepper mills."
Bishlouk: "No, they make tasting glasses too. You can stick your finger up its arse."
tOMoH: "What kind of tastings do you go to?"

Dram #5

Nose: another beast altogether, this is grassy -- a heap of mown lawn left out to dry for weeks, hay, and a mere whisper of smashed strawberries. This has Fettercairn written all over it, so far. Grist, cereal husks. It clears the nostrils a little, yet it does not smell that strong in alcohol. Maybe it is peppermint? That and a drop of strong all-purpose glue. The second nose brings cardboard into the spotlight, as if dried grass and grist had been packed up in cardboard boxes. Dusty toffee also features. On the night, it is a bit dry and farm-y, with leather, hay, then coffee. Mouth: oily and warming, it has corn mash, caramelised wheat puffs, chicory infusion, and Werther's Original sweets. Amusingly, it is the heat that changes with time on the tongue: it seems to grow stronger, even when no new note joins the lot. The second sip sees more toffee and dust, old Mokatines, hardened caramel and toffee eaten in a room in which others smoke. Cadbury's "chocolate" comes out on the night. Finish: caramel, butterscotch, toffee. Quality Street's Toffee Penny, caramel-glazed wheat puffs again, buttered toasts. Little, if any, of the herbaceous-grassy notes make it this far. In their stead, we have unabashed cereals and caramel, perhaps -- no! definitely expired Mokatines. At the death, we note a tiny drop of acrid eau-de-vie, which revives the Fettercairn impression a bit. Or could this be an ancient blend?
Comment: it turns out we tried this before. I like it better today.

Craigellachie 8yo 2008/2016 (46%, Murray McDavid Benchmark, Sherry Butt finished in Rum Cask, C#6001855 & 600855, 713b) 7/10

Bishlouk: "Wait! I need to check the region."
Psycho: "In that case, it's a Speyside."
tOMoH: "Craigellachie."
Bishlouk: "Yeah."

Psycho guesses the theme: reduced whiskies.

red71: "How's the dating going?"
Bishlouk: "Yeah, I had a date yesterday lunch time."
tOMoH: "Lunch time? Did she have a 17:30 curfew?"
red71: "And did she pass the visual test?"
Bishlouk: "She has magnificent eyes. The rest has yet to be discovered."
tOMoH: "Wait! Is she Afghan?" [i.e. wearing a niqab or a burqa]

Cracking evening. Bishlouk confesses he was a bit worried we would think he was flogging low-quality whiskies, but it was not the case at all. Interesting and unusual things, and they were all tasty to boot.

17/03/2026 Member Take Over: John Peter Hughes

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!

08/11/2025 November outturn at the SMWS

We are not here to do a PS and try the whole outturn thrice. We are here to complete unfinished business: JS and I were here on Thursday and could not finish our list of drams, because others kept giving us other things to try. How rude!, I know.

Today, only PS and GT are here whom we know. And they are socialising with another table, which means they will have less time to drown us in whisky.

44.193 20yo 2005/2025 Deep, rumbling intensity (58.1%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 206b): nose: well, the Oloroso maturation is not masquerading as anything else. It has earth and a syrupy sweetness, prunes and raisins (Corinth). Soon thereafter, it is dusty staves -- dare I say from a barrel? It certainly has dusty toffee that becomes more and more buttery with each sniff. Past the smashed prunes, the second nose has confectionary aplenty and ends with blueberry-scented plasticine. Mouth: boozy sangria, prunes syrup, pressed sultanas doused in new-make, toffee patties on white-hot stainless-steel plates. It also has red-chilli powder. The second sip seems even stronger and desiccating, borderline chalky and, in any case, searing. Finish: big and in line with the above, it is hot, syrupy and earthy, with hot caramel coating baked prunes and raisins. Here too, the second take is drier and earthier, if not chalky. The earth is very hot -- not scorched; just plain hot. The dried fruits now take the back seat -- a worn-out, crackly leather seat, that is. 7/10

70.60 16yo 2008/2025 Homer's delight (58.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 158b): nose: delicate, ethereal, this has a flurry of pastry or confectionary-sugar-coated sweets. Sweet dust leaps out of the glass. Then, we have poached pears, baked peaches... and a drop of urine. That last one dissipates and reveals a herbal touch, bay leaf or oregano, before coming back to powdered sugar. Over time, it develops a lovely coffee-soaked-biscuit cake with a thick butter cream. Lovely. Mouth: if it still has pastry, it is now filled with citrus -- lemon, to be precise. There is a slight bitterness at play, with one bay leaf adorning lemon curd. We also have thyme leaves, which works well with these baked lemon turnovers. It is more custard-y at second sip and showcases more butter cream, before before the chalkiness returns that we spotted earlier. Finish: a pinch of aromatic leaves (thyme, oregano) sprinkled on top of a lemon-curd-filled doughnut. Or is that because the picture in the booklet has a doughnut? This is cracking! 8/10

Homer's delight -- geddit?

4.398 19yo 2006/2025 Tugboat tiramisu (63.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill STR ex-PX Barrique, 281b): nose: smoked meat on the barbecue, merguez sizzling above incandescent embers, chorizo slowly dripping its fat over flames, then a blend of pitch and soup. Later on, we have a drop of syrupy peach nectar, shoe polish and rubber beads. The second nose is drier and drier, with earth and leather, perhaps some dark mushrooms, and a warm dog by the fireplace, who spent the day outdoors. Mouth: ooft! This is a lot more sherried than I would prefer, syrupy and wine-y. Chewing brings cut peaches, soaked prunes, rehydrated sultanas, green chillies, and piping-hot custard. The second sip has Fino splattered over fleshy fruits (apricots, peaches, plums), and it has compote too. Finish: here too, it is big and syrupy, with a more-pronounced earthiness. Peach liqueur, wine-cured apricots and plums. The second gulp is huge, sweet, it has lots of hot (apricot) compote and baked peach slices. Of all the sherried whiskies we try in this outturn, this is my favourite. 8/10

JN: "I had twelve beers, two shots of tequila..."
Punter: "You had twelve beers?"
JN: "Yes."
Punter: "But, you're... I mean, you don't look..."
JN: "Thank you."
tOMoH:"It wasn't meant as a compliment."

4.400 15yo 2010/2025 Savour the sweetness (62.2%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 225b): it starts off with a veil of smoke, then slices of citrus (lemon and calamansi). The second nose has a touch of chocolate in a smoked citrus custard. It becomes more and more tropical with time, which is, of course, excellent. Mouth: sweet-citrus juice, calamansi juice, limoncello, no added sugar. It also has papaya cubes and candied pineapple cubes, chewy and bursting with flavours, only a smidgen of alcohol, despite the arresting ABV, which keeps it interesting. Finish: candied papaya and pineapple wrapped in a thin cloak of smoke. This is beautiful! The second gulp brings a hint of hay to boot. This just beats the Balblair and probably deserves 9. It is on par with the excellent sister cask we had last week. For tonight, it is 8/10

JN: "What can I do for you?"
Punter: "Nothing. I'm going to the toilet."
JN: "That's something you need to do on your own."
All: "Well..."
JN: "If you pay me enough..."

3.354 20yo 2004/2025 The crown jewels of ancient kings (56.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 235b): nose: virtually no smoke, some fruit and a lot of butter. Peaches so ripe they melt in the plate, suede slippers, Mirabelle plums seared in butter. We find clay upon second nosing, earthy and moist. Mouth: ooft! I find this difficult. It has meat and lots of chalk -- lots of it! More chewing piles on the chalk until it is overly drying and chewy. This is like munching on Junior Aspirin, which is to say it retains a certain fruitiness, but is mostly chalky. The second sip is even chalkier, desiccating and challenging. Finish: long and fruity, it seems to have shaken off the chalkiness to only keep strawberry -- phew! The second gulp brings chewy fruity clay. Over time, it ascertains that fruitiness and becomes more and more pleasant. That palate, though... Disappointment. 6/10

GT: "Pour one dram [of 76.72], please."
DS [looks at tOMoH]: "Only one?"
GT: "Yes, one for JS."
DS: "What about tOMoH?"
tOMoH: "tOMoH sucks! [looks at punter from earlier] But I'm not going to the toilet with you!"

Bunnahabhain Mòine 7yo 2013/2020 (59.5%, OB for Feis Ile 2021, Bordeaux Casks Finish, 5166b, b#3720): nose: this is super earthy. It has squid ink, blotting paper, tarry clay, crushed seashells and razor clams tarred by a black tide. Mouth: well, it is very peaty, with a good dose of tarry sands and smoked seashells, but it also has bold fruits (fresh peaches) and the heat of red chilli. Finish: more tarry sands and crushed seashells, as well as smoked apricots. It is a bit one-dimensional, I guess, but respectable all the same. After a while, we get dried kelp and algae sprinkled with smoked-peach juice. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JN)

The venue closes, we are all encouraged to leave. So glad we were allowed to finish the session today, though! It made for a much more enjoyable moment and a better following morning. Not to mention the chance to chat with other people too.

02/08/2025 August outturn at the SMWS

It has been a wee while, has it not? GT, PS and Dr. CD are naturally here when JS and I land. Cue recommendations, which is always useful.

44.175 17yo d.2005 Kiss me Pedro! (56.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 2nd Fill ex-PX Hogshead Finish, 204b): nose: we have oily woods (mahogany, teak), prunes and dried dates. It has vanilla and caramel cream at second sniff, with a drop of cream coffee too. The second nose has hot brass. That is original! Mouth: it dishes out the faint bitterness of cream coffee indeed. Further on, it is torched sticky toffee pudding. Chewing adds the steam from a La Marzocco being cleaned, which is to say hot metal, remnants of coffee smells, and steam. The second sip confirms the cream coffee. It is well balanced. Finish: long, warm, part sweet, part bitter. It leaves the mouth in the same state a slice of sponge cake topped with caramel would. JS finds pepper or some other spice alongside cold cuts. The second gulp is similar, crispy-burnt mocha sponge cake at the death. Water renders this somewhat fruitier. 7/10

71.110 13yo d.2011 Fresh out of the oven (61.2%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Barrique FInish, 262b): JS chooses this because of the name, which makes her think of bread out of the oven (oooh!) Nose: wide and buttery. Here is Saint Louis gooey butter cake burnt in the oven and that has turned pretty crispy. Of course, that makes no sense: the point of a gooey butter cake is that it is gooey. Maybe a few grains of ground mocha on top. It is drier on the second nose, almost dried ink and sand. Mouth: big and powerful, it feels a lot stronger than the previous dram (and, looking closely, it is). We detect heated apricot eau-de-vie or liqueur (it is too thick to be an eau-de-vie, really). The second sip is juicier, while still very hot. Simmering marmalade sweating in a torched tin cap. Finish: big on arrival, it grows bigger and bigger, with hot caramel, caffè corretto (more corretto than caffè), and hot metal trays. The second gulp is fruitier, all piping-hot apricots. 7/10

JS and I move tables to let newcomers join the lads. YM arrives a bit later on.

GT: "Are you okay, there?"
tOMoH: "I feel left out. But really, it allows me to focus on the drams."
GT: "Bet you can still hear PS!"
tOMoH: "Oh yeah."
GT: "Can you hear me?"
tOMoH: "I can hear you are talking. I cannot hear all the words."
GT: "Good answer!"

PS offers a round.

36.228 28yo d.1996 Tales of the Worm Tub: The snaking coil (47%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill American Oak + PX Hogshead Finish, 222b): oh! So floral. Honeysuckle and rosehip frolic with roasted apples and baked peaches. Wow. Cherries and Mirabelle plums follow, more  honeysuckle, lychee, magnolias... Did anyone mention honeysuckle? The second nose has chocolate éclairs with a topping of fruity-pine-y cream rather than chocolate, and pineapple shavings in a lemon custard. Mouth: perfect balance, mellow, silky, it is full of flower petals and fruit slices (pear, apple, guava, lychee). The second sip brings pineapple acidity and sweet citrus to boot -- Ugli fruit, calamansi, citron. Finish: behaved, yet long-lasting. It leaves quite an impression. It is creamy as mango (the texture, not the taste). We have baked-peach flesh melting on the tongue. Repeated quaffing decreases the acidity and the fruitiness which tend to go hand in hand. This is on such a different level, compared with the first two drams, that it is comical. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

Cheese board served. Huge slabs of cheese
with only six puny crackers. I ask for a couple more
and receive twelve. :-D

35.410 19yo 2006/2025 Don't hurry this one... (55.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Barrique Finish, 271b): nose: here, we have fine tobacco, crushed pinecones, and what comes across as preserved lemons, a little briny, a little sweet, and a little acidic. It may well have a drop of diluted ink too. Mouth: it is more wine-y here, sweet, yet also tannic. Rather punchy too, surprisingly enough. We note pickled onions, maybe. Finish: long, big, briny. This is full of pickled red onions, onion relish, and a lick of wood varnish or oil. It does not improve much with water; wood oil turns into nail lacquer. I am not really convinced by this one. 6/10

66.258 26yo d.1998 Wood-smoked walnut gâteau (51.2%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 2nd Fill ex-Shiraz Barrique Finish, 237b): nose: incense smoke, ash, burnt balsa wood, a pinch of dry earth, albeit much less than could be expected of this distillery. Further sniffs have hay so dry it is falling into dust, as well as extremely-dry shortcrust. It develops leather, in the long run. Mouth: hot at once, it soon reveals dried cherry slices fallen into mud. The second sip is more charred, with burnt paper, charred fruits (acidic pineapple, this time) and old newspapers after a trip in the open fire. Finish: some fruits here too (cherry and pineapple), chargrilled and turning black. It has the bitterness of black ash, paper burnt to a crisp, and parchment paper after it has been under the oven's grill. Decent. 7/10

149.19 9yo d.2015 Out with the gherkin, in with the brine (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 190b): nose: heavily peated to this nose, this is muddy -- crusted mud, lumps of mud stuck on boot soles. Indeed, it has a whiff of new rubber soles. Then, suddenly, it is all billowing cigar smoke, burnt banana leaves and smoky Kaffir lime leaves. The second nose adds pine-y influences, needles and cones, as well as smoked vanilla custard (or smoked-vanilla custard, who knows?) Mouth: white pepper on hot custard, sawdust, cork shavings and something green. It has smoked orchard fruits too that do not dominate at all. Finish: long and peppery, it has the tingle of ginger without the taste, galangal and cinnamon. It is the numbing effect of those, not the taste. The smoke is much more subdued, here, more a feature of a leafy whole, but it is there alright. Repeated quaffing adds smoked seaweed too. Solid. 7/10

Sadly, they are out of 162.4. Hm.

26/11/2023 James Bond

Two dates in the whisky calendar count more than others, for die Heimatgruppe: Burns' Night, and dom666's birthday bash. Today is the latter. There is even a (manageable) theme, this year. (Remember last year's "theme"?)

For practical reasons, he hosts at adc's again, and if we have to regret the absence of Gaija, STL, Bishlouk, and kruuk2, we should have plenty to drink with what Psycho, PSc, red71, JS, dom666, ruckus, adc, sonicvince, and tOMoH have brought to the table.

A lot, obviously.

PSc quickly declares that there is no link between his first bottle and the theme, but that he wanted to bring said bottle out of curiosity. ruckus carefully studies the label and tells us the whisky was matured in a barrel. Close enough to Barry, for John Barry(l), who composed the James Bond theme.

Whisky Ardent (40%, OB, Banyuls Barrels) (PSc): nose: Stroh (PSc), burning alcohol (red71), apple turnover (Psycho, who just had one for breakfast). I find it a bit green, with a rubbery touch at the back of the sinuses. Mouth: sugar (PSc), cough syrup (adc, PSc), ye olde sweet shoppe (PSc). It is very sweet indeed, with caster sugar turning mouldy green, and medicine capsules. Finish: incredibly close to cough syrup, sweet, vaguely liquorice-y, and teeming with a minty gel. Not exactly a legendary dram, but a decent enough starter. 6/10

[dom666 talks about his collection of glasses to ruckus]
tOMoH [to ruckus]: "You can stop him, if it's not interesting."
ruckus: "There you go."

ruckus [about his recent travels]: "I've been back for two days."
adc: "Where were you?"
ruckus: "Gujarat."
tOMoH: "Le pays préféré des femmes. Parce que, là, les goujats ratent."

sonicvince arrives, delayed by train disruptions.

PSc presents: Dr. Knockad-No. And, if that does not Knockan-do it, PSc has prepared a list of (Knockan-dodgy) alternatives:

• A Knockando to a Kill
• Licence to Kill a Knockando
• Knockando Another Day
• Quantum of Knockando
• Knockando Royale
• No Time to Knockando
• A Knockando is not Enough
• Knockando Never Dies

Ahem. Let us stick with Dr. Knockad-No, shall we?

Naturally, the cork breaks, and PSc outsources the removal to me. I manage like a pro. Not my first.

Knockando 12yo 1987/1999 (43%, OB) (PSc): nose: "it smells of tissue," says sonicvince, who just blew his nose. Sugar and lemon, lemon vanilla, followed by a thin veil of sooty smoke (or smoky soot). Later, we have boiled-sweet wrapper, though not the sweets themselves. Mouth: oily, yet also mildly acidic, a mix of vanilla-ed sugar and lemon zest. The second sip has a  gently-drying touch. Finish: soft, mellow, and elegant, with a very-mild bitterness of lichen on copper. Mostly, it is a lovely butterscotch-y affair. 7/10

dom666: "There is still a bank branch there, I promise you. It's an ING."

tOMoH: "Just like your jersey."

red71: "This is a nose that has body."

tOMoH presents the actor that will forever be associated with the role of the famous spy: Se-an Cnocery

an Cnoc 13yo d.1989 (46%, OB Highland Selection Limited Edition, b#1375) (tOMoH): nose: dusty, herbaceous (sonicvince), dunnage warehouse, musty clay floors, old books in the loft (red71), hay (adc), rancio. adc finds the alcohol very present, at first. In the long run, we have dried pomelo zest, and a salty tang. Over time, farm-y tones appear, farm paths and muddy fields. Mouth: liquorice (dom666), syrupy, after a couple of sips (sonicvince). I find it oily, with the bitterness of olive pits. This is well integrated, and balances that soft bitterness with a delicious sweetness -- honey-glazed almonds, perhaps. It seems woodier at second sip, and reminds me of spelt seeds. Finish: chewy liquorice sticks (dom666 and sonicvince), vanilla ice cream (adc). It is a nice mocha cream by my account, though one that works perfectly for me. Nuts, almond shells, Brazil-nut shells, creamy black tea... It is warming, honeyed, and simply excellent. Wow! Looking forward to spending more time with this one. 8/10

Food enters the scene.

Salt-and-pepper leaven bread rolls

Regular leaven bread rolls

Flandrien Grande Réserve

Comté Grand Cru

Gruyère des Grottes

Calvamembert

Epoisse

Crémeux affiné à la liqueur de noix

Reblochon fermier au lait cru

Saltufo

Boar pâté

Duck mousse

Venison pâté

Pear, apple and grapes pâté

Pâté crème (not pictured)

Chanterelles pâté

White pudding
White pudding with cabbage
White pudding with leeks
White pudding with hazelnuts

sonicvince presents: Moonarranker

Arran 10yo (46%, OB) (sonicvince): note the absence of "Isle of", or even "The" and "Malt". This is just "Arran". It also has an address in Dublin, which is certainly a way to distribute into the rest of the EU, post-Brexit. Nose: smashed overripe banana (soncivince), solvent (red71), porridge, and even a hint of brine. Later on, we have Custard Cream biscuits, coupled with candied lemon peels. Mouth: golden fields of barley, and a velvety texture. It is lively, but not overly so. I have a strong note of pepper, though I reckon it is from the (insanely-good) bread. It is drying and spicy over time, giving out ginger and lemongrass. Finish: powdered ginger and ground pepper sprinkled on lemon-y custard cream. Perhaps it has a pinch of dried sage too? Arran. Great quality, even at the entry level. 7/10

tOMoH presents: Inverleven Let Die (yes, I also believe we have had that before)

Inverleven 37yo 1973/2011 (49%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition Deoch an Doras, LD80819) (group): I will take notes another time. Too busy eating and enjoying the company. Nose: very, very, very good (red71, sonicvince and ruckus). Mouth: acidic sweets (Psycho). Finish: pecan nuts, cashew nuts (Psycho). 9/10

dom666: "God knows all. People from Antwerp know better. (Traditional Antwerp saying)"

The next two both require careful intervention

dom666 explains that everyone knows James Bond, and wonders: "Is he Still Secret?"

Is he?

Secret Stills 01.01 50yo 1955/2005 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Butt, C#1312) (dom666): I am under the impression we have this one fairly often. And then this very blog reminds me we have not had it in five years. Ahem. Nose: well, each time we try this, it has that incredibly-deep layer of shoe polish, precious woods and wood oils, evaporated cola, concentrated wood extracts, and class. Jägermeister (ruckus), wood smoke (red71), boot polish, and... warmed-up black-bin bags. Yes, seriously. It is even pleasant. Thirty minutes later, a bold wave of chocolate mousse mixes with the boot polish. Hours later, all traces of alcohol have made way for concentrated eye makeup and mixed peel. Mouth: sweet and pumped with iodine (adc), it also has musk, rancio, and leather (of course). The second sip unleashes liquorice bootlaces, or soft tyre. It is mellower, later on, with wax, and earthy, citrus-y notes. Finish: Black Balsam (ruckus), Koskenkorva Salmiakki, Angostura. It is long and spicy (ground galangal, sumac, ground cassia bark), more minty, in the long run, and softens, over the space of several hours, though it retains a clear earthiness, with potting soil and coffee grounds. I would give this masterpiece the top score, but it has that liquorice bitterness that I am less fond of, so no. 9/10

vs.

Secret Stills 01.02 21yo 1986/2007 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, First Fill Sherry Butts, C#1361-1363, 1860b) (dom666): nose: close to hard-boiled egg and vinegar. It is not really sulphur-y, this time, which is great news (we had this once, before this blog existed, and, as can be deduced by the high fill level, we did not like it that much). A touch of butyric, or Parmesan, fusty cheese rinds, and very-dry bunches of flowers. Mouth: wow! Unexpectedly fruity, it has candied apricot and dried peach slices. The second sip is drier, giving ground peach stone, still with tatters of fruit clinging to the stone. Finish: it has a clear smoke that envelops bold fruits dunked in tar. This is so much better than any of those amongst us who have tasted it remembers! It went from a tarry sulphur ball to a gently-smoky, fruity number. 8/10

Spot the difference

Brittle corks, those two

Psycho: "Speculation, which is now called Biscoffication."

PSc accidentally knocks my glass of 01.02, and I end up licking the tablecloth. JS does the same with the milk pot. Perhaps I should drive.

Time for dessert.

The famous (and very light) chocolate bomb

Looks just as rich when cut

ruckus introduces: Daniel Craigellachie

JS and I: "Oh! It's not for Asta Martin?"

Craigellachie 8yo 2013/2021 (61.3%, Asta Morris, Refill Sherry Cask, C#AM067, 706b, b#367) (ruckus): nose: hugely animal from the off, leathery, musky, full of horse saddles, suede game pouches, fox's skins, and Iso Betadine. Mouth: medicinal and very strong. It has dried bandages or gauze, and a sweeter spot. It is pretty fierce, though -- punches a hole into the tongue. Finish: powerful and pungent, full of old, faded bandages, and stale medicine tablets. It is, naturally, very long and invading, a steamroller of a finish that numbs the tonsilses. Boom. 7/10

JS tells everyone that: You Only Glenlivet Wice

sonicvince [looking at the label]: "It is not for Quantum of Sole US importer?"

Glenlivet 26yo 1968/1995 (52.1%, Signatory Vintage selected by, bottled for and imported by Whyte & Whyte for The Spirits Library, Barrel, 95/137) (JS): my full notes are here. For today... Nose: so fruity (sonicvince), maple syrup (adc), tree grille (Psycho), lychee, and a whiff of coffee. Mouth: monstrosly fruity, today, choc-full of rehydrated raisins, figs, and prunes. Finish: more raisins and figs, but also blueberry, now. This easily tickles 9/10

red71 stands up with a cheat sheet. He explains he struggled with the theme, but picked this bottle up, added all the numbers on the label, and reached 4663. With that number in mind, he gives us a charade.

1. I am often stored in a box
2. I am a concern for public health
3. In many countries, one needs a licence to use me
4. I am often associated with steelworks
5. My shape was improved in the XIXth century, benefitting from successive inventions
6. I have played a major role in armed conflicts throughout History
7. I often play a crucial role in police investigations
8. I am a small and hard object, often made of lead, copper, or steel
9. I am thrust at high speed, and my movement is triggered by a chemical reaction
10. I am used in conjunction with another invention that changed the course of History

We guess correctly that red71 is talking about a bullet. He tells us James Bond has dodged 4663 bullets in his career to-date. Or, indeed, 4662, but this will be the 4663rd, he adds.

True, or is red71 full of shit? Who cares? He proves, once again, that, if you say something with enough conviction, someone will believe you. :)

Dodgin' bullets for a livin'

Old Pulteney 2004/2020 (55%, OB Single Cask exclusive to Premium Spirits, American Oak ex-Bourbon Barrel, C#235, 240b, b#039) (red71): nose: salt, iodine, wax (red71), tea cake or gingerbread (Psycho), minty lozenges, and coffee beans. Mouth: hugely honeyed, which is one of the distillery markers, of course. Honey-glazed nuts, then, quickly, behind a strong spicy feel, we have the vivid bitterness of almond skins, stripping the teeth. sonicvince says vanilla, on the other hand. Further sips have Corinth raisins, and ground nigella seeds. Finish: huge, softly salty, full of honey and chocolate milk. Repeated sipping brings  out almond liqueur, spicy, bitter, and injected with sugar. I love it. 8/10

adc observes that one of the James Bond Girls was played by Halle Berry (Bros)

Halle Berry Bros & Rudd

Glenburgie 1983/2011 (56.3%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection, C#9806) (adc): an old favourite, this. Nose: wide, metallic, herbaceous, with a whiff of mocha chocolate. It is sweeter with time, thanks to the addition of a spoonful of caster sugar. Mouth: creamy, nutty, it has fresher fruits too, though I am too busy socialising to make note of them. Finish: long. 8/10

Psycho presents: Auchentoshan Connery

Auchentoshan Connery

Auchentoshan 17yo 1999/2016 (55.5%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 498b, 16/199) (Psycho): another one we have not had in years (seven, to be precise). Nose: a dose of mint, and a lick of metal. In fact, after a while, it comes across as flinty, or marked with ground coffee, then dusty, butterscotch-y caramel. Mouth: flint dry, yet also caster-sugar sweet. It is very pleasant, leaning on the silky side, in terms of texture, yet it stops at oilskins, which is much more rubbery. It scrapes my mouth like windscreen wipers, while remaining sugary sweet, in a rum way. It emits a numbing, if comfortable, radiating heat. Finish: a bulldozer, it has a long finish that feels like a rum's, with coagulated lumps of caster sugar covered in lichen, and stored in a copper container that is also starting to oxidise. Subsequent sips are mellower, and immediately sweet, like a kouign-amann, or even a caramelised lemon-drizzle cake. Yummy! 8/10

Psycho: "dom666, do you have a glass?"
dom666: "Of course. And since I don't do double-fisting..."
ruckus: "That's my glass."

tOMoH presents; Casino Royale Brackla

Only dom666, JS, sonicvince and red71 have this one. The others sadly have to get ready to leave. I will have it later, when everyone has left.

Royal Brackla 16yo 1970/1986 (57%, OB imported by Zenith, 3600b, b#0471): I take no notes (I have done so before), but it is astonishing to see how well it performs, even in this unfavourable position. Truly a work of art. 9/10

We have no time for the final two drams, but it does not stop sharing the connection to the theme.

tOMoH presents a whisky matured in a table-beer cask. Probably a blonde-table-beer cask -- a James blonde-table-beer cask. Full notes here.

Or is it this guy?

This is Q

sonicvince presents Laphroaig Quarter Cask, celebrating the character Q. No-one tries it tonight.

It is late, people are leaving to catch the train (the last one, in some cases), and I am exhausted, struggling to take notes while socialising. Bah.

Excellent tasting. Great whiskies, food, and bantz. I am simply sad it could not go on for another couple of hours. I am also sad we could not use the following puns

• Ghosted Reserve (for Spectre)
• The Glen Spey Who Loved Me
• St George Lazenby
• Two Longrow Never Die

Next time, eh?