29/01, 22/02, 23/02/2026 Belgium #11 -- Calling last order

A tasting in three parts. It is impossible to gather everyone on the same night, so the groups are split thus:

29/01/2026: kruuk2, ruckus, JS, tOMoH

22/02/2026: Psycho, adc, ydc, GD, tOMoH (JS joins briefly)

23/02/2026: Bishlouk, red71, STL, sonicvince, dom666, GN, tOMoH (Psycho joins briefly)

The below is a synthesis of those nights. All drams are poured blind. All bottles (except #5) are either empty or contain so little that they will never be served again.

Dram #1

Nose: shoes and leather (ruckus), warm and humid leather (ruckus). kruuk2 and ruckus both agree that this is not a light whisky to start with. adc finds it light and subtle all the same, flowery and perfume-y, and finally settles for Highland-coo dung, while I detect brine and cardboard. red71 finds it pleasant, with notes of hard cheese (Pecorino). Bishlouk calls is very classical, probably a Speysider from a Bourbon cask. sonicvince calls it mineral, to which Bishlouk and dom666 object that it is vegetal.
Mouth: an old man's whisky (ruckus) -- and, indeed, it is toffee and old cardboard, which supports kruuk2's comment that "it tastes like whisky". "I like it, it's a perfect day for this" (adc). Psycho says it is lightly woody, with dry wood and spices (Psycho), whereas GD has pepper and finds this sticks to the gob. Bishlouk sees a classic Speyside palate.
Finish: "whisky as it is traditionally understood" (kruuk2), "the kind of drams one drinks with one's cocker spaniel by the fireplace" (kruuk2). A light aniseed touch and honey (ydc), a tad nondescript (Psycho) and spicy again (GD). sonicvince spots coffee beans where Bishlouk has a slight astringency. He adds it is a tad vegetal, but a classic Bourbon cask nonetheless.
Comment: a few timid guesses, none a blend. adc is reminded of that Isle of Jura, calls it light as a Lowlander, yet characterful as an Islay. My notes are here.

Sandy Macnab’s Old Blended Scotch 5yo (40%, Macnab Distilleries, b.1980s)

tOMoH: "What do you think, GN?"

GN: "I should have had a larger sample. It is hard to tell what I think with so little."
STL: "GN just confirmed he is part of the same family!"

Dram #2

Nose: Haribo sweets or Fraises Tagada (kruuk2 and ruckus), flavoured vodka (ruckus, who is about to be banned). adc finds it bolder than the first and a little smoky, with a whiff of iodine. Psycho, on the other hand, talks about an orchard. GD confirms it is fruity, despite adc calling it woody. Psycho, ever the pacifier, declares fruit-tree wood. adc finds caramel, toffee (but no salt, ydc adds), Quality Street's Toffee Penny (adc and ydc) or biscuit (Psycho). ydc smells five-spice mix at the baker's, not quite the same as speculoos spices, but close. sonicvince gets varnish and overripe fruit. Bishlouk detects menthol.
Mouth: kruuk2 declares that the Haribo sweets are lost, while ruckus utters a simple "50%?" (spot on). GD calls it explosive and buttery, when ydc identifies quince and peach. Dry upon entry (Bishlouk), STL soon says it has balls and operates a noticeable shift in horsepower. Beyond that, it is woodier (Bishlouk) and offers rancio (Bishlouk). STL also finds it spicier, once his taste buds are accustomed to the brute force.
Finish: kruuk2 wonders if it is a grain. adc finds it "not bad," even if she is not taken by the first gulp. She acknowledges that one needs to go to it and the more she tries it, the more she likes it. When red71 calls a bitter touch, GN specifies ashes.
Comment: even after the reveal, ruckus and kruuk2 struggle to recognise the distillery markers. This makes GN think of Balcones Brimstone. My notes are here.

Lochside 21yo d.1981 (50%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland, Bourbon Cask, C#607)

dom666: "I have an appointment with a Lithuanian [woman]… for work, yeah?"
tOMoH: "She will be working. Not you."
dom666: "No, I'm giving her..."
GN: "Money!"

(The above is, of course, to tease dom666, not to make a sweeping comment about Lithuanians.)

Dram #3

Nose: "this speaks to me less than #2," ruckus tells us, while kruuk2 finds it more discreet, even if he admits the softness leads to fruits. adc and ydc find it leafy and vegetal, with adc adding that it is laurel leaves in the sunrays. adc goes further and names it assassinated foliage, when Psycho detects cedar and encaustic. adc then finds it softer and less sulphurous than the Lochside, which means this here is more to her taste. GD finds it spicy (again) and has liquorice, followed by apples or Calvados. Bishlouk, never prolific with the praises, calls this extraordinary, a nose that throws stuff in one's face (which makes red71 think of dom666's Lithuanian). red71 finds it Littlemillesque.
Mouth: ruckus finds it more interesting in the mouth (a phrasing that Bishlouk would undoubtedly latch on to, were he there on the same night). adc is not taken by the first sip of this one either. Psycho finds cough drops, while ydc has subtle berries -- perhaps strawberries. She says it is hard to pinpoint, but then starts talking about Fraises Tagada. "Indescribable," says Bishlouk, who says it shoots stuff in all directions. sonicvince reckons it is too syrupy to be a Littlemill. dom666 announces lychee.
Finish: kruuk2's favourite so far, and ruckus likes it too. Hay (adc), bison herb (adc), grasses (adc). It is warming (GD) with a very-long finish (Psycho).
Comment: once revealed, ruckus and kruuk2 acknowledge the fruity Irish profile. adc, after a lukewarm welcome, loves it. On the third night, many ask me to order them a bottle of this, if available, with sonicvince calling it one of the best whiskies he has ever tried. Tough luck finding one. GN liked the first two drams more, on the other hand. My notes are here.

Midleton d.2014 (unknown ABV, Duty Paid Samples, Double Charred Bourbon Cask)

adc: "What are Fraises Tagada, actually?"
Psycho: "The strawberries of horses."

Dram #4

Nose: "a grain?" (ruckus) Indeed, ruckus detects vanilla, pastry and raw butter shortcrust, whereas kruuk2 notes yeast. ruckus finds it rather closed, stuffy and fusty, if not mouldy. On the other hand, GD detects honey and ydc dried and shell fruits (mixed peel, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans). adc finds it very pleasant. sonicvince has vanilla where Bishlouk spots medicinal notes and cough syrup. STL and sonicvince confirm custard, or even butter (STL). GN suggests shortbread.
Mouth: ruckus notes that it punches pretty hard. GD spots chilli (he is easily affected by spices, it seems) where ydc has torrefied cocoa and coffee beans. She also has caramel and a whisper of ginger (which adc has too). Psycho calls it acidic and pungent. When GD mentions light soy sauce, Psycho counters with dark soy sauce. Far from that, Bishlouk notes vanilla and spices. GN continues his biscuit trip with Palets Bretons, which are a local type of shortbread.
Finish: dry, with a note of coffee (kruuk2). ruckus and kruuk2 settle on Mokatine, which is pretty accurate a descriptor. adc finds it a fleeting note that works less well -- she calls it a bit rough. ydc talks about acetone. "The taste is fleeting," says sonicvince who is left with but the tingle of alcohol, although he says it retains a buttery side too. 
Comment: JS likes this a lot. sonicvince finds it formidable, meaning enjoyable and indomitable. My notes are here.

Glenallachie 14yo 2000/2014 (57.3%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition, B#GA 14 006)

Dram #5

Nose: fresh and spicy (ruckus), candied cherries (ruckus), reminiscent of Mon Chéri without being exactly similar (ruckus). ruckus and kruuk2 find a lot of sweet jam ("not a jam for someone with diabetes," says kruuk2). Then, it is dust (ruckus), sour dust (ruckus). "Or is it my studio?" asks ruckus, who still finds it a tad sour. "Not convincing," says adc, who does not like anything at first contact, today. She adds that it is almost inexistant. GD, however, finds cow dung in the summer, which is to say it smells herbaceous, unlike what cows defecate in the winter, when they eat only hay. Bishlouk can only smell pure alcohol, red71 detects spices and adds that this will clearly "unpot" one.
Mouth: some spices here too (ruckus), industrial (kruuk2), engine grease (ruckus), a server room (kruuk2), an old computer whose fan is full of dust (kruuk2). Psycho finds it characterful and very good. ydc calls it very aromatic. For sonicvince, this is salty on the tongue, or peppery, according to red71, who adds that the nose and the palate are disconnected, as if they belonged to two completely separate whiskies.
Finish: in the medium run, alcohol blows up in one's face (kruuk2). ruckus finds it even dustier and more industrial in the empty glass. "The tip of the tongue spots Highland-cow dung" (adc). ydc is "all warm inside" and says this "unpots" (meaning it kicks so hard that one is thrown out of one's pot -- if one is a plant). Psycho agrees to the warming adjective and GD notes that this too sticks to the gob. red71 finds that it stings. He and Bishlouk observe a deluge of black pepper.
Comment: it is a smidge brutal, of course, but what a dram! This is less adc's thing, tonight. It is universally recognised as a whisky that punches on in the face. My notes are here. 

57.4 15yo 1979/1994 Fearsome indeed; smoky, spicy and savoury (63.1%, SMWS Society Cask)

dom666: "My great-grandmother lived in Scotland. She left her husband after five kids: she had had enough of being a reproduction machine. She came to Belgium, remarried and had two more children. I don't know why."
STL: "To get her residence permit!"

Numbers 2 and 3 are inverted on this picture

Dram of the day:

• ruckus: Midleton
• kruuk2: Midleton
• JS: Glenallachie
• adc: Sandy MacNab, Midleton
• ydc: Glenallachie, Lochside, Glen Mhor, Sandy MacNab, Midleton
• GD: Midleton
• Psycho: Lochside, Glen Mhor
• STL: Midleton
• Bishlouk: Midleton
• sonicvince: Midleton
• red71: Midleton
• GN: Lochside
• dom666: we will never know

Good times, as usual.

21/06/2023 The Big Tasting

Still in Franconia, we have a second tasting, themeless, this one, but ambitious nonetheless. MV, AV, JS, OHH, MHH, Port Ardbeg and I are still there, but MBbn had to leave early yesterday, replaced by none other than our cavalier66.

We open all the bottles to let them breathe. The first one's cork breaks off at the wooden base, and the remaining bit has shrunk so much that it risks falling into the neck. Not even tOMoH's Magic Technique™ (a vacuum cleaner) does the trick. It causes hilarity, though -- and embarrassment, as I initially fail to operate the sucking device. In the end Port Ardbeg gives up and pushes the cork into the bottle. Splash.

At least, we know the bottle is genuine

A modest line-up indeed

Banff 33yo 1975/2009 (44.2%, Gentle Noses, Bourbon Cask, C#1490, 120b) (Port Ardbeg): Jack Wieber is not explicitly mentioned anywhere; the stopper seal states "Bisk Lee", and it seems other bottlings in the same range have "Jack Lee," "Jumping Foo," "Po Foo," or "Mao Lee." Go figure. I am convinced it is a collaboration between Wieber and the other bloke on the label, and that is why I state Gentle Noses as the bottler, rather than the collection. Live with it. Nose: quintessential Banff, with woody tones (galangal shavings) and mustard powder. There is also some custard and a little fruit (tropical, say the others). Dunnage warehouse, dried lemongrass, white-wood sawdust. Ten or fifteen minutes in, we see white orchard fruit enter the scene (quince, crumbly pear), as do berries and propolis. Time pushes this nose closer to banana, which I like. Mouth: mellow at first, it mixes pepper and berries so dark they may as well by liquorice boot laces. The texture is creamy, not unlike a thinned-out horseradish sauce. There are some herbs too, here. The second sip is squashed banana, sprinkled with dried oregano. Finish: balanced, creamy, fruity, here is smashed apricot. Further sips present the same banana as on the nose -- Banffana, obviously. The initial woody notes are reduced to a discreet dusting of sawdust. 9/10

vs.

Banff 39yo 1975/2015 (46.8%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS 15024, 89b, b#47) (MV): nose: this smells more austere, with limescale on a stainless-steel sink. Breathing allows esters to come out, as well as desert dirt. It walks towards a spicier edge, before spouting fruits (dried apricots, mixed peel), yet also frankly-woody things (namely balsawood and sawdust). Mouth: birch sawdust on marmalade. It is mellow to start with, but it grows in intensity, with nutmeg and white pepper. The next sip has pollen on top of the sawdust. There is something bitterer too that I cannot put my finger on. Finish: the woodiness is a lot to take in, now -- almost too much. It is not so much mustard as it is sawdust and nutmeg, easily smothering any fruit. In fact, it is borderline tannic. Long, drying, it flirts with crushed bay leaves. I may go up to 9 in different circumstances, but for tonight... 8/10

Balblair 1966/2007 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, JF/FJC) (OHH): nose: metal, herbs, flint, and fruit. Bracken, juniper, hay bales, cut apart and strewn on pebbles in a courtyard. There is a splintery woodiness, and mayonnaise about to turn. Finally, it settles for wooden shelves. Mouth: creamy and toffee-like, here are caramel and warm fudge, still liquid, before it sets. We have a very faint impression of bay leaves too (again!?) that leaves lichen on the teeth, but mostly it is caramel. It is fruitier in further sips, displaying oranges and marmalade. Finish: a good serving of caramel-coated toffee, augmented with crushed bay leaves and menthol. Next sips unleash more bitter marmalade than one can shake a stick at -- lemon marmalade too. 9/10

vs.

Tomatin 1966/2011 (46.9%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Sherry Butt, C#MoS 11021, 122b) (MV): nose: wood stain, menthol, cold cola (cavalier66), candied apples, caramelised orchard fruits, cassis liqueur, dunnage warehouse. Mouth: wonderful, rich, it has berry juice and pressed cherries -- not maraschino, but not far off. Finish: simple, a little one-note, but it is elegant without a doubt. Booze-soaked cherries, mostly, with vague remnants of varnish thinner. 8/10

Glenallachie 39yo 1973/2013 (48.9%, Maltbarn #13, Bourbon Cask, 51b) (cavalier66): nose: intense, it has wood dust and white fruit -- white peach and crunchy pear. There seems to be a thin veil of smoke that supplements nail lacquer. In the long run, it goes darker and earthier, with pressed elderberry and cured apricot. Mouth: velvety, full and rounded, it has chestnut purée and cherry preserve, riding on a thick texture. This is dense alright! Finish: elegant, but powerful, with more cherries and raspberries, cured peaches, cherry compote -- that sort of things. It may not be overly complex, but it is excellent. Scratch that! The second sip has a more explosive fruitiness propelled by a kick of rubber that really elevates this. I like it as much as the first time. 9/10

vs.

Cragganmore 29yo 1973/2003 (52.5%, OB Special Edition, 6000b, b#2877) (OHH): nose: excessively savoury, it showcases beef stew, Bovril, brine, and pickled onions. It is a really hard nose, closer to the Macallan Full Proof from the other day than to any Cragganmore I have had. It mellows out a bit, given lots of time. Thankfully. Mouth: blueberries and nectarines. The texture is waxy and chewy, while at the same time gently acidic. The second sip has honey with a drop of lemon juice. What a departure from that nose! Finish: big and warming, it clings to the tonsils, with melted honey and honeyed chestnuts. Good, after a worrying start. The nose is nose my thing, but it shines after that. 8/10

Dessert is served: vanilla ice cream with a dash of Eierlikör made by AV's hairdresser. Delicious, and spot on at this point in the line-up, on this hot, muggy June night.

Vanilla ice cream with a dash of homemade Eierlikör

Brora 1972/1997 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, IG/ABC) (Port Ardbeg): nose: boom! Ashy farmyard, dried manure, cow stables, and cow dung so dried it could self-combust at any moment. Cigarette ash, scorched earth, spent wick, and extinguished candles join the dance. Several hours later, coming back to it as a final dram, it still explodes with farm-y and ashy scents. Mouth: the reduction can be felt, a little, like OHH suggested a minute ago, yet it packs a punch. It retains some candle wax to supplement a huge farmyard influence, though this time, there is also a clear hessian-sack note. Later on, it feels more mellow, with honey, tangerines, yellow kiwis, buddha's hands, and steamed potatoes with unsalted butter. Finish: long, ashy, farm-y and earthy. Later sipping brings an almost-inky note, as well as yellow fruits aplenty (mirabelle plum, peach, nectarine), as if they had fallen onto a muddy farm path. This is incredible. As good as the 1992 bottling, and it will remain the dram of the day, for me. 10/10

vs.

Brora 30yo b.2002 (52.4%, OB Natural Cask Strength, 3000b, b#2361) (Port Ardbeg): nose: others do not find this farm-y at all, but I disagree. Perhaps not cow stables per se, yet, for me, it has burnt hessian sacks and hot tractor tyres, both of which I associate with the farm. Beside that, spent wick, torched nail lacquer, and crushed rocks. Yup! Although it is not what initially dominates, it develops a right minerality. Port Ardbeg can detect no smoke at all, and I disagree again, as illustrated by the spent wick. Extended breathing allows more smoke to come out. Hours later, lemon and limescale also appear. Mouth: big and drying, it confirms the mineral side with quarry chippings, before unveiling the ashes of burnt cow dung. The second sip has ginger, cinnamon, and smoked red cherries. Finish: huge, drying, it exhibits a strong minerality again -- more rocks and quarry chippings. The second sip, on the other hand, is full of thick, tarry smoke, tractor diesel and burnt tyres. 9/10

It reads 'Brora', but it is pronounced 'Win'

Glen Grant 1972/2019 (50.9%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Sherry Hogshead, C#MoS19024, 21b, b#18) (MV): he is in full MoS mode, our MV, is he not? Nose: incredibly present, after the two immense Broras. It has chestnut shells, pencil erasers, crusty bread (!), and acerbic citrus. The second nose has cut peach, and it becomes fruitier and fruitier with each subsequent nosing. Mouth: red-cherry compote, and rooibos tea. It turns bitter and drying like an over-infused tea. Finish: a lick of chocolate coats a boiled-berries compote. Very nice, this, despite the irrefutable bitterness on the palate. 8/10

vs.

Glen Grant 39yo 1972/2011 (51.2%, Jack Wiebers Whisky World, Refill Sherry Cask, C#38202, 256b, b#201) (Port Ardbeg): nose: fermented clementines left on the coal stove. Maybe it is accompanied by a dollop of milk chocolate, but it is subdued. Truth be told, overall, the nose is discreet. Mouth: a rather sharp attack gives way to ashy cherry compote. The stones were removed, burnt, and their ashes strewn over the crushed fruit. Finish: big, it brings back the fermented fruit (nectarines, this time), oddly enough. We also have distant coffee beans to impart an earthy bitterness. 8/10

More dessert. The tub of ice cream is in another wing of the building, so we get chocolate-coated cones with Eierlikör. Not as successful a combination as with the ice cream, but beggars etc.

Old Fettercairn 34yo 1975/2009 (57.2%, Whisky-Fässle Limited Edition, Bourbon Cask) (Port Ardbeg): nose: melted chocolate, oily roasted rye, sourdough, then, a dollop of minty shoe polish takes off, straight out of a tin. It veers closer and closer to mint. Mouth: woah! An immediate bitterness seizes the taste buds. A little swirling around confirms that bitterness, which seems to come from white-hot metal. Fortunately, nuts come to the rescue to restore some balance -- almonds, macadamia, hazelnut, bitter, yet also creamy. That seems darker upon further sipping, with Brazil and Kluwak nuts. Finish: nut liqueur and crushed oily macadamia. It gets sweeter over time, now teeming with plump grapes, sweet and crunchy. "Lovely Bettercairn," says JS. Likely to fare even better in less-illustrious company. 8/10

vs.

Ardbeg 28yo 1972/2000 (49.2%, Kingsbury Hand Writing) (Port Ardbeg): nose: tarry ropes, ink (JS), but it is not ink-city (cavalier66). Crushed chalk, crushed dolmas, encrusted in tarry ropes. The next nose has stone-baked rye bread, soot, then coffee beans. Mouth: liqueur-infused mocha custard, sprinkled with a pinch of ash. Incredibly, it manages to stay sweet at the same time, a bit like a 1983 Port Ellen (Moon Import, anyone?) Suddenly, and fleetingly, a wave of dark ink crashes on all that, and then disappears. It is really a mad mix of sweetness, soot, coal dust, and ink. Finish: huge. Indian ink, hessian, old rope, old fishing nets, diesel and black rubber. As cavalier66 observes, it may not be as complex or as classy as C#3038 or C#2738, and it is hard to to tell how this one would fare against those without trying them back to back (which we will not do), but boy! does it tick my boxes, tonight? 10/10

No-one ever finds out how to switch the lights on

JS [to cavalier66 who is trying the Karuizawa from Monday and explaining the technical details]: "You know your Noh!"

Port Ellen MoS-PS001 (57.2%, Malts of Scotland Private Stock, Refill Sherry Hogshead, 104b, b#55) (MV): nose: lots of ink and diesel, as well as lovely, smoky wax. With time, it becomes more maritime (as one would expect), with sea air and smoked mussels. Mouth: oh! yes, it is waxy alright. That wax is quickly joined by chewy dried apricots, and ashy mussels. Chewing on it adds crushed mussel shells, then petrol with a pinch of white sugar. Finish: it is hugely petrolic -- mussel shells overcome by a black tide, black sands, burnt wax, and ashes. It is a very long finish if I know one. It is, however, mildly annoying that, as last year, I am not in the best dispositions to make good notes about this cracking dram. You know? After twelve drams? 9/10

vs.

Port Ellen 24yo 1982/2007 (59.6%, Whisky-Fässle Limited Edition for Whiskystammtisch Rebstock Biberach / Riß, Fino Sherry Cask) (Port Ardbeg): nose: extremely fiery at first, all burning wheat fields and empty pastures that have not seen rain for a season (a bit like life outside, in other words). It has ink too, marker pens, and a drop of ultra-dry white wine (grenache blanc, albariño). This is ashy, ashy, ashy. The second nose has forest-y tones and cypress hedges. Mouth: a bit sweeter on the arrival, the mouth has wheat beer crystallising in an ashtray. It is rather fiery too, with barley syrup hardly covering hot embers and cigarette ash, still red in the ashtray. This is fairly anaesthetising, even medicinal: it numbs the palate, even though a certain sweetness survives. The next sip is perhaps sweeter, though still pretty fierce -- maybe minty boiled sweets? It is not quite peppermint, much to my relief. Finish: what a punch in the kisser! The palate is still tickling from that all-powerful mouth when the finish simply smacks you in the face, relentlessly and continuously. It is a fighter alright, which is no major surprise, considering this teases the 60% mark. Blue mentholated gel comes up, after a bit, then frozen tar, old rubber (wet suits left in the garage for over a decade, and crumbling as a result), and hot decrepit boilers. 8/10

Most go to bed -- it is past 3:00, after all. cavalier66, MV and I go outside, but it is chilly and we are a bit loud; I do not want to disturb the neighbour who has shown herself to be difficult already. I am soon back in to finish my drams, then I hit the sack. Phew.

What a night! As often in these tastings, the generosity on display was exemplary. That someone we have never met would happily pour (or let us pour ourselves, in fact) such special bottles is heart-warming and inspiring. Of course, the whisky community has always been welcoming and keen to share (knowledge as well as liquid), but with the explosion in popularity and prices, in recent years, it is something that is observed more rarely or less openly than before. That makes these shindigs all the more special.

06/05/2023 Anticoronation

Today, Prince Charles becomes Charles III. As some celebrate this coronation, we meet for non-monarchist drams with a firm plan to not monitor events all day. "We" are JS, OB, Cavalier66 and I.

The soundtrack: Pronto Pronto ??!! (for the sole reason that the last track of CD1 is by a band called CO.RO[nation] -- ha!)

Cavalier66 immediately preys upon the food he brought. In pure Cavalier66 style, he has not had anything to eat since he got up -- presumably six minutes ago. Amongst the goodies, a Royal Oak smoked ham. Also Serrano ham and Comté, plus a potato-flour bread which is delicious, if hard to cut (so spongy!)

OB explains that he brought an apéritif, a French whisky, to celebrate that the French have done away with their monarchy, because they were anticoronation.

Ergaster Nature N°001 (45%, OB, French Oak Cognac + Banyuls + Pineau des Charentes Casks, 1900b, b#0579, b. 2019) (OB): nose: strangely woody for a four year-old, bready (Cavalier66), with something lactic, and caraway seeds (Cavalier66). The second nose has a lot of nail polish and crayon shavings. Mouth: velvety, it quickly turns a little bitter, as well as sweet, somehow reminiscent of Crodino. Finish: mellow, it cannot hide its vin-jaune influences. Or Pineau, since it is N°000 that was matured in Vin Jaune casks. There is a clear taint of apricot too. 7/10

From a four-year-old French whisky to a thirty-eight-year-old Scotch. Ahem. Cavalier66 has us play anagrams, for this one, and it takes a few clues to decipher that with the coronation comes the pledge of allegiance -- which almost spells Glenallachie. We will drink the latter, rather than pledge said allegiance.

Glenallachie 38yo 1973/2010 (44%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS11018, 96b) (Cavalier66): nose: Cavalier66 notes dunnage and sour fruit, whereas I find it is a flowery one (jasmine, lilac) that reveals a juicy fruitiness, chiefly that of mirabelle plums. JS detects apple compote, and it has galangal shavings too, far in the back, mingling with apple peels. The second nose even displays dragon fruit. Mouth: surprisingly dilute and a bit disappointing (Cavalier66). It is delicate, with middle-dry white wine (Chenin blanc), and the soft bitterness of the vine that bore its grapes. Finish: it is gentle, again, in a white-wine way. Cotton Candy grapes, and a sprinkle of burnt-wood shavings. This is boss. 9/10

tOMoH [about the anagram]: "Only the 'h' is not in use, is it?"
JS: "We could use the 'h', perhaps?"
Cavalier66: "Jamaicans would."
tOMoH: "Hallegiance. Jah bless, mahn!"

OB tells us how Ireland left the UK and the Commonwealth because they were anticoronation. Cavalier66 adds that the previous time Ireland had no king was during the Civil War, and that Oliver Cromwell then massacred the Irish, which made them (even more) anticoronation.

Ireland 24yo 1989/2014 (42.2%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams a joint bottling with La Maison du Whisky, Rum Cask, C#16262) (Cavalier66): nose: fluorescent-purple nail varnish, waxy mango peels, butterscotch and glue (JS), bergamot and kumquat, plump satsuma and foliage. Then, slowly but surely, mango rises. It is a grassier number, though, no doubt about it. Coming back to it after the next dram, this smells more buttery, in a smashed-mango-and-apricot way. Mouth: the texture of a good citrus juice, and the taste of juicy mango, alongside the metal of the knife that cut the fruit open. Finish: long, fruity, mango-y, and a little earthy too. The second sip has bread and just what it needs, in terms of fruitiness. Lovely drop. 9/10

vs.

Emerald Isle 24yo d.1991 (52.6%, Speciality Drinks, C#8507) (OB): nose: menthol (JS), and a minute amount of smoke, which surprises us all -- there was none when we had it, ahem, six years ago. Mouth: ooft! Here is a gigantic lick of mango, and a touch of metal. The alcohol is fairly obvious and numbing, but never overtakes the mad fruit. There is even banana in this. Beautiful. Finish: long and boldly fruity. Warming. The second sip is bolder, still, with loads of mango covered in chocolate. Repeated sipping reveals an earthy side too. 9/10

The soundtrack: Helena Hauff - Kern Vol. 5

The next one, I explain, has the seal: "By appointment to HRM The Prince of Wales." Laphroaig are likely mightily against the coronation, because it means they will have to replace their labels (at no small a cost, no doubt).

Laphroaig 28yo b.2018 (44.4%, OB Limited Edition, Quarter Casks + Bourbon Barrels + Sherry Butts) (tOMoH): nose: pure fruit (Cavalier66). We have an enthralling, smoky dark-fruit jam. Mouth: it develops more ash on the tongue, but it is still very much a dark-berry affair. Finish: ash and fruit (Cavalier66). Full notes here. 9/10

JS introduces an SMWS bottling that has "lip-smac-KING" in the name.

44.53 22yo d.1989 Lip-smacking, chewy and chunky (51.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 279b) (JS): nose: coal, in the back (Cavalier66). Old jam stuck to the cast-iron cauldron. Mouth: chewy (OB), oily (OB and Cavalier66), it has a distinct, industrial-age, dusty-boiler side. Phwoar! Finish: it has the legs of a centipede (Cavalier66, prompting a discussion about cult flick The Human Centipede), buckets of soot, and caramelised marmalade. It is also very waxy (Cavalier66). This is OB's favourite, so far. I like it too, of course. My full notes are here. 9/10

JS plays single tracks.

The soundtrack: Thompson Twins - King For A Day

The soundtrack: King - Love And Pride

Cavalier66, always great at international relations, presents the next one, a Cognac, thus: "The French. You get rid of monarchy, you chop off your king's head, and you don't even make whisky."

Cavalier66 [to OB]: "And you had to bring a fucking French whisky [to ruin my connection]!"

François Peyrot 61yo 1959/2010 (44.2%, OB Heritage, Lot '59) (Cavalier66): nose: wood smoke, but especially gummy bears, Cola Bottle sweets, purple chewy sweets, then soft rubber. We have a note of grapes (raisins, actually), marzipan, and then we are back with wood. The second nose has putty and balls of clay. Mouth: cinnamon-y ginger, modelling clay, dark grapes, peppermint. Over time, the sweetness of chewy (blackcurrant) sweets takes over. Finish: long, elegant, it has a wheelbarrow of fruits, the heat of a mentholated gingery paste, and the chewiness of clay. 9/10

The soundtrack: Echo & The Bunnymen - My Kingdom

The soundtrack: Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime

Cavalier66 [about that latest song]: "Because you only see a coronation once in a lifetime."
OB: "Well, I hope I live a bit longer than..."
Cavalier66: "...Charles! That's the only way to finish that sentence."
JS: "Actually, it is for Tal-KING Heads."

Time to attack OB's excellent gâteau basque

The soundtrack: Roadking - SAT015

I bring the next bottle to the group.

Cavalier66: "Always a pleasure to have a dumpy."
[All laugh]
JS: "That is going to be my email signature from now on."
tOMoH: "A Glenlossie. This is about the loss of Charles's title of Prince of Wales."
Cavalier66: "Or the loss of his head when we behead him."

Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1979 (80° Proof, Cadenhead imported by Mario Rossi, Sherry Cask) (tOMoH): nose: sherries, but not in a bulldog way (OB). Half OBE, half sherry (Cavalier66). It has rancio and more rose water than I remembered too. Mouth: phwoar! This really is a beautiful Sherry maturation, with dry earth, stone-hard, bone-dry raisins. Finish: old dry Sherry, and industrial-era soot, as well as coal dust. This remains amazing. Full notes here. 9/10

The soundtrack: Adam & The Ant - Kings Of The Wild Front

OB explains that the next dram is colloquially known as Red Stripe -- Red Stripe, like the rave beer from Jamaica, a country that wants to leave the Commonwealth, and whose citizens are presumably anticoronation until that departure has taken place.

Laphroaig 10yo (55.7%, OB Original Cask Strength imported by Allied Domecq Zürich) (OB): nose: peaty. Tanned leather, damp earth, ploughed fields. It is very farm-y in an agricultural way, as opposed to cattle farming. We have a vaguely maritime touch too, with kelp, seaweed, and seaweed-wrapped chicken (or rooster, really: it comes across as tough). Finally, here are hard tree bark and old ink. Mouth: dry, earthy, it has elderberries, blackcurrants, and lots of horsepower. This is chewy as a beard, and punctuated by burning hay. Punchy, boisterous. I can see why so many fall for this. Truth be told, I can also see why some grow out of it. Finish: rougher than the 'lossie (OB). There is a clear kick of earthy blackcurrant and elderberry. It suffers from the sequence, but is otherwise a decent whisky, even if it is lacking in the elegance department, perhaps. 7/10

The soundtrack: The Coronation Of King George II

JS explains that Princess Charlotte will never be crowned, and does not move closer to the throne as a result of the coronation, so she is probably anticoronation.

Port Charlotte 14yo 2002/2017 (60.1%, The Creative Whisky Company The Exclusive Malts, Sherry Hogshead, C#1140, 228b) (JS): nose: mud, pastures, muddy pastures. This is well farm-y, and more cattle farm than agriculture, this time. It has dark berries too, mind. The trademark bacon is present, yet subdued. Mouth: berries aplenty, as well as liqueur and earth. It is thick and sticky, faintly animal... and strong. Fierce peppermint ends up poking the tongue relentlessly. Finish: unexpectedly balanced, it has menthol, berries, earth and chocolate, a pinch of coffee grounds, and black-cardamom husk. I need to spend more time with this another day. 9/10

Cavalier66: "It's nice, that Port Charlotte, but it is full on. It's definitely a last dram."
OB: "...ever."
[Cavalier66 chokes -- not to death, I should add]

Good times, even if I am so wrecked from an early start to the day that I do not enjoy it as much as I should. Also, the pace is sporty, to say the least.

15/10/2022 Adam & Eve

We are back again for a tasting revolving around every Christian's favourite power couple. JS, CB and Cavalier66 join me for a day of far-fetched links and general fun.

The soundtrack: Axiome - Field Guide To Alien Planets And Other Disco Balls

JS presents: Glenc-Adam. To boot, she tells us it is a fruity number, pointing at the famous apple.

Glencadam 14yo 1964/1979 (45.7%, Cadenhead): nose: it is a wonderful mix of marmalade and golden tin caps (of marmalade jars, it goes without saying), though it also has ground cardamom and ground sumac. Cavalier66 detects lime or lemon marmalade, while CB finds compote or preserve. A pinch of ground pepper gives a little spice to this occasionally flinty, mineral character (CB). Mouth: more vegetal (Cavalier66), prickly (Cavalier66), something that is balanced by sweet pumpkin (CB) and pumpkin seeds. CB reckons there is an almost-sulphury quality to this, even if it is not meant in a negative way. Finish: a lovely suppleness, with vaguely-metallic marmalade, as if a spoon had been left in the jar for a few days. Cavalier66 finds something smoky or burnt. He is clearly choking on his fag. Except he does not smoke. It is excellent, of course, even in this difficult first position. Full notes here. 8/10

The soundtrack: Lustmord - [Other]

Cavalier66 presents the children of Adam & Eve: this is a Cain-denhead with a gold l-Abel. Lolle.

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 39yo 1976/2016 (43.8%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 180b): nose: subdued and tertiary (Cavalier66 in pretentious mode), dunnage warehouse, dusty iron filings, caramel-y toffee (Cavalier66). CB confirms it is confected. Cavalier66 adds that it shows cask and age. I have dusty toffee, and JS Werther's Original; Cavalier66 sees butterscotch everywhere, whereas JS enjoys its juiciness. Cavalier66 insists: this has a mix of boiled sweets and butterscotch. I add a whiff of wet cardboard. The second nose reveals baked or stewed strawberries and maraschino cherries. Mouth: unctuous at first, it starts shooting gentle wood spices -- cinnamon in a paste, crunched bay leaves, and furniture varnish (CB). The second sip has the bite of freshly-polished old leather, then caramelised strawberry jam, and a bit of rancio. Finish: refined, we all agree. Caramelised baked apple (Cavalier66), cinnamon, toffee. It is very long and luscious, voluptuous, even. More caramelised jam, sticking to the pot, dark and gently spicy. Outstanding, even after the amazing Glencadam. 9/10

Cavalier66 [about the new Cadenhead Club bottling]: "A Highland. Or is it an Highland? It depends if you pronounce the 'H' or not, in which case you might as well be in Ancient Greece. Anyway."

JS: "For some resaon, this pun card game, you can only buy from the US."
Cavalier66: "Brexit."
tOMoH: "Don't start."
JS: "Supply chains are broken, can't get a pun card game..."

CB presents Link-wood. A wood is where one might find a tree, in which one one might find an apple.

CB: "You thought there was another connection, tOMoH?"
tOMoH: "First Cask. Adam was the first man."
CB: "Ohhhhhhhhhh!..."
Cavalier66: "Yes, he was! In fact, he was the first human. And he appeared in the Genesis, which is the first chapter..."
tOMoH: "...of the Bible, arguably the first book."

Linkwood 21yo 1972/1993 (46%, Direct Wines (Windsor) Limited First Cask, Sherry Cask, C#14812, b#0068, 15129301): funny bottle code, eh? Unlike other Signatory codes. This is also a very-early First Cask, with the first livery, as the Balvenie we had last year. Perhaps not even bottled by Signatory? Nose: herbal and fruity this is a mix of rosemary and strawberry. Soon, a burnt smell overcomes all that -- and I mean a burnt-cake smell, not burnt paper. Crisp apple slices, lukewarm baked liquorice root, and a touch of hot metal and warm milk. The second nose is a tad more vegetal again, with cooked cabbage, now. Cavalier66 notes a farmyard dirtiness, at the back. It does feel a wee bit smoky, with subtle diesel fumes. Mouth: interestingly, it has a striking fruitiness, but also a clear chargrilled-meat touch. Juicy, somewhat spicy, reminiscent of warm and peppery apricot compote. Finish: bright, fruity and fairly sweet, we now have baked and caramelised apple slices. Apple compote, even. There is even a minty note. This tasting is getting better and better. 9/10

The lot of delicious cheeses

The soundtrack: Roxette - Tourism

Cavalier66 presents a Nectar bottling, because he associates nectar with apples. Besides, it is a whisky from Ireland, what must be the most catholic whisky-making country in the world. Finally, there is a biblical scene on the label.

Cavalier66 [sniffing the bottle]: "How did they make this smell?"
tOMoH [miming]: "By milking Adam, clearly."

Ireland 27yo 1988/2015 (49.5%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams joint bottling with La Maison du Whisky): nose: overripe peach and nectarine (Cavalier66), and mango (almost). Yes, there is a flood of overripe peach, and also persimmon, jackfruit, and apricot. Velvety peach skins become prominent, then it flirts with pink grapefruit (CB). It has a tiny pinch of ash or acetone-cleaned windscreen wipers that suddenly let through lichen on tree bark. The second nose seems less fruity, sadly. Mouth: oily on the palate, but gorgeously oily (Cavalier66). Proper citrus oil (CB). A lick of incense and lots of tropical stone fruits, really. It is faintly bitter at second sip: the fruit stones and incense become louder, and here are grapefruit peels. Finish: big, fresh, with spearmint, and lots of milk-chocolate-coated fruits. Grapefruit, papaya, mango skins and dried pineapple shavings. Well, this is incredible, is it not? 10/10

Cavalier66: "Sometimes, I wonder how much you can drink, before you get overwhelmed by this fruit."
tOMoH: "You can leave the bottle here, if you do not like it."
CB: "I think this is a strong contender for Jaffa Cake pairing."

Cavalier66 guesses the next link, which is presented by JS -- Glenl-Eve-t.

Glenlivet 26yo 1968/1995 (52.1%, Signatory Vintage selected by, bottled for and imported by Whyte & Whyte for The Spirits Library, Barrel, 95/137): nose: the most cask-driven one, so far. Indeed, it has sawdust, ginger powder and dry orange peels, ground into a powder. Mouth: a pronounced acidity, with grapefruits (white and pink), sweet lemon (CB), not-so-sweet lemon (Cavalier66), and sour wood (Cavalier66 again). The second sip is a mix of gunpowder and dried citrus segments, as far as tOMoH can tell. Finish: long, tangy, citrus-y, with a discreet Aspirin bitterness in the back. Excellent. I like it even better than the other day. 9/10

The soundtrack: Peat & Diesel - Light My Byre

tOMoH presents the dram that gave him the idea for the theme, Glenc-Adam. Except I cocked up, and what I remembered to be a Glencadam is in fact a Glen-Allah-chie. Let us say that Allah is a central character in another religion of the Book.

Glenallachie 14yo 2000/2014 (57.3%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition, B#GA 14 006): nose: more lactic and butyric. CB has marzipan and white chocolate, whilst Cavalier66 settles for baby sick (he just loves it). For me, it is porridge and raising sourdough, milk that has been left out of the refrigerator all night. Mouth: white chocolate indeed, marzipan, Parmesan. It still has a pronounced lactic side, but also a bold, spicy kick. Finish: porridge, cereal dust. It turns a little juicier over time. Short notes, since I took detailed ones not too long ago. It stands out in the line-up as a totally different profile, but the quality remains high. 8/10

The soundtrack: ASC & Inhmost - Dimensional Space

CB presents a Clynelish, which, in Gaelic, means sloped garden (of Eden). Simultaneously, JS presents Cottage garden (of Eden) beside a church -- and what is a church, if not Adam & Eve's father's house?

Clynelish 26yo 1993/2020 (52.7%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel, C#11215, 173b): we note the new packaging of this collection. JS regrets the sobriety of the older livery. Nose: oh! that smells creamy. A bowl of custard spilled on a split rock, then margarine. Gradually, tangerine slices grow in power. There is something clearly sweet, after a while, so sweet it might just be caster sugar. And then custard comes back with a vengeance -- chocolate custard. Mouth: apple juice (CB), slightly-cheap apple juice (Cavalier66), Sunkist (CB). Soon, citrus and wax take control (Cavalier66), yet the texture remains creamy (CB). It is crisp, ripe with a mix of apple and tangerine. The second sip adds a pinch of ground pips (which spells bitterness, that is right). Further sips are sweeter and more acidic again, underlining the fruits that are now very clearly of the citrus varieties. Finish: the fruity ride goes on, and once more welcomes a soft acidity. Ponkan, tangerine, mandarin join forces and provide the acid that easily dominates whatever remnants of custard there could have been. It is a creamy finish, but in a fruit-nectar way; it is not at all related to custard cream, at this point. Excellent. 8/10

vs.

26.93 28yo 1984/2013 Cottage garden beside a church (56.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 352b): similar age, but distilled a decade earlier. Nose: a totally different beast that displays a lot more ash and blue oranges. If that reads austere, it is because it is. Only deep nosing reveals a fleeting fruitiness, far into the sinuses, in amongst flint. There is soot too, metal filings, and hot cauldrons. Mouth: it seems more approachable here, with lots of gorgeous mandarin segments (though they are not far from turning blue), interwoven with incense sticks. Repeated sipping shows a more-gingery side and also displays mace. Finish: phwoar! Stewed citrus, covered in incense ash. This finish is never-ending, and brings back wave after wave of citrus. And ash. And citrus. And ash. And... Oh! and mace. Stupefying. As good as ever. 9/10

Cavalier66: "Is this Roxette's early stuff?"
tOMoH: "Their prog era."
JS: "Prog-xette."

CB presents Tormore, a distillery that is well known for its garden (of Eden).

Tormore 20yo 1996/2016 (57.4%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength The Whisky Exchange exclusive Bottling, Refill Bourbon Barrel, C#5655, 160816): nose: chocolate and hazelnut paste. Oh! dear, this is such a good start. A bowl of chocolate custard, augmented with a spoonful of hazelnut paste, served with a mug of lukewarm cocoa. Someone else at the breakfast table is drinking a cup of chicory infusion, but it does not distract much. A basketful of fruits rest on the table, very ripe; persimmons, plums, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peaches so ripe they melt if you only look at them. The second nose sees some cardboard and papier mâché, laced with Kwatta chocolate paste. Cavalier66 finds it tropical elements. Mouth: fresh and milky, here are coconut milk, hazelnut milk, macadamia milk, with tatters of soft, fleshy fruits (peach, persimmon, yellow plum). We have a dollop of melted milk chocolate in the background, never intrusive, but adding a welcome dimension. It is powerful too -- the highest ABV today, and that is noticeable, albeit approachable. Further sips increase the heat like green chilli -- a time bomb. Finish: meow. Cavalier66 was right: it does have lovely tropical fruits, here too. Persimmon, of course (it is expected, by now), yet also dragon fruit, squashed banana, guava. That is still punctuated by dashes of chocolate milk for maximum happiness. The undeniable heat may be provided by chilli seeds that would be nutty and creamy as sesame seeds -- or halva, to be more accurate, a halva made of chilli seeds. Now, there is an idea!... Perhaps my score is generous, but I am seduced, today. 9/10

What a line-up! Phantastic quality from beginning to end.

And this is why the gulls were agitated, today!