25/06/2022 Arran Whisky Festival 2022 (Day 2)

After a somewhat chaotic day of travel and late dinner, we have a slow and lazy start, today. At some point, it becomes time for a shower, then a thirty-second stroll to the Corrie Hotel.

For the festival, Arran Distillers are operating a free shuttle service that picks people up from around the island, and drops them off in the evening. It certainly beats seeing dozens of whisky tourists drink and drive!

It is a longish drive to Lagg, where the festivities take place, and there is queueing at the other end: the vultures are here for the festival bottlings, not all flippers, but some are. After thirty minutes, we have our grubby hands are on those bottlings.

But first, queueing

More queueing to get food at the Kilmory Café. It is a nice and homely place (considering the wind, that is a good thing), but it is also organised à la Scottish (i.e., it is not terribly efficient). I grab a table and a dram of this year's Arran Harmony whilst waiting for the ladies.

Arran Harmony 1995/2022 (55.6%, OB The Arran Harmony Edition for Arran Whisky Festival Malt & Music 2022, 1000b): nose: toffee, honey, Bourbon vanilla, yellow and blue flowers. Tons of honey. Mouth: it has quite the ginger bite, yet it is also acidic, with lemon segments, then a chicory infusion. Finish: toffee, ginger powder and loads of fierce lemon juice. It leaves the gums throbbing! Further sips turn more and more chocolate-y. Yum! 7/10

Food is there.

Haggis bites for adc

Vegan burger for JS

Vegan gyozas for me

Sweet-potato fries to share
(I will hear all trip how good they were)

Chips to share
(I will hear all trip how poor they were)

Once food is ingested, we take a brief tour of the distillery. I spot a box of chocolate on a cask top, and shamelessly nick one. I am caught red-handed by the bloke running the whisky-and-chocolate tasting next door. Woops. I will apologise profusely for the next couple of days. The guy does not look too bothered, which is just as well, because the chocolate is not worth the trouble. ;P

The tour is conducted by a Kiwi who operated a career change recently (he was a lorry driver, before). He is more or less going through a script for practice. We gently derail him halfway through to have an informal chat, which suits us much more.

The view from the still house

Then, we hit the bar. There is live music, which provides a place to breathe and relax with a dram. Well, it is bloody cold, so the breathing and relaxation are very much figures of speech.

The music goes from pleasant backdrop
to catchy folk

The Arran Malt 20yo 1998/2018 The Festival Single Cask (46.2%, OB Limited Edition bottled specially for The Arran Malt & Music Festival 2018, Bourbon Barrel, C#98/005, 142b): nose: huge wafts of melted chocolate, soft, sweet barley, barley sugar, chocolate liqueur, hazelnut liqueur. Lovely! JS reckons it smells like a Japanese whisky. Mouth: it gets sweeter on the tongue, yet it exhibits bitterness at the same time, which spells hazelnut liqueur to me, shells and all. adc finds cinnamon sticks. Finish: in line with the above. It is green at first, then turns into a blend of jasmine and candied pistachio. Repeated sipping sees tropical fruits emerge and take off: pineapple, persimmon, and even lychee. Wow. 8/10

The Arran Malt 12yo 2006/2019 (52.6%, OB Private Cask selected by and bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market, Bourbon Barrel, C#2006/013, 208b, b#208): yup, the very last bottle filled from that cask. Nose: refined hay smoke and weathered leather, gently-roasted barley, earth, dried in the sun. It is all delicate and refined on the nostril. Mouth: it definitely has the acridity of smoke, albeit faint. Smoked dried strawberry and hay. Finish: hay again, soft smoke, yet also fruit juice, whether that is orange, apple, or a combination of the two. It is gently drying and refreshing at the same time. I love it. 8/10

Arran 10yo 2011/2021 (59%, OB Private Cask Lochranza Distillery Exclusive, Bourbon Barrel, C#2011/017, 239b, b#207): nose: sweet and round, supple, it has brioche and doughnuts, then it becomes drier, closer to hay. This really is a warm-bread number. Mouth: more lively on the tongue, it oscillates between nut liqueur and walnut skins, so, yes, it has a pronounced bitterness, and wood aplenty. Even a sprinkle of ginger powder... and glimpses of tropical fruits (peach skins and pineapple, mostly). Finish: powerful and spicy, it dishes out ground white pepper, ginger powder, mace, lemongrass, but also a faded fruitiness, not as pronounced as on the nose. Lovely drop. 8/10

Well, whether it is called Arran, The Arran Malt, or Arran Single Malt, one thing is for sure: it shines, when matured in a Bourbon cask!

Time for our tutored tasting.

Arran Whisky Festival
Malt & Music 2022
Drams & Disks

Mariella Romano, Global Brand Ambassador, and Andy Bell, Regional Sales Manager, have selected three whiskies and three songs each. They will play the songs (on vinyl, as the title of the event suggests), and we, the audience will have to find out the connection between each song and its associated whisky. The whiskies are served blind, of course. Oh! And we also have to vote in each round -- best whisky, best song, best connection. To add to the joy, the presenters do not know what the other has in store. My kind of tastings!

Now, it goes rather quickly, and the pours are huge. With intoxication, notes that were mediocre in the first place become frankly dreary. The connections are also tenuous and/or very personal to the presenters. I made scant notes on that front. Live with it.

Let the battle begin!

Round 1

Andy plays: Glenn Miller - In The Mood

Andy serves:

Dram #1

Nose: strawberry cake and cotton candy.

Mouth: spices (cloves, pickled ginger, stem ginger).

Finish: softer in the finish, it remains spicy.

Comment: it tastes like a a good 10yo matured in a Bourbon cask. And indeed...

The Arran Malt 10yo 2007/2017 James MacTaggart (54.2%, OB Master of Distilling, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels, 12000b) 7/10

Mariella plays: Jeff Buckley - Last Good Bye

Mariella serves:

Dram #2

Nose: a dark and fruity-yet-tannic red wine. Cocoa beans (adc), some brine, pickles too. Mariella calls it shy. I do not agree. Pickled onions, red-wine vinegar. It even has an animal aspect to it, then it turns earthier.

Mouth: soft and disconnected from the nose, then somewhat drying. It certainly has a distinct woody nerve to it, and a tad of chocolate.

Finish: long, strawberry-laden, we have chocolate-covered  strawberries, and Fragolino, a strawberry wine from northern Italy. An hour later, the finish turns more tropical.

Comment: knowing Mariella, my money is on an Amarone cask.

Arran 17yo 2003/2021 (54.7%, OB Premium Cask bottled exclusively for the Netherlands, Sherry Butt, C#2003/32, 509b, b#505) 7/10

Verdict: Andy wins this round 29 votes to 28.

Round 2

Andy plays: The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

Andy serves

Dram #3

Nose: a bit indistinct. Dried peach skins, dried strawberry skins. It is layered, but then turns to cardboard.

Mouth: adc finds it close to the fruit-and-veg aisle of a supermarket.

Finish: a little dry, a little nondescript.

Comment: not bad, but a sequence mistake, in my opinion. Breathing time helps it shine brighter. Avoid drinking this in a line-up in quick succession.

Lochranza 1995/2022 (50%, Duty Paid Sample, C#95/347, Sample #2022-316) 8/10

Mariella plays: Dean Martin - That's Amore

Cue a sweet story about Mariella's father, seducer extraordinaire, and how the song and the whisky are a nod to him.

"Because I am Neapolitan, I have to bribe you, Mafia style," she says, bringing us cocktails made with the very whisky we have in our glasses.

Mariella serves

Dram #4

Nose: peach juice spilled on cardboard and pansies. It becomes very musky in the long run, which is weird, if interesting.

Mouth: meaty, now, leathery, musky. Is this a Clynelish? The second sip sees more black fruits -- blackcurrant, blackberry.

Finish: it is fruitier, here, with blackcurrant and hairy blackberry from start to finish.

Comment: we are going too fast. No-one has any clue what this could be, but it is good! Turns out Mariella blended samples of several similar casks (of 8-to-12yo Arran) to make this bespoke bottling for this here tasting. The casks in question used to contain an Italian red wine that cannot be named (my guess is Sassicaia).

Lochranza 8yo (unknown ABV, blend of cask samples, ex-Sassicaia Casks) 8/10

The other ingredient in that cocktail

Verdict: Mariella mops the floor with Andy, in this round, 16 to 41 votes.

Round 3

Andy plays: Pink Floyd - Time

Andy serves

Dram #5

Nose: farm-y and leathery, this shows very-dry hay. Later on, we have smoked dried fruit slices (strawberry, disintegrating into a powder).

Mouth: dark, it has blackcurrant and blackberry, whiffs of a barnyard. In the long run, it reveals a lot of wood spices too.

Finish: long, assertive, not boisterous, it has lovely farm-y tones to boot.

Comment: Andy plays it safe. A pleasing sherry cask to accompany one of the most popular tunes from the most well-known album of possibly the best band of all time. Just that deserves a no-vote from me, although I do like the song.

Lochranza 2009/2022 (58.2%, Duty Paid Sample, C#09/001, Sample #2022-315) 7/10

Mariella: "How do you compete with Pink Floyd? I don't know you can, so I went for metal instead."

Mariella plays: Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Mariella serves

Dram #6

Nose: dry again, with a lick of cardboard, hay, dry radish tops, plaster, chalk, magnesia. Later on, marzipan and sink funk make an entrance (subtle, but well there). Later yet, it is orange-scented incense.

Mouth: burnt wood, scorched earth and, well, burnt stuff. Burnt apple pips, smoked apples.

Finish: yes, a combination of lovely smoked berries and burnt Sienna earth that manages to retain a juicy side. Hot sands and ginger.

Comment: good. With it, we are given an ice cream and Torroncini. Bribery, innit. It pays off.

The Arran Malt Heavily-Peated b.2019 (57.2%, OB bottled for Lagg Distillery, ex-Plantation Rum Cask Finish, 3000b) 8/10

Verdict: Andy edges it, 30 votes to 28.

Global verdict: Mariella is miffed that she conceded two rounds to Andy, but delighted to have the most votes overall, 75 to 97.

tOMoH: "Your KPIs are not clearly defined! What does success look like?"

Success, of course, looks like this

This went way too fast, but it was bags of fun. Excellent tasting with lots of geekiness, from the point of view of whisky, of course, but also in terms of music and anecdotes about the records used.

We straggle a bit in the room as the day winds down. We are well loaded, and we still have plenty of whisky to finish: the pours were 2.5cl, and there were six drams. That is 15cl each, after a day of sipping. Dangerous.

The floor is starting to feel less stable

We reckon it is pointless to hit the bar, now, so we finish in our own time instead, and slowly make our way to the bus. adc needs a bit of support: she is a little tired. :-)

It is an easy enough bus journey to Brodick, save for my increasingly uncomfortably full bladder. Right ahead of us is Stewart Bowman, the new distillery manager of Lochranza. I take the opportunity to network a bit. He comes across as a nice chap.

In the bus, adc pulls at her glass lanyard so insistently that the seam comes apart, unsewn.

We stop at MR's for comfort, then proceed to Drift Inn for supper. They only have a table outside, and it is windy, but the atmosphere and food are excellent.

On picture, it looks heavenly

Pan-Seared Scallops for the three ladies

Soup of the Day for me (Tomato & Lentil)

Monkfish Tail Special for adc

Mussels A La Creme [sic] for JS...

...served with Homemade Bread, Hand Cut Chips
and a Citrus Mayonnaise (JS)

Korean Chicken Burger for MR

Oven Baked Macaroni Cheese served with
Dressed Leaves and Hand Cut Chips for me
(I have no shame)

From where we sit, one can see the Holy Isle

Once replenished, MR offers to drive us back to Corrie the long way -- clockwise around the island. We spot swans, hares, pheasants, deer, a horse, a pony, a goat, and stop to admire the sunset. Excellent, digestive, scenic tour. Beautiful island.

We have a drink at home, then off to bed.

Lagg managed to cock up the Belgian flag!

adc: "I was tipsy, not drunk!..."
tOMoH: "You do remember that you fell off the car..."
adc: "...vaguely. But it's because I was stiff, not drunk!"

03/07/2021 Arran Limited Edition Mystery Tasting replayed (Part 1)

A sample pack turned up in the post, in the middle of June, with an invitation to join a virtual blind tasting on the 26th. OB selfishly made that impossible by inviting tOMoH to sample under-aged whiskies on that same day. On the bright side, this virtual tasting was recorded. Today (and tomorrow, as it turns out), we will replay it.

Dram #1

Nose: we have brandy and paint thinner, dried onion skins and potato peels. A couple of minutes in, it thankfully opens up a bit and reveals custard and Bourbon-infused lemon marmalade. It smells rather fiercely acidic, all things considered. Further back is a note of cherry-liqueur praline that is pleasant indeed. Wafer biscuits and cake, baked to a point it has turned crusty. Mouth: pepper shortbread, crushed pink peppercorns, crushed (not ground) cloves, white cardamom pods immersed in Bourbon cream, Bourbon-cream biscuits. It is crisp, with a definite bite, and it ignites the palate like lime Tabasco sauce. Finish: assertive, acidic, it has a lingering Bourbon sweetness, with banoffee pie, yet also crushed cardamom pods and lemon pulp. Mind you, this also has a non-negligible kick! Yup, it is sweet, acidic and spicy at the same time. Comment: pretty good. It turns out we had it at the distillery, a few years ago. The Arran Malt 10yo 2007/2017 James MacTaggart (54.2%, OB Master of Distilling, First Fill Bourbon Barrels, 12000b) 7/10

Dram #2

Nose: heady, syrupy wine -- Italian wine, in my opinion. It is fruity, perhaps even sparkly (Fragolino?), but winey for sure. Suddenly, it turns into an omelette that has stuck to the pan. or overly-fried scrambled eggs. It retains a mildly-musty-softly-acidic note of red wine nonetheless. Over time, the nose gains red onions, yet they are well behaved. There is even something earthier, not sure what it is. Mushroom stock, maybe? Re-hydrated shiitake water? Mouth: the attack is mellower, gentler than the first dram's. In fact, it is velvety and pillow-like. Here, the red wine morphs into soaked raisins. The palate sees some tannins, currants, grape skins, fermenting, but not yet vinegary. Each sip feels more acidic than the last. Repeated sipping brings out an earthy side on the palate too -- think leather boots after a walk in a ploughed field. Finish: dark fruits, here, with black grapes, blackcurrants, blackberries and heady wine make for a classy sangria. Once again, the finish has an unexpected kick, next to the undeniable fruitiness. Cranberry jam, lingonberry compote, and, maybe, some rancio. Lastly, piping-hot sticky toffee pudding, melting in the mouth and coating the oesophagus. Comment: Amarone cask? Wrong. The Arran Malt 12to 2006/2019 Licence To Distil (51.8%, OB Master of Distilling, Palo Cortado Sherry Casks, 12000b) 7/10

Dram #3

Nose: what the deuce is this? Fresh ink in the inkwell, then plastic pouches and plastic food tubs. You know the ones, but hush-hush! No brand advertising. Once the plastic dissipates, it makes way for the rubber seal of those food tubs. I remember some rums at SMWS that smelled like this! Industrial glue, rubbery joints inside jam-jar lids... Behind all that is a spoonful of blackcurrant jelly and a fistful of liquorice allsorts. Mouth: well, the palate has little to do with the nose, funnily enough. It is sweet on the tongue, with blackcurrant jelly. Retro-nasal olfaction brings back the liquorice, bitter and a half, then toothpaste and peppermint. None of the plastic seems to have made it thus far, which is good news. I do not really go around licking plastic for a laugh, you see. Fruit grows, over time, as does peppermint. Finish: unexpected again, the finish is the softest of the first three drams. It has pillow-like berries (blackberries, blackcurrants), a drop of peppermint, and it is generally refreshing, not unlike a good, fruit-flavoured mouthwash. Plastic comes back, after a few sips, though it is very much in the background, merely adding a gentle bitterness. Comment: what could this be? Rum cask? Arran 13yo b.2020 (54.4%, OB Small Batch Lochranza Distillery Exclusive, 8y in Bourbon Casks + 5y Rum Plantation Casks Finish) 7/10

I need a break. Let us resume tomorrow.

(Thanks for the samples, MR)

04/07/2021 Arran Limited Edition Mystery Tasting replayed (Part 2)

If one were dyslexic, one could easily conceive that, on this fourth day of July, the Arran mice are in fact, Amerrican.

Moving on. The video resumes at 33:53.

Dram #4

Nose: another wine maturation, I would wager. It has earth and roasted chicken wings, focaccia, but also shoe polish, leather belts and lacquered shoes. The nose is not shy with the wood, and it is exotic wood, here. Ebony and pangium, to be precise, also known as kepayang tree. To be fair, I have no clue what the latter smells like, but this reminds me of its seed, the kluwak nut. Several minutes in, a nut liqueur appears, sweet, heady, and, well, nutty. Hair lacquer? Check. Wood varnish? Check. Strawberry liqueur is about too, added to a spoonful of melted dark chocolate. Mouth: nice attack, with enough wood spices to keep one on one's toes (ginger, cinnamon, cedar wood) and crushed hazelnut shells. The back of the palate welcomes more nut liqueur, though it is not as bold as it was on the nose; it is better balanced by the gentle wood spices. Come to think of it, it might be that mysterious strawberry liqueur from the nose too. Whichever it is, it is very pleasant. The liqueur comes a little too close to black-liquorice bootlaces for comfort, perhaps. Fortunately, the sweetness keeps it on the straight and narrow. Finish: a decent kick, even if it does not feel particularly strong. It is, however, mildly drying, with cinnamon-stick splinters, ginger peel, yet also something rather sweet and fruity. Is it candied apples? Actually, it is marzipan, soaked in fortified wine. Repeated sipping increases the winey notes at the detriment of all else. Comment: it is OK. It could be any sherried or Port-matured whisky, though. Arran 21yo b.2020 Kildonan & Pladda Island (50.4%, OB The Explorers Series, Volume Three, Sherry Butts, Puncheons and Ruby Port Pipes, 9000b) 7/10

Dram #5

Nose: with this one, we are firmly in earthy territory. It is herbes de Provence, barbecue marinade and herbs-infused oils. How is that earthy? Well, to me, it smells like scrubland. Thyme, dried rosemary, oregano, yet also watercolour. I feel like this has chicken too, although it is butter chicken, not (yet) roasted. And then, further in the back, I detect Bourbon-sprinkled custard cream. The herbs soon come back, lemon thyme leading the charge, this thyme (Ho! Ho! Ho!) Later on, we have wine or liqueur, once again, yet it does not stray too far from Bourbon, now; coconut and vanilla, custard and cake -- raspberry ice cream cake, if you please. Mouth: strawberry or raspberry cream and pink-and-white marshmallows fight with spearmint and cedar-wood sheets for the spotlight. It also has grapefruit peel, and a definite wood bitterness. The second sip is juicier, still on a grapefruit tip, yet the bitterness will not go away. Finish: grapefruit peel is prominent, at this stage. Unfortunately, alongside the fruit comes an unmistakable bitterness, and it is a little too loud. Repeated sipping brings about a citrus-y-custard touch, acidic and sweet in equal measures, with vanilla and grapefruit flesh. The bitterness seems better incorporated, yet it is still there. Comment: despite its clear fruitiness, I find the bitterness throws this one off. My least favourite of the flight. Arran 23to b.2021 Drumadoon Point (49.5%, OB The Explorers Series, Volume Four, Sherry Puncheons, 9000b) 6/10

Dram #6

Nose: watercolour and plasticine, wax and modelling clay. A basket of citrus grows in intensity, behind that, hinting at another Bourbon cask (not that there have been many thus far, mind). Here are grapefruit peels, dried at first, then fresh. Then, all of a sudden, it is a bunch of jasmine, honeysuckle and lilac that rush through the nose. This is fragrant and floral, light and spring-like. Sure! There are tender wood shavings, too, yet it is a flower show with a basket of fruits, mostly. The second nose raises the stakes by introducing a lovely citrus-y custard to a shortbread base. Mouth: meow, this is fruity. Pineapple, calamansi, tangerine. In amongst all that juicy fruit, a few lily-of-the-valley stems stick out a bit, and bring out some bitterness, although it is not bothersome this time. That is especially not bothersome because the fruits come crashing in waves, supported by custard and some kind of menthol cream or pine resin. The second sip serves an excellent lemon custard with shortbread soaked in it. Finish: all the citrus regroups for the final assault on the taste buds -- grapefruit, calamansi, mandarin, pineapple, juicy and acidic. Mind you, it is a lot sweeter and custard-y than the nose suggested: the acidity is subtle, here. It is a pretty long finish that leaves the tongue bathing in citrus-y vanilla custard. Comment: easily my favourite of the selection. Also, it is not a Bourbon cask, regardless of what I thought. Arran 24yo 1996/2020 (47.8%, OB Ultimate Selection The Festival Single Cask for Arran Malt and Music Festival, Sherry Hogshead, C#1996/048, 271b) 8/10

Well, it does not replace a tasting in real life, but at the same time, I liked that I could stop the video to concentrate on the drams.

(Thanks for the samples, MR)

12/10/2015 Meaty, big and bouncy at the SMWS

A tasting at the Society on a school night? There is a risk for it to be messy. At the same time, with MC Colin Dunn, it could be a good night out. It also turns out to be the first tasting MR organises; that calls for support. JS and I are willing to give that support. We are magnanimous like that.

Before the session starts, we try something at the bar. Remember that the October outturn came out at the same time as the Whisky Show, which means tOMoH has had none yet. And there is a rare sight.

54.33 12yo d.2002 Holidays and honeymoon (60.1%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 163b): datz rite! The first 54 in at least five years and only the second 54 I try (the first was at the Vaults, earlier this year, in an unrecorded session). Nose: acetone, says JMcC, who I join at the bar. Virginia tobacco and -- wait for it! -- pink berries. Not even sure what pink berries are, or if they even exist, yet that is exactly what this evokes for me. Mouth: it rolls on the tongue nicely, with berries again, as well as a kick of mustard... mustard? No! Horseradish. Finish: yep, berries and horseradish. This is wonderful! 8/10

The room is filling up, JS makes her entrance as Colin Dunn is making his way to the venue (separate room); we are called there shortly afterwards.

The line-up is on glorious display: five 76es. Not being a huge fan of that distillery (Mortlach), I am not ecstatic. The programme was unknown to us, you see. At the same time, good company (the Whisky Cyclist is there too), a good presenter, tapas... how could it not be enjoyable? Plus, there is a gap between bottles 3 and 5, which means Mr D. brought something mysterious. Aha!

Dunn is in full comedian mode, giggitying at every chance, cracking jokes (some recycled, some new) and encouraging the audience to participate. It is much more interactive than last week's session, in fact, and if it is perhaps a little too soon to see a second performance by the same artist, it is clearly a good time. A few selected bits below.

Naturally, we do not try things sequentially. Colin asks someone in the audience to choose the next dram each time.

Dram #6

76.117 25yo d.1988 A grand old lady in the piano shop (48.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 248b): nose: "sherry trifle; sounds like the name of a porn star!" Candy floss, strawberry-flavoured toothpaste. It later becomes drier, after the very sweet start. This is a dessert nose -- no wonder it was last, and paired with the cheesecake. Mouth: initially soft, it turns very sweet. Finish: wonderfully balanced, with candy floss, Lucozade (at least I imagine so: never tried the stuff) and a sprinkle of green pepper. 8/10

Colin explains how he calls his employer Diego (Diageo, Diego, geddit?) I tell him later on he needs to complement the phrase with, 'sweaty.'

Dram #2 (chosen by JS, yay)

76.114 26yo d.1987 Grand gardens in Goa (58%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 218b): paired with salmorejo with green apple and basil granite and sun blushed tomatoes. Nose: dry and fruity, with flour and flowers, marzipan, even. Hot wax (for the vinyl collectors), subtle smoke and dried orange peel. Cold incense, saffron, says CD. With water, more meat comes out, then pine wood. Mouth: it bites much more than the previous. Full of dried orange peel and black pepper. Finish: long and drying. Water makes it more mellow, with soft, pillow-y figs. 8/10

"At Diego, we have targets, as Robin Hood once had."

Dram #4

Mortlach 16yo (43%, OB Flora & Fauna): alongside milhojas de escalivada of smoked & roasted aubergine and red peppers. Of course, we have had this mystery dram before. Dunn brought it from his personal collection ("...of 24 bottles") instead of the more recent (and more expensive) 18yo, because he thought not everyone would have had a chance to ever try it otherwise. A delicate attention, I thought. Nose: cured meat, as well as lots of sugar. It is a sweet marinade, full of brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses. Mouth: sherried (Diego keep the best sherry casks for themselves, we are told), with burnt caramel and syrup. Finish: watery; it is not cask strength and it feels. Strongly. Burnt wood and burnt caramel. This has never been my favourite F&F, today does not change my view. 6/10

Dram #5

76.116 26yo d.1987 Tangier market (48.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 193b): with mini tosta de asparagus with Manchego and onion confit. Nose: toffee, butter, lard, even. It soon becomes what is known in the industry under the name: woody-as-fook. A dash of red fruit completes the picture. JS finds it earthy. Mouth: mellow and gentle, with soft fruit (apricot). Finish: bold, with apricot compote (stones included). It is warm and comforting. 7/10

Irrelevant rugby talks drag on for a bit.

Dram #3

76.123 27yo d.1987 Warm, joyous and gratifying (52.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 214b): matches a selection of Iberico Jamon. Nose: raspberry coulis on shortbread. Pie dough covered in peaches. Mouth: hot, with black pepper and hot peaches. Finish: big, assertive and not displaying much character. This is a bit boring, to be honest. I enjoy it, because the alcohol is starting to take its toll. It is merely 7/10

Dram #1

76.110 27yo d.1986 Summer fruit salad with cream (58.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 242b): complemented by cream of melon shot with crispy jamon. Nose: warm bakery, with plums and fresh oranges, quite simply. Mouth: spicy and fruity, with lots of oranges again. No meat, which is interesting, considering that is supposedly the main distillery marker. Finish: slight bitterness, as well as the acidity of orange. 7/10

"As Kafka said: this has metamorphosised."

Colin rummages through his bag to produce another bottle -- we have hardly had enough.

Dram #7

Shake shake shake
Shake shake shake
Shake your bouteille

Mortlach Rare Old (43.4%, OB, b. ca 2015): the recent, standard-range, official Mortlach, accompanied by the mandatory sales pitch. It is kept to a very tame level; Dunn is not ramming product down our throats, thankfully. This is merely an opportunity to compare official bottlings, old and new, to independent. Nose: cardboard and smoked ham. Mouth: I find it watery, with bits of cardboard and ham. Finish: peach stone, lime. It is alright, if formatted. Nothing groundbreaking. JS reckons it is good for the Chinese market. 6/10

The bottle reads, '2.81 distilled.'

"Some people think it was distilled in February 1981."

Any tips on cycling and pink shirts?

The reality is more amusing, still (pun intended). The distillation regime at Mortlach is such that the spirit is distilled 2.81 times on average. To keep it simple, there are three pairs of stills:



The wash stills are filled for distillation. The output (low wines) are fed to the respective matching spirit stills for the second distillation:



The spirit that comes out of SS2 and SS3 is casked. What comes out of SS1 is split for further distillation: 80% go into SS2, whilst the remaining 20% go into WS2:



In other words, some spirit is distilled twice, some thrice and some four times. Everything is then blended together into casks for ageing.
A pity, in my opinion. It would be interesting to try double-, triple- and quadruple-distilled Mortlach for comparison, would it not?

Good tasting. I was glad that the SMWS bottlings were of the fruity, rather than the meaty kind. Even if the whiskies were not necessarily what I would usually go for, the way they were presented kept them interesting, the host was up to his usual standards, the food was good (I do not think I will ever fully buy into the food-pairing thing, though) and the atmosphere was pleasant. Well done MR for organising a very successful first tasting.

In any bar, that would spell W-I-N.
Here, it might spell H-E-A-D-A-C-H-E

To be improved: the tapas, although tasty, were not very substantial. Also, we ran out of bread in seconds: there were fewer pieces per table than guests. Six drams (seven) on an empty stomach (18:30 to 20:30, precisely at dinner time) make for a hazy finish (and a difficult morning). The same thing happened a few years ago for that grain tasting. Since the food is expensive and cannot be made into a three-course supper, I will dare point out that 2.5cl pours are much too much for a tasting. 1.5cl is more than sufficient to enjoy a dram as part of a tasting (even 1cl should be enough). Not to mention it costs a lot less for the organisers. 2.5cl x 20 people = 50cl, while 1.5cl x 20 people = 30cl. Seeing how many glasses were not emptied, I like to think others share my opinion.

I hope the SMWS reconsider the size of their pours for future tastings.

Stars of the evening