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.

11/06/2023 Dog days of summer

Chilly temperatures lasted until the first weekend of June, when a morning run with gloves and a snood still held the promise of feeling like an ice cube by the end.

Fast forward one week, and we have hit thirty degrees, even though summer has not officially started yet.

To acknowledge this contrast, PS, cavalier66, JS and I meet up to have a tasting. BA sadly calls off in the morning, stricken with hay fever. The theme is simple: dog days of summer. Funnily enough, we do not meet in Barking.

cavalier66 has had breakfast, for once, but he still brings yummy nibbles.

PS introduces a blended malt with a dog on the label -- one bottled by Dog-las Laing. He says he keeps saying how good blends can be, so he decided he should start buying and sharing some.

Sweet Wee Scallywag (46%, Douglas Laing Small Batch Release, Sherry Butts & Bourbon Hogsheads, b. ca 2022) (PS): nose: caramel, pastrami, nail varnish, oily dark wood, and the promise of Chinese five spice. Mouth: the palate has the bitterness of dark wood, and the spices that go with it. Ground cloves, shaved cassia bark, ground mace. The second sip has its fair share of caramel too. Finish: cocoa powder, treacle-tarred cinnamon sticks, and caramel again. As PS says, the spiciness builds up over time, and turns pretty intense (JS). A pretty good blended malt. 7/10

We decide to skip the two collie-burns: there is so much to try, and it is discouragingly hot, already. The Copper Dog meets the same fate.

PS stays on the blended-malt path, and introduces the Dog Star -- the Saint Seya fans will, of course, remember Sirius de Canis. I know I do.

From the best anime series of all time

Sirius 31yo 1988/2019 (43.1%, North Star Spirits, First Fill Bourbon Barrels, B#1, 3582b, b#1033) (PS): nose: seal wax, candle wax, and even spent wick. Out of nowhere, Turkish delights, chewy sweets, dusted with confectionary sugar. It is fruity and juicy, yet also waxy to the end. We see yellow fruits upon second nosing. Finish: waxy and coating, it has bits of spent wick floating in that excellent waxy-fruit bath. Full notes here. It feels perhaps even better today. 8/10

cavalier66 presents a Daftmill, "because dogs are daft, and they smell like they spent the day at the mill," I quickly add. No, it is because this is a summer distillation.

Daftmill 2010/2021 Summer Batch Release (46%, OB, 25 x First Fill Bourbon Barrels, 6250b) (cavalier66): nose: lemon bonbons (PS), sherbet (cavalier66), Mint Crumbles, spearmint leaf (PS), lemon mint, calamansi leaf -- it is minty and leafy, in other words. It even gives an impression of burnt-vanilla-flavoured edible paper, which is rather unusual. Mouth: fresh and actually refreshing, with pomelo juice, limoncello, lemon custard, it is unctuous without being cloying, creamy, not thick (single cream, then), and fruity and a half. Finish: long, fresh, lively, zingy, this is a perfect summer dram alright, clean, fruity, and plainly enjoyable, with a hint of caramel flan too. 8/10

JS presents a Glentauchers, a distillery that was designed by architect Charles C. Dog, famous for his pagoda kilns.

Glentauchers 24yo d.1976 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#7652, b#248) (JS): nose: old, Calvados-y, sour apple (cavalier66), tangy (JS). I find unripe plum, then Virginia tobacco, and green-citrus leaves. The second nose has pomelo and calamansi, oroblanco and yuzu. Mouth: strawberry (PS), tons of ashy warehouse floor. It is quite chalky, today, and gingery on the tongue (bone-dry ginger shavings). The second sip has industrial smoke from the 1800s. Finish: some funk in the back, fruity dung (cavalier66), "sourness turns to dung, as so often happens in life" (cavalier66). Long, citrus-y, and that means fruity, not particularly acidic. This hits the spot, today. Full notes here. 9/10

We talk about WhiskyLovingPianist, who recently moved to France.

JS: "Isn't it crazy? Moving to France with someone he met so recently?"
cavalier66: "Maybe he's at a time of his life when he wants to take a risk."
JS: "What's he got to lose?"
tOMoH: "Limoges. What's he got Limoges."

cavalier66 sings the Grease song Summer Nights:

Summer lovin' had me a blast
Summer lovin' happened so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be
Summer days driftin' away
To ah, oh, those summer nights
Uh well-a well-a well-a huh!
Tullamore, Tullamore
Did you get very far?

We all agree that a Tullamore would be entirely inappropriate in this heat, but make a mental note to reuse that one in future.

PS produces an SMWS bottling with 'summer' in the title.

G1.13 36yo d.1978 Summer Fete and flower shows (56.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 188b) (PS): nose: "afternoon tea, with jam scones, lemon cake, a vicar giving out raffle prizes, and a murder in there, somewhere, Agatha-Christie style" (PS). It is indeed full of lemon-drizzle cake. A bit later on, we have some oily tobacco too. It certainly has more horsepower than anything else we have had, so far. Dark currants appear, timidly. Mouth: vanilla-y lemon-drizzle cake, Mentos pudding (I imagine) and chalky (Korean) pear. Finish: oooh! It attacks the gums, very minty and gel-like in texture (minty gel, of course), limoncello and lime lacquer. It has a lovely grassy touch too. I like me a good grain, and this delivers. I am bound to have tried this when it came out, and indeed, I did. I seem to have been disappointed then, not today. 8/10

tOMoH presents Le-dog, distilled at Toby-mory distillery.

Ledaig 6yo 1972/1979 (70° Proof, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice) (tOMoH): nose: cereal dust (PS) and peppermint (PS). I have coal dust and crumbly peat, though it turns farmyard-y over time -- a dusty farmyard in the summer, that is. Mouth: cavalier66 finds the plastic element he still finds in modern Ledaig. It is vegetal and metallic, with Verdigris and some perfume (JS picks up lavender and violet). The texture is rather thin ("not at all oily," says cavalier66), and it certainly has vase water. Finish: metallic (cavalier66 + JS), bicycle clips (PS), disintegrated medicine capsules (JS). I have algae, and steel boilers full of soot and coal dust. JS notes a metallic sweetness, and is not taken by it, today. Neither is cavalier66. I am. Full notes here. 9/10

PS [about a recent SMWS Inchgower]: "'Onion tart and young white wine,' which is either an SMWS name, or Nigel Farage's new kink."

cavalier66 brought the next one because it is a thirty-year-old, and, yesterday, we hit thirty degrees for the first time this year.

Jura 30yo 1990/2020 (46.33%, Thompson Bros., Refill American Oak Hogshead, 186b) (cavalier66): nose: I immediately picture fruity sweets and plush cushions. It smells oily (cavalier66), it has quite a bit of funk, with some leather and brown, dried citrus peel. That citrus develops, and we have plump tangerine, then plasticine. Further nosing reveals a whiff of black smoke too. Mouth: pink-peppercorn shavings on tangerine segments, and -- what is this? Tropical fruits! Mango, papaya, kaki come storming in. Later on, that turns into mango skins and plasticine, which is to say: still fruity, but also waxier. Finish: it gives me a bit of a buzz, at first. Over time, we see buckets of fruits, or wheelbarrows, actually, with the galvanised steel appearing loud and clear. Then, tropical fruits grow more and more prominent. This is amazing, today! Better than the first time we had it, we all agree. 9/10

cavalier66 [about the next dram]: "The 1977 were heavily shevi-... Herrily shev-... Heavily sherried! How many times does it take me to say it?"
tOMoH [singing to the well-know Modern Talking tune]: "Heavy sherry lady."

cavalier66 explains that the Baby-Boomers constantly reminded us that it was already warm (or warmer, they claimed) in the 1970s. [Let us clear up any doubt: today's climate is warmer and drier than it was in the 1970s -- or indeed in human history.)

A Speyside Distillery 38yo 1977/2015 (47%, Whisky-Doris, Sherry Butt, C#25, 578b) (cavalier66): nose: transport-cask Sherry (PS), leather, tobacco pouches (PS), rolling tobacco, marmalade spread on a slice of wood (watch your teeth!), a bunch of twigs, porridge, with a dollop of pan-seared honey. Mouth: melted butter, salted caramel, toffee, caramelised lemon cake and pound cake all ride on an oily texture. Finish: "a moment of sherbet" (PS), a drop of nail varnish, or wood oil, and glazed ripe berries. It is distinctly bitter too, if not overpoweringly so. From the second sip onwards, orchard fruits and mud appear faintly. 8/10

PS [citing South African government advice that, in fact, originated in California]: "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."

We skip the Convalmore Rare Malts. It is already a stretch, as far as I am concerned, and we all start to feel the combined effects of heat and alcohol. At least, I do -- I am exhausted. One more.

JS brings a light dram into the spotlight: a Link-woof.

Linkwood 11yo 1984 (60.5%, James Mac Arthur Fine Malt Selection) (JS): nose: straw and faded leather, pineapple chamomile. It has rubbing alcohol, on top of the leather, and unripe apple, after a while. Even later, as one tilts the glass, overripe persimmon pokes its head. Mouth: powerful, but also very fruity, this is like an apple-flavoured engine grease applied onto a steel plate. It grows so strong it feels as though it will pull teeth out of their sockets. Subsequent sips are more tolerable, and just as fruity. Finish: again, orchard fruits, a lick of cold, bitter metal, and crystallised raspberries. This is really good. Looking forward to spending more time with it soon. 8/10

The clock shows a reasonable time, the temperature is also more reasonable, now, but I am rinsed. We disband.

18/06/2022 Everybody knows the answer, but what is the question?

Following on from Active distilleries, and delayed for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic, friends from various parts of the world have gathered to tOMoH's neck of the woods to sample good things.

The theme, of course, relates to a series of books by Douglas Adams, a trilogy in five parts, to be accurate, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It was adapted to the cinema in 2005. Neither the film nor the books rank very highly in tOMoH's list of things to read/watch, but popular culture makes many references to it, so they are useful to know.

Before setting up the venue, JS, adc, sonicvince and I have breakfast at Ozone.

French toast with peach cobbler
for JS

Sides of potato rösti for everyone

Eggs benedict on bubble ‘n’ squeak cakes with Hollandaise
for adc

Roasted mushrooms on toast with pickled onion, fermented chilli,
house cultured cream for sonicvince

Jerky mushrooms with Essex grains, sumac mayo & lamb’s lettuce
for tOMoH

sonicvince has an almond croissant for dessert

I have the Lamington cake

We finish with tons of time to spare, and I am confident we will be done with the preparations early. So confident in fact, that what I am most anxious about is that I do not have an apéritif for guests to wait for stragglers. As it turns out, preparations take forever, and I am the straggler who makes everyone wait without a dram. Ah, well.

adc, sonicvince, ruckus, Gaija, WhiskyLovingPianist, BA, Cavalier66, JH, JK, JS, MV, AV, SW and PS join me for this.

Clues and teasers were shared over the months, but everything is poured blind.

Disclaimer: my notes are not very good. JS and I spend a lot of time entertaining and enjoying the company, instead of focusing on detailed analysis. Live with it.

Unique artwork by Ronnie C. (I cannot read his last name).
Each bottle label is different

Dram #1

Nose: marzipan (PS), shoe polish, a bit of waxy cork, cinnamon powder, and strawberry bubble gum. JS finds raisins, while I have a hint of tarmac. adc finds it extraordinary, with perfume and spices (cardamom and cumin, most prominent).

Mouth: a minor rubbery note of the tyre sort. That is mostly covered by elegant chewy prunes, until juices rise. Old school, dry (Cavalier66), it is also herbal (JH) and has Swiss pines (JH again). ruckus finds it too aggressive at first, yet breathing time turns this into his favourite nose of the line-up.

Finish: long, comforting to the point of being reassuring, it has mulch, sponge-y cork and roasted citrus peel.

Comment: I love how it left many indifferent in the beginning, only to slap them in the face a couple of minutes in, then never stopped amazing. I completely (and willingly) missed the boat on those Glenfarc- undisclosed Speyside bottlings. This is a telling illustration that I was wrong (for the tasting experience), and right (according to my financial adviser) at the same time. Gaija guesses the bottler.

Speyside Region 42yo 1976/2018 (45.2%, Sansibar Whisky / Acla da Fans Acla Selection, 386b) 9/10

These are the stills of Loch Lomond, as precisely no-one guesses

Dram #2

Nose: light fruits, but also dusty toffee (Cavalier66), banana (sonicvince), and metal (SW). There is a discreet note of buttermilk -- in the heat, therefore not very fresh. A market stall full of sweets in the summer. Peaty toffee alright. Decaying banana. This is lovely!

Mouth: it has the taste of mango flesh and the texture of curd -- or is it squashed peach? Cavalier66 finds it close to confectionery, Mars bar or Milky Way. Almond cream, almond paste, the kind one finds in an almond croissant. adc even detects mashed papaya.

Finish: exuberantly fruity, with lots of juicy tropical-ish yellow fruit (peach, apricot, mango, tangerine), and melting pralines. It is a long finish with a lovely acidity, a touch o ginger and a lick of peach stone.

Comment: hard to believe how good this is. Such an unassuming presentation, yet such a high quality! SW and Cavalier66 end up guessing it may be the Authentic Collection release that is likely from the same cask. Close enough.

Inchmurrin 42yo 1974/2016 (45.2%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, Bourbon Barrel) 10/10

Essy also enjoys the Inchmurrin

According to JH, this looks uncomfortably like a concentration camp

Dram #3

Nose: "it is like smelling vitamin C" (Cavalier66), ashes (sonicvince), ashtray and spent cigarettes (sonicvince). That disappears quickly to leave cosmetic powder, gradually replaced by talcum powder, Aspirin (SW), wood polish and old fruit. Suddenly, the cosmetics come back. There is a whiff of tobacco as well. Mango skins grow in intensity, though they remain rather tame. MV notes a Chinese sweet-and-sour sauce, though he cannot remember the name of it (we quickly establish it is sweet-and-sour sauce). The consensus is that water makes it citrus-y (MV), with baked pineapple (PS). Gaija, on his end, finds sour cream and tzatziki.

Mouth: "really sour, not extremely sour (WhiskyLovingPianist). it soon turns milky (Cavalier66) and woodier (AV). adc, clearly influenced by the image on display, finds it an air of steam engine or locomotive, as well as raw metal. BA reckons it is orange oils, or a Cognac-based Triple Sec. It certainly turns juicier with each sip, in any case. Water gives it an Earl-Grey profile. With water, the soft tea bitterness turns into super-mild smoke.

Finish: long, a little bitter, but then creamy too. Maybe almond paste? Crushed apricot stones? Nutty and orange-y (JH). "Très élégant" (Cavalier66). Water adds peach milk to the profile.

Benriach 42yo 1966/2008 (43.9%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, American Oak Hogshead, C#1019, 175b, b#12, 8/706) 9/10

MV: "When you go to a Chinese restaurant, there is a sauce..."
tOMoH: "Hoisin sauce?"
MV: "No, it is a little sweet and a little sour..."
BA: "Sweet-and-sour sauce."
MV: "Yes, sweet and sour. It is a sauce."
tOMoH: "Yes, it is called sweet-and-sour sauce."

Cavalier66 recognised Joseph Hobbs immediately

Dram #4

Nose: "it smells like Uitvlugt" (SW). Rye (JK), stewed prunes, overripe fruits (sonicvince), decaying blueberries, slightly-burnt brioche, strawberries, spices and polish (SW), "close to an old Caperdonich" (SW). Sweet popcorn (Gaija), white Burgundy (Gaija), caramel (JK), persimmon or kaki (JS). sonicvince finds it morphs from syrupy to citrus-y. It does develop citrus indeed, after a while, and also leather, funnily enough.

Mouth: berries (Cavalier66), currants covered in chocolate (WhiskyLovingPianist), shoe protector (WhiskyLovingPianist) and warm panettone. It has got fruity wine, and slightly tannic fruit juice.

Finish: hazelnuts (WhiskyLovingPianist and JH), tannins (WhiskyLovingPianist). It is long, sweet, fruity, teeming with prune syrup. Time makes it so fruity! Pineapple and papaya cubes come to the fore.

Comment: the only one today that I had already had, and even in this esteemed company, it is sooooo amazing. Full notes here.

Lochside 42yo d.1963 (44.2%, Hunter Hamilton The Clan Denny, C#HH2243) 9/10

tOMoH: "What do you think?"
PS: "Sufficient."

WhiskyLovingPianist: "I am here 100%, tonight."
tOMoH: "I can see from your outfit that you're not playing, tonight. Unless you've swapped the piano for steel drums..."
JH: "...or pan flute!"

[I sing something -- cannot remember what.]
Cavalier6: "The voice of a nightingale!"
tOMoH: "The voice of a night-een-year-old-gal!"

JH: "What are these things, there?"
WhiskyLovingPianist: "That's when you need the safe word."

Cavalier66: "We had another grain Lochside, a bit like this."
JS: "Unfair advantage: it was this bottle."
tOMoH: "Do you want your money back?"

It took a little bit of guiding the audience to have them
realise this is Peter's head, for the one distillery in Peterhead.
SW does not even know whom this is, much to JS's disbelief

Dram #5

Nose: miso soup (WhiskyLovingPianist). Miso having a similar effect to Marmite, SW hates it, at first, but finds it lovely just thirty seconds later. It does tread between leather and toothpaste, yet is soon overrun with crayon shavings. SW finds waffles and syrup, but for me, it is mint, shoe polish, then ink. adc, on the other hand, finds it farm-y at first, with fresh grass, Camembert or Maroille. "Macdonald's scented candles," BA shouts. Putty and Tubble Gum, after a while. Bread and rye hint at a fruity Speyside, according to JK and Cavalier66.

Mouth: a touch savoury (JK), with roast beef (Cavalier66), salted beef and a softly-drying, bitter note. The second sip is a little fruitier, closer to marmalade -- caramelised marmalade. Fruitier, then chalky, desiccating indeed. We have bone-dry orange peel, ground into a dust.

Finish: really bitter Seville orange, fruity, but not very sweet at all. There is a soft charred-wood note (SW), "perhaps a heavily-charred barrel," he ventures. It feels a bit like a Cognac, according to MV, though sonicvince detects meat that has fallen into embers. Certainly desiccating on the finish too. All agree it is very, very long. It is mildly citrus-y (dry orange), with also brine, tapenade and ocean (JK).

Comment: a somewhat divisive dram. It demands one's attention, and what it says is not to everyone's liking. I love it, but then of course, I am a fanboi of the distillery and the style. Uncompromising Highlander.

Glenugie 1970/2012 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, Remade American Hogshead, B#RO/12/03) 9/10

It perplexed many, but Cavalier66 and JH recognised
the features of Hugh Grant on Glenn Close's face

Dram #6

Nose: tropical fruits and ash (PS), coal (SW). This is old-school-and-a-half, and it brings tears of contemplation to this Old Man's eyes. Blackcurrant jam and black pepper (SW), a pinch of soot, banana, chewing gum, a barbecue grille (Gaija), smoked-peach jelly, charcoal (SW), butter taken out of the refrigerator and left in the kitchen for an hour. Hours later, it has become über-flowery, an avalanche of fragrant magnolia.

Mouth: peach jelly to the max, with enough soot to paint the room black. Burnt toast, charcoal, dried strawberry, burnt root -- woah! This is ashy and desiccating, while also invigorating; tiger balm comes to mind (Gaija). MV finds it buttery and perfectly integrated.

Finish: grilled mango on the barbecue (Gaija), red chilli pepper (Gaija), szechuan pepper or jalapeño (JH), liquorice.

Comment: after the monstrous 38yo we had in Dornoch, I had high expectations for this one, which, by the way, its reputation precedes. Even though the flavour profile is remarkably different from its less-aged, more-ancient sibling's, it has just the same quality, marrying an old-school sooty profile to a layer of ethereal fruit. Mad perfection.

Glen Grant 42yo ca.1936/ca.1978 (70° Proof, Gordon & MacPhail, SC803) 10/10

The tasting reaches a conclusion. Everyone seems pretty happy with the six drams, and reckons we finished on a high.

...Or did we? I have a trick up my sleeve.

Dram #7

Nose: caramel, crème brûlée (PS), steam trains (adc), oily and full of coal (BA). It is also savoury and meaty (BA), pumped with cola and coal (though it is not Caol) (Cavalier66), date skins (MV). It is very smoky and fruity at the same time, according to sonicvince.

Mouth: dark-chocolate coulis, chilli and pepper (JH). Ahem. I make no further note, embarrassingly enough.

Finish: roasted coffee and ashtray (MV). "Despite being almost a brute, it is harmonious" (JK). "The Gengis Khan of whisky: it burns everything" (sonicvince). It has a soft note of burnt tyre, in a balanced fashion (yay! Finally a note that is my own)

Comment: I cannot take serious notes anymore, too busy soaking up others' impressions and enjoying the reactions. It does not disappoint, though. It feels just as good as it did the first time I had it. More-detailed notes will follow.

Ledaig 42yo 1972/2015 Dùsgadh (46.7%, OB, Oloroso Sherry Casks Finish, 500b, b#202) 9/10

And we come to a close.

...Or do we? I explain I know everyone expected a 42yo official bottling of Bowmore, but that the obvious one with that age statement, the fourth edition of Black Bowmore, is well beyond my budget. At the same time, can a tasting end without a Bowmore? Ich don't think so. Sooooo...

Bowmore 43yo 1973/2016 (43.2%, OB, 6 x Bourbon Hogsheads, C#3883-3888): nose: cosmetic powder, confectionery sugar, perfume-y and flowery, with some fruit too -- peach skins.

Comment: let me leave it there for now and enjoy the day. I cannot say much that will do it justice. I will say that it is an entire bitch to pour, though. The neck is so wide and the lip too thick! Provisional 10/10

sonicvince: "What did you think?"
ruckus: "It was OK."
Gaija: "A good discovery tasting. Not sure I would fight to get in, but it is a good night out."

Hectic. Joy. Looking forward to trying many of these again, when I am not entertaining.

We have an after-party with nice bottles and nibbles. Then, out of nowhere, MV pulls this out.

Port Ellen MoS-PS001 (57.2%, Malts of Scotland Private Stock, Refill Sherry Hogshead, 104b, b#55) (MV):

Nose: ashy marzipan, refined peat smoke, and lots of fishing gear (nuts, rods), and perfectly-toasted bread, pencil-lead dust.

Mouth: roasted duck, rosemary, Peking duck (PS). Again, loads of fishing stuff, nets and boots, hessian (Gaija), old ink.

Finish: super smoky, almost acrid, Lapsang-Souchong, burnt wood, char-grilled fish, long and lovely.

Comment: shit notes, I know. It is anything but JAPE (Just Another Port Ellen). This is allegedly 40yo and it comes with the distinction and complexity one might expect comes with that age statement. 9/10 (Thanks, MV)

Cavalier66: "Woah! This is a real treat. [He looks at me] I mean: another one!"

I try another few things, but I am distracted, Even the Port Ellen, for which I do take notes, I do not spend nearly enough time with. Still, what a treat indeed. And the fact MV brought the bottle from Germany, rather than a sample of it, however big, makes so much bigger an impact.

51.9 15yo d.2002 Sinful indulgence (51.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 240b) 8/10 (Thanks, PS)

Girvan 26yo 1988/2016 (57%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogshead, 246b) 7/10 (Thanks, PS)

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

Gelston's Old Irish Whiskey 26yo b.2017 (54.2%, Halewood, Bourbon Cask, 300b, b#238) (Thanks, Cavalier66)

Orkney 15yo 2006/2022 (57.1%, Thompson Bros. bottled for Milroys of Soho, 280b) (Thanks, SW)

PS [to MV]: "I am not disagreeing with you, but..."
tOMoH: "What that means, in English, is: 'I think you're an idiot.'"
Cavalier66: "Eejit!"

Funky Shirts of Europe Club ©

Funky Shirts of the World Club ©