30/12/2021 Pre-NYE drams at Dornoch Castle Hotel

At the risk of repeating myself, adc, JS and I are back in Dornoch for Hogmanay, after last year's (forced) hiatus. The whisky selection seems to not have changed much, in that time period, which is maybe good news -- I have no plan to knowingly drink from the same bottles, however amazing they were the previous years, but that may also prevent total bankruptcy.

We arrived last night, so no rest needed, this year. After a nice hike in the morning, we have a replenishing lunch.

Chargrilled Chicken Burger and Jenga chips for adc

Battered Haddock for JS

Confit Duck for me

Loaded Jenga Chips for sharing
(they bring the unloaded chips to begin with, much to my ire)

Once that is done, we hit the bar. There is a welcome gin-based drink in a few hours, that we will miss -- with COVID-19 restrictions, people are ushered from the bar to the restaurant in less time than it takes to spell -19.

No matter. We have serious beverages instead.

Glen Moray 38yo 1971/2010 (48.7%, Duncan Taylor, C#7032, 256b, b#155): nose: a lovely sherry influence, subdued, but clear. It has cold tobacco, noble leather sofas, barely concealing rose petals and juicy tropical fruits -- roasted lychee, grilled mango, toasted papaya. There is a constant interplay between toasted notes (it never goes as far as liquorice) and fruity shades. Beautiful. The second nose has dark honey, almost black, setting heather honey and prunes in syrup. Mouth: the moderate ABV makes this the perfect starter, and the toasted fruits from the nose are here in full form as well. It has a pronounced woodiness, with wormwood, rustic old tables, a lick of varnish two hundred years old, then a bit of sawdust and pollen, which coincides with the return of honey. The second sip becomes more drying, closer to lichen on limestone. The dark honey soon comes to the rescue, mind. Finish: wide, dark, it has toasted bread and raisins (that would be toasted kramiek, then), and also sumac, ground black cumin and ground cloves. It is so covered in honey that it never becomes drying. At a push, this may flirt with liquorice bootlaces, but it is more to my liking than they. Lovely dram. "I have no plan to knowingly drink from the same bottles, however amazing they were the previous years," he said, then manages to start the session with a dram he already had. 9/10

Glenlossie 35yo 1975/2011 (52%, The Whisky Agency, 212b): nose: on the surface, it is wood, wood, wood; digging deeper, however, this has green apple by the shovelful -- baked apple, candied apple, apple pie (JS), apple compote. All that apple is doused in cinnamon powder. Even deeper, one could find heather-laced hot custard. There is a little tartness too; JS reckons rhubarb, and she is on point (as so often). I am reminded of the gravy-like consistency of crumble -- an apple crumble with marzipan chunks and a drop of heather essence. Further nosing brings out toasted brioche too. Later still, warm sawdust enters the scene. Mouth: it seems very sweet on the tongue, with candied apples and maraschino cherries in hot crumble. Coating and viscous on the first sip, it becomes more metallic and drying later, with verdigris on hot copper, verbena, or perhaps sage. Finish: long, sweet and a bit flowery, this has violet sweets and heather sprinkled on crumble. It feels thick and sticky without being sickly. The second sip feels dryer, warming, with hot wool. Let us be generous, because this is a great dram. 9/10

A cedar waxwing in search of a cedar to land in

Wardhead 22yo 1997/2019 (54.7%, Morrison and Mackay for R/Scotch, Refill Hogshead, C#40, 319b): nose: white wood, dry and dense, balsawood sawdust, then an unexpectedly medicinal wave, with plaster glue and bandages. From there on, we have crushed juniper berries, dried rowanberries and bay leaves. Next are hay, straw bales, and a pinch of Moroccan spices, as well as ground mace. The second nose adds a layer of black paint, as surprising as it is funny. Mouth: a lot juicier than the nose suggested, it has a mix of grapefruit and pineapple juices to complement a strong woodiness (sawdust, wood sap, resin). This one has quite a bite! adc finds it violent, even. Cracked pepper. The second sip is milder, if not mild. Cough lozenges, powerful and softly fruity. Finish: pine-scented candles, pine drops, roasted pine cones, pine honey, a drop of menthol. This is really fierce and woody. It is gingery, not splintery, but it has a hefty dose of sawdust. Repeated sipping allows elderberry drops to emerge, cough lozenges of the chewy variety. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram and happy birthday, AB)

adc: "[...] unless you have planned another birthday cake and ceremony."
tOMoH: "It'll be a floor-to-ceiling cake with a stripper inside. He'll wear a kilt . A mini-kilt that just about covers his you-know-what. In English, they call that a testikilt."

Secret Stills 02.03 32yo 1978/2011 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Butt, C#4962, 400b): nose: a strong (and successful) mix of pot-pourri and mild tobacco. It has a certain dryness to it, dusty haybales and old blankets in the loft. Then, it is berry juice in a metal timbal that does not seem precious enough to be a quaich -- it is old pewter, not shiny silver. Behind all that is a gentle jasmine scent and a floating odour of scented hand sanitiser that is pretty bothering. Still, that does not stop a faint sootiness coming out, shy, trying hard not to be noticed. The second nose reveals yellow-orange flowers (daffodils, irises, amaryllises) and dried orange peel. Mouth: a bit thin, at first contact, it has a pinch of the same soot as in the nose (not as clear as in 02.02) and caramelised marmalade. In fact, it is so caramelised it tastes burnt. The second sip is softer and more citric, with orange peel again (bitterness included). Finish: oh! this is toasted alright, even if it stays on the side of black cumin, without venturing into nigella-seed territory. Again, further sipping enhances the citric aspect very much. Mandarin peel and bergamot. Lovely drop, though not quite at the same level as earlier vintages, of course. 8/10

Imperial 25yo 1975/2000 (40%, The Highlands & Islands Scotch Whisky Co. for Jack Wiebers Whisky World Scottish Castles, 180b): nose: a very distinct brand of cooked cereal -- Ebly wheat salad with chopped red onions, crushed cashews and cashew-nut oil. This is very particular! I wonder if it is not a bowl of chopped chicory salad, after a while. Over time, it becomes more conventional, yet it stays interesting. Dried cranberries, says adc. JS finds some funk. Mouth: with zero surprise, due to its being 40%, it is fairly light and inoffensive, with some honey vinaigrette, in which the vinegar grows bolder, if it remains civilised. Following that comes a jelly of mentholated fruit; peach pulp with mint leaves would be my guess. Finish: a completely different story, here. The finish has honey, thin custard and pressed dried apricots. It is not overly sweet (in fact, it even has a soft bitterness), but sweet it definitely is, now. Very good! Coming back to it after the following dram is a mistake (this one here is much lower in alcohol): it tastes watery, sadly. Careful with the sequence. 9/10

Mystery dram: nose: lemon drizzle and yellow flowers, loud and clear, wood pulp and custard. It becomes sharper and sharper, with gingery custard taking centre stage. JS finds marshmallow and powder puff. Fleetingly, I have a whiff of coffee. It is so fleeting I wonder if they are making coffee at the bar (they are!) Mouth: mellow and full, it has mocha custard, treacle, chocolate pudding and fudge. There is a gentle nuttiness to it, more hazelnut paste than anything fiercer, and JS detects buttered popcorn. It is more velvety with each sip, almost buttery in a cocoa fashion. Finish: long and vibrant, it has more mocha and chocolate fudge or chocolate pudding. I am not a fan of mocha, but this works a treat. This finish is very long and coating, leaving a layer of sticky tar on the walls of the mouth. It is balanced though: it is liquorice and menthol, not rubber. There is also a dollop of macadamia-nut paste and thick pouring cream. I guess a Glendronach. Wrong. Annandale 3yo 2015/2018 (61.1%, A.D. Rattray Cask Collection imported by Three Rivers selected & bottled for Shinanoya, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#155, 264b) (Thanks for the dram, AB)

We break up momentarily (to the whole aviation industry in the USA: it means for a moment, not in a moment) to freshen up and dress up. Unfortunately, that means we are back in the lounge a minute late: the welcome speech is finished when we arrive, the welcome drinks have been distributed, everyone is sitting at their table. We have missed all of it.

In the dining room, two fiddlers are playing live music. It is a nice touch, though the music is a bit loud for supper time and make conversation at the table uncomfortable. Probably a mistake stemming from a good intention.

The food is amazeballs, on the other hand. There is too much of it, but hey! it is not Hogmanay every day.

Mini Goat's Cheese and Tomato Tart as amuse-bouche

Game Terrine for adc

Cream of Cauliflower Cheese Soup for JS

Mac & Crab for me.
I manage to drop half my macaroni into a glass of bubbly.
Sharing is dangerous.

Salmon Fillet for adc

12-Hour Braised Pork Belly for JS

Duck Breast for me

Sticky Toffee Pudding for adc and JS

Chocolate Tart for me

My chocolate tart is hard as rock.
Perhaps the lowlight of the stay, in terms of desserts.

Tomintoul 18yo 1967/1985 (40%, A.B.C.): nose: lots of Old Bottle Effect (OBE): old coins, brine, as well as some fruit; quince jelly is my hunch. The old metal is never far away, with old, oxidised cutlery, old coins and old jam-jar lids. The nose is not exactly exuberant or complex, but it is full of charm. The second nose is more appealing, with lemon drizzle. Breathing does wonders and awakens timid fruit that actually grows bolder: white peach, lychee... Oh! it has gone. Mouth: it feels ancient on the tongue, exuding brine and -- guess what! -- copper coins again. Cider vinegar might just be the closest this comes to being fruity. The second sip seems strongly acidic without shaking off the metallic touch completely. Finish: a whisper of coffee, some brine, the bitterness of metal, and coins of all types, made of various alloys, and sharp verbena growing on it all. Further sips unlock lime and a rather herbaceous aspect that I cannot identify. This is not devoid of interesting tones, but I can see why it does not fare better at auction: it just is not that good. JS says it "tastes like an old whisky gone off because it was not stored properly." Speaking of interest, it is funny to see and try something that would no longer class as a single malt Scotch whisky, since it was aged and bottled in Ireland. 6/10

This Tomintoul keeps an Ardbeg in its dungeon

Auchroisk 27yo 1994/2021 (51.9%, Thompson Bros. UK Exclusive, Refill Hogshead, 218b): nose: well, it could hardly be differenter. This one has jelly, as well as candlewax or lip balm. Further than that, not much. It does few things. Arguably, it does them well enough. Water really does not change it in the slightest. Mouth: mellow, not weak, it has corduroy, heated to a point it could ignite. Apricots by the wheelbarrow, very hot too, and their stones ground to a dust. By that, I mean it has a distinct bitterness. The second sip is less bitter, not not bitter. Water improves the balance a bit, without changing anything else massively either. Finish: the initial impression, again, is that of hot apricots, warm, plush and fluffy. Then, as it comes back up the oesophagus, it radiates warm herbs and hot metal, as well as ground apricot stones. In other words: it is fucking bitter. Further sips bring back the candlewax, but the mouth inexorably ends up dry and bitter. Meh. This is from a new bottle, so it might change with air contact. As it is: meh. Water gives an orange-liqueur profile that is more noticeable. Whether that is a good thing or not is down to personal preference, though. Disappointment. 6/10

This Mizunara-matured 30yo secret-Islay cask
comes highly recommended.
Perhaps another time

Time to hit the sack.

31/07/2020 Finishing July with two summery whiskies from Dufftown

The heat is back -- again. :-(

Kininvie 23yo 1991/2015 (42.6%, OB, American Hogsheads & Sherry Casks, B#3): is this the first Kininvie on this blog?  Kind of. There is one other meagre note, but it is for the same liquid. Nose: a wave of vanilla at first, which leans towards butterscotch and toffee, but it turns out that butterscotch is accompanied by linseed oil. In fact, oil becomes a permanent fixture, with walnut oil, -- wait a minute! No! It is shaving cream and cologne... and back to vanilla; custard, to be precise. Funnily enough, the vanilla merely triggers another merry-go-round, as we soon have more oil, then male-grooming items. A dash of lemonade is added into the mix, and also fudge, Chinese-gooseberry skins and the crystallised fruit flesh -- how entertaining! Time and breathing seem to let citrus shine brighter, grapefruit style, yet it never shakes off the shaving cream or balm. It adds wood pulp to the above, though. Mouth: well, it feels a lot woodier on the palate, with more-pronounced wood pulp, papier mâché, crushed Chinese gooseberry and a drop of lime juice. Peach yoghurt, flat lemonade and dusty magazines, in the back of the throat, white chocolate, peanut brittle in custard, linseed oil -- scratch that: it is cashew oil, a dash of almond milk... It has some bitterness and acidity, yet both are anecdotal. Finish: mellow, gentle, it is all squashed peaches in a mix of custard and wood pulp. Pleasant, refreshing and soft like triple-layer toilet paper (hopefully less of an ecological nonsense). Very late, it kind of has remnants of the citric acidity of the nose and palate, but really, it is as velvety as can be. Melted toffee, flan, banoffee, a drop of cashew oil, blanched hazelnut flakes (or is it almond?) and macadamia shavings. Very good. It did not shine at a festival, but it is brilliant on its own. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Wardhead 20yo 1997/2018 (51%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. The Cooper's Choice, Bourbon Cask, C#28, 384b): first Wardhead, here. The name is used to designate tea-spooned Glenfidddich. Nose: a bit spirit-y and leathery in a "we're flaying cows here" sort of way. As soon as that dissipates (and it doesnae take long), it turns out to be very citric indeed, with pomelo, unripe lime and bergamot in a light wicker basket. A headier note shows up, not quite incense, but it certainly reminds me of that kind of new-age-shop vibe. Perhaps natural soap? Scented candle? Yes, that is it. I would be unable to say what kind of scent, however. Gentle beeswax, peach skins and waxy apricots, maybe, if they make candles and soap out of that (do they?) Later sniffing reveals dead leaves on a damp forest floor, though we are far from humus and mushrooms, still. Caramelised butterscotch shows up too. Mouth: just as mellow as the Kininvie, for a second, it quickly shows its strength. However, it does so with velvet gloves on. Conference pears, sprinkled with ground pepper, more butterscotch than one can shake a stick at, bitter lemonade and toffee. Perhaps the palate is a little more cereal-y than the nose, with dried oats, husks and iron tonic -- actually: iron full stop! Yes, silver spoons and knife handles flirt with hazelnut milk and citrus peel (calamansi or satsuma; nothing too acidic). Finish: back to mellow and velvety, the finish sees peach flesh, just torn off the stone, apricot yoghurt, squashed banana, drizzled with white rum. This finish is very long too. The flavours quietly dance on the mouth walls forever, even though one has to pay attention to realise they are there -- but they are. In the long run, it emits vaguely nutty touches, with blanched hazelnut, ground macadamia, hazelnut milk and calamansi, which is a citrus, not a nut, but do not interrupt me. I suppose that, if one looks hard enough, one may find oat milk, leading to lukewarm porridge with honey, but that is discreet and a half. Much better than I expected, but I am not sure what I expected or why. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Bishlouk)

25/02/2018 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 2 -- Part 1)

7:30. Time to rise and shine go back to bed for thirty minutes. Shower, then breakfast. A full Scottish sorts me out, as usual. The haggis is disappointing, but the pink-grapefruit juice is excellent. I take no prunes, for once. cavalier66 has to leave: he is travelling back south this morning.

Very close to a 1966 Bowmore

Rhaaaaa!

The final countdown

The hour of free time between breakfast and doors-open is spent making a list of things that I do want to try today. Yesterday was a bit random, and I realise there are a lot of things that I will kick myself for not trying, if I do not plan a bit.
Once in the queue, I immediately spot CD's golden trousers. He went to bed at 21:30 last night, and is now in better shape. He missed the after-party, though, as did PG.

On to more important considerations.

Springbank 26yo 1965/1992 (46%, OB): it is remarkable how the S on the label has turned fluorescent green. CB, who I bump into just now, reminds me that it used to be golden -- go figure. Nose: cedar wood, soft liquorice, cut apples, freshly-picked mushrooms, leaves, honey and olive oil -- phwoar! Springbank only bows to Bowmore (see what I did, there?) Mouth: honey, mead, the dust in a carpenter's workshop and apple jam. Finish: a gentle bitterness of green wood, with a dominant cut apple. Wonderful. 9/10

vs.

Springbank 12yo 1971/1983 (46%, R.W. Duthie for Broadwell Vintners): nose: fresh! Kumquat aplenty, mango chutney, apple compote, rose water. This is buttery and fruity, not vulgar. Mouth: nigella seeds on mango chutney, spicy, not hot, tickling, not burning. Special. Acidic, with lime juice and pomelo. Finish: all the above otes play together in wonderful harmony, with fruit, acidity and spices. This is beautiful. Life does not suck, right now! 10/10

At last, I pay pat gva's stall more attention. The thing is: there are so many good things everywhere!

Strathisla 34yo d.1937 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice imported by Co. Import, b#594): nose: I die. This reeks of happiness: dunnage warehouse, marmalade, lichen, coal dust and yesteryear. Although, smelling it after the next one (head-to-head, innit), I find this one less expressive. Mouth: super-refined marmalade, spicy and juicy, with satsumas, mandarins and blue oranges. Finish: very long, full of spicy marmalade again, a pinch of dust, staves, soaked in rum. Amazing. I expected pat gva to deliver the goods with his favourite distillery and I am not disappointed. 10/10

vs.

Strathisla d.1937 (70° Proof, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1970s): this reeks of happiness: dunnage warehouse, marmalade, lichen, coal dust and yesteryear. Déjà vu? Well, it is very close to the Connoisseur's Choice. Perhaps more straight-up marmalade and less spice, sizzling butter. Mouth: thinner than the previous, yet otherwise similar. It has satsumas and tangerines juice, rather than jam, with a pinch of bookshelf dust and a little spice. Finish: long and elegant, with more fruit juice, orange and satsuma, a old-school twist, but it feels too watery for top score. Great dram all the same. 9/10

We carry on with pairs.

Caol Ila 15yo d.1969 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail imported by Co. Import, b#102): nose: smoky and dusty, it has engine fumes. Mouth: soft, delicate and subdued -- I can hear the French cry that it is tired. Finish: varnish, smoke and engine fumes. Not very inventive a description for a cracking drop. 9/10

vs.

Caol Ila 15yo d.1965 (43%, OB): this golden decanter is pretty famous, and I have wanted to taste its content for a while. It is another pre-expansion Caol Ila, whose distillation date is confirmed by the Diageo guy. Nose: thick, coating coal dust, burnt wood, the engine room of a steamer, pencil. Mouth: hot, oily, coal-y, dusty and dirty. This is immense. As time passes, some flowers come through, gently. Finish: lots of soot and smoke, coal dust again, engine oil, diesel fumes, spent fireplace, roasted ham. Woah! Roasted nuts and the tiniest drop of fruit juice. This must be cask strength, as it is rather powerful. 9/10

I chat to Colin Dunn and pour him some of last night's Glenesk. He admits this is only his second Glenesk. His first was of course the Glenesk Maltings, at Gone, but never forgotten.

vs.

Caol Ila 1969/1985 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Meregalli): nothing like a good trio to improve a pair of drams. Nose: coal and fumes, still, but also pickled onions an red-wine vinegar. This nose is more refined, with also anchovy oil and brine, even farm-y notes. Mouth: soft, it has acacia honey and pollen. Do not fear, though: the peat comes back in phull phorce! Finish: a dropkick of smoke, charcoal, peat smoke, dried cow dung, and it retains the honey tone too -- caramelised honey. 9/10

Someone brings two Longmorns for me to try: Longmorn 45yo 1966/2011 (47.5%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve for Viking Line, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#283, 228b, AA/ADIB) and 7.2 13yo 1972/1985 (62%, SMWS Society Cask) (both 9/10).

Caol Ila 35yo 1982/2017 (58.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch for the Auld Alliance): nose: mineral, with lichen on limestone, some leather, barbour grease and moustache wax. Mouth: clean at first, then soot quickly comes out, coal dust, gravel, chalk, flower pistils, daisy petals. The heat grows to high levels! Finish: smoke, rocks, manuka honey. This is sharp as a blade, with salty oysters and, later on, a gentle sweetness. 9/10

vs.

Caol Ila 19yo 1977/1996 (60%, Blackadder Limited Editions, C#4, 360b, b#345): nose: ink, blotting paper, wet pencils, engine oil and char-grilled seafood. Mouth: sandy and gravel-y, it has more ink, chalk, Alka-Seltzer, red chilli powder and ground ginger. Finish: big, gingery and sandy, with ground shellfish shell. This is very mineral. Great, but I prefer my Caol Ila from the 1960s or 1980s. The 1970s are slightly less my thing, in general. 8/10

EG opens another bottle of Bowmore Bicentenary

Lunch. Same as yesterday. The Swissky announce it is worse than yesterday, if anything. I find it similar. Over-baked veggie lasagna and less-bland beef lasagna. It does the trick.

Benromach 19yo 1978/1998 (63.8%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#3537, LLXL000000012): nose: squashed anchovies, a thin veil of peat smoke, farmyard, soot, varnish on tractor tyres -- what!? Is this a Speysider? Mouth: very powerful, it continues to display similar notes (farmyard and seafood), then unleashes lots of flowers and burnt hay covered in honey. All the flavours are dancing a furious jig. Finish: wow. Massive finish, with burnt hay, peat smoke, farmyard, caramelised apricot compote and roasted apples. Excellent and fearsome. 8/10

My jizz in a bohhhh-ttle
Yeah

Longmorn 1965/2009 (43.9%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve exclusive bottling for Japan Import System, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#69, 218b, b#28): ah! Japan Import System, also known as: J.I.S. (pronounce: JIZZ). Nose: gorgeously fruity, with juicy peach, apricot, quince, but also papaya and a few drops of mango juice. Mouth: ripe canary melon flesh, apricot, guava, satsuma and a drop of lemon juice to give it an additional dimension -- phwoar! Finish: ...and more fruity debauchery, with a sprinkle of added pink-grapefruit-peel bitterness. This is simply perfect. 10/10

Western Highland 45yo 1965/2010 (45.7%, The Whisky Agency Private Stock, Refill Hogshead, 98b): allegedly an undisclosed Springbank. Nose: so fresh! Mandarins in a net on the 6th of December, leaves and all. Lemon leaves. Mouth: similarly fresh, citrus-y, lemon-y, with lovely milk. The dominant is really that lemon-y freshness that is never too acidic or overpowering. Finish: much softer, here, with silky almond milk, the gentlest hint of lemon juice, calamansi and preserved lemons. Marvellous. 10/10

The Swissky pour some samples.

Glen Cawdor d.1976 (57%, R.W. Duthies imported by Samaroli, 960b): nose: crazy mix of vinegar, earth and sulphury grappa. Over time, however, only dry earth remains, with super-dry Japan hay and ashes. Mouth: powerful, it mows you down . It has earth, boiling seal wax, candle wax, scorched earth and crushed buttercups. Finish: long and invading like a German Panzerdivision, it has more earth and sweet caster sugar. Phew. 9/10 (Thanks, R)

Talisker 100° Proof (57%, Gordon & MacPhail): I smelled pat gva's bottle yesterday: it was good. CD passed this around after dinner, last night: I had no glass and missed out. Great to catch up! Nose: rancio, sulphur, musty casks, clay-earthen warehouse, dry cork. Later, leather takes over. Mouth: powerful but not peppery. It is milky in texture and has plum eau-de-vie, apricot juice and... a pinch of chilli pepper, after a bit. Finish: a pinch of pepper indeed. 9/10 (Thanks, CD)

CS passes me his Glengoyne 1972/2012 (55.5%, Malts of Scotland Diamonds, Sherry Hogshead, C#12044, 254b), which I rate 9/10.

Springbank 25yo (43°, OB imported by A Sutti, 32.3cl Decanter): nose: much dirtier than today's earlier Springbanks. It has coal dust, soot, smoke and, shortly afterwards, soft fruit emerges. Mouth: soft, delicate and sweet, with rose-petal jam. Finish: excellent combination of that rose-petal jam and the smoke of a coal stove. Amazing dram, this. 10/10

CD: "The fact that you have Serge [of whiskyfun.com], Ralfy [of ralfy.com] Charlie McLean and the Old Man in the same room says it all. Only [Jim] Murray is missing"
tOMoH: "Murray doesn't have a blog."

It is the last sprint. There are a few things on my list, such as a Caol Ila by Intertrade that I do not want to pay the price for. SMWS reportedly have a Convalmore, except they do not. I want the Aberfeldy Manager's Dram, but it is empty (BA kindly gifts me the empty bottle later on -- "Do me a favour: don't refill it," he says, as if I were EG). I spot an SMWS bottle at Finest Whisky's stand that I remember is also on my list.

112.4 31yo 1966/1997 Cricket bats and linseed oil (54%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: fruity bubble gum, but also unsuspected earth, plasticine, crayons, gouache, watercolour, Chinese gooseberry, orange slices. Mouth: soft balance of earth, subdued, chemical strawberry and a bit of chilli. Crayons appear in the distance. Finish: wow! another winner, innit. Watercolour, dried plasticine, crumbly Chinese gooseberries, even pineapple. Amazing. Again. 9/10

N from Brighton passes me a dram: "this is whisky with a lower-case w." It is in fact Glenfiddich 37yo 1964/2001 (58.7%, Ian Macleod, Sherry Hogshead, C#10791, 200b, b#64), which I rate 8/10.

Time for one more. I remember that EG has a nice decanter.

Glenlivet 49yo d.1938 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail imported by Sestante, crystal jug): nose: hawthorn, nutmeg, cinnamon, crystallised ginger and candied angelica. Mouth: soft and mellow, though in no way weak. Thyme, hawthorn, honey and lemon tea. Finish: more herbaceous goodness, with soft and sweet honey. The bloke near me at the stand when I got this promised lemon tart, and he was wrong. This is an oddball. A great oddball. 8/10

MV managed to purchase the leftovers of a bottle he has his eye on and pours it for us.


Glen Garioch 10yo Chapter VI The Mash (40%, OB, b#000030): nose: very dry earth, dried cow dung, a heap of dried manure, a whisper of fruit (dried quince). Mouth: gentle vinegar, more farmyard action, flower cordial and milk chocolate. That is a stark contrast with the nose indeed. Finish: paprika and farmyard notes again -- manure, earth, hay bales, as well as juicy peach and a drop of vinegar. This probably suffers from its place in the sequence. 7/10

Conclusion: apart from the obvious cost and the mild frustration at not being able to try everything on offer, this is a great excursion for whisky geeks. Even more than the drams, the socialising part is wonderful. If I can afford it, I will likely come back next year.

In text exchanges with cavalier66, he says that all in all, he thinks spending that much money on a festival makes more sense than spending the same on (one) bottle(s). I mildly disagree, in that bottles allow for sharing at home, during the show and at the after-parties. Unfortunately (from a monetary perspective), both make sense and are probably complementary.

We never go back to that Strachan line-up, after all

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