23/02/2019 The Whisky Show Old & Rare 2019 (Day 1 -- Part 3): The afterparty

Cavalier66, JS and I grab a bite at Paesano. When in Glasgow, the obvious choice is Italian food. Ah, well.

Mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella, ricotta, oregano, garlic and evoo (no tomato)

Artichoke, scamorza and other things

Once back (and stuffed), CD, PG and MH join us. We line up the bottles and samples, and the result is ridiculous. Cavalier66 really has no self-control.

Here is the proof

Hanyu Nice Butt 1988/2008 (55%, OB for Full Proof Holland, C#9307, 534b) (Cavalier66): nose: gingerbread and toasted oak. It feels Cognac-y with a note of smoke. Mouth: lots of sweet varnish, esters and lacquered wood, polished dashboards, sherry style. CD finds it clean, and it is. Finish: very oaky, with more polished-dashboards goodness, nutty flavours and walnut stain. It becomes drying, after a while. 7/10

tOMoH: "Hanyu, are you oaky? Are you oaky? Are you oaky, Hanyu?"
CD: "We'll never find out! And now, he's dead! Will we ever know?"
PG: "If you ask like that, probably not."

We spend a long, long while giggling about Cavalier66 coming out of the closet.

Literally.

Rosebank 9yo 1990/1999 (43%, Signatory Vintage, C#505, 1850b, b#11, 99/336) (CD): nose: hugely herbaceous and mildly metallic, it has dried sage, dried oregano and lemon thyme. Mouth: the lemony side grows, here, with lemon drops, candied lemon rinds, but also chives, Thaï basil and lemon thyme. Finish: citrus-y custard and more herbs, alongside sherbet (Cavalier66). I did not have high expectations for this (this collection is hit or miss), but I like it. 8/10

Clynelish 33yo 1973/2006 (54.2%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Refill Butt, C#8914, 455b, 06/0894) (Cavalier66): nose: honey, wax and rose water, royal jelly, and then a touch of oregano again. Cavalier finds it citrus-y. Indeed, there is bergamot and unripe mandarine. Mouth: rosemary and oregano, basking in honey, more royal jelly (discussion ensues about what that is). It is all mellow and yellow, yet it does not lack oomph at all. Finish: warming, full of lovely honey, satsuma and gentle bergamot bitterness. 9/10

Cavalier66: "Clynelish is one of those whiskies you wonder why you don't drink more often."
PG: "Almost couldn't."

MR, PT and CC enter the scene.

PT asks what our highlights have been. We explain there are so many and it is easy to spend a fortune, here.
PT: "There's no way I could come to a show like this and pay for the drams!"
me: "That's good for you suckers."

He swiftly reminds us that he has started a distillery and is paying himself peanuts, waiting for the juice to mature, but there is no need. Just friendly banter. ;-)

Macduff 24yo 1984/2008 (46%, Signatory Vintage for Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#877, b#215, L08/498) (JS): nose: a beautiful mix of exotic wood and strawberry. Mouth: soft, fruity, lush, vaguely minty and hugely fruity. Finish: amazing, with crushed raspberry and strawberry yoghurt. 9/10

PT takes a leave. He landed from Japan last night, hardly had any sleep, and went straight to the show, this morning. He is understandably jetlagged. Pity he is not staying longer, but great that he made the effort at all.

Deanston 35yo 1977/2012 (40.4%, The Whisky Agency & The Nectar, 253b) (JS): nose: if possible, this one is even better, with lots of (tropical) fruits -- cut mango, juicy papaya and persimmon. Mouth: satsuma, mango, acidic peach. This is great, innit. Finish: creamy, custard-y, fruity, it has lots of mango, papaya and passion fruit. 9/10

The below starts a string of bad-taste jokes that provoke mixed reactions. For once, it is neither my initiative, nor my show (though I do take part, of course).

MR: "What did the mute blind, deaf kid get for Christmas? ... Cancer."

Speaking of bad taste...

Gizmo makes a surprise appearance.

Glenlochy 1955/2017 (unknown ABV, private cask sample from the Mayfair stash, Refill Sherry Cask, Port Cask Finish) (me): nose: a little sulphury and quite stripping, it has nail polish and dusty shelves. The intensity at such an advanced age is staggering. But then, having tried 40+yo Irish whiskies at 65+%, we should all know it is possible, if not common. Mouth: hot and chocolate-y, powerful as fook, it has dark-chocolate coulis and baked apple. Finish: huge, extremely long, hairy, with fortified wine, all sorts of baked fruit and smoky embers. This is enormous. 9/10

CD: "She has a tattoo of the Springbank 'S'."
PG: "It's better than two 'S's."

I have no idea what is going on, here.

What do you follow a powerful, concentrated Glenlochy with? A powerful, concentrated Glenugie, of course!

Glenugie 31yo 1977/2009 (58.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish, C#7, 577b, b#19) (me): an old friend who always delivers. Nose: all sorts of noble furniture polish and walnut oils. Mouth: big, nutty, with shoe polish and polished dashboards. Finish: rhaaaa! Dark chocolate (90% at least), roasted cocoa beans and extraordinary wood polish. Once again, simple notes (the setting is not that of a hugely-analytical exercise) for a cracking, cracking dram. 9/10

Talking about Cavalier66's latest centre of interest (fecal transplants to cure Alzheimer, if I simplify grossly):
CD: "Tell us more about this. Well, not about the fecal transplant, but..."
Cavalier66: "Well, it's the latest thing."
CD: "Where?"
Cavalier66: "Well, in your arse. Where else?"

One last one.

Teeling 1st Exceptional Swiss Cask 27yo b.2017 (41.6%, Teeling for Switzerland, Rum Cask, C#658, 68b) (PG): nose: creamy, buttery fruit, mango, papaya, avocado and jack fruit. Mouth: more fruit pornography, so luscious, soft, fruity, but powerful at the same time, perfectly balanced. Finish: I will not take notes any longer. This is simply amazing. Pure pleasure. 10/10

What a day this has been!