14/02/2019 Whiskies for Love and times past

EG sent a couple of modest samples ahead of this year's Whisky Show Old & Rare, so they can be enjoyed without rushing, and so we can talk about them in G-Town. Today seems like the ideal night to show and share some love.

Setting the context

Bowmore 1968/1977 (59.7%, OB imported by Fecchio & Frassà, Sherry Cask, C#222, 280b): a very, very rare bottle that, to be honest, I had never heard of until the sample reached these shores. Where truffle-pig EG found this, no-one will ever know for sure, probably. Nose: it is a thick and syrupy fragrance, with elderberry sap and wood-stain notes that soon give way to nuttier aromas (almonds, Brazil, Macadamia, perhaps cocoa beans and peach stones) and furniture polish. It smells rather oily, though I cannot quite decide what type of oil exactly. It also has a fortified-wine note that is kept in check and, therefore, remains pleasant -- Madeira, I say. Pan-fried nuts, then deglazing of said pan with Madeira. The Sherry influence smothers the fruit that comes expected with the pedigree. That said, it is a brilliant Sherry maturation! Mouth: wow! It reveals itself, here. Still not many fruits to begin with, but the elderberry that is there is superb. The longer it dances on the tongue, the more berries come out of the woods -- raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, blackcurrant. There is a dose of tame smoke in the back of the palate, complementing jams made of all those berries. Chocolate coulis and cherry-stuffed praline are there too. The second sip brings a salty and gently coastal touch into the picture, with anchovies and smoked shellfish. Finish: ooft! The first thing that comes to mind is how well integrated the alcohol is. This is almost 60%?!?!? It is a smoky-earthy number, not unlike a Black, though with no tropical fruit in sight. Some of the berries are still there, even more timid than on the nose. A very soft and fleeting note of fresh peach appears for a fraction of a second, before vanishing with a giggle. Coming back to it after the second dram, it has bolder fruit, mostly citrus (tangerine and mandarine). Not bad, for a whisky younger than ten! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, EG)

Bowmore 1964/1987 (46%, Brae Dean Int. imported by Moon Import The Birds, Sherry Cask, C#1546, 240b, b#030): no comment. Nose: holy cow! It does not matter that I know what to expect; these fruity ones always stir me. The first nosing is dusty as fook, inky (blue ballpoint), and vaguely fruity, but the second sniff, a few minutes later, is a slap in the face. Lychee, mangosteen, dragon fruit, mango. The fruits come and go, strangely: soon, it is more ink and watercolour, pencil eraser and rosé wine. Actually, the wine note becomes more pronounced and darker: it is red wine now, from Bordeaux... aaaaand it is back to tropical fruits in no time. Next are crushed almonds and raspberries, alongside wood. Further nosing turns fruity again, with more mango and strawberry lipstick. Much later, a whiff of egg-y sulphur comes through. Mouth: amazingly, it seems stronger in alcohol than the Fecchio & Frassà! It is also fresher, with crushed mint, gorse, crisp celery stalks and pine sap. The texture is that of velvety fruit nectar, yet there is little fruit to speak of, besides apricot. The second sip showcases subtle passion fruit, crisp and a little acidic, with a dash of pink-grapefruit juice. This is beautiful alright! Finish: very long and very acidic, it leaves the whole tongue and palate a bit rough. Next to that are custard, almond milk, pink-grapefruit segments and citrus peel. This is a cracking dram. Perhaps not as immediate as other 1964, but cracking nonetheless. I file it in the same category as the Duthie for Corti Brothers. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, EG)

It is time for bed and dinner is still in the oven, untouched. All the same, this seems like the right moment to have one more dram.

Bowmore 40yo 1955/1995 (42%, OB, Bourbon Hogshead re-racked into Sherry Butt, 306b, b#176): nose: it does not matter how high we were flying; we are now on another level. In fact, it is quite a few levels higher. This time, the first things that show up are exotic fruit and, immediately, Bowmore eyes. Mangosteen, carambola, persimmon, mango, guava, papaya, lychee, jackfruit, but also grapes, peach, apricot, plum, mirabelle plum, raspberry, satsuma, pomegranate and, I am sure, others. Deeper nosing reveals a good dose of ink, blotting paper, perhaps the most minute note of sea air (at least the associated freshness) and effin' happiness. Wet sand develops a bit, maybe a pinch of coffee grounds, but really, everything and anything is so perfectly integrated and overshadowed by the unreal fruitiness that it is pointless trying to understand it fully. Mouth: by the Great Cthulhu! This is so elegant. It has the freshness of tropical fruit, the acidity of citrus and the lush character of an exotic holiday. Jackfruit, persimmon, mango, papaya, all sorts of melons, dragon fruit, satsuma, banana, passion fruit, mangosteen, tinned pineapple, lemon marmalade, squashed apricot, Chinese gooseberry, lime segments, Turkish delights, orange blossom... This is completely mind-boggling. Finish: never-ending and seriously humbling, it has a further avalanche of fruit (I am tired of listing them) alongside sea air and sandy beaches. A minuscule note of smoke rounds things up. Overall, it is a huge struggle to try and describe something like this, to reduce it to a sequence of words, when the emotion felt is so gripping. Nothing I write about it does it justice, and any attempt almost feels vulgar. Perhaps, one day, literature will invent words to convey the fascination savouring this otherworldly liquid. Until then, I will have to find comfort in the fact I have not had many better whiskies than this one. In fact, I have had exactly one. Somehow, I am not convinced that will ever change. 17/10 (Thank you, life)