14/06/2026 The after-party

Sure, we had a mad dash for bottles last night, but those who are still around (adc, JS, elskling, EG, ruckus, EJ, sonicvince, Psycho, pat gva, YdS, PS, Gaija, tOMoH) meet up at various stages to enjoy more whisky at a reasonable pace in a drop-in setting.

But first, brunch at Kafé Kübe, which OB and CB join.

I arrive almost an hour late, owing to two
hundred glasses to clean
(a Dornoch copita and a stemless Highland Park are nowhere to be found)

Spinach and halloumi beigel

EG explains: whisky

With some food in, we head to tOMoH Towers for drams. The idea is to spend quality time with friends, so notes are scant.

Freestyle

Glenmorangie 10yo (43° Gay Lussac, OB imported by Schutz & Cloos, b. ca. 1985) (Psycho): a well-known dram that still does the trick. 8/10

House of Scotland 8yo (43°, House of Scotland imported by Bergia di T.&E. Arango, b. ca.1980s) (elskling)

Nose: soft and dusty, it has lots of OBE, but is mostly discreet. The likes of jam jars show up, as does lemon marmalade.

Mouth: mellow and berry-like, it has vanilla custard and a pinch of ashy dust.

Finish: long, with a touch of tobacco and grilled honey -- as in: honey slathered on bread, then toasted.

Comment: very good old dusty hailing from a blender/bottler in Campbeltown.

Score: 8/10

MV and AL who could not be here this weekend, call at this stage to sing a song.

103.12 30yo 1972/2003 Caramel and eucalyptus (53.3%, SMWS Society Cask) (EG)

Nose: burning fruits. Apricots ablaze.

Mouth: baked apricots, some of which dried, others juicy, a tad bitter.

Finish: more juicy goodness, yet it has a minerality too and a bitter side.

Comment: even SMWS guru PS does not recognise the distillery number. Upon reveal, I realise I have chased these old Lochnagars before, never successfully.

Score: 9/10

Kawasaki 33yo 1976/2009 (65.6%, Chichibu Ichiro's Choice imported by The Number One Drinks Company, Refill Sherry Butts, 432b, b#283) (PS)

Nose: flames, ragged leather and burnt flesh (PS, in facetious mode -- that would be the motorcycle namesake). Burnt tyre, petrol and engine oil, yeah? (tOMoH follows suit). sonicvince emits a simple "Mmmh!" Apple and tinned pineapple (sonicvince and PS). It feels very Sherried to me, with prunes and kerosene, perhaps a dash of coffee.

Mouth: rancio, earth, and fewer prunes.

Finish: long, it rolls out blackberries, blackcurrants and dry warehouse clay.

Comment: twelve years have passed since we had our first Kawasaki. I prefer this one, I think. Of course, it is now unobtainable, much to everyone's chagrin.

Score: 8/10

Essy approves of Kawasaki

Glenglassaugh 30yo 1976/2007 (45.3%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2381, 260b, b#226) (PS)

Nose: surprisingly mineral, it has peach yoghurt and sawdust from a circular saw.

Mouth: jammy and fruity, it has peach jelly and thin fruit juice.

Finish: lovely fruity profile balanced with a sip of black coffee.

Comment: this has been on my list of things to try since it came out. Glad to have a chance.

Score: 9/10

PS: "This is far from being a substandard dram."

Chichibu 2009/2012 The Floor Malted (50.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt distributed by Japan Import System imported by Number One Drinks, 8800b, b#8142) (EG)

Nose: it is a tad indistinct, with custard and fruity flowers.

Mouth: fresh and mineral, it tastes like fruits cut on slate.

Finish: lovely fruitiness, mostly peaches and nectarines.

Comment: another good Chichibu.

Score: 8/10

JS pulls out her own Chichibu London Edition b.2023 (51.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt imported by Speciality Drinks, 1949b, b#1843) to compare it with the above. The opinions are divided on which is better than the other. EG and I prefer JS's (notes here). pat gva prefers EG's.

EG pours his Real Dry sparkling white wine. Alcohol free (0.5%), it is meant to reset the palates and refresh the minds.

pat gva: Is that prosecco?"
EG: "Do I look like an Italian?"

Psycho tells a daft story. pat gva laughs so hard he chokes.

EG: "Too strong for you? 0.5%?"

Random nibbles
Nachos, biltong, nuts

3.217 16yo 1997/2014 A delicatessen shopping basket (55.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 609b) (EG)

Nose: farm-y and salty. One could say 'saltmarshes' with confidence.

Mouth: pearl onions, smoked prunes, smoked figs.

Finish: beautifully mellow, with a lick of smoke.

Comment: wow!

Score: 8/10

Gaija enters the scene and pours us a surprise one.

Mystery dram (Gaija)

Nose: super herbaceous, it has heather twigs, oregano and mizunara staves.

Mouth: juicy, a trifle pine-y, with a dollop of mountain-flower honey.

Finish: aromatic, it has oregano, twigs, bracken and dried roots.

Comment: we narrow it down to a middle-aged Bowmore for travel retail, but not the exact bottling, nor even the range. I trawl through my sample boxes to find another, similar expression, to no avail. Must have emptied it.

Bowmore Aston Martin 22yo b.2022 (51.5%, OB Masters' Selection, 12800b) 8/10

Gaija's Glenglass-socks

Bunnahabhain 1989/2001 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail The MacPhail's, JA/ACC) (Psycho)

Nose: gas, sewers, pickled onions.

Mouth: mellow, juicy, it develops a chalky, eggshell-y side.

Finish: soft, it dishes out orange pulp and pepper-topped custard.

Comment: one we have had several times. It is a competent effort. Others appreciate it more than I do. Of course, the competition is fierce, today.

Score: 7/10

ruckus and EJ join the gang.

3.213 18yo Fresh, inviting and energetic (56%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (JS)

Nose: dry and citrus-y, it has orange peels and the bitter oil that comes with that.

Mouth: citrus-y, crystalline, it veers towards leather.

Finish: sweet and citrus-y, it showcases cherries (EJ), candy sweets (JS) and Mon Chéri (EJ).

Comment: JS pulled this out last minute to have it against 3.217. They are wildly different. Full notes here.

Score: 8/10

PS asks if he may open the door for air. YdS is fanning herself with a napkin.

JS: "I'll give you a fan."
pat gva: "She's got a fan. It's Chinese."
YdS: "It's not Chinese. It's international."

EJ: "How do you pronounce it? Glen-glass-ow?"
PS: "Glen-glass-okh."
EJ: "Glen-glass-sock."
Psycho: "Kh. Like Mo-kh-ammed."
JS: "That is why you get stopped at airports!"

Poit Dhubh 30yo b.2006 (43%, Pràban na Linne 30th Anniversary Edition, b#230) (tOMoH)

Comment: pat gva and elskling show no interest at first and are dubitative when I insist. They seem pleasantly surprised when they finally do try it. Full notes here.

Score: 8/10

ruckus teases EJ about ageing.

tOMoH: "What are you doing with this guy?"
JS: "He's very competent in his cooking skills."

Invergordon 37yo 1972/2009 (46.6%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel CC#60478/63675, 259b, b#236) (JS)

Comment: chemical to start with, it paves the way for peach and almonds (pat gva). ruckus finds blackcurrants. Full notes here.

Score: 8/10

D.town 33yo d.1979 (56.3%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, 3rd Fill Bourbon Cask, 1b) (tOMoH)

Comment: full notes here.

Score: 8/10

Psycho: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
EJ: "Because you're sexaaaaaaaay."
ruckus: "She's very good at lying."

Others have the following in no particular order.

Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010 (52.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2649, 265b, b#71) (tOMoH)

Inver-Regal (43° Gay Lussac, J.H. Wham & Son (Largs), for testing purposes only, b. pre-1991) (tOMoH)

Pittyvaich 14yo 1986/2001 (43%, Ian McLeod Chieftain's, Hogsheads, C#9519-22, 1074b, L1212BB 3 11 58) (tOMoH)

Laphroaig 28yo b.2018 (44.4%, OB Limited Edition, Quarter Casks + Bourbon Barrels + Sherry Butts) (tOMoH): especially for Psycho, who had left when we tasted it last month.

Abhainn Dearg b.2023 (61%, OB X Cask Type, PX Cask) (tOMoH)

Braes of Glenlivet 22yo 1989/2011 (60.2%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, C#1051, 267b b#69) (JS)

Bladnoch 20yo 1990/2011 (60.6%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre for Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel, C#30005, 194b, b#131) (JS)

(pat gva asked about Càrn Mòr, yesterday)

Laphroaig 10yo (90 U.S. Proof, OB imported by Julius Wile, b.1975) (pat gva)

Bruichladdich 20yo 2001/2021 (53.1%, Sansibar-Whisky, Sherry Hogshead, 318b) (elskling)

It is close to 20:30 when the last ones leave. Precious moments.

12/05/2013 Supper in Craigellachie

Second evening of our Speyside tour and a well-deserved supper in a local place, which I will not name. Suffice to say they have a ridiculous Japanese selection, among others.

House of the Rising Sun

Convalmore 1975/2008 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old) (me): nose: quite austere. Unripe quince, dunnage warehouse, nail varnish, lacquer, plums, kumquats. All very nice! Mouth: vodka orange... without vodka. It is thin, yet retains the right consistency. Finish: creamy and milked-up orange juice with a very sharp, unripe plum aftertaste and white pepper. Quite unexpected. Or is it grape seeds? Bitter and dry. A very convincing Convalmore. A little too tame or discreet for its own good, hence no 9/10, yet the potential is definitely there! 8/10

"With so much candle wax, it is bound to be a Clynelish!"

Caperdonich 41yo 1969/2011 (40.1%, Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare, C#3254, 175b) (JS): nose: stunning. Lemon, quince jelly, rose-petal jam -- what a treat! squashed gooseberries, kumquats, physalis. Very sweet and floral (JS). Mouth: happiness. Very balanced, thanks to the naturally low ABV. Raspberry juice with a dash of lime. Finish: a whirlwind of vanilla, passion fruit, custard, banana, mango and a little black pepper. Drool. It loses a point for not being more assertive, but I am kicking myself for not buying it when it came out. 9/10

Food. Chicken & noodles soup and five-spice duck & noodles for JS, spicy sweet potato soup and Highlander Dufftown haggis-stuffed chicken for me. Superb.

Kawasaki 1981/2009 (62.4%, Chichibu Ichiro's Choice, Refill Sherry Butts, 710b) (me): nose: trademark grain features, here -- paint thinner, coconut, vanilla, bakery, -- but also shy coffee, honeysuckle and nutmeg. A lot more refined than many Scottish grains, certainly more so than yesterday's Invergordon. Mouth: warming. Not a bit. Light bakery dough, red chilli and otherwise quite neutral. Some violets (boiled sweets). Finish: heather, lots of violet sweets and pastry cooling down on a griddle. Nice! It goes down easily too, considering the extravagant ABV. With water, it moves towards dark chocolate and coffee beans. 8/10

Lochside 1981/2011 (46%, Acorn Friends of Oak, Hogshead, 60b) (JS): how quaint is it that they seem to have tons of Japanese bottlings of Scottish whiskies, next to multiple Japanese whiskies? But then a substantial percentage of the clientele is Japanese, so it sort of makes sense, probably. Nose: an overwhelming basket of fruit -- melon, quince (quince couple of days, innit) and watermelon. A distant pair of hiking boots -- scratch that, it is dunnage warehouse. This is not too different from the 1981 Cadenhead bottling released last year, actually. A little bit of coal dust as well. Mouth: as sparkly as a can of Fanta! And as fruity too. Lots of orange, strawberry, red cherries. Finish: same fruits yet again, with a a pronounced impression of dunnage warehouse, or lichen. Perhaps even bread mould. Still great, but I prefer the Cadenhead's. :-) 9/10

This is what hilarious mood in a glass looks like, folks

I then spot a bottle I am interested in trying. It is costly, but hey! Then a second one -- same distillery and vintage, different bottler. Fortunately, it is empty, or I would have had to have them back to back.

Bowmore 40yo 1966/2006 (43.5%, Duncan Taylor, C#3315, 153b) (both): nose: after smelling this, the Lochside smells like cat piss. This one is otherworldly. Passoã with more overripe passion fruit, new, synthetic trainers, resin. Not a trace of smoke. Mango, jack fruit, The Body Shop shower gel (JS). Mouth: fruit juice, plain and simple. As smooth as can be. Still no smoke. Finish: a bit disappointing for half a second, until the passion fruit roundhouse-kicks you in the stomach, bites your balls off and runs away laughing. A faint peat smoke settles in for good after a moment. The nose is by far the strongest feature, with the rest being ever so slightly less impressive. Still, this is such an outstanding dram it is completely stupid. It plays in the same league as TWE's 1964 Lochside, though that one is more of an all-round winner to this enthusiast. 10/10

The full Flora & Fauna range

What an evening.