25/09/2026 DW's Pre-Show bash at Milroy's

Yes, it is called Milroy's again. Bye-bye, 3 Greek Street! Well, the address has not changed.

Anyway, DW gathers us for a wee tasting the week before Whisky Show. BB, BA, cavalier66, YM, PS, SW, JL, CDn, IH, JS, DK and Gx join DW. And myself, obviously.

As usual, it is fast and furious, rather than an analytical tasting. We freestyle our way through whatever everyone has brought. For the record, my contributions are Dalaruan (46%, The Lost Distillery Company Archivist’s Selection, B#1/i, b#298) and Royal Lochnagar 10yo b.2006 (57.2%, OB The Manager’s Dram, European Oak Cask, b#1189); JS brought Dailuaine 29yo 1982/2012 (60.6%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams). I do not try any of them tonight.

Ocean Whisky Victory (42%, San-Raku Ocean distributed by Japan Import System) (BB)

Nose: spirit-y and green. It smells a little rough around the edges.

Mouth: very neutral. Sweetened water, caramel soaked in water, Βανίλια and a bit of cardboard.

Finish: Werther's Original, cardboard and stale caramel.

Comment: a decent blend and a decent starter.

Score: 6/10

Nikka Apple Wine (22%, OB, 128510622) (JL)

Nose: unfuckingsubtle. Sickly sweet. Causes diabetes just smelling it. Candied apples, pine-needle liqueur, salmiyakki without the liquorice, vanilla biscuits.

Mouth: apple juice. It is still unsubtle, but it is no longer sickly. In fact, it is very pleasant, I am surprised to find out.

Finish: juicy apples, apple juice, cloudy apple juice.

Comment: off the back of the Victory, JL fishes this out of a cabinet. I love it. Objectively, it is vulgar, of course. But it does the trick. Probably works a treat as a highball too.

Score: 6/10

Glen Keith 28yo 1993/2021 Release No.39 (52.2%, Alistair Walker Infrequent Flyers, Rye Barrel Finish, C#4827, 294b) (DW)

Nose: Gummibärchen. This is one of the fruity Glen Keiths, even though the bottle was opened only ten minutes ago and it has not had a chance to open up.

Mouth: mellow, chewy, it develops a soft bitterness on the tongue.

Finish: long and warming, with remnants of the earlier fruits.

Comment: nice. It will likely become even better after breathing.

Score: 8/10

Inchgower 24yo 1990/2014 (~54%, duty paid sample, C#5567) (CDn)

Nose: mineral, it has crushed rocks, then gauze and old cardboard packaging.

Mouth: what a split personality! On the one hand, it is fresh as water sprayed onto rocks; on the other, it has dusty cardboard.

Finish: big and blend-y, it has cardboard and rocks wet with sea spray. It is fruitier with water.

Comment: CDn explains he was sent this duty-paid sample that was a contender to be a Manager's Dram, one year. Talk about an exclusivity!

Score: 7/10

Ardmore 26yo 1997/2024 Summer (50.3%, The Whisky Exchange The Seasons, De-Char Re-Char Hogshead, C#901299, 211b) (DK)

Nose: a wonderful farm-y nose, full of mud patties and cow pastures. Next, we have cigarette ends, extinguished in a fruit bowl.

Mouth: soft and fruity, remarkably mellow but not weak. Apricot slices dunked into ink. Chewing turns it darker and darker.

Finish: long, fruity and a tad earthy-ashy. There are hints of peat, even. It leaves the tongue numb.

Comment: very good. What a reliable distillery that is!

Score: 8/10

Glenburgie 17yo 2009/2026 (53.7%, Thompson Bros., 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels, B#2, 1134b) (BA)

Nose: butterscotch and Custard Cream biscuits topped with a drop of caramel and shoe polish.

Mouth: caramel, fudge, chocolate custard and butterscotch indeed. A pinch of lemon zest too. It is dangerously easy to sip.

Finish: beautiful custard, flan and a drop of caramel for a softly-bitter touch.

Comment: very good, though I struggle to find it exceedingly exciting, tonight.

Score: 7/10

Longrow 15yo 2004/2019 (52.4%, OB, Fresh Rum Casks, 911b) (DW)

Nose: smoked metal. Cast iron and the smoke that comes from heating iron to melt it, probably. Some scorched earth, maybe, though that may just be suggestion playing tricks with my brain. It definitely has crushed seashells, on the other hand.

Mouth: the maritime influence is more pronounced, here. Candied seashells, razor clams, wet sands, fishing nets, scorched earth wet with sea water.

Finish: scorched earth again, backed by ozone and sea spray. It has a lick of menthol as well.

Comment: I love this. It is objectively not better than the previous dram, but it works better for me tonight.

Score: 7/10

Springbank Cask Owner's (unknown ABV, OB Private Bottling) (BB)

Nose: farm paths in the summer and cut orchard fruits. A cowboy walks past, clad in suede clothes. Yes, it looks a bit tacky.

Mouth: ooft! This has an unlikely mix of mint lozenges, jelly sweets and leather boots in desert dirt. There is rubber at second sip, if only a little.

Finish: dry leather, tumbleweeds and cut orchard fruits embellished with a pinch of desert dirt.

Comment: excellent.

Score: 9/10

Others now gravitate towards IH's prestigious bottle.

cavalier66: "Remember that time we had eight Port Ellens?"
DCn: "Yeah."
cavalier66: "We started with eight..."
CDn: "We had the other eight three years earlier."

cavalier66: "I wasn't at that one.
"CDn: "It was nice."
cavalier66: "It was also at eight in the morning..."
tOMoH: "Oh! baby..."

Bruichladdich 25yo 2010/2026 The Laddie (61%, OB Valinch Limited Edition for UK Academy April 2026, 2nd Fill Bourbon Cask, 7b, b#007) (JL)

Nose: super dry, it has a Highland coo that just had a shave, and the razor used to shave it is there too. It opens up to shine a minty gel.

Mouth: quite big, it reveals suede and soft leather with time.

Finish: huge finish, teeming with Trefin mint sweets and camphor. It is a tad numbing, really.

Comment: rather nice.

Score: 7/10

Port Ellen 29yo 1978/2008 Eighth Release (55.3%, OB Annual Release, B#8, 6618b, b#5394) (IH)

Nose: greasy, tarry earth. It is super dark, super petrolic. It moves towards ploughed fields, tractor fumes and citrus zest after a while. JL smells wood glue.

Mouth: it turns very maritime, now, with fishing nets, kippers and lots of petrol floating on sea water. It gains citrus turnovers at second sip.

Finish: charred grapes (JL), ink, smoked dark grapes, smoky cotton buds (JL). It is much earthier at second gulp, but revives the citrus turnovers, now slightly charred.

Comment: it is alright. Very good, even. But it is hard to accept the cult status these Port Ellens have achieved as totally justified, based on quality alone.

Score: 8/10

Cooley 11yo 1992/2019 (52.9%, Cadenhead specially bottled for Cadenhead's Whisky Shop London, Barrel, 198b) (DK)

Nose: warm wax and struck matches, hot orchard fruits. Keep sniffing and it will give windscreen defroster as well.

Mouth: rotten fruits on the palate, or overripe, at least, with an acidity that flirts with rotten apples (bruised, really), and metallic bitterness.

Finish: we come back to orchard fruits (not rotten). The second gulp gives us more fruits and thyme.

Comment: DK reminds us that he bought this seven years and a week ago. How time flies!

Score: 8/10

JL [to SW]: "Have you seen the time?"
JS: "Are we being kicked out?"
tOMoH [to JL]: "I can still insult your marriage, you know?"

137.10 8yo d.2012 Smoky, sweetie, meaty (64.7%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 231b) (PS)

Nose: oh! what is this? Liquorice rolls? Marker pens, white boards and lots of herbs -- dried sage, lemon thyme. It is earthy-minty at second nose.

Mouth: chewy as fook, it has mud and a rising heat. In fact, it is very hot. We find a bit of Parma ham shortly after the taste buds get accustomed to the heat. The second sip brings a lick of suede and earth. It is red hot, though.

Finish: big, buttery, it juggles herbs (basil, oregano) with muddy tones.

Comment: impressive, for the heat, if nothing else.

Score: 7/10

Teeling (58.8%, OB Single Cask imported by Teeling Whiskey Company for Binny's Beverage Depot, Bordeaux Red Wine Cask, C#35340) (YM)

Nose: it is caramel and fudge with alcohol on steroids. It somehow has a cast for a broken leg, then hot metal pipes.

Mouth: it feels plastic-y for a second, then offers lovely fruits, mainly nectarines and plums. Chewing underlines plastic and nectarines.

Finish: lukewarm (it is not meant as an insult) and kind of fruity. It is a bit generic a finish, but I am perhaps a trifle toasted.

Comment: nice enough.

Score: 7/10

BA: "I have a tasting in Ipswich. It's a group who want to do a gentlemen's club."
DW: "What does it take to be a gentleman? Shagging someone's wife? Or some wife's son?"
[We laugh]
DW: "Please remove the wife bit from your notes."

CDn is about to leave when he realises there is a Lochnagar on the table. He stops to try it and seems to appreciate it.

So many others we do not try.

PS brought this classic

cavalier66 and BA brought the same bottle

DW brought the remainder of a bottle he had bought for a party at cavalier66's

SW shows off the new wares

BB proves he is a Japan fanboi

cavalier66 brought the remainder of this that we had an eternity ago

An interesting-looking Moray that I will never try

YM brought souvenirs from Campbeltown

PS took this prestigious drop with him

Another of cavalier66's sample

Imported whiskey from cavalier66

Someone brought this bottle
which we tried a year ago

cavalier66 brought this masterpiece

Another cavalier66 special, this
legendary Irish from many moons ago

BA put this rum under my nose first thing,
then I still failed to try it

Time to go.

23/03/2024 Dune Part Two

Part One was so much fun that we decided to have a Part Two with mostly different actors. If Villeneuve did it, why could we not?

CB, OB, cavalier66, and JS join me for this sequel. GL calls off last minute for a work-related emergency.

The soundtrack: Sabled Sun - 2146

cavalier66 opens the game with a Japanese whisky, because Japan is an empire, just like the universe of Dune (known as the Imperium).

Rare Old Super (43%, Nikka Whisky) (cavalier66): nose: grainy and dirty (cavalier66), sweet and grainy (CB), a bit dusty, cardboard-y, it has crunchy pears slowly eaten by lichen. Mouth: stringent (cavalier66), apple and pear (cavalier66), dusty-sweet indeed, with dust and caramel on Golden Syrup. Finish: not too much happening. It is grainy, with an increasing amount of pressed grapes. This is inoffensive. 5/10

OB unveils a blended malt for the spice mélange (again!). He adds that 1969 is when Dune Messiah was published, because this is a 1969 underproof blend that was beefed up with Dornoch distillery's octave C#0 from 2017, and some eleven-year-old undisclosed Islay.

Super Groovy Blended Spirit Drink 6yo 1969 and 2017/2023 (40.1%, Thompson Brothers) (OB): nose: cavalier66 reckons it smells a bit like a blend (many years of university made him clever, our cavalier66), while CB says it is close to a Calvados. It has a funky side, in any case, a bit of sludge, pressed prunes, and damp dead leaves. Perhaps even a hint of hemp. CB finds artificial strawberry coulis to boot. That turns harder, and points at plasticine, waxy prunes and blueberries. Mouth: a certain earthiness emerges, prunes, dried dates, and a drop of juice. It has a tropical streak too, unidentifiable, and mushroom water caramelising in a frying pan. Finish: it is rather Cognac-y in the finish, with indistinct dark fruit. It feels chewy and earthy, with a mix of dark grapes and blueberries. 7/10

Cheese and breads, courtesy of the man who
never has breakfast before a tasting

cavalier66: "It is a funky nose."
tOMoH: "A groovy nose."
cavalier66: "It does not taste integrated."

The soundtrack: Dune: Dune · Der Wüstenplanet (Original Soundtrack Recording)

cavalier66: "That was not unpleasant."
tOMoH: "Remind me: which country were you born in?"

JS presents a Tillibardune bottled by Dewar Rattraydes, a double-barrelled connection to the theme, which is odd, for a single cask.

Tullibardine 33yo 1972/2006 (43.1%, Dewar Rattray Cask Collection, C#2597, 141b) (JS): nose: oh! ah! (cavalier66), honeyed and floral (CB). "I always think of bread, when I have a Tullibardine, and this has some of that bread" (cavalier66). It has a fattiness to it (CB), egg whites, old oak from the 1970s (CB), candied apricots, and a lick of peppery passion fruit. Mouth: some oak wood (cavalier66), but it is mostly a tropical number, here, with loads of candied apricots and preserved maracuja. Finish: long, acidic and fruity, juicy, jammy. Meow. I adore this whisky. Full notes are here. 9/10

cavalier66 observes that Dune is the ultimate film about a galactical empire. He therefore brought an Imperial in The Ultimate collection.

Imperial 20yo 1995/2015 (46%, Signatory Vintage selected by The Ultimate, Hogshead, C#50234, 281b, b#44, L15/1482) (cavalier66): nose: fruit, citrus, photocopier, petrichor (cavalier66), fresh summer rain (cavalier66), the plastic case of a newly-bound photocopied book (takes me back to my student days). Sour citrus (CB), pot-pourri pouches (CB). For me, it is closer to the dried residue os a citrus tonic in the glass. Mouth: slightly rough edges (cavalier66), dirty (OB), bergamot tea via retro-nasal olfaction (cavalier66), acidic, with crates full of crisp (Golden) apple, and dry green grapes. We have more and more hay and lemon thyme with time. Finish: a bit more robust, here, with linen (cavalier66) and mulch, alongside bergamot and kumquat. In the long run, it acquires a dry bitterness like the palate, but goes one step further by bringing forth Alka Seltzer. Excellent Imperial. 8/10

OB: "To think you wanted to swap it for another bottle..."
cavalier66: "I'm not disappointed."
tOMoH: "Mate! You're sooooo British!"

The soundtrack: Cthulhu - The space navigator

CB confesses he had to think hard to fit something into the theme (that he owns). In the end, he went for something he wanted to bring, and then the link dawned on him: this is a Chani-nich.

Teaninich 33yo 1983/2017 (46%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, C#6739) (CB): nose: "there is quite a bit of spice going" (CB). cavalier66 is quick to point another connection to the theme, here. Spice indeed: ground mace (ensues a fascinating discussion about nutmeg and mace), lemon mint intertwined with hay, dried spearmint, aniseed (CB), or (I think) lovage seeds, pomelo foliage, and a sprinkle of ashes. Mouth: acidic, lemon-y, this has loads of lemon thyme and lemon mint, Swiss lemon sweets full of mountain herbs (cavalier66, talking about Ricola). This is excellent. On the late tip, we discover kumquat to supply some candied sweetness. Finish: in the same vein, we have lemon mint, citrus foliage and hay. It is fruitier with each sip, much to my delight. 9/10

Also: hailstorm

Both cavalier66 and tOMoH brought an Arrankis. cavalier66 adds that David Lynch directed the first film adaptation of Dune; he also directed Blue Velvet, starring Italian actress Isabella Rossellini; also Italian is Arran's global Brand Ambassador, our good friend MR. LOLz. Love a stretched connection.

Arran (49.1%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#1, 211b, b#66) (cavalier66): nose: washing powder, baking stuff (CB), freshly-baked croissants (CB), detergent. Then, later on, cinnamon bark, dried fruits, panettone, black bun (JS). The ABV feels noticeably higher. Mouth: hot fruit (boiled citrus zest), a mild bitterness, orange-flower water (CB). It turns chalkier at second sip, then reverts back to fruits, this time it is apricots. Finish: some bitterness again, very orange-y, pithy, with citrus skins, and grated Aspirin tablets -- in a good way. Yes, even when it eventually settles for juicy, it is pressed orange with a bit of Aspirin. 8/10

vs.

Arran 17yo 1997/2014 (51.6%, The Whisky Agency & Acla da Fans Acla Selection specially selected for Whisky-Schiff Zürich 2014, Refill Sherry Cask, 120b) (tOMoH): nose: shaving balm, a faint hand-soap smell that grows in prominence, clean towels. Mouth: a clear note of detergent in hot water. Finish: big, almost boisterous, it has stewed apricots and hot compote. Full notes here. 8/10

Time to check TikTok

I find them to be both on a similar level, in terms of quality, but they have extremely-different profiles.

CB: "The Boutique-y is hotter."
cavalier66: "It's the spice."
tOMoH: "Would you say the mélange was not well integrated?"

CB takes us to the dark side, to explore the machinations of the Bunna Gesserit. In the same move, three of us discover how to pronounce the name of the bottler (weems, not weh-miss; it is written on the back label).

Bunnahabhain 1987/2018 Chestnut & Apple Chutney (46%, Wemyss Vintage Malts Wemyss Malts, Butt, 628b) (CB): nose: leather, shoe polish, date syrup, some turpentine, and prunes take off. Mouth: a nice balance, this is obviously a very-sherried whisky, but at 46%, it does not overwhelm the taste buds at all. Shoe polish, diluted with prune juice. Finish: treacle, date syrup, burnt sugar, molasses, cranberry molasses. Later on, we see a river of melted chocolate too. This is excellent, and better with each sip. 8/10

This calls for tart!
(OB's apple tart)

OB: "The Thompson are now enforcing the three-month free-storage thing, which is annoying."
JS: "Well, not for everyone: BA had things there for years."
cavalier66 [hinting at the royal family's recent health scares]: "But BA is royalty. Let's hope he doesn't have cancer, like the rest of them."

tOMoH: "I still see that picture in my head, every time I see the king -- a picture of Prince and Prince Charles, with the caption: 'There may be two princes, but there is only one king. And his name is Prince.' And, indeed, Charles waited for Prince to die before becoming king."
JS: "Every time you tell that, I think of Spin Doctors."

The soundtrack: Zenith - The Flowers Of Intelligence

With help from JS, tOMoH presents an oft-tasted bottle: Silent Stilgar-nheath.

Garnheath 27yo 1972/2000 (59.4%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#386516, 190b, b#182, 00/81) (tOMoH): full notes here. Today, I sip it relaxed, and enjoy it immensely. 9/10

JS asks if anyone ever played the Dune video games. Yes all round. The second? OB acquiesces. What was noteworthy in that one? There were three houses, OB remembers correctly. He cannot remember the name of the third, though. It was House (Glen) Ordos.

Glen Ord 25yo 1978/2004 (58.3%, OB, 3600b) (JS): I will take proper notes another time. We had this with OB nine years ago, and not once since. Time flies. Nose: austere, rocky, it reminds me of a grain millstone, lichen on limestone, tatters of green grapes and oroblanco, before a veil of refined smoke emerges from the deep, as clear as the sea is wet. Speaking of the sea, this may have iodine and a vague saltiness too. The second nose has a refreshing minty touch too. Mouth: rocky, gravel-y, drying, it is a whole quarry, in there. That aside, it has crushed walnuts. The mood changes with the second sip, which is dominated by acidic citrus, though there is a slight herbaceous touch too. Finish: long, acidic, mineral. Provisional 8/10

House Ordos deposing the Emperor

The soundtrack: Sabled Sun - 2148

As the final dram, OB fulfills the prophecy, and shows us the Kwizats Hadronach.

The GlenDronach 20yo 1993/2013 (53%, OB Single Cask, Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#5, 645b, b#418) (OB): nose: a thick layer of chocolate spread, mixed with Marmite, on a pepper-and-onion beigel. It has a hint of cardboard too, and then it develops a more-floral facet, behind the chocolate -- magnolia? The Marmite all but disappears, amusingly enough. Earth joins the dance, dark, rich, and even burnt, in places, a bit like scorched earth after the rain. The second nose has pickled lychee and blotting paper, roasted cocoa beans and star anise. Eh? Mouth: surprisingly thinner than anticipated, its earthiness is more pronounced than on the nose: torrefied coffee and chicory-infusion granules, as well as mocha-flavoured chocolate. It is slightly drying in the long run, like a high-percentage chocolate can be, or cocoa powder. Time makes this more peppery. Oh! it is no Talisker, obviously, but the chocolaty profile is augmented with cracked pink peppercorns. Finish: fairly short, it has more chocolate, and some herbs (chiefly oregano). OB thinks it does not have much chocolate and calls it a Glendronach for those who do not like Glendronach. I enjoy it. 8/10

OB: "It's the Johnnie Walker of Glendronach."
JS: "The Billy Walker of Glendronach."

Super tasting, once more. Surprisingly, it is the second time we use this theme, and no-one brought anything from Speyburn, Pulteney, Knockdhu, or Balmenach, all particular for their worm tubs. We may re-use the theme again when the next film comes out!

13/08/2023 Barbie

With the film about Mattel's iconic doll still in cinemas, receiving a lot of attention, this was the best (if most unlikely) theme for the August tasting in ze Heimat.

adc, JS, red71, STL, Psycho, sonicvince, kruuk2, and dom666 join me to share laughs and drams.

kruuk2 brought a gift. "Your reward for making up dumb themes!"
At least, tOMoH gets to show off legs. :)

kruuk2 {about his recent road trip in Morocco]: "I reached my destination, which was Meknes."
sonicvince: "Wait, my geography of Morocco is a bit..."
tOMoH: "You see Schaerbeek? A bit south of it."
kruuk2: "There's also Liège, rue du Moulin... right next to Super Poulet."

But we have work to do.

dom666 spills a bucket of water on the tablecloth while pouring himself a glass of water (not the first time, despite his claims). After we have mocked his very own watershed moment, he receives a towel to mop it up.

tOMoH: "Careful now. That also doubles up as your bib."

Aside from the whiskies, we are having a pot luck, today: various bits and bobs generously supplied by all guests.

dom666's nuts

Tapenade toasts, courtesy of red71

STL's daughter's biscuit-and-mocha cake

kruuk2's finger-licking cakes

I have hardly slept, and am more interested in enjoying the company so appalling notes again.

adc presents: Ben Brac-Ken

Ben Bracken 12yo (40%, Scotch Whisky Company for Lidl, b. ca. 2007): nose: inoffensive, it has corn syrup, custard, crusty choux dough, toffee, fudge, vaguely-paprika-ed cinnamon. Mouth: gently spicy, with black pepper, cinnamon, ginger powder. Next sip has a hazelnut cream. Finish: shortish, here are cinnamon shavings on vanilla custard, peppery and cinnamon-y, Lovely starter. Hope to try it again. 7/10

dom666: "There was a time in the 1970s when saying you were gay was a good way to revive your career."
red71: "Are you trying to tell us something?"

sonicvince, who has not seen the film, presents the next dram: "I'm sure there is some singing in Barbie (the film), and there is bound to be someone whistling."

The Whistler Mosaic (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrels + finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks, L21/014 152, b.2021): nose: a heavy note of peppermint, and ginger toothpaste. It grows rather woody (in a good way), adding a pinch of grated chalk to the mix too. adc finds butter caramel, whilst I detect dusty birch shelves. Mouth: fudge, melting and quaffable, like chewing on molten wax. It has a notch of soft spices, now closer to turmeric than the above. adc reckons it tastes a bit like limoncello. Finish: another fairly short one, it has toffee (melted Toffee Penny), melted caramel, and a pinch of wood dust (sawn old wood shelves). 7/10

kruuk2 explains how the next one fits into the theme: "10 is the age at which girls play with Barbie. And why Arran? Why, because Barbie wears a miniskirt, which, as any French-speaking Belgian knows, s'arrête Arran del'touffe [it stops within shaving distance of the bush]."

On a less-vulgar note (kruuk2, tsk!), I observe that Barbie is obviously the shortening of Barbarran.

The Arran Malt 10yo b.2006 (46%, OB, 120206): nose: lemon-y to the max, it smells like Cif Citron, says sonicvince. Pomelo foliage, pinched-and-rubbed pomelo peels. Over time, peach skins grow and grow. Great nose. Mouth: lemon-y, fresh, a tad bitter, with a pinch of grated effervescent tablet. Finish: it is extremely crisp, lively, fresh, fruity, and it display the characteristics of tonic water -- or crushed Alka-Seltzer. 8/10

The next one is mine. I bring a gentle, girly dram with a blonde tube. Just like Barbie.

Spot the streak of blonde
hair on the tube

Tomintoul 16yo d.2004 (46%, OB, Sauternes Casks, 5094b): nose: crushed cardamom on lemon pudding. Mouth: a little spicier than the nose suggested, yet it is an approachable one that puts everyone on the same page. Lovely drop, with a tiny bitterness that comes unexpected (pomelo peels) and ground cardamom again. Finish: wider and longer than the previous, this is rich, juicy, and a little bitter, overflowing with green citrus. I love this. Full notes here. 8/10

adc: "What is this next one?"
STF: "It's a Burnside."
adc: "Yes, and the connection to the theme?"
STF: "Burnside. That was the theme."
All: "Barbie."
STF: "Oh! Drat. I was daft as Ken, on that one."

Speyside 27yo 1994/2021 (47.5%, Le Gus't Selection special bottling for Nanyang Whisky, Bourbon Hogshead, C#3525, 240b, b#224): "Distilled at Speyside Distillery" should actually read "Distilled at a Speyside Distillery." This is allegedly Burnside, or tea-spooned Balvenie, not Speyside, aka The Spey. I thought this was the one I tried a while ago, but it is not. Strangely, it does not have a Roman numeral, despite being from the Selection collection. Nose: rich AF, it has custard (sonicvince), tons of peach skins, cured fruit, almond skins, and it opens up to reveal unripe pineapple, and citrus slices (unripe oranges). Mouth: incredibly bitter (certainly when compared with the nose), ground cardamom, then peach stones, ground almonds and hazelnut skins. The second sip displays more cream, with a custard-y texture. A lick of metal joins the nut skins (not the scrotum, naughty reader!) Finish: long, ripe with citrus-y pastry, almond-and-lemon cake, crisp-dried citrus peels, and gingery, cinnamon-y, cured orange rind. Very good! 8/10

dom666 brought the next one, because it has pink on the label.

Nikka Coffey Grain (45%, OB imported by La Maison du Whisky, 6/04F101511): nose: walking into an Ikea (freshly-sawn pine wood), a pinch of dried herbs, and a vague note of outer sole (rubber?) Mouth: soft, pleasing, it still has pine planks, though young enough to be full of vanillin. Finish: a softly-bitter spiciness (ground cardamom) crowns an-otherwise creamy custard. 7/10

adc: "A dram is okay, but..."
kruuk2: "The whole bottle would be too much!"

dom666 brought his Coffey Malt to try it back to back with the Coffey Grain, but I have another grain idea -- an idea which will stop us repeating an experience we had five years ago. And, since the bottle belongs to this group, when is a better occasion? Also, it is in theme: it is a Caledonian; to go to Islay, one takes the Caledonian MacBrayne from Ken-nacraig.

The Cally 40yo 1974/2015 (53.3%, OB, 5060b, b#3642): totally unfair fight, I know. To counter that, I have it at the end of the tasting, but, for everyone else, it comes now. Nose: wallpaper glue (kruuk2), pot-pourri, wet sand (sonicvince). adc produces a bottle of BioLevel detergent, and, indeed, it has a very clear similarity. Pine needles, Harpic Air Freshener, ground cherry stones, and crushed mint leaves. Mouth: it is a supreme mix of pine-needle-scented air freshener, and powerful wood glue. We talk of MDF (glued sawdust) and OSB (plywood pressboards, pressed wood shavings) -- the DiY specialists are keen to show off their science, which is both amusing and unlikely. This here dram is glue-y, yet also staunchly elegant, made bolder and more showy by a sprinkle of spices (ground ginger, ground mace, lovage seeds, crushed bay leaves, and roasted galangal shavings. Finish: a spoonful of honey (sonicvince), Gocce Pino, (fairly fierce) menthol, shards of cinnamon bark, and more crushed bay leaves. Maybe lovage too, but it is less well defined. This is rich and never-ending, although not stupendously complex, but it is so well made everything else is forgiven. Show-stopping grain. 9/10

Same drink, different label

tOMoH reminds the group that Barbie drives a car -- a Chevrolet Corvette, they point out. Therefore, we will have a Cor-vettercairn.

Boom.

Fettercairn 28yo 1988/2017 (48.9%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams special edition for TastToe, 16/06009): nose: feet and biscuit (adc), butter biscuits, cheese rind (sonicvince), fermented apple, and something acidic (sonicvince). One could easily deduce that it is lactic acid, or a drop of vinegar. Mouth: round and sugary (red71), a tad drying, and strong, it shows pronounced ethanol, warm white vinegar, and a herbal note of straw. Finish: long, drying, but also rewarding, herbaceous, in a dry-grass way, or hay. This is weird and wonderful. Astonishingly whacky, it puzzles everyone, and I love it for it. Full notes here. 8/10

As everyone looks forward to the next one, JS asks the others who makes Barbie: "Mattel!" Yes, and reversed? With the help of alcohol, it only takes them several minutes to finally utter: "Lettam." Lettamill, then.

Littlemill 24yo 1990/2014 (50.6%, Maltbarn No.28, 158b): nose: not at its most expressive, today, yet, it still exhibits a carousel of fruits, with papaya, dried mango slices, wood-dust-covered cherries, tinned peaches, but also hand cream, and scented talcum powder. sonicvince finds a faint plum-skin aroma, while I detect bergamot foliage and Kafir lime leaves. Mouth: powerful, it has rubbery lime leaves, chewy dried mango slices, and that trademark Aspirin bitterness because of which Littlemill can sometimes be divisive. Finish: huge, woody, fruity, and Aspirin-y. Excellent. Full notes here. 8/10

Psycho is about to depart. STL asks if he may try his bottle prior. Psycho was about to leave it behind, but agrees this is a better solution. He tells us that Ken has a hairless chest, so he brought something to make hair grow on one's chest.

Caol Ila 25yo (43%, OB, b. ca 2010): nose: Iso Betadine (sonicvince), gauze, bandages, plaster glue. Later on, we have waxy lemon zest and dried bulrush too. Mouth: a huge slap of gauze and old bandages, tincture of iodine, and muscle-warming spray. It is boldly medicinal, perhaps augmented by a seaweed poultice. Finish: unexpectedly maritime, with sea water, kelp, and only minimal medicinal touches, now. Excellent drop. "Cannot help but wonder how it would fare at cask strength," says STL, who obviously spends too much time in France. 8/10

red71 worked hard to find something to fit the theme, he says.

red71: "Barbie was created in 1959; Glenfiddich launched a single malt in 1959, but I have no Glenfiddich."
STL: "...and not from 1959!"
red71: "But, in 2012, in Paris, they celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Barbie. This here bottle was distilled in 2012."
tOMoH: "1959-2012, fiftieth anniversary?"

Kilchoman 2012/2019 STR Cask Matured (50%, OB Limited Edition, Shaved, Toasted, Re-Charred Red Wine Casks, 14,500b): nose: crushed raspberries in mud. It has more and more earth with every passing second, and it turns muddier and muddier too. Then, we have anchovies, cigarettes, and myrtles, which is a (welcome) surprise. Mouth: soft and velvety in the attack, the mud soon rallies, and takes centre stage, backed by dried chilli flakes. The texture is chewy and the whole coats the teeth. Finish: silt, mud, vase water, loads and loads of boggy peat. It becomes cloying, in the medium term, which prevents a higher score for me. It is good, but does not go the distance -- like listening to someone playing the trombone: you do not want to hear too much of it. 7/10

dom666 notes that the word of mouth (le bouche-à-oreille) about the Barbie film is positive.

dom666: "Le bouche-à-oreille marche très bien. Il joue beaucoup dans ma décision de voir un film ou non." [Word of mouth works a treat. It plays a big part in my decision to see a film or not.]
tOMoH: "Le bouche-à-oreille, c'est bien, mais ça ne sauve pas des vies, contrairement au bouche-à-bouche." [Word of mouth is good, but it doesn't save lives, unlike mouth to mouth.]
dom666: "Le bouche-à-bite est mieux, alors." [Mouth to dick is more pleasant, then.]

sonicvince chose the next bottle, because Barbie is causing a real cinematic storm, or indeed, a tempest.

Bowmore 10yo b.2012 (55.1%, OB Tempest, B#IV, First Fill Bourbon Casks, 11000b, L122384): nose: refined smoke and oily blonde tobacco, as well as raw shortcrust. Behind all that, clay and plasticine mix with lemon-flavoured gum. Mouth: a burst of fruit, not just citrus, but mango and starfruit, or is it mangosteen? There is a dose of peat, yet it is remarkably subdued. Finish: a little masterpiece with a complimentary combination of embers, burning peat, and juicy fruits. This is even better than the other time, and the score will reflect that. 9/10

Excellent tasting, with a wide variety of drams, delicious nibbles, and tons of silly nonsense. Good times.