09/05/2026 Lord of the Rings MkII

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04/03/2023 Minimax

It has proved difficult to find a date for a tasting on this side of the water, but here is the first one this year. Since there are four of us (OB, GL, JS and me), we go for an unrestrictive, miniatures-only theme.

The soundtrack: Pyroclastes - Danger Des Courants

OB warns that he will be late, because he has embarked on a little project. We will find out in a moment that said project is the baking of a kouign aman, a traditional cake from Britany. Unfortunately, we will also find out the following second that he left it at home. Ahem.

In the meantime, GL has the final drops of Clydeside 34mo (unknown ABV, cask sample, re-racked ex-Sherry Cask + ex-Bourbon Casks)

Finally, we start.

Work.

Enough for workaholics.

Five Sovereigns 8yo (70° Proof, J.W. Cameron & Co., b. ca 1970s) (tOMoH): nose: all sorts of fusty clay floors, damp dunnage warehouse, but also silt. Then, a soft fruity hue appears (mostly citrus peels). Further on, we have rich tobacco leaves, oily and chewy. Mouth: lukewarm marmalade, mixed peel, booze-infused blush-orange segments, and juicy caramel. Finish: it has that magic combination of ancient distillate and long bottle-aging. Could probably score higher. Full notes here. 7/10

GL produces Paul A. Young chocolates, which do not last very long.

The soundtrack: Peat & Diesel - Light My Byre

La Rouget de Lisle 8yo 2007/2016 (46%, OB, ex-Vin Jaune Burgundy Barrique, 144b) (tOMoH): nose: soft and fruity, ripe with custard and wax -- seal wax. Mouth: OB finds something unpleasantly perfume-y mid-palate (must be the taste of forgotten kouign aman), soon submerged by vin jaune, which makes it OK, he says. It is a lot drier and more tannic than I remembered it, with beer residue from an empty glass, yeast and strawberry. Finish: a lingering impression of having just sipped a stout. And there is orange wine too. Full notes here. 7/10

I have a the passion-fruit chocolate. Zmogue. So intense! I hope it will stand being followed by a whisky other than a 1960s Bowmore...

Eleuthera (46%, Compass Box, L290 306, b. ca 2001) (GL): nose: ashy apple juice, waxy-apple cider, if that makes sense. Then, we have putty, windows mastic, smoked citrus peels. This becomes ashier and ashier, though it still revels in waxy fruit. Mouth: pepper, Calvados, waxy apples, then a growing pile of ashes, dusty, drying, and a little burnt (no shit, Sherlock!) Burnt peach stone, yellowed parchment, roasted leather. Finish: long, ashy, burnt apple tree, burnt apple pips. It has that balance of fruit, ash, and burnt fruit tree. Love it! Repeated sipping gives the impression of a young eau-de-vie, which unfortunately makes it lose a point. 7/10

The soundtrack: 2022-10-09 Zanias @ HÖR, Berlin

Ledaig 23yo d.1995 (46.8%, C. Dully, Refill Hogshead, C#3636, 295b) (tOMoH): there is not enough for four, but I have had this not long ago. My companions share it between themselves. My notes are here.

With an impending case of the munchies, we have an excellent Iberian acorn salchichon  Admiracion (thanks CT)

Mortlach 12yo 1989/2001 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Sherry Butt, C#3647, 02/0150) (GL): the label reads this one was bottled in 2001, yet the bottling code on the back of the label says 2002. GL reckons it could be a rebottling of a full-size bottle. Those minis were given away at festivals around that time. No-one wanted them. Nose: gingerbread, loud and clear, cinnamon, ginger powder... Well, that would be gingerbread, then, eh? It is very solid and consistent; it does not deviate from the gingerbread super highway. After a bit, we have  a soft whiff of old sandals, or bare feet. And then, ginger and cinnamon come back with a lick of peppermint (think: brown Boules Magiques). The second nose is dusty and less interesting. Mouth: JS detects a gentle bitterness, while OB finds it cardboard-y and a bit flat. It does feel a little bit spent indeed. Irish-whiskey ice cream (JS). The second sip is fresh, juicy, with some grated ginger. Finish: fairly soft and tame, it showcases smoked meat (OB). Subsequent sips are more fruity, including the bitterness that I associate with unripe fruit. 7/10

vs.

76.69 12yo The Pipe-major takes a bath (60.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (GL): nose: banana (OB), artificial banana flavouring (OB). There is a pharmacy scent that I struggle to pin down. Yellow flowers, perfume, and a rubber bitterness that is almost metallic. Ha! I know! It has the smell of a freshly-opened 117.3 is what it is! Mouth: very green, with a pronounced bitterness of greasy-plant leaves. It also has many hints of tropical fruit, none ripe. I bet this will evolve dramatically in the open bottle -- for the better. Finish: wide, even huge, numbing, it gives away metallic daffodil petals. In the long run, we have custard, soft cakes, Jaffa style, but no chocolate. Lovely stuff. 8/10

The soundtrack: Until The End Of The World (Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Glenburgie 30yo 1983/2013 (51.5%, Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary Waldhaus am See St. Moritz, C#9822, 164b) (OB): nose: this is darker, with a lick of wood, walnuts, chestnut purée, and rose-petal jelly. Yeah, earthy and softly fruity at the same time. The second nose has smoked Turkish delights and faded vine leaves. Mouth: it has a clear alcohol kick that does not entirely obfuscate a distinct juiciness. Fruity, jammy 'burgie the way I like them. We see a pinch of white pepper and sawdust. Yes: wood grows with each sip. It is rather acidic too. Finish: mulch, and unripe pineapple peel. We have more and more wood as it goes on, but it stays within the limits of what is acceptable. Long, warming, fruity, and, well, woody, to a point. 8/10

GL: "So far, I've really enjoyed all the ones I tried."
JS: "The chocolates, or the whiskies?"
GL: "Yeah."

121.31 9yo Sweet, with a lively lemon tingle (57.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (GL): nose: that same 117.3 leafy, metallic note, heady, and promising to be fruity, though not quite yet. This one has hints of solvents too. Mouth: strong, peppery custard. It goes from white pepper to red chilli pepper, to green pepper to rose-petal jelly in seconds. It is spectacular, considering the age, and very good full stop. Leafy flowers grow and grow. Finish: mellow-ish, with forsythia, kerria japonica, all bathing in thick custard, sprinkled with sage. Very convincing. The thing with Arran is that they are all at least OK (once one looks past the dodgy finishes of the early years). 8/10

The soundtrack: Pixies - Death To The Pixies

Glen Lochy 14yo (50%, Burn Stewart Distillers specially selected for The Whisky Shop The Select Hogshead, Sherry Casks) (tOMoH): nose: it starts off gravel-y, with shy dry grapes, then develops cork and earthy tones. Mouth: yes, it is dry, a bit austere, full of gravel, and challenging like a super-dry white wine. Finish: ashy, dry, bitter, not unlike licking limestone. Full notes here. 7/10

St. Magdalene 21yo 1982/2003 (56.5%, Hart Brothers Finest Collection) (OB): nose: oh! Here is another austere number. Flint, old newspapers, dusty cardboard, and modelling clay, or malleable wax. Hot sands, Verdigris, peach stones, chalk, lichen on stave -- oh! yes, these staves are oozing boooze, now. Phwoar! It becomes more luscious when tilting the glass, but also gives dusty dry-sausage casing. Mouth: melted plastic, plant sap,  a dash of crayon shavings, calcium-laden mineral water (Volvic or Hepar). It is also very bold -- intimidatingly so. The second sip has crushed mussel shells (yes, it is vaguely maritime, and certainly salty), chalk, and crushed leeks. Finish: it is like licking sandstone, but not only; here are leeks, crushed with a pestle and mortar. Quite a drying finish, with dried lichen and Verdigris. It turns more welcoming, over time, with hot marmalade stuck to the bottom of the cauldron (and let us be clear: it is the cast-iron cauldron that sticks out). I love this. 9/10

The soundtrack: various tracks by Holly Golightly and Blonde Redhead

JS makes salted popcorn.

9.94 26yo Jam and Jerusalem (56.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (OB): nose: hard to tell, since we just landed some, but I would swear this smells of popcorn. Underneath that is a good old Glen Grant, packed with orchard fruits, and some late chocolate. Mouth: glazed cherries! This has so much of that it is insane. And it is so clear, too! The second sip is full-on eau-de-vie, more Armagnac or Kirsch (obviously) than, say, Calvados. That eau-de-vie is more and more pronounced. Finish: a classy, warming specimen. I am not really taking good notes, too busy enjoying the bantz. 8/10

tOMoH: "GL, I can pull out four glasses, and you have them in your own time. I know you have a train to catch. They are also all yours, bar the Strathclyde, so you need to have that one."
GL: "I can leave the Bimber behind..."
JS: "You don't want to try it?"
GL: "It's peated. I don't drink peat. Also, I've already tried it, so..."
tOMoH: "Well, fuck you, then."

30.60 19yo A bench-mark (57.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (GL): nose this has some chocolate, dark caramel, chicory infusion. It is a bit buttery, but not too much. Again, I detect quite a bit of popcorn, which is obviously because we just had some. Later on, we find a softly herbal note, though not sure which herb -- oregano? Mouth: treacle, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate miso tart, which is to say it is savoury, as well as bitterly chocolate-y. Pear soup, chocolate chilli con carne. The second sip is more acidic and more buttery. Happily, it is not rancid butter by any stretch of the imagination. It develops a berry paste, augmented with liqueur of the same, at some point. Finish: long, never-ending, it adds a sprinkle of herbs (tarragon?) to dark-chocolate tart. It remains savoury and-a-half, which still suggests miso. Vaguely-earthy raisins become more and more obvious, sweeter and sweeter, joined by dried dates and figs. Wow. Lovely. 8/10

The soundtrack: Linkin Park / Jay-Z - Numb / Encore

The soundtrack: Tommee Profitt - In The End (Instrumental)

3.160 10yo Islay beach scene (59.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (GL): nose: what? No peat? In a recent Bowmore? "There is some," say my co-tasters. It is closer to cork and hevea brasiliensis to me. At last, I detect a faint peat; it is distant mossy peat bogs, with virtually no smoke. On the other hand, here is a bunch of flowers in mud. The second nose has muddy mulch and silt. Mouth: very warming, it dishes out peat fire and tons of juicy oranges. In fact, sweetish citrus becomes so prominent that it is close to limoncello. A pinch of sage to balance that and keep it interesting, something to make it almost metallic. Finish: more ember-like burnt peat flirts with roasted orange peels, dried kelp doused in sweet citrus, bergamot juice and the fruit's foliage. What an amazing young Bowmore! A little more complexity, and it would score even higher. 8/10

OB: "The Strathclyde is clearly stronger than the rest we had so far. I don't know how strong the Bowmore was, but..."
JS: "59.9%."
OB: "Really? Well, perhaps I've become numb."

(If you did not chuckle, let me spell it out: OB just intentionally quoted a song he had never heard before.)

Strathclyde 13yo 2001/2014 (64.4%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Editions, B#ST 13 002) (JS): not a miniature, but a smallish bottle on its last leg. Now or never! Coconut, custard, nail varnish, and fierce ginger. This still does it for me. My full notes are here. 8/10

The soundtrack: 2019-12-03 - Zanias @ HÖR, Berlin

GL departs. He leaves his Bimber behind, which I decide to have another day.

The soundtrack: Pet Shop Boys - Discography (The Complete Singles Collection)

OB pulls out a bonus dram from his hat. Well, from his rucksack.

Lochindaal 13yo 2007/2021 (56.9%, Bramble Whisky Co, Sauternes Cask, 292b, b#243) (OB): another full-size bottle, "the one that required the minimum effort to find," says OB. Nose: phwoar! If one thing was relevant at this point of the tasting, it is this. It is very, very farm-y, with a soft maritime side to boot. That spells brine over mud and ploughed fields, and hay. Mind you, we also have tobacco, dark-chocolate praline, ganache, with crushed dried strawberry slices. Then, it is pressed mouldy bread, forming a patty-like concoction. Mouth: ink! Squid ink, to be precise, accompanied by sea rocks warmed by the sun, and jet-black algae. But then, it is also rather juicy, part petrol, part fruit juice; part black ink, part linseed oil. It retains a hay-like quality on the tip of the tongue, perhaps porridge, and some slices of dried raspberry, now, meddling with rubber boot soles trampling mud. Finish: inky earth, black-tide sands, mudflats, and crushed mussel shells. Again!? This is the second dram today in which I find that note... It has quite a bit of horsepower, and it feels fairly drying, in the long run, with something approaching peppermint. It is not quite rubbery (no boot sole here), but earthy and drying, yes. Even though it is not as drying as black cumin, it is not that far off. I am convinced. 8/10

Epic.

28/04/2019 First and Last and Always

A couple of people called off, unfortunately, including birthday boy GL, but we press ahead regardless, as those tastings can never be too frequent.
The suspects: JS, PS, cavalier66 and yours, truly.

Seeing the modest turnout, I decide against my initial selection and go for miniatures.

Glencadam 1974/1991 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice) (me): the bottling date is extrapolated from the big bottle, as it is not written on this one in any way. This, by the way, is in theme because -- wait for it -- it is the first one I pour today! Also, it has a lowish fill level and I want to taste it. Nose: it smells powerful, regardless of the ABV, time in glass, and obvious evaporation. Olive oil (cavalier66), walnut oil, smoked toffee (PS), then the more expected cardboard -- expected in those first-incarnation, map-label Connoisseurs Choice bottlings. It even has something pickle-like, not formaldehyde, but not far off. Teak oil, roasted malt, warm pillows, a bunch of dried, faded flowers and tame coffee, towards the end. Mouth: teak oil and walnut oil. The texture is oily too. This one is oily and nutty, with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings, cappuccino style. Finish: long, assertive, slightly pickle-y, yet what comes out most are lovely notes of bitter chocolate. 8/10

JS: "On a one-point scale, it gets a one."

Edradour 10yo d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, b. early 1980s) (me): there are two versions of this mini: one that reads "Highland Malt Whisky", another that reads "Pure Malt Whisky"; this is the "Highland Malt Whisky". Looking at the equivalent big bottles, one is 12 and the other is 10. The Highland Malt is 10. Although it is not written on the miniature, it is reasonable to think this is the 10yo. Detective work, TSA style! This is meant to be the first soapy dram for the guests and probably the last one they will ever want... But that is only an assumption. Let us see. Nose: trademark dusty cardboard, a little peat smoke, surprisingly, and soft perfume. PS calls it a tart's boudoir, and there is indeed a whiff of shampoo scent. Not so much overt perfume, in my nose. Mouth: mellow, it has a touch of sugar-sprinkled pastry... and then shampoo. Very coating, too. A pinch of black pepper completes the palate. Peppery shampoo, yay. Finish: coating, soapy, shampoo-like, with added fruit to make it less horrible. Still, this is horrible. Not as bad as the Cadenhead from a while ago, but horrible. I do finish mine, though -- for research, you understand. PS finishes cavalier's, probably to show how manly he is, whilst JS's is kept for posterity (for SW, really). 3/10

PS: "Maybe it was not as dire as you had expected."
tOMoH: "Edradire."

Eleuthera b.2001 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail for Compass Box, JA/IJJ) (PS): Eleuthera (cavalier66 gives a masterclass in Greek pronunciation, at this point, and it finally dawns on me that Luther and Éleuthère are the same name) is one of the first products that Compass Box released (alongside Asyla and Hedonism), and it is the first Compass Box that PS bought. Also, this is his last bottle of it. It is a blended malt containing Caol Ila and Clynelish, we are told. Funnily enough, Compass Box explicitly mention Gordon & MacPhail on the back label. Nose: waxy apricots, yellow plums, and fruit-tree embers. Lemon trees under the scorching sun, twigs and a burning bush of lavender. Mouth: soft and thin, it has apricot juice, though none of its texture (not nectar, then). The burning bush is still there, with the smoky Caol Ila reeling off in the background. Finish: peat, damp embers, wet wellies after a hike in the rainy fields. The death sees the apricot return, alongside ash. Nice, though it is a pity the mouth is so thin. The nose promised more. 7/10

Springbank 21yo b.2013 (46%, OB, 1680b, 13/01) (cavalier66): this is the first Springbank cavalier66 bought, and one's 21st used to be one's first adult birthday, back in the day. cavalier66 is so excited about this that he breaks the cork -- but manages to extract it like a champ. Nose: the trademark farm-y notes make way for blackcurrant and crushed blackberry. After a while, the farm paths and tractor tyres do appear, as well as burnt wood. It is striking how berry-driven this remains! Mouth: spicy, peppery (not overly so), with the same berries and blackcurrants, dried mud and a soft sweetness. Finish: farm-y, but again, this blackberry/blackcurrant wave comes through. Beautiful. I had it at 7, but will upgrade it to 8/10

Calling Dr. cavalier for surgery

We all agree this is a good dram, but that it is the wrong event for it. It is sanitised and needs a lot of time and repeated sipping. Polishing a bottle with friends while playing board games, one evening would be a better way to get to know this well and give it the appreciation it deserves. A handful of nerds trying n single casks at cask strength on an afternoon is not the ideal setting and it suffers a bit. PS calls it a grower, not a show-er. He is right.

Italian dried sausage and popcorn

Popcorn tortillas

Soundtrack: The Sisters of Mercy - First And Last And Always (of course!)

G5.1 34yo 1974/2008 Velvet fun (55.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 206b) (PS): this is a .1 and the first bottle PS bought after the arrival of then-SMWS manager JMcG. Considering how much I love G5.2 to G5.8 or so, I am excited to say the least. So much so I do not even realise until much later that this is not from the same parcel of casks -- it is a much older one. Nose: serious blackcurrant-cordial action, crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), dark-cherry jam and pastry cases. Mouth: balanced, it has fruit turnover, apricot and blackcurrant. I mean: this is amaze-boulanger! Finish: long, vanilla-ed, soft, despite the noticeable jump in strength, and rich in blackcurrant and squashed blackberry. This is totally my type. 9/10

Soundtrack: Peter Murphy - Love Hysteria

JS pulls a mystery bottle from under the counter.

Carsebridge 28yo 1962/1991 (54.7%, James MacArthur Fine Grain Selection for the Mini Bottle Club, 180b) (JS): this was selected simply to accompany the next one. Nose: sweet and metallic -- that is a grain alright! Gocce Pino (pine-flavoured cough drops), pine cones, pine resin, sweet freshness. Mouth: very mellow, for the strength, fruity, oily (orange-blossom-infused olive oil) and pine-y. Finish: fruits of the forest (PS), pine resin, pine cones, soda water, tonic water even. Fantastic grain, this, even if my notes do not do it justice. 9/10

JS pulls another one from under the counter.

Ben Nevis 27yo 1963/1991 (54%, James MacArthur Fine Grain Selection for the Mini Bottle Club, 180b) (JS): datz right. A grain Ben Nevis. This is the grail for grain lovers (or the grain for grail lovers): Ben Nevis produced grain between 1955 and 1979 only, and was a very modest undertaking, by grain standards -- approximately 1,000,000 litres of spirit per annum, according to grainmeister PS. It was only bottled twice as a single, and this is the very first one. It is also the first Ben Nevis grain for everyone today. In case it is not clear: this is special. Nose: apricot flesh (cavalier66), hints of pineapple (PS), tinned pineapple, roasted pineapple, with even a touch of smoke. PS sums it up as zesty. It turns more metallic, with hawthorn and verbena, as well as lime, kaffir lime leaves, then seal wax and those perfume cones they used to burn in ancient Egypt. Mouth: it is spicy, with green chilli, crushed bay leaves and lots of fruit. Pears, peaches, apricots, mirabelle plums, but also petroleum (cavalier66) and some herbs. Finish: a huge fruity kick, it has roasted, tinned pineapple, smoked lime, kaffir lime leaves, bergamot, hawthorn, thyme and verbena. Since this morning, I have a new favourite film (Loro); now, I might have a new favourite grain whisky too. 10/10

Soundtrack: The Chameleons - The Radio 1 Evening Show Sessions

WTF?

cavalier66: "This was one of my favourite bands, at some point."
tOMoH: "Is that why you wear those crazy shirts?"
PS: "What is he trying to blend into?"
tOMoH [pointing at the Ben Nevis]: "This!"

Hanyu 1985/2006 Ace of Spades (55.7%, OB Cards Series, Hogshead finished in Sherry Butt, C#9308, 300b) (cavalier66): the ace, cavalier reminds us, is often represented by a 1, it is the highest regular card (the #1), the strongest of the aces, and this one is the highest single cask of the cards series (apart from the Joker Monochrome, I quickly correct him -- no need to thank me for pointing out your failures, I am like that). It is also the last time he brings it to a tasting, after carrying it to the Whisky Show after-party last year, and the Whisky Show Old & Rare after-party this year. Ha! Ha! Finally, Ace of Spades is the only Mötörhead song one always remembers. Nose: manure! Peat and sherry to an obscenely farmyard-like level, souped-up, rubbery cola, black shoe polish, a brand-new saddle and crushed berries. The smoke is subdued, but present alright, next to crayons, eyeliner, caramelised rhubarb, exotic wood and embers from that exotic wood, after it has been burnt, cow dung and farm paths. Mouth: more mellow than expected, it has dark cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries... and horsepower! The mellowness is replaced by assertive power, and it is rather punchy, in the long run. The farmyard action is still there, on the back seat, next to shy rubber. Beautiful. Finish: huge, sherried, it has similar notes of dark fruit, smoke, coal dust (PS), crayon shavings, exotic wood and some rubber. I hate to say it, but this is really beautiful. 9/10

Buffalo Trace 6yo 2005/2011 (64.3%, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac, 4 x Charred New White American Oak Barrels) (cavalier66): the number-one whiskey in the Whisky Bible 2013, as well as the first and last time cavalier66 paid attention to Jim Murray's recommendations. A rye whiskey, too, to have an original note last. Nose: chemical and medicinal in a gelatine-capsule kind of way. Barley snaps, confectionery, sweet shoppe, barley sugar, tarragon (PS). Mouth: sweet, very sweet, it has maple syrup, melted cane sugar, cream corn (PS) and some heat -- at that strength, it is hardly surprising. Finish: black liquorice laces, sweetness aplenty, barley snaps and honeyed beer (Barbãr?) This is nice enough and it adequately follows the big Hanyu, though it is clearly not in the same league. 7/10

Cracking afternoon! Time to call it a day, though. School, tomorrow.