24/02/2019 Whisky Show Old & Rare 2019 (Day 2 -- Part 1)

Breakfast of healthy champions

From the moment we enter (easily done), it feels more relaxed than yesterday, already. We learn later that there were 360 punters yesterday, and only 210 today. That is that, then. Completely different crowd, with more business people (there were some yesterday too) and more-focused connoisseurs (as in: they are there for a few, very specific bottles only).
On to the nectar (with a lower-case 'n').

Bladnoch 10yo b.1991 (43%, OB, L1H 270686): from the well-known, so-called Flora & Fauna range. adc used to have one of these, which I liked a lot, and regretted not being able to try more than once. This, however, is the very first incarnation of the expression, with the cream cap foil. Nose: dusty, earthy and metallic, at first, it opens up to reveal a fruity side with Granny Smith apple. Mouth: mellow, with cut green melon, carambola and some creamy balsa wood shavings. Finish: light, ethereal, delicate and fruity. 8/10

"I <3 Fart," in French
Not sure about the marketing message

JS lets me smell her glass of Bowmore 1966 Hart Brothers again, which I, of course, recognise instantly. Immediate Bowmore eyes. This is still the dram of the show.

I realise I did not go to Magnus Fagerström's stand at all, yesterday and decide to right that wrong. GN is manning the bar and passes me...

Kilchoman 12yo 2006/2018 (55.2%, OB for Gunnar Nilsson, Bourbon Barrel, C#2006/118): nose: dirty peat, yoghurt and fruit, ash, some porridge in the back. Mouth: hot, ashy, bubbly, it has Alka-Seltzer and embers, hot yoghurt, too. Finish: more ash, charred peat and yoghurt. Wow. Why does the distillery not bottle stuff like this? I know I am not the only one to regret not seeing more aged Kilchoman (the distillery is twelve, now, but they still bottle at five or six), and this, here, shows why. 8/10

Bowmore 33yo 1969/2003 (42.5%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, C#6085, 238b, b#191): yes, there was another one. Nose: some exotic fruit (lychee and papaya, mainly), perhaps some petrol. In fact, it is more petrolic than rubbery, this one. Mouth: juicy, with peach and guava, alongside drying hydrocarbons. Finish: the fruit is tired, here, with the petrol slightly louder. It is the weakest 1960s Bowmore on offer this weekend, in my opinion. 8/10

Benriach 35yo 1966/2001 (47.2%, Signatory Vintage Rare Reserve, C#1021, 309b, b#302): nose: plum, juicy peach, but also polished furniture. Mouth: gently acidic at first, it tends towards heavily acidic shortly thereafter, on the grapefruit tip, with banana to balance out the acidity. Finish: yup, perfect combination of grapefruit and banana in creamy custard. 9/10

Laphroaig (Non Peaty) Old Liqueur (80° Proof, OB, b.1930s): JS finds flat 7Up and she is right. This reeks of flat soda, through and through. The mouth and finish are in line. Educational, not more. What a box to tick, though! Prohibition-era Laphroaig! 6/10

The BenRiach 35yo 1976/2012 (47.4%, OB Limited Release specially selected and bottled for Kinko 3rd Release, Hoghsead, C#3030, 193b, b#69): nose: prunes and stewed plums, stewed rhubarb, cherry compote. Mouth: peaches and plums, prunes, stewed apricots and cherries. Lovely. Finish: long, fruity, mildly acidic, warming and simply beautiful. 10/10

The BenRiach 30yo 1975/2006 (55%, OB Limited Release, Gomez Sherry Butt, C#7007, 542b, b#368): nose: more stewed prunes and plums, toasted bread, baked apricots. Mouth: rich, more wine-y and earthier than its 1976 sibling, it still has stewed dark fruits (prunes, currants, blackberries, blueberries). Finish: meow, this is luscious, fruity, still with the darker fruits, but also blood-orange zest and dried tangerine segments. Simply gorgeous. 9/10

Bowmore (70° Proof, OB, b. early 1970s): the famous Sherriff's bottling with no neck tag. Nose: a mix of sea air and cut tropical fruits (carambola and yellow passion fruit). Mouth: soft, mellow, with yellow plum and peach. This is velvety and creamy. Finish: fruity, salty, with a wonderful mix of tropical fruit, sea spray and sea food (whelks and cockles). 9/10

CD: "You put the 'Dick' in 'Dickel'."

Caperdonich 20yo 1992/2013 (52.2%, Creative Whisky Company The Tony Koehl Series, C#121137, 300b): nose: cut yellow fruit (mango, peach), candlewax and, maybe, a touch of varnish. Mouth: varnish, walnut stain, furniture wax, avocado oil -- wow! The alcohol is potent, sharp, but controlled. Finish: big, long, with cut yellow fruit and extremely-dry beach sand. Very interesting, this. 8/10

Brora 19yo 1981/2000 (60.4%, The Bottlers, Refill Sherry Butt, C#1077): a bottler with a high reputation, of whom I know very little. I have only tried the Glenugie last year. This one is earthy and petrolic, with huge polished-wood notes. Elegant and distinguished. 9/10

Ardbeg 1974/1983 (59° GL, R.W. Duthie selected and imported by Samaroli, Sherry Wood, 2400b, b#1730): two exhibitors have brought this and the prices could not vary more wildly. What a faux-pas! As soon as someone notices, the cheap one is emptied in an hour. Nose: ash, charred pork meat, burnt sands and smoked cockles. Mouth: sweet and salty at the same time, it has squashed raspberry, cane sugar, but also smoked mussels and ashtrays. Finish: ash, tar, diesel smoke and a propelling sweet tone -- very, very sweet, in fact, with squashed raspberry the loudest. I love this. Better than the one we had in June, which was more vinegar-y. 9/10

Clynelish 1972/2002 (58%, Scotch Malt Sales by Liquid Gold Enterprises Distillery Collection): nose: an evanescent nose, with mocha pastry, powdered sugar and very-dry cat skin (on a live cat; I am not a monster!) Mouth: powerful, but sweet, it has honey, dandelions, royal jelly, rosewater, orange blossom, perhaps. The heat grows, green-chilli style. Finish: more sweet honey action, royal jelly and cut yellow plums. This becomes my favourite Clynelish ever. 10/10

To be continued.