24/09/2020 Affordable whiskies

JS, red71, STL and Bishlouk gather online to try some drams from JS's collection and mine.

I have already taken lengthy notes for all but one, so tonight is a social affair. I do write down a few comments, but very little. For the record only.

Naturally, they try everything blind; I know what all the drams are.

Dram #1 (JS)

Nose: fresh and minty, with pears and yellow flowers.

Mouth: lovely texture, pear drops and minty lozenges.

Finish: custard and mint again, biscuit, green-hazelnut paste, but without the bitterness I would normally associate with that.

Comment: the others seem to enjoy it as much as I do. STL guesses Inchmurrin, while Bishlouk ventures an ancient young Littlemill.

Glenmorangie Artisan Cask (46%, OB, White Oak First Fill Hogsheads, b.2005, L5 244 15:57 4ML) 8/10

Full notes here.

Dram #2 (JS)

Nose: solvents, according to red71 and Bishlouk. The former likes that, the latter less. Solvent dissipates with water, they tell us.

Mouth: astringent and strong. With the difference in ABV, it is hardly surprising!

Finish: they find it drying, not desiccating, and woody, which matches my own impression.

Comment: this did not fare too well, tonight. Tough audience? Sequencing mistake? Who can tell?

64.32 10yo 2001/2011 Nutty delights (59.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 245b) 8/10

Full notes here.

Dram #3 (tOMoH)

Nose: apple peel (STL), lichen, verdigris. In fact, it is orchard fruit, growing mould on the skin.

Mouth: chewy as fook, it has more lichen and apple peel.

FInish: strong alcohol presence, with Bishlouk very close to calling a nurse to revive him. The others do not agree and find the alcohol rather well integrated.

Comment: lost of guesses, none right. In no particular order: Rosebank, Glen Ord, a Speysider finished in Banyuls casks. I laugh my head off. Internally. I have to admit that this is not affordable at all, though.

Garnheath 27yo 1972/2000 (59.4%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#386516, 190b, b#182, 00/81) 8/10

No detailed notes for that one yet. They will come.

STL: "It reminds me of Glenfiddich 21yo. Except that I don't like Glenfiddich."

tOMoH: "Is that because of the triangular bottle?"

Dram #4 (tOMoH)

Nose: mud and peat, as well as cow dung, drying in the fields. The others detect no peat at all. Bishlouk finds it "very young," and immediately puts out a disclaimer that he is very bad at recognising new makes. Out of courtesy, we do not point out to him that he is very bad at more than that.

Mouth: Bishlouk is finally struck by light peat.

Finish: elegant, with more refined peat.

Comment: lots of guesses, none remotely close.

Gerston (46%, The Lost Distillery Company, Series #3, B#1.I, b#0399, L13/9035, b.2013) 7/10

Full notes here.

Dram #5 (tOMoH)

Nose: minty and fresh too, this one has squashed raspberry, this time, and a pinch of ginger powder.

Mouth: fresh, sweet, and... silt-y. Bishlouk has sweet vanilla.

Finish: juicy peat, intertwined with faded leather, squashed raspberry and Chinese gooseberry.

Comment: third time I have this, and it was a different experience each time. It jumped out of the glass at nosing time, changed a lot, then became tamer, more polished and more "usual," say the others. I do not fully agree, but it does change.

Ardmore 21yo 1998/2019 (51.5%, Thompson Bros., Refill Hogshead, 256b) 8/10

Full notes here.

Another fine night of fun. I did not even take pictures. :-/

19/12/2018 Three blended malts

Samples are piling up and bottles begging to be emptied. I will opt for increasing ABV, although it likely means decreasing peat levels, tonight.

Peat (45%, Speciality Drinks Elements of Islay, b. ca 2017): Elements of Islay, of course, is that popular series of malts from "undisclosed" Islay distilleries, where each "element" (Ar, Bn, Br, Bw, Cl, Kh, Lg, Ln, Lp, Ma, Oc, Pe, Pl) represents a distillery or a style of whisky made at one of the distilleries (e.g. Br, Ln, Oc and Pl are all made at the same factory). It does not take a genius to figure out which is which, naturally, but that is not the point. The point is that each name is presented in the fashion of a chemical element, straight out of Mendeleev's periodic table (e.g. Bw₅), in a half-litre bottle that looks like it belongs in a pharmacy. Some are single casks, others are small batches. Funny approach. A few years ago, they launched Peat, which was supposedly a blend of all the others (bar Pe, I would imagine). Not sure how constant the recipe is, and it does not matter. Nose: well, what shines immediately is... the peat. TCP, iodine, hospital detergent and disinfectants, but all that is soon joined by an earthier wave: dry peat, bracken, bog myrtle, fishing nets, turf. The third sniff brings incense, exotic smoke, smoked tea (Lapsang-Suchong) and scorched earth. At last, exhaust fumes, spent matches and shotgun barrels emerge. This is resolutely peaty and smoky (it covers all the bases on those two fronts), with not much else going on. After the first sip, the nose presents roasted sausages. Mouth: a bit fruitier, here, with smoked orange segments, barbecued strawberries, mixed peel in an ashtray, black bun, stored in front of an open fire place. It feels a tad watery, yet that is relatively well covered up by the relentless peat attack. Barbecue grille, incense ash, surgical spirits, minty tar (what?) Finish: it hits a weaker spot, at this point, despite the honest ABV; it feels soft (not in a good way). Puffy, re-hydrated, dried apricot thrown into an ashtray, burnt wood, after a November rain, smoked mussels. This is a decent introduction to peaty whiskies, but nothing to rave about. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, MR)

Gerston (46%, The Lost Distillery Company, Series #3, B#1.I, b#0399, L13/9035, b.2013): I love the concept of this one: a reinterpretation of a style of whisky from a long-gone distillery. (in this case, Gerston closed in 1882) by blending modern malts. It is all a bit futile considering virtually no-one can tell if it is close to the original, the last drop of which is also long gone (in this case, 1914). But I am a ghost hunter, and this is not far from a guilty pleasure. The opaque bottle is also beautifully presented, which is a bonus. Nose: much deeper than expected from a no-age-statement blended malt (prejudice, eh?), it has the coal and soot of something very old indeed, straight out of a black-and-white picture of a fishing village around 1860. A coal stove in a decrepit classroom, dried crab shells, sea shells, fleeting stagnant water but also more sustained fruit -- crystallised satsuma, pineapple cubes, barbecued mixed peel, dried peach slices and dried plantain slices. That is all very pleasant! Mouth: it has a better balance than the previous dram, with the additional 1% very welcome. The mouth has citrus in copious doses, with grapefruit, clementine, blood orange, just a smidgen of gun powder or bonfire, and orange peels. Perhaps barbecued grapefruit? Caramelised orange segments? Burning cinnamon sticks? Orange zest? Yes, yes and yes. Finish: similar interaction here, balancing fruit (clementine, very distinct blood orange, nectarine) and smoke (a coal boiler, a bucket of soot, incense ashes). It works really well! The back of the throat is positively invaded by citrus, with the sweet acidity of clementines and the bitterness of blood-orange pith. I could drink this all night. Much orange zest, slightly bitter, but fruity, smoked clementine, a tin of pineapple cubes in a boiler room (a proper boiler room, not that fake party zone for trendy DJs) and flat, lukewarm lemonade. This one is worth at least trying. It is a bargain, at RRP. 7/10

Exotic Cargo 11yo 2006/2018 (50%, SMWS, 1st Fill ex-Sherry Spanish Oak Hogsheads, B#2, 925b): the announcement of the first batch of this resulted in much outrage. How dared the SMWS bottle a blend? It did not matter that it was a blended malt, and that the society announced it as an experiment; members around the world were intent on letting their membership lapse and boycotting the institution. But then, the same happened when they released Irish whiskey, grain whisky, Japanese and American whiskies, rum, and probably other things. Some simply like to complain. PS, on the other hand, was all over social media defending his beloved masters pied-à-terre and clamouring his unconditional love. Fanboi. I found the whole episode amusing and saw it as a storm in a tea cup. It was not as though they stopped releasing single malts straight from the cask or anything! Finally, I  get to try the cause of all that commotion, then. Nose: where is the avalanche of fruit the label promised? At first nosing, it is absent and leaves the space for wood to fill up -- exotic wood, but wood nonetheless. Then, the fruit arrives, not unlike that in a freshly-open bottle of 117.3. Initially, it is juicy mango, papaya, stewed pineapple, tinned mango in syrup. Then it is cinnamon sticks, and galangal shavings, then fish stock or delayed fish sauce, then cassia bark, jack fruit, soaked dried chilli. The wood influence is not discreet, but it is balanced by the fruit. Mouth: it seems like a different whisky altogether, with thin peach-and-orange juice, ripe pear, sweet marmalade. Eventually, the wood spices also show up, bitter, but under control -- orange pith, green wood, cassia-bark splinters, orange pips... Eurgh! Not quite so under control after all. Finish: lots of fruit (orange, apple, Chinese gooseberry), none very ripe. It makes for a very bitter finish that simply hampers this, without making it totally bad. Orange liqueur, unsweetened, kiwi skins, very bitter Seville marmalade, mandarin peel, cough syrup (not the good kind), nail varnish (not the good kind). This is all a bit meh, innit. The nose prevents it from crashing in flames, but I cannot help but feel this is less than the sum of its parts, whatever those parts are. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, JS)

20/05/2017 Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Have you noticed that more than one bottling has a means of transportation on the label? We will celebrate those, today.

Low turnout, unfortunately. cavalier66, OB, JS and myself. Let us make the other jealous, shall we? Apparently, it is World Whisky Day, too. We almost call the whole thing off just to not comply.

From right to left, this time

The playlist is also built around the theme.

Various - Techno Trash Car
The Who - Quadrophenia

Inchmurrin 20yo (40%, OB imported by T.A.C., b. late 1990s) (me): this one is not in theme, yet we have it at the same time as the following, which is. Nose: dust, thin ash, a hint of vinegar and gentle fruit. Perhaps a touch of wax too. Later on, wet cardboard shows up. Mouth: waxy plums, marzipan (cavalier66). This is soft and silky, very well balanced. Finish: marzipan-y indeed, sweet, delicate and, really, the perfect apéritif. 7/10

vs.

Inchmurrin 18yo b.2015 (40%, Undisclosed Bottler for XV Squadron's 100 Years) (JS): obviously, there is a plane on the label -- a Panavia Tornado Gr1, to be accurate. Nose: this one is fruitier, with apricot stones, then a herbal character (sage). Mouth: very Littlemill-y, fruity, grassy, slightly chalky, even, while velvety and quaffable. Finish: milk chocolate, chalk or crushed Aspirine, gentle citrus and dried kiwi. This is very Littlemill-y indeed! 7/10

The group's first sigle cask single malt

Urawa - Parable of the Driver

Gerston Series N°3 (45%, The Lost Distillery Company, B#1.I, b#0399) (me): Gerston Martin, see? James Bond's car? Nose: farm-y peat, camp fire and tractor tyres, butter, a whiff of vinegar. Water brings out a pillow-like scent and pickled tomatoes. Mouth: an oily vinaigrette, very dry hay. This is rather warming, in terms of ABV. Finish: long, warming, grassy (hay, even straw). Water makes it much, much fruitier, allowing persimmon to come through. This one, I prefer with water. 7/10

vs.

Blended Malt XO (44.7%, The Whisky Agency, Sherry Butt, 317b) (cavalier66): the label shows a picture of a holiday, which one travels to, says the owner of the bottle. Nose: a huge sherry influence, dry and biscuit-y (speculoos). It has black cardamom and rancio. Much later on, hard-boiled eggs come out. Water and time turn this into caramel, poured onto a piece of dark-wood furniture. Mouth: more sherry influence, dry-ish, tannin-y, with cinnamon and gingerbread. Water improves the balance and makes it fruitier and less spicy. Finish: it is almost cola, at this stage, though less sweet (phew). Warm speculoos, straight out of the oven, dried cigar leaves. With water: chocolate coulis on speculoos, with hints of squashed raspberries. This one improves with water too. 7/10

Food enters the scene: sea-salt crisps, popcorn, feta, crackers and plum tomatoes, courtesy of cavalier66 and home-baked brioche bread by OB. To wash it down, we have...

OB's own-brewed beer: nose: fruity as hell! Peach, pear, mango. Very refreshing. Mouth: soft and delicate, fluffy. Finish: soft, fruity, with a very faint bitterness. OB is not very proud of the result. We all like it a lot.

3 Phase - The Straight Road

Littlemill 23yo 1991/2014 (48%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Hogshead, 275b) (cavalier66): as the picture shows, this one has flying machines all over it. Nose: citrus, custard, coconut yogurt, then whispers of tropical fruit appear (squashed mango). It then evolves towards mandarin and light coffee (yup). With water, the fruit becomes more discreet. Yogurt takes more room. Then, the fruit comes back (ripe peach). Mouth: citrus-y and tropical (grapefruit, Chinese gooseberry), with a hint of hiking boots. Water does not alter it much. Finish: fruit aplenty, with a gentle bitterness (boot leather). Fruit stone? Water helps the fruit-stone bitterness come out more. 9/10

vs.

Littlemill 22yo 1992/2014 (49.1%, Jack Wieber Old Passenger Ships for Whiskyschiff Zürich 2014 imported by Monnier, Bourbon Cask, C#1902, b#121) (JS): as the name of the collection suggests, there is a picture of a ship on the label. First JW I try and I am rather excited. Nose: this one feels stronger in alcohol, but shyer in terms of flavours. Perhaps it is slightly peppery? Much later on, some fruit comes out, but it is nowhere near the TWA. Mouth: Yes, quite spicy, with orange peels. Water keeps it in the same sort of profile, with orange peels, tangerines, pomelo skins, even melon skins. Finish: yogurt-y, custard-y, sweet and velvety, complex and fantastic. It even has a touch of dunnage warehouse dryness and bitterness. This one is less immediately grabbing, yet the finish is worth the effort. 9/10

Mark Knopfler - Privateering

tOMoH: "Good buy, girl! ... and I mean b-u-y, not b-y-e."
cavalier66: "I thought it was a bit of an abrupt ending!"

The notes are not justly expressive; these are two great Littlemills, without a doubt! I do prefer the TWA's nose; both are equivalent in terms of mouth, whilst the JW's finish is my favourite. We all change our opinion several times about which one is best, during the course of those two drams.

Roxette - Tourism

With the following two, we all have pastel nata.

There was also
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian 28yo 1987/2016 (52.3%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 246b) (me): that will be the Caledonian Sleeper train, then! Nose: stronger in spirit, with dried oregano peppered over shortcrust pastry, a pizza dough with smoked olives. Mouth: a blackcurrant and blackberry explosion. I am convinced this is a mislabelled Invergordon. Finish: long, pastry-like, with more dark berries. 8/10

vs.

Garnheath 27yo 1972/2000 (59.4%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#386516, 190b, b#182, 00/81) (me): GL was going to bring a Garnheath, he said before calling off. I thought I ought to bring one out for comparison. Now GL is not coming, I still want to try mine. Oh! and it is Garnheathrow, of course. Famous airport. Nose: this smells more neutral, with a slightly medicinal tone -- pills, bandages, disinfectant. It also has varnish and the dustiness of a dunnage warehouse. Mouth: powerful, intense, not unlike mouthwash (Listerine). Sparkling spices (black cumin, galangal) and even kluwak nuts, which I conveniently let everyone smell, earlier. Finish: coating, with sticky Listerine, kluwak nuts, black cumin again, char-grilled chilli, then a lot of dried fruit (figs, prunes, sultanas). This is a bit of a beast, but taming it is very rewarding! 9/10

We all agree the Caledonian is more for immediate pleasure, whilst the Garnheath is more complex (and intimidating).

Speyside's Finest Distillery 43yo 1966/2009 (48.2%, DL Old Malt Cask for the Whisky Show 2009, Sherry Butt, C#DL REF 5625, 197b) (cavalier66): I guess this is brought as a reference to Route 66 (it is from 1966), but no; cavalier66 had this for his birthday, last year, and this takes him back to that time -- it is a time machine! Nose: cola. No! Dr. Pepper. Cherry Coke (JS). Corn syrup, nail-varnish remover, cold chocolate coulis, then liquorice, cold, mulled wine, gummy bears. The nose feels a lot stronger than 48%, which is no mean feat, after the high-strength Garnheath. This is huge and refined at the same time, if that makes sense. Mouth: liquorice, maple syrup and dried fruit (sultanas, figs, dates), but also spices (nigella-seed-sprinkled mango chutney). Finish: long, coating, raisin-y, with a minute touch of rubber in the back, liquorice. Great, especially the nose. Although it is probably not the profile I usually go for. 8/10

"Matured in a Sherry Cask"
...in case it was not obvious.

cavalier66: "The sherry influence is kept in check."
tOMoH: "Do you mean Captain Slovakian?"

Council Of Nine - Diagnosis (not in theme, but really wanted to play it)

Karuizawa 1984/2014 (58.5%, Number Ones Drinks for La Maison du Whisky, Ex-Bourbon Cask, C#8173, 363b) (OB): for the whole afternoon, OB has been thinking it could be Car-uizawa, but he had another idea: Karuiwazaki (Kawazaki, the motorcycle brand, for the poor readers who have spent the last forty years under a motorcycle-free rock). He also promises me that I am not going to like this. Nose: heavy varnish, solvents and what seems like a monstrous sherry influence. Is this really a Bourbon cask? "I can definitely taste the re-racking," cavalier66 jokes. The nose is a bit of a steamroller, though it is not that complex to these nostrils -- mostly varnish. Dried tobacco leaves emerge, after a while. Mouth: a lot of spices from the wood, varnish again, industrial glue. Finish: long, heady, with more glue and varnish, liquorice and rubber. This is very intense (though not quite as much as C#3557 for Nepal). It is well made, yet I would not want to drink it every day and never more than one dram: it is exhausting. OB explains the first dram he poured out of this bottle, he had with cola. We giggle. Opulence. OB haves it. 7/10

vs.

Kavalan 5yo b.2013 (57.8%, OB Solist imported by Bacchus Spirits, Sherry Cask, C#SO60821040, 514b, b#298) (OB): this is for King Car, though it could just as well be a dyslexic Asian's mispronunciation of 'caravan' (watch the stereotype, there!) Nose: so concentrated! It feels like syrupy, fortified wine on steroids, cured meat, smoked ham, dried earth, dried... stuff. Mouth: cough syrup, super dry leather. It is a strange mix of overly-rich, syrupy notes, and drying, meaty tannins. Finish: hot, syrupy, exactly like cough syrup, in fact, with the drying tannins of red wine. This may be good, but absolutely not my thing. Too much. 4/10

One of these two is from a Bourbon cask

cavalier66 takes a leave. OB was upset he missed the Lochside 30yo, recently. To ease his sorrow, I pour him Glenugie 31yo 1977/2009 (58.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Oloroso Finish, C#7, 577b, b#19), which he assures me manages to hold itself after the titanic Asians.

During the last few drams, we hear:

Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel / Behind The Wheel
Gary Numan - Cars
OMD - Dazzle Ships

This is the end. Time for bed.

14/08/2016 Moses and the Ten Commandements or Brexit or Pretzels

Yes, you read the theme correctly. dom666 is hosting this one and he was so ambitious he did not even find anything to fit into his own theme! The second part of which, I should add, is there because he thought the first would perhaps be too difficult. Ahem. :-)

The suspects: MQ, PSc, ruckus, dom666, sonicvince, JS, Psycho and yours, truly.

The theoretical start time is around noon. JS and I make it there a little before 14:00, only to be shouted at from the balcony -- they are thirsty.

"Hurry up! We're thirsty!"

Glengoyne 17yo (unknown ABV, OB, ceramic decanter, b.1990s) (Psycho): Glen is an English Brexiter and cannot wait for the UK to be goyne. Ahem. Nose: candied apples, strawberries and a distant fire. Mouth: spicy caramel, Americano coffee, chocolate coulis, flat cola. Finish: more lovely chocolate-y coffee, strawberry and candied apple roundness. I like this one every time Psycho pours it; today is no exception. 9/10

Caperdonich 11yo 1968/1979 (70° Proof, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice) (JS): as one can see from the label, "onnoisseur's " is parting the red C's. Note the use of an apostrophe in "Connoisseur's." It was dropped on all subsequent labels (brown, old map, new map, new new map). Just like Moses. *cough* Nose: wonderful, full of dust and antique furniture, ground fruit stones, pepper and paprika. Mouth: balanced as fook, with honey, furniture polish, wax, honey and a hefty dose of spices -- whoa! Finish: a pinch of herbs join the notes from the palate: polish, antique furniture, dust and black cumin. This is monumental. 9/10

Come to think of it, Hoi is also parting the red C's

Glencraig 31yo 1974/2005 (40%, Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare, C#2930, 262b) (dom666): still waiting to hear how this is in theme. Nose: lemon, lime, sage. Mouth: lemony honey. Finish: this is fresh and lively, full of lemon, with a touch of custard and choux dough. Despite my poor notes, this is as good as I remembered it. 9/10

Glenmorangie 10yo (43° Gay Lussac, OB imported by Schutz & Cloos, b. ca 1985) (Psycho): 10yo, 10 commandments, one year of age per commandment. There you go. Nose: wide, with a toffee touch, a pinch of earth, and a lot of lemon. Mouth: peppery toffee, paprika, milk chocolate, soy milk, even. Finish: more peppery toffee and caramel. This is soft and beautiful. 8/10

Enters food: chervil soup, followed by baked salmon with steamed broccoli and a good potato salad. Yum.

Scapa 1988/1999 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, II/BGE) (PSc): Brexiters want to eScapa the EU. *sniff* Nose: squashed strawberries, leather and crisp apple in the back. Mouth: velvety and soft, it has almond milk and vanilla milk. Finish: long and assertive, full of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch. Another one we all love revisiting. 9/10


Teeling Whiskey (46%, Teeling, L14 009 281 08/01, b.10/2014) (MQ): the group shoehorns this into the theme thus: Darteeling, favourite jea of the Brexiters. Ahem. Nose: wood varnish, tinned pineapple, hints of pear. It is not very expressive, yet it is nice. Mouth: warmer, lemon-y, zesty, almost flinty. Finish: butterscotch, chilli custard, shaved coconut. This one is simple and very pleasant. 8/10

Springbank 1965/2002 (46%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland) (me): Moses led the Jew(el)s out of Egypt. *cough* Nose: we shift gears -- a gentlemen's club with floor-to-ceiling wood panels and old bookshelves (PSc). Dunnage warehouses, star fruit, decaying cherries. This is as complex as it is noble. Mouth: a mouthful of pebbles, dunnage warehouse tones and old staves. Finish: long, powerful, distinguished; this is superlative and requires no further comment for now. I will try it on its own to give it the time it deserves. 10/10

The Ardmore Legacy (40%, OB, L521657A 14:35) (MQ): no connection to the theme. Nose: farmyard and pickle vinegar, burnt custard. Mouth: oily, with honey, wet burnt wood. Finish: distant burnt wood, oily acacia honey that leaves a viscous mouth. Nice, though it certainly suffers from its place in the sequence. 6/10

Bowmore 16yo 1996/2012 (46%, Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited, Sherry Butt, 844b) (PSc): PSc argues that, given another chance, a Brexiter Càrn vote not Mòr to leave. *coughs furiously* Nose: delicate smoke, dark fruit (blackberry and elderberry) and a farm-y note too. Mouth: velvety and soft, with a veil of barbecue smoke. Finish: long and wide, with a farmyard impression again. This is nice, if not very noteworthy. 6/10

Dessert is served: rice tart and griddled cherry tart from Tihon, a bakery in Huy.

Knockando 18yo d.1994 (43%, OB, Sherry Casks) (sonicvince): after receiving the law tablets, Moses took his staff and knocked on them for all to do what was written on them. *Achoo* Nose: chocolate milk and gentle sulfur. Mouth: mellow, with soft caramel and heavily-diluted chocolate milk. Finish: butterscotch and milk chocolate. This does not impress me much, today. I blame the sequence. 6/10

Longmorn 19yo 1992/2012 (46%, Acorn Friends of Oak, 120b) (sonicvince): Moses's staff was made out of oak. Sinking to new lows, we are. :o) Nose: powerful, fruity, full of bakery goodness and mango. Mouth: deliciously fruity (mango) and velvety, with a hint of sage, interestingly enough. Finish: big, long, fruity, wonderful. Love it. 9/10

The Arran The Bothy b.2015 (55.7%, OB, Quarter Cask, B#1, 12000b) (ruckus): Moses's full name is Mosche Ben Amram -- Ben Arran, for today. Nose: overly herbaceous (oregano, marjoram), it has banana (sonicvince), plantain (JS), vanilla (sonicvince). Mouth: a metallic bitterness to it, balanced out by coconut shavings. Finish: long, herbaceous. This is very nice. 8/10

Others have this back to back with the Arran Machrie Moor. We had it not too long ago and we are behind schedule; I skip it.

Gerston b.2013 (46%, The Lost Distillery Company, B#1.I) (me): Moses was the main character in The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. De Millburn (yes, I almost did). He was played by Charlton Gerston. Boom. I am excited to try this. It is obviously not an original Gerston (the distillery closed forever in 1882), but a reproduction, based on historical documents. In other words, it puts a rare name on a blended malt to make it more desirable, yet I find it both intriguing and original. Nose: gentle smoke, barley; not hugely assertive or complex, but agreeable. Mouth: sparkly, lively, with lashes of sweet soda. Finish: the peat is a lot louder here, with even coal smoke and dried herbs on a campfire. Good show. 7/10

Nice t-shirts too

Next up is PSc's Caol Ila 18yo, but I skip it too. Now late for the journey home.

Great tasting. Lots of silly nonsense to boot.