29/02/2020 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 1 -- Part 1)

Old & Rare is now in London. Logistically, much easier for tOMoH. More accessible to more people, in fact. It prices out the Glaswegians, but then it is not as if they were hugely represented in previous years anyway. That said, after three years of complaining it was not in London, we have developed little habits -- e.g. where to eat, where to afterparty. Not being a fan of change, I am annoyed that that has to change as a consequence of the relocation.

Before we go to the new venue, breakfast. Ozone is our port of call. After ordering, I go wash my hands and bump into RM/isonone. Ha! He is having breakfast before the show, with R, whom I meet upstairs too.

me: "Are you staying in the neighbourhood?"
RM: "No, near Victoria."
me: "?"
R: "This is my favourite coffee place in London. I always come here."

Red pressed juice, full of vitamins, tastes great

Food is served.

Tortilla for JS

Eggs benedict and hash browns for me

Big brekkie for dom666

We arrive close to the opening time and start with a greetings tour. Roughly the same collection of exhibitors, same punters, some of whom are now exhibiting (e.g., CD and PG of the Swissky Mafia), a few new additions, and a few missing faces (Whisky Antique, Lion's Whisky).
Straight to work. There are more than six hundred whiskies, here, and just over twelve hours in total. No time for lengthy notes, unfortunately.

Glen Brora (40%, Carradale Blending Co. imported by M. Di Chiano)
Nose: a bit dusty, with dry hay.
Mouth: mild, milky, it has oats and pepper.
Finish: long, dusty, orange-y, creamy and lovely. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, EG)

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 28yo d.1991 (43.4%, cask sample for C. Dully Selection, C#7367): I have the illustrious honour to have introduced CD to the owner of this cask. It is very rewarding to have a chance to try it, then -- before it is released, to boot. I have it on good authority that it is a teaspooned Balvenie, but let us not announce a name, as it does not yet have one.
Nose: grapefruit peel, gentle wood yoghurt.
Mouth: acidic, grapefruit-y, it also has unripe orange.
Finish: lots of oranges, coated in chocolate. Excellent Burnside. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, CD)

Clynelish 36yo (47.1%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special for Whisky Show Old & Rare London 2020, 128b): the bottling for this year's show.
Nose: honey, wax, candlewax, a minute pinch of ash.
Mouth: warm and powerful, it is ashy, with spent wick and melted wax.
Finish: long, assertive, and bloody good. Hot wax, a pinch of ash again.
Comment: I really wanted to dislike this, and initially did. Spending more time with it (had it twice) made me like it quite a lot. Do I like it enough to justify the £995 price tag, though? A question many people around us asked. 9/10

Meanwhile, dom666 has
Strathisla 34yo d.1937 (43°, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice imported by Co. Import, Sherry Cask)

St Magdalene 23yo d.1970 (58.43%, OB Rare Malts Selection): I have been meaning to try this for a while, now. Possibly the first St Magdalene made available to the general public, bottled before the Rare Malts even existed (released in 1995, this would was obviously bottled the year before, at the latest).
Nose: lots of flint and brine, augmented by cardboard. Austere, eh?
Mouth: powerful, peppery, with lots of yellow fruit too. Also some earth.
Finish: a hint of sulphur, lots of yellow fruits and soot.
Comment: I love it, but the trademark RMS power is clearly felt. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, EG)

Ledaig 22yo 1973/1996 (44.2%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection imported by Barrique Wine Company)
Nose: a fruity earthiness, with hints of soot and waxy apricot.
Mouth: gentle, velvety, almost weak, but one can feel the potential behind.
Finish: lots of fruit again, and a hefty dose of peat smoke on a bed of ash. Perfect balance, in the finish. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, pat gva)

Talisker 28yo d.1973 (43.3%, OB for Oddbins, C#4633, 100b, b#65): dom666 is already at the stage where he only wants to drink supermarket whiskies. Philistine.
Nose: old bottle effect, with brine, a little metal, but also a remarkably deep freshness (spearmint).
Mouth: loads of peppermint, fresh, not overpowering -- fortunately.
Finish: long, big, in keeping with the Talisker markers, but more refined.
Comment: I am not a huge fan of that distillery (in case it was not clear), but this one is an amazing expression. 9/10

GL passes me his glass. Even after guessing it is a Lowland, I struggle. Not a Rosebank, definitely not a Bladnoch, probably not a Littlemill and I do not think it is a St Magdalene either. Inverleven is ruled out... Ah! Killyloch 22yo 1972/1994 (52.6%, Signatory Vintage, Sherry Cask, C#206413, 230b, 94/1142) which we find not too dissimilar to the Glenflaglers, bottled by Signatory. Aidrie man is now complete. And so am I. Almost :-) (Now to find an Islebrae...)

pat gva pours the next one blind, which I can not place at all.

Ardbeg 10yo (70° Proof, OB, b.1970s)
Nose: super waxy, with candlewax ahoy, seal wax, and a louder and louder fruity tone.
Mouth: soft, watery, but full of character, with milk chocolate and... jasmine?
Finish: long, chocolate-y, creamy, lovely. I still preferred the Ledaig, though. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, pat gva)

Clynelish  36yo 1972/2009 (59.4%, Gordon & MacPhail Book of Kells The Dram Taker's exclusively bottled for La Maison du Whisky, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#14301, 197b)
Nose: lots of fruit, delicate and fragrant.
Mouth: much more acidic, here, with fierce citrus and ground pink peppercorns.
Finish: long and custard-y. 8/10

Clynelish 12yo (56.9%, OB for Whiskyteca Edward & Edward, b#41?)
Nose: citrus, mainly orange.
Mouth: soft, acidic and fruity.
Finish: more powerful than expected, the fruit still shines, this time in the shape of apricot. 8/10

Berrys' Blend (unknown ABV, Berry Bros & Rudd, b. ca. 1900)
Nose: fruity, borderline soapy, with grapefruit -- pink grapefruit.
Mouth: oh! It is weak, a bit dusty, though it also remains fruity. This one is over the hill, I fear.
Finish: same, with fruit and dust. Very tired. 7/10

Clynelish 27yo 1974/2001 (56.3%, Adelphi, C#2565, 213b): Cavalier66 is on a mission to taste all the 1970s Clynelish on the floor. JS seems to have a similar idea. For the purpose of science, I reluctantly help them.
Nose: candied angelica, barley snaps, cigar boxes, Gocce pino. This is herbal pine-tree galore.
Mouth: softer than anticipated, with Gocce pino and all sorts of herbal, pine-y goodies. A Benrinnes in disguise?
Finish: cedar wood, cigar boxes and pine cones. 8/10

19th Century Spirit, probably Irish Whiskey (unknown ABV, unknown bottler): a note that will have no relevance whatsoever, but hey! For the record, this is what I am having.
Nose: super herbal, almost medicinal, gently metallic, dirty -- woah!
Mouth: mellow, herbal, with pine-y notes too, but dirty -- soil and pine forest floor.
Finish: woah! again. Stagnant water, bog, vase -- all that in a good way.
Comment: amazingly, it almost does not make you blind. :-) 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, TF and HO)

Redbreast 32yo 1985/2018 Dream Cask (46.5%, OB for Members of The Birdhouse, Bourbon Barrel & Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#41207, 816b): the sherry maturation makes this slightly muddy, with a hugely fruity finish. 9/10

Time to grab some food.

The organisation downstairs, at the restaurant, is very poor, with "queues" forming everywhere (as in: chaotic swarms around each platter) and staff appearing out of nowhere to tell us off. Where were they to organise peaceful queues?
Wrong and insufficient service utensils (grill tongs for short pasta -- WTF!?), and dishes running out quickly and regularly. It certainly does not look as though the catering team knows how to handle three hundred and fifty whisky enthusiasts who want to eat quickly to go back to drinking whisky quickly.
Anyway, the food is decent. Others are less taken, and the Scotch eggs are indeed not a success, but mostly, I am not complaining.

The mini quiches are my thing

Time for the masterclass.