08/12/2019 London MkIII

Back to London-related whiskies. Incredible to realise that it has been three and a half years since the previous time!

GL, PS, BA, CB and JS join me for some bad punnage. :-)

And a dram or thirteen, obviously

The soundtrack: Lustmord - First Reformed (Extended Motion Picture Soundtrack)

J&B 15yo Reserve (40%, Justerini & Brooks imported by Anglo Español AED, G80356) (BA): "Because what says. 'London' more than J&B, in St James's?" asks BA. Berry Bros, of course! It is important to note that CB and his bottles have not yet arrived, at this point. Nose: crushed green hazelnut shells and dried sage. Mouth: sweet caramel, cough lozenges, blackcurrant and elderberry drops, a touch of liquorice, perhaps. Finish: pleasant enough, if unpretentious. Some nuts, some cut peaches, distant tobacco and quince jam. Nice. Much better than the NAS expression. I can see why people drink this: it is an accessible-but-not-uninteresting dram. 6/10

Ledaig 1974/2000 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, JJ/CB) (tOMoH): Rare Old Street. Out of a collection of far-fetched theme connections, this was one of the weakest, but I really wanted to pour this Ledaig. Nose: strawberry bubble gum, a couple of grains of ground cinnamon (yes, it is that faint), crystallised blood oranges, dried-raspberry rinds, a touch of wax (CB) and buttery apricots. Mouth: mildly acidic, it has lots and lots of fruit -- strawberry, raspberry, dried banana slices, candied lemons, pineapple cubes. BA finds leather, while I chase dried orange peel -- blood orange. A tiny pinch of soot reminds me that this is an old distillate and that the malt was probably peat dried to a degree. Finish: similarly fruity, here, with smoke being but a fading memory. A mostly-fruity dram with an old-school twang. Love it. 9/10

PS: "I always set the alarm. What is the joy of ignoring the alarm, if you don't set it?"

The soundtrack: The Cure - Disintegration

Linkwood 26yo 1987/2013 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd Selected by Berrys', C#1043) (CB): CB proves once and for all that Berry Bros is Londoner than J&B -- it even reads, 'London' on the label (so does J&B, truth be told). CB could have gone for Linkwood Green, of course, but in his quest for a green Christmas tree, he has not thought of that. Tsk. Nose: fresh, it has cut quince and crushed mint, toothpaste, almost (blue minty gel, of course). Mouth: it feels a little watery, but also very nice and fruity, with soft conference pear and fleshy peach. Finish: fruity again, it is complemented by the slight bitterness of burnt wood and drying orange segments. 8/10

London Distillery Company 3yo 2015/2018 (63.5%, OB 109 Cask Edition for Philip Storry, ex-Bourbon American Oak 20l Cask, 28b, b#27) (PS): well, London, innit! How PS managed to get a bottle of that extremely-limited run made for one individual is a mystery. Nose: herbs and marzipan, as well as minty chocolate, After Eight style. Mouth: strong, but soft, in terms of flavours (hence its position in the line-up). It has herbs and a mix of nuts and dried fruits. Finish: now almost medicinal, so present are the herbs, though it retains a grilled-marzipan touch which I like a lot. This is much better than I anticipated. 7/10

Killer choc, courtesy of GL and BA

Killer crisps, courtesy of JS

GL takes control of the floor to explain he only started drinking whisky (and kicked the Irn Bru habit) when he moved to London. To celebrate that, he brought something from his hometown. And since he could not choose, he brought two.

Garnheath 44yo 1974/2018 (45.8%, Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular, Refill Barrel, C#DL12373, 141b, b#057) (GL): Garnheath is always a treat, and GL is not the only fanboi of the distillery in the room... :-) PS finds what he thinks is a better connection: Garn-Hampstead-Heath. Nose: very intensely herbaceous, with tarragon, crushed sage, bay leaves, yet also dried mushrooms and corn syrup. Mouth: mellow at first, it turns aromatic, almost medicinal, whilst retaining the sweet, syrupy edge. A strange combination, but it works a treat, never turning vulgar like, say, Canadian whisky can be. Finish: sweet, caramel-y, and corn-syrupy, it is long and well balanced, with just what it takes of herbs to save it from being overly sweet. 8/10

vs.

Glenflagler 23yo 1972/1996 (51.3%, Signatory Vintage, C#228442, 255b, b#144, 96/1243) (GL): a treat, or what? BA and CB admit this is their first Glenflagler -- I can sense some showing off at school on Monday! :-) GL, JS and I had one with OB about a year ago, though that was a different vintage. I am not a little excited myself. Nose: on one hand, it is rather fruity; on the other, it smells of sweaty feet. Later, a chalky side appears, alongside squashed strawberries, wooden crates of cider apples and a lick of a leather belt (whatever floats one's boat, eh?) Mouth: oh! yes, smoked cider apples, cut pears, old wooden crates again and, perhaps, leather mocassins. What a balance this one strikes! I would love to spend more time with it to write more, but really, this here, in these circumstances, is perfect. Amazeboulanger. 9/10

The soundtrack: Harold Budd ▪ Elizabeth Fraser ▪ Robin Guthrie ▪ Simon Raymonde - The Moon And The Melodies

PS blends both (fifty-fifty), thereby creating a single blend. The nose has a waxy mix of apples, wood and herbs; the mouth reaches an even better balance than the individual components, with white peach and apricot, while the finish is long and fruity, sweet and well balanced. If you can afford it, try this at home. :-) 8/10

Bunnahabhain 40yo 1978/2019 (51.6%, Masam, Butt, C#7229, 520b, b#498) (CB): CD announces: "I tried to to find a pun for this, but I Bunnahaven't a clue." After a few moments to catch my breath from all the laughing, I venture Bunna-Hill Row. Anyway. Nose: beef stock, oxtail broth, cured meat, Chinese cuisine, slightly-pickled red onions. It is also rather dusty and vinegar-y, dirty, weedy (BA) and meaty. The back nose welcomes dusty marzipan. Mouth: it is more herbaceous, here, with gentian (CB), lozenges and mint -- minty lozenges, then. Finish: warmer than expected, it has little of the vinegar, but a lot of the dust and gentian. The mint has all but gone. Cured ham pays a visit -- or is it pastrami, maybe? 8/10

BA: "Mountain herbs."
PS: "Is that why you got banned from the shop? Mounting herbs?"

St George Bishopsgate Barrel b.2016 (56.7%, The Whisky Exchange Straight from the Cask) (GL): it reads, 'Bishopsgate,' though it should really be, 'Billingsgate,' where the festival took place where this was sold. Nose: not much else than wood, for a couple of sniffs. Then, toffee and clotted cream appear (CB and BA) and old, faded cinnamon sticks. Mouth: dry and woody, with oaken chips, faded galangal, maybe even dry lemongrass. It turns creamier and creamier, almost yoghurt-y. Finish: wood influences here too, but fruit starts to shine as well (baked apples and baked apricots). 7/10

PS: "Most embarrassing moment of my lifetime..."
BA: "He's only talking about whisky!"
CB: "Glad we clarified."
PS: "Not talking about that evening in a gimp suit..."

The soundtrack: Gridlock - Trace

Miltonduff 15yo 1995/2011 (56.3%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve imported by Classic Wines Imports for Park Avenue Liquor Shop, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#9461, 198b, b#120, AH/ABBB) (tOMoH): Miltondufferin Street has already been done, so I go for Milton Keynes-duff, which is quickly pointed out as not being part of London. Of course, it is not, but PS's proposed connection about bodies in Bunnhill Fields being duff is even worse. CB notes that it is, "bottled for Park Avenue Liquor Shop. But if that were a British company, it would be called: Park Lane Off-Licence." :-) Nose: fruit and earth and a rather steady flow of sulphur. Custard is also present, as well as pear slices served on a wooden stave. Mouth: metals, sage, cut peaches. It becomes bitter in the long run, though it still has fruity yoghurt. Finish: earthy, leathery, bacon-y, almost. I also find it hairy, with hairballs, stuck down the sink pipe, and metallic sage. This disappoints me, today. PS, on the other hand, loves it. 6/10


JS: "Is Mr. C not part of the Shamen?"
BA: "I may have mistakenly added some Shamen tracks to my playlist..."
me: "Shamen you!"

BA: "If you go to the live chat of TWE, chances are it's me."
JS: "It's not a bot?"
me: "Billy's Ab-bot!"

The Clyne-Lee-ish River. PS had this tenuous connection for his own contribution. When she saw it, JS went for her own bottle to do a side-by-side exercise.

26.90 27yo d.1984 Elegant, subtle, balanced -- in total harmony (55.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 508b) (PS): nose: waxy plums, mirabelle plums, a touch of soot or charcoal dust, nail varnish... It is really old-school fruit and coal scents, 1937 style. Mouth: soft, mildly waxy, it has loads of juicy fruits and a pinch of soot again. Later, red-chilli powder also rears its head. Finish: without going into details, this is the perfect blend of fruit and soot. It turns fruitier in the long run, with dusty fruit (quince, apricot), in the fashion of the best Tullibardines. 9/10

vs.

26.93 28yo d.1984 Cottage garden beside a church (56.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 352b) (JS): nose: similar, but different, it has crushed crayons, super-waxy plums and white peaches. It becomes fruitier and fruitier as time passes, with a backbone of gentle soot. Mouth: dusty, sooty, acidic, it has dried orange peels, butter lemon-drizzle cake, and slices of peach, sprinkled with a pinch of salt. Finish: long, huge, very sooty at first sip, it becomes fruitier with time. Amazing too! 9/10

Alcoholic wombat in full effect

PS: "Wait! You're saying what I like about Brora is asbestos?"
JS: "Where is asbestos on the Pentland wheel?"

The soundtrack: The Moles - Untune The Sky

CB: "Why are you talking about Clynelish?"
PS+BA: "You've just had two..."
CB: "What?"
[PS points at the bottles]
CB: "I thought they were Caol Ilas..."

71.41 17yo 1998/2015 Curious and Intriguing (57.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Gorda, 720b) (BA): distillery 71, because 071 used to be the dialling code for London until 1995. Geeky or what? Nose: a trace of sulphur and lots of meat, spicy sponge cake (BA), nail varnish. Boy! This is so meaty, it might as well be a Mortlach. Mouth: milk chocolate at first, before red meat invades, slowly but surely. It gains some rancio, at some point, and bloody roast beef (to be eaten with fucking potatoes, of course). Dripping blood, really. Finish: dried dates and figs, prunes, raisins, glazed chestnuts and fruity fortified wine. In fact, liqueur pralines, overly stuffed with liqueur -- Edle Tropfen Obstliköre). Huge. Wine-y. Meaty. It is good and interesting, but over the top for my taste. 6/10

BA: "Don't excite PS!"
me: "Everything I say seems to excite PS!"
BA: "I wouldn't take that as a compliment..."
PS: "Don't get big-headed about it."

BA: "PS, are you stage-managing some kind of sexual-assault picture?"

PS: "I wasn't getting on with rich things -- sherried and Woodford Reserve."

The soundtrack: Gridlock - Further

Glendullan 16yo b.1998 The Centenary Bottling (65.9%, OB for the distillery's centenary, b#000210) (tOMoH): Glendullan is, of course, one of the original seven stills of Dufftown. Dufferin-town Street (yes, recycling). Nose: much shyer than anything before, it seems, this one has hay, straw, dried apple slices, plantain and even ink. Amazingly enough, it is not overly expressive -- the aromas are perhaps smothered by the frightening ABV. Mouth: powerful, but actually rather soft, with hay and straw, porridge, hay bales, burnt straw and a lawn after a heatwave. Finish: similar notes of hay and porridge -- the power is impressive, though. Then again, it does not burn or anaesthetise as much as one might expect. It does tingle and last forever and a day, delivering notes of hot porridge. This one is not particularly complex, but it is a fitting ending to this tasting. 7/10

What a session again!

30/12/2018 Southeast Asia

Well, well, well. It was difficult to gather many people for this one, but considering how few tastings took place in 2018, it seemed fitting to hold one anyway. Also, no trip to Dornoch, this year, and that meant an additional three days to sip whisky elsewhere -- at tOMoH headquarters, for example.

JS, GL and OB join me for a selection focusing on Southeast Asia. An excuse for good puns, of course. :o)

It takes me an hour to find the first bottle. I am ready to give up when I finally locate it, stuck at the very back of a broom cupboard.
Fortunately, I have poured GL Inchmurrin 20yo (40%, OB imported by T.A.C., b. late 1990s). To keep him hydrated, you understand.

But we have real work to do!

Grand Royal Special Reserve (43%, International Beverage Trading Company, LM006/0281N 6027) (tOMoH): it appears this is the best-selling whisky in Burma, Myanmar, or however one wants to call it (current official name is Myanmar, though that has changed more than once in my lifetime). FN spent a holiday there, a few years ago, and brought this back as a souvenir for me... for shits and giggles. The bottler is a Thailand-based group, it is bottled for the Burmese market, yet the label clearly states that it is blended by a Scottish master blender. Nose: a bit of spirit, a bit of varnish, a bit of perfume, plum liqueur (JS), umeshu (OB, showing off his own latest travels), and the tiniest hint of polished wood alongside fresh butter. This is inoffensive, if not very interesting. Mouth: prune juice with a hint of wood and a gentle alcohol bite. It is round and inoffensive again. I can see the local populace sipping this on ice, in the humid heat of the land (which, I should add, I have never set foot in). Finish: soft, round and short, this is really neither challenging, nor very good. However, it is also not very bad. It tastes of whisky, the sort of which one would get in a pub, upon ordering "a whisky." GL reckons  a high-grain content, whilst I am simply happy it does not seem toxic. 5/10

GL: "It's not paint-stripper."

OB: "At least, it is proper whisky."

OB refers to what passes as "whisky" in Laos, which, apparently, has nothing in common with the amber liquid. He is well-travelled, our OB!

Inver House Green Plaid (40%, Inver House Distillers for Portugal, L0:292:510 12:22:00:06904, b. early 1990s) (GL): GL brought this because Inver House is now owned by Thai Beverages, a large conglomerate. Nose: green-tea leaves, a hint of metal, a pinch of salt. Even less is happening here than in the Burmese one; neither good, nor bad. Mouth: candied lemon, pomelo zest, barley sugar. It is a tad more complex, here, with some tongue-dancing citrus. Finish: yup, barley sugar, lime drops and muscovado sugar. Simple, but pleasant alright. Historically interesting too; plus, there is a chance that this is a single blend of Garnheath and Glenflagler -- though the salty note makes the boys think of Pulteney instead, which is also in Inver House's portfolio, these days. 6/10

Food. Home-made caramel shortbread and Christmas cake. Yum!

Lady-boy-burn 20yo 1966/1987 (45.7%, Cadenhead) (JS): they are a bit of a cliché and the subject of jokes, in Europe, but those who have been to Thailand assure us that lady boys are really a thing there, and such a part of the culture that they are mainstream. In any case, far from passing judgement, we are only after a good pun. Nose: we are shifting gears. Fantastically deep, the nose has a combination of controlled wood and lovely fruit; apricot turnovers in a rustically-furnished kitchen, dusty tangerines, overripe, dusty satsumas. Mouth: fresh, fruity, it has satsumas, mandarin juice, ripe-orange flesh and a lot of zing. I love this. Finish: citrus, milk chocolate, a drop of lime juice -- scratch that! Pomelo juice. A pinch of dust. Superb dram. I hope to spend more time with it soon. 9/10

South-East Village-ia 44yo 1973/2017 (47.4%, East Village Whisky Company Jack's Finest, Sherry Butt, 142b, b#125) (OB): a Jack Wieber bottling in disguise? Nose: extremely floral, with jasmine, honeysuckle, snowdrop, thrush, hyacinth, honey and cut red apple, as well as dead leaves... This nose is stunning! It develops earthy tones and daffodil as well. Mouth: raspberry coulis, cut strawberries -- phwoar! Apricot compote and a pinch of spices. This is very, very good! It later becomes dryer, with dried daffodil stems. Finish: mellow, it has caramel and chocolate, apple and strawberry. This does not have the depth of the Ladyburn, but it is a great drop too. 9/10

OB: "It is good enough, if you want to Asia-culate."

Imperial 1976/2005 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection imported by Charles Hofer, C#10171) (JS): a big part of of Southeast Asia formed Indochina, which was a result of French Imperial-ism. Nose: it is initially very musty and leathery, which surprises me a lot. Then, it calms down and moves towards squashed raspberries and humid hay, thatch, even. The leather comes back, with mud, then bandages, hospital lint, cigar ash, gummi bears in alcohol, paint and linseed oil. This is most unexpected. Mouth: punchy and hay-like, it has wine gums, lots of drying lichen and dried moss. Next is gentle-if-acidic fruit. Finish: earth and smoke, surprisingly -- rather bold, too. The general impressions are red wine, moss and a distant note of fox's skin. Crikey! The earthiness is strong, in this one! I love this. After breathing in the bottle for a while, it will probably score higher. For now, it is 8/10

Mekong-valmore 22yo 1984/2007 (52.%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#1538) (me): nose: ink and flint, very dry hazelnut shells, some sort of nut oil, hazelnut vinegar, currant juice, grape juice. Later on, raspberries show up as well. Mouth: nutty and sherried, with a bit of rancio, pressed raisins, strong red wine, tawny Port, jellied hazelnut and a pinch of earth. Finish: more of that hazelnut and raspberry combination, which works a treat. The finish is creamy and lovely, fruity, punchy, yet also light and well balanced. Great dram. 9/10

OB: "I have yet to become a Convalmore fan, but this is better than I expected."

Glenflagler 23yo 1970/1994 (50.1%, Signatory Vintage, C#1260+7861, 350b, b#119, 94/923) (me): same story as the Green Plaid: Glenflagler was part of the Moffat complex, owned by Thai Beverages -- although, really, I only selected it for GL, who is from Airdrie, where the distillery used to be. This, by the way is one of the rarest malts in Scotland, and only my second Glenflagler. I am not a little excited. Nose: a dusty cellar, dunnage warehouses, mint, lime leaves. A minute in, it has aerosol, vaporised scents, ozone. Later still, hazel tree comes through, Brazil-nut butter and milk chocolate. Wow. Mouth: mild, sweet and fruity, the palate showcases squashed raspberries (a recurrent, today!), raspberry yoghurt, nutty body butter and a pinch of spices. Finish: super fruity, with loads and loads of raspberry, a hint of hazelnut and pineapple yoghurt. Amazeballs! Who would have thunk, eh? 9/10

Glen Moray-Glenlivet 25yo 1991/2016 (55.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch for The Whisky Hoop, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) (OB): The Whisky Hoop is a bar in Japan; Japan, of course, is in Asia (albeit not Southeast). As soon as JS sees Whisky Hoop, she remembers the fantastico Tomatin that OB brought a while ago. Nose: warm wool, then it becomes generically fruity (which means I cannot clearly identify which fruit it is), with, perhaps, old peach and walnut stain, warm cigars, traces of ink, hot tarmac... Then it settles for blotting paper. This is surprisingly old school, but what a lovely nose. Mouth: mellow, with peach flesh. Pepper grows quickly and intensely: cracked black pepper and lots of plump, fluffy peach. Finish: the finish is very peppery again, and remains peachy. Superb mixture of fruit and spices. The third sip is very nutty. This one is not too complex, but it is nice. JS now compares it to Bladnoch 23yo RMS, and that is a fair point. 8/10

OB sadly has to leave.

Springban-gkok 1965/2002 (46%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland) (me): a weak pun, and one that I have used in the past, but I stop at nothing. Also, I really want to pour this. I reviewed this at length elsewhere, so short notes. Nose: it is still fruity as fook, with cut apple, carambola, bubble gum and plasticine. Mouth: juicy fruit, coated in honey, waxy apricots, plums, and memories of metal shelves. Finish: walnut stain, crushed peach flesh, rhubarb compote and happiness. This is a capital dram. I might easily be convinced to give it top score, but I will stick to my previous. 9/10

Garnheath 42yo (44.3%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#1, 120b, b#49) (GL): Airdrie boy in full swing! This grain made at Moffat was owned by Thai Beverages too, before it closed, in 1986. Nose: wood varnish, nail polish, polished mahogany or chestnut, with an undercurrent of custard. A new chessboard, with new pieces; the queen is shiny with wax. JD would hate this with a passion. Coconut soon follows, then caramelised hazelnut and hazelnut paste (none of that palm-oil-rich Ferrero shite). Mouth: full-on coconut yoghurt with a good dose of pepper. In fact, coconut and custard. It is milky and fresh, zesty and herbaceous. Finish: toasted coconut savings, waxed furniture and a lot of wood. It is a bit plank-y, even, drying and bitter in the aftertaste. 8/10

44.98 15yo d.2002 Umami of smoke (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-PX Hogshead, 238b) (GL): umami is a very Asian concept, hence why GL brought this. Nose: very chocolate-y, it has hot pain au chocolat, pine cones, roasted chestnut shells, toasted cocoa beans, chestnut butter and a hint of mocha. Mouth: rich and sherried, it has polished dashboards, walnut stain and (very) hot chocolate coulis. Ginger comes in, hot, grated over sultanas. Finish: long, warming and syrupy, it displays elderberry, dark chocolate and gentle coffee. This is good, if cloying. Glad we have it as the last whisky.  7/10

We finish with a PX sherry that feels like sultana juice -- and it is very nice.

Great one, as usual.