03/08/2024 'lympics, innit

Although they only come every four years, it seems we are forever in 'lympics frenzy. What better than a tasting on that theme to mark the occasion?

Sadly, BA calls off on the day, unable to make it. That leaves OB, JS and me. A good opportunities to clear out some samples.

The soundtrack: Creation IV - Beringia

Longmorn 11yo 2008/2019 (57.9%, A.D.Rattray From the Cask hand bottled exclusively for A Whisky Lover, Bourbon Hogshead, C#800349) (tOMoH): distilled in the year of the Beijing Olympics. It makes the same impression as in February -- a young, fiery, if promising dram, with a citrus-y quality to it. In fact, I like it better today. Breathing time, or sequence? Who knows! 7/10

The soundtrack: Various - Dance Opera Trip 7

Invergordon 43yo 1972/2016 (49.3%, A.D. Rattray The Whisky Angel, C#38) (tOMoH): distilled in another 'lympics year, in Munich, to be precise. Wonderful whisky. An explosion of blackcurrant sweets, and a faint note of carbonised rubber. It also has watercolour tubes and plasticine, today. Full notes are here. 8/10

Glen Grant 32yo 1976/2009 (50%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask 50°, Sherry Cask, C#DL REF 5034, 266b) (tOMoH): yet another Olympics year (in Montreal). "We are shifting gears," says OB. It is prunes, dried figs and peach juice, with just a nuance of shoe polish. I reckon it benefitted from breathing in the sample, yet JS still finds it leathery and shoe-polish-y. On the late tip, I detect camphor and liquorice-flavoured syrup. It is elegant, with a lick of leather, yet mostly dried fruits. Lovely drop. Full notes here. 8/10

Royal Brackla 30yo 1984/2015 (54.1%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 192b15/120) (OB): the label on this has the same shiny colour as the gold medals awarded to Olympic champions. It was also distilled in a 'lympics year (Los Angeles). Nose: citrus-y, leafy and leathery all at once. It has mosses growing on branches, peach skins wrapped in blond-tobacco smoke, then pomelo and lime peels, still basking in that same tobacco smoke. Shallow-fried rice (OB), or pilau rice before adding any water to the karahi. In truth, that is saying the same with more complicated words. Mouth: a soft bitterness of cough lozenges, or black crayons, a drop of ink, perhaps, and dried apricots to balance it out with something sweeter. It is a little rubbery too -- in a good way, with chewy aniseed, or faded liquorice bootlaces. Finish: long and pleasant, still citrus-y, with a minute bitterness that morphs into the minty freshness of a nice toothpaste. On the late tip, peaches and apricots re-appear, discreet as a shy kid (a dream concept). They are kept in a container with a rubber seal. The gums sparkle in the same way they would after chewing on ginger. We had this in 2015. I liked it then, and I like it even more today. 9/10

We descend onto OB's madeleines.
OB has a wonderful secondary career in baking ahead of him.

Clynelish 24yo 1995/2019 N°20-1bis (58%, Signatory Vintage exclusively bottled for La Maison du Whisky 20 Rue d'Anjou, Refill Sherry Butt, C#2158, 574b) (OB): a bottling for La Maison du Whisky, a famous establishment in Paris, where this year's 'lympics take place. Nose: pow! This is quite the punch in the nose. Once past the high strength, we find smoked apricots and candlewax (how surprising!) It has a sprinkle of red-chilli powder -- unless it is chopped fresh red chilli, waxy and crunchy. Deeper nosing reveals a crumbly beef-stock cube and more wax. Mouth: inky, waxy, if one accepts that candlewax can be inky. It is filled to the brim with camphor, liquorice syrup and tar-black honey, and it is coating like candlewax (from a black candle, then). Finish: a little softer than it was on the palate, the finish is also sweeter, which reinforces that impression of dark honey. It retains a creamy-earthy freshness of liquorice, without as much bitterness. Blackberry jelly, perhaps, blackcurrant cough lozenges, and liquorice-root shavings. Excellent. This reminds me of the TWA bottling we had at Cobbler. 8/10

The soundtrack: Morgenstern - Cold

Ben Nevis 24yo 1996/202 (52.1%, Berry Bros. & Rudd exclusive to Royal Mile Whiskies, Refill Sherry Butt, C#1196) (tOMoH): 1996, the year 'Olympics went to Atlanta. Nose: the Ben Nevis funk is limited to a clear earthiness, pushing the boundaries of farm-y. That morphs into a septic tank, yet, what sticks out is tropical fruit (khaki, papaya, guava). It is funkier on the tongue, yet still fruity, perhaps cured fruits, now. Full notes here. 8/10

We are at the end of the line-up -- and it is so warm it seems fitting to keep it short, yet we should have one more dram.

North Port 23yo 1971/1995 (54.7%, OB Rare Malts Selection) (tOMoH): JS reminds us that this year's 'lympics were prefaced by arsonist attacks on trains and tracks, which forced Brits who wanted to attend to drive to the ferry and land via France's North Ports. In addition, this could be the antithesis to Southport, a town near Liverpool where they had riots on 30th July, during the same Paris Olympics. It is mineral as I remembered it, but also very fruity, a combination of flint and cut calamansi, or even grapefruits. The quarry dust and ground citrus zest that remain in the gob in the finish are really something. Another wonderful RMS, sadly now empty. Full notes here. 8/10

Low quantity, high quality.