26/04/2020 A dram to celebrate GN's birthday

GN is, of course, confined and not here with me. Will I have a dram to mark the birthday of everyone I know? Well, that whisky is not going to drink itself, you know.

Glen Grant 40yo 1966/2006 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail): nose the first nosing is all sandalwood and cigar boxes, but the second whiff focuses on juicy fruit: melon, mango, pink grapefruit and cut pineapple. What a start! I remembered this being a big, woody, sherried number. Will it have changed that dramatically in the open sample? (Of course not: I am confusing with another Glen Grant that MV brought that night -- that is why I take notes!) It has stewed plums and baked bananas too. Soon, that changes again and makes room for nail varnish, pear drops and 7Up, lime peel and bran, Irn Bru, then back to cigar boxes. Most interesting. Mouth: citric to a sin, the palate sees grapefruit, lime, unripe pineapple and Chinese gooseberry. It is very acidic indeed. Lemonade comes out quite bold, and there is a softly bitter touch on the sides of the tongue. I detect a whisper of sandalwood, but it is minute. The modest ABV makes it a perfect candidate for these torrid afternoons (low twenties outside, twenty-nine degrees Celsius at tOMoH Castle). Finish: the citrus circus continus (ha! ha!) with limoncello, calamansi, Chinese gooseberry, barely-ripe mandarin and lemonade. It does feel sweeter in the finish than on the palate, as that list of fruit may suggest. A sprinkle of ground white pepper, melted milk chocolate (or is it cocoa butter?) and, at the third sip, something woodier, something like ink on hessian sacks, as well as sticky toffee pudding. An entertaining one that covers a wide spectrum of aromas and flavours. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, MV)

106.18 27yo d.1984 Bottled essence of summer (52.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 197b): after pouring this, I realise I was ogling two Scapas and thought: another time. That would have been perfect, seeing as it is GN's favourite distillery... Ah! well. It is not as if he were here anyway. Nose: leafy and floral in the first instance, it turns into a tobacco plantation in Virginia, after a few minutes, sun-drenched and oily Virginia-tobacco plants. It then switches back to greenhouse floral, with jasmine, tagetes, cut green beans, pea pods, celery sticks and green tea. Mouth: green and lively on the tongue, it has lemonade, pomelo segments and green beans again, pea pods, yet no celery that I can detect. Some kind of flowery bush (gorse? Periwinkle?) and a certain heat rises, if it does so gently -- this is not fiery in a the slightest. Lemongrass and lime zest, not chilli nor ginger. Perhaps pine needles? It certainly has a certain freshness, as well as something between almond oil and capers -- what the deuce? Finish: very lemonade-y, almost tonic-like, though sweeter than expected, with brown sugar dissolved in water with Kruschen Salts. In the long run, that is joined by something oilier and nuttier -- peanut butter or Brazil-nut butter, crushed olives (though not salty like tapenade). After a few sips, the green, floral character shines brightest, with honeysuckle sap, sherbet, pine sap and pine cones. This is pretty and perfect, on a sunny day like this. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

25/04/2020 Apéritif

Freestyling a pre-dinner session on this warm April afternoon. It may only be one dram, in the end. Let me see how it goes...

Knockando 20yo 1974/1995 Quincentenary (43%, OB specially selected for Aberdeen University): a low ABV, but an auburn-coloured robe that might make this dram less discreet than expected. Nose: a reasonably-bold nose, full of molasses and prune syrup. The initial whiff seemed to have a burnt-wood note, but it is nowhere to be found, after that. On the other hand, the nose delivers a cascade of dried fruits (dried figs, sultanas, mince pies, dried apricots, dried cranberries) and associated pastry (unbaked Dundee cake, pre-oven Selkirk bannock, kramiek). Over time, it develops a jammier edge, with strawberry jam and smoked-apricot jelly. Mouth: softish without being weak, the reduction is apparent for an instant, but the whisky soon grows in power, with delicate wood spices (ground ginger and nutmeg). The palate is thin, orange juice-like in texture (no pulp) and presents similar dry fruits to the nose's (figs, raisins, apricots), though this time, they are joined by citrus zest and mixed peel. Pan-seared pineapple chunks, caramelised and juicy, sprinkled with red-chilli flakes. Finish: no softness here; the finish almost feels full strength, wide and bold. Smoked-apricot jelly, mixed peel again, sultanas and prunes, caramel, caramelised onions, and the pineapple makes a comeback too, shallow-fried in a pan until brown. Peach slices, searing in sizzling butter, ground orange peel and a pinch of ginger powder. Not much distillery character to see here, I suppose, but a good sherry maturation for this lesser-seen spirit. 7/10

Miltonduff 8yo 2009/2018 (46%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Company The Cooper's Choice, Madeira Cask Finish, C#881, 300b): nose: a big whiff of coconut oil (or it is my fingers? I just cut a coconut open...), buttery Brazil-nut paste, rapeseed oil, polished exotic wood (teak or mahogany), pouring honey, ... It smells oily, buttery and sticky, and that is well pleasant. The second nosing is woodier than it is nutty, with furniture wax and pine sap and freshly-cut birch logs. Marmalade on toast arrives a little later, preserved lemons, orange-blossom water. After the first sip, the nose adopts a mouldy-peach note that is rather pleasant (yes, really). Mouth: it is still nutty, though it is the skin of the nuts that comes through, at this point (who said: 'nutsack'?) Brazil-nut skins, almond skins, that hard skin on a coconut, between the shell and the flesh, oily and softly bitter. Yes, it does stay oily and there is an added drop of fortified  wine, at this stage, dry and heady. Madeira, surely? Finish: oh! but this is lovely. The finish is in line with the nose and palate, nutty oily and vaguely wine-y (though less and less vaguely, the more one drinks it). Perhaps chocolate does join in to boot. It does feel less strong than on the palate -- well balanced, in fact. It is not too complex, but a decent dram alright. I can picture this going down a storm as an everyday dram with many enthusiasts I know. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, Bishlouk)

21/04/2020 Clearing the shelf #26

Tullibardine 26yo 1990/2017 (44.4%, Edition Spirits The First Editions, Refill Hogshead, C#HL14177, 143b): nose: ha! ha! The trademark dusty fruits. Red apple, poached apple, even , dark grapes, plums and figs, all covid in a thick layer of dust (er, covered): sawdust, pollen, hessian sacks and old newspapers. The fruit is quick to come back, however, with maybe an additional note of plasticine. Waxy apricot, walnut paste... chewing gum? I vaguely remember a 1980s pink paste coming out of a tube; I cannot have seen it that often and never had my own tube of it, but I am sure I tried someone else's, occasionally. Well, this reminds me of that. Looking it up (t'Interwebz is amazing, innit), it might well be Tubble Gum. Anyway, that disappears from the third sniff to only leave ripening apricot and polished wood, as well as something more plastic-y, in the back: oilskins, saffron capsules, rubber boots -- is this the same dram? Mouth: sharp, it has red chilli on the tongue, supplementing melted milk chocolate. Fruit subsists, with grape juice, plum flesh and discreet persimmon, as well as almond milk and almond oil. This is a plum tart, with cut plums resting on a custard-y base spread on shortcrust. Creamy/oily texture, despite the spiciness and a vague acidity. It feels like soft bubble bath with the water ever so slightly too warm. Nevertheless, it is welcoming and comforting. One simply needs to get used to it (the warm bath, that is). Finish: creamy here too, it blends walnut oil or paste and persimmon flesh very nicely indeed. The spices from the palate have mutated into a distant, green bitterness to complement the wonderfully creamy mouthfeel -- imagine a couple of spring onions in a cheesy sauce, or a couple of green hazelnut shells in melted milk chocolate. This is really good! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Bishlouk)

Tamdhu 1966/2006 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail The MacPhail's Collection): hard to believe this one has been waiting in my cupboard for almost four years. Anyway. Nose: at 43%, this one has a presence that simply knocks one over. Amazing what a forty-year-old whisky can turn into! Floral, fragrant, leafy, it has ivy leaves, honeysuckle, bluebells, yellow tomatoes (or are they green?), apple mint, pear lassi, grated apple flesh, peach juice, yet also buttery custard (not quite curd, though), aniseed-infused vanilla pudding, ripening watermelon (whole, that is) and, coming back to yellow tomatoes, it is the whole plant in a green house. Violets, fresh and coarsely-peeled pineapple chunks in custard, topped with green leaves -- but what are they? Lemon mint, perhaps? Bang on! Mouth: a little drying in a mouthwash sort of way, it has sherbet, pine sap, mint and white peach. The mouthfeel is creamy, which is welcome, considering the mouth is significantly more influenced by the wood than the nose. Candied ginger makes a late appearance, but it is subtle. Lemon mint again -- actually, it just turns citric, with pomelo and lemonade. Finish: a tranquil force, with the same pine sap and the minty tone, Gocce-Pino style, but also tamed fruit (physalis and white peach). Sherbet is still here, spearmint, unripe pomelo. In the medium term, pomelo does take over, with the chalky dryness of quinine as an undercurrent. Do Schweppes make a pomelo-flavoured tonic drink? Maybe they should! This is great. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, PS)

19/04/2020 Three seasonal twenty-somethings

Glen Keith 20yo 1993/2013 (46%, The Glenaden Distilling Co. The Classic Cask imported by Spirits Imports, C#136, 270b): nose: initially, it is new-world white wine, young, crisp, fresh and rather dry. A few seconds later, it is floral and fragrant, with lilac, jasmine and apple mint, geranium, yellow primrose yellow, unripe plum, freshly-pressed linen, but also ink and newspapers, ground ginger, maybe even rosemary. The least one can say is that this nose is delicate. It is not the debauchery of fruit that Glen Keith from that era can be, but we have only started... After the first sip, a mocha note appears to stick around the nostrils and to not let go. Mouth: white wine on the tongue too, fresh, crisp, dry... and then it is sweet, all of a sudden, with caster sugar, pineapple drops, candied apple, dried banana slices, nectarine peels (the flesh, not so much). A faint wood bitterness grows and becomes not quite so faint, though nowhere near splinter-y either. Sandalwood, broken cigar boxes, tannic and, well, splinter-y, I suppose (woops). Custard powder and glycerine. Mocha custard, caramel coulis, poured on hot flan. The texture is surprisingly creamy, for something that seemed so crisp and fresh a minute ago. Finish: mocha custard, caramel flan, a pinch of coffee grounds, tablet, mocha ice cream, milk chocolate (just about good enough for the Swiss), chocolate  pudding. The more one sips it, the more the mocha makes room for milk chocolate -- which spells good news, as far as I am concerned. Soggy, milk-chocolate-coated digestive biscuits, mushy peas (!) It is probably gingery too, with wood spice lingering on the tongue and gums for an eternity. Very good, this. It makes for an ideal starter, too. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, TC)

Bladnoch 22yo 1991/2014 (45.7%, Iain Mackillop Mackillop's Choice, C#4603, 102b): nose: very floral and perfume-y -- imagine entering a florist shop, with roses, tulips, lilac, rosehip, magnolia. Then, it turns proper sweet, like (just watched Riddick, you understand ;) ), with icing sugar thrown onto pumpkin-and-thyme pasties, heather in bloom, roasted yellow pepper, peeled, flowering vine, unripe grapes, flowering raspberry bushes, flowering currants, gorse, then the fruit turns more ripe, with pressed blackcurrant, elderberry cordial and clover honey. This nose is the bollox's donkey -- no! wait... Mouth: the gentle bitterness of nigella seeds hardly conceals an assertive fruitiness; this is juicy and three quarters. It has grape juice, blackcurrant juice, plum juice, nectarine juice, berry smoothie and prunes in syrup, though it is completely unlike a similar note in a sherry-matured whisky. Lilac in a vase, spearmint, yellow tomatoes, yellow peppers, roasted and peeled, oozing sweet juice from every pore, ripe tangerine. The third sip sees a little chocolate touch, and rather dark too, as it has a certain bitterness. Finish: long, creamy, juicy, it has peach, all sorts of berries, a drop of milk chocolate, chocolate custard, gooey sticky toffee pudding, juicy peach slices, overripe tangerines, raspberry jam, poached pear and Turkish delights. Woah! Fantastic expression! 9/10

Imperial 23yo 1990/2014 (51.8%, Iain Mackillop Mackillop's Choice, C#12314, 240b): nose: another fragrant one! Good choice, on this warm spring day. It is buttery fruit, this time, with apricot flesh, peeled plum, satsuma pulp, perhaps a spoonful of dairy butter, Glenrothes-style. Banana rum, rum-toft, physalis, but also a floral side; is it honeysuckle? Forsythia? Kerria Japonica? Bulrush? No! it is rose-petal jelly and prickle-pear jelly. The nose presents a few drops of furniture polish and beeswax, but make no mistake: it is mostly yellof fruit, waxy and juicy. Coming back to the nose after sipping, it has a fudge/toffee touch that is most pleasant. Treacle in vanilla pudding. Mouth: cut peach slices, fresh and juicy, a little acidic, which makes me think there is citrus as well (calamansi), pineapple cubes, a pinch of salt, pear drops, peeled cucumber, glycerine. The second sip is centered around toffee, caramel, treacle, still with the soft acidity of calamansi, glycerine again and a fudge-y texture -- I suppose it is the butter from the nose. Finish: long, creamy, it is much more custard-driven than the initial nose suggested, with crushed peach in vanilla/mocha custard, fudge, cocoa powder, hot cocoa, almond oil, almond milk, hazelnut paste and orange pulp. That is right: it has now turned a lot nuttier, and that is just as successful. It tickles the palate (and the gums) with oaky tannins, but to call this woody or spicy would be a mistake. Very good too. 8/10

Good session, today!

17/04/2020 Another random pair

The Pogues (40%, Halewood International, d. ca 2019, L91990101): sponsored by the Irish band of the same name (do we call that Poguesploitation?), this is a single malt from West Cork distillery, bottled by the same people who brought out the famous Gelstons. Nose: fresh blotting paper on a new leather desk pad, the velvet coat in a jewelry box, nutty, fluffy cake (almond sponge), some kind of solvents -- I find it rather chemical, with various kinds of artificially-flavoured sweets and mass produced soft cakes, maybe doughnuts (in which kase, it is Krispy Kreme, not Cross Town). A more floral character emerges, with crumpled rose petals, and I guess a touch of wood is present too, with sappy birch and treacle-y fudge, melted marzipan, Brazil-nut oil, cashew-nut oil and plasticine. Oh! yes, it is Play-Doh through and through, even though it took me a while to place it. Mouth: thin and flat, it only wakes up after a few seconds, with primrose petals, groundnut oil, pressed olives and not much else. It is hard to find any plasticine, seeing as it feels so thin! Diluted oil, in texture, it is -- heavily diluted! Finish: the groundnut oil is in the finish too (Brazil and cashew), alongside Play-Doh plasticine. Whole Brazil nuts peek through the mist, marzipan, cocoa butter, body butter and thick-as-fuck chocolate custard. It is better than I expected, in all honesty. It is a little vulgar, perhaps, but for a no-frill dram, it works a treat. And the RRP is ridiculously low. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

A blind sample from Gaija, next -- but not so blind: I nosed it when he gave it to me and immediately recognised the distillate, which he confirmed.

Glenisla 37yo 1977/2015 (46.1%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#19602, 266b): nose: unmistakably Glenisla, with a bucketload of seal wax, nearby the open fire in which the stamp was heated red -- which means there is a whiff of delicate smoke, here. Waxy mirabelle plums, greengages, burning candlesticks, fruity bubble gum, Fraises Tagada, ... This is so singular! No other malt I have tasted smells like that; only Glenisla. How cool that Symington managed to procure some casks of it, when he bought Edradour distillery? Imagine it was all blended away as was its purpose! Maraschino cherries, sweet and unnatural, processed raspberry jam (nothing like the killer jelly my aunt makes!), poached plums, melted plastic buckets, perhaps even Irn Bru and seal wax. Loads of seal wax. Mouth: pressed plums, pressed apricots, seal wax, strawberry sweets (Fruit-tella), sticky maraschino cherry, cellophane, red ink, pencil eraser -- scented pencil eraser, no less -- seal wax, tinned pears in syrup (maybe only the syrup, come to think of it), corn syrup, waxy potatoes (Jersey Royals), seal wax, some kind of tea or infusion (rooibos?), thick body butter, seal wax, oilskins, and the most distant fruity incense smoke (apple, if that exists). And seal wax. Finish: a combination of seal wax first, mild gingery, preserved strawberry heat second, and it ends with blotting paper and scented pencil erasers. This is a trip down memory lane, here: wax and scented pencil erasers? Primary school, innit! Ficus leaves bring a (waxy) bitter touch to round off this most unusual drop. This is the waxiest Glenisla I have had. It feels like swallowing seal wax. Last time I had one, I found much more plasticine than in this one, today. But then The Pogues was so Play-Doh-like that nothing can compare. Very entertaining. The nose is amazeballs, whilst the finish is maybe less of an impressive success. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, Gaija)

13/04/2020 Three Linkwood

Funnily enough, we had two of these three at the same tasting, though that was a while ago! Eleven years ago, for Burns' Night 2009, to be accurate, before this blog's existence (some notes here). It says a lot about how often we have Linkwood, I suppose -- and that is a shame: Linkwood is such a lovely malt... At least, it can be. Truth be told, some of the SMWS and Cadenhead bottling of the past few years have been less than exciting.
But then, Radio Control reminds me that Starry, starry night was a Linkwood... All is forgiven! :-)

Linkwood 37yo 1978/2016 (50.3%, OB Limited Release, 6114b, b#4189): this sample is a remnant from the 2016 Special Release tasting in 2017. Nose: delicate, it has dust, cork and very old red wine. The second sniff is more generous, with toffee and fudge, Scottish tablet, bung cloth, a couple of drops of fortified wine (Fino is my guess) and wet, dusty cardboard -- in a good way. The nose develops a mild chocolate-y note, slightly bitter, in a chocolate-coated-almond fashion. Hazelnut shells also come up. Time allows it to reveal more citrus, yet it is mostly dried citrus: dry satsuma zest. Flowering trees or bushes come up too, gorse and cherry blossom. Mouth: ground hazelnut, grapefruit, ginger powder and tonic -- this is very Schweppes-like, actually. Sherbet, green-tomato ice cream (do not ask), apple mint sorbet, but mostly soft, woody tones and citrus juice (now lime). It is a little tannic on the tongue too, with ginger and lemongrass shavings in tiny doses, and it certainly is acidic, with grapefruit skins and pith also present, blended with a couple of drops of pine sap. Finish: the finish is gorgeous, with ground hazelnut, sprinkled with lime juice, cedar-wood sawdust, pine sap and a splash of tonic again. I assume that would be quinine, then. I have no quinine in the house to check. Ivy leaves on a chalky wall paint an idyllic picture. The acidity turns to bitterness in the finish, though this is not a bitter whisky; it is only in comparison with the palate. I will settle on lemon-flavoured Schweppes. 8/10

After eleven years in an open bottle, the next dram finally proves its authenticity

Linkwood 26yo 1975/2002 (56.1%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#5373): nose: much more austere, if that is the right word, in this case. The sharp citrus is like a blade, and it is accompanied by dry grass (not quite hay yet) and gravel. Soon, it is joined by crystallised apple and peach drops. The third sniff sees dusty warehouses and old casks, then a dash of vinegar, before all that is replaced with thinned, lemon-infused vanilla custard. A slice of cucumber peel and drying lime skins provide the dermal dimension. *ahem* After the first sip, the nose unexpectedly gives double cream. Mouth: lemon-infused vanilla pudding, lime peel, pomelo. The palate balances the sweet and the acidic pretty close to perfectly, whilst also juggling the higher strength and alcohol integration with brio. Lemonade, cucumber peels, bulrush, flowering currants, violets, preserved lemons, Kaffir lime leaves... One would be forgiven for thinking it is floral. It is. Floral and citrus-y. Finish: a gentle bitterness joins, here, not quite Schweppes, this time, but cucumber peel alright. It is soon met by custard cream, vanilla yoghurt, baking soda and lemonade -- lots of lemonade, pomelo-infused lemonade (pomelade?), sherbet, lime-based cocktails (Major Bailey comes to mind), mint, Thai basil and lemon thyme. The gravel has gone, maybe (just maybe) leaving riverbed shingles in its wake. This is one of the great Linkwoods, in my opinion. 9/10

Wonder what type of cask this was matured in...

Linkwood-Glenlivet 21yo 1969/1991 (55.8%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): this was the very first whisky I bought from Cadenhead's, when they were still in Covent Garden. That bottle has been empty since 2009, but I managed to procure another one -- a mini, unfortunately. Nose: pfoooo! The word 'rancio' was invented for this whisky. Shoe polish, leather belts, treacle, teriyaki sauce. It is a dry type of sherry, with earthy and even vaguely sooty touches. Next up are wood varnish, encaustic, soaked bung cloth, a teak cabinet and a rum-spiked chocolate dessert -- dark chocolate of course (there is no other kind, is there?) The front of the mouth turns to oxtail broth, while the back is all wine-y and woody. Iso-Betadine turns up (it even looks like Iso-Betadine, come to think of it), as do burnt cake and roasted coffee beans, in the distance. One can imagine prunes and liqueur pralines with a strawberry filling, next to old staves and musty clay floors. This is really a cask for Germany! Mouth: earthy, drying, the palate sees teak cabinets, lacquered wood and tannins, Brazil-nut skins, bitter coffee beans, roasted cocoa beans, burnt cake, charred with a rum-and-sherry mélange. Caramelised marmalade, banane flambée, burnt into a dark pulp, burnt Dundee cake and coffee grounds. Yes, it is bitter. Yes, it is wine-y. Yes, it is woody. It is also extremely well balanced, provided one likes bitter, wine-y, woody whiskies. Finish: thick oxtail broth and strong coffee, with a wood stave floating in the middle. The finish is dusty and it has overly-toasted bread, coffee, grounds, burnt cake, stuck to the oven dish, very-dry earth, Madeira wine. This was likely an Oloroso cask, I would think. The Iso-Betadine has taken a back seat (it is really in the boot), but the finish still retains a remotely medicinal side: lint and mentholated disinfectant. Not too much dried fruit to speak of; perhaps prunes, expired for decades, shrivelled and turned into stone; fossilised prunes, in other words. This is on the verge of burnt rubber or scorched plastic, but it carefully stays on the straight and narrow. The finish is long, warming, dry, yet it leaves the mouth watering and the tongue throbbing. Beautiful sherry maturation, but this is not for everyone. It is rather intense. Because of that, and despite the fact it is very well made, I will not go to 9. 8/10

08/04/2020 A few new things

Amongst the mountain of samples, I have accumulated a handful of new makes. They are always interesting, but I find them difficult to work into a line-up. Let us have some tonight.

Undisclosed New Make (~63%): a blind sample from Cthulhu knows where, with not even a name of someone I could ask for more information. I remember it is new make and I think I remember 63%, for some reason. How useful is this note going to be, eh? :-) Nose: plums and new leather shoes, butter beans, broad beans, peach skins, colour pencil (Caran d'Ache brown) and blue ink. It is a surprising combination, to say the least! The second sniff brings toasted oak, which, of course, makes no sense, since it has not seen wood. Plum is ever present, discreet, but faithful. _Decaying_ plum, even. Mouth: the plum is still here, and, although it is obviously strong enough to dissolve teeth in thirty-six seconds, it feels oddly velvety, at the same time. Older wood, lacquered, this time, plum in juice, and what amounts to red-chilli flakes in a yoghurt-based sauce, augmented with squashed peach. Finish: warming, discreet, it has the plum again, the lacquered wood too, and warm honey, golden and liquid. The plum is a little too bombastic to hide the youth of this dram, but one hopes that ageing will iron out the hiccoughs. Truth be told, it already feels like a whisky, albeit a young one. Good job, whoever made this! 6/10

London Distillery (unknown ABV): nose; how different is this!? It is all super-dry balsa wood, untreated pine planks, cigar boxes, even pine sap and browned pine needles. Freshly-printed newspapers, blotting paper, full of ink stains, pencil shavings, crushed pine cones on a dry forest floor, sumac, ground mace, papier mâché and an unlikely mix of peach and gherkin juices. Cooked cabbage, maybe? Some kind of boiled vegetable, in any case. Mouth: this one is soft and silky, with a foundation of ginger powder, ground mace and pine-y notes -- sawdust, cigar boxes, planks. Hard to accept that something that has not aged in wood can have that sort of wood notes, but hey! It has something less convincing in the back of the nose: something very gin-like. Juniper berries, probably. Finish: yes, it is very gin-like, this one, without being a gin, obviously. Botanicals, perhaps, but juniper berries, certainly, ground mace again (!), ginger, and, maybe, a wee drop of pine sap. Mirabelle plum, greengage and white peach also clock in, but it is juniper's show, tonight. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, PS)

London Distillery (unknown ABV, unknown cask type): nose: different again. The first whiff is all vanilla custard and crushed shortbread. The second sniff is herbal and pine influenced. And it keeps shifting between those two profiles. One second, it is butterscotch, the next, it is dry thyme and pink peppercorns; pine-tree bark and needles or caramel flan and choux dough -- I do not know if I am having a gin or a grain! (Who said: "It's the same"?) It is a g(ra)in whisky! :-) Mouth: warm, mint-y vanilla custard -- and warm it certainly is, too! Cigar boxes, left in the the summer sun for hours, Tic Tac hard mints, liquorice root, baking shortbread, and still some pine sap, in the back, Gocce Pino style. The heat is not quite chilli-induced, rather pink peppercorn. Finish: the herbal bakery continues, with all sorts of mint-y, vanilla-based creams and choux dough, dried thyme, shortbread and cigar boxes, pine sap and custard, Gocce Pino filling and Suc des Vosges. Rather convincing, this. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, PS)

(I will update details for the last two when PS can be bothered to tell me ;) )

04/04/2020 404 Error: distillery not found

Today is 4/04. It seems like a good day to have four drams. Why not make them four drams from closed distilleries? The weather is nice again*, so let us make those closed Lowland distilleries, since popular belief is that Lowlands rhyme with gentler profiles and are suitable for more clement weather.

* 19°C, today. It was 1°C three days ago. I was wearing a scarf indoors!

Kinclaith 1968/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, ID/DIB): we have been having this one a lot, lately, or so it seems. Time for proper notes. Nose: a whiff of old wood, with old books, old blotting paper and vaguely-humid bung cloth. Those hardly contain red and yellow fruits, however: dark cherries, soaked plums, prunes in syrup, strawberries. Soon, it takes on a fizzy note that is not unlike that of a sparkling red wine (that would be Fragolino, then). Furniture polish is next in line, rape seed oil, teak oil, and blotting paper, making a come-back. Pâtes de fruits, flat cola and stewed rhubarb complete the wonderful nose. Mouth: the palate continues the story started by the nose, picking up the pâtes de fruits and flat cola, adding a whisper of burnt wood, before fruit sweeps in -- raspberries, strawberries, watermelons, blood oranges, overripe peaches, rum toft, an old oak stave, covered in lichen and soaked in rum. The burnt wood mutates into charred cork, which is interesting and never becomes invading or unpleasant. The palate does, however, see a slightly bitter note of ground peach stone, mixed with ash, peppering the aforementioned fruit, which still dominates. Finish: burnt wood alright, gently ashy and, well, woody. It is softly bitter again, and, as a consequence, a little drying, without that ever becoming a nuisance. In the finish too, what comes out the most are the fruits: strawberries, smashed on toast, raspberry compote, peach, macerating in rum, and a maraschino cherry for good measure. Considering it is a 40% offering, it is also long and bold a dram. I love it. 9/10

Rare Ayrshire 34yo 1975/2009 (45.2%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Bourbon Barrel, C#558, 166b, b#115, 9/124): long time no see... Nose: well, whereas the Kinclaith was all about yellow and red fruit, this one is focused on yellow flowers and pastry. Vanilla custard, butterscotch, shortbread, vanilla sugar, croissant dough at room temperature, but also daffodil, forsythia, jonquil, magnolia and some pine-y/minty freshness, in the far back (Mentos?) Also to be tasted are fudge on the baking tray, gardening trimmings, cut lilac, (not quite in bloom, yet), eggshells, green tomatoes, persimmon foliage, celery leaves and raw peas. All is delicate, subtle and gentle, but, in case it is not clear, it is also amazing. Mouth: mint-flavoured milk, custard and shortbread, after only forty-five seconds in the oven, custard powder, mint sauce. On the palate too, it is an incessant ballet of flowers and pastry, with minty choux dough, cut daffodils, fir trees, ... It would be a stretch to call this woody, though: it is very much green. Mint and some spicy notes: yes; ginger and lemongrass: no. After thirty-four years, this discreet spirit has not at all been taken over by the wood. Finish: the modest ABV delivers enough power to wake one up, if needed. The finish has the acidity of pine needles (Gocce pino), the mouthfeel of almond milk, a few cork crumbs for bitterness and the flowery/bakery accents from the nose and palate, with glycerine, apple mint and laurel leaves meeting vegetable samosas, mint sauce, yellow-tomato pasties (yes, I know!), minty toothpaste, grapefruit turnover and lime juice. Exquisite. It seems much more vibrant than C#3421 which was bottled six years later -- six years too late, perhaps. 9/10

25.66 23yo d.1990 Bette Davis doing DIY (57.8%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 157b): nose: strangely quiet at first nosing, it seems to only give away jellied cucumber. Soon, a huge, grassy note appears; cut grass, cooking broccoli, laurel leaves. The nose turns strangely quiet again, though. Orange drops, perhaps? Tomato chutney? Tomato stems? Let us give it a bit of time... After a few minutes, it opens up to deliver pink pepper and daisies, quince and fig relish. The shift in ABV is very noticeable, with this one tickling the nostrils much more than the previous two drams. Water makes it more fragrant and grassier, with tomato stems, sherbet, courgettes, rhubarb leaves, dried parsley, bulrush in bloom, gorse bushes, saxifrage. A beautiful nose that requires attention. Mouth: a bit more talkative here, showcasing what most people associate with the Lowland character: honey, meadow flowers (dandelions, daisies, buttercups) and orchard fruits (a combination of ripe apples and peaches). It is also rather powerful, with a generous sprinkle of ground black pepper, a minute pinch of nigella seeds and sandalwood, seasoned with orange liqueur. It has a soft acidity that is subtle, but present. The texture is that of orange juice, with some pulp, but not much. With water, the palate is more bitter. It feels as though all the flowers have released their sap, and that makes for a slightly less convincing palate altogether. The pink peppercorns are louder, adding to the perceived lack of balance. Water not recommended. Finish: ooft! It is in the finish that this one really shines. Here are nigella seeds in honey, caraway seeds, peach slices on toasted bread and sprinkled with black pepper, celery sticks, goat's cheese, pink peppercorns, all together in a meadow full of flowers (daisies, dandelions, poppies). A basket of orchard fruits was brought to the picnic: apples, quinces, peaches. With water, the finish is a lot more expressive, welcoming a jammy take on the above, but adding the same sappy bitterness that almost ruined the palate. I like it, but I find it borderline too bitter. Careful with water! 9/10

Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2008 (59.2%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection for La Maison du Whisky Collectors' Edition, Wine-treated Butt, C#2201, 388b, b#313, 8/513): nose: this one has a depth that the previous three did not have, with lichens, musty warehouses and dusty clay floors. It becomes more mineral pretty quickly, with flint, granite and the berry bushes that would grow in the cracks of a granite cliff. The limestone layer of a deep canyon, sprayed with squashed blueberries, blackcurrant jam, spread onto rock-hard bread -- by the way: mould is starting to form on that bread. There is a fleeting sulphury note in the corner of the nostril, before smoke appears, reminiscent of the period when man discovered fire (I was still a young boy, then). Myrtles, brambles, plaster band and gauze timidly pop in as well. Not an easy or obvious nose, this, but it rewards the patient noser. Mouth: berries here too, with myrtles and blackcurrant smothering the blueberries, fresh figs, blackberries, preserved strawberries, all on a bed of stone -- limestone, this time. The depth of the fruitiness is no less than staggering, and it is supported by lichen on rum-soaked stave, Patras wine, made from sun-drenched grapes. This is warming, to say the least. A bush fire, lit bracken, cherry tree, burning in the fireplace. Finish: long and assertive, the finish welcomes back the berries and the mineral side, the strong Greek wine, and grassier tones too, at this point. Myrtles, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, slate, limestone, flint, dusty clay, yet also black-tulip leaves and petals, violets, viola, purple primrose. Of the medicinal notes, none noticeably subsists, and there is no smoke to speak of. On the other hand, the considerably-higher ABV is integrated to perfection, yet after a few sips, one realises how strong it is: it leaves the taste buds very numb, as if one had chewed on chalk. Not as grassy as other St Magdalenes, but beautiful. I was not a fan, in the beginning, however. I must rejoice that ten years in an open bottle did such wonders. 8/10

01/04/2020 1st April

What else than Clynelfish would be adequate, on this prankful day?

Sirius 31yo 1988/2019 (43.1%, North Star Spirits, First Fill Bourbon Barrels, B#1, 3582b): rumour has it that this is a tea-spooned Clynelfish in disguise. Let us have it. Nose: quince jelly, prickle-pear jelly, manuka honey, furniture wax, sappy trees in bloom, honeysuckle, lots and lots of honeysuckle, plump apricot all flirt with the most beautiful mint sauce from a top Indian restaurant. Breathing allows a leafier side to emerge -- apple mint, flowering bushes, green-tomato chutney. Cellophane shows up too, alongside pine sap and fresh acrylic paint. This nose is deep and complex for sure! Later, it unveils caramel and custard... No! wait: caramel poured onto flan. Mouth: a little soft, perhaps, it shoots notes of pine sap, mint sauce, with gorse bushes, violet and lavender foliage -- in fact, it seems to take on a very leafy and floral, green character, now. The second sip is more in line with the nose, with honey and beeswax. Let us make it mountain honey, made from flowering pine trees. Finish: the yellow is back, with beeswax, pouring honey, quince jelly, honeysuckle sap, flowering currants, apricot jelly, vanilla rice pudding, fruity custard and a spoonful of caramel. It is quite short and a bit simple in the finish, perhaps. For immediate pleasure, though, it is an ace. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, TLWC)

Now, a proper Clynelfish.

Clynelish 22yo 1972/1995 (58.95%, OB Rare Malts Selection): nose: this is another kettle of Clynelfish, unsurprisingly. Pollen, blooming lilac, a mix of old wood dust (not sawdust) and beeswax, a pinch of ashes and that is all before the fruit takes over; plum, apricot, peach, drying grapefruit segments, flowering bushes, gorse, bulrush in the spring. Maybe there is an ounce of old wood in there too, somewhere. Later, wild strawberries join the dance, as does hazel tree. Mouth: perfect balance at almost 60%, with a pinch of spices (lemongrass yoghurt, ginger shavings) and lots of apiculture products (honey, beeswax, royal jelly). Prickly-pear jelly is present too, some pollen, in the back of the throat, and the gentle bitterness of hazelnut skins. Hazelnut paste, actually, to accompany yellow fruit in a polished wooden bowl. The mouth has a little pepper and green cardamom, as well as a sprinkle of ginger powder, very much kept in check. Finish: this is stunning, with honeys and tonic mead (whatever that means; probably mead, mixed with tonic). Beeswax, furniture wax, cut, juicy quince, apricot, with the stone and all, a whiff of wood dust, cigar boxes, Virginia tobacco and still those juicy, juicy fruits. They are bordering on citric, now, with grapefruit, pomelo, a couple of drops of lime juice, pineapple, Chinese gooseberry... The death becomes a little drying, with galangal shavings, ginger peels and hazelnut shells. It is more than tolerable, but that wood spiciness will prevent top score, tonight. Regardless, this is amazing. I find it a little less impressive than the first time and am paranoid that it has deteriorated in the open bottle. I will transfer it into a smaller container to be sure to be sure. 9/10

31/03/2020 Two unrelated samples

Tobermory 21yo 1995/2017 (49%, Acorn Japanese Mountains Great & Small, Hogshead, C#594): nose: ooft! It is an austere one, bone-dry to the point it is almost ashy. It even has medicinal notes: gauze, tincture of iodine, hospital corridors and neoprene. A minute of breathing gives it an almost peaty profile, with dark pipe tobacco, gunpowder and spent fireworks. There is a thin, nearly transparent veneer of apple peels, but make no mistake: this is not an orchard-y Tob' at all. It is closer to brandy, kept in a bucket previously used for soot. I even wonder if it has a leathery side to it -- in which case, it is freshly-marked cattle. Green grapes, unripe hazelnut and cabbage water round off the nose. Mouth: a pinch of caster sugar over what seems to amount to a field of ash (no, not talking about Kate). It strikes a perilous-if-successful balance between the undeniable austerity and more welcoming, sweeter tones. Golden apples, cut quince, chalky pear and Lyle's Golden Syrup, green grapes and hazelnut, both unripe, battle with surgical spirits, incense ash, germolene and carbolic. Finish: thin ans warming, very warming. It picks up where the palate stopped, with orchard fruit and a pinch of ash, accompanied by a glass of dry white wine. The more I drink it, the sweeter it becomes, but it remains sharp and not exactly easily accessible. I am not usually a big fan of this sort of naked spirits, but it does work, here. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, MN)

Kornog Sant Erwan b.2016 (50%, OB, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, 275b): nose: holy smoke! I can smell peat, yet it is transfigured, metamorphosed into berry jam. Smoked strawberry jam, raspberry compote, lingonberry compote, cut peaches in sangria, all the while presenting a farm-y aspect as well: farmland paths, farmyards and ploughed fields in the summer sun flirt with pineapple chunks, Haribo sweets and Gummibärchen. The fruit is almost chemical, now, but that causes no concern whatsoever. Mouth: more of those chewy, fruity sweets, with some subtle smoke in the background barely stating its presence. It is mostly strawberry and raspberry compotes, chewy sweets with the same, that one would eat around a camp fire (haaaaaay!) Lashes of pineapple (drops, this time) appear on the side of the mouth, which is as welcome as it is surprising. The smoke is very much in the back seat, though well present. Finish: the great gig continues, an infernal ballet of refined smoke and candied fruit in a chewy-sweet fashion, Gummibärchen-style. Strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, Kola Kubes, burnt fruit-tree wood, cauldrons of jams on an old-school wood fire and... peanut shells, almond skins, meaning a soft bitterness. In fact, I would go further and call it Amaretto, with its bitterness and its sweetness. Is this good, or what! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, Steph2A)