23/03/2024 Dune Part Two

Part One was so much fun that we decided to have a Part Two with mostly different actors. If Villeneuve did it, why could we not?

CB, OB, cavalier66, and JS join me for this sequel. GL calls off last minute for a work-related emergency.

The soundtrack: Sabled Sun - 2146

cavalier66 opens the game with a Japanese whisky, because Japan is an empire, just like the universe of Dune (known as the Imperium).

Rare Old Super (43%, Nikka Whisky) (cavalier66): nose: grainy and dirty (cavalier66), sweet and grainy (CB), a bit dusty, cardboard-y, it has crunchy pears slowly eaten by lichen. Mouth: stringent (cavalier66), apple and pear (cavalier66), dusty-sweet indeed, with dust and caramel on Golden Syrup. Finish: not too much happening. It is grainy, with an increasing amount of pressed grapes. This is inoffensive. 5/10

OB unveils a blended malt for the spice mélange (again!). He adds that 1969 is when Dune Messiah was published, because this is a 1969 underproof blend that was beefed up with Dornoch distillery's octave C#0 from 2017, and some eleven-year-old undisclosed Islay.

Super Groovy Blended Spirit Drink 6yo 1969 and 2017/2023 (40.1%, Thompson Brothers) (OB): nose: cavalier66 reckons it smells a bit like a blend (many years of university made him clever, our cavalier66), while CB says it is close to a Calvados. It has a funky side, in any case, a bit of sludge, pressed prunes, and damp dead leaves. Perhaps even a hint of hemp. CB finds artificial strawberry coulis to boot. That turns harder, and points at plasticine, waxy prunes and blueberries. Mouth: a certain earthiness emerges, prunes, dried dates, and a drop of juice. It has a tropical streak too, unidentifiable, and mushroom water caramelising in a frying pan. Finish: it is rather Cognac-y in the finish, with indistinct dark fruit. It feels chewy and earthy, with a mix of dark grapes and blueberries. 7/10

Cheese and breads, courtesy of the man who
never has breakfast before a tasting

cavalier66: "It is a funky nose."
tOMoH: "A groovy nose."
cavalier66: "It does not taste integrated."

The soundtrack: Dune: Dune · Der Wüstenplanet (Original Soundtrack Recording)

cavalier66: "That was not unpleasant."
tOMoH: "Remind me: which country were you born in?"

JS presents a Tillibardune bottled by Dewar Rattraydes, a double-barrelled connection to the theme, which is odd, for a single cask.

Tullibardine 33yo 1972/2006 (43.1%, Dewar Rattray Cask Collection, C#2597, 141b) (JS): nose: oh! ah! (cavalier66), honeyed and floral (CB). "I always think of bread, when I have a Tullibardine, and this has some of that bread" (cavalier66). It has a fattiness to it (CB), egg whites, old oak from the 1970s (CB), candied apricots, and a lick of peppery passion fruit. Mouth: some oak wood (cavalier66), but it is mostly a tropical number, here, with loads of candied apricots and preserved maracuja. Finish: long, acidic and fruity, juicy, jammy. Meow. I adore this whisky. Full notes are here. 9/10

cavalier66 observes that Dune is the ultimate film about a galactical empire. He therefore brought an Imperial in The Ultimate collection.

Imperial 20yo 1995/2015 (46%, Signatory Vintage selected by The Ultimate, Hogshead, C#50234, 281b, b#44, L15/1482) (cavalier66): nose: fruit, citrus, photocopier, petrichor (cavalier66), fresh summer rain (cavalier66), the plastic case of a newly-bound photocopied book (takes me back to my student days). Sour citrus (CB), pot-pourri pouches (CB). For me, it is closer to the dried residue os a citrus tonic in the glass. Mouth: slightly rough edges (cavalier66), dirty (OB), bergamot tea via retro-nasal olfaction (cavalier66), acidic, with crates full of crisp (Golden) apple, and dry green grapes. We have more and more hay and lemon thyme with time. Finish: a bit more robust, here, with linen (cavalier66) and mulch, alongside bergamot and kumquat. In the long run, it acquires a dry bitterness like the palate, but goes one step further by bringing forth Alka Seltzer. Excellent Imperial. 8/10

OB: "To think you wanted to swap it for another bottle..."
cavalier66: "I'm not disappointed."
tOMoH: "Mate! You're sooooo British!"

The soundtrack: Cthulhu - The space navigator

CB confesses he had to think hard to fit something into the theme (that he owns). In the end, he went for something he wanted to bring, and then the link dawned on him: this is a Chani-nich.

Teaninich 33yo 1983/2017 (46%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, C#6739) (CB): nose: "there is quite a bit of spice going" (CB). cavalier66 is quick to point another connection to the theme, here. Spice indeed: ground mace (ensues a fascinating discussion about nutmeg and mace), lemon mint intertwined with hay, dried spearmint, aniseed (CB), or (I think) lovage seeds, pomelo foliage, and a sprinkle of ashes. Mouth: acidic, lemon-y, this has loads of lemon thyme and lemon mint, Swiss lemon sweets full of mountain herbs (cavalier66, talking about Ricola). This is excellent. On the late tip, we discover kumquat to supply some candied sweetness. Finish: in the same vein, we have lemon mint, citrus foliage and hay. It is fruitier with each sip, much to my delight. 9/10

Also: hailstorm

Both cavalier66 and tOMoH brought an Arrankis. cavalier66 adds that David Lynch directed the first film adaptation of Dune; he also directed Blue Velvet, starring Italian actress Isabella Rossellini; also Italian is Arran's global Brand Ambassador, our good friend MR. LOLz. Love a stretched connection.

Arran (49.1%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#1, 211b, b#66) (cavalier66): nose: washing powder, baking stuff (CB), freshly-baked croissants (CB), detergent. Then, later on, cinnamon bark, dried fruits, panettone, black bun (JS). The ABV feels noticeably higher. Mouth: hot fruit (boiled citrus zest), a mild bitterness, orange-flower water (CB). It turns chalkier at second sip, then reverts back to fruits, this time it is apricots. Finish: some bitterness again, very orange-y, pithy, with citrus skins, and grated Aspirin tablets -- in a good way. Yes, even when it eventually settles for juicy, it is pressed orange with a bit of Aspirin. 8/10

vs.

Arran 17yo 1997/2014 (51.6%, The Whisky Agency & Acla da Fans Acla Selection specially selected for Whisky-Schiff Zürich 2014, Refill Sherry Cask, 120b) (tOMoH): nose: shaving balm, a faint hand-soap smell that grows in prominence, clean towels. Mouth: a clear note of detergent in hot water. Finish: big, almost boisterous, it has stewed apricots and hot compote. Full notes here. 8/10

Time to check TikTok

I find them to be both on a similar level, in terms of quality, but they have extremely-different profiles.

CB: "The Boutique-y is hotter."
cavalier66: "It's the spice."
tOMoH: "Would you say the mélange was not well integrated?"

CB takes us to the dark side, to explore the machinations of the Bunna Gesserit. In the same move, three of us discover how to pronounce the name of the bottler (weems, not weh-miss; it is written on the back label).

Bunnahabhain 1987/2018 Chestnut & Apple Chutney (46%, Wemyss Vintage Malts Wemyss Malts, Butt, 628b) (CB): nose: leather, shoe polish, date syrup, some turpentine, and prunes take off. Mouth: a nice balance, this is obviously a very-sherried whisky, but at 46%, it does not overwhelm the taste buds at all. Shoe polish, diluted with prune juice. Finish: treacle, date syrup, burnt sugar, molasses, cranberry molasses. Later on, we see a river of melted chocolate too. This is excellent, and better with each sip. 8/10

This calls for tart!
(OB's apple tart)

OB: "The Thompson are now enforcing the three-month free-storage thing, which is annoying."
JS: "Well, not for everyone: BA had things there for years."
cavalier66 [hinting at the royal family's recent health scares]: "But BA is royalty. Let's hope he doesn't have cancer, like the rest of them."

tOMoH: "I still see that picture in my head, every time I see the king -- a picture of Prince and Prince Charles, with the caption: 'There may be two princes, but there is only one king. And his name is Prince.' And, indeed, Charles waited for Prince to die before becoming king."
JS: "Every time you tell that, I think of Spin Doctors."

The soundtrack: Zenith - The Flowers Of Intelligence

With help from JS, tOMoH presents an oft-tasted bottle: Silent Stilgar-nheath.

Garnheath 27yo 1972/2000 (59.4%, Signatory Vintage Silent Stills, C#386516, 190b, b#182, 00/81) (tOMoH): full notes here. Today, I sip it relaxed, and enjoy it immensely. 9/10

JS asks if anyone ever played the Dune video games. Yes all round. The second? OB acquiesces. What was noteworthy in that one? There were three houses, OB remembers correctly. He cannot remember the name of the third, though. It was House (Glen) Ordos.

Glen Ord 25yo 1978/2004 (58.3%, OB, 3600b) (JS): I will take proper notes another time. We had this with OB nine years ago, and not once since. Time flies. Nose: austere, rocky, it reminds me of a grain millstone, lichen on limestone, tatters of green grapes and oroblanco, before a veil of refined smoke emerges from the deep, as clear as the sea is wet. Speaking of the sea, this may have iodine and a vague saltiness too. The second nose has a refreshing minty touch too. Mouth: rocky, gravel-y, drying, it is a whole quarry, in there. That aside, it has crushed walnuts. The mood changes with the second sip, which is dominated by acidic citrus, though there is a slight herbaceous touch too. Finish: long, acidic, mineral. Provisional 8/10

House Ordos deposing the Emperor

The soundtrack: Sabled Sun - 2148

As the final dram, OB fulfills the prophecy, and shows us the Kwizats Hadronach.

The GlenDronach 20yo 1993/2013 (53%, OB Single Cask, Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#5, 645b, b#418) (OB): nose: a thick layer of chocolate spread, mixed with Marmite, on a pepper-and-onion beigel. It has a hint of cardboard too, and then it develops a more-floral facet, behind the chocolate -- magnolia? The Marmite all but disappears, amusingly enough. Earth joins the dance, dark, rich, and even burnt, in places, a bit like scorched earth after the rain. The second nose has pickled lychee and blotting paper, roasted cocoa beans and star anise. Eh? Mouth: surprisingly thinner than anticipated, its earthiness is more pronounced than on the nose: torrefied coffee and chicory-infusion granules, as well as mocha-flavoured chocolate. It is slightly drying in the long run, like a high-percentage chocolate can be, or cocoa powder. Time makes this more peppery. Oh! it is no Talisker, obviously, but the chocolaty profile is augmented with cracked pink peppercorns. Finish: fairly short, it has more chocolate, and some herbs (chiefly oregano). OB thinks it does not have much chocolate and calls it a Glendronach for those who do not like Glendronach. I enjoy it. 8/10

OB: "It's the Johnnie Walker of Glendronach."
JS: "The Billy Walker of Glendronach."

Super tasting, once more. Surprisingly, it is the second time we use this theme, and no-one brought anything from Speyburn, Pulteney, Knockdhu, or Balmenach, all particular for their worm tubs. We may re-use the theme again when the next film comes out!