The train journey is a bit of a nightmare; works on the tracks make the train leave fourteen minutes early from Ostend, which means we miss it. The conductor informs me that we could have paid five euros for each ticket, instead of twenty-three, but he will not give me a refund, now (why rub it in, then?) JS and I miss the connection in Liège by thirty seconds, which makes us waste another fifteen minutes. Finally Liège is full of roadworks, which delays our progression even further. A two-and-a-half-hour journey turn into a four-hour trek, and we are very late, subjected to the teasing of the gang. The muppets barely started, though, which is inconceivable, considering how many drams are scheduled.
Ah, well.
Secret Still 01.01 50yo 1955/2005 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail Secret Stills, Sherry Butt, C#1312) (dom666): this is off-theme and selected just for its age. It has an off position in the line-up, but I will not complain, this being one of the very few drinkable expressions from that distillery (the name of which starts with "Talisk-". Nose: lovely rancio, teak cabinets, ultra-deep sherry tones and lacquered bars. Mouth: similar lacquered-wood notes, varnish and rancio -- this is still amazing. Finish: long, fresh and woody, it has teak, dry sherry, leather and show polish. Each time we have this, I am reminded of what a corker it is. To think dom666 almost did not buy it, back in 2009! 9/10
Trois Rivières Whisky Finish Rum (40%, OB, Whisky Cask Finish, EMB 97211) (MQ): Mrs Q does not like whisky, but she has a soft spot for rum. MQ found this and thought it was a good way of introducing her to ze W. It has no link to the theme. Nose: very gin-like! It has juniper and botanicals. Astonishing! Mouth: soft, sweet, with a touch of rubber. Finish: soft again, with more juniper and botanical herbs. Very refreshing, even if it is not exactly my preference. 6/10
Glencraig 1970/1996 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, IF/CCC) (sonicvince): another old acquaintance. sonicvince chose it for Flash Gordon (& MacPhail). And Flash Gordon Phails, sometimes. Nose: beautiful citrus, with satsumas and clementines, spoonfuls of sugar. This is pretty! Mouth: thin-ish, yet still fruity, with gorgeous citrus (satsumas and clementines again) and a mild acidity. Finish: coating chocolate, toffee and a sliver of orange marmalade. 9/10vs.
Clynelish 1997/2013 (48%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection, Marsala Finish, C#6874/5/6/7/8) (sonicvince): because when Flash Gordon Phails, he ends up in a Clynic. Ahem. Nose: very Clynelish-y, with candlewax and a whiff of smoke. Mouth: here too, it is an archetypal Clynelish, with candlewax aplenty and soft smoke. A little drying, perhaps. Finish: it becomes sweeter, here, with rum exuding from staves in a dunnage warehouse. Nice little Clynelish, this. 8/10
Food enters.
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| Comté grande réserve 3yo Parmesan |
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| Gorgonzola cremoso Calvados-cured Camembert Marc de Bourgogne-cured Epoisse Brie de Meaux with truffle |
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| Rocco, Zenza, Christopher, Peter, Hakan and Roberto And more seriously, white puddings: Apple-and-Calvados sausage Leek sausage Truffle sausage Cabbage sausage Raisin sausage Traditional sausage |
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| Pâté crème Chanterelle pâté Apple, pear and raisin pâté Duck mousse Vegetable pâté |
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| Fawn terrine with lingonberry Foie gras terrine |
Brora 1982/2008 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, Refill Sherry Butts, JH/AAE) (kruuk2): chosen as an homage to popular 1980s band Broraski Beat. Nose: it is clearly affiliated to the Clynelish, with wax and smoke, but I find much ashier than its younger stepbrother. It has a farm-y note as well, which becomes obvious as soon as JS mentions it, but had gone completely over my head prior. Mouth: waxy, with plum -- yellow plum, even, a lot of horsepower, and the drying, ashy note of the nose. Finish: long, bold, gently spicy, with old stave, old cork, and the low bitterness of peach stone. Nice. 8/10
Auchentoshan American Oak (40%, OB, American Oak Casks, L4590/L4441) (MQ): we help MQ shoehorn this into the theme by suggesting the hotbed of show business is Hollywood, which is in the US of America, just like the casks that were used to mature this. Nose: milk chocolate and vanilla, then paper paste, thick and gooey. Mouth: soft and vanilla-ed, it has more milk chocolate. Finish: soft, easy and unchallenging, with, again, notes of milk chocolate and a splash of greengage juice. Inoffensive, 6/10Chocolate and lemon cakes enter. We slay one of them and make a good dent in the second.
Littlemill 23yo 1990/2013 (54.8%, Silver Seal, C#33, 290b) (JS): Silver Seal is an Italian bottler. In Italian, 'Silver' is spelled 'Argento.' One of the first alleged victims of Harvey Weinstein to come forward was Asia Argento. Nose: full-on bakery and a pinch of herbs. Time allows it to reveal mango and papaya, which is always a winning combination to me. Mouth: despite the higher ABV, it remains soft and flowery, pastry-like, with buttery fruit. Finish: mango paste, through and through, perhaps augmented with a pinch of herbs. An excellent Littlemill! 9/10vs.
Ben Nevis Single Blend 43yo 1970/2013 (44.5%, Speciality Drinks, 300b) (JS): More recently, Asia Argento came under fire for trying to cover up an affair she allegedly had with an under-aged bloke, whose name was Jimmy Bennet Nevis. JS rules. Nose: jammy as fook, with raspberry and strawberry bubble gum. Mouth: soft and balanced, it has honey, raspberry, strawberry, liquorice gum, liquorice all-sorts and a drop of lime juice. Finish: a bit woody, here, with gingery pudding, custard cream, coffee drops and armchairs. I remember being underwhelmed by this the first time (when I was still comparing it in my mind to TWE's almighty Lochside 46yo). I love it, this time. Cannot wait to spend more time with it. 9/10
Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (51.4%, Murray McDavid Mission Gold, Cognac Casks, 1800b, b#0553) (tOMoH): this is for Mission Impossible, on the album London, by Jackie #Mittoo. #Metoo. Gettit? Nose: the unlikely St Magdalene combination of grass, fruit and flowers, with a hint of coffee (or is that dom666 grinding beans?) Mouth: gravel, flint, limescale, crystallised kumquat and sage-y lichen. It is lovely and powerful! Finish: a steamroller, long and jammy, with satsumas and limes. Short notes, great whisky. 9/10 |
| dom666 grinding beans |
kruuk2: "This one is more masculine."
tOMoH: "The others were more elegant, you mean?"
Psycho: "More metrosexual?"
MQ and PSc take a leave, as adc joins us. kruuk2 and sonicvince threaten to leave, but I have another plan: three #BalanceTonPortEllen. No need to call your favourite retailer: none of them is available, nor will any ever be.
Port Ellen 1967/2017 (52.3%, private cask sample from Mayfair stash, 2nd Refill Sherry Hogshead) (tOMoH): no guarantee this one is actually fifty, but who cares? Nose: coffee heat and dark earth. It is concentrated and complex, but mostly focused on those dark, earthy tones. Mouth: powerful and sweet, with melted Demerara sugar, sugar on staves, and the shyest lick of smoke. Finish: sweet smoke (excellent smoke), refined and soft, smoky caramel. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)vs.
Port Ellen 1967/2017 (unknown ABV, private cask sample from Mayfair stash, Refill Port Cask) (tOMoH): nose: grass, a drop of red wine, damp hay, straw broth. The wine influence is growing. Mouth: jammy, rum-y, with Demerara sugar and sweet chilli sauce (Sriracha?) and ground peach stones. Finish: long, devastating, drying, rum-y and sweet. Not usually a big fan of Port maturations, but this works, even if I prefer the first cask sample. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)
vs.
Port Ellen 1967/2017 (unknown ABV, private cask sample from Mayfair stash) (tOMoH): nose: this has more traditional peat influences, such as farm paths and greasy, fat peat. Mouth: jammy, sticky and coating, with, again, a drop of rum, but also refined smoke and lots of chilli. Finish: huge, savaging and smoky with melted sugar. This is likely my favourite of the three, maybe on par with the first, while the second, although also very good, is the one I like least. 8/10 (Thanks to the kind donor)
There is no way any of those three would justify the price tag they would command if they were released commercially, but what a great opportunity all the same! Superb whiskies!
Ram-pam-bum!
"Don't spill it, or it'll be a Bunnaha-split!" says dom666... just as he breaks the cork of the final bottle.
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| Woops! |
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| adc cannot believe the contraption dom666 uses. It is known as... a tea pot! |
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| Operation Bunnaha-rescue in progress |
Bunnahabhain 16yo b.2007 (54%, OB Limited Edition for Feis Ile 2007, Oloroso Sherry Cask, C#276, 190b) (dom666): I was hoping dom666 would serve this one, today. JS, dom666 and I discovered it at the Port Ass-keg Hotel a decade ago. We were extremely impressed. It was a bit of a challenge to source it, but we are resourceful. Tonight, we confront memories from a decade ago. Often dangerous, always exciting. Nose: the mahogany colour is reflected in the nose -- it is clearly the most outstanding sherry maturation. Precious wood, mahogany, liquorice roots, pipe tobacco, earth, thick and rich soil -- this has an Oloroso influence that reminds me of Black Bowmore 2nd Edition, no less. Mouth: a flabbergasting balance, with wood, earth, dark fruit, wood lacquer and dark tobacco. Everything in this palate spells d-a-r-k, and not in a Sigur McGoth way. It is absolutely elegant. Finish: massive, leathery and earthy, it has tar and thick, greasy tobacco, basking in juicy dark fruit -- black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant and elderberry. It is always a mix of interest, excitement and terror to approach legendary whiskies or to try and reproduce great memories. I remember this as fabulous, the one Feis Ile Bunnahabhain worth hunting down. Fast forward ten years, past lots of spectacular drams, and this one still nails it. Believe! 9/10Happy birthday, dom666!
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| JS pours herself a proper |
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