31/07/2020 Finishing July with two summery whiskies from Dufftown

The heat is back -- again. :-(

Kininvie 23yo 1991/2015 (42.6%, OB, American Hogsheads & Sherry Casks, B#3): is this the first Kininvie on this blog?  Kind of. There is one other meagre note, but it is for the same liquid. Nose: a wave of vanilla at first, which leans towards butterscotch and toffee, but it turns out that butterscotch is accompanied by linseed oil. In fact, oil becomes a permanent fixture, with walnut oil, -- wait a minute! No! It is shaving cream and cologne... and back to vanilla; custard, to be precise. Funnily enough, the vanilla merely triggers another merry-go-round, as we soon have more oil, then male-grooming items. A dash of lemonade is added into the mix, and also fudge, Chinese-gooseberry skins and the crystallised fruit flesh -- how entertaining! Time and breathing seem to let citrus shine brighter, grapefruit style, yet it never shakes off the shaving cream or balm. It adds wood pulp to the above, though. Mouth: well, it feels a lot woodier on the palate, with more-pronounced wood pulp, papier mâché, crushed Chinese gooseberry and a drop of lime juice. Peach yoghurt, flat lemonade and dusty magazines, in the back of the throat, white chocolate, peanut brittle in custard, linseed oil -- scratch that: it is cashew oil, a dash of almond milk... It has some bitterness and acidity, yet both are anecdotal. Finish: mellow, gentle, it is all squashed peaches in a mix of custard and wood pulp. Pleasant, refreshing and soft like triple-layer toilet paper (hopefully less of an ecological nonsense). Very late, it kind of has remnants of the citric acidity of the nose and palate, but really, it is as velvety as can be. Melted toffee, flan, banoffee, a drop of cashew oil, blanched hazelnut flakes (or is it almond?) and macadamia shavings. Very good. It did not shine at a festival, but it is brilliant on its own. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Wardhead 20yo 1997/2018 (51%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. The Cooper's Choice, Bourbon Cask, C#28, 384b): first Wardhead, here. The name is used to designate tea-spooned Glenfidddich. Nose: a bit spirit-y and leathery in a "we're flaying cows here" sort of way. As soon as that dissipates (and it doesnae take long), it turns out to be very citric indeed, with pomelo, unripe lime and bergamot in a light wicker basket. A headier note shows up, not quite incense, but it certainly reminds me of that kind of new-age-shop vibe. Perhaps natural soap? Scented candle? Yes, that is it. I would be unable to say what kind of scent, however. Gentle beeswax, peach skins and waxy apricots, maybe, if they make candles and soap out of that (do they?) Later sniffing reveals dead leaves on a damp forest floor, though we are far from humus and mushrooms, still. Caramelised butterscotch shows up too. Mouth: just as mellow as the Kininvie, for a second, it quickly shows its strength. However, it does so with velvet gloves on. Conference pears, sprinkled with ground pepper, more butterscotch than one can shake a stick at, bitter lemonade and toffee. Perhaps the palate is a little more cereal-y than the nose, with dried oats, husks and iron tonic -- actually: iron full stop! Yes, silver spoons and knife handles flirt with hazelnut milk and citrus peel (calamansi or satsuma; nothing too acidic). Finish: back to mellow and velvety, the finish sees peach flesh, just torn off the stone, apricot yoghurt, squashed banana, drizzled with white rum. This finish is very long too. The flavours quietly dance on the mouth walls forever, even though one has to pay attention to realise they are there -- but they are. In the long run, it emits vaguely nutty touches, with blanched hazelnut, ground macadamia, hazelnut milk and calamansi, which is a citrus, not a nut, but do not interrupt me. I suppose that, if one looks hard enough, one may find oat milk, leading to lukewarm porridge with honey, but that is discreet and a half. Much better than I expected, but I am not sure what I expected or why. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Bishlouk)

26/07/2020 One Miltonduff

Miltonduff 15yo 1995/2011 (56.3%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve imported by Classic Wines Imports for Park Avenue Liquor Shop, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#9461, 198b, AA/ABBB): nose: wood and burnt wood, hessian sacks used to carry logs to the fireplace, and, let us not beat about the bush, sulphur. Matchbox strikers, spent matches, exhaust fumes from a diesel engine, cordite, spent fireworks, charred plums, and a few vegetative whiffs to complement that (marsh gas, stagnant water, cabbage cooking water). This is clearly not for everyone. After a while, it does welcome husky and fruity notes, such as pot ale and charred orange peel, yet it is a rather challenging nose, this. With water, only the sulphur seems to persist, mineral and austere; brimstone, elemental sulphur, hot sands, dry linen. Mouth: different story on the palate, where orange, blood orange and grapefruit compete for attention, perhaps rinsed with a few drops of peach nectar... and fire! This is strong, though not exactly spicy. It is hard to describe. I find Jaffa Cakes (the lesser PiM's), orange drops, banana rum and preserved strawberries. I suppose the sulphur from the nose is there, but it is subtle, almost beyond recognition. A little charred-wood gratings, maybe? Artichoke, rose-petal jelly, fierce grapefruit juice. With water, the alcohol cools down, but so does everything else. Diluted orange-and-grapefruit juice. I cannot say it is a good swimmer! Finish: yes, charred-wood gratings, a diesel-engine's exhaust fumes, cordite, yet they take a back seat to blood orange and grapefruit. This is powerful, citric, unforgiving. A lick of culinary chocolate, melted in the microwave oven and slightly burnt, burnt toast, strong liquorice, hot tobacco ash. Water increases the chocolate note and adds liquorice-root shavings and aniseed to make it an earthier effort. The citric acidity is still present, if less pronounced. I like this better than previously. The nose is still as unwelcoming for me. That said, I know people who would love it. It redeems itself on the palate and in the finish, in my opinion. 7/10

25/07/2020 Two Longmorns to cheer up a dreary day

It is one of those Saturdays that feel like a bad Sunday. My mood is accordingly bad.

Longmorn 29yo 1985/2015 (51.9%, Hunter Laing Old & Rare A Platinum Selection imported by DJK Imports for K&L Wines, Refill Hogshead, 251b, L15 194 PB OAR0243): nose: sharp and spirit-y, it has some fruit (quince jelly and waxy citrus skins -- unripe citrus), solvents (acetone, cellophane, latex paint) and a drop of pine essence. Then, it changes to unveil damp bung cloth, wet cork and hay in hessian sacks. In a matter of minutes or two, it morphs again, and this time, it is to reveal cereals (warm oats, pot ale, puffed rice). In the end, a small quantity of dry white wine joins the party too (Riesling, probably), hand in hand with caramelised apricot in a leather pouch. After the first sip, the nose offers plastic caps (used to hold saffron) and oilskins. Mouth: very sharp, edgy, even, it cuts the tongue neatly and deeply, pours lime juice onto the flesh wound, then rubs ground white pepper into it. Peppery grapefruit, a hint of warm cellophane here too, ginger-and-cinnamon bubble gum (the brown Boule Magique, for the 1980s kids amongst the readership), American cream soda, unripe gooseberries and greengages. It is quite difficult to tame. Fortunately, it makes me salivate profusely, which helps attenuate the sharpness. The second sip is fruitier, even if said fruits (orange, satsuma, greengage) are not very ripe. Finish: hot and spicy here too, with a newfound  bitterness to boot (crushed bay leaf). Ground white pepper, nutmeg, crushed cardamom, pine needles and tree bark (larch or cedar), sawdust... It is very woody, yes. The first sip has delicate milk chocolate, but it is short-lived. The second sip is all about wood. I so want to like this one more. It is good enough, just not a fantastic cask, and I find it a stretch to think of it as an Old & Rare Platinum. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Longmorn-Glenlivet 21yo (46%, Cadenhead, b. ca 1990): nose: it is a completely unfair match. From the get-go, this is bursting with tropical fruit; papaya, mango snakehead fruit, dragon fruit, lychee, jack fruit, decaying pineapple and maracuja, persimmon and pink grapefruit. Next to that ridiculous display, a pouch of Virginia tobacco, a bottle of Anjou rosé wine, apples and pears, soaked in sangria, a mahogany chest of drawers, fig relish, and some flowers too: lilac, bulrush, honeysuckle. Strangely enough, the fruits lose steam, whilst the flowers gain momentum. It only takes a bit of swirling the glass to bring the fruits back, though -- phew! In the back of the nose, a discreet, earthy note catches on too, but yeah! Total destruction by fruit, innit. Mouth: soft, mildly pickled, it soon reassures me that it has lost none of its power to the angels. Peppermint, laurel leaves, money-plant leaves (that is crassula ovata convoluta, for the botanists), leeks or green onions... and then it begins again -- peppery papaya, dragon fruit, snakehead fruit, stale pineapple, a dash of pink-grapefruit juice, chewing tobacco, calf book-bindings done yesterday, tonic, pine drops, flowering currants -- rhaaaaaaaa! How good is this? Finish: a little less fruity in the finish, it has the same peppermint, this time augmented with liquorice root, bay leaves, a freshly-cut suede jacket, pine resin, lilac and green tomatoes. Oh! It does still bring some tropical action, with dragon fruit, sweet lemon, Chinese gooseberry, unripe pomelo, lime zest and aromatic tobacco, all drowned in a river of tonic, slightly bitter and quinine-like. 9/10

And the winner is...

The one with the dodgy fill level.
No wonder I needed reassurance!

21/07/2020 Belgium National Day

Ô Belgique, ô mère chérie,

À toi nos cœurs, à toi nos bras,

À toi notre sang, ô Patrie!

Nous le jurons tous, tu vivras!

Tu vivras toujours grande et belle

Et ton invincible unité

Aura pour devise immortelle:

Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!

Nationalism is for insecure children, but a bit of patriotism does not hurt. What will it be?

Goldlys? No.
Carolus? Negative.
Belgian Owl? Nein.
Dailuaine? Yes. Belgians like Dailuaine. At least, the Belgians I know do. :-)

Dailuaine 16yo (43%, OB, L0343LS000 00039534, b. 2010): nose: I always remember this as not only the best in the colloquially-known Flora & Fauna range (admittedly, I have never tried the Speyburn), but as a perfect sherry maturation. A whiff of it and I can see why I have that impression! Leather, shoe polish, exotic wood (teak, mahogany, redwood, ebony) and dried fruits (raisins, dates, figs, cranberries soaked in Cognac), nut oil (Brazil, nut, macadamia), a touch of chocolate and wood varnish (carbonyl style). The second nosing might bring what one would identify as frying egg white (a touch of sulphur, I guess), though one would have to look really hard for it. Mouth: the sherry speaks again, with just a murmur of barbecued meat that is completely overpowered by juicy sultanas, dried dates, mince pies, dark chocolate and chocolate coulis. Repeated sipping cranks up the wood oils (teak), posh furniture wax and shoe polish. The more I sip it, the nuttier I find it, with almond milk (including the bitter skin), Brazil-nut paste, ground walnuts -- but always hand in hand with raisins. Finish: unsurprisingly, the finish gathers all the above (dried fruits, nuts and wood oils, shoe polish and subtle chocolate) and adds a drop of coffee to keep it varied and exciting. It has a clear sweetness to it, whether it is Pedro Ximénez sherry or Port, marmalade-glazed or honey-coated nuts, it is very noticeable. Look, it is not overly complex, right? But boy! does it do what it does well. I could easily drink this all night. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Dailuaine 17yo 1996/2014 (56.9%, A.D. Rattray Cask Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, C#10622, 281b): similar age, but aged in Bourbon, this time -- and of course, this one is a single cask, bottled independently. Nose: amusingly enough, this one appears much meatier than its sherried counterpart; faded leather, white meat (pork roast or chicken breast), musk. It is only a few seconds until that meat makes room for hay and cereals, however: roasted barley, hops, oats, and what appears to be a faint smoky touch. That dissipates in favour of sunny farmlands (crusted earth in the fields), horse's hair, then back to smoke (think: pizza oven) and... cooked vegetables (broccoli? Really?) Baked-potato skins, nail varnish -- woah! Wait a minute! When did this become so rich? It even has a pinch of warm beach sand. Latterly, lemon trees appear (I wonder how, I wonder why), citric, fruity, fragrant, refreshing. In fact, that morphs into a pleasant calamansi sorbet. Mouth: warm and creamy, it has red chilli and sweet paprika on smashed banana, pouring honey, lemonade, bitterly-unripe mandarin -- in fact, the bitterness is bordering on pickled gherkins. The strength is hard to ignore too. From the second sip on, it is clear that this is in the high fifties, and the chilli is joined by grated ginger and lemongrass, as well as that calamansi sorbet, which has now melted (or is it Sicilian lemon instead of calamansi? I love it, in any case). Finish: here too, it is an infernal carousel of flavours -- a carousel that spins so fast it is hard to figure out what is happening. Lemonade, unripe mandarin, sweet chilli, hot-as-fook smashed banana, dry farmland, toasted barley and barley drops, horse's hair, roasted potatoes, but also butterscotch, hot caramel and crushed bay leaves, which are rather drying, in the long run. The sorbet is still there too, though it is lime sorbet, now. And it has melted completely. And someone is heating it up on the fire. And it WORKS. This unassuming dram has turned into something quite special, after a few years of breathing in an open bottle! 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Even if the 17 is great, I stand by my judgement: the 16yo OB remains one of the best Dailuaines bottled that side of thirty years of age.

20/07/2020 Random pair #2

Glenmorangie Artisan Cask (46%, OB, White Oak First Fill Hogsheads, b.2005, L5 244 15:57 4ML): this one is a matter of pride for adc, who discovered it at Whisky Live! Verviers in 2006, where it was kept under the counter. She persuaded the guy at the stall to let her try it, raved about it and introduced everyone in the group to it. Nose: the cask speaks loudly (it is the point), but it is not all vanilla either. Sure, there are salted shortbread, custard powder, glycerine, fudge, toffee, pâtes de fruits gone slightly stale and ginger biscuits. Next to all that is an almost metallic note, a knife's edge, probably. Then, digestive biscuits, tinned corn, spreading honey, drying out in the cupboard, beeswax-imbibed rags, left in the toolbox for months... Yes, it has a honeyed/waxy side, but that side is not lush, that is certain. The whisky is not austere either, mind! Sweet barley and cooked swedes, maybe even sweet potatoes. Further nosing shows sweet paprika and allspice. Mouth: relatively crisp, it has more-pronounced honey on the tongue than in the nose; mead, pouring honey, yet also milk-soaked white bread, and the expected vanilla-y cavalcade of custard , butterscotch, flan, fudge, toffee, even, with just a pinch of ginger powder. Cinnamon-and-ginger biscuits shape up, adding a welcome dimension. Unsalted butter, frothing in the pan, and a spoonful of dried hops, too. Finish: mellow, yet warming (well done LVMH for bottling this at 46%), it is very much a toffee whisky -- think Quality Street's Toffee Penny. Rich fudge, sumptuous custard and caramel augment a lovely swede mash, topped with a dollop of pouring honey and a pinch of ginger powder. Parts of the finish hint at iron tonic, though it is hard to understand why. A gentle bitterness, maybe? Yes. It comes from buttercups -- the petals and a millimetre of stem. tOMoH has had the pleasure of trying a few things, in the fourteen years since this hit the shelves, yet, despite all the unfair comparisons this could suffer from, it remains a thoroughly enjoyable dram. Well done adc for discovering it and sharing the word. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Macduff 24yo 1984/2008 (46%, Signatory Vintage for Direct Wines First Cask, C#877, b#215, L08/498): nose: this one immediately has an earthy profile, with Virginia tobacco and dry, dusty earth, yet also berries aplenty: lingonberry, blueberry, cloudberry, billberry, cranberry, sweet and tart at the same time. Is that baked banana skins? Pencil eraser? But of course! In fact, I may go as far as inky blotting paper, here, even if it is a little too juicy for that. The nose has this juicy and vaguely smoky combination that works particularly well for me. In the long run, blood orange and squashed raspberry surface, stewing in a pot. Later, marzipan, Brazil-nut paste, roasted-peanut paste, and maybe, far back, a notion of shower gel. One would be silly to call this a soapy whisky, though. Mouth: here, it is all soft apricot flesh and cold lingonberry compote, at first, before some cranberry jam and smoked-billberry curd (a nod to Roland Casper, for those who know) join, followed by melted bitter chocolate and hessian sacks full of fresh Virginia tobacco. The second sip adds mocha to the mix, more of a mocha butter cream than coffee. Piping-hot pouring honey, distant scorched earth, crusty mudflats after a drought, yet also hot fudge, straight off the baking tray, and salted caramel. Finish: it is a little explosion of flavours, here. All coating the mouth are coffee grounds, grated dark chocolate, tobacco, caramelised apricot compote, lingonberry compote, hessian, linseed oil and cod-liver oil. It has the acidity of sour berries, the bitterness of liquorice root (a tiny quantity), the earthiness of a dry field, the richness of mocha-y fudge, and even a chemical touch of hair lacquer. A charred, tarry note grows with each sip too, never becoming a nuisance. This is simply beautiful, to speak plainly. A tight-arsed 8 that could become a 9 in other circumstances. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

19/07/2020 Two Convalmores

Convalmore d.1969 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, b. early 1980s): there were at least three versions of this (bottled at 12, 13 and 14yo). Considering the bottler did not mention the age or the bottling date on their miniatures, at the time, it is unclear which one this is. Nose: well, it is the trademark dusty/pickled leather/coffee that comes with a brown-label, Gordon & MacPhail miniature (Old Miniature Effect, or OME, remember). It only takes a couple of minutes to evolve and display mocha butter cream, damp bung cloth and inky blotting paper, stained with preserved-gherkin pickle juice. A little later, old bookshelves and cardboard boxes appear. Clearly, this one is dominated by aromas of old wood. Only after more than five minutes does it present a mix of fruit (oranges, past their prime) and stagnant water, then cappuccino. At that point, it is very pleasant too. Just before the last sip, it becomes obvious that the nose has a little smoke from a coal stove. It is discreet, but it is there. Mouth: gentle, even soft-ish, at first, it has barrel-aged orange juice, fruity and woody in equal measures, then dried grated ginger, mixed peel, and candied orange cubes. The texture is velvety and nicely mouth-coating. The second sip brings up more spices (white pepper and galangal shavings), and it stops feeling soft-ish. Musty cellar, damp, earthy floors, cardboard. Perhaps burnt Christmas cake, sticking to the side of the mould. Finish: marvellous finale that has most of the above: a drop of cappuccino, lots of orange juice, candied papaya, now, dried ginger, damp bung cloth, cardboard, a pinch of earth, though little pickle, at this stage. Cocoa powder, perhaps, bitter and chocolate-y at the same time. The stagnant water from the nose has disappeared (phew), but a new addition is an impression of a classroom coal stove -- a little smoky, a little sooty, very warming, very oldskool. Love this. 8/10

Convalmore 40yo 1977/2017 (56.8%, Cadenhead 175th Anniversary, Butt, 522b): this mighty expression was released at the 2017 Campbeltown Festival, for the 175th Anniversary Tasting. You may recall that I never tried it, because I had spent too much time with the Banff. Luckily, I had an empty container, that day. Now is the time, then. Nose: oh! My word, that is so different. It is to be expected, of course, seeing the age difference (not to mention the vintages). In no particular order, we have flower stems (gorse), custard, satsuma, kumquat, kaffir lime leaves, bergamot and calamansi (though the latter is subtle). It smells citric, but in a sweet, leafy sort of way, rather than overtly acidic. There is something else, though -- something unexpected: pet-fish or pet-turtle food. I do not think I have come across that aroma in a whisky before (or seen that tasting note, so remember: you read it here first!) Lavender, pineapple skin, cucumber peel, lemon sage, primrose and violets -- phwoar! This rawks, innit! Further nosing reveals fruity custard, perhaps with fleeting minty cough drops added in for good measure. Mouth: soft texture, despite the significantly-higher ABV, it has thinned juice and white-wine sangria (if such a thing exists). Soon, it unleashes fruity custard or yoghurt, with pineapple chunks, peach (roasted peach, no less), Chinese gooseberry (also roasted), smoked tangerine segments (that is right: smoky), stewed rhubarb, primrose again, kumquat and banana rum. The palate has something perfume-like too; some kind of essence, though not pine, even if one might find traces of pine resins in this. Perhaps it is simply the structure, which is concentrated and lively-ish. A green note persists: the primrose stems, without a doubt. The whole palate reminds me of the boozy haze in a dunnage warehouse, filled with the angels' share. Finish: here, it is superfruity, with smoked tangerine again, smoked kiwi, fresh pineapple cubes, charred calamansi, grilled apricot, fruity crème brûlée, waves of custard, bursting with squashed fruit (mostly peach again) and a few grains of sooty charcoal in a galvanised-steel bucket. The finish has the same comforting warmth the Gordon & MacPhail had, but it is made so much richer by that custard-y fruitiness that accompanies it. This is boss. The sort of bottles that will inevitably grow in reputation and prestige. A very strong 9/10

15/07/2020 red71's e-tasting

red71's turn to host Bishlouk, SLT, JS and me, then. You know the score: a videoconference with samples from the organiser's collection, all blind.

Dram A
Nose: dry white wine, very dry, with Sauvignon blanc, mostly. Then it is incense, mukhwas, almond shells, rapeseed oil, but also water colour, a touch of clay, plum juice and plum skins. Warm hay and delicate shoe polish round off the nose. The second deep nosing has fruity yoghurt or papaya custard. Yum! Mouth: crisp, grape-y and a little waxy, it has plums, almond milk and white wine of a dry variety. Soon, dried apricots and incense ash appear too, and, perhaps, a minute quantity of fried egg white. Finish: wide, waxy, hay-like and drying (to an acceptable level), with pears coming out most. The finish is almost rum-like, with sugar, oozing through staves, lichen, verbena and incense ashes... Oh! A dropkick of mango/papaya catches me off guard. Lovely! The others debate whether it is as good as they remembered it and tend to think it is not. Phillistines. I find it smashing. Teeling 13yo 2002/2016 (51%, Teeling, Bourbon Cask, C#2111) 8/10

Dram B
Nose: salt water and glossy magazines, loud and clear, then pot-pourri, hay, cut grass, dried flowers; it becomes really flowery, actually, with a discreet note of custard -- minty custard. Forsythia, kerria japonica, faded leather. Mouth: yellow, it has pollen, beeswax in the making and a broth of macerating daffodils. It cranks up the flowers via retro-nasal olfaction. I find a more-than-tolerable vegetal bitterness, too. In the long run, gravel appears, which makes the palate rather drying. Finish: very salty, here (red71 is ecstatic about that), which complements the daffodils rather well. Bitter like aromatic herbs, borderline metallic, even if hay and Sauvignon blanc rock up here too. The salty bitterness is a bit much for me, I have to say. It is good, though. Clynelish 19yo 1996/2016 (50.9%, Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Cask Strength secially selected for The Bonding Dram Single Malt Whisky Shop & Prima Vinum, Hogshead, C#6406, 269b) 7/10

Dram C
Nose: gravel, pebbles, shingles, bone-dry wine, algae on rocks, pressed apricot, a hint of bathtub funk, macadamia-nut oil and mancadamia-nut milk. Breathing time increases the fruitiness, with apricot and peach, soft water colour, a tad drying and plasticine-like. Mouth: waxy apricot, plasticine, Turkish delights, chewy and fruity. Oilskins, a gentle maritime side, as well as drying staves and some spices (cumin, ground coriander seeds) and tannins. Finish: long, chewy, it leaves a pasty mouth. Chives, tulip stems and an undecipherable mix of animal skin and juicy grass. The finish is the weakest part of this otherwise fine drop. It takes us half a dozen attempts to pinpoint the distillery, despite clues. Bruichladdich 20yo 1993/2013 (51.6%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 738b) 8/10

Dram D
Nose: farm-y peat. Very farm-y. I guess Longrow immediately. And I am shot down. Hay bales, drying fishing nets, burning hazel wood, beach sands, cigar smoke all abound, next to the obvious farmland paths and farmyards. Mouth: dry and full of drying fishing nets, but remarkably little peat (it does come, boldly, through retro-nasal olfaction, however). Clay, bog water, moss, bothies, wet-camp-fire smoke... It has this strange and strong humidity, next to the earthy peat, in the back of the throat. Finish: big, boggy, it unveils notes of berries (bog myrtle, wild strawberries), mud, clay, silt, rancio and lots of smoke in a bothy on a foggy day. Nice. Sneaky red71 blended this himself, as he found the first component too soft, at 43%. Caol Ila 25yo b.2018 (43%, OB, L8269CM003) + Cl10 (58.2%, Elixir Distillers Elements of Islay, 3 x American Oak Hogsheads) 7/10

Dram E
Nose: orchard fruits, a faded-leather game bag, a spoonful of mud or wet clay before being made into pottery, and a pleasant mix of mulch and petrichor. Gardeners of the world rejoice! Later, it has a medicinal note too: bandages, old gauze, sports tape (adhesive muscle straps) and traces of strawberry. Mouth: dry, it has similar notes of strawberry and orchard fruits (cider apple, conference pear), as well as that mud, though it is dryer than the nose suggested, perhaps. Meringue with a strawberry coulis at a candlelit dinner. Finish: dried strawberry slices, damp mulch, cider apples, the most minute touch of gauze, burning fruit tree, charred toast, scraped onto fruity yoghurt. This is nice! It has smoke, burnt wood and fruit in adequate doses. Laphroaig 16yo b.2019 (48, OB for Amazon, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels, 11500b) 8/10

Dram F
Nose: cured meat, musk, fox skin, wet cat, pickled red onions and a dry, earthy note that betrays an Oloroso maturation. I find it very wet and animal, which is not my preference. After a while, minty yoghurt appears, fast turning into minty-gel toothpaste (of a certain blue kind), then thuja sap and other resins (cedar and cypress come to mind, and that takes me back to my grandmother's garden). A pinch of ground coffee, perhaps? No matter how much time I spend on this, the nose stays wine-y to me (pickled red onions). Mouth: fresh, minty, it displays a raisin-y side that I like, and a lick of chocolate more than earth, which is good news. The second sip has more-pronounced wine-y notes, but they are controlled. Let us call them chocolate-coated raisins. Dried currants, dried raspberry slices, and a pinch of dark earth for good measure. Finish: long, assertive, it has dried figs, dates, currants, raisins and dark chocolate (65%, which, to a chocolate enthusiast, is borderline milk chocolate, I know). Again, one could call it chocolate-coated raisins. It has some tannins and cherry pralines. This would score better but for the nose, which is not exactly my thing. Glengoyne 12yo 2005/2018 (56%, OB specally selected for The Netherlands bottled for De Monnik Dranken, Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, C#2685, 278b) 7/10

Good sesh again.

red71 chose to sit in a calming poppy field

12/07/2020 One dram on a lazy Sunday

The heat is back. :-(

Ragtime Rye 3yo b.2019 (57.9%, New York Distilling Co. Privately Selected bottled for British Bourbon Society, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#445): we do not have rye very often. The heat today seems to justify it. Nose: oh! What is happening, here? At first, it is red jello and punch (indistinct taste, but it smells chemical), then a powerful kick of neutral alcohol and ginger. The second sniff adds foot-bath waste water to the mix, pig sweat (do pigs even sweat?), buttermilk, oilskins and plastic buckets full of "chemical fruits" (apricot flavouring would be my guess). Five minutes in, it becomes tolerable at last: the plastic-y/chemical side slows down a bit, allowing a minty resin to emerge alongside waxy fruit peel. Water exacerbates the oilskin character above all else. Mouth: the attack is strong and merciless, with lots of fresh ginger, cedar-wood splinters, hot resin and a faint fruitiness (apricot again, mirabelle plum). The sides of the tongue still detect oilskins and plastic, but they are tame, at this stage, and resemble waxy fruit skins more than chemicals, although those do poke their heads round the back, in an artificial-flavouring or Irn-Bru kind of way. With water, the heat goes down a notch, and the mouthfeel goes thinner and dryer. The profile settles for woody, with mint and resin, and does away with the chemicals. Woo. Finish: massively powerful, but decently integrated. It is all about those resinous notes, in the finish, with hot pine sap, minty resin, cured ginger and decaying mirabelle plum. Not much plastic to be found here, I am pleased to report, and even the Irn Bru could be mistaken for waxy bergamot peels. It leaves the tongue a bit numb and it makes me hot. That is not what I was going for, really... Water gives it an unexpectedly herbal twist of geranium and tomato stems. Enough for today. I am exhausted. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, MN)

11/07/2020 Day of the Flemish Community

Geenfarclas is the favourite distillery of Luc Timmermans, a collector from Flanders. I do not think he knows who I am, to be clear. I just have a few 'farclasses and it happens to be the Day of the Flemish Community.

Glenfarclas 41yo 1973/2014 (40.7%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 186b): nose: Virginia tobacco and sweet onions, melting in butter. Demerara sugar, muscovado sugar, while also a cereal note: Weetabix and draff. It has a whole fruity side to it, with dried apricots, dried mango slices and chewy orange sweets. After the first sip, the nose takes on an orange-peel character, even grapefruit zest appears, with pith not far behind. Mouth: fresh, fruity and herbaceous, it has iron tonic, tarragon and loads of citrus (juicy oranges, tangerines, ripe mandarins), pineapple drops, lemon mint, perhaps pot ale. The second sip is orange and peach nectar, rich, sweet, softly bitter and fruity to the max. The sugar from the nose morphs into caramel flan, perhaps with a drop of tonic (Schweppes), or green tea leaves. Finish: perfectly balanced, it continues the citrus story, with slightly more acidic fruits, this time: pomelo, bergamot, calamansi, rather than orange and tangerine. There is also rose-petal jelly, prickle-pear marmalade, jellied narcissus leaves (don't ask), gelatine, and, once again, the gentle bitterness of tonic water. A soft-wood influence can be felt at the third sip, at last, more mint or resin than sandal wood or ginger. One has to work rather hard, with this one. All the notes are tightly interwoven, and it becomes tricky to identify them. Undoubtedly, it is excellent juice, yet it is difficult to describe it. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, Forrest)

Probably Speyside's Finest Distillery 46yo 1967/2013 (53.6%, Langside Distillers Douglas of Drumlanrig for La Boutique du Chemin, Sherry Butt, C#LD10258, 9b): this is one of Hunter Laing's Old & Rare Platinum, re-bottled for La Boutique du Chemin. There have been a few of those, that were given a new livery and a ridiculously low outturn for the Belgian shop. Anyway, the online shop clearly states this is a Glenfarclas; I am sure Hunter Laing are ecstatic about that, seeing what lengths they go to to ensure this is from an undisclosed distillery. Nose: it has almost nothing in common with its predecessor. This one has encaustic, wood varnish, rapeseed oil, pickled reddish onions, pickled radishes, plum wine, sliced pickled ginger, lots of rancio, as becomes very obvious, after a minute. Then, it is a drinks cabinet and something less likely: something sweaty; not quite old gym shoes -- something closer to cheese (halloumi). Elderberry, fermenting away, before being made into a liqueur, wine sauce, marinated skewers, and then a powerful earthiness -- scorched earth and hair balls. Mouth: oomph! This feels wine-y on the tongue! Marinating skewers, sauce grand'veneur, fruit liqueur... and a lot of fruit, full stop, actually: elderberry, blackberry, myrtle, dark cherry all compete for attention. That said, they have to fight off Madeira and Port, which are well bombastic. The palate has a pronounced toasted side too, with distinct aniseed, charred toast and scorched earth, though it falls short of coffee grounds (phew!) Cocoa powder, coconut oil, gun oil. The texture is surprisingly thin, on the other hand. Only the taste is oily. Finish: in line with the above, it has the bitter freshness of aniseed, roasted liquorice root and berries aplenty (even if it goes no further than rancio-y elderberry, this time). Madeira wine, a touch of earth , liquorice allsorts, perhaps new rubber joints, liqueur pralines, almond oil and Brazil-nut skins. It is well made, but less my thing. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, LM)

Glenfarclas 105 (60%, OB, b. ca 2017): kind people at Master of Malt! I was buying ten samples (including three Mosstowies and three Glenislas) and a bottle, and they sent me this as a freebie. As a former colleague would say: "so cute." Anyway, it is a staple in many drinks cabinets, and used to feature highly on any bang-for-your-buck list. I have never found it noteworthy and have not had it for nigh-on twenty years. Time to confront my prejudice. Nose: "it smells like whisky," as FMcN would say. It smells powerful, with, next to the alcohol, musk, animal skin (wet fox?), cheap wood varnish and baby sick -- butyric, Cavalier66 would call it, posh that he is. Then, suddenly, it turns all green with tomato leaves, laurel leaves, day-old cut grass on a heap, onion seeds, mulch. It swings between green house and hay seamlessly, before coming back to cheap wood varnish, this time with hair balls too (the kind that clog a sink). With water, it smells like a proper supermarket whisky, with cat urine and baby sick. Maybe a drop of orange juice, in the long run, and a pinch of chalk powder, in the back. Mouth: chemical lemonade, a mixture of Dr. Pepper and Fanta. It is also very powerful, peppery, peppermint-y in a Fisherman's Friend sort of way -- fierce. Other than that, it tastes very much like basic whisky, with milk-chocolate cream and wood chunks, cereal (puffed rice, barley husk), and then a gentle, wine-y note. With water, it feels more wine-y, whilst also thinner and fruitier: orange juice and zest make it to the surface, at last. The second wet sip feels chalky. Finish: long, big, it has ginger shavings, cedar wood, cigar boxes, tannins, some milk chocolate, buried under peppermint, crushed bay leaves, cardamom pods. Water dials everything down but the chocolate: it becomes milk chocolate and orange jelly (that would be Jaffa Cake, then, because it is not good enough to be PiM's). To be perfectly honest, it is not particularly pleasant. Not disgusting either; just not very good. That said, I was bracing myself for worse. :-) It is a lot of alcohol for not a lot of money. I do want more of my whisky, though. In any case, it is better with water. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, MoM)

05/07/2020 Two more Lochsides

Because why not?

Lochside 1981/2010 (50%, Ryst-Dupeyron Captain Burn's): nose: waxy tropical fruit, with mango skins and lychee, yet also citrus: blood orange, pink grapefruit, bursting with juice, satsuma and calamansi, lemon-tree bark... Yes: it has a woody side to it, which balances out the fruit adequately. Cigar boxes, holding crushed Kaffir lime leaves. In fact, the nose even seems to have ash. Certainly, it is ash from burnt fruit tree, orange tree. A whiff of fusty cork, humid cardboard, then dried orange peel, ground into dust. Later nosing helps discover banana and apricot yoghurt. Mouth: juicy-thin in texture, it has ginger powder and a pinch of white pepper, sprinkled over similar fruits: oranges, satsumas, calamansis, pink grapefruits, as well as lychee and tatters of mango flesh, stuck to the skin. As the liquid coats the mouth, it reveals more and more gingery oranges. Just like on the nose, the second sip puts the emphasis on banana -- banane flambée, probably, with ground cloves and ground cardamom. Lovely. Finish: phwoar! It is in line with the nose and mouth (citrus and soft spices), until a timid kick of tropical fruit comes tickle the taste buds (pineapple, here; no sign of the lychee, at this stage). If banana there is, it is not ripe. On the other hand, the citrus is bold, with grapefruits of all colours, ripe oranges and mandarins. It is juicy, crisp and a tad acidic too. Cedar-wood sheets give the wood spices that one should expect in a whisky of that age, yet it is clearly a solidly fruity drop, first and foremost. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Lochside 52yo 1963/2015 (48.1%, Hunter Laing The Sovereign, Refill Hogshead, C#HL11835, 83b): that is not a lot of bottles, is it? Nose: lots and lots of blackcurrant, blackcurrant jam... Did I pour an Invergordon by mistake? It is a masterclass in dark berries, really; blackberries, blueberries, myrtles, and a spoonful of elderberries to complete a picture that is mostly painted with blackcurrant juice. Speaking of painting, oil paint makes a brief appearance, then recedes to make room for blackcurrant turnovers, slightly overly baked, leaving caramelised jam and gently-charred crust. Time puts the focus on that charred profile, with charred fruit tree and burnt pastry to complement the caramelised jam. Mouth: by the great Cthulhu! This is so jammy it is unreal. Blackcurrant jam through and through, with a note of smoked blackberry in the back of the throat. Treacle and molasses are joined, after a while, by burnt wood. Or is it oiled wood in the sun? It cannot shake off a comforting warmth, a glow, even, perhaps of wood lacquer? Finish: the finish is in keeping with the previous, full of caramelised blackcurrant jam, molasses and charred cherry wood. Spent matches, spent fireworks, dirty shotgun barrels, lubricated with blackcurrant jam ("Why would anyone do that?" I hear you ask). Excellent, yet perhaps borderline too woody. Since it is charred wood, it might not agree with everyone. 9/10

04/07/2020 A pair of Lochsides

Let us see if these two can make us foam at the mouth, since it is the froth of July.



Lochside 21yo d.1981 (50%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland, Bourbon Cask, C#607): nose: a slightly leathery, fruity nose. It has faded moccasins that struggle to hide berries of all sorts; unripe gooseberries, blueberries, blackberries. Blotting paper rocks up, drenched with ink, recycled paper from the 1980s (if you were not alive, it was grey and drank a lot of ink. Okay with a ballpoint, not so much with a fountain pen). Later yet, hay bales, old books (paperbacks), cardboard, and the, strawberry-flavoured, chewy sweets. Breathing helps the fruits come out more to the fore, now accompanied by fragrant flowers (is it jasmine?) Tilting the glass brings papaya and dragon fruit into view (or scent, actually). After the first sip, coffee grounds become apparent too. Mouth: nicely fruity on the tongue, it has candied papaya cubes, mango slices, jack fruit, sprinkled with black pepper from the mill. The (tropical) fruits grow and grow in intensity. The texture is creamy and juicy, not unlike fruity custard. It is sprinkled with a pinch of aniseed, bitter and refreshing at the same time. Retronasal olfaction is submerged by similar tropical fruits: candied pineapple and papaya, guava and mango -- how excellent! Finish: the black pepper is generous, but here too, it comes to spice up gorgeous tropical fruits (candied papaya, mango, dragon fruit) and never tries to steal the show. The death has a discreet, toasted note of aniseed, or coffee grounds -- unless it is bitter chocolate. In any case, it is refreshing, and only serves to complement the pronounced fruitiness. This is ace. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)

Lochside 42yo 1963/2006 (45.2%, Hunter Hamilton The Clan Denny, C#HH2243): this one is, of course, a single grain. Nose: in pure grain fashion, this is a mix of blueberry pancake and blackberry turnover. Currants, caramelising in a lovely sauce, tiramisù biscuits, soaking in coffee and cognac, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate sponge cake, cherry-tree logs, burning in the fireplace, and then, far back, pineapple, fresh and juicy. It quickly goes back to dark berries, though, snug in baking dough. After the first sip, the nose takes on a wood-lacquer side, as well as an unexpected assertiveness. Unexpected, given the low ABV. Mellow menthol, pine sap, and tannins. Mouth: meow! So juicy and velvety. It has the mouthfeel of peach nectar, though not the taste; that is closer to those lovely berries from the nose, mostly blueberries, here, yet also overripe gooseberries, blackcurrants, overripe cranberries and sweet shortcrust, half baked. Just as with the single malt, this one emits tropical fruits through retronasal olfaction: pomegranate, purple passion fruit, fresh fig. Menthol and pine sap (Gocce Pino-style) appear too, in the medium run; this has spent forty-two years in wood, after all. Neither is invasive, though. Finish: happiness in a glass, it has a cascade of fruits that coat the palate for a long time -- peach, blackcurrant, cranberry, fig, purple passion fruit, Chinese gooseberry, green banana. Interwoven come a touch of pine resin, sherbet and apple mint, as well as a minute serving of cured ginger that is so faint it is hardly worth mentioning. Not much pastry action in the finish; just fruit and pine-y/minty freshness. I adore this. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)