29/02/2020 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 1 -- Part 4): the afterparty

Since the festival is in London, this year, it was always the plan to have an afterparty at tOMoH Central. However, with Cavalier66 slipping off like a prom dress and the Swissky staying in the same street as the festival venue, travelling across the city is less convenient an option. Their hotel, then.
dom666 and I go back home to collect some ammunition, though, whilst JS goes out with the Neutrals for a bite. We men loaded up at lunch, of course; I am still bloated as ever. We join JS, PG, CD and JD (CD insists that I should call him Jwhatsislasname) in their hotel room.

The boys went to Berry Brothers', earlier, and brought back a bottle of Champers -- and anecdotes, of course: they are magnets for those. There is also a video of Jwhatsislasname counting the day's takings.

Upon serving the Champagne, the carpet does not make it unscathed.

CD: "This room will smell so awesome, tomorrow!"
tOMoH: "After three men have slept here, I don't know. Three men who've been drinking all day, too!"
Jwhatsislasname: "It's going to smell of Champagne and money!"
tOMoH: "All that's missing is Russian prostitutes!"
Jwhatsislasname: "For now!"

Kinclaith 1968/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, ID/DIB) (me): nose: dunnage warehouse, with the freshness of lichen on staves and strawberry. Mouth: very full of strawberries and slightly drying cinnamon. Finish: lovely, with similar notes of strawberry and cinnamon. I do not spend enough time with it, obviously, but this is lovely as ever. 9/10

My effect is achieved as well: first Kinclaith for Jwhatsislasname.

Beltane 27yo 1989/2017 (55.2%, The Whisky Cask Company, Rum Cask, 213b) (Swisskies): this one is mislabelled as a Bourbon cask, but it is not. The organisers also cocked up the name on the drams list (it was available at the festival) and called it Beltana, which triggers more Russian-prostitute references, tonight. Nose: fruity as fook, with lychee, white peach, dragon fruit, super-tanned leather, crushed star aniseed and crushed mint. Mouth: much bigger on the palate, it has leather, but also the sugar and fruit one would expect from a rum maturation (persimmon and white peach, mostly). It is thick and juicy -- nay! syrupy, with cinnamon and liquorice root. Finish: it shines in the aftertaste, with tons of mango and banana, as well as satsuma slices. I love it, even if it is a bit spicy on the tongue. 9/10

Talking about Cavalier66's article on fecal transplant.

CD: "The whole time, we thought he was taking the piss..."
tOMoH: "When, in fact, he was taking the shit!"

Madra 26yo 1991/2018 (49.4%, The Whisky Cask Company, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#8386, 156b) (Swisskies): nose: pony's hair (Iceland or Shetland? is the question) -- "a one-pony trick," says PG. I find mashed banana and fruity yoghurt. Mouth: sweet and milky, it is choc-full of buttery tropical fruits (mangoes, prominently). Finish: sublimely fruity here too, with mango and coconut yoghurt, squashed banana and persimmon paste. Lovely drop, once more. 9/10

CD: "Pony is not actually a baby horse. It's really its own animal."
Jwhatsislasname: "How old were you when you found that out?"


Springbank 2004/2018 (56.2%, cask sample, Rum Barrel, C#207 188) (me): this is one of the rejected casks from the Springbank Dinner 2018, likely to be a misstencilled Longrow. Nose: "smells like diaper" (CD), seal wax and clean peat smoke. Mouth: big, assertive, peaty and also quite sweet. Finish: long, sweet, ashy and fruity, with Demerara sugar and galia melon. 8/10

Jwhatsislasname: "This guy stole my diary, then died. My thoughts are with his family."

I pour Caperdonich 16yo 1977/1994 (58.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Sherry Cask) to the Swisskies and leave. Time for sleep. dom666 and I have said Caperdonich at home.

What a day!