31/10/2022 Glenury for Halloween

Not just any Glenury, mind.

Glenury Royal 40yo 1970/2011 (59.4.%, OB, American Oak Refill Casks, 1500b, b#0074):nose: the power this nose has, after forty years' aging, is flabbergasting. It has some wood and wood oil, yet also something perfume-y, as well as a note that I cannot immediately decipher, that reminds me of my many 1980s vacations in Italy. Could it be a mix of moka pot on the stove, grappa, and caramel-and-chocolate custard? Quite likely, yes. Beside that, this has the weathered wooden benches of a bothy that has seen so many campfires it smells mildly acrid, even in the middle of the day, the years of wood smoke incrusted in the walls' every particle. It does not stop there, however: the afore-mentioned perfume-y side takes the shape of wild flowers in the Dolomites pastures (and I swear there are a few jasmine buds too), then conference pear peels and decaying apples. It keeps a clear wood influence, yet it is not an annihilating force. All the same, we have hay, ground cumin, ginger powder, cassia bark, and discreet ground cloves -- and then the flowery-fruity scents resurface, alongside lichen on staves. The second nose welcomes fruit stones and hazelnut, not quite ripe, as well as walnut shells -- or is it pistachio shells and a glass of Fino? Over the space of twenty minutes, it effortlessly goes from mountain-side rustic to gentlemen's-club sophistication, not merely at ease in both environments, but setting the tone, whilst never losing touch with its roots. Mouth: the attack is fruity, with a lick of unobtrusive rubber. Apple juice, peach-and-orange juice are next. Wood spices soon join the dance: cassia, ginger, coriander, all ground into a fine powder. The intensity is pretty impressive: here is a concentrated and powerful whisky alright! The second sip appear fruitier, in which orange takes the lead, adds blush orange and the peels that go with it, both fresh and dried, meaning a tad more bitter. It is now rather chewy too, and coats the entire mouth in a dusty-fruity layer, a mix of sawdust and ground dried blush-orange peels, almost ashy, in a fruit-tree-ash way. Finish: warm, warming, and getting warmer. Baked apples, dusted with ginger powder, powdered cassia bark, and white pepper. It is a long, powerful finish, never ending, and, actually, rather numbing. The second gulp feels a lot more orange-y -- an orange that would have been caressed by a delicate smoke for a long while. It also displays lichen on staves, warmed by direct sun rays and embers from burning fruit tree. In fact, it feels as though whole fruits have been thrown onto that fire, with caramelised apples and burnt pears dripping sweet juices to complement the blush-orange touch. Phwoar! Incredible. I cannot even be bothered adding water to this. I am sure it would take it well, but it is so extraordinary neat, today. Only a slight bitterness in the first sip will prevent top score. To think I had this down as a "good, but..." dram, the first time! Our second encounter was more in line with today's. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

28/05/2022 HM Queen Elizabeth double Eye

OB, Cavalier66 and JS join me on this opening day of the Islay Festival to celebrate something completely different: the opening of the Elizabeth Line (of Crossrail, a new public-transport service in London), the impending jubilee of the Queen, who has been on the throne for close to seventy years, now, and, generally, the royals.

The soundtrack: Imminent - Cask Strength

When the line-up is assembled, I sneakily pour an apéritif for the boys (JS had it last week and does not want to try it again).

Grand Royal Special Reserve (43%, International Beverage Trading Company, LM006/0281N 6027) (tOMoH): OB and Cavalier66, who seem to like it, reckon it is a Lowlander, or an old blend... and indeed. I take no notes, today. Full notes can be found here.

JS offers whisky from a rare Royal distillery.

Glenury Royal 1984/2007 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, JG/AEB) (JS): nose: very fruity (Cavalier66). I have nail lacquer, wood varnish, then seal wax, hot linen, and even a few coffee grains. Mouth: fresh, it has a minor mocha bitterness. Finish: long, acidic, here are some fruits and a pinch of ground coffee grains. "It does what it does brilliantly, which is fruit and malt, not layered. The only potential criticism is that there is a slight harshness." (Cavalier66) Full notes are here. It is still excellent, despite a slightly lower score, today. 8/10

JS [to Cavalier66}: "Your shirt pattern is very subdued, today."
Cavalier66: "It's because I upgraded. I didn't go for Coton Doux, I went for Paul Smith, the queen of fashion."

I will wait for nibbles (a selection of British cold cuts and cheeses).
Cavalier66, of course, has had neither lunch nor breakfast, and is starving

Cavalier66: "This, by the way, is Comté, isn't it?"
OB: "Yes, but British."
tOMoH: "It's Counted."

Soundtrack: Imminent Starvation - Human Dislocation

The Old Man of Huy presents a whisky bottled by a bottler given the royal warrant (the only one, in fact).

Frustratingly, since this was bottled for someone else, the warrant is neither on the label nor on the box. It is on the stopper fold.

Cavalier66 brought another expression from the same distillery, so we have them in parallel. "Mine is just because the Queen has a turret in her castle."

Glenturret 31yo 1980/2012 (42.5%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS12008, 96b) (Cavalier66): nose: more subdued than the other (OB), it has icing sugar, though subdued indeed. It becomes bolder with time, sweet and lovely. Old-school sweets such as red bootlaces and Cherry Gums. Is there a puff of smoke? Maybe. Mouth: it is more subdued on the palate too (Cavalier66). It is tame alright, but well fruity all the same -- melon, plum, even gentle yellow maracuja. Finish: long, fresh and fruity, this sees fruity sweets rolling on the tongue. 8/10

vs.

Glenturret 35yo 1977/2013 (47.5%, Berry Brothers & Rudd for La Maison du Whisky, C#25) (tOMoH): nose: old Fruit Salad sweets (Cavalier66), which is to say artificial fruit aroma. It is immensely more expressive than its young sibling. Mouth: fizzy and amazingly fruity, with fruit sweets, mostly, some chewy, some in a crystallised form. Finish: it has more depth (Cavalier66), but also cooked vegetables (Cavalier66, who adds it is asparagus). JS and Cavalier66 find it an intense fruitiness that turns into liquorice. OB specifies that it is waves of fruit, not an explosion. We all agree it is a fruit tide. Full notes are here. 9/10

Cavalier66: "I think it is even lower than retro-nasal olfaction..."
OB: "Rectal-nasal!"

For the next whisky, OB explains it is an anniversary bottling, celebrating a jubilee of sorts. Also, it is twenty-six years old, and the Queen was born in 1926.

Littlemill 26yo 1990/2017 (52.6%, Cadenhead 175th Anniversary, Bourbon Barrel, 180b) (OB): nose: custard and a general creaminess, lemon curd and crushed Aspirin. I am struggling to put words on the scents, partly because they are well integrated, partly because I am enjoying the company. All the same, this nose, if not overly evolutive, is excellent. Mouth: on the palate, it has mellowed, since last time (Cavalier66). It is not that kaleidoscope of tropical fruit (OB), but it has ripened (Cavalier66). JS points out how creamy it is. They are right and wrong: I find it potent, displaying the bitterness of crushed Aspirin. The second sip focuses on citrus (a blend of calamansi and grapefruit), with Kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves balancing the acidity with bitterness. Finish: big, wide, gently bitter and pretty fruity. Next to that fruit, we see chocolate emerge. The crushed Aspirin remains rather prominent all the same -- something that may bother some. Further sips turns to pudding and custard, both vanilla and mocha-flavoured. 9/10

tOMoH: "[Bottle] splits are a faff. The world is full of self-entitled pricks."
Cavalier66: "As is the royal family."

Cavalier66 [about extensive collections]: "At least, with the Hanyu Cards collection, there were only fifty-two bottlings -- or fifty-four, with the jokers."
JS: "Yeah, it all becomes more reasonable, all of a sudden..."

Soundtrack: Ravi Shankar - Rāgas & Tālas

JS offers an Old & Rare Platinum Selection for the platinum jubilee.

Brechin 33yo 1970/2003 (52.4%, Douglas Laing The Old & Rare Platinum Selection, 479b) (JS): nose: ozone and photocopier ink (Cavalier66), blue ink, and a pinch of dust. A bit of cask (Cavalier66). I have crisp apple and shreds of ginger. Mouth: blush-orange juice, sangria-soaked fruits. JS and I find it spicy, OB finds it more peppery than spicy (Is pepper not a spice, then?). This shows nigella seeds, chutneys and relishes. Finish: intermittent waves of cinnamon (Cavalier66), bread dough, yeast, loads of fruit. This is excellent. It is almost yoghurt-y in the way it delivers fruit, with crushed apricot, peach, squashed cured plum... Phwoar! I am looking forward to spending more time with it, as these notes obviously do not make it justice. 9/10

Cavalier66 tells us the Queen Mary was known as Bloody Mary because she used to kill people for heresy. And how did she kill them? By burning them. We shall therefore have a Millburn. "Also, we all know the monarchy should be bloody silent, like this distillery."

OB: "It is quite alcoholic."
tOMoH and OB: "Well, it is a Rare Malt..."
Cavalier66: "Long."
OB: "Thick, it's got body."
Cavalier66: "Bodies."
OB: "It's got decaying corpses."
Cavalier66: "At this point in the line-up, this is exactly what we need."
OB: "Corpses."
Cavalier66: "Oily, encompassing, developing. It's not actually corpse, which I'm familiar with."

Millburn 35yo 1969/2005 (51.2%, OB Rare Malts Selection) (Cavalier66): nose: a lot fruitier than I remembered it, it has dried apple slices and raisins, with a drop of vinegar. It is also less funky than I remembered it (a memory that made me agree with the corpse note before I even smelled this). It still has hairballs. Also, shoe polish, walnut stain, spicy sweets (cinnamon and ginger, then, I guess). Mouth: wide, invasive, more in line with my memory, it has the taste of corpse, yet that is almost overshadow by an abundant shoe polish. There is plenty of leather and waterproofing grease on this palate too. The second sip is leafier, with hazel leaves and chestnut-tree leaves. It still has a lot of shoe polish, mind. It stays very strong on the palate, fiercely gingery. Finish: long, sweet, and a little bitter, it has cola, ginger-and-cinnamon Boules Magiques, but also a pronounced bitterness, in the long run that flirts with liquorice. 9/10

Soundtrack: Imminent Starvation - Nord

Cavalier66: "The music is quite anarchic, today, which may reflect your anti-monarchy sentiment."

Cavalier66 proudly presents the next one.

Cavalier66: "This is a Hanyu single cask cask for Full Proof Holland, matured in a puncheon. Punching is what I want to do to the monarchy. Also, the label has a picture of the Queen in her early days."
OB: "Thank you."

tOMoH: "Hanyou. The 'T' and the 'k' are silent."

Hanyu 1988/2006 (56.3%, OB for Full Proof Holland, Puncheon, C#9204, 204b) (Cavalier66): nose: an obvious sherry maturation, but a dirtier one (Cavalier66), some more obvious decay in this (OB). It has soot and coal dust, burnt-walnut shells, and hard-as-rock orange peel. Further nosing brings out plastic buckets. Mouth: smoke on the back (Cavalier66), coal smoke (OB). Yes, it is rather dirty, with lots of dusts -- coal dust, sawdust, ginger shavings. It is spectacularly gingery and hot. The second sip is drying, sucking up all moisture from the mouth. That later turns into grape-pip oil, oily and bitter. Finish: big and powerful, rich in ginger and embers, it has a dusting of ash, but little smoke, now. Water does not alter it much, though it does take some heat off the palate and renders it more balanced and more approachable. 8/10

We talk about how there is a contest to decide what the official jubilee food is going to be. Cavalier66 explains that is precisely how the coronation chicken recipe got that name: it was created for the banquet of the coronation in 1953. A piece of trivia the other three of us never knew.

Soundtrack: Pye Corner Audio - Entangled Routes

OB notes that the Queen's name is Elizabeth the Second, therefore, we will have the second official bottling of Brora 30yo. Since I am severely behind, I give the boys the remainder of a sample of Brora 20yo 1982/2003 (58.1%, OB Rare Malts Selection) to have as a sparring partner.

OB [about the Rare Malt]: "It is subdued, compared to the 30yo."
Cavalier66: "You do get some cow dung."
tOMoH: "It has some cow dung alright, but the cow didn't have curry the night before."
Cavalier66: "No coronation cow dung."

Brora 30yo b.2003 (55.7%, OB Natural Cask Strength, 3000b, b#2570) (OB): nose: a sour vinegariness barely conceals a humongous drop of cow dung. This is farm-y to the extreme, with sheep farts, curd, whey, soured milk, rancid butter, horse's behind, baby sick (JS), Comté, cheese rind, butyric. Much later on, it becomes ashier. Not candles (Cavalier66), maybe ass-candles? "They are the best type." (Cavalier66) Horse manure and cow dung are what dominate, though -- by a long shot. Mouth: very peppery, almost too much so. Who swapped my dram of Brora for a Talisker 10yo? Then, it is dried cow dung, ginger shavings and cinnamon-stick splinters. Further sips seem more fruity, with gingery citrus and dried lemon zest. All the same, it does not shake off the farmyard. Finish: lovely, it displays powerful ash, crusty earth, dry as fuck, dried muck, and dried raspberry slices. To wet all that somewhat, we have a dash of squid ink and some juicy berries. Cavalier66 claims it is worth 11/10; I disagree. It is great, there is no debate, but not that great. Perhaps less my preferred style than his. 9/10

Cavalier66 teases me about a famous note I gave a Glen Scotia.

tOMoH: "I'll say behind, because 'arse' is reserved to monkeys."
OB: "How would you call a donkey's behind? An ass's arse?"
JS: "British people call a donkey an ass? Or an arse?"
Cavalier66: "Well, you'll call an ass an arse if it's being a pain. But an ass is a crossing between a donkey and a horse. Like a mule, though it depends which is the mother and which is the father."
OB: "Is that so?"
Cavalier66: "Yes. And both the ass and the mule are sterile. So you can have as much sex with an ass as you want without consequence. Sterile."
OB [indeed, dear reader: it does not stop there!]: "There is also the liger, a crossing between a lion and a tiger, but what do you call the opposite?"
Cavalier66: "A tion."
OB: "It's a tigon, but tion is also accepted."
tOMoH: "What do you call a crossing between an elephant and a rabbit?"
All: "?"
tOMoH: "A dead rabbit with a twenty-centimetre-wide arsehole."
JS: "You took the conversation to a new low."
Cavalier66: "Yes, the level has seriously declined."
tOMoH: "Declynelished!"

Cavalier66 checks his facts online.

Cavalier66: "Actually, the offspring of a horse and a female donkey is called a hinny."
OB: "According to the Cambridge dictionary, the first definition of an ass is a donkey."

Soundtrack: Phelios - Astral Unity

Cavalier66 produces 53.193, because the Queen's coronation was in '53 (1953, obviously). He then points at the name the SMWS gave this: "And the jubilee of our beloved Queen brings a smile to every face." Tomorrow, he will add that our very own OB, in fanboi style, adopted the nom de plume caolivier, and that he is a bit of a drama queen.

In an unequal versus, we oppose it to my own Caol Ila, which, of course, is from Islay, Queen of the Hebrides.

53.193 22yo To bring a smile to every face (49.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Bourbon Barrel) (Cavalier66): nose: a bit of hay and lots of kelp and seaweed, then goat's cheese and dry earth. It smells like an SMWS Caol Ila of that era: reliable, good, yet also predictable and same-y. That said, it does have lemon and a lick of limestone, as well as new bandages to boot. Later on, we have... We will never know what, because I do not finish writing my sentence. Mouth: mercurochrome and a dash of citrus juice (lemon and pomelo). It hits pretty hard, in terms of power, though that heat is also balanced by some lemon juice. Finish: long, muddy and kelp-y. It really is muddy, full of silt, sea-harbour bed... and melted chocolate. Repeated sipping adds crystallised citrus drops, wrapped inside kelp and rehydrated nori. This is the weakest dram in this line-up, which says a lot, considering this dram is very good. 8/10

Caol Ila 31yo 1983/2014 (48.7%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#5300, 248b, b#172) (tOMoH): nose: ripe citrus here too, more mellow than it was on the SMWS offering. Pomelo, ripe lime, smoked preserved limes, and citrus-wood embers. Mouth: lovely citrus again, with lime paste, lime marmalade, and pomelo jelly. It has a big cloud of smoke, yet that does not eclipse the citric goodness. Further sips have a notch of candied angelica, adding a sweetness to the otherwise acrid and acidic palate. Finish: hugely long, it showcases lime juice on oysters, citrus paste, and candied angelica again. The finish has little smoke to speak of, amazingly enough. Probably that is only by comparison with the previous two drams. Full notes here. 9/10

What a tasting! We flew high, today.

Dram of the day:

JS: Littlemill and the two Glenturrets
OB and Cavalier66: Brora and Millburn
tOMoH: Brechin and The second Caol Ila

11/12/2021 Shyte Ur Bouquet

The email conversation in April 2019 went thus:

CD: "I hope that you guys are well!
I assume the title of this email [Bowmore Bouquet] peaked your interest?
I was asked if I want to participate in a bottle sharing of Bowmore Bouquet. I was asked if my friends would be interested, so naturally I'm reaching out to you."

Cavalier66: "I'd take a cl. Only q is whether I should take 2."

OB: "Assuming I have a sample what do I do with it? The only reasonable option I see is us three (four even as I assume JS probably wants this as much of not more than anyone else) doing a special Bowmore Bouquet tasting where we pull out or little bottles and drink their content. It feels weird not to share, and at the same time I'm not sure I would actually like to share."

A couple of days later, it was confirmed.

CD: "My friend went to Italy and opened the Bouquet. He said before that if for some reason the bottle is a fake (he just had it recently so knows what the real deal tastes like), though he had it professionally checked out, he wouldn’t accept any money from us. So he took a huge, personal financial risk [...]"

Ze real deal.

We then started discussing how we would despatch the samples .

CD "If you have someone going to Limburg, we can give them the samples there. Otherwise I will hang on to them and can give them to you when I am in London in June."

tOMoH: "Any of you going to Limburg, by any chance? A handful of samples to bring back, if you are and don't mind."

CB: "Only got hand luggage but should be able to bring sample bottles, just send me a list."

tOMoH: "CB has volunteered. How does he recognise your guy?"

CD: "My guy knows  CB well, so I'll ask him to give him your samples (2x2cl+ 1x 1cl) at the show. The reason that he knows him well is that the guy hanging on to the samples at the moment is EG."

tOMoH: "Brilliant! It turns out you know the bloke to get the samples from: Dodgy EG. He has 2x 2cl + 1x 1cl of Bowmore Bouquet for us."

OB: "EG has the samples? So I guess now I'm looking forward to drinking his urine rather than the Bowmore Bouquet. I haven't had either yet so I guess it'll be an eye opener in any case."

Cavalier66: "As I am expecting some cat urine aromas in the Bowmore, and as he will have undoubtedly drunk it such that many of the volatile compounds will be excreted in the urine, and as he is undeniably feline, we may have some difficulty in knowing whether we are indeed drinking EG’s Italian wee rather the untainted Bouquet."

OB: "I reckon the former is probably more exclusive that the latter, so I'm getting more and more excited by the minute!"

JS: "I didn't get the joke about cat urine - then I stumbled randomly upon your tasting notes here, whilst doing "research":  https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/7697/bowmore-1968-sv

Is cat wee widely accepted as a 60s Bowmore marker?  I never noticed it in the midst of all the passionfruit."

Cavalier66: "When your taste buds are as refined as mine...

It's usually a sauvignon blanc hallmark. But I found it in that Bowmore."

CB: "Samples are back in the UK safe and sound for you! I have to be honest, I didn’t fully read your email [...] before the trip though, very precious cargo indeed!"

tOMoH: "CB has confirmed the samples are safe in the UK. He was a bit impressed [...]"

CB finally came to a tasting in July 2019. Cavalier66 and OB spent the rest of the year washing their hair. Then the pandemic happened, time passed, and we could not meet for months.

Cavalier66: "OB and I were hypothesising you’d drunk them all though. If not, we should drink them together for the full Bowmorgy effect."

It was September 2020 when I finally gave Cavalier66 his sample, while visiting the post office, passing Bowmore Bouquet on the pavement like a hustler passes crack to a junkie. OB had to wait until June 2021 before I could give him his, by which point, Cavalier66 had lost the hope of living to see another month, and had drunk his sample. It was the biggest disappointment of his life, he said. An uneventful whisky. Was it a spoiled sample? The consequences of his contracting COVID-19, several months earlier? A lack of taste? Or was it simply not all that in the first place?

Well, today, we find out. We need a starter or two, though.

The soundtrack: Barramundi - Dreamtime Planet - The Second Barramundi Sampler

Shyte Whisky (40%, Adelphi) (tOMoH): nose: nuts (the dried fruit), nuts and bolts, whiffs of old coins, caramel on Biscotte (Melba toast), smoked orange rinds, sugar-dusted cinnamon biscuits. It has some caramel too, toffee, a whisper of wood. OB finds a floral note he is less keen on. Mouth: cardboardy toffee, in which the toffee is stronger than the cardboard. It has the texture of a good blend, which is to say: chewy, a bit dusty, caramel-y. Old furniture wax and nut oil. Very pleasant. Finish: it is rather short, toffee-like, but efficient. A ladle of gravy, perhaps? Or bread sauce? In the long run, it turns full-on caramel and toffee, flirting with fudge, even. It remains an utterly pleasant dram that will not change the world, but is well worth the price of admission (which is pretty low). 7/10

OB: "We'll see if the Bouquet can top the first dram."

The soundtrack: The Spirit Of Wandjina - The Third Barramundi Sampler

OB [sniffing the second dram]: "I don't want to spoil it for you, but I think this is a step up from the previous one."

Glenury Royal 37yo 1973/2011 (43%, The Whisky Agency selected & exclusively bottled for The Nectar, ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 146b) (OB): nose: what an explosion! Fragrant flowers and lovely fruit. We have a mix of tulip and lilac competing with peach, guava, dragon fruit, persimmon and kumquat. This is amazingly fruity -- much more so than I expected. Unripe pineapple and coconut (OB) that morph into celery stalks over time (OB again), very fresh and slightly humid. Papaya, carambola, nougat... Phoar! Mouth: it is a tad shy, at this modest ABV. A pinch of ashes sprinkled over cut fruits. This time, we see blood orange, roasted guava, and grilled pomelo, including its charred peel. The texture is that of creamy coconut milk, and it has an odd bitterness, which might just be acrid smoke. It is probably close to (softly) sooty, in the long run, adding a level of complexity to this already superb palate. Finish: long and assertive, it has, again, this mix of refined smoke and lovely fruits. They feel more acidic, now, though not quite lime-like -- more pomelo again. Grilled quince, pan-fried papaya slices... I am a bit lost for words. This is a great, great dram. 9/10

We move on to the main piece. OB, the snake that he is, brought something to try alongside the supposed king of kings.

OB: "You can clearly see that the other one is going to be better, because it is darker."

Bowmore 18yo 1966/1984 (53° GL, RW Duthie imported by S. Samaroli Bouquet, 720b): this Bowmore is widely regarded as the best whisky ever bottled. We are a little excited, even if we try to manage our expectations. Nose: well, it is an immediate outburst of tropical fruits, veiled in smoke. Dragon fruit, white peach, lychee, carambola, crushed persimmon, buttery mango, slightly-smoked maracuja. It has a dash of coconut milk too, enticing and inviting. This nose reeks of balance and elegance, while remaining lively and fresh. After ten-fifteen minutes, it gains a tiny wood-polish tone, perhaps even some rubber. That being said, the fresh fruits soon come back with a vengeance and overtake it all again. JS is reminded of the Bicentenary bottlings: petrolic and gas-influenced. She is right too, though we are well above the Bicentenary, to be clear. Upon further nosing, the slap of mango remains amazing. Mouth: oh! boy, it is a symphony. It is notably stronger than those vintages usually are (the strength of youth, no doubt -- this is about half the age of its siblings we have tried). It has fruit, of course (more on them in a jiffy), yet what almost surprises me is the amount of rubber and tar that is well distinguishable. They morph into pomelo and pink-grapefruit peel: chewy, a bit bitter, yet still fruity. Each sip brings a renewed vigour, certainly imprinted by the ABV. Oh! The fruit. Imagine mango, carambola, jackfruit, snake fruit, canary melon, dragon fruit, but also strawberry, blueberry, lemon wedges, all sprayed with crude oil. Finish: caramba! It goes on forever. A thin veneer of inky rubber hardly conceals waves of fruit: pink grapefruit and pomelo are the stars, here, and they shine for their peel, which means bitterness. The second sip is fruitier and does away with the bitterness, to an extent: it becomes sweeter, without turning sweet. The rubber resurfaces, but much more subdued, and it is eventually joined by old copper coins. To cut a long story short (ahem): it is a winner. An exceptional dram, no doubt about it. 15/10 (Thanks for the opportunity and the logistics, Ix, CD, EG, CB, JS)

OB: "The nose blows that of the next one out of the water. It's really intriguing: how can a darker whisky be less good?"

Bowmore d.1956 (43%, OB, Sherry Casks) (OB): he brought the goods, our OB, did he not? Nose: coastal, it has sea breeze and sea spray, but it is also woody, displaying wood varnish and lacquer. Not a minute later, white tropical fruit happens: lychee and white peach, perhaps carambola too, all coated in posh furniture oil. Quite plainly, it is akin to sitting in a leather armchair, while receiving a shoeshine and eating fresh fruits. Much later on, behind squashed raspberries, we have fishing nets and crab traps. The second nose unveils some earth, then powerful ink. It is remarkable how this has evolved, over the space of one hour. Is that plasticine? Modelling clay? Something of that ilk. Mouth: thin smoked, leather, an empty pipe and, once again, fishing gear. There is a note of burnt wood too, quite subtle. And then fruits, of a darker type, now: prunes, figs, dried and fresh, dried apricots, soaked in red wine. Fear not: it has fresh tropical fruit too, mainly mango, augmented with blood orange. OB finds a soapy note that neither JS nor I detect. The texture is thick as fruit nectar, peach or mango. Finish: very long, cordial-like, it has more prunes, squashed raspberries and elderberry, maybe. It is now more aged and dignified than coastal, more chesterfield sofa than trawler The second sip becomes jammy: apricot jam and strawberry jelly. Lovely. Later on, that mutates into dark-cherry jam on crusty bread -- rhaaaa! 13/10

We talk about the eternal chase for that initial impression -- the revelation of trying a 1960s Bowmore for the first time.

tOMoH & OB: "It is like shooting up heroin. We were taught that users always try to reproduce the first flash."
tOMoH: "Many things are like that. Strangely enough, not sex. The first time is almost universally disappointing."
OB: "I'm not married, so I'm not qualified to talk about that."

Soundtrack: Best Of Techno - Volume One

I feel compelled to add something special to this already grand line-up...

Bowmore 40yo 1955/1995 (42%, OB, Bourbon Hogshead re-racked into Sherry Butt, 306b, b#176) (tOMoH): nose: surprisingly enough, this seems the most concentrated of all three. Pineapple, maracuja, grapefruit... It simply will not stop. Mouth: high-fruit-content fruit juice, plain and simple. It is pure maracuja juice on entrance, and it remains fruity in subsequent sips, perhaps with the addition of citrus pith or peel, though the resulting bitterness is much less pronounced than in the Samaroli. Finish: noble and elegant. It is not boisterous, and one might regret the low ABV, especially when compared to the Bouquet. Until one realises that, fifteen minutes later, it still clings to the walls of the mouth with no sign of fatigue, sending fruits dancing all the way to the end. My full notes are here. For tonight, suffice to say it is both exciting and impressive to see it fare so comfortably in this glorious company. Winner. 17/10

£100,000s' worth of whisky, at today's rate

OB: "The 1955 has slowly overtaken the Bouquet, I think. Samaroli was clearly first, initially..."

tOMoH: "Probably because of the higher ABV. It's more immediate. The 1955 says: 'Yeah, once you've tired of the others, I'll still be here.' In a festival setting, results may have been different.

We are very much in First-World-Problem territory, here, are we not?"

I text Cavalier66 who, as we saw, had a sample too, drank it and was disappointed.

tOMoH: "You're an idiot."
tOMoH: "Or at least, you have no taste."
tOMoH: "Or your sample was spoiled."
Cavalier66: "My sample was spoiled for sure.."
Cavalier66: "But extremely happy yours wasn't."
JS: "...he says with regret and resentment."

I am whiskied out. Drained. But life does not suck, right now.

11/08/2021 Glenury Royal

Glenury, Glenury Royal, Glenury-Royal. To-may-to, to-mah-to.

Box MkII with label MkI
Tsk-tsk!

Glenury Royal 1984/2007 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, JG/AEB): nose: oooh! it is full of lovely stewed oranges, marmalade and candied peel. Upon pouring this, it seemed mildly woody; nothing overwhelming, but there certainly was furniture wax and garden chairs, coated in oil, as well as plywood sheets. Now, a few minutes later, it is all about fruit, and oranges definitely lead that dance. Looking very hard, one may find subtle nuts too. However, the dominant is and remains stewed oranges: compote, chunky marmalade and warm PiM's filling. The second nose has barley sugar and warm porridge, doused with honey. Tilting the glass seems to add Cologne, far in the back of the nose. In the long run, dunnage warehouse also makes a discreet entrance. Mouth: it seems gentle at 43%, yet keeping the liquid on the tongue reveals just how feisty this would have been at cask strength. Ginger shavings, cinnamon sticks, dried orange rind, sumac and ground cloves provide a spicy background for what is otherwise a continuation of the nose, which is to say: orange-y. The palate is bitterer than the nose suggested, but it is tolerable. Unripe hazelnuts or unripe (and unsalted) pistachios and bitter Seville-orange rind. This is truly a marmalade-y drop! Perhaps it has a herbal-and-metallic nuance, dried oregano, marjoram or sage. Finish: oranges are loud, still, yet a bold nuttiness matches it, this time. Walnut oil, hazelnut shells, roasted pistachios, cocoa-bean shavings. It is also pretty sweet, here, with honey and poached apricots joining the warm marmalade. There is soft tree bark too. Nothing like the cinnamon sticks from the nose: in fact, it reminds me of landscaping mulch. Then again, it might simply be cocoa beans instead, chewy and not very tasty. Towards the Death, distant cardamom pods call for attention, although they barely succeed at being heard. This is a long, comforting finish that is never boisterous and all the more appreciated for it. Excellent! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

29/02/2020 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 1 -- Part 3)

Back from the masterclass, we bump into DL, who brings the following:

Bowmore 37yo 1968/2006 (41%, Duncan Taylor, C#3826, 150b, b#7)
Nose: pineapple peels, drying cucumber peels, a pinch of earth and drying lime zest.
Mouth: mh. A bit tired, really. It has the same fruits from the nose, but it loses steam, a bit. Is it the bottling, or bottle fatigue? Hopefully, we will find out, one day. A touch of acidity appears, after a moment.
Finish: all is forgiven in the finish, where acidic citrus and mildly bitter cucumber peel reappear. It is fruitier than before, however, with lime, pomelo, kumquat and bergamot.
Comment: lovely dram, but it suffers from the comparison with the Signatory bottling we had downstairs. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, DL)

Glen Grant 37yo 1965/2002 (56.6%, Malcolm Pride Premier Malts imported by Jack Wiebers Whisky World imported by Getränke-Markt Monnier, Sherry Wood, C#5859, b#032)
Nose: prune and shoe polish, lots of walnut stain and chestnut purée.
Mouth: super powerful and peppery, the note of shoe polish is back with a vengeance, hardly allowing anything else to come through.
Finish: coffee, earth, bog and bush fire.
Comment: uncompromising Glen Grant. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, CD)

Caperdonich 35yo 1972/2007 (58.3%, Private Cask, Bourbon Cask)
Nose: creamy yoghurt, cut peach, honey and apricot jelly.
Mouth: mellow and fruity, it has an acidic hint, complemented by cut peach and cold apricot compote.
Finish: long, creamy and fruity, buttery peach being the major characteristic.
Comment: one of the best 1972 Caperdonich I have tried, I reckon. 9/10

RN, who recommended the above dram, is not such a dick after all! :-)

tOMoH: "You did say that after the other show. I mean: after other show."

I try the following in someone's glass, out of the blue.

North Port 15yo 1964/1979 (45.7%, Cadenhead) 9/10

Meanwhile, dom666 has
Port Ellen 20yo 1978/1998 (60.9%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#0084)

Glenury Royal 50yo 1968/2018 (45%, OB Casks of Distinction, Hogshead, C#8509, 192b, b#192)
Not bad, but lacks character to shine at this stage 8/10

MD is spreading the inferior chocolate love

JS is running around, looking for as many "final" drams as she can get.

Millburn 28yo 1978/2006 (51.6%, Private Cask, Bourbon Cask)
Nose: heat in a glass, with hot candlewax, metal and aromatic herbs (but not in a medicinal way), boiled orange peels.
Mouth: hot metal, boiled orange and, perhaps, a chocolate note.
Finish: lovely fruity/austere profile, with mild chocolate coating orange drops and a metallic sage touch. 8/10

Clynelish 31yo 1980/2011 (51.4%, Private Cask, Sherry Butt)
Nose: eggs, not sulphury, but funky all the same. Some rocks, too.
Mouth: soft, velvety, the palate welcomes egg white and green pepper.
Finish: fruity, here, but still those eggs!
Comment: my least favourite Clynelish, this weekend. 7/10

Glenlochy 28yo 1974/2002 (54.8%, Private Cask, Sherry Cask)
Nose: oh! my, this is austere, with rocks on a river bed and hay bales.
Mouth: juicy on the palate, it has a drop of lime juice on candied cucumber -- odd, eh?
Finish: chocolate-coated, fresh orange slices, Cécémel.
Comment: excellent. 9/10

Linkwood-Glenlivet 21yo 1969/1991 (55.8%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask)
Nose: lots of varnish and lacquer, pine-tree-bark-infused cola and teak cabinets.
Mouth: this one flows like water -- lacquered wood, rosehip? Polished dashboards and polished leather belts.
Finish: long, exuberant and amazingly balanced, with more lacquered wood, teak oil, polished dashboards and leather belts.
Comment: apparently, I have a miniature of this. Yay. 9/10

Cavalier66: "I've made a dent in those plans and am fairly on piste."
tOMoH: "Better than make a dentist and be in pee!"

Springbank 28yo 1974/2003 (46%, OB Private Bottling imported by Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft, 246b, b#61)
Nose: very waxy, with melted candle, mostly.
Mouth: soft and fruity, it has apricot flesh and peach flesh.
Finish: fruity, a little ashy, dusty, but mostly fruity. 9/10

Oh! What is this?

Glen Mhor 25yo d.1970 (45%, Campbell & Clark, C#1970 1164/1166, 1926b, b#1408)
Nose: nice sherried nose, teeming with hazelnut shells.
Mouth: mellow, with a drop of wood varnish, lost amidst hazelnut paste and hazelnut oil.
Finish: long, hazelnut-y and lovely, full of chestnut purée. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, ST)

It would appear we have survived Day 1. The official events, at least... :-)

Of course, there is an afterparty...

01/01/2020 NYD drams at Dornoch Castle Hotel

Today is a strange day. Everyone is tired, hungover and moody to some degree. Even the pros are not at their peak. JS and I have decided to throw ourselves into the sea for the yearly looney dook, which takes place at noon. That means there is no time to do anything before, and little to do anything afterwards, in a place where the sun goes down at 15:30. A day at the bar, more or less. But first, breakfast.

adc's full Scottish

JS's not-at-all-full Scottish without bacon, sausage, or potato scone

My French toasts with banana slices and maple syrup

Once back from the (blooming-cold) sea, it is time for lunch.

Cheese toastie for adc

Lentil soup for JS and me

Burnside 15yo (46%, Eaglesome, b.1980s): this is allegedly a Springbank, and it was bottled in the 1980s. Happy days. Nose: strawberry bubble gum and mild pepper, satsuma foliage, discreet bergamot, faint lime leaves -- all is very subtle and integrated, a bit tired, even, but pleasant nonetheless. Celery (JS) and a pinch of dust. Mouth: yes, it is tired. Peach-and-lemon juice, a pinch of chilli, growing in intensity (not quite so tired, eh?), grapefruit segments, drying away. It is not very assertive, all in all. Finish: it reveals itself in the finish, with the acidity of grapefruit and lemon/lime, some sawdust, ginger peel, cigar boxes (cedar wood) and dried lemongrass stalks. Well, this is excellent, innit. 8/10

Daftmill 2008/2019 (55.5%, OB for The Whisky Bars of Scotland, C#068/2008, 160b, b#73): nose: butterscotch and shortbread, porridge, granola bars and squashed banana. Something is there that resembles dessert rice. Mouth: quite peppery, punchy, it retains the butterscotch-y, shortbread-y touch, with porridge and custard too. Finish: long, rather fierce, with hot paprika and crushed bay leaves, spicy butterscotch, spicy custard and sweetened porridge, pumped up with vanilla sugar. This is pretty simple, but efficient. I simply cannot understand the secondary-market prices, however. 7/10

Back at the bar, CT asks us what we are drinking. As we request the next drams, he rolls up his sleeves and starts pouring ("Are those the whisky glasses?" he jokes). Not quite sure it is what he had in mind, but there is no-one else behind the bar at the time. "I demand to speak to the owner," I state. The manager enters to find his boss serving us whisky. I jokingly recommend hiring him as bar staff. Everyone pretends my joke is funny, which is kind.

Longrow 10yo 1987/1997 (43%, Signatory Vintage, C#149--151, 9990b, b#340, 97/1020): an indie Longrow from the 1980s. Where can one try that, really? Nose: dead leaves, tractor-engine fumes, dried mud, caked onto tractor tyres, rusty machinery and old-school industrialisation. Perhaps a pinch of coffee grounds to complete the nose. Mouth: soft, watery, it has lots of fruit, here -- peach, apricot and juicy plum. Thirty seconds in, it stops feeling watery and starts unravelling the spices. The exhaust fumes and farm-y character come running back, and that spells great news. Finish: that funky mix of fruit and farm-y diesel, redoubtable! Peaches, oil, old engines, rusty tools, old earth, dried apricots, oily nuts. Very good. 8/10

Benriach 44yo 1966/2010 (56.1%, Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection, First Fill American Hogshead, C#605, 129b, b#11, AJ/AEBG): nose: old-school sherry elegance, with black shoe polish on soft leather, and a good dose of juicy fruit (mango, jackfruit, very-ripe pineapple, persimmon, avocado). Flowering currants (adc), honeysuckle and a waft of coffee round off the nose beautifully. Mouth: proper fruity nonsense, with persimmon, mango, dragon fruit, mangosteen... It has the perfect horsepower as well: powerful, never invading. Green peppercorns and ginger shavings are kept under control. Finish: a little explosion of tropical fruit on a bed of chilli. Tropical-fruit squash is what remains on the top of the palate for the longest time. Exceptional dram, this, only overshadowed by the mighty 50yo for LMdW. Because of that, I feel compelled to score it lower. That might seem harsh, but life is harsh. 9/10

The prices, it dawns on us, seem higher than the previous years. The pours, on the other hand, are very generous.

Glenury Royal 30yo 1973/2004 (49.7%, Signatory Vintage, Sherry Cask, C#6860, 168b, b#106, 4/0359): nose: ooooft! Dusty hessian sacks, full of lychee and mangosteen. Fresh ginger, pressed sultanas, bergamot leaves, a pinch of ground white pepper. Soon, carrot soup enters too, never overpowering the gorgeous, juicy fruit. Crayon shavings, warm marmalade, a pinch of sage, apricot compote and even pine forest (tree bark and pine cones). Much later on, it is custard and soaked shortbread. Mouth: soft, peachy, velvety, it has more of the marmalade goodness, souped up with hot metal (and methedrine?). Citrus-y shenanigans take centre stage, with boiled zest and juicy segments, as well as the edge of the knife that has cut them (that will be the metal, then). Finish: long, warm and warming, with ladlefuls of hot marmalade, nigella seeds, black cumin, preserved lemons, crystallised tangerines and, well, orange marmalade, made with the juiciest Seville. 9/10

M has started his shift and taken over from CT.

M: "I've got a feeling someone's watching me."
tOMoH: "Every time that happens, I've got Michael Jackson playing in my head."
M: "I don't even want to know what that means..."
tOMoH: "I'm talking about Michael Jackson, the whisky writer, obviously."
M: "Next thing, you'll tell me there's really a whisky writer called that..."

Longmorn 38yo 1971/2009 (47.4%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve exclusively for Limburg, C#4812, 190b, JI/AJGH): nose: ethereal, it has subtle jasmine, peach skins, lacquered wood, and layers and layers of understated fruit (apple peels, poached pears, avocado flesh, poached peaches and plums). Baby powder, moisturiser -- this smells creamy and custard-y. Mouth: it feels a little weak at first, but it is teeming with ripe fruits. Silky, soft, it has peach, überripe apricot, juicy pear, squashed dragon fruit, mango pulp and non-chillied guacamole (smashed avocado, coriander and lime juice, then). Finish: soft, peachy, it does have some wood (freshly-installed bookcases), but nothing to eclipse the deluge of ripe, juicy fruits (see above). 9/10

Caol Ila 20yo d.1983 (46%, Direct Wines First Cask, C#46, b#290): nose: a typical Caol Ila from the 1980s, with fishing nets, a trawler's engine, a pinch of soot, a wood stove, diesel, and fruit. Barbecued pear, barbecued apricot. It is on the smoky side, though, with coal-fire smoke, even charcoal. Mouth: soft and mellow, it has more fruit than the nose: white plum and canary melon, peppered with soot and kept on a wood stove. The fruit is really fresh, juicy and lively. Finish: sweet, fruity here as well, and sooty/smoky, with diesel fumes, buckets of soot, greasy engines, soot-covered peaches, super-dry fishing nets and dusty mechanics. Amazing. 9/10

Caol Ila 21yo 1976/1997 (59.9%, Adelphi, C#8093, L726088): nose: smoked peach stones in a fruit-juice liqueur, if that makes sense. Lacquered-wood cabinets, liqueur cabinets. It develops to reveal more fruit (nutty peach, apricot, plump plum, juicy quince) and polished wood panels. Mouth: it feels fruitier than the First Cask on the palate as well, with peach juice, smoky marmalade and smoked preserved lemons. The high ABV makes itself well known: powerful, fearsome. From the second sip on, it feels perfectly integrated and the mouth becomes fruitier and fruitier. Finish: big, but balanced, it has similar fruity notes and an ashy, salty undercurrent. The finish is drying, arid (the ash, I would wager), austere, but with some fruit, still (roasted peach). Here too, the fruit grows more prominent with each sip, white peach and all, but the ash and fishing nets remain, subtle, yet fantastically present. 9/10

adc: "Ah! Those haggis balls. They were a bit too hard. I don't mind putting a whole ball in my mouth, if it is small."
[JS and I lol.]
adc: "You dirty minds. You're as bad as the French."

Dinner.

No buffet, this year, (un)fortunately

adc and JS have the Smoked Sea Trout

Marbled Game Terrine for me

12 Hour Braised Pork Belly (adc)

Honey & Thyme Roasted Salmon (JS)

Venison Loin (me)

Coffee & Doughnuts (JS)

Vanilla Mouse for adc and me (yes, there is a typo and yes, I do make a scene about it)

There is no band playing folk music, this year, sadly. JS goes for a little nap. adc and I go for one last dram. She has Glen Grant 38yo Gordon & MacPhail again, which I do not take notes for.

88.6 25yo 1975/2001 (63.4%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: melted caramel butter, melted fudge, doughnut batter, distant shoe polish. It feels like a sherry maturation with a medicinal tack -- bandages, gauze, leather belts and leather shoes. It grows muddier and dirtier as time passes, though that is balanced by bergamot foliage. With water, orange juice comes out more, and soaked cork (adc). Mouth: massively hot, frighteningly so, with ground cloves, crushed bay leaves, mace, black pepper, sumac, lots of ginger, galangal, green chilli, curry leaves and spiced-up oranges. The heat! With water, it stays warm, but turns fruitier too, with bitter orange pith and orange peel. Finish: it surprisingly hits a great balance, with dark chocolate, bay leaves, sage, verbena, salted caramel and underripe oranges, almost blue with mould. Funny how the finish is more tolerable than the palate. Water makes it warmer, amusingly enough, and allows acidic, bitter orange to come through. Very interesting drop, but the palate is not a little challenging. One of the fiercest whiskies that I recall, in the mouth. Despite that, it is so interesting I will not go below 8/10

They have an SMWS Glen Mhor and an SMWS Glen Albyn, but this feels the right time to stop.

Also this 30yo Lochnagar, which is very tempting

That is all, folks. Tomorrow, PT will let adc and JS try a Yoichi 10yo 2008/2018 (59%, OB, Virgin Oak Cask, C#409288) as we say good bye. I am driving and therefore sober.