'nuff said.
 |
| All this is whisk(e)y, you say? |
Lochside 20yo 1981/2001 (58.4%, Blackadder Raw Cask imported by Heartland Wine & Spirits, Oak Hogshead, C#615, 250b): nose: severely neutral. Shaking the glass brings forth timid custard, somewhat fruity, and a woody spice, unidentifiable. Cigar boxes, maybe? Covering the glass for two minutes pumps the nose with citrus -- tangerine peels, says JS. Mouth: ooft! How creamy is this? We have citrus peels bathing in lemon custard, and grapefruit milk. It is wide, acidic, yet also mellow and harmonious. The second sip is stronger. It reveals more citrus: grapefruit, pomelo, Buddha's hand. Water adds pepper, and even more fruit. Finish: long, perfectly balanced, creamy, yet also a tad indistinct. Citrus peels again. The second gulp picks it up a notch, with so much lovely citrus it is insahne. Speaking of Sahne, it is less creamy, now. 9/10
vs.
Lochside 29yo 1981/2010 (54%, The Whisky Agency, Bourbon Hogshead, 183b): nose: very clearly a quality Sherry cask (what? It is a Bourbon cask!?), with syrupy fortified wine, oily nuts, and an earthy touch. We have dried dates too, and figs beaten to a pulp. One would struggle to decipher much tropical fruit here -- perhaps chewy jackfruit chunks. On the other hand, water gives away those expected tropical fruits, displayed on a piece of cardboard. That smells better than it reads. Mouth: well, it is tropical galore, here. Lychee, persimmon, dragon fruit. Oh! it retains a syrupy lick too, mind, with prunes and date syrup competing for attention. The second sip is still syrupy, date-laden. Chewing gives lychee and dragon fruit. Amazing. Water does not change the palate much. Finish a lovely fruit explosion, punctuated by coffee grounds and scorched earth, all doused in Pedro Ximénez. The second gulp is just as elegant, complex and intriguing, with prunes, dried dates, and oily dark tobacco. Water turns it into a fruit ice cream, mostly peach and banana, sprinkled with a dash of sweet-earthy Sherry. Win. 9/10
Annoyingly, they turn the air conditioning on, at this point. I am right underneath an outlet, and I suffer for the rest of our stay.
50.66 24yo d.1990 Retro Sweet Hamper (59.5%, SMWS Society Single Cask imported by Spirits Imports, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 122b): interestingly, this one is not part of the fabled parcel of casks distilled on the 26th January 1990. It is actually from the 15th May. Nose: marshmallow, candy floss, and a lovely custard. It is a little minty, but closer to the pine goodness of a Benrinnes. It displays some shell fruits too -- hazelnut, pistachio. Breathing time gives it raspberry bubble gum, and boiled sweets (JS). It does become sugary alright (JS). Mouth: preserved cherries hit one in the face. They grow and blend in with pine cones, though they remain sweet, borderline syrupy. The second sip has more citrus, bitter marmalade, sticky with sugar. Finish: cinnamon, mulling spices (cloves, mixed peel), incense ash, spent tea leaves. It is a little drying, which is funny, because it remains juicy throughout. Cotton candy comes back at second gulp, sweet, fluffy, pillow-like. JS finds it reminiscent of the 23yo Rare Malt. Water adds a stripping quality to it. It is still good, but better neat. 9/10
vs.
50.67 25yo 1990/2015 Contrapuntal elegance (56.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask imported by Spirits Imports, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 138b): this one, however, is from the day after Burns' Night. Nose: to avoid saying 'sharper'. let us say it is more incisive. We have putty (JS), plasticine, and scented pencil erasers. Tobacco tickles the back of the sinuses. The second nose gives marshmallow, closer to .66's. Water dials up the fruit. Mouth: big and berry-like, it is less bubble gummy than its sibling, and more fresh-fruit forward, pips and all. A gentle bitterness underlines that with a lick of wood, cinnamon sticks or other bark. It is still acidic at second sip, and somewhat reminiscent of a great Benrinnes, in that it has 'pine' written all over it; resin, pine-y custard, crushed pine cones. Water makes it creamier. Finish: sweet and bitter, not bitter-sweet, this offers smoked raspberries or blueberries, topped with Chantilly cream ('whipped' sounds less pretentious, and there is a town called Chantilly nearby). Here too, the second gulp reveals a pine-y profile not devoid of berries, but they stand out less than before. This one takes water much more successfully. 9/10
 |
| And for the next flight... |
25.50 20yo 1989/2009 A sunny flower meadow (56.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask imported by Spirits Imports, Refill Hogshead, 258b): broken cork! And not a vacuum cleaner in sight! Jacob Ree-ZOMG! Nose: WTF! Asparagus? JS detects pencil shavings, then admits it may be asparagus, after all. We also have cut flowers (narcissus, dandelion, carnation). Over time, we find chunks of fruits that do not shake off the mild green bitterness of plant sap (cut carnations again). Later on, it emits some kind of liqueur too, cherry, perhaps, in a maraschino way. The second nose is in line, a little tamer. Later still, we have boiled potatoes. Again: what the facula! (very proud to embiggen your vocabulary) Mouth: dry and bitter, it has hay, plant stems, a broth of yellow spring flowers, and unripe Mirabelle plums. The second sip is close to desiccating, and much earthier. The flowers are but a memory, replaced by smoked elderberry. Finish: it continues in a similar direction, with bitter and sour (JS) playing off each other in a harmonious way. Yes, this is balanced. Later on, it is as sweet as confectionary sugar dusted onto a piece of pastry. Lovely. 8/10
vs.
25.51 18yo 1991/2010 Cherry lips and bitter nuts (52.7%, SMWS Society Single Cask imported by Spirits Imports, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 206b): nose: although undeniably related, this adds chocolate to the equation (melted milk chocolate), and the flowery part, still yellow, daffodils and tulips, focuses on petals, rather than stems, more pillow-y than bitter. Deeper nosing reveals peach or nectarine. It is all sweeter upon second nosing, peachy and enticing. Mouth: here, it is closer to .50, bitter and acidic, if still entirely acceptable. Flowers, cut fruits, fresh, but slowly drying. The second sip may well be drier, with hay and nut spread, gently bitter, still -- comfortably so. Finish: long and fresh, it virtually does away with the bitterness to focus on a lovely fruity acidity, only to settle on cotton candy sprinkled with lime zest. The second gulp has lozenges, and candied or honey-glazed buttered almonds. In any case, it is beautiful, despite a clear bitterness. The more it lasts, and the closer to shell fruits it comes. 9/10
vs.
25.64 22yo d.1990 Manzanilla Sherry Trifle (58.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask imported by Spirits Imports, Refill Hogshead, 231b): datz ryte -- why have two SMWS Rosebanks when one can have three? In which other bar can one do that? Nose: much less assertive than the previous two, it has faded wallpaper, covered in years of tobacco use. Behind that layer comes a beautiful berry jam. The second nose has hot towels, humid and comforting (the kind they serve with the bill in some Asian restaurants, especially when the bill is high), fleeting ivy, and lingering peach foliage. Later on, it turns earthy, with dry hay, still, but much earthier than before, as if it had been cut and left in the mud before being wrapped in bales. Mouth: smoke? How unexpected! It is slight, but it seems to have some smoke indeed. Smoked plums, smoked greengages, abound. Chewing brings a softly-bitter green touch, alongside hay kept by a fire. The second sip comes across more mineral, pebbles covered in freshwater algae. Then, candy timidly crawl into view. Finish: phwoar! Smoked elderberry jam, cranberry compote, blackberry jelly. The death sees a dry-as-fook earthy note, meatiness and coconut (JS). Milk chocolate makes a shy appearance, much later on. 9/10
 |
| All unknown to tOMoH prior to this visit |
JS is visibly feeling the combined effects of alcohol, hunger, and lack of sleep. With the clock ticking, it becomes obvious we will have to decide either to go for a Detroit pizza as planned, and run the risk of not coming back or not finding another seat here, or stay put and order food at the bar. The pizza place is open until late, and there is so much more to sample here! We opt for food here, supplemented by a pizza later on, if we have enough time before the last bus and train (spoiler alert: we will not).
 |
Grilled Peach Bruschetta and Fried Mac & Cheese |
waitress: "Which one? I have two..."
tOMoH: "You vile temptress, you! We will have a dram of 26.21, and one of each Banff 1966, then."
26.21 25yo d.1976 (57.8%, SMWS Society Cask imported by Spirits Imports, 297b): I know, right? Nose: this hails from a time before the Society wrote the type of casks (or flowery names) on its labels, but this is a Sherry cask for sure. And what a cask! Here are leather, rubber, prunes. This smells so chewy and earthy too, with plasticine, or clay. Oloroso at its best, tOMoH would say. It is fruitier with each sniff, pumped with raisins, smoked prunes, and dried figs. It also has a vague note of dishwater, interlaced with black-truffle shavings. The second nose has pickled red onions, cured ginger, and pink fruits that I have no time to identify. Mouth: ooft! This is fruity indeed. Prunes, dried figs, dried dates, a mesmerising blend of berries, both fresh and in jam form. Elderberry, blackcurrant, figs, myrtles. Juicy AF! The second sip sees jasmine and lychee join pressed raisins and dry earth. Finish: bitter aplenty, with unripe berries (blackcurrants, blackberries, myrtles), and, interestingly, coffee. It becomes rather earthy, with mild coffee and mocha ice cream. The second gulp has that hypnotic gig of earth and white tropical fruits, a blend of dark tobacco and lychee. Humbling. 9/10
vs.
Banff 34yo 1966/2001 (52,3%, Blackadder Raw Cask imported by Heartland Wine & Spirits, Sherry Butt, C#3438, 539b): nose: cut yellow fruit and mustard powder. The latter can be tricky to identify, but once one knows it is a trademark Banff note, it is hard not to spot it. It further moves towards wasabi paste and a three-mustard blend, as served with a salmon steak. There is also something plastic-y, an oilcloth or such, as well as the promise of further things to come. The second nose is more custard-y, creamy, vanilla-ed, full of flan tartlets and éclair sans chocolate. That would be thick custard and chou dough, then. Mouth: meow, is this silky, or what? Chewing unveils some mustard, but we are dealing with creamy, fruity, and spicy at the same time. Chunks of dragon fruit dunked in honey mustard, hints of lychee and rambutan sprinkled with mustard powder. The second sip is fresh, almost minty. It has custard and chou dough alright, rich and luscious. Finish: the best thing we have had tonight. It is mustard-y, fruity, balanced, juicy, harmonious, simply perfect. In truth, tOMoH is well emotional, now, and it is not due to the jetlag. The second gulp is full of lovely minty custard, augmented with the sparkle of kombucha (JS). What the factitiousness? This is unfuckingbelievable. 10/10
vs.
Banff 36yo 1966/2003 (54%, Blackadder Raw Cask imported by Heartland Wine & Spirits, Sherry Butt, C#3439, 519b): nose: a dusty number that gives a lot of fruits so dry they fade to a pile of dust. Figs, dates, banana chips. JS finds it incredibly composed. It is an excellent Sherry cask alright. Side-nosing gives a faint eggy note without any sulphur. Fresh egg white, instead. The second nose offers a deluge of prunes, cured peaches, raisins and dried figs, probably all splashed with caramel. Mouth: absurdly balanced. Here is caramel of the highest quality, flan, thick custard, caramel coulis. Chewing adds a drying aspect, which suggests an Oloroso maturation again. Prunes and pitted dried dates, dried currants. The second sip definitely confirms the caramel, and it is jostling with currants and berries (dried cranberries make an entry, here). Finish: it is at its earthiest, now, with pressed elderberries and dried dates, dusted with coffee grounds, or the residue of a Moka pot. The second gulp seems coffee-laden, though it stops on the right side of it by tOMoH's standards. 9/10
 |
| What. A. Flight. |
Sadly, it is time to go. We catch the last bus and the next-to-last Metro back to town. Incredible selection. Would you believe we left a Linlithgow and two Glencraigs untouched? And only days later do we realise they have a 'rare' section on their menu...
 |
| The Glencraigs in question |
 |
| The winning pair |
No comments:
Post a Comment