Because I am awake, and because these things do not drink themselves!
Rieclachan 12yo (40%, Eaglesome Campbeltown Commemoration, b. ca. 1985): this is the one I could not open
in Campbeltown. At home, I have better tooling. Nose: a dusty and compote-y profile, with apricot jam on dried bread. Next is blotting paper or cardboard, distant roasted malt, toasted bread crumbs, then potato skins, mashed potatoes and malted milk. The nose is rather shy. Hopefully, it is not entirely spent -- the bottle has been open for two weeks... A few moments later, it becomes more mineral, with flint and slate; a slate roof after a summer rain. The second nosing brings honeyed water in a metal spoon. Mouth: apricot at first, followed by a fleeting-but-sharp bitterness. That thankfully disappears to leave apricot stones and rock-hard, dried leather -- dryer than a saddle. The apricot is still there, though it takes a bit of work to decipher it. Warm, metalic cutlery and slate reappear. Finish: the finish is the best feature, with caramelised compote, roasted walnuts and a distinct and tenacious old-school smoke that carries a vaguely bitter or acrid note. The death is all smoky, Bourbon-infused marmalade. Boss. It has its whacky moments, this one, but all in all, it is another corker! 8/10
Glen Garioch 21yo (43%, OB, b#14980, L131 0652): the bottle's last hurrah. Nose: it is all subtle, yet the nose is smoky, with heather thrown onto the fire, bushes of lavender, burning on the hill, dry logs and old hessian, jute bags that have been used to carry hay. Surprisingly, the next note is that of pebbles at the bottom of a waterfall, then washing-up-liquid foam, unscented or nearly. It also has dry-ish forest floor, empty jars of jams left in the sun, glass-y and still tainted with sugar and fruits. Mouth: a fleeting bitterness quickly makes room for juicy pears, crystallised pineapple, lime zest -- no! Blood orange zest. Blood orange segments, actually. I would love to say
smoked blood-orange segments, but of the smoke, nothing much comes through. After a few sips, elderberry cordial starts shining. Finish: the smoke comes back alright, gentle, but present, with a hint of lavender handwash (just a hint, in no way a distraction), burning hay, currant cough drops, smoked elderberry jam and soaked, smoked sultanas. It is a long, gentle and comforting finish, very controlled and very good, mostly balancing the elderberry jam and the refined smoke. What a dram! 9/10
Rieclachan 12yo (40%, Eaglesome Campbeltown Commemoration, b. ca. 1985): this is the one I could not open in Campbeltown. At home, I have better tooling. Nose: a dusty and compote-y profile, with apricot jam on dried bread. Next is blotting paper or cardboard, distant roasted malt, toasted bread crumbs, then potato skins, mashed potatoes and malted milk. The nose is rather shy. Hopefully, it is not entirely spent -- the bottle has been open for two weeks... A few moments later, it becomes more mineral, with flint and slate; a slate roof after a summer rain. The second nosing brings honeyed water in a metal spoon. Mouth: apricot at first, followed by a fleeting-but-sharp bitterness. That thankfully disappears to leave apricot stones and rock-hard, dried leather -- dryer than a saddle. The apricot is still there, though it takes a bit of work to decipher it. Warm, metalic cutlery and slate reappear. Finish: the finish is the best feature, with caramelised compote, roasted walnuts and a distinct and tenacious old-school smoke that carries a vaguely bitter or acrid note. The death is all smoky, Bourbon-infused marmalade. Boss. It has its whacky moments, this one, but all in all, it is another corker! 8/10
Glen Garioch 21yo (43%, OB, b#14980, L131 0652): the bottle's last hurrah. Nose: it is all subtle, yet the nose is smoky, with heather thrown onto the fire, bushes of lavender, burning on the hill, dry logs and old hessian, jute bags that have been used to carry hay. Surprisingly, the next note is that of pebbles at the bottom of a waterfall, then washing-up-liquid foam, unscented or nearly. It also has dry-ish forest floor, empty jars of jams left in the sun, glass-y and still tainted with sugar and fruits. Mouth: a fleeting bitterness quickly makes room for juicy pears, crystallised pineapple, lime zest -- no! Blood orange zest. Blood orange segments, actually. I would love to say smoked blood-orange segments, but of the smoke, nothing much comes through. After a few sips, elderberry cordial starts shining. Finish: the smoke comes back alright, gentle, but present, with a hint of lavender handwash (just a hint, in no way a distraction), burning hay, currant cough drops, smoked elderberry jam and soaked, smoked sultanas. It is a long, gentle and comforting finish, very controlled and very good, mostly balancing the elderberry jam and the refined smoke. What a dram! 9/10
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