13/09/2024 Paul John

#5: nose: fairly safe to say it is going to be an Islay -- probably even "an Islay", i.e. an undisclosed L@g@vulin. That is because just pouring it emits wafts of warming peat smoke. Nosing it properly, it is actually a lot more subtle than it first seemed; sure, it has (gentle) smoke, yet also varnished wood in an antique carpenter's workshop and blood sausage, of which black pudding is the most obvious to spot. There is an earthy layer at play too, with clay and wood, coloured with a drop of ink. The initial smoke retreats to the distant background and makes room for purple pencil erasers, with a consistency halfway between plasticine and rubber. I am starting to doubt the Islay provenance, now. Perhaps it is a Paul John instead? Does it even matter? Fruits slowly make their way up to the surface, candied pineapple and papaya cubes, dried mango slices, and also chewy cassia bark. The second nose has old ground coffee stored in a cardboard box, as well as burnt-paper ash on top of roasted pineapple. Mouth: ker-pow! Bold and punchy, it hits one like Mike Tyson Fury. Once past the shock, we are taken by an immense bitterness; it feels like sucking on a rubber joint, or a car-door seal. Black liquorice bootlaces, crushed ivy leaves, dolmas. Chewing brings about an earthy touch in the form of a sprinkle of dry earth, and there are dried, chewy citrus peels to be found for those who want to find them. The second sip feels more acidic, with smoked citrus segments, tangerines and oranges, rather than fierce lemons. An earthy-smoky haze cloaks it all, and chewing, once again, reveals a bitterer side, which is pleasant, even though it flirts with the limits. Finish: perhaps it is all that chewing and salivating, but the finish is much softer than expected, unctuous, chocolate milk-like. It takes at least twenty seconds for fistfuls of dry earth to appear, fairly tame: they give an Americano-like bitterness, something close to mocha cake that bears no comparison with what the mouth endured. The second gulp is fruitier and more acidic. Ideal dram for this bright-but-cool day We are luckier than WhiskyLovingPianist, so far: third plastic sample in a row, still no dud. What is it, then? Oh. Caol Ila 29yo d.1991 (48.9%, Cask Sample, Bourbon Hogshead) Perhaps it has lost a bit, after all, because, on paper, it should be a lot more impressive than the above. The notes are also not entirely aligned with what we found when we first had it. No, it was really Paul John 7yo (54.1%, Cask Sample) 7/10

Edit 16/09/2024: tOMoH does not know the difference between '5' and '6'. We actually had #5, and it was indeed a Paul John.