EG is not one to celebrate his birthdays, but, for some (welcome) reason, he decided to do it, this year. He announces early on that this is (and I paraphrase) "no more than an informal meeting with a group of friends to try some interesting whiskies."
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| EG introduces us to the world of whisky |
When that group of friends covers around ten nationalities and as many uprooted folk, it can perhaps be informal, but not casual! Amongst those in attendance, we count MW & Hk, KCF & EF, JKr, AH, CB, PG, JS, TM, NH, Ar, and a handful of EG's colleagues (Em, An, Cl, Da). NF makes a brief early appearance, then vanishes like a ghost at dawn. Ha! Ha!
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| First, let us fix the lighting |
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| Local Mortadella (EG), and aged Gouda (Em) that most (tOMoH) confuse for a mature Parmesan |
Beside nibbles, EG has concocted a line-up of whiskies all distilled in the same year. As many whiskies, in fact, as years he has spent working in the industry. Several of us have known the energumen for all those years.
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| That's a lot of years, yo! |
Glen Grant 5yo d.1985 (40%, OB, 1l): nose: light and spirit-y, it focusses on few things, and does them with precision. Pear and distant raspberry provide a little fruity entertainment. Mouth: soft, thin, pear-like, it also has a lemon-y perfume (JS). It remains precise, then, akin to limoncello, at times. Finish: clean, lemon-y, filled with limoncello. It even has almond cream in the long run. It is fairly simple, but a designated starter. We all agree it feels a lot bigger than 40%. 7/10
Glen Avon 5yo 1985/1990 (40%, Avonside Whisky Selected and Bottled Exclusively for P.A.I.S.S.A. imported by Sestante): many discussions and assertions about this. An undisclosed Glenfarclas, all reckon. In any case, it is the most-recent vintage bottled under this name. Nose: very plastic-y, with flexible rubber and cured meats, electric cables and wire insulation (jacket insulation), PVC ducting and plastic-doll heads. Mouth: pickled-pearl-onion brine, dusty cured meat, charred bits off a barbecue grill... Meaty? Yes, a little. Finish: spirit-y, if wider than the nose hinted at, it is somewhat chalky, then adds some roast beef, and a drop of brine. 7/10
S & E Wedding Reserve 1985/2021 (unknown ABV, Nadi Fiori): if you think that NF dropped off a one-off bottle before he buggered off, you are right. He made this blended malt exclusively for EG's wedding. Nose: warm wool with pearl onions in milk. Mouth: odd. Perhaps plastic? Old rubber? Finish: here, an unexpected note of liqueur chocolate rocks up. How original! Here is a dram that works better in large sips, by the way. 7/10
Strathmill 11yo 1985/1997 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Oak Cask, C#2342, 480b, b#196): nose: this is a step-up in quality, it seems. Orange bark, cassia bark, bitter orange liqueur and limestone gratings. The second nose welcomes pot-pourri. Mouth: it is quite woody on the tongue, with slabs of oak, yet it remains juicy to complement the mild bitterness. Finish: citrus-y, it has orange rinds and dried-up plasticine. A divisive dram, for some reason. Some say it is the best Strathmill they have had (the best of two, you understand), others care less for it. I like it a lot. 8/10
Bruichladdich 12yo 1985/1997 (46%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection): nose: very mineral, this is like granite torched with a flamethrower. It surprisingly progresses to give dried strawberries and dried peach slices. Mouth: CB finds it charred, whereas it is mellow and a tad mineral for JS. Strawberry yoghurt, cassia-bark shavings and eucalyptus bark. Finish: mellow again, it has a dash of orange juice and cassia bark. This is my favourite so far. 8/10
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| MW, KCF and EF meet outside of a festival, for once -- or an airport! |
EG: "Do you want me to move it?"
PG, JS and tOMoH: "Put it away!"
PG [grabs the toolbox]: "Later, I'll come to your room to do some plumbing."
The Macallan 15yo d.1985 (43%, OB Greek import, Sherry Oak Casks): nose: it smells like a spectacular Pedro Ximénez maturation: sweet, bold, and darkly fruity. Prunes, dried figs, hazelnut paste. More and more smoked dried fruits come out, as does cured orange. Mouth: it is more mineral and drier here, and hints at a Fino. Oily roasted chestnuts, wine-cured lychees and green grapes. The second sip is earthier and drier, with quarry dust and tree bark. Finish: long, sticky as cough syrup, it has camphor and liquorice, but also sweet prunes and dried figs. 8/10
TM: "This group has had more-exclusive Macallans, single casks and all, but this really does the trick."
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| Pineapple cake, courtesy of KCF and EF |
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| Yum! |
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| EF shows tOMoH how to eat the cake like a local |
Aultmore 14yo d.1985 (60.1%, Adelphi Distillery Limited imported by High Spirits, Sherry Cask, C#2900, 612b): nose: this is super-dry, chalky, overflowing with quarry dust. Grated limestone, and piles and piles of chalk. It certainly does not hide its provenance -- Aultmore tends to be chalky; this is but an extreme example. Mouth: PG finds sulphur, and, indeed, it has something of an old-school sulphur-y limestone fertiliser, were it heated. Just another side of chalky, really. Finish: burnt rubber (PG). I get none of that, but quicklime instead. Chalky and hot, and, if that reads repetitive, so be it. There are some flashes of pineapple, though that might be a remnant of those pineapple cakes from Taïwan. In any case, this stays hot on the palate for a long time. It is also the most-disliked dram today by everyone present. 6/10
TM: "The Aultmore smells shit, tastes good."
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| Emergency cork-removal skills required. At least, we know it is not a fake! |
EG goofs around with the next bottle, pretends to take a swig straight from the bottle, and ends with a generous sip of whisky in the gob, much to his uncomfortable surprise (and our amusement).
PG: "Can you pour it straight from your mouth [into mine]?"
Ord 10yo 1985/1995 (56.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection imported by Rossi & Rossi, Oak Cask): nose: ooft! We have a rich mix of minerals and fruits, with cut mango and pineapple rings served on slate. Granite chippings show up, and it appears at last that this is very strong. The second nose has cigarette smoke, grist, and a flour millstone. Mouth: phwoar! Papaya, tamarind, stewed jackfruit. After chewing, hot metal joins the dance (copper, brass). It is warm, but tolerable, despite the furious ABV (it is actually less strong than it feels). The second sip has cracked black pepper wrapped in ciggy smoke. Finish: long, full of smashed heated fruits. Smoke appears, in the long run, and it becomes quite the robust dram. 9/10
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| PG: "Proper dram for real people. [Grabs the toolbox] Now I can get some shit done!" |
EG distributes vouchers to all.
KCF: "Give me ten, man!"
54.2 9yo 1985/1995 (58.2%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: leather grease, old leather coats that have just ben waterproofed again. Then, we move on to jams and marmalades slathered on hot boilers (dusty cast iron). Water makes it nuttier and woodier, with a stack of extremely-dry oak logs. Mouth: chicory infusion... and quite some power! This is hot, from a time before the Society discovered water. Hazelnut spread, almond butter, chestnut purée. The desiccating second sip sucks all moisture. Water renders it sharper and more chiselled, almost grappa-like, so sharp it is. Finish: hot, dusty metal mingles with hazelnut and almond spread, perhaps chocolate, and chestnut purée again. The hot metal is incisive, though. Very bold. It is all darker and warmer at second sip, chocolate-coulis galore. Water brings out grapes and keeps it sharp. 7/10
Pittyvaich-Glenlivet 15yo 1985/2000 (59.1% Cadenhead Authentic Collection imported by Arnolfini Trading, Bourbon Hogshead, 240b): nose: initially very briny, it turns into roast beef and crushed sand. With time, it is geranium stems, and, slowly, earth and potting soil, augmented with cork shavings. Mouth: hot tomato sauce, musk (JS). This has meaty elements -- cold gravy, mortadella, -- and retains the cardboard. Finish: it turns hot again, earthy, flowers trampled into mud. 7/10
PG: "One of my top-100 Pittyvaich."
AH: "It's Suze. My Cure t-shirt is wrapped around [a bottle of] olive oil I just bought."
Glenlivet 10yo 1985/1996 (57.9%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection Cask Strength imported by Rossi & Rossi, Sherry Hogshead, C#19.765, 271b): nose: dry polished wood (AH), a bold Sherry cask indeed, but one that brings one a lot of squashed fruits (figs, dates), and a bit of earth too. Mouth: thick, rich, Sherry-matured whisky that exhibits raisins, prunes, and figs. It is thick, coating, rich, and fairly strong too. Last to strike are heated lychee shavings. Finish: dark fruit, stewed, juicy, lovely. The second gulp brings cured lychee too. This is very good. 8/10
We pick up the pace for the final couple, which makes for scrambled notes.
Glen Garioch 16yo 1985/2001 (51.9%, OB Individual Cask Bottling for The Whisky Exchange, Sherry Butt, C#1585): nose: lavender (EG). There is some, as well as sultanas, raisins and violet candy (I am not talking about Parma Violet, but the superior Continental variation; Verquin's, for example). Mouth: oh! This is so full of hard-boiled violet sweets it is hilarious. Of course, everybody hates it. Everybody but me -- I like it. :) Finish: dirty earth and a lot of violet sweets. So much violet it is extremely entertaining. 8/10
Bowmore 16yo 1985/2001 (50%, Silver Seal Special Reserve, Sherry Cask, 480b): nose: a notch of peat and mud make way for a roasted-nut paste. We then have faint shoe polish and distant pot flowers. Mouth: mellow and earthy at first, shoe polish develops, spread onto the softest leather. Flowers are nowhere to be found, here. Finish: earth-soaked violet sweets -- and the earth is certainly easier to spot than the violet. Later on, hazelnut spread becomes more and more obvious. I try this on the spot, later on in the evening, and again the following morning and love it each time. 8/10
PG: "The Garioch is more 1980s Bowmore than the 1985 Bowmore!"
Ar: "The best thing about the Bowmore is that it was not the Glen Garioch."
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| Bodegas del Mundo Nuevo 40yo (84 Proof, OB imported by Schroeder Bros.) Em brought this Brandy de Jérez. I will never get around to trying it. |
