07/08/2026 Whisky Fringe (Day 1 -- Part 2)

It started here.

It is the halfway point. Here, that means exhibitors pour their special wares for a token that everyone received at the start. It is called the halftime orange dram. Queues have been forming for the most popular drams, but it seems there is nothing comparable to the chaos at the Tomatin stall last year. JS and I debate what to get: the only stand-out on offer is the Rosebank 31yo, but we had that last year already.

What is in our vicinity?

Glenburgie 38yo 1988/2026 Chapter Thirty Two (46.7%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland, Refill Hogshead, 168b)

Nose: I want to say 'peachy', but that is SSS talking, who told us he finds Glenburgie peachy. It is fruity, though. Nectarines, plums, greengages, none too ripe.

Mouth: a tad mute at first, it wakes up with a chew: lots of greengages, apricot stones, but also something fiercely bitter that is not a fruit stone... Walnut shells turned into a paste?

Finish: explosive, long and bitterly fruity. Fruit stones, walnut shells, preserved pistachio.

Comment: I would like to like this more, but it is nice. It is a pleasant bonus that JS is told to keep her token and spend it elsewhere.

Score: 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, AMcR)

Port Askaig 25yo b.2025 (45.8%, Elixir Distillers)

Nose: meow! Ashes and char, elegant as an old Ardbeg. Fireplace grille, then algae scratched off an empty vase, lichen scrapped off an old stone. At long last, it becomes fruity, with peach and plum cloaked in a veil of smoke.

Mouth: tarry ropes, smoky fishing nets, diesel fumes hanging over harbour water, smoked plum. Ha! Ha! Some crushed glass and sand appear too, gently stripping.

Finish: biggish, sandy, flooded with diesel-tainted sea water, smoked cockles and fishing nets drifting in the current.

Comment: my dram of the day, so far. Probably a Caol Ila; it ticks all the boxes of a good one, at that.

Score: 8/10

Royal Brackla 23yo 2000/2023 Double Cask (53.3%, OB Exceptional Cask Series, Refill Puncheon + Tokaji Wine Finish, C#500005, 258b)

Nose: sweet, it offers dunked biscuit, sweet corn, lots of sweet corn, perhaps a cardboard box full of green grapes, gooseberries and unripe greengages.

Mouth: liqueur, brandy, corn syrup. It is a lot stronger than expected too. Crystallised apple drops, hard candy of sorts and briny cardboard.

Finish: toffee and cardboard. It struggles to develop the complexity I would like, even after a couple of sips. JS finds it a lot of red fruits.

Comment: it would be a good blend, but for a single malt, and a halftime orange dram at that, it leaves me wanting.

Score: 7/10

Daftmill 20yo 2006/2026 Chapter Thirty Five (53%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland, 1str Fill Sherry Butt & 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, 344b)

Nose: it is a perfume-y number that turns earthy. Then, we have dried kale, crackly leather an fruity flapjacks.

Mouth: earthy and drying, rancio turned to eleven. It is also strong, fierce, but that is balanced by remarkable berries (cranberries, boysenberries, mulberries) and bitter wood. Oh! it is bitter alright, if pleasantly so.

Finish: earthy and fruity. A beautiful Oloroso cask (I guess). A vatting of two casks, in fact.

Comment: imagine this! The first independently-bottled Daftmill and the oldest bottled Daftmill to-date. What a move to pull off! Apparently, there is a 22yo cask sample under the counter at the Daftmill stand, but it is neither here nor there. The cask is loud, but I like it. That said, I prefer Daftmill in a Bourbon cask.

Score: 8/10

Dufftown 13yo 2012/2026 (52.3%, James Eadie Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland Commemorative, First Fill Bourbon Barrel, 530b)

Nose: honeysuckle, ethereal perfume, an empty Moka pot, barley water.

Mouth: warming, it has melted toffee, mocha custard that has not yet cooled down and hot metal.

Finish: toffee and cream of tartar or custard powder.

Comment: decent.

Score: 7/10

ST tells us they brought the cask end of their Highland 1976 -- the real cask end, cloudy liquid, vegetables and all. This is not exactly the bottling that was unveiled at the Whisky Fair.

Highland 49yo 1976/2026 Cask End (45.1%, Thompson Bros. specially bottled for Dornoch Castle, Hogshead, C#SR26050)

Nose: ridiculously fruity. Ridiculously!

Mouth: a lick of wood bitterness, but mostly fruit stones with tatters of flesh still attached.

Finish: exotic fruits, woodworm and rotten cherries. Crazy depth.

Comment: this is incredible. Dram of the festival.

Score: 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, ST)

Clynelish 12yo 2013/2026 (52.5%, James Eadie Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland Commemorative UK Exclusive, Re-Charred Hogshead, 496b)

Nose: shaving foam.

Mouth: wick, fresh and spent, shaving foam and a dollop of minty toothpaste.

Finish: something fiercely minty in this finish, perhaps a lick of cardboard and toffee too.

Comment: good!

Score: 7/10

Ardmore 27yo 1999/2026 (50.5%, Thompson Bros., First Fill Barrel, 161b)

Nose: plaster bands, elastic bands, then a strawberry filling for chocolate wafers. Fruit juice sprayed onto old bandages.

Mouth: fruity paste it is (strawberry again), with quite a bit of alcohol and chewy bandages. This is so good! Fruitier and fizzier with each sip.

Finish: big, it alternates between smoked fruits and bandages. There is a pinch of earth and some grated mature Cheddar, as well as one manner or another of mature-Italian-cheese rind.

Comment: excellent.

Score: 8/10

Glenturret 35yo 1990/2026 Chapter Twenty Nine (41.5%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland, Refill Hogshead, 231b)

Nose: wood and strawberry, the latter most prominent. That turns into strawberry yoghurt.

Mouth: more fruits -- freeze-dried raspberries, peach stones, apricot stones.

Finish: wonderfully fresh, it has rambutan, lychee, white peach, Korean pear, Korean melon... 

Comment: phwoar! If my palate was not so tired, this may well score a 9.

Score: 8/10

Time to go. They are clearing people out. A quick stop by the shop and we are out of here.

01/10/2016 The Whisky Show 2016 (Day 1 -- Part 2)

The story starts here.

With the Diego Special Releases down, we proceed to the Loch Lomond stand.

Inchmurrin 12yo (46%, OB Island Collection, 1552F, b.2016): this was one of the highlights of the dram of the show, last year, much to my surprise. Nose: toffee and gentle boiled fruit. Nice, though it does not seem to have the same quality as in my memory. Mouth: toffee again, not overpowering. It is balanced and chewy. Finish: tropical fruits now reign, with chocolate coulis on top. I reckon last year's batch was better (it was also more of a surprise), but this one is great anyway. 8/10

JS joins MS and me again. She bumped into DW on his way back from the Lagavulin 200th Anniversary masterclass. He kindly grabbed the following for us, which we appreciate immensely.

Lagavulin 12yo (43%, OB, b.1980s): nose: fantastic farmyard scents and sea spray. Mouth: earthy, ashy, farm-y, yet also fruity. Very impressive. Finish: never-ending, with more ploughed fields, sea spray and smoke. Everything is calibrated in perfect harmony. Notes do not do it justice. This is gawjus. 9/10 (Thanks DW for the dram)

Inchmurrin 18yo (46%, OB Island Collection, 15721F, b.2016): nose: meat, caramel cream, even rubber and smoke. All gentle, yet I reckon sherry casks. The staff tell me wrong, however: all Bourbon. Mouth: soft, it rolls on the tongue. It is spicy, oily and round, despite the spices. Finish: a big bang of chocolate, long and lovely. 8/10

I talk to the man pouring. I am excited that Loch Lomond is producing such amazing whiskies, these days, and so is he. I ask him about Croftengea and Rhosdhu -- he says they still make them for blending, not to bottle as single. He tells me some Rhosdhu have been less impressive (my words, not his). You wait a minute, boy! Tomorrow is another day. ;-)
They have a binder on the stall, with drawings of the different stills at Loch Lomond and how they are used. MS is fascinated -- rightly so.

Seeyun mah horse, peelgrum?

OB has now left us to meet his mate L, who attends his first show. We bump into them several times later on.

MS and I move on to Malts of Distinction: he wants to try some Hibiki. Once there, he changes his mind and goes for...

The Yamazaki Mizunara (48%, OB, Japanese Oak Cask, b.2013): nose: lots of peach (with the stone) in this. The sharpness of white wood makes my temples tremble. Mouth: wow, so soft and elegant, gentle and well-mannered (who said: "So Japanese?") It still has a soft spiciness of very mild wasabi. Finish: buttery nutmeg (MS), ripe peach, and a gentle bitterness, butternut jam. This is wonderful. 9/10

Next stop: Scapa. The lady there gives us the commercial introduction, which I do my best to not ignore too ostensibly. I had the Skiren last year and was not impressed. I dip my lips in MS's glass and find it better, this time. I go for...

Scapa Glansa (40%, OB, B#GL01, 2SCF9000, b. 2016): the "peaty" version of Scapa. It is made following the regular (i.e. peat-free) process, but is matured in casks that have previously held peaty whisky. Nose: hay and burning grass. Mouth: it feels watery, at this point, weak. It still gives out notes of delicious marzipan and, once I am accustomed to the low ABV (back from several cask strength, you see), I start liking it. Finish: frangipane, marzipan. Lovely finish. The peat grows a little, without ever reaching insane levels. 7/10

I walk by Redbreast and cannot resist a dram of...

Redbreast 21yo (46%, OB, 20011276): nose: an explosion of tropical fruit, innit. Mouth: this mouth is so fruity it is almost indecent. Full Bourbon maturation so as to not taint the pleasure with any cloying flavour. Finish: bursting with tropical fruit. This remains wonderful. Pure pleasure, no brains. MS reckons "it is stretching. It is trying to be fruitier than it is." He might be right after all. It is not 117.3, yet he does find melon, wrapped around grapes. 9/10

We then stop at Gordon & MacPhail.

Tormore 1996/2016 (57.4%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength for The Whisky Exchange, Refill Bourbon Barrel, C#5655): nose: chocolate, dark fruits and pecan nuts. Mouth: warm and citrus-y -- very citrus-y, in fact. Finish: citrus, sizzling in butter (tangerine, satsuma, green grapefruit) and dark chocolate on top. 8/10

We bump into MR, who pours me something from an unmarked bottle. It is...

Springbank 16yo 1999/2016 (54.3%, OB Local Barley, 80% ex-Bourbon, 20% ex-Sherry Casks, 9000b, 16/22): nose: barley, barley, barley. Mouth: slightly medicinal barley. Finish: big, bold, gently fruity (mandarin, candied lemon). 8/10

MS wants to stop by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, as he just bought one of their bottlings and wants to check the rest.

Arran 19yo (49.7%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#6, 250b): nose: lemon curd, lemon pie, grapefruit pie. Mouth: it packs some punch, with salt, white pepper on custard-cream biscuit. Finish: warming, hot with pepper, it has hot custard and coconut shavings. A modern malt, of course, yet a good one. 8/10

DW, who mans the TBWC stall with his daughter this year, spots me, leaves the stand to come shake my hand. He spotted an idiot (my word, not his) scribbling in a notebook and thought I looked familiar. Nice to see you, DW. :-)

Mr. Whisky-Pinklist himself

We finally meet up with JS again, after bumping into everyone else (including the Swissky Mafia, a few times). We all go to Elements of Islay/Port Askaig, where I still hope to try the very old expression. OC pours me...

Port Askaig 15yo (45.8%, Speciality Drinks, Sherry Cask, b.2016): this has not yet been bottled. They have two sample bottles of juice that is 14 years and 11 months old for this show only. Yes, the information on the label is incorrect -- and possibly illegal. Nose: meat, marinated in red wine, game in grand-veneur sauce, dried blood (that one gets me a few funny looks). Mouth: big and wine-y, with more grand-veneur sauce. Finish: drying, big, bold, full of dark wine and game. Not my style at all, this. 5/10

OB and L are at the Penderyn stall, five metres away. We try:

Penderyn Legend (41%, OB, Bourbon Barrels + Ex-Madeira Casks Finish, b. ca 2016): nose: dusty metallic tools. Mouth: grape juice. Finish: green-grape juice again, soft and sweet. 7/10

We come across BC and tease him about his, ahem, very personal rating system... again. :-)

Penderyn Rich Oak (50%, OB, 2248b): hot and chemical, with paint and mercurochrome undertones. Mouth: meaty, here, not my thing. Finish: next to the meat, chocolate and fruit emerge, coating and thick. MS says it reeks of someone varnishing a table. 6/10

It is the final leg of the day. We go back to Signatory Vintage.

Fettercairn 27yo 1988/2016 (58.4%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#1996, 261b, b#261): nose: grassy, hay-like, eventually coming on to medicine and pills. Mouth: it feels green and uncouth, then white pepper takes over. Finish: grass, apricot, apricot stone, straw. Interesting, this, as unusual and unexpected as Fettercairn can be. 7/10

Caol Ila 32yo 1983/2016 (49.3%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#5297, 249b, b#157): another cask was the star of last year's show, so I try this one with high expectations. I get the last pour too, from the bottle hidden behind the counter. No wonder I have missed it until now! Nose: refined peat smoke, again, not so far from a 1970s Ardbeg. This is similar to last year's edition, with farmyard scents and brine, dust and nobility. Mouth: dust indeed, with squashed dark fruit and burning hay too. Finish: long and warming, with wood polish, refined peat smoke and brine. Excellence. 9/10

Final stop at Number One Drinks for a burner.

Chichibu 2009/2016 (61.4%, Speciality Drinks, 633b): nose: eau-de-vie and grain, perhaps a touch of earth, mocha (MS). Mouth: acidic and hot. Hot! Finish: vanilla, butterscotch and flippin' bollocks. This is a good last dram. It leaves a texture in the mouth akin to that of chocolate. 7/10

Phew! what a marathon. We are still chirpy, however, and ready for food ingestion. The plan is to accompany the Swissky Mafia to their hotel, drop off their bags, collect the goodies from two weeks ago that they kindly brought along today, then go for a meal with JS, MS and EG. On the way, I say good bye to MR and greet AMcR. MR is shocked that we do not know each other yet. He is expected upstairs, he says, to which I reply I want to say hello, not hold hands for a fancy walk.

We have burgers, which are finger-licking good, then an after-party at tOMoH tower, where more whiskies are poured. I do not take notes -- we have:

• Benriach 1976/1991 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice)
• Bunnahabhain 42yo 1968/2011 (43.8%, Whisky-Fässle/Whiskybase.com, Refill Sherry Cask)
• Tamdhu 13yo 1990/2003 (43%, William Maxwell Dun Bheaghan, Sherry Finish, C#9041-9043, 2868b)
• Glenlossie 12yo (55.5%, OB The Manager's Dram, b.2004)
• G5.5 18yo d.1993 Rich, sweet and comforting (65.4%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Virgin Toasted Hogshead, 243b)
• Old Rhosdhu 1967/1999 (40%, OB The Original Whisky Collection)
• Littlemill 22yo 1989/2011 (55.1%, Glen Fahrn Airline Edition, Airline 3, C#7, 310b)

I am very surprised PG has only had the Rhosdhu, probably the most obscure of the eight or so I pulled out for pouring.

Good, epic times in great company.

Keep reading here.

16/08/2015 Songs

The traditional mid-August tasting in the homeland. dom666 forgot that the 15th is a bank holiday and the 16th is a Sunday. All the shops are closed and he is left with little to host. Luckily, he has a backup plan for food.

The theme is a rehash of the Youtube tasting last year: whiskies that connect to songs, artists, or anything.
The suspects: dom666, JS, PSC, kruuk2, ruckus and myself.

Glenmorangie Port Wood (43%, OB, L6 242 20:54 3ML) (brought by kruuk2): we all recognise the song, but fail to see the link... until kruuk2 points out that Glenmorangie is crafted by the Sixteen Men of Tainted Love. Jaws are dislodged. We raise our glasses to Psycho, who could not join us, due to being stricken by an XVIII Century illness. Nose: tons of biscuit spices (cloves, cinnamon, cumin), leather, soft and sweet wine. Mouth: mellow and easily accessible, with notes of mulled wine and spices (more cloves and cinnamon). The texture is pretty oily too. Finish: long, luscious and lovely. It is interesting to confront old loves and find out they live up to the memories. 7/10 (thanks Syb the Beast for the pun)

vs.

Glencadam 12yo Port Wood Finish (46%, OB, 14FL02/14BL03) (brought by ruckus): L'Opportfinish, boom-tsch. Nose: more caramel than in the Glenmorangie. Slightly-burnt pie dough, old papers. Mouth: oily, with a similar mixture of spices and bakery action (biscuits). Finish: burnt caramel and over-baked biscuit. It remains sweet, light and easy, though a little less so than the Glenmorangie. 7/10

Tasting the first again after the Glencadam, the former is less appealing, flatter, yet also fruitier.

The next pair are together and make up something I am proud of. The welcome it gets is lukewarm, to say the least. I am disappointed.

Bon Novis - Inverleven On A Prayer

Ben Nevis 12yo 1996/2009 (46%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Company The Coopers Choice, Refill Butt, C#817, 420b) (yours, truly): nose: farmyard! Cow dung and eau-de-vie. It evolves to become a walk in an orchard, with unripe fruit hanging from the trees. Herbs end up showing up en force. Mouth: pears and apples, very crisp and fresh. Peach stones too, perhaps. Finish: verbena and milk chocolate -- no-one else gets the obvious chocolate. Red chilli, ginger (PSC). A pleasant, if unusual Ben Nevis. What exactly constitutes a usual Ben Nevis, anyway? 7/10

vs.

Inverleven 1991/2008 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, JH/BCB) (me again): nose: bakery and citrus (mandarin, orange), dried fruit. Mouth: dried fruit, sultanas, dried dates, figs. The fruit becomes fresher and fresher, verging on fruit gosette (for those who know). Finish: more dried fruit, soft and plummy. 8/10

Cragganmore 11yo 2000/2011 (56.8%, Berry Brothers & Rudd Selected by Berrys', C#3673) (PSC): nose: a walk in a pine-tree forest. Lots of dry, white wood. It is dry and woody. How insightful. Sawdust. With water, citrus emerges. Mouth: warm and peppery, with lots of wood dust and spices. With water: again, more citrus comes up -- the sweetness of orange, with the kick of lemon. Finish: warm, wood-driven, with peppery custard (white pepper). Water brings out the acidity of orange pith and a teaspoon of sugar. Good dram, if one likes wood. 7/10

Enter tagliatelle Bolognese to replace the planned cold dishes. Note for next year: do not expect to do any shopping on the 15th August.

That is all that is left for me once I have served everyone :'(

Strathisla 1963/2011 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail) (dom666): Heidi Hei-Strath- isla, geddit? Nose: sugar pie, pineapple in custard, grapefruit. Do I like this? Do I! PSC finds liquorice and burnt rubber, as well as light marshmallow. A candy shop (PSC). Mouth: fresh and lively as a young goat in springtime. Pineapple and lime juice. It kicks harder than the 43% would have you think too. Finish: warming, rich, wide and unbelievable, with a touch of minty lime juice. Liquorice, perhaps? Toothpaste, wood splinters. It does become a bit woody, towards the end. It is under control for most of the ride all the same -- and what a ride! 9/10

Another pair to spell out Bunny and Strathclyde, of course.

Bunnahabhain 42yo 1968/2011 (43.8%, Whisky-Fässle, Refill Sherry Cask) (offered by the group): nose: this is a fruity bonded warehouse in early autumn, with a whiff of smoke and decaying cherry. Mouth: lichen and warehouse goodness, musty rooms, clay floors. Finish: long, rich and humbling. Too bad if the notes do not reflect it much, this is a wonderful dram. 9/10

vs.

Strathclyde 13yo 2001/2014 (64.4%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition, B#ST 13 002) (brought by JS): we tried this one last week in Edinburgh, and were convinced, despite the low age. Nose: dessert, bakery, custard, varnish. Mouth: warm croissants. It becomes hotter and hotter -- 64.4%, innit. Finish: a bakery explosion, with a metallic note and a touch of fruit. Wunderbar. 8/10

Dessert is served: griddled cherry pie and pineapple-and-custard pie. Both excellent. The latter goes particularly well with the Strathclyde.

Look mum: no hands!

Port Askaistle - 19 (yes, that is pushing it)

We discover there is a French, a German and a Japanese version of the song, which crack us up immensely.

Port Askaig Harbour 19yo (45.8%, Speciality Drinks) (ruckus): Nose: burnt wood and dry earth. Mouth: balanced and gentle, with a drop of gherkin vinegar. Finish: barley, puffed barley, toasted barley, all behind a veil of smoke. Not exactly what I am in the mood for, but it seems well made. 7/10

What is this supermarket whisky you are pouring?

Talisker 30yo (51.9%, OB, 3000b, b. 2006) (dom666): the link was easy, I suppose, though the band has not exactly reached worldwide recognition. Nose: peppered peat, rich and full-flavoured, with swirls of cigar smoke and Lederhose scents. It has an animal feel to it. Mouth: a drop of apricot over a pudding of peppery wilderness. The pepper is a bit loud for my taste. Finish: the pepper is suddenly way overpowering. Not my thing at all. I find it flawed. 4/10

PSC and kruuk2 leave. ruckus, JS and I prepare to do the same when I realise I forgot to pour something else.

Because we're worth it!

Linlithgow 26yo 1982/2008 (63.7%, Speciality Drinks The Single Malts of Scotland, Butt, C#1622, 601b) (me): this one only makes sense when you know that Linlithgow is St Magdalene, of course. Nose: an austere bakery, with scents oscillating between herbs, stones and flowery bakery goodness. Mouth: lively and kicking, with lots of fine white pepper. Finish: phwoar! Hot custard, herbs, lime stone. Unfortunately, we cannot spend too much time on this (trains do not wait). It is not the best St Magdalene I have had, yet it is a good dram. 8/10 (thanks PS for the sample)

Superb tasting, as usual. The food was particularly delightful.

Some funky cookbooks too!