15/12/2016 21+ private tasting at Cadenhead's for DW's birthday

JS and I are kindly invited to this yearly event in the London shop. This is the last 21+ tasting of the year, which means the staff is relaxed and enjoying it with us. It is also a private tasting, where everyone knows each other -- well, everyone knows DW, at least, the other connections are promptly made. BC and PS are also here.

The circumstances are roughly the same as for the monthly outturns: tasting room, quick pace, limited time, short notes. We have cheeses and chocolate, today, which is nice.

North British 26yo 1989/2015 (58.4%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Bourbon Barrel, 120b): nose: aaah! Banana butter, custard, shortbread, toasted coconut. Mouth: banana, custard, pastry dough, coconut shavings. Finish: long and sweet, with lots of vanilla-ed sugar. Typical grain. Some will hate it, I love it. 8/10

SW produces a DIY bottle from his personal stash. He insists this is not something that will ever come out, rather it is an old bottling that he happened to have a few drops of left over. In other words: do not call the shop, this is not available to buy.

Rosebank 23yo (46.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Fresh Bourbon Cask): I had been advised that this would probably be poured; it was hard not to tell JS, seeing as it is her favourite distillery, but I was brave: it is a surprise for everyone but me. nose: grassy, it has notes of thyme, oregano, hawthorn and some custard too. Lovely nose. Mouth: warm custard, cut flowers, turf. Finish: velvety, with similar notes as the palate -- vanilla and herbs. Delicious Rosebank! 9/10

Inchgower 25yo 1989/2015 (52.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 210b): the oldest Cadenhead bottle in the shop; everything else was bottled more recently. Nose: it starts rather custard-y, but soon turns very grassy, then plasticine emerges, shortcrust and mincemeat pie. Mouth: herbaceous and metallic, with hay and cut dandelions. Finish: herbaceous alright, with berries, aromatics and quite a bit of power. 8/10

Auchroisk 27y 1988/2016 (48.6%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 258b): nose: herbs and medicinal plants again, juniper leaves, honey. Mouth: soft and gentle, with yellow flowers, custard and aromatics. Finish: lovely custard, with sage and juniper berries. Still a favourite, this. 8/10

Rich Fruity Sherry 36yo (44.5%, Cadenhead Creations, B#2): nose: deep, earthy, with varnish and hot embers. Mouth: velvety, syrupy, full of dark berries. This is close to elderberry cordial. Finish: rich and generous, with lots of elderberry, honey, straw and apple pie. Nice! 8/10

Bunnahabhain 26yo 1989/2016 (45.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 246b): nose: lots of cut pears, apricot peels, dried quince, apple compote, hot dough. Mouth: peppery and gingery, but mostly gentle, civilised, with a drop of citrus juice. Finish: lots of cut fruits and a pinch of white pepper. This is lovely. Better than the first time. 8/10

SW pours the last dram of the day, another one that is not and will not be available. A bottle for another market, presumably. Half a bottle made its way here and we will empty it tonight, yay.

Caol Ila 31yo 1984/2016 (56%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, Fresh Bourbon Cask): nose: unbelievably farm-y, with ploughed fields, dried mud and tractor tyres after a day out. Mouth: warm mead, honey, hazelnut liqueur. Finish: warm liqueur indeed, then warm earth and lukewarm mud. I really believe those old Caol Ila are the equivalent of the old Ardbeg bottled ten or fifteen years ago. 8/10

The line-up is finished. We have time to wrap up and chat for a bit. Just as well, because I brought something too. It was a challenge: I wanted to bring something exclusive enough, yet I also wanted to bring something that is available in the shop. After all, we are in a shop...

Linlithgow 24yo 1982/2007 (50%, DL The Old Malt Cask 50°, Refill Hogshead, C#DL REF 3560, 303b): nose: oooh! That wonderful mix of grass, cut flowers, flint, chocolate, lemon juice and medicinal notes that only St Magdalene could come up with. Mouth: acidic grapes, flint, dried grass, whilst it is also voluptuous and soft. Finish: great balance, with a ping-pong of mineral, grassy, chocolate-y and flowery notes. Amazing how it is austere and subsequently generous. This is spot on and a bottle I will miss! 9/10

One more, as a toast to the birthday boy's father, who did not live to see today.

10.91 10yo d.2005 A well-mannered dram (62.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 210b): nose: toasted wood, hot stove, hot towels. Mouth: warm and big (check the ABV!), without being aggressive. It is comforting, actually. Finish: big, slightly fruity, with dark-fruit liqueur and hot cushions (yes). 7/10

I have had enough to drink. We are all being thrown out anyway. :-)

Happy birthday, DW!

28/09/2016 October outturn at Cadenhead's

Yep. Another regular event to frequent that is less a chore than a delight. OB and JS, who are both involved in most interesting events, you will have noticed, attend, alongside ten or so others. The session is brief and to the point. Not a masterclass to celebrate such and such bottling or distillery; merely speed dating with a few drams -- fourteen of them, to be precise. All are served in plastic cups. Notes are therefore short and unimaginative. Blame the format.

Mortlach 13yo 2003/2016 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads): nose: quite thin, with a note of white alcohol. Mouth: thin again, watery, even. JS finds it Calvados-y, which I agree with. Finish: finally some action, with velvety grapes, i.e. soft, with a gentle bitterness. JS finds peanuts in the finish. I find it completely uninteresting. 5/10

Glenrothes 14yo 2002/2016 (57.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 516b): nose: dried leaves, drying moss, overripe peach. Mouth: coating and acidic, it quickly heats up to deliver hot wax. Finish: hay and wood bitterness. More to my taste than the Mortlach, still, I do not care for it much. 5/10

Auchroisk 14yo 2001/2016 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 1008b): nose: tame, almost silent. Mouth: lively on the tongue, it has orchard fruit. Finish: more delicious orchard fruit and a lightly drying streak. This is better. It makes OB think of the 27yo that came out earlier this year, though without the same depth, of course. 7/10

Teaninich 10yo 2006/2016 (46%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 684b): nose: peach stone. Mouth: spirity and spicy, almost vinegary. JS detects corn -- I agree again. Finish: spirity at first, it then delivers corn syrup. 6/10

Rich Fruity Sherry 36yo (44.5%, Cadenhead Creations, B#2): a blend of Tamdhu, Highland Park, Macallan and Invergordon; all matured in sherry casks. Nose: glue, wood varnish. Mouth: dark fruit and wood glue. Finish: more wood glue, glued wood (spot the difference!) and dark fruit (the blackcurrant from the Invergordon, presumably). Nice. 7/10

Royal Brackla 18yo 1997/2016 (54.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 402b): nose: grass, straw, even, and an animal, farmy touch to it. Mouth: soft green grapes, very different to the nose. Finish: bold, drying, with a kick of farmyard flavours. 8/10

Glentauchers 39yo 1976/2016 (43.8%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 180b): this is sold out, we are told. Miffed. I loved the 38yo from 2015, how will this fare? Nose: we shift gears to a point we break the gear box! Japanese, tea relaxing hot towels in a restaurant after a spice-rich meal. Mouth: Japanese tea, water melon (JS). Finish: a stream of tropical fruit amongst Japanese tea and a thin veil of smoke. Yep, it is beautiful indeed. 9/10

William Cadenhead Blend 43yo (44.2%, Cadenhead): Glenlivet, Glenfarclas and Invergordon, this time. Nose: a mushroom cave, mould, dusty and humid cellars, cheese rind. Mouth: velvety and soft, woody, yet fruity too. Finish: mix of fruit (apricot, mango) and wood. A complete oddball, this. I think I like it, yet the nose is very peculiar. 8/10

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016 (46.1%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Sherry Butt, 414b): nose: wood glue, hay, wicker. Mouth: warming. Finish: balanced, slightly drying. 6/10

Highland Park 30yo 1986/2016 (46.5%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 174b): nose: lavender, heather, super dry, super fragrant pot-pourri, before a little smoke comes up too. Mouth: velvety, with a bit of smoke and warm lavender. Finish: smoke (lots of it), heather on the hearth and a lot of violet sweets. The sort of profile people like in HP, not in Bowmore. I love it in both. 8/10

Dufftown 26yo 1988/2015 (51%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 214b): this is not from this outturn, yet it is so kindly offered, it would be rude to refuse. Nose: chocolate, corn on the cob. Mouth: warm, earthy. Finish: very long, vaguely grape-y, with a whiff of bandages. 7/10

Ledaig 19yo 1997/2016 (53.9%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 252b): nose: untanned leather, with a bit of flesh left on the skin. Overipe peach. Mouth: meaty and animal, leather in a tin of varnish. Finish: one third smoke, one third meat, one third varnish. Not my style. Most in the group love it, though. 5/10

Inexcusable typo on the label, here!

Caol Ila 34yo 1982/2016 (60.1%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 264b): how can a 34yo whisky still be that high in alcohol, eh? Answers on a postcard. Nose: deep, smoky and massive, with a note of nail polish. Mouth: warming, peppery and ballsy. Finish: long and warming, with a lot of nail polish. Not convinced by this. 6/10

TMAH 24yo 1991/2016 (62.6%, Cadenhead Cask Strength): nose: nail polish, turpentine. Mouth: more of the same. It dances on the tongue quite nicely. Finish: bitter as ink, with all the complexity of nail varnish and polish. This is a nice rum. Will not make me sell my soul, yet pleasant enough. 7/10

The Invergordon 43yo and Burnside 26yo are unavailable, unfortunately.

Good session. Nice to meet new faces, great to catch up with old ones, and really, a mixed bag of whiskies to please everyone, this month.