26/05/2026 An evening at Barrel Than Yesterday

One great joy of travelling is discovering that a bar on the other side of the world has whiskies one would never come across anywhere else. They may not be the most prestigious vintages, distilleries or ages, but that does not make them less exclusive.

Unlikely sightings

Tomintoul 8yo d.2014 Release No.106 (56.4%, Angus Dundee for Alistair Walker Infrequent Flyers imported by MetaBev, Oloroso Sherry Puncheon, C#2362, 696b)

Nose: sweet, syrupy, almost heady (in fact, not almost!). This has "cherry jam" written all over it. Waxed leather develops over time. The second nose has pressed currants and dried figs.
Mouth: thick, coating like melted chocolate. It has a clear Mon Chéri touch -- cherry-liqueur-filled, dark-chocolate pralines. JS finds it spicy. The second sip is a little woodier, if still as sweet and liqueur-like.
Finish: long, powerful and sweet. We have more cherry jam and a good dose of melted dark chocolate. A minuscule hint of musk struggles to make itself heard. The second gulp is woodier; oily exotic wood, such as teak or mahogany.
Score: 7/10

Knockdhu 9yo d.2013 Release No.104 (59.5%, Angus Dundee for Alistair Walker Infrequent Flyers imported by MetaBev, Bolgheri Red Wine Hogshead Finish, C#804977, 295b)

Nose: this one has dates and dried figs. It soon progresses to reveal strawberry bubble gum and a pinch of blonde tobacco..
Mouth: unctuous texture, liqueur-like, it has pressed currants, silky Cotton Candy grapes, but also some power. The second sip injects some bitterness into the mix. Wood or mocha? Probably dark wood.
Finish: big, a notch tannic, it has polished wood and coffee beans coated in honey. The second gulp has dried pineapple bark.
Score: 7/10

Ki One 3yo 2022/2025 (56.8%, OB, Hypebeans Coffee Cask, C#0297, 281b, b#211)

Nose: unsurprisingly, it reeks of coffee. More surprising are the notes of seaweed and urchin before it turns citrus-y. Lemon zest and hay. Smoked seaweeds rock up, with one mint crumble. The second nose offers seaweed-flavoured chocolate.
Mouth: it is very woody, especially considering the age -- even though there is no age stated, the distillery only started producing in 2020, so it is six years old at most. There is a hint of sweet latte, some pine-tree bark, followed by smoked grapefruit zest. The second sip is dry as bread dough that has too much flour. Dark flour (buckwheat?)
Finish: big and spicy, it has pine needles soaked in weak, watery coffee. Now, this is not watery! I mean that the coffee is not overpowering. JS calls it almost not a (malt) whisky, it being closer to a rye, sorghum or Coffey malt or grain. The second gulp is more whisky-like, yet it shows the cask influence clearly: coffee grounds, mocha filters, sandalwood and cedarwood.
Score: 7/10

Glen Keith 25yo 1998/2024 (49.7%, Whiskybroker for Club Qing Happy Loner imported by Roehni, First Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#149567, 191b)

Nose: very elegant. It has custard powder, citrus zest and cream soda, powdered peach skin, Turkish delights. The second nose is more-intensely scented, with fruity custard aplenty.
Mouth: it feels a tad watery at first (we just had a few high-octane drams, yeah?), but settles in as a fruity number, without surprise. Citrus zest, dried lichens, flower petals to provide a slight bitterness. It is fruitier at second sip, with peach, lime, grapefruit...What a cocktail!
Finish: wonderful custard cream with citrus zest. It has a little more Bourbon-y spices and lots of acidic fruits.

Comment: we have a winner!
Score: 8/10

Kimchangsoo 4yo 2021/2025 (51.7%, OB Single Cask, 1st Fill European Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, 276b)

Nose: phwoar! A refined peat hits my nostrils rather gently. Bales of dried meadow flowers, purple-primrose petals, then smoked green grapes. This moves from farming to gardening and back again effortlessly. It has a hint of chocolate-flavoured coffee too, but, mostly, it is farm-y. That said, rosewood embers grow in intensity. The second nose is earthier, with sweet potato peels and dried soil.
Mouth: rosewood, rosehip and earthy peat. This has burnt twigs, burnt rose bushes and dried earth (not scorched). It is a juicy, earthy number at second sip, full of drying peat bricks.
Finish: a trifle weaker here, it remains a solid peated whisky with some ozone and tar. The second gulp confirms: ozone, tar, even charcoal dust.
Comment: there are two different bottlings on the shelf. This is not the one we ordered, but we enjoy it anyway.
Score: 7/10

Ben Nevis 26yo 1997/2023 Private Edition No.2 (50.9%, North Star Spirits for Rotten Glasses x The Whisky Agency imported by Roehni, Sherry Butt, 120b)

Nose: a dirty Ben Nevis with sink funk, and some drying fruits, somewhere. We are treated to a vague smell of sewers from the street, and it is hard to tell where the Ben Nevis stops and the sewers start, so close they are.
Mouth: decaying fruits it is. Pineapple, apple, Comice pears, crunchy, crumbly and bruised in more places than necessary. The second sip confirms. Decaying fruits turn dirty, funky and a bit dry.
Finish: it has orchard fruits in disarray (apples, pears, quinces all past decaying point), Korean pears, perhaps kakis. That may be the location playing with my mind. The second gulp has a minty freshness and the drying touch of eucalyptus. Water turns down the funk and increases the fruitiness.
Score: 7/10 (8 with water)

Time to go. There are other drams to try, but tomorrow is another day.

27/02/2026 Unfinished business MkII (Part 1)

A rerun of the historic 2024 tasting of the same name.

Tomintoul 46yo 1967/2013 (47.6%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Hogshead, 215b): nose: phwoar! (already) Here is a mix of ripe grapes, plums, rehydrated raisins and crayons. Perhaps it has a whiff of scented pencil eraser too, yet it does not smell rubbery at all. That quickly becomes blackberry paste or jelly, and even sirop de Liège. Apricots and nectarines follow, especially nectarines, with their waxy skin, then dark grapes that are growing a veil of lichen. Crayons sigh in comfort before disappearing into the background, in time for the whole to turn a lot juicier. Grape juice, plum juice, pressed nectarines, a dash of prune syrup, smashed myrtles and blackberries... Jacob Ree-ZOMG! what a tantalising nose. With a bit of fantasy, one may catch a soft whisper of smoke, yet it is really a fruit basket in a room that happens to have a coal stove. It certainly is not a strong feature. The second nose adds brambles and currants. It comes closer to a berry bush, but remains well fruity. In fact, it soon runs back to grapes and rehydrated raisins. It has hints of umeshu before slapping this taster in the nose with pineapple slices and juicy grapefruit segments. A custard-stained wooden board quickly comes to the rescue and ushers the fruits away. We are saved. Later yet, we have a dusting of confectionary sugar -- or cosmetic powder, come to think of it. Mouth: unctuous, mellow, it follows the trail carved by the nose, with fresh and rehydrated fruits, maybe stewed ones too. Raisins and grapes, plums and prunes, blueberries. Minimal chewing adds (all sorts of) oriental delicacies, starting with honey, and, via Medjool dates, landing on rose water. It has a soft note of wood too -- and, after forty-six years in a cask, how could it not? -- but that is no match for the growing rose-petal jelly that takes over. Dates remain in the lead, however. The second sip has a bolder acidity: we find green grapes, now, unripe gooseberries, and even Chinese gooseberries. Chewing restores the mellow fruity side we have come to know and love, with the acidity consigned to the back benches, in the form of stewed berries and rhubarb. More chewing brings soft candied grapefruit peel and stem ginger. Yum! Later on, we perceive a pinch of birch sawdust. Finish: here too, it is oriental-dessert heaven. Medjool dates, raisins (rehydrated or not), dried plums and apricots, prunes. The finish is a little woodier, with honey-golden oaken jewel cases and polished-walnut dashboards. Nevertheless, it is those dates that speak the most loudly, while remaining distinguished and elegant. The second gulp takes on a pastry profile, bilberry tart or gooseberry turnover, augmented with mixed peel and thin pouring custard. It still has a gentle acidity that flirts with a minute bitterness, which suggests the use of underripe fruits in that pastry. The more one sips, though, the redder the berries, and, therefore, the riper. Smoked strawberries in a shortcrust case with a drop of pouring custard, warm rhubarb compote spread on a slice of bilberry tart, peach clafoutis sprinkled with ginger powder, poached pears on a soft waffle, and it ends with chewy fruit sweets that have lost their potency. Phwoar! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Teaninich 46yo 1975/2021 (47.4%, Sansibar JD’s Personal Choice No.4, Bourbon Hogshead, 158b): nose: this one too has an ethereal quality that only long ageing can impart. It is a trifle vegetal and flowery, with bunches of honeysuckle and sarcococca, albeit less exuberant than those can be. It has some herbs too, probably mint and lemon mint, Thai basil (at a push) and bay leaves, yet it would be an exaggeration to call it herbal. No, the dominant are the little flowers. Several sniffs in, it acquires citrus foliage (bergamot, tangerine) and vine leaves coated in marmalade. Then, that turns into pastry: we find ourselves with a piece of lime-drizzle cake under our nose, sweet-but-lean, fluffy and appetising AF. A generous dollop of warm plum-and-apricot jam follows, which adds to the pastry impression. This nose is a slow burner, but when it gets going, it will not stop seducing. After thirty minutes of breathing, the second nose, is more assertive. Unexpectedly, it has strong aromas of toasted sourdough. A little attention helps detect grapes and plums on a barbecue grille too -- a complete surprise! The flowery notes from earlier have morphed into an elegant Cologne. Wood follows shortly, cut brambles and fruit-tree branches. Mouth: soft and sweet, it is pretty timid upon entry. A spoonful of apricot jam, maybe tangerine marmalade, cold yuzu tea. Chewing unveils a much-bolder number, one that deploys plenty of wood (old acacia shelves), stem ginger and fresh honey. With that wood comes a tiny bitterness that is soon overrun by honey. The undeniable sawdust, white pepper and galangal shavings that appear are overcome by jam and marmalade just as promptly, until we can only perceive bush flowers (sarcococca confusa again, honeysuckle to a lesser extent). The second sip paints a stark contrast: it starts off all leafy and bitter, and feels similar to biting into ivy leaves (do not try!) It takes a few seconds to regain composure, past which it provides citrus (foliage included) and the honeyed wood from earlier. It has a touch of ozone too, perhaps hair lacquer mingling with berries (wild strawberries, rosehips, bilberries). Finish: it somehow becomes leafier again, crushed bay leaves and vine leaves filled with stem ginger. A pinch of dust permeates every aspect of this, whether it is ginger powder, ground white pepper, sawdust, or sodium bicarbonate. It is much less sweet, at this stage, and whatever citrus is left is presented as ground dried peels, rather than candied, or as marmalade. That makes for a more-robust finish. Some may regret that. The second gulp is in line. Dusty citrus foliage, bone-dry orange zest, dried lemongrass ground to a fine powder and, just maybe, amchur. The contrast between sweet citrus and dry powdered spices repeats with each sip, but it never becomes monotonous or predictable, let alone boring. Fascinating dram, in fact! 9/10

Dumbarton 46yo d.1964 (47.4%, Hunter Hamilton The Clan Denny, Refill Hogshead, C#HH7542): nose: this smells like an open bottle of acetone next to a plateful of toasts at the breakfast table. Gingerbread follows, with blackberry pancakes in tow, and blackcurrant-jam residue on the warmed tin lid of the jam jar. That blackcurrant becomes so distinct it is Invergordonian, but that toasted bread is the differentiator. We catch a spoonful of Demerara sugar, almost immediately joined by smashed berries of a redder kind; raspberries, mulberries, boysenberries, dark cherries. The tin and (white) bread are never too far behind, mind. The second nose untoasts the bread: it is now spongy, almost crumpet-like, slathered with jam. Why anyone would put jam on an untoasted crumpet is a mystery to me, by the way. Each to their own. It works on the nose anyway. And then, hot tin helps it stand up. Is that pineapple bark, in the long run? Mouth: ooft! Pure berries or currants juice upon entry. Ten seconds in, tin comes into focus too. Chewing releases a torrent of smashed berries of all colours (blueberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, mulberry, blackberry, cranberry, gooseberry, physalis). The acidic touch at the top of the palate seems to be saying that blackcurrant is the top dog, but not by much. This turns a notch woodier, after a while, mostly brambles and some may detect a drop of liquid glue, although it is discreet. The second sip is as unsubtle as they come: it is berries jam on warm crusty bread, plain and simple. Looking for it with intent, we could isolate vanilla custard dotted with açai berries, or blueberry cheesecake. Besides, there is a lick of warm tin. However, really, it is jam and bread. Repeated sipping brings a chalky feel to the gums. Finish: the initial hit is that of cellophane, interestingly enough. It does not have much of the glue that some grains may showcase, but it is definitely in the solvent quadrant of the spectrum. Past that cellophane, it rolls out dark berries again: blackcurrant, huckleberry, bilberry, açai berry, Halle Berry, black raspberry. It is a never-ending finish that brings back Demerara wrapped in cellophane. The second gulp has that same cheesecake from the mouth, berry-flavoured toothpaste heated to the temperature of compote (not that horrible strawberry stuff for children that tastes like chemicals), a few drops of pineapple juice, but mostly berries. Even elderberry cough drops make a late appearance, as does a refreshing tingle that is probable menthol more than camphor. Delicious! 9/10

04/12/2025 December outturn preview at the SMWS

Once again, we join Tm, PS, DW and JS to try the new outturn. It is a quietish night for a preview night, and tOMoH is not complaining.

149.18 9yo 2015/2025 La vida es sueño (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 218b): nose: lamb marinated in herbs and oil, then grilled. It also has smoked haystacks. There are brambles behind those, a bunch of flowers from a smoky environment, and plasticine. Perhaps there is a hovering scent of laundry detergent, in a nice way. Mouth: sweet wax, lots of wax, actually. Chewing releases more and more smoke, reminiscent of dried-out Christmas-tree branches thrown on the fire in early January. It does not lose the waxiness, though. The second sip sees grilled carambola with a dusting of grated chalk. Finish: hot, this has barbecue and lots of hot wax. It has a bitter side too, cucumber-peel style. The second gulp has a strong note of silt, augmented with tart Comice pears. Pretty good. 7/10

PS [to tOMoH, about DW's Christmas shindig]: "We'll need to co-ordinate."
tOMoH: "I'll be there at 18:30, gone by 21:00. You can arrive at 21:30."

9.312 32yo 1992/2025 When orchards dream (48.8%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 102b): nose: flowery, it is teeming with cosmetic powders. Then, we have Turkish delights, face paint and beads of dried resin. The second nose welcomes moist papier mâché, strangely combined with chewy fruit sweets. Mouth: fresh, juicy, it has lots of plasticine and dental-plaster, which gives a clear bitterness, on top of being chewy. The second sip is sharper: plant sap, a pinch of quarry dust and green plants, with just a handful of timid berries in the back. Finish: long, coating, it feels like biting into a hot pastie. The second gulp is as warm and a tad greener, with succulent plants (sedum, sempervivum). It is only at the death that we perceive fleeting unripe Mirabelle plums and physalis. This is good. At £345 a bottle, it is hard to relate the quality to the price, however. 8/10

3.359 21yo 2004/2025 Jelly in a limestone sauna (56%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 262b): nose: smoke, shoe polish and blackcurrants, then dark earth. There are hints of purple passion fruits, chewy blackcurrant cough drops and a nostril-singeing heat akin to sticking one's nose on the corroded bonnet of a blue tractor whose engine has been overheating. The second nose draws cut mango, some slices of which have fallen in the mud. Mouth: Chinese food, with soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli crisp. Chewing unleashes a relentless wave of dark berries -- blue-, black-, currants, maybe elder-. The second sip brings up a hot radiator, though no dust. Finish: long, purple, it has a little earth and lots of fruits: dark grapes, blueberries, blackberries, myrtles, dark cherries. The second gulp is a tad warmer. This is excellent. My favourite, so far. 8/10

DW: "Are you a Stranger Things person?"
tOMoH: "No."

DW: "You should. It's really good."

tOMoH: "I try to avoid things I may find addictive."
PS: "And yet he talks to us!"

19.104 22yo 2003/2025 Something for the sweet-toothed (54.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 147b): nose: a punch of leather and fruit paste (membrillo or fruit jellies). Then, it is a black- and blueberry paste augmented with fragrant rosemary. How strange! The second nose goes further and unveils purple-tulip petals. Mouth: yes, this is a slightly-chalky fruit paste, with blueberry and blackcurrant shining brightest, followed by bright-red Montmorency cherries. It is another chalky number that presents a discreet metallic bitterness too. The second sip stings a little more and announces a spicier profile. Finish: warm, it has plant stems and lots of waxy fruit paste. Again, we are talking about membrillo or blackcurrant paste. Strangely, the second gulp seems softer, lush as dark-flower petals, this time accompanied by yellow petals too, and a dash of fruit juice (part grapefruit, part apricot). Solid. 8/10

Tm and PS scan PS's collection for distillery 69.

PS: "69.14 Complex and delightful. Oh! They named it after me."

89.24 17yo 2008/2025 Hip hip hooray! (60.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 252b): nose: a slap of animal scent that hints at a Sherry maturation (and, indeed). Rabbit pelt, soaking hides, and maybe a cigar dunked in the same preparation. A minute later, we get cured fruits, apples in a leather pouch, then suede and cured plums. Water increases the leather impression and adds a wood-panelled room. Tilting the glass adds hints of scarlet cherries. Mouth: pickled fruits, tawed hides, and, finally, berries rise -- cranberries, lingonberries, bilberries, blackcurrants... and wine. The second sip is like licking sheepskin, roughness and all. Water rubs very-dry leather that comes close to smoke. It is a wineskin made of camel leather that someone is drinking from while smoking a hookah. Finish: long and fruity with a touch of wood. Cloves macerating in red wine, prunes and blackcurrant. Water improves this one: it makes it noticeably fruitier, with both cherries and berries parading on the back of a camel. tOMoH's first SMWS Tomintoul, he reckons. It is a bit of a vulgar Sherry maturation, in his opinion. Not really a success. Then again, others like it. It just about reached 7, but the second sip is less interesting -- the novelty value wears off, probably. 6/10

70.67 17yo 2008/2025 Through the window, brambles (57.7%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill Toasted-Oak Barrique Finish, 181b): nose: herbs and lamb burgers, incredibly-seamlessly integrated. It then offers pears poached in wine. All of those are presented on a zinc plate. The nose opens up to reveal a waxy, marzipan-y fruit paste sprayed with droplets of wine. Mouth: thick, rich and rancio-y. Here are elderberry, lichen forming on dark grapes, grape skins (implying a soft bitterness) and a ball of compressed resin. It has a few tree-bark shavings too, hazel or similar. The second sip has grape paste -- nay! raisin paste, with cassia bark to spice it up. And it is brilliant! Finish: dark grapes, elderberries, currants and a pinch of dark-porcini powder to keep things interesting. The wood is subtle in this finish, while the emphasis is firmly on fruits turning mouldy in a dunnage warehouse. The second gulp introduces ground cassia bark and cloves to support raisins, dark grapes and blueberries. We even spot a whiff of cigarette smoke at the death. This is good. 8/10

PS talks about auctions.

tOMoH: "Well, before you auction anything, send a list, will you?"
PS: "There won't be any Glen Albyn in it, let's face it. It wouldn't the first 69 you get from me, though..."

115.37 15yo 2009/2025 It's a knockout! (57.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 194b): nose: sweet, it has flour and confectionary sugar in equal measures. It develops to unveil pastry, with fruit syrup caramelised on the baking parchment. That morphs into some kind of leather belt, which is unexpected. The second nose brings a nut paste taken over by lichen (itself turning dry). There are peach skins and tobacco too. Mouth: preserved cucumber, jellied pistachios and a savagely-drying dusty wind. It is as desiccating as lichen on the sides of an empty vase, without the taste of stagnant water and sphagnum moss. Perhaps we have a drop of ink too? The second sip is soft and velvety, with hints of baked apricots or tinned peaches. It keeps a healthy kick, peppered with red-chilli flakes. Finish: yes, ink. It is no 1960s Ardbeg, but is has a drop of ink indeed that wets marzipan or kaju katli. It is quickly drying as a red wine spilled on a lichen-covered stone. The second gulp is more traditional, perhaps, warm with apricot turnovers and a spoonful of confectionary sugar on top of a hot metal plate. 7/10

tOMoH: "Hey! Is that an octopus, or is it Cthulhu?"
him: "It's Cthulhu."

JN: "Tm! Here is the IPA you ordered. Oh! You didn't order an IPA? My mistake!" [takes a swig]

I try a droplet of 58.62 14yo 2010/2025 Honey hi! (53.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 214b) -- not enough for notes, but a score will do. 8/10

Solid outturn. And we have only scratched the surface.

Aight, we found ourselves the Loveraft Überfan!
\(;,;)/

28/10/2025 A few drams at 3 Greek Street

JS and I join SW and TS for a few drams. The accent is on socialising, rather than extensive notes.

Tormore 31yo 1992/2024 (40.1%, Milroy Vintage Reserve, Hogshead, C#101180)

Nose: soft, elegant, it has bunches of flowers and fragrant apricots.
Mouth: delicate tropical fruits tickle the tongue.
Finish: marvelous apricots topped with a dusting of confectionary sugar.
Comment: wow. Have we peaked too soon? 9/10

Clydeside d.2018 (61.6%, Cask Sample, 1st Fill Oloroso Cask)

Comment: I pour this. My notes are here. Today, it is... 7/10

Benriach 25yo 1995/2020 (49.1%, Maltbarn, Sherry Cask, B#169, 140b)

Nose: pretty farm-y and leathery, it reeks of old saddles, old belts, and a blacksmith's leather apron. It has a hint of sulphur too.
Mouth: spirit-y and leathery again, with a serving of copper coins.
Finish: long, it has grapes and leather.
Comment: decent. 7/10

Distilled in Dufftown 20yo 1999/2009 (58%, Adelphi Selection, Refill PX Sherry Cask, C#2140, 238b)

Nose: pressed raisins and cinnamon rolls.
Mouth: spicy and raisin-y, this has cured cherries and rehydrated dried cranberries.
Finish: chewy prunes, raisins and blackberry gum.
Comment: funnily, this is not from Dufftown distillery, but from a distillery in Dufftown -- one that starts with a 'B' and ends with '-venie'. A good Sherry maturation at play, here. On another day, I may go for 8. Tonight, 7/10

North British 30yo 1992/2022 (43.5%, Thompson Bros. bottled for Royal Mile Whiskies, 2 x Refill Barrels, 276b)

Nose: custard cream served in a metal bowl.
Mouth: blackcurrant, Invergordon-style, and chewy toffee.
Finish: bright, fruity, it has Mirabelle plums and peach jelly.
Comment: missed this one at Whisky Fringe, so glad to get another chance. It is lovely. 8/10

Hudson Single Malt 4yo (46%, OB, Oak Casks)

Nose: herbal liqueur, a blend of treacle and génépi. Or is it Mirto Dorada?
Mouth: this is herbal and medicinal, though it remains pleasant.
Finish: creamy, much more nutty-chocolate-y than the nose and mouth.
Comment: perhaps my first Hudson, after seeing it on shelves for years. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, TS)

Clynelish 26yo 1993/2019 (49.8%, OB Prima & Ultima, 4 x Refill American Oak Hogsheads, 941b, b#819)

Mouth: I love it from the off. Creamy candles, spent wick and flavoured lipstick.
Mouth: holy fook, how waxy this is! It is like drinking a melted candle.
FInish: long, it masterfully blends apricots and candlewax.
Comment: P.H.W.O.A.R. Cthulhu knows I want to dislike anything from this very-pricy collection, but a masterpiece like this is hard to honestly dislike. 9/10

Ben Nevis 28yo 1996/2025 (51.8%, Milroy Vintage Reserve, Hogshead, 1583b)

Nose: a handful of greasy earth fails to conceal a lot of fruits.
Mouth: papaya by the wheelbarrow. It still has some earth, but it is mostly a fruit bomb.
Finish: big, bold, tropical, full of papaya and chikoo, the latter covered in earth.
Comment: ridiculously good. 9/10

Strathmill 20yo 1997/2017 (59.1%, Lorne Mackillop Mackillop's Choice, Sherry Butt, C#4112, 520b)

Nose: pressed raisins, pickled onions and a whiff of hessian sacks.
Mouth: oh! yeah, this is pickled alright, teeming with pearl onions and prunes tucked in between.
Finish: sweet, reminiscent of a sweet shoppe.
Comment: this is okay, though less my thing, in terms of Sherry maturation. 7/10

Invergordon 49yo 1972/2021 (44.4%, Maltbarn, Bourbon Cask, B#191, 87b)

Nose: the trademark Invergordon blackcurrant.
Mouth: wide at first, it quickly becomes tighter and acidic. Then, it is the expected torrent of blackcurrant.
Finish: an onslaught of juicy blackcurrant.
Comment: phwoar! On any other day, I would wager this scores 9. But there is no justice, tonight, and it is... 8/10

In the middle of this, an American visitor (PM) joins us. SW takes good care of him and explains he received a special bottle from one of his suppliers. Then, he fetches said bottle and pours us all a dram.

Tomintoul 50yo 1973/2023 Double Wood Matured (42.9%, OB Vintage, Bourbon Barrel + Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, C#261, 281b, b#8)

Comment: upon seeing the bottle, I reckon it is the one I took notes for here. Turns out it is another, longer-aged expression. Suffice to say it is a remarkably-elegant drop, even this late in the game. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, SW)

It seems inappropriate to try this young Ben Nevis now.
The label makes it in theme for Burns' Night (wink-wink)

What a place! Full of unsuspected treasures.

25/01/2025 Burns' Night 2025 -- Exit the Dragon (Part 1)

2024 was the year of the Dragon -- and that year is ending in a few days. Too late for Enter the Dragon, just in time for Exit the Dragon.

Decoration courtesy of ruckus

JS, adc, Gaija, kruuk2, ruckus, dom666, Psycho, sonicvince, Mrs. sonic, STL, red71, Bishlouk, ydc, GD, and I meet up for the yearly celebration, loosely connected with the Bard.

Record number of guests, this year

The line-up...
...before any guest arrives

adc stuck a note on the door asking not to talk about politics to avoid getting worked up.

STL [when the front door opens on him]: "May we talk about arse?"

We have an early theoretical start (17:30), but one does not see fifteen people turn up on time, do they? Arrivals are scattered between 17:09 and 18:30. Fortunately, JS brought an aperitif.

...and red71 and STL brought appetizers

St. George Single Malt Whiskey Lot 17 (43%, OB, B#SM017, b.2017) (JS): I do not try it; it is appreciated by all who do. My notes are here.

Psycho: "One can tell it is Californian: it is smoky."

With that questionable joke out of the way, we are ready to start for realz. The menu is (very) ambitious, so my notes are sometimes scant.

Full line-up, with lots of undisclosed bottles

sonicvince presents Green Douglas. 'Douglas' contains 'glas', which is made with heat: one blows fire on sand to "do glass". Groans.

Green Douglas 5yo (40%, OB The Douglas Fir for Aldi) (sonicvince): nose: light and surprisingly herbal, it has verbena and dried sage. Mouth: dried sage sprinkled on custard cream. Chewing injects crème anglaise. red71 and Gaija astutely call out violet and pékèt au cuberdon. Doubtful at first, I becomes convinced they are right with a little careful analysis. Finish: soft and dry, shortly submerged by violet-flavoured pékèt (gin, to keep it simple). Unpretentious first dram. It does the trick. 6/10

dom666: "Look! I've been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 1984."
ruckus: Those are fantasy dragons, not real ones."

Psycho: "Nice, that little grain."
tOMoH: "And to think you used to not like grains!"
Psycho: "Only idiots never change their minds"
ruckus: "Only idiots don't like grains."

Bishlouk and Psycho talk about work.
red71: "Can we keep those discussions for ten drams from now?"

Soup is served.

Sweet potato and carrot soup.
I almost forget to take a picture, hence the nearly-empty plate.

Psycho explains that "the Dragon" is a nickname for Bruce Lee who went to secondary school to E-Deanston Technical School. Wow.

Deanston 17yo (40%, OB, Oak Casks, 7156 97/0331 L16, b. 1997) (Psycho): nose: apple juice (sonicvince), acidic (Gaija), Turkish delights, OBE and beeswax (Gaija), greengages, marzipan and ground almonds (ruckus). Mouth: funnily enough (because it is not in line with the nose), this has toffee and dusty furniture, as well as lovely wax. Finish: toffee, dusty wax, thickening beeswax... This is delicious! Better than I remembered it (from another bottle). A generous 8/10

Also, the cork breaks -- one of many tonight

tOMoH: "There's greengage, here."
sonicvince [who half-committed to bringing a greengage tart]: "You're really stuck on that greengage."
tOMoH: "I'm going to make you feel it all night."
all: "!?!??!?!"

We talk about Houte-Si-Plou [pronounce: hoot-see-ploo, Walloon for Listen-if-it's-raining, and also the name of a village].
dom666: "There is a Houte-Si-Plou in Savoie [a region of Southern France]."
tOMoH: "Isn't there one in Burundi? Or Rwanda? Ah! no, that's Tutsi-Plou."
dom666: "Ain't that a film with Dustin Hoffman?"

Dinner is served.

Haggis Parmentier

Vegetarian haggis

Roasted seasonal vegetables

Potato purée

ruckus presents two Scapas, each with a longship on the label. In French, a longship is called 'drakkar', clearly related to 'drakar', Swedish for 'dragons'. A certain type of longship is known as 'dreki'. Wikipedia tells us: "The word dreki for a ship derives from this practice of placing carved dragonheads on ships."

Anyway, this Scapa longship is small, but it has a dragon figurehead.
Bizarrely, it sems to be on the back of the ship.

Also, one of the two bottlings was distilled in 1988, which was a year of the Dragon.

Scapa 2005/2017 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, 161983) (ruckus): nose: custard cream and crème anglaise come out at first, then it develops a little herbaceous quality. Gaija talks about Parmesan cheese, though I cannot see that. Mouth: a little mineral, with some bitterness and a lot of pepper (or is it the haggis we just had?) It has a delicious milky-creamy texture. Finish: beautiful, loaded with oat milk and cinnamon powder. 8/10

vs.

Scapa 1988/1999 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, II/BGE) (ruckus): nose: custard cream and custard powder, cocoa powder and coconut milk, a hint of mint too. It mellows out in the long run, with carrot soup or sweet potato (or is there some soup stuck in our teeth? Because it is not just me) Mouth: βανίλια, vanilla custard, just a pinch of quarry dust... In fact, it becomes rather dusty over time, and adds tar to that. JS finds it well fruity. Finish: wonderful custard pudding, with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or powdered cinnamon. 9/10

red71 struggles with the notion that these were distilled seventeen years apart. "Ah! You add the ages of both and you divide by two," he exclaims. We tease him about his miscomprehension mercilessly.

red71: "Is there any more haggis? The more haggis [ruckus, Gaija and tOMoH] eat, the less cake they'll eat!"
ruckus: "That's what you think!"

nth serving

The soundtrack: _Ruckus_ - Exit The Dragon

We all marvel at ruckus's shirt.

ruckus: "Wait! [unbuttons his shirt to reveal a green/yellow dragon t-shirt] See?"
tOMoH: "Wait! If you remove the t-shirt, do you have a dragon tattoo underneath?"
ruckus: "Yeah! On the prick!"
Bishlouk: "Ah! A dragonet, then."

sonicvince's effort

tOMoH's effort -- it has a larger dragon in the back
and both glow in the dark. Of course, it will never
be dark enough for others to see that

GD's effort

sonicvince says that, if Enter the Dragon was a film with Bruce Lee, Enter the Tiger was a film with Bruce Li. In other words: a knock-off of a Bruce Lee film. Or a Knock-and-off.

Knockando 18yo d.1994 (43%, OB, Sherry Casks) (sonicvince): nose: caramel and coffee (sonicvince), black tea (Gaija). It will be cappuccino for me, then it turns to porridge, thick, creamy, but drier than the real thing. Mouth: thick, coating at first, then a tad metallic, like a warm chocolate milk drunk from a tin mug. Finish: big, full of cinnamon, augmented with a pinch of ginger powder, and it settles on chocolate and millionaire shortbread (adc). Another generous note: it works so well, tonight! 8/10

dom666: "We have been cracking the same jokes for twenty years. I know: I do it too."
red71: "No, not twenty years."
dom666: "Yes, since 2003. That is more than twenty."
red71: "I have only known you for four years, and I have already heard the same jokes. Not twenty years."

kruuk2 reminds everyone of a 1980s arcade game he used to go watch people play at the fair. It was named the most-difficult video game ever, in which necessary moves were hard to predict and execute. He is, of course, talking about Dragon's Balb-lair.

Balblair 15yo (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon American Oak Casks + First Fill Spanish Oak Butts) (kruuk2): nose: smoked citrus rinds, blood orange, then tawed leather and some hay. Mouth: toffee and a pinch of dust make way for spices, with lots of pepper and crushed red chilli. The following sips are full of cocoa powder. Finish: long, full, chocolate-y again, and it has a dash of rich fruit eau-de-vie. 7/10

red71: "I cannot hear dom666 anymore..."
dom666: "I'm here."
tOMoH: "It's the Balblair [that suppresses him]."
red71: "Give me a case of six!"

tOMoH [talking about Cthulhu]: "It's impossible for a human mouth to pronounce it well."
red71: "A human mouth! As if there was anything else [that could speak]."
tOMoH: "There are other dimensions, folks."
Psycho: "A chihuahua sphincter does not sound the same as a rottweiler sphincter."

tOMoH unveils the first group bottle of the evening, for which the link is obvious. We have it alongside STL's contribution, who says: "I tend to drink great things with good people, here (except Bishlouk), so I thought I'd bring something nice." It was distilled in 1973, the year of Bruce Lee's death.

Highland Park 1961/1997 (48.1%, S & JD Robertson Group The Dragon, Hogshead, C#4493, 216b) (group): nose: incense (Gaija), gunpowder, mustard (Gaija), ground stone, dried oregano, dried marjoram, ashes, burnt tea leaves, wax seal, spent matches... The second nose mellows that out with some custard cream. Mouth: how does it manage to be at once juicy and ashy like this? It is distinctly ashy, with hot embers and hot seal wax -- rhaaaa! Finish: wow! A humbling mix of damp, riparian vegetation and extremely-fine white ashes, bananas and ganja (JS). Juicy plums make a late appearance too. I do not spend nearly-enough time with this tonight. It already is obvious that it is a killery. Incredible drop. 10/10

vs.

Tomintoul 39yo 1973/2003 The Day of Pearly Spencer (46.6%, La Maison du Whisky Belgique, C#1486) (STL): another missing 's' in the title, just as the Strathisla in the same series. Nose: leather toffee (sonicvince), smashed speculoos (sonicvince). Then, it turns very juicy, with peaches and nectarines on rye crackers. Mouth: considerably stronger than expected, almost drying, before the fruity character comes out with plums and greengages (again). Quite the exploit! Finish: long, explosive, it has spearmint and fruits (greengages, Mirabelle plums, honey-glazed plums) to precede salted-butter caramel (Psycho). Phwoar! 9/10

Bishlouk [about The Dragon]: "I expected more."
ruckus: "A label in full colours!"

Bishlouk: "The Highland Park is good, but it doesn't transport me. It does not give me a hard-on. I'm still half soft."
STL: "You still manage a hard-on?"

Bishlouk: "It's good. I have had younger and more-recent Highland Parks that impressed me more."
Gaija: "I'm listening to your references."

Dessert #1 enters, courtesy of STL's daughter

tOMoH and friends present a series. The longest series we have had, in fact, equalling the mighty MiMi-CraCra-Lo-Ellen-Sca from, ahem, a decade ago.

Anyway, this year, we are having seven bottlings for the seven crystal balls of Dragon Ball. Or Dragon Bal, as it will be known tonight.

Balblair d.1989 (46%, OB) (kruuk2): "another Balblair!" some marvel. We rarely have any, let alone more than one, in any given tasting. Nose: caramel and honey, oilcloth, and dried apple skins. That apple turns juicier with subsequent sniffs. Mouth: walnut kernels (Psycho), a soft nutty bitterness, peanut or so. The second sip sees some quarry dust and crushed peanut shells. Finish: dry, astringent (Bishlouk), acrid (Psycho). With its roasted walnuts, it is a very-long finish, warming, remarkable for this ABV. 7/10

The second bottling was supposed to be sonicvince's own Balblair 1989, which we have been meaning to try alongside its more-ancient sibling for many years. Sadly, he did not bring it, and kruuk2's bottle is now empty. It will never happen. Bah.

Ballantine's 30yo (unknown ABV, George Ballantine + Son, unknown volume, b. late 1970s/early 1980s, SB 161 L5) (group): nose: a little meaty, it presents a wicker basket full of decaying fruits. Old socks at the bottom of the drawer (kruuk2) develop into a sooty number. Mouth: rotten fruits turns juicier and fresher with each second. Soot grows in intensity too, as do meat and charred fruit. Finish: cranberries, lingonberries, and a shovelful of soot. tOMoH thinks of Bowmore Bicentenary, but then it could just be hs305's comment on whiskybase that suggests that. In any case, it is magnificent. 9/10

Talking about jellyfish stings, and how one should pee on the wound to soothe the pain.
dom666: "The best thing to do is pour vinegar on it."
tOMoH: "Yeah, I always have a bottle of vinegar with me, when I go to the beach."
dom666: "Another thing that works is lemon juice."
tOMoH: "Yeah, I always have a lemon in my swimsuit."
dom666: "Italians wear cotton pads [in their swimsuit] to boost their masculinity."
tOMoH: "Aren't you Italian?"

Second dessert enters, courtesy of JS. And I do not even take a picture!

Secret Stills 02.02 40yo 1966/2006 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Hogsheads, C#1204+1449+1452, 600b, JF/CHH) (tOMoH): an undisclosed distillery from the Ballindalloch Castle Estate. Nose: unmistakeably an old distillation, a blend of fruits and soot. Mouth: dry as sawdust, yet juicy as marmalade, soft but spicy. Phwoar. Finish: long, assertive... Better notes here. 9/10

vs.

Balmenach-Glenlivet 19yo 1961/1980 (46%, Cadenhead) (JS): nose: initially metallic, it soon turns old-school, with soot, old plastics, and a grandmother's pudding. Mouth: acidic, waxy lemon rinds. Finish: once again: phwoar! Metal and lemon sign a pact and sing in unison. Cannot wait to try this again. 9/10

St. George 3yo The Baller (47%, OB, Ex-Bourbon, French Wine Casks + Umeshu Finish): and there is a dragon on the label -- w00t! Nose: lychee syrup (red71), soap (STL), waxy soap bars, citric powder, sherbet, rose water (ruckus), cola (sonicvince). Because of the label, I want to say açai berries: "Même si la peur m'açai / Je partirai comme un samouraï". Mouth: ridiculously lychee-like, choc-full of citric powder, scented candles and fruit-scented handwash. JS cleverly points out elderberry cordial, which is spot on. Finish: Paic Citron (Bishlouk), limoncello, lychee, rose water. This is original, if divisive. It does a perfect job of resetting the palate after the old glories. 6/10

As a side note, it works fantastically in a highball (hence the name). Interestingly, ruckus prefers it to the first St. George he had earlier.

vs.

140.17 3yo d.2019 Bowled over by cinnamon cola (62.8%, SMWS Society Cask, #3 Char New Oak Barrique, 217b) (tOMoH): this is a Balcones. Nose: big, cola-like, it has coffee too, though that may be the sludge brewing in the kitchen. Mouth: it strips the enamel (Psycho). It is hot and very woody, tonight. Cassia bark coated in red-chilli paste. Finish: sweet Demerara. Do not be fooled, though: it is huge, hairy to a point, with hot boilers. It warms the oesophagus all the way to the tonsils. Brutal. We have clearly moved from the 40s to the 60s without pausing for breath. As a side note, this is known in the States as Bowled over by something beautiful, because any mention of food or drink in the US sets the FDA in action, therefore raises costs and increases timelines. 7/10

adc goes to bed.

Dessert #3 enters, courtesy of Mrs. sonic.

The sountrack: kruuk2's Exit the Dragon playlist.

70.62 10yo d.2013 Honey and dragon fruit sangria (60.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 204b) (kruuk2): that is right. kruuk2 brought a third Balblair -- one that has the word 'dragon' in the description. Double w-jambon-my.  Nose: so custardy! It has tons of peach and melting mango flesh. Mouth: an explosion of buttery fruits, with dragon fruit, persimmon, mango, and cherimoya. The second sip has a chalkier feel, perhaps sherbet. Finish: confectionary sugar, sherbet (flying saucers), mango slices, hot plums. This is very good. 8/10

After this wonderful epanadiplosis, red71 and STL take a bow. One of them has a crochet competition in a week and needs his beauty sleep. The other follows. Tsk.

Bishlouk goes for a nap on the sofa.

If we chant the right incantations, a dragon should appear

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