A details-poor sample from MR's drawer that she was keen to share (the sample, not the drawer).
Arran d.1996 (unknown ABV, cask sample): nose: summery, with loads of freshly-cut hay and warm pillows. It then gives a subtle note of nail varnish spilled on earth, and plums macerated in wine for a short while. It has a vague cake-y, custard-y aspect, more of a fluffy sponge cake turning golden brown in the oven than custard cream. Once out of the oven (oooh!), the cake is laid to cool on an oilcloth tablecloth. The second nose is earthier, though not in a farm-y way; instead, it is all types of granules, such as chicory, fenugreek and Vanydene. Only annatto is missing. Soon enough, Custard Cream biscuits emerge, as do dry-as-fook pineapple peels (or bark, really). Mouth: well, it is woodier than expected, with chocolate paste spread onto birch shelves. That combines with Custard Cream biscuits and the most minute hint of stem ginger. Chewing brings back summer, with warm custard kissing warm hay bales, apricots and canary melons (warm too, which is original, one will agree). The woody bitterness morphs into Ovaltine, or a milky chicory infusion. Indeed, the texture is that of warm, semi-skimmed milk, as if augmented with chicory granules. We spot a tame fruitiness as well, some kind of sweet-citrus peels or so. The second sip comes across as more acidic, with rhubarb compote, unripe-pineapple peels, preserved lemons (including the salty brine) and lemon juice sprinkled on an innocent custard cream. Looking hard, we find cucumber peels, chargrilled and peeled yellow peppers, and grapefruit-flavoured tonic water, which is to say that the bitterness makes a late comeback after all. The finish is an eruption of gorgeous yellow fruits -- peaches, apricots, Mirabelle plums, nectarines, fresh papaya. It is not exuberantly tropical, but it has some touches. The tongue is left a little numb and leathery, as if it had been licking wooden shelves (birch again), and there is certainly a bitter note, albeit a discreet one. The second gulp increases the bitter touch -- in a fruity way. To some extent, it is crushed Aspirin in a glass of sweetened grapefruit juice. Or grapefruit-and-peach tonic water, if you will. In that regard, it makes one think of Littlemill. Delicious indeed. A strong 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, MR)
This week in London was marked by large-scale strikes on the public-transport network. It mostly affected the Underground, but also the DLR, and, of course, that had a knock-on effect on everything else. We therefore meet to have a few drams on that theme.
In the run-up to today, emails fly about regarding how challenging this theme is (is it?) and I say I hope we do not end up with eight Cam-buses. Fortunately for my head, no Cam-bus in sight.
JMcD arrives first, followed by OB, JS, SOB and YM.
SOB explains that Norwegian public transport is probably better than London's. He adds that, in Norse mythology, Bifröst, also called Bilröst and often anglicized as Bifrost, is a burning bridge that reaches between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the realm of the gods. In other words: Bivrost is a link between two worlds, just like public transport is a link between two places. Finally, this expression is called Yggdrasil, which is the name of the tree at the centre of everything. SOB reckons the Underground map looks like a tree, with many branches at the top, and not much going on around the trunk (south of the river).
Bivrost Yggdrasil 2024 (46%, OB Limited Edition, Oloroso-Seasoned + In-House Charred Casks, 9009b, b#5208): from the Aurora distillery, in Norway. Nose: it is super herbaceous, presenting hawthorn, thyme, sage and some kind of custard to balance it a bit. Later on, it gives dried sausage, cured reindeer meat and white pepper. Mouth: unique, this has chives-topped omelette, peppery egg white and meat fat -- think of the white bits in mortadella, for example. Finish: big and odd, it continues the eggy trip. "This is a brunch dram," says JS. Quite. The egg fry-up turns browner over time, a little crispy on the edges. Yum! So very interesting! 7/10
The soundtrack: three pipers on the bridge downstairs, probably providing music for morris dancing.
OB: "The music selection is more and more eclectic!"
tOMoH: "JMcD is back from Japan. He brought back some whisky." JS: "It better have 'mizunara' written on the bottle!"
JMcD explains that Ichiro Akuto is in charge of Chichibu distillery. Chichibu regularly release a London Edition, which is his tenuous link [sic].
Ichiro's Malt MWR Mizunara Wood Reserve (46%, Venture Whisky distributed by Japan Import System, B#127): nose: lovely fig relish and date spread. Then, we get lots of bold, chewy sweets and crystallised berries. Mouth: woody and drying, it does not want for fruits and sweets -- in fact, it is full of them. Finish: wow! Sweet, fruity, it does not have anything exuberant or extravagant (no Japanese whisky has, other than Karuizawa), but it has enticing jams and pressed currants. 8/10
OB presents a Glen Gants Hill. He adds, "I guess there must be a 31 bus somewhere, and it has to be operated by Go a-Caden-head London." Boom-tsch.
Glen Grant-Glenlivet 31yo 1985/2017 (44.8%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 175th Anniversary, Sherry Butt, 312b): a 'splosion of peaches and figs doused in Golden Syrup. Behind that are tons of pressed currants so ripe they are borderline hairy. Juicy prunes in a leather goblet. The second nose adds dark plums, very ripe too. Mouth: inky prunes, figs, pressed dates, sweaty currants. The second sip has a faint whisper of smoked meat, blood sausage or black pudding with raisins. Finish: long, comforting and sweet, though not overly so. It is a parade of currants and prunes. The second gulp adds a custard-y, cake-y note: berries cheesecake, in which currants are substituted for the berries. I suspect this one benefits form extended breathing in an open bottle, because it is even better than last time. 9/10
Incredibly, as I write down that note of berries cheesecake, JS sits down with a slice of the very same berries cheesecake that JMcD brought and I had not yet seen. Even more incredibly, the previous time we had this Glen Grant, in 2017, it came just after another batch of Ichiro's MWR, the very same sequence as today.
Blueberry cheesecake
Custard-and-almond cake
OB tells us that the next one is bottled by East Village Whisky Company. He adds that another word for 'village' is 'hamlet' (ahem), which makes this an East Ham(let) whisky. There is also a moon module on the label, which is not a London mode of transportation.
Speyside Region 44yo 1973/2017 (47.4%, East Village Whisky Company, Sherry Butt, 142b, b#125): nose: bergamot and a plate of moist mortar. It is sweeter and sweeter with time, piling on crystallised sugar cane. The second nose has wee-soaked pyjamas -- astonishingly, I mean that positively. Mouth: soft and juicy, it has barley syrup, ginger snaps, stem ginger and candied dried-fruit cubes (pineapple, peach), as well as candied angelica (yes, a gentle bitterness). Finish: it is not big, which suggests it has lost a bit of power (the cork is broken), but it remains delicious. Candied fruits, a puff of light pipe tobacco, balsawood smoke. Lovely dram, even if the smoke bitterness becomes a little loud. 8/10
JS: "'Age', not 'Edge'. It is not the US importer." tOMoH: "Oh."
YM brought a Spring-Bank
Springbank 28yo (48.9%, OB specially selected for the Springbank Society, 2966b): nose: moss fire, gingerbread in the oven (oooh!), roasted nuts, roasted berries. The second nose adds hot, oxidised metal. Mouth: ooh! it is rather pickle-y on the tongue, with cured red onions and red-wine vinegar. Chewing releases squashed berries, dark jams, smoked elderberry and blackberries. Those berries are muddier in the second sip, and soot makes an appearance. Finish: long, rustic and comforting like a kitchen fireplace in the countryside. The second gulp feels smokier and adds a blend of grated coal and soot. It remains berry-laden and juicy, however, even if it adopts stagnant water in the long run. 8/10
SOB brought a Gold Spot for Gold-ers Green. He adds that the gold spot of the tube is the place on the departure platform or on the train that is closest to the exit at the destination station. He confesses he missed the gold spot on his way here.
Gold Spot 9yo b.2022 135th Anniversary (51.4%, Midleton Distillery Limited Edition celebrating the 135th anniversary of the Mitchell's Whiskey bonding tradition, Bourbon Barrels + Sherry Butts + Bordeaux Wine Casks + Port Pipes, L215031402): nose: it is not a complete fruit onslaught, but it is pretty bold in that department, as if ripe fruits were served in a precious-wood bowl. This has a pinch of cigarette ash too, which is more unusual. Mouth: softly drying, it is also creamy and, of course, fruity. Plums, persimmons, plantains, baked cherimoyas. The second sip is a little more drying yet, though it is now on the confectionary side of the spectrum -- sweets and candied fruit. Finish: long and blend-y, this clearly has a good does of unmalted barley in the mash. Old polished wood, wood stain... it is fairly woody alright, with plane shavings and stuff on top of a shier fruitiness. 8/10
tOMoH unveils a Glenlochy by Signatory Vintage. He points out that this one did come with the tube (see picture).
SOB: "I thought you were going to say we would have been sorry to come last week, because all the stations were Glen-locked."
Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010 (52.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2649, 265b, b#71): nose: nostril-clearing, it then emits a nice faded suede and yellow fruits. Mouth: ooft! This has fruits and smoke in a smoky bar, a bit of jam and tin lids. Finish: big, a tad briny, and full of acidic yellow fruits. My full notes are here. 9/10
JMcD, who, remember, is back from Japan, brought a Yoichi, because the company that runs the Tokyo Metro also runs the Elizabeth Line in London.
Yoichi Peaty & Salty (55%, OB distributed by Japan Import System): horse's hair, suede, sheepskin, desert dirt after a soft rain, earth patties. It has a bold spiciness to it and lots of horse shenanigans -- stables, hay bales, straw, saddles, harnesses and, well, horse's hair and horse's sweat. Manure appears in the second nose, with also a whiff of muck. Mouth: it Is pretty potent, borderline fiery, briny (JMcD). It has salted chocolate and smoked apricots eaten on a horse's back. Finish: huge, it has lots of dried ginger, earth, desert dirt, and more horse. We find smoked pasties with the second gulp. Lovely stuff, this. 8/10
JS extracts an unbroken cork from her contribution.
JS: "Clearly a fake!" tOMoH [picks up the cork]: "I don't know why I'm looking. I can't compare it to a Rare Malts cork: I've never seen one intact."
JS finally unveils her bottle: a Rare Malts Teaninich. YM immediately registers that it spells 'RMT', the name of the union who initiated the strike.
Teaninich 23yo d.1972 (64.95%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#1323): nose: interestingly, it prolongs the suede-and-stable profile of the Yoichi, perhaps meatier: it is not just horse's hair, but horse's meat, cured and thinly sliced. Horse's hair and fringed suede jackets mingle with smoked raspberries too. Soon, we find heated metal -- think of a cannon, without the gunpowder. It becomes ester-y, after a few minutes, and, with that ABV, how could it be otherwise? JS rightly calls it ferocious. Mouth: drying as warm sand, it has more of that horse's hair goodness and a lick of fresh paint. Quickly, hot cast iron joins the dance. Keeping it in the mouth until the taste buds wake up generates a shock. Finish: hugely powerful, it is not particularly wide. It unfolds similarly to the nose and palate, with smoke, horse's hair and sun-drenched hay bales. Without surprise, it leaves the palate a little numb. In fact, it is surprising that it does not leave it completely destroyed. 8/10
Huh?
It is unclear why this (and other RMS) give the ABV with two decimals and why the bottle label states 75cl and not 750ml (as American imports do -- the box does, yet the American version has no box). It does not sport the 'B297' that would indicate a South-African bottling (also 75cl), and has a blank space where market information would normally be written. Just which market was this bottled for?
JS: "The mystery, like the cork, remains intact."
JMcD is made to drink out of the 1920s blender's glass (aka the dickhead glass).
JMcD [paraphrasing]: "It is very impractical to drink from." JS: "Hence the name. One looks like a dickhead when using one." OB: "I bet it makes you want to look down on us, though." JMcD: "I do feel superior indeed."
He passes it around for comparison with a regular glass.
YM: "It increases the booziness. Just what you don't want to do." YM [sarcastically]: "Maybe with an Octomore…" JS: "But then you'd be dead on the floor with a dickhead glass on you."
YM brought an SMWS bottling called 'Entropy meridian', which, he says, describes the chaos caused by this week's tube strikes.
53.318 11yo 2008/2020 Entropy meridian (57%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 232b): nose: hot sands wet with diesel, mud patties, ashes (YM). YM finds it not as punchy as most Caol Ilas, yet it packs a punch alright, even after the previous brute. We have more and more smoked cockles, over time. Mouth: oh! Here, we find more-usual Caol Ila notes; whelk, salt water, fishing nets. It gets saltier and sandier with subsequent sips. A tank of diesel augmented with a drop of ink, and a fishing net basking in it. Finish: it has a huge earthiness of smoked mud patties. Later on, we have sugar cubes and caster sugar sprinkled on oysters. 8/10
JS: "What does [Entropy meridian] mean in the context of Caol Ila?" YM: "It's a chaotic dram, not very much like their usual 11yo." tOMoH: "Not something you hear in many circles." YM: "..." tOMoH: "Give [YM] the dickhead glass [so he can feel superior]!"
JS: "What was the best dram?" OB: "I would like to say the Glenlochy, but tOMoH will piss himself if I say that." tOMoH: "Why do you say it in the future tense?"
Excellent tasting, lots of silly nonsense, good food, good drams.
Longmorn 34yo 1973/2007 (54.4%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength, First Fill Sherry Butt, C#3649, JG/AIG): nose: bold shoe polish is quickly overtaken by ester-y wood stain (Carbonyl, Ronseal). Then, we pause to smell woody tones, meaning treated wood, rather than wood treatment. It is no longer wood stain, but tainted wood; not lacquer, but lacquered wooden boxes. There is also a growing sense of chocolate and gingerbread; if it were not for the lack of butter and flour, one may even say a bakery. Pencil shavings and cedarwood sheets mix with a dry fortified wine, or blackcurrant liqueur. It is at once precious and dusty, elegant and faded. In one word: old. The second nose is full of wood patina, propolis and thick, dark beeswax weathered by years spent on furniture exposed to the sun rays through the window. Mouth: it is a huge attack, punchy and fiery. It is also immensely leathery, in a polished-sofa way. Minute chewing adds all sorts of Sherry influences: oranges, shoe polish, liqueur-filled chocolate. It also has a clear woody touch, with old cedarwood sheets and gingerbread. The second sip brings up some of the volatile wood-treatment products from the initial nose (Carbonyl, Ronseal or another decking stain) and fresh-ginger shavings in chocolate. Perhaps it has one maraschino cherry too. Finish: remarkably subtle down the oesophagus, it climbs back up to drop mocha bombs at the start of the palate, right behind the top incisors. To say that is unexpected would be an understatement! After a few seconds, cigarillo smoke sets up camp, slightly acrid, mostly comfortable. The second gulp seems more-immediately characterful, and more in line with the nose and palate, in that it has woody notes off the bat, namely: furniture patina, cassia-bark splinters, decking stain, faint mocha chocolate. That last one starts out almost imperceptible, then grows with each sip. Quite different from our first encounter. Good. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)
When this event was announced, I could not remember meeting or hearing about Ian Hunter. When PS underlined he was nicknamed Mr. Closed Distillery, my curiosity was obviously piqued. I also thought it was a little weird that we had never crossed paths.
Tonight is the night, then, when we verify if this Mr. Closed Distillery is whom he claims to be.
I join JS, DW, PS, GT, Dr. CD, YM and others on the top deck. One look at the host, and I realise we have met -- at DW's Easter bash. Phew! That bodes well.
Despite tube strikes, most people made it. We start on time.
Hunter wastes no time. He tells us briefly when he became a Society member (2002), not how or why, then dives straight into the whiskies and the memorabilia he brought along, documents from yesteryear, some frankly depressing when one compares prices and selection with today's.
Take this 2002 outturn brochure, for example. The Lowland page advertises an Inverleven, a Rosebank and a St Magdalene. One could buy all three for... £159
I take scant notes. The pace does not allow it and I want to enjoy the company. We try everything blind.
Dram #1
Nose: powerful nose, with marzipan soon overtaken by honeysuckle. This is bright, lively, and a tad minty, perhaps. The second nose brings honey. Mouth: punchy, it has a mix of peach and red chilli pepper. Finish: long, wide, fruity, it delivers peaches and peach stones, as well as a tame lick of chocolate. Comment: with a few vague clues, I guess Coleburn, then Convalmore, even if it is clearly not the profile of the latter. We struggle to pinpoint it until the reveal. Then, it becomes embarrassingly obvious. Caperdonich is not really a rare sight at the SMWS, even these days. That said, no-one has had this older bottling. And it is very good.
38.13 24yo 1980/2005 Eiswein and red peppercorns (57.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 268b) 8/10
Dram #2
Nose: mint crumbles, sherbet, it is rather sweet, then develops a soft citrus-peel profile and adds cosmetic powder. Mouth: it has quite a bite, acidic and citric. It is also powdery without being chalky. The second sip is spicier, with a good dose of chilli. Finish: chocolate rolled in rose petals. The second gulp presents dandelion stems, which is to say: plant bitterness. Comment: Ian tells us it is a divisive distillery, which PS confirms by staring at me. I conclude that it is Cambus and dare not touch it. The man said Speyside, though, and it does not smell like a grain. Good thing I do not say anything, because it is, in fact, Pittyvaich. A Pittyvaich we have already tried in this very room, actually! More than a decade ago, granted.
90.5 10yo 1992/2002 Kola Kubes and Lilt (59.4%, SMWS Society Cask, 248b) 8/10
IH: "It has a cult following." PS: "It's spelled with an 'n', not an 'l'."
Dram #3
Nose: this is bursting with jelly capsules, followed by fruits. It is like pulling peaches out of a plastic medicine jar. It probably smells much better than it reads. Mouth: it has citrus foliage, but it is mostly lovely fruits. Strawberries, rosehips, Damson plums, apricots and the softest puff of blond tobacco. Finish: juicy Mirabelle plums and apricots. Comment: this is excellent and my favourite, so far. I liken it in my head to 45.19. That was good, but this one is even better.
45.9 27yo 1975/2003 Cherry on top (50%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10
Dram #4
Nose: a little brimstone mixed with juicy fruits (kumquat, calamondin, tangelo). It is also mineral and gives a whisper of Hardois the dog, wet or not. Mouth: mosses on slate, corroded metal, fresh fruits and dried orange. Finish: long, it is a steamroller, assertive, not aggressive. It has stewed orange segments simmering in a cast-iron pot. Comment: some guesses, including Brora, which this obviously is not. I silently think Glenlochy, but we are told it is an Invernessian distillery. The crowd narrows it down to Millburn. It is even one we have tried before. I like it better today. Crazy how much more approachable it seems, tonight. The magic of a well-crafted sequence, eh?
87.6 16yo 1983/2000 (57%, SMWS Society Cask) 9/10
Dram #5
Nose: phwoar! Behind the obvious shoe polish from the no-less-obvious Sherry cask, it is absurdly fruity, with exploding lychee, dragon fruit, mangosteen and rambutan. Coffee pops in and out too, waving like a line-drying leather belt flapping in the wind. Mouth: it is very powerful, even now, numbing and clearly fruity. Here are lychee, kumquat, mandarine, apricot. Finish: long, warming, it rolls out the chocolate carpet, which is quickly trampled on by fresh citrus and cut plums, with shy lychee now in the background. Comment: what a way to finish! The colour worried me, but this turned out to be precisely my kind of dram. Colloquially known as Mandarins in a well seasoned roasting tin, a name that appears nowhere on the label, it is remarkably different from 92.7, which shared the ABV and the cask type, though from another vintage. That one was sadly smothered by the Sherry.
92.9 20yo 1981/2001 (61.2%, SMWS Society Cask, Sherry Butt) 9/10
There. We just finished five drams in exactly one hour.
And what drams!
Beside the pace, which was too fast for me, it was a great tasting. Unpretentious, factual. I liked that Ian did not bring the obvious or more-prestigious closed distilleries. I was also glad the venue did not crowbar a current bottling into the line-up: seeing the calibre on display, that may have degraded the experience, as JS says.
I did regret that IH read tasting notes from the outturn brochures of the time, or notes he found online. For the one instance where he did not find any note (the Dallas Dhu), he even had Co-Pilot produce tasting notes for him, which I thought bizarre. Now, notes can be a useful guideline, but I find it a pity to read us those notes before we can try the drams and make our own opinion.
Off tasting, we have...
76.157 18yo 2006/2025 Tales of the Worm Tub: Behold the beast (54.3%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Butt, 534b)
Nose: thick leather boots, rancio, smoked ham. Then, it shifts towards hair lacquer. The second nose adds cracked black pepper and shaved wine-soaked cork. Mouth: wine-soaked orange segments, pressed, and most of the moisture removed. Chewing injects sangria and soaked citrus peels. The second sip is drier, full of dusty elderberry and blueberry skins. Finish: long, wine-y and fruity with a bitter orange-peel aftertaste -- in a good way. Comment: DW tried to impress us with a recent Caperdonich and came back with this Mortlach. Woops! It is good all the same. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)
38.43 32yo 1992/2024 Homecoming: The essence of heritage -- Bar-room buzz (49.6%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Barrique, 213b)
Nose: coconut wood shavings (JS), an avalanche of candied papaya, dried peach cubes and mint crumbles in the back. There is also a bunch of flowers in there, somewhere -- carnations, tulips, chamomile, canola. The second nose is more leisurely, with soft leather sofas and many cushions. It stays floral, almost hay-like. Mouth: initially chewy, it becomes unctuous, milky, if not custard-y. We have mushy peach flesh, timid maracuja, a pinch of mint, plum, white peach, mango, palak. Finish: mellow and custardy, it peddles white-peach flesh before expiring in a puff of mango pulp. The second gulp is in line. Maybe, we imagine vanilla-filled milk chocolate? Comment: what did I say about recent Caperdonich, at the beginning of the tasting? This is stupendous. Simply beautiful. I like it much more than the first time we had it. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, DW)
MD of the Swissky Mafia is in town and is quite excited: he has been an SMWS member for many years, but he was never around for an outturn preview. Tonight, JS managed to book us a table. This time, it is far from the table where PS, YM and DW sit, which means we will have limited interactions with them.
5.131 22yo 2003/2025 Blissfully lost (52.8%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 188b)
Nose: marzipan and horsepower. This smells surprisingly close to a grain, the alcohol purified to a degree few malt distilleries reach. Of course, distillery number 5, Auchentoshan is triple-distilled, which explains. Past the (neutralish) alcohol, we spot cinnamon, ginger, plums and chewy sweets. MD finds glue, on the other hand, another note that many associate with a grain whisky. Mouth: it is a bit green, weirdly enough. Lime peels, tree bark... Yes, this is bitter and a little acidic. Not in a bad way, but it will deter some. It turns woody upon chewing. Water mellows it out without changing the profile much. Finish: long, warming, intense. It has tart fruits and chewy wood, mulch or cork. Comment: I was looking forward to this one, hoping it would be a fruity extravaganza, but I find it just okay. 7/10
4.353 13yo d.2009 Lavender honey and chimney lobsters (62.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b)
Nose: it is pretty farm-y, with mud patties, farm paths and muck. It also has a whiff of chewy violet sweets. With water, it opens up and turns more vanilla-y. Custard Cream biscuits. Mouth: smoked sweet citrus, such as Buddha's hand, calamansi, kumquat. Phwoar! How delicious is this? MD finds it a soft bitterness, however. Water increases the citrus-y feel, makes it more acidic. Finish: glowingly warm, close to burning, it offers baked cherimoya and metal-filing-laced tangerines. Water makes it a tad too acidic for my taste. It loses its balance. Comment: I enjoy this a lot. Strikingly, just as I start tasting it, Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again plays in the room. And as we all know, the opening sequence of the video is shot in front of the Old Man of Hoy, on Orkney, the very archipelago where this whisky was made. 8/10
4.397 19yo d.2005 The old man and the sea (59.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 301b)
Nose: this is much more sherried in an animal way, with musk and old leather, wine-stained belts and game bags. Maybe dust and confectionary sugar too. The second nose brings more faded leather, augmented with cured prunes. Mouth: rancio. It is sweeter than elderberry, yet we find some berries alright -- cured strawberries, in all likelihood. It is fairly fiery, a hay bonfire, sprinkled with currant juice. The second sip adds a good dose of crushed chilli. Finish: very rich and full (MD), it has currants and some papier mâché-like paste made of macerated hay. JS finds the chilli too strong, which is disturbing, considering her usual affinity for that. Water unleashes vegetal goodness such as dried-flower stems and dried hay topped with custard powder. Comment: clearly, Eurythmics would be even better playing now than alongside the previous dram (something to do with the Old Man, you know?), but I am a slow drinker. This is the one I was most excited to try tonight, and I am a smidge disappointed. It is good, but I prefer its younger sibling. 8/10
36.204 13yo d.2009 Truly an outlander (57.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill ex-Rum Barrique, 258b)
Nose: coffee-scented sweets. Mokatine would be the obvious, but it is not as in-your-face. This is thick a smell, like a thick soup -- a sweet one. Chocolate milk erupts on the second nose with studs of dried peach and dried papaya. Mouth: sweet and mineral (a fistful of beach pebbles), it is also fairly fruity, offering crystallised orange and candied papaya cubes. A tame bitterness appears upon chewing. Finish: long, warming and fruity, here are more crystallised fruits, chiefly orange segments. The second gulp is creamy, unctuous as chocolate custard. Comment: another cracking Benrinnes. The distillation date suggests it is a reissue of an older bottling that they sat on for a couple of years. 8/10
1.295 13yo 2012/2025 Dance in the air (58%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel finished in 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 197b)
Nose: cherimoya, candied cherries. The latter becomes very prominent, almost heady, soft, sweet, chewy and fragrant. Mouth: pine needles and sap, and a pine-flavoured gel, Chewing confirms and adds a desiccating lick. The second sip is woodier, drying. Finish: long and fruity. Here are fresh cherries surfing on an almost-medicinal feel -- as in: numbing; not the taste so much. The second gulp is darker, it has more cherries. Comment: a nice offering from a distillery I usually overlook. 7/10
6.83 17yo 2007/2025 Chewy-textured meanderings (53.6%, SMWS Society Cask Two to One, ex-Bourbon Hogsheads finished in 1st Fill Spanish Oak Oloroso Hogshead & 1st Fill American Oak Oloroso Hogshead, 409b)
Nose: fresh and sharp, with spearmint, apple peels and Haribo Bananas. Green citrus comes out upon repeated nosing. Mouth: dried pineapple rings, tulip petals, papaya cubes and blond tobacco. The second sip is more stripping, citric and sharp, though that is balanced by a nice custard. Finish: big, fruity (dried fruit). That turns more to orange peels at second gulp. Comment: distilled on MD's birthday anniversary, it is another good one. 7/10
19.92 20yo 2003/2023 Illicit toast (55.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 171b)
Nose: grape sweets, blueberry muffin, fluffy blueberry pancakes (of the thick, American kind). This is certainly on the blueberry tip, with added cinnamon gratings, then recently-polished Chesterfield sofas. Mouth: round and plump, it has booze-soaked plums. The second sip is a tad duller. Finish: bay leaves and cinnamon gratings are carried by a current of currants and blueberries. There is a soft, numbing lick of cardboard towards the death. Comment: winner! 8/10
112.138 17yo 2008/2025 A warm fuzzy crowd pleaser (57.2%, SMWS Society Single Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 237b)
Nose: this shouts fruits, nectarines and plums. There is some shoe polish too, and a maritime touch reminiscent of Barbour grease on a boat. Plums come back, discreetly but surely. Mouth: thick, bold, a bit wine-y. The second sip has intense sweets (Monkey Balls, for those who know, a type of citric-powder-coated, cherry-flavoured hard candy). Indeed, this is plenty citric.
Finish: very-ripe papaya (MD). Nectarines mixed with blueberries and plums. Comment: delicious. A strong 8/10
Next up is the 115.
MD: "I love anCnoc distillery."
Here is something one does not hear every day.
115.38 10yo 2004/2025 The seven ages (61.2%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 294b)
Nose: this is pretty neutral to start with. Rubbing alcohol, maybe? Actually, it is a little medicinal, come to think of it: gauze, straps and shortbread. If it cannot be cured with shortbread... Mouth: it starts out comfy, then turns quite drying. Chewing reveals boozy berries (elderberries, blackcurrants, dried cherry slices) and some cinnamon bark. It gets even more drying upon repeated sipping, adding dust and a mushroom-y aspect. Finish: long, cinnamon-y, numbing and also creamy. Comment: this is not the Basque Country, but it is good. 7/10
MD [asking if he can buy the Basque Country]: "Can I Basquet it?"
A Secret Orkney Distillery 25yo 1999/2024 (52.4%, East Village Whisky Company, Hogshead, 78b)
Nose: refined smoke, smoked lemons, dried flowers. Mouth: juicy, it has just a pinch of heather petals. Soon enough, it is all hot and spicy. Finish: very smoky, acrid and inky, at this stage. Comment: this is good too. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD)
Distillery 4 Rare Release 20yo 2003/2023 Take me to the chippy (54.7%, SMWS In celebration of the Highland Whisky Festival 2024, Refill ex-Bourbon, HTMC & Oloroso (ex-Islay) Hogsheads, 924b)
Comment: longer notes here. This is still staggeringly good, today, with a tropical finish jumping out of nowhere. 9/10
115.29 32yo 1991/2024 Visions of the Basque Country (47.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 152b)
Comment: glad to try this again and confirm our impression from last month. Head and shoulders above everything else we have tried today. 9/10
The staff produce a sheet with two whiskies that should have been in the outturn list but were somehow left out, complete with incorrect prices and all.
24.188 16yo 2008/2025 Flamenco fruitcake (62.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Oloroso Butt finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 307b)
Nose: dark chocolate, strong leather and strong alcohol. Once that last item calms down, we have prunes and seared mushrooms, Maggi sauce, which, MD adds, means a slight sulphury note of matchsticks. Mouth: mellow in texture, it is also hot. Burning heat, red chillies and Scotch bonnets. Finish: long, invasive, it is partly redeemed by the introduction of raisins and dried dates. Comment: I still cannot understand the hype around Macallan. This is just decent. 6/10
13.114 15yo 2010/2025 A Hansel and Gretel gingerbread house (59.6%, SMWS Society Cask, finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 222b)
Nose: meaty in a way that does not agree with me. Meat on the bone, soaked cork. It also has a slightly-medicinal touch. Mouth: tea-like, bitter. Not unbearably so, but it is not for me. Wine-soaked cork again and prunes. Finish: yeah, this is woody, bitter. Prunes show up again, which helps a little. Comment: not my thing. 5/10
Nose: so inky! This is 1974-Ardbeg territory, with ink-stained fishing nets, hot water bottles and warmed (microwaved) blankets. Mouth: soft and fresh, it has citrus and, while I try to identify those, oyster mushrooms come up unexpectedly, doused in ink. Finish: it is incredibly inky again. India ink, black as night. Comment: special juice that is hard to beat. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, MD)
53.484 14yo 2011/2025 Burn a sprig of rosemary (56.8%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 171b)
Nose: drying fishing nets, cockles, mussels, wet sand and mud patties. Mouth: sea water, mussels, mussel compote (if you know, you know), whelks and periwinkle paste. Finish: powerful, reliable, it dishes out sand, ink, crustaceans and molluscs, tarry sands and candyfloss. Comment: this is excellent. It is also fantastic to see it hold its own after its venerable ancestor. 8/10
MD: "The only problem [with Caol Ila] is that, between 13-14yo and 20yo, it's wasted years. What should they do? Bottle it now, or wait another twelve years?"
After taking a while to count how many drams we are entitled to and how much each one is, we never get to try 153.4 we had selected. I will only realise tomorrow. That said, they are closing shop, we leave last again, or almost, and I certainly have had enough to drink for one night. Also, they likely undercharged us for the Basque Country, so no complaint other than we did not keep track as well as we should have.
Springbank 8yo 1985/1994 (61.1%, Cadenhead, Sherrywood, 94/285): nose: this one has OME too, just like the Scapa the other day, wood dust and metal filings (tin, brass), yet that does not hide a strong distillate, at once fruity and rustic. Dried-apple gratings, farm paths, encaustic, patina-covered wooden chairs, and WD-40. It has new ploughs, harrows and various agricultural tools, though little earth, especially for a Springer. Time adds more of that earth, dark, fertile, musty, mushroom-y, yet what dominates the nose are furniture polish and WD-40. The second nose turns all wintry, with logs on a cast-iron rack by the fireplace, a fireside set (that little shovel, the pliers, brush and hook), and a minimal dose of soot. Next up are roasted apples, smoked lemons, chargrilled yellow peppers. The furniture from earlier is now but a fading memory. There may be a drop of prune juice. the only sign this used to rest in a Sherry cask. Water operates a strange transformation: this now exhibits a mix of leather and rubber, discreet orchard fruit and limestone. Mouth: crisp as lime juice, acidic and sharp as a blade. It dishes out one spray of WD-40, chewing tobacco and, in a matter of seconds, surgical alcohol. Indeed, this is strong, anaesthetising. Chewing delivers a lime-scented spray that may well be metal lubricant applied on shiny-blue metal (a cylinder head comes to mind, or razor blades) and marries that with dried apple gratings (or dried-apple gratings). All that is happening in a field in which are a tractor and its new plough. The second sip is sweet and mineral; it combines caster sugar and sandstone chippings -- ha! Chewing helps sugar get the upper hand, only to meet acidic citrus, now not just lime, but pomelo too, with stone chippings in the background. Adding water confirms the acidic, warm, smoked limes, pressed, and the juice heated again. Finish: softer than expected (though not soft), it prolongs the fruity-earthy trip with cut apples laid cut side up in a ploughed field in dry weather. It is also remarkably metallic, and that goes further than the blade that cut the apples; we have tins full of brass buttons, belt buckles and tins of tobacco. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up dark soil (not of the potting kind), a whisper of smoke, burning wood and the hot cast-iron grille of a fireplace. The second gulp is more powerful for a split second, then becomes perfectly tolerable neat again. It is a slow burner: low heat for a veeeeeeery long time. Now, we perceive the bitterness of apricot stones mixing with split slate, bone-dry lime (pomelo?) zest, the smoke of blond tobacco, and hot cast iron. Funnily enough, it feels punchier with water. It has hiking boots (not worn enough to hint at tropical fruits, yet undeniably funky to a point), powdered eucalyptus and smoked pomelo. The limestone, so present on the reduced palate, is virtually absent, here. And the pomelo zest from earlier is less dry; in fact, it becomes chewy again. This is rustic, uncompromising and excellent. 8/10
Last day of the summer sales, see? PS, GT, Dr. CD and JS are there too, of course.
Invergordon 36yo 1965/2002 (51.8%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, C#15539, 252b, b#45): nose: lovely caramelised pineapple, then a whiff of dark tobacco in the background. It has shiny hot metal too. Let us call it pineapple rings sizzling on a hot metal plate (some kind of alloy with a blue hue), caramelising in their own juice. It being an Invergordon, we, of course, have blackcurrants in vanilla custard, which tOMoH finds unthinkable not to like. The second nose has gingerbread and sponge-y speculoos (the kind they hardly export). Water adds shaved hazel bark and lime zest. Mouth: with that ABV, it is suitably drying, toasted, and bitter with unripe fruits (blackcurrants, obviously). It is rather unripe and bitter, and that detracts from the fruitiness and sweetness, to some extent. Chewing brings about rancio-y elderberry, thick and desiccating, as well as fruity and dark. With water, the palate seems bitterer and drier, especially to the gums around the top incisors. Finish: punchy, fruity, it has razor blades, or pencil-sharpener blades and unripe blackcurrants. The second gulp feels more balanced, with lots of dark fruits (mostly blackcurrant and elderberry), now less bitter. It has some dusty earth at the death, coupled with old staves falling to dust. Water adds steeped bay leaf and cassia bark, which make it drying again. This is very good, if not ripe enough to deserve a higher score. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS)
We are treated to another round.
GK: "A celebratory dram." tOMoH: "What are we celebrating?" GK: "Grimsby beat Manchester United." JS: "Why did you choose this one?" GK: "I asked for something up to G [one of the price points]." JS: "'G' for Grimsby?" GK: "Oh... I hadn't thought of that." tOMoH: "Well, it is very good." GK: "Yeah. I'm not sure which distillery it is." PS: "Miltonduff." tOMoH [with help from JS]: "It's Glenburgie."
71.113 29yo d.1995 Desert island sponge cake (48%, SMWS Society Cask, Re-Charred Hogshead, 222b): nose: explosively floral, with daffodils, yellow tulips, irises and dried bunches of honeysuckle, then peach slices and floury pasties. Or is it confectionary sugar? In any case, it is well delicious. The second nose is sweeter, with sherbet and flying saucers (the sweets), and various kinds of confectionary-sugar-coated sweets. Time piles on the sherbet. Chewing adds a lot of fruits, namely peaches, dried banana slices, papaya cubes and faint candied angelica. More sweets come up with time, both of the hard and chewy sorts. Crushed lime leaves mingle with sherbet, after a wee while, and more dried flowers, as well as bergamot foliage, if not clementine peels. Finish: long, comforting and fruity, it is also a tad bitter, dolmas style. It is as if dolmas had been rolled into shortcrust and turned into a pasty. The second gulp fans candied papaya cubes, soaked in wine. Over time, citrus appears too, peels and foliage, rather than flesh. We have tangerine and bergamot once more. Water adds a chocolate-y dimension to the finish, a chocolate stuffed with dried raspberry chunks, that is. Excellent. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, GK)
115.19 27yo d.1992 Venerable vitality (44.9%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 121b): nose: a little blond tobacco does not hide a burst of blossom. Honeysuckle and apple blossom, and they transform into strawberry coulis and lime Tic Tac. The second nose adds jasmine and apple peels. Mouth: apple blossom it is! We have apple slices too, and a few hazelwood shavings add complexity. It is velvety as nectar, just not full-on fruity. The second sip has cassia-bark splinters, maybe a pinch of black cumin seeds and raisins. It is a strange combination that works extremely well. Further chewing even introduces some chalk. Finish: peaches in syrup, rehydrated dried apricots, and blossom tea. What kind of blossom is harder to tell -- apple? Lilac? Jasmine? Dried fruits rock up at second gulp, such as apricots, papaya, and cubed apple. Yes, dried apple, cubed -- and why not? This is good. 8/10
7.283 33yo d.1990 The sun sets behind clementine clouds (40.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 74b): nose: we have fruity red wine (or is it the conversation at the next table?), then apple-flavoured sweets, and we end up with a lump of blue plasticine. Are we building a smurf? That then becomes mortar and grout. It returns to apples, and it is chalky apples, crunchy and acidic. The second nose has more confectionary sugar or sherbet. Mouth: dry white wine (Chenin blanc), Fino Sherry. Yes, this is fruity and also dry and mineral. Pebbles polished smooth by the elements, tonic water. The second sip is a lot chalkier yet, desiccating, with pressed raisins added to keep it tolerable. Finish: long, balanced, it has a great chalky side with lots of dried fruits thrown in. It is fruitier with each sip, in fact, which is good. 8/10
PS [about whisky-related news]: "I have an alert for these things. I usually get shit from Macallan and Bowmore, because they have PR teams and arseholes." Dr. CD: "They have arseholes in a PR team."
What is this? Another round? They come hard and fast, eh?
53.474 13yo d.2010 Ultimate pub grub smackdown (59.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 214b): drying fishing nets, mussel shells in a wooden crate on the quay. Then, suddenly, it turns all chalky -- and that is chalk, not crushed Aspirin. There is also some earth and chilli flakes, which is unusual . The second nose has warm sand -- black sand, to be precise. Perhaps it has a touch of rubbery earth, if not quite tar. Mouth: strong. We spot ink-stained fishing nets and inky earth. In the long run, this becomes pretty drying, with lots of crushed seashells, more ink, and sea water. It is juicy, then drying. Finish: here is a lovely sweetness deployed over seafood (molluscs and crustaceans). Cockles and mussels in a sweet-and-sour sauce, dusted with confectionary sugar. This is a typical Caol Ila of a certain age, in other words. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, Ro)
The next dram came earlier, but, since it is heavily peated, I kept it until now.
121.119 9yo d.2015 I then produced my rapier (62.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 190b): nose: this is a much-earthier type of peat. Mud, then dry paint turn to wet-sand patties over time, and the whole becomes less monolithic. It has cured fruits too, with too much wine for my taste, smoked ham, and hot velvet car seats. Mouth: juicy, this is full of peaches coated in mud, and super-drying, dusty elderberry. Did I say it is drying? Finish: big, muddy, it has fruits (chikoo, of all things) and mud patties doused in chilli oil. It remains earthy and muddy in the long run too. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, Dr. CD)
Another one? Well, if you twist my hand...
10.270 11yo d.2009 Vinegar three ways (57.3%, SMWS Society Cask In celebration 19 Greville Street Exclusive cask 2025, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 253b): nose: it is a fruity one, with white plums, and everyone's favourite fruit: baked potato. Huh? Later on, we have ink and a paste made with some kind of herb. Baked spinach, perhaps? Or is it blotting paper? Mouth: another drying number, fruity and muddy, with smoked apples fallen into the mud and quince pumped full of booze. Finish: it is a lot peatier here, with clogged sink, hair balls and build-ups of gunk that have developed their own biotope. GT asked for a bottle kill for this last dram. It is hot and bitter and less to my taste. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, GT)
tOMoH [to GT]: "Thanks for the Bunna." GT: "What?" tOMoH: "The Bunna. The bottle kill?" GT: "Ah! Don't know what it was. I asked for a bottle kill. [The staff] chose it."
Cam talks about his retirement plans. Once he is a couple of years into his job, he can purchase stock.
tOMoH: "They'll give you measles if you don't pay attention." Cam: "Yeah, but... tax-free."
Unbelievably, JS and I manage to leave after PS, GT and Dr. CD. This has never happened before that I can remember.
The level worried me a little, but it has not lost in power
Scapa 24yo 1965/1990 (50.1%, Cadenhead): nose: oh! meow. OME in full effect, with metal, dusty fruits and corroded brass buttons. The fruity side ends up the most obvious, which is always good news to tOMoH. Sliced nectarines and peaches, tangerines and mandarines turning dry, a pineapple that is starting to grow its own hair. Behind that fruit is a cardboard-y, metallic presence. We are talking about rusty tin and dusty card, here (flat-packed, you know? We are not psychopaths). Minutes into it, that opens up to deliver a delicious tart, all hot apricots and custard. The rusty metal is now relegated to a knife that will cut said tart. Oh! and it smells powerful too. The second nose sees fleeting dried strawberry slices and bone-dry wood covered with a thin lichen. Hot sawdust -- really one dusty number, this! Further nosing adds more and more custard, which is appealing, augmented with smashed raspberries and dried cherry slices. Water does not alter it; it simply makes everything louder. The fruits, as well as the wood and cardboard. Only the corroded metal is more discreet, now, dull tin, rather than a derelict car in the woods. Several minutes in, at last, custard starts shining a little brighter. Mouth: ooft! How punchy. This is properly numbing, close to disinfectant. Once the tongue recover some feelings, it picks up rusty metal (this time an old armoured vehicle abandoned on a Pacific island in the mid-1940s) and cardboard again. That eventually dissipates and makes way for barely-ripe nectarines, served in a white-hot tin can. Chewing brings about dusty, stained blotting paper and a bitterness that is hard to identify precisely; it is not that of a metal blade, nor that of leaves. Maybe lichen-covered sheet metal? The second sip is just as hot and numbing. Despite some fruit, it feels close to downing a nip of disinfectant from a wooden drinking vessel. Once more, the recovering taste buds detect warm nectarine slices in amongst woodworm-riddled walnut wardrobes. All that wood is a bit drying, in the long run. Here too, water seems to amplify the flavours. We get Merbromin-sprinkled dried berries and a warm custard tart served on dusty cardboard plates. How amusing! It still has a faint bitterness too, though that is not accentuated by said addition of water. Finish: neutral on arrival, it gains character within a couple of seconds. Then, we spot flashes of fruits (nectarines, white peaches), and metal and cardboard again. The whole is warming and long-lived, even if calling it "coating" or "sticky" would be inaccurate. Instead, it is borderline earthy and reminiscent of an old cellar with a dusty earth floor, in which one would have stored cardboard boxes. The second sip is more focussed on fruits, yet it is not a walk in an orchard by any means. It is still a big, muscular, cardboard-y affair with fruit slices dotted here and there. The more one samples this, the more the fruits morph into dried berries (raspberries, strawberries, cherries). Water perhaps changes the finish most. Despite an obvious bitterness still pervading, what strikes is a wonderful vanilla custard punctuated by cut berries, or a warm berry custard cake, which suddenly turns this into an outstanding dram. From the first nose, I reckoned this would score higher. All in all, it is a challenging beast, this. 8/10
Arran d.1996 (unknown ABV, cask sample): nose: summery, with loads of freshly-cut hay and warm pillows. It then gives a subtle note of nail varnish spilled on earth, and plums macerated in wine for a short while. It has a vague cake-y, custard-y aspect, more of a fluffy sponge cake turning golden brown in the oven than custard cream. Once out of the oven (oooh!), the cake is laid to cool on an oilcloth tablecloth. The second nose is earthier, though not in a farm-y way; instead, it is all types of granules, such as chicory, fenugreek and Vanydene. Only annatto is missing. Soon enough, Custard Cream biscuits emerge, as do dry-as-fook pineapple peels (or bark, really). Mouth: well, it is woodier than expected, with chocolate paste spread onto birch shelves. That combines with Custard Cream biscuits and the most minute hint of stem ginger. Chewing brings back summer, with warm custard kissing warm hay bales, apricots and canary melons (warm too, which is original, one will agree). The woody bitterness morphs into Ovaltine, or a milky chicory infusion. Indeed, the texture is that of warm, semi-skimmed milk, as if augmented with chicory granules. We spot a tame fruitiness as well, some kind of sweet-citrus peels or so. The second sip comes across as more acidic, with rhubarb compote, unripe-pineapple peels, preserved lemons (including the salty brine) and lemon juice sprinkled on an innocent custard cream. Looking hard, we find cucumber peels, chargrilled and peeled yellow peppers, and grapefruit-flavoured tonic water, which is to say that the bitterness makes a late comeback after all. The finish is an eruption of gorgeous yellow fruits -- peaches, apricots, Mirabelle plums, nectarines, fresh papaya. It is not exuberantly tropical, but it has some touches. The tongue is left a little numb and leathery, as if it had been licking wooden shelves (birch again), and there is certainly a bitter note, albeit a discreet one. The second gulp increases the bitter touch -- in a fruity way. To some extent, it is crushed Aspirin in a glass of sweetened grapefruit juice. Or grapefruit-and-peach tonic water, if you will. In that regard, it makes one think of Littlemill. Delicious indeed. A strong 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, MR)
