Scotland is shut again. The yearly trip to Dornoch is therefore cancelled. Or 'postponed' as the hopefuls will prefer to say. Some drams at home to drown the sorrow, then.
Glen Mhor 8yo b.1989 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, HI/CAH): nose: ancient and young, at the same time, this smells like an ancient blend, with encaustic, furniture wax and wood patina. It has a glorious mix of copper coins and vaguely-smoky marmalade, old tools in a metal box and a wood stove. It does not manage to shake off the image of a meek blend -- of course, it is only 8yo... Time increases the impression of smoke and brings a tiny amount of verdigris to the copper. Mouth: more smoky marmalade, distant copper coins, metal tools and an old stove too. It is mellow, not too far under 40% (the fill level was bad and it has suffered a little bit), but definitely not powerful. Repeated sipping makes for a more metallic palate, discarding most of the marmalade. Verdigris-covered copper again, a dash of furniture patina. Finish: lovely burnt wood, overshadowed by marmalade-glazed knives. This is simple, yet lovely, rustic, and unlike anything that is bottled these days, I reckon. Warming encaustic and black pepper increase that impression. One might regret that it is so "traditional," meaning what one used to expect whisky to taste like in 1989. 7/10
Single Malt from No.3 Bond (57%, Cadenhead for Covent Garden Whisky Shop, b.31/12/1999): nose: this one has a wealth of aromas that the previous could only dream of. Deep mint, pine sap, smoked ham, rancio and rich, syrupy wine (Madeira, tawny Port, dry sherry). The back of the nose might intercept a minute note of smoke, or ancient wood dust in a deceased carpenter's workshop. Later on, it is lichen on dry staves, mouldy bread, cherry jam and a teaspoon of mustard. What a ride! It turns earthier and sootier with time. Mouth: spritzy, pepper and lively, this tickles the taste buds alright. Ginger biscuits and fresh, sappy notes. Keeping it on the tongue enhances the woody notes, of which there are plenty -- cassia bark, galangal shavings, caraway seeds, black cumin seeds, almost nigella seeds (almost). All the while, it remains sweet. Sweet and gel-like, sappy like pine drops. Finish: welcoming and warming, the finish sees peppermint, cassia, galangal, smoky blackcurrant jam, myrtles, ore pine sap and, perhaps, a touch of liquorice and whispering aniseed. Yes! Aniseed it is. The sweetness is still there, though it is so tightly coupled with the aniseed/liquorice that it is not distracting. The finish is probably the weak part of this dram, but it is good, on the whole. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)
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