Yet another new outturn. I am supposed to meet up with MS and a friend of his, but I am also waiting for DH to join me... and we have to try a few things before going to the SMWS. MS says he contacts me several times, yet I never receive any message. Let down by technology once again.
On the sunny terrace, we have
Glenmorangie Cellar 13 (43%, OB second edition),
Glenugie 26yo 1982/2008 (50%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask 50°, Refill Hogshead, C#DL 4703, 310b) and
Glenugie 31yo 1977/2008 (58.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead / Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish, C#7, 577b, b#19). Good times.
At the venue, MS has left. The regulars are all there and, within ten minutes, we have five glasses in front of us. Oh, dear.
46.39 23yo d.1992 Continental breakfast (59.0%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 240b): nose: cereal, gently smoky. It has a soft verbena touch and a lot of horsepower. It mellows down with pleasant field flowers and milk chocolate. Pencil shavings appear too. Mouth: warm and sunny, with thin wood shavings. Finish: warm, melted chocolate, peppered with herbs (chives) and bathed in sunshine. Pears come out, DH points out. I cannot detect anything else once he has said that: very distinct pears in syrup. 8/10
123.16 10yo d.2005 Madagascan white chocolate mice (57.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 216b): probably the first 123 from a decent cask I try (read: none of that ex-wine malarkey). Nose: a bit flat, with toasted coconut shavings. It is a little caustic and has hints of latte macchiato. Mouth: subtle and mellow, it grows a gentle acidity, soon to become lemony. Finish: dark chocolate, with a massive dose of lemon juice. It is coating and lingering, very nice. 8/10
30.91 18yo d.1997 Deliciously dark and sweet (58.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Gorda, 744b): nose: raw meat, rotting meat, even, before it turns into concentrated oxtail broth and gnu carcasses in the African sun. Marinade for the barbecue, heavy treacle. This is not exactly subtle. Mouth: spicy filet américain (that will be martino mince, a sort of tartare mince), this is leathery, with dark cherry and a sting. Finish: dark chocolate caramel with cherry filling. Awful nose, the rest happily makes up for it. 7/10
9.106 23yo d.1992 Fun without fireworks (51.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 198b): nose: fruity and lively, with marzipan. It is strong. Clears the nostrils. Greengage, dried apricot, plum? Not plum -- shy carambola and Chinese gooseberry. Mouth: vanilla, custard, pine shavings, mouthwash (Listerine) and a hint of fruit again. Finish: drying Riesling, the finish stays present for a long while. Good nose, less impressed by the rest. 7/10
29.180 d.1999 An apothecary shop on the shore (52.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 264b): nose: smoked grain, smoky malt, rather than coal, ash or campfire. Burnt cotton candy, caramelised sweets. This is rather nice. It then moves on to unleash diesel fumes -- Oxford Street at 11:32am on a weekday. Hm. "Diesel fumes in a good way," says DH. "Yeah, bus fumes, not lorry fumes," I reply. Mouth: light and sweet, with cotton candy and a growing smoke that ends up reaching ashtray level. Finish: hot styrofoam, burning pine sap, (black) paint drying in the sun, marzipan and TCP. 7/10
117.3 25yo 1988/2013 Hubba-bubba, mango and monstera (58.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 199b): have to introduce DH to this, do I not? It is the usual high quality. DH detects lemon grass in it, while I find more ginger and galangal than usual. But yeah, the mango dominates the whole thing. 10/10
Off-tasting, we have the following two:
Knob Creek (unknown ABV, OB, unknown specs): I hardly see the bottle and cannot write down what it is exactly. Nose: Listerine, bakery scents. Mouth: mellow, it has the texture of a pillow. Finish: liquorice allsorts and ginger biscuit. 6/10 (
thanks B and happy birthday!)
Ailsa Bay (48.9%, OB, b.2016): nose: tons of peat smoke and lovely cereals. Mouth: light but harsh. Finish: evanescent, fleeting, which makes it easy and alright, if not very interesting. Could be good once older. This is probably too young, still. 6/10 (
thanks MJ)
Cracking afternoon.
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| One happy Scotsman |
Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey (50%, OB Small Batch, b. ca. 2022): nose: funnily enough, since it is not a Bourbon, it smells very Bourbon-like, with butterscotch on staves, vanilla custard, and melted toffee. It is only far beneath that that a rye note becomes vaguely discernible -- and by that, I mean Irn Bru, not rye bread. Deeper sniffs unlock coconut-and-mandarin shower gel, as well as frozen-peach shavings. A sprinkle of confectionary sugar adds to the lot. The second nose has citrus foliage too, joining juicy fruits -- probably kumquat, now. It gives a general pastry feeling, without getting into specifics. Mouth: medicinal? It certainly has something of a (palatable) cough syrup, or alternative-medicine jelly caps. Citrus becomes prominent again, tangerines, mandarins, and dissolved vitamin C effervescent tablets, including the mild bitterness that often comes with that. How weird! The second sip comes across as more acidic, and props up Irn Bru again, which is to say: metallic, and a bit chemical. Finish: sweet and bitter. We note more vitamin C effervescent tablets, matched by citrus fruits. It is noticeably sweeter that on the palate, all ripe tangerines and clementines, peeled and cut into juicy segments. A long and comfortable finish. Upon repeated sipping, one may find it hard to reconcile the mouth with the finish, which is a lot sweeter. It is less bitter with each sip, and presents none of the sub-medicinal touches we found earlier. Instead, it revives those Bourbon-y notes, custard and butterscotch, maybe banana bread. Simple, a little vulgar, perhaps, but it does the trick alright. 6/10 (Thanks, ME)
