14/05/2021 Whisky-Online Auctions' First Cask tasting Part 3

Third and final act of this Whisky-Online Auctions triptych dedicated to First Cask. Tim Roberts, Wayne and Harrison Ormerod chair from aback, whilst Lee 'Connas' Connor presents.

As the previous times, I try these superficially, keeping enough to spend more time with each dram at a later date.

Linlithgow 24yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#96/3/4): nose: haha! Verdigris, lichen on old wood, sugar, oozing through staves and crystallising, then a farm-y wave. That is right: there is definitely muddy peat, in there. Mouth: all is more gentle, here, with yellow flowers, yet also some limestone. A faint whiff of smoke wraps the whole. Finish: big, wide and a little austere. This has the same herbaceous and mineral profile of the nose (lichen and crystallising sugar), with crushed gravel, now. The audience reckons pencil, and I do see the connection, in that it feels softly waxy and has a gentle wood bitterness. I reckon we peaked too soon. 9/10

Connas found a newspaper clip about a court case
that involves St Magdalene whisky being stolen

Glenlivet 24yo 1976/2001 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#5527): nose: wax, apple peelings, a pinch of cinnamon, pear-scented varnish, and a cloud of sawdust. Mouth: an acidic attack that also has fierce pomelo and combava adding a gorgeous, fruity touch. Perhaps bergamot too? Finish: very long, fruity, citrus-y again (lime, pomelo), and a bit bitter, in a crushed-aspirin sort of way. The death sees an unexpected red-fruit Calippo flavour too. 8/10

Connas: "It's quite wood-forward on the nose."

Macallan 20yo 1975/1995 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#8899): nose: sherbet, chalky raspberry candy, crushed tablets (I am struggling to pinpoint the accurate name). Later, pear and peach appear amongst the chalky tablets. "Parma violet?" asks HO; "Pez?" asks JS; "Smarties?" JS continues (referring to the US incarnation, a tablet candy). She is pretty close, in that it makes me think of those candy necklace (candy-raver alert!) The exact thing, however, is Dextro Energy tablets, vaguely fruity and chalky as fook. Mouth: yes, this is sweet and a little chalky again, with sherbet and fruit-tree wood. It becomes quite woody over time, with a definite bitterness to complement wild (rasp)berries. Finish: orange joins the raspberry, yet this also has cassia bark and fruit green tea. It is a little too astringent and bitter for my taste, even if it is not flawed either. Further sips are fruitier -- and I like them better for it than the first. 7/10

TR: "I'm finding most of the drams quite bitter. It's the wood, I guess..."
WO: "And the dodgy plastic caps!" :-)

Glen Grant 20yo d.1976 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#2880): nose: wormwood and old shelves, an old kitchen table that has recently had a lick of varnish, burnt caramel, treacle and a pinch of coffee grounds. Mouth: oily and compact, this has lots of caramel, crème brûlée, mocha, tiramisù, even. Actually, it goes as far as treacle, come to think of it. Finish: mildly toasted flavours surface, here, with mocha, burnt caramel, black-sesame paste and chewing tobacco. It is creamy alright, but that feeling is drowned by the toasted notes, which, for all their omnipresence, do not quite deliver aniseed or nigella seeds. Perhaps a bit too much for me, this. I preferred it C#2886. 7/10

Connas talks about maturation. He has a couple of good slides about the solera system that is so widely used in Spain's bodegas.

Highland Park 20yo d.1974 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#4329): nose: dried apricot slices and chlorophyll chewing gum. That dissipates quickly to leave a very shy nose -- I find a little lavender gum, but I reckon that is suggestion, base on the provenance. The nose does grow in intensity, thankfully, with lovely lavender and a delicate smoke. Mouth: perfect balance, with a bit of citrus, the thinnest veil of smoke, and the trademark heather. Lemonade becomes more prominent with each sip too. Finish: gently toasted, this has burning brambles, yet also a herbal liqueur and lemonade. Yes: lime and pomelo lemonade, which, really, we should call lime-onade and pomelade. The finish does retain a certain bitterness, which will prevent a higher score, tonight. 8/10

Connas introduces the next dram as, "the Beast of Speyside, meaty and sometimes willingly sulphur-y."

Mortlach 22yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#6257): nose: great! It is a light, fruity Mortlach. Citrus-y and ethereal, it has  ground cardamom rubbing feathers with apple mint and crystallised apple slices. Mouth: fresh, sweet and fruity, this is teeming with candied fruit. There is also a gentle chalkiness to it, though that is not a bother, at such a low level. Finish: a soft bitterness that is soon eclipsed by waves and waves of lovely fruit candy. Very nice. Boiled sweets, hibiscus (Connas), fruit drops. 9/10

Connas [I paraphrase]: "I reckon it is the only whisky tonight I could have identified blind."
tOMoH: "You introduced this as the Beast of Speyside and meaty. This has nothing of those characteristics..."

Connas: "You're right, but it has Mortlach's texture."

Ardbeg 19yo d.1974 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask for The Sunday Times Wine Club, C#4380): nose: ash and eternal darkness. This has tar, old ropes, tapenade, cut turf bricks, drying on a stack, sphagnum moss and the shroud of an old ship. Mouth: smoked seashells, tarry, smoked whelks, boat-engine diesel... This is firmly petrolic indeed, very much like the 1974 we had recently. Finish: smoked mussel shells and kelp, more diesel and tar. Unfortunately, and just as it was with the Port Ellen on the first night, the dilution is very perceptible, here -- the only one tonight in which it is. For that, it loses a point. It may seem unfair, but life is unfair. 8/10

Short notes. It is late. I will come back to it later. It is a killer dram, without a doubt. It might not be C#2738 (few things are), but it is obviously from the same bloodline and I love it.

The Linlithgow is the overwhelming winner of tonight's popularity contest; it certainly is mine. One person preferred the Macallan, one liked the Highland Park best, a couple of votes go to the Mortlach, another couple to the Glen Grant, and, much to my surprise, not a single vote goes to the Ardbeg.

Quality night, with more interaction and better banter than on the second tasting. If my scores are to be believed, this line-up one had the weakest drams, despite having the most impressive list of names, but it was just as interesting as the other two evenings, really. That comforts me in my opinion that there is not a dud in that collection.