23/10/2023 & 19/11/2023 Belgium #8

A tasting in two parts. The first instalment took place on 23rd October, and included JS, dom666, Gaija, STL, Bishlouk, red71 and me. The second part was on 19th November, with kruuk2, adc, Psycho, sonicvince, JS and me again. This is a synthesis of both those dates.

red71: "How many glasses do you have behind you, dom666?"
dom666: "856 in my collection, and four in the Condroz region. But if you look above, you can see my bottles of whisky."
red71: "Pity it is not a few glasses and 856 bottles of whisky!"

23/10/2023

That preamble behind us, we start. It quickly turns out that red71 has poured the wrong series of samples: he poured the five that STL passed all of us in January 2022, but has not yet organised a session to drink.

Dram #1

Nose: a lick of smoke (Bishlouk), a faint note of sulphur (dom666), or even a gas leak (Gaija). Bishlouk finds it shape-shifting, while red71 spots wet rocks. There are also passion fruits (Gaija), dishwashing detergent (STL), and soap-making (STL). When STL says the second dram smells soapy too, he accuses his partner of cleaning the glasses in the dishwasher. The second time, I find it fresh and almond-y, with mixed peel. Others find it woody (kruuk2) and citrus-y (adc, who adds: not orange, not grapefruit). sonicvince confirms dried citrus peel, while adc detects lemon curd.
Mouth: more smoke here (Bishlouk), lime (Gaija), astringent and young (Bishlouk), with a pear note (Bishlouk), Gaija finds it an oily texture, as well as malt and white wine. The second session brings a touch of burnt caramel, carried by an otherwise fruity/woody structure. The texture is custard-y (adc), and it has a gently-bitter woodiness. It has a fleeting impression of biting into a 90%-cocoa chocolate bar (sonicvince), unless it is salted caramel (adc).
Finish: lightly peaty or smoky in the style of Cooley (Bishlouk), agave-like new make (Gaija and Bishlouk). long, Just as long on the second date, muddy, and ripe with humid pine cones. JS finds it punchier on the second night, and it retains the soft wood bitterness from the mouth -- that remains perfectly palatable. On the late tip, adc calls it flowery, or perfume-y à la Nina Ricci.
Comments: the first Balmenach for dom666 and red71, they tell us. adc does not think she has had one before either. Full notes here.

Balmenach 25yo (43%, Glenkeir Whiskies Glenkeir Treasures The Gold Selection, 213b) 8/10

Psycho: "the Old Man of Huy always drinks with Impatience or Moderation. Depends which one is there at the time."

Dram #2

Nose: lychee and pear (dom666), a grain or a Bourbon (Bishlouk), good-quality wood (Gaija), lychee and soap (red71), something very fresh (STL), and a floral character, with violets and lavender (Gaija). STL is the only one to detect pine wood, though Gaija has a sauna and humid wood, when prompted. adc claims it smells like the sea near Distiller's Cave on Mull. Coconut and varnish (sonicvince), a lick of grain whisky (kruuk2), walnut (Psycho). It becomes saltier pretty quickly (sonicvince), with brown algae (adc), sawdust (adc), faint gingerbread in the back (sonicvince), and a hint of tobacco (sonicvince).
Mouth: Bishlouk sticks with Bourbon flavours, Gaija is in the midst of a flowery meadow, one that has lavender again. Greasy and oily (kruuk2), Fruit-Tella, lemon-, strawberry-, mandarin-flavoured Fruit-Tella, to be precise (adc), very thick, pure fruit squash (sonicvince), Carambar (sonicvince).

Finish: liquorice (STL), liquorice allsorts (red71). kruuk2 observes that it is not an extraordinary finish, while sonicvince notes a long one that sparkles a bit.
Comments: Bishlouk goes for the American again, and feels vindicated that he identified the provenance, if not the type of spirit (it is a single malt, when he guessed Bourbon or Rye). This proves very, very popular, on the first night. adc says it is good, but she preferred the Balmenach. Full notes here.

St. George Single Malt Whiskey Lot 17 (43%, OB, B#SM017, b.2017) 7/10

dom666: "I have two dishwashers: left hand, right hand."
tOMoH: "Wax on, wax off."
[I clap]
dom666: "Don't get upset."
tOMoH: "There's a small fruit fly around me. Really annoying."
dom666: "Catch it with chopsticks, to keep in theme."

Mrs. sonic appears in the frame.
tOMoH: "Bring your kids next weekend. I forgot how old they are."
Mrs. sonic: "Nineteen, fifteen, nine."
tOMoH: "Yeah, nine is perhaps a bit... exactly the right age to start drinking whisky!"

Dram #3

Nose: Haribo Banana and banana bread (Gaija), Corinth raisins (STL), lightly-smoky toffee. Bishlouk finds it Bourbonesque on the nose -- he is probably still under the influence of his breakfast pint of Four Roses. A shy nose, according to adc. No-one believes me, when I detect frangipane, though adc ventures walnut flour. Pear peelings (sonicvince), pear marmalade (eh? kruuk2), Sirop de Liège (kruuk2), then a burst of ripe white peach.
Mouth: banana alright! Soft, spongy, spicy (Bishlouk), and aggressive on the tongue (dom666). Caster sugar and cooked sugar (STL), and a gently-bitter note of Amaretto (STL). A sweet (sonicvince), custard-y attack (Psycho), with a minute bitterness (liquorice, or blue Boule Magique), fairly numbing.
Finish: pomelo zest and smoked toffee. A bit of a one-trick pony, though an agreeable one (Gaija). Bishlouk finds it a grain aspect, though not in a single-grain way, rather a blend. It does indeed have a subtle bitterness akin to almond skins. A rather aggressive, or numbing finish (adc), augmented with Brittany shortbread (adc), and ashes (sonicvince), dry and astringent (kruuk2). Pan-seared pears, caramelised tart apple (Psycho).
Comment: divisive to a degree. Some marvel at how different it is from the other two. I still love this. Full notes here.

Clydeside 3yo 2018/2021 COP26 / Glasgow (46%, OB, American Octaves finished in American Bourbon Barrels, 1500b, CBSCS 10092) 8/10

We talk about quarter casks. red71 unearths this comment, which still makes me giggle.

adc: "Quand je dis 'agressif', c'est que ça endort les papilles."
kruuk2: "C'est l'heure de la sieste, pour les papis."

Dram #4

Nose: more classic (Bishlouk), it smells stronger in alcohol (red71). Riesling (Gaija), dry and lemon-y, it has green tea too (Gaija). red71 calls it not charming, austere, even, whereas I detect marzipan/frangipane, or scented plasticine. Fruit compote (sonicvince), mint and ozone, dusty cardboard (adc), light and fruity (JS). Corrugated cardboard (adc) makes for a disappointing nose (adc).
Mouth: it is silky as a caress (red71), despite a very mineral side and swimming-pool chlorine (STL). Lastly, red71 identifies a soft bitterness. On the second date, we find it chewy, fruity, and borderline chalky, after a minute of chewing.
Finish: pear and agave (Bishlouk) that make the same Bishlouk think of a young whisky, but he dares not say. STL finds it very feminine and elegant; Gaija insists on elegant and adds less-is-more. Very fruity (sonicvince), a cocktail of Fruit-Tella (adc), with fleeting bites of a strong coffee bean (sonicvince). It moves away from the fruits in no time (sonicvince), or is hard to pin down (kruuk2). Psycho discovers pink peppercorns.
Comment: a bottle I will miss when it is empty, which shall not take long. Full notes here.

Inchgower 20yo 1990/2011 (46%, Angus Dundee for The Whisky Castle Cask Collection No. 15, American Oak Cask, C#6987, 264b) 8/10

Psycho: "Tu peux parler de baies pour n'importe quel poivre. C'est pour ça qu'on parle de steak aux trois baies."
tOMoH: "B-b-beefsteak!"

19/11/2023

Psycho: "If you want to laugh a bit, kruuk2, I still have a bottle from that trip to that shop [fifteen years ago]."
kruuk2: "Do you?"
sonicvince: "Doesn't look like he's laughing much..."

Dram #5

Nose: olive oil, rubbish bins (red71), stinky cheese and garlic (Gaija, who ventures a Ballechin, or a Ledaig). Later on, it is smoky citrus zest, then hay. Gaija likens it to some bacteria his colleagues work with at the lab. Corrugated cardboard (adc, of course), hive paper (adc), cow dung (adc). kruuk2 confirms it has a countryside feel, with farm paths and pastures. For me, it is burnt hazel shavings.
Mouth: hay, lime, pomelo, and sweetened papier mâché. Much more pleasant and fruity in the mouth (sonicvince and kruuk2), this has rancio, old ink, and burnt quince or pear peels.
Finish: hay, pomelo, lime. It is acidic, bitter, rustic, spicy (Bishlouk), and lovely. adc still detects cow dung here, though sonicvince calls it metallic and fruity. Cough lozenges (Psycho). It is long (sonicvince), with some spices (kruuk2), and mukhwas, straight from a 1980s Indian restaurant in Liège (read: perhaps not the most authentic).
Comments: full notes here.

Imperial 1976/2005 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection imported by Charles Hofer, C#10171) 8/10

red71: "It could be a Ledaig. It is possible that I identify one [tonight]!"
STL: "tOMoH is sporting an embarrassed smile..."
tOMoH: "That's because I lost my trousers."
dom666: "Did you spend the holidays on Skye?"
tOMoH: "That was you, remember."
dom666: "I didn't lose my trousers. I fell into the sea."
[dom666 then had to drop trousers to air-dry them, which took hours. Of course, he did not have a spare pair.]

kruuk2: "Let's lobby Fruit-Tella so they make a cow-dung sweet!"

Great times. This is a format that really works wonders for me.