02/02/2021 Magic

Magic Cask b.2020 (46%, Compass Box, 92% First-Fill Bourbon Casks + 8% Oloroso Sherry Casks, 5538b, L 11.03.20): nose: freshly-baked, buttery croissants and green-grape juice, then watercolour and crumbling-dry moss. Next, and alongside the grape juice, come hazelnut, walnut kernels, and a droplet of vinegar, though I cannot tell which. Deeper inhaling reveals Sienna (Mill)Earth, waxy plasticine, a plate of baked whelks or cockles, and plump plums, yet all that is very shy. So shy it becomes rather boring to even try. Damp clothes pegs, no-frill muesli and porridge. Mouth: shaky, sharp and watery at the same time -- how quaint! Once the initial, acidic shock is over, it keeps a mildly vinegar-y feel (cider vinegar), until brine-y green olives join it. There is a vague notion of plasticine, wax or marzipan, hardly assertive enough to mention. Also apple pips, which is in keeping with the cider vinegar, I suppose. Yves Rocher's Magnolia perfume, maybe? This feels young and uncouth on the tongue, I am afraid. Finish: a soft, fleeting note of marzipan, coated in chocolate, but it is not noticeable enough to mask the cider vinegar. Here too, the dram feels young, watered down and lacking elegance. Citrus zest (is it lemon?), green-hazelnut paste, hazelnut oil. Despite all the acidity on display, it somehow manages to leave the palate rather oiled up, which suffices to propel the score to half-mast. It is still not something I would have chosen to bottle, however. Apparently, I liked it better the first time, yet I also thought the finish was more or less carrying the dram. I will finish this, but I do not like it. 5/10 (Thanks for the sample, DW)

19/12/2020 DW's 2020 Christmas bash (Part 1)

With Cadenhead's tasting room closed, the traditional yearly gathering is obviously virtual, this year. That removes some limitations: DW went crazy and invited even those people he only half likes. The bill was simple: send DW as many blind samples as there are participants and he would take care of the dispatching. How many people is that? Twenty-two? AN, BA, BC,Cavalier66, CBr, CC, DC, DW, EC, EMcG, JA, JB, JS, JW, JMcC, MSo, PF, PP, PS, SD, VK, tOMoH, as well as BB, who ends up not making it. adc is in town, so she comes and goes.

Holy cow! That means half a litre of whisky per person, assuming that everyone sticks to 2cl samples... Naturally, PS could not resist sending two samples, and DW did not want to be outdone by one of his guests, so he prepared three.

What could possibly go wrong?

I join late and miss the first dram altogether -- JA's Dalmore 15yo (40%, OB).

The pace is fast and it is more of a social do than a deeply-analytical tasting. Notes are brief.

Dram #2 (PS)
Nose: fresh, hay-like, with a touch of fruit.
Mouth: pastry-like, lemon pie and some blackcurrant (once PS has revealed what it is, it is so obvious).
Finish: full-on blackcurrant indeed.
Comment: lovely Invergordon.

Invergordon 45yo 1964/2009 (43%, Forbes Ross & Co. Private Cellar Cask Selection) 7/10

From here on, DW organises us in breakout rooms of three to five people to drink two or three drams at a time. It makes the whole seem less frenetic, and allows quieter people a chance to talk (rather than be drowned by PS). The groups change every time, which means one gets to catch up with virtually everyone. Clever.

Dram #3 (tOMoH)
Comment: this one is mine, so I take no note. See here. 

Glenesk 1982/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice imported by La Maison du Whisky, IE/BDB) 8/10

Dram #4 (EMcG)

Nose: super farm-y, this one has hints of smoke, tanned leather, drying mud cakes. The whole is flirting with fruit.
Mouth: quite a bite to it, chilli punch, mud again, hazelnut vinegar.
Finish: muddy, punchy and fruity.
Comment: the reveal explains why I like it so much, even if it seems different from the first time.

Cooley 11yo 1992/2016 Open Day "Big Tasting" 2019 (53.4%, Cadenhead Malt Festival, Barrel) 8/10

Dram #5 (AN)
Nose: acetone, ether, citrus-y esters.

Mouth: acidic custard, sharp, blade-y, still citrus-y, then slate-like.
Finish: blade-sharp again, citrus-y, with a bit of lichen. It turns vegetal (JS), with carrot foliage and lemon-tree leaves.
Comment: not convinced by this one. Another one I have tried before and was not more convinced by then.

Aberfeldy 22yo 1996/2018 Jenna's Choice (52.2%, Cadenhead Malts Festival, Hogshead) 6/10

tOMoH: "You are right. Acetone. That's bang on!"
DC: "Thanks, that means a lot."
tOMoH: "..."
DC: "I don't say that sarcastically."
tOMoH: "I didn't mean it condescendingly either."

Dram #6 (DW)
Nose: custard, paper dust (adc), citrus.

Mouth: nondescript, then, strangely, it turns into a poultry fest.
Finish: grainy, this now has pineapple and sweet corn.
Comment: the finish redeems it.

Magic Cask b.2020 (46%, Compass Box, 92% First-Fill Bourbon Casks + 8% Oloroso Sherry Casks, 5538b, L 11.03.20) 7/10

EMcG explains he used a syringe to fill his samples; a syringe he used only once before -- to stuff chicken. He is worried that the taste of gravy has tainted the whisky.
VK: "No, tOMoH would have spotted it."
tOMoH: "Crispy chicken wings..."
VK: "He would have called it 'jus', though."

Dram #7 (VK)
Nose: soft vanilla notes. In fact, all is softness in this nose. Mirabelle plums, raspberries.
Mouth: soft and sweet, very quaffable.
Finish: gentle, vanilla-y, custard-y.
Comment: this is too easy to drink, just lovely.

Burnside 26yo 1991/2018 (46.7%, Cadenhead, Bourbon Barrel, 174b) 8/10

Dram #8 (DC)
Nose: distinct strawberry bubble gum. Simple, but efficient.
Mouth: mellow, pastry-like, the palate sees more strawberry bubble gum, as well as custard pie.
Finish: lots and lots of berries for a creamy finish.
Comment: well, that is pleasant, innit?

Daftmill 11yo 2008/2019 Summer Batch Release (46%, OB, Bourbon Casks, C#056+058+060+062+065+066, 1760b) 8/10

Dram #9 (CBr)
Nose: wine-y, this one smells like soft-leather bags at first, then develops to unveil hay and nuts.
Mouth: porridge and berry jam.
Finish: some tannins from the wine, cough drops (AC), syrup.
Comments: I can see this one being quite divisive, because of the wine influence. And indeed, several tease CBr for choosing a wine cask, though CBr claims it is 50/50 sherry and Bourbon casks. Also 50/50 malt and grain. Yes, it is a blend.

Black Bull 12yo (50%, Duncan Taylor, Sherry and Bourbon Casks) 7/10

Dram #10 (JW)
Nose: perfume, cosmetic powder, vanilla. If this is not a Bourbon cask, I will eat my hat.
Mouth: peach, magnolia and confectionery sugar.
Finish: similar notes of peach, shortbread and vanilla.
Comment: efficient, quite simply.

Bunnahabhain 22yo 1991/2014 (47.2%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, Sherry Hogshead, C#801580, 206b, b#4) 8/10

Dram #11 (BB -- who could not make it tonight)
Nose: dry (as in: floury), powdered sugar and soap. Shortly thereafter, peach and banana slices grow in intensity.
Mouth: mellow, it has grilled banana slices, sprinkled with confectionery sugar and hand wash.
Finish: more ashy soap, banana slices, a certain chilli kick... and a timid slap of tropical fruits (maracuja and papaya).
Comment: nice. We all guess a Japanese. All wrong.

Blended Scotch 39yo 1979/2018 (53.3%, Berry Bros & Rudd exclusive to Royal Mile Whiskies, Sherry Butt, C#4, 385b) 7/10

Dram #12 (EC)
Nose: grated grapefruit, confectionery sugar, professional hair gel. The second nose has hints of smoke too.
Mouth: pure pineapple juice (JS) and a pinch of herbs.
Finish: long, soft, yet assertive, it has lots of sweet fruits (peach and pineapple).
Comment: Love this one. Probably my favourite of the session. In other circumstances, I may be convinced to rate it higher.

Imperial 22yo 1998/2020 Monologue (52.1%, Chapter 7 A Whisky Anthology for Europe & Asia, Bourbon Barrel, C#104355, 218b) 8/10

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