12/12/2019 DW's birthday bash at Cadenhead's

Even though I missed last year's shindig, DW invited me again. I join VK, PP, EC, BC, BB, MSo, PS, JS, Cavalier66, SW, DW and a couple of others for an evening of dramming. The pace is quick and the menu is long, so the notes are short and not always very inventive.

SW: "Tonight, we've got kosher pork..."

Speyside-Glenlivet 26yo 1991/2018 (48.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 324b, 18/65)
Nose: rather shy, with a faint hint of cinnamon, marzipan taken out of the heat too soon and dry laundry, warmed by sun rays.
Mouth: soft, it has some bubble gum, squashed raspberries and nougat.
Finish: very soft, comfortable, with hot nougat and shy squashed fruit. This is the perfect starter, if a little forgettable, perhaps. 7/10

Cambus 30yo 1988/2019 (46.1%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 300b, 19/209)
I know to stay away from this (the dreaded Cambus headache) and offer PS my share. Being a sucker, he accepts. Being a generous sucker, he lets me sniff it. Nose: Jaffa cakes (not quite the same quality as PiMM's, but same concept), but fresher and stuffed with lime, not orange. Also toffee (PS) and grated coconut.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 22yo 1996/2019 (49.7%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 3 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 966b, 19/200)
Nose: pan-seared apples and apricots, pressed hazel shavings and sweet barley.
Mouth: velvety, fruity, with apricot jam and caramelised peaches.
Finish: a gentle liquorice-y bitterness to wrap up lovely hot apricot. One of the best 'rothes this side of 1970. 8/10

Royal Brackla 10yo 2008/2019 (56.3%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 294b, 19/106)
Nose: acidic on the nose, with unripe grapes and green hazelnut.
Mouth: green, grassy, hay-like, with pressed, unripe grapes.
Finish: long, it has more hay, hay bales, even. It warms me up, this one, but it is not a class act. 6/10

SW: "In fact... shall we open a Tormore 30yo?"

Tormore 30yo 1988/2019 (48.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Hogshead, 162b, 19/450)
Nose; a mild touch of soft wood and manly sweat. The sweat disappears quickly (phew!), making room for fleshy grapes and yellow plums.
Mouth: mellow, with soft wood, bellflowers and nutty honey.
Finish: mild, it has more bellflowers, mushy peach flesh and hazelnut paste. Lovely. 8/10

There have been three thirty-year-old Tormores, this month, on top of the one at the warehouse tasting, during the festival and another Authentic Collection, earlier in the year. Cavalier wonders how many Tormores one needs. How can one have too much of this, though?

Cavalier66: "It's a bit like that book..."
BC: "What book?"
Cavalier66: "The bible. The one where they go cracking codes..."
BC: "Da Vinci Code!"

Loch Lomond 12yo 2007/2019 (53.3%, Cadenhead specially bottled for Cadenhead's Whisky Market Cologne, finished in Fresh Oloroso Sherry Cask, 276b, 19/384)
Nose: mud, muck, leather and red wine, on the verge of turning into vinegar. Later, burnt bacon appears.
Mouth: milder than the nose suggested, it has leather and crispy bacon.
Finish: sooooo earthy, with tatted leather, prune juice, charred ribs and charcoal. It is on the edge for me, but it is OK. Some will love this, I bet. Ze Djermans, probably. 7/10

Akashi Cabernet Franc Cask (61%, OB, Cabernet Franc Cask, C#61791, W6858)
Nose: overly flowery, with jasmine and daffodils. Heady.
Mouth: soft and velvety, with more flowers and white peach.
Finish: weird. It starts out alright, flowery. It becomes difficult pretty quickly, though, with gun oil and vinegar. Not necessarily bad per se, but they clash with the flowers in a way that is painful. Argh! This does not make me want to explore the White Oak distillery. 5/10 (Thanks for the dram, BB)

Mystery Dram #1
Nose: fresh, minty, with a bit of hemp. It opens up to reveal strawberries.
Mouth: soft, it has plum juice and fluffy grapes, very ripe.
Finish: the same fruitiness and a copious dose of green pepper.
Imperial 29yo 1990/2019 (53.3%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland, Barrel, C#934, 160b) 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

Mystery Dram #3
Nose: perfume-y, with face powder and citrus peel.
Mouth: soft and velvety, it has more face powder and pink peach.
Finish: juicy and fruity, the finish sees white peach and white (or very-pale) grapefruit.
Longmorn 21yo 1997/2019 (52.5%, The Whisky Exchange, Hogshead, C#3300, 72b) 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

Mystery Dram #2
Nose: plaster glue, icing sugar and soft pastry.
Mouth: mellow, with confectionery sugar, crushed peach and pink grapefruit, a drop of nail-varnish remover and cracked pepper.
Finish: hot, peppery peach turnovers, sprinkled with dried rosemary.
Triple-distilled malt from an undisclosed Campbeltown distillery. Wonder which one that could be... Hazelburn 21yo 1997/2019 (55%, Whisky Sponge Edition #2, ex-Bourbon Barrel, 178b) 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)

CB: "This is dirty as fuck!"
tOMoH: "You are dirty as fuck!"

37.65 29yo d.1985 Bursting with interest and imaginings (46.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 192b)
Nose: jasmine and warm cut peach, before it turns to cardboard, with maraschino cherry in the background.
Mouth: quite soft, pillow-y, with fluffy mandarins and plums.
Finish: soft, with mirabelle plum, satsuma and blotting paper. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, BC)

CB: "You are a lovely man"!
tOMoH: "I'd marry myself, if I could. Or as Human Resource said: WANNA KISS MYSELF!"
JS: "I was about to say that!"

93.22 14yo 1992/2006 Heavenly harbour (61.1%, SMWS Society Cask)
Nose: salty and sooty, metallic and brutally dusty. Metal filings, burnt dust and dried ink, diesel.
Mouth: hot, beastly, this is the inside of a fishing trawler, with dust, metal and fisherman's sweat all in. The kind of Scotia I love. Intimidating and characterful, without being overpowered by a sherry cask.
Finish: a slap of peaty dust in the mouth, cured meat, hairballs, metal filings and salt. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)

DW: "We always toast to my dad, who passed away four years ago..."
MSo: "It's my birthday on Sunday."
VK: "Don't make it about you!"

Springbank 21yo b.2013 (46%, OB, 13/01)
Nose: sweaty feet, dark soda and a fruity layer takes off (overripe peach, mango, blood orange).
Mouth: soft (46%, in this position in the line-up!), mellow, it has plum flesh, peach and a gentle woodiness.
Finish: a little dusty and bitter, with verdigris, polished walnut tree and soaked plums. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, Cavalier66)

Springbank 7yo 2012/2019 (58.5%, Duty Paid Sample, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, Rotation #596, Warehouse #15)
Nose: powerful, it has vinegar, wine, and some dusty warehouse smells, then nutty dirt, then dirty feet. Hm.
Mouth: custard-y, porridge-y, it has... well, hot custard and hot porridge. Not super complex on the tongue, perhaps.
Finish: full, here, with salted beef, jerky and spicy gherkins. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, PP)

Barrels of fun. Lots to drink. A relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps too relaxed -- we were asked to calm down a bit, as it is a residential area and the noise was becoming too much. Not surprising either, as there was much to sample. I did not even try JS's 125.55, PS's 26.90, J's Longrow 11 Cadenhead Port Cask and others.

Happy birthday, DW!