26/09/2018 October outturn at Cadenhead's

Back again, at last. The summer has been quieter, in terms of release events, and conflicting engagements made it so that I could not attend some launches either. Anyhoo, here we are. You know the drill: two drops and limited time result in short and uninventive notes. We do use proper glasses, this time, which always makes a huge and positive difference. We try everything blind as well, with each whisky poured by a different club member.

Dram #1
Nose: grass and mud. Mouth: plum and rubber. Finish: warm, long, but pretty indistinct, mildly fruity. It is Glen Scotia 26yo 1992/2018 (47.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 228b). The biggest disappointment of the lot for everyone but JS, who likes it a bit. It is closer to an official Scotia than the usual sherry-and-smoke monsters that the independents release. 6/10

Dram #2
Nose: celery salt, boiled vegetable. Mouth: salty and oily. Finish: long, with dark cherry. Fettercairn 29yo 1988/2018 (54.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 252b). Interestingly, it tastes nothing like the 28yo that came out a few months ago. 7/10

Dram #3
Nose: musty, with sweaty feet and sawn wood. Mouth: leathery and frankly stripping. Finish: curious, fetid (cavalier66) and a little fruity. I find the alcohol not terribly well integrated. Benriach-Glenlivet 10yo 2008/2018 (56.5%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 276b) 5/10

SOB: "You wouldn't go beyond a glass of that."

Dram #4
Nose: perfume, wallpaper-based porridge (cavalier66). Mouth: powerful and velvety. Finish: walnuts and peach stones. Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 26yo 1992/2018 (51.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 234b) 6/10

Dram #5
Nose: leather, saddles and a hint of glue. Mouth: fruity and oily. Finish: lovely fruit again. Tomatin 10yo 2008/2018 (53%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 168b) 7/10

Dram #6
Nose: leafy bergamot, marzipan and honeysuckle. Mouth: hot marzipan. Finish: sweet, with marzipan and frangipane. Glenburgie-Glenlivet 26yo 1992/2018 (50.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 216b) 8/10

Dram #7
Nose: perfume and flowers. Mouth: sweet, with cotton candy. Finish: sweet again, with more candy floss -- a good preparation for the Liège fair, which starts this weekend. Speyside-Glenlivet 23yo 1994/2018 (50.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 210b) 7/10

Dram #8
Nose: hazelnut and boiled cabbage, boiled leeks. Mouth: warm and velvety, it has squashed raspberry. Finish: sweet, gently fruity, with cherry coulis. Aultmore-Glenlivet 21yo 1997/2018 (52.1%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 234b) 7/10

Potter 32yo b.2018 (62.1%, Cadenhead World Whiskies, Bourbon Barrel, 138b): this one, there is no sample for; SW opens a bottle for the tasting room. Nose: grain city; wood varnish (MSo) and toasted coconut. Mouth: soft, sweet, with cotton candy. Finish: soft, long and, well, beautiful, prompting MSo to venture that, "nothing bad comes out of India." (This Canadian whisky is made of Indian corn). 8/10

SW (about The Whisky Bible claiming Crown Royal Winter Harvest was the best whisky of 2015): "Do you know we had all those Canadians in asking: 'what was that about?'"
JS: "What was that aboot!"

Dram #10
Nose: leafy, minty, with all sorts of turnovers and plasticine. Mouth: more plasticine, some fruit. This is very velvety. Finish: soft and putty-like, with plasticine again. Excellent. Tullibardine 25yo 1993/2018 (40.7%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 222b). Unlike other Tullibardines, this one does not seem to have much dust sprinkled on the fruit. 8/10

We then have a couple of recently-released rums (no Caroni, though: no sample), a one-off bottle of a special blend, and a 32yo Cognac to supplement mindless banter. Good times.