31/03/2026 Bishlouk's online tasting: reduced whiskies

Bishlouk gave us samples in August 2024, and we are meeting tonight at last to try them. Psycho, red71, JS, sonicvince and I join our host online. STL sadly calls off a little before it starts.

I tried all those on 12th May 2025, ahead of the party, so as to be able to spend time with them, and enjoy the company on the night.

Bladder issues

Dram #1

Nose: it has an air of an old blend, at first, with a whiff of brine on cardboard and myriad of fresh fruits of the orchard variety, though not only. Apple slices, quince, yet also lemon zest and dried papaya cubes. We detect some cereals underneath that, golden wheat flakes topped with pineapple shavings. The nose timidly hints at butyric, but never quite reaches it. The second nose is somewhat more leathery, as if the fruits from earlier were kept in a suede bag. On the night, I find hay and dried aromatic herbs, as well as a whisper of smoke, or ash. Mouth: orgeat syrup, barley snaps, lemonade gone flat, flat pomelo soda. This is fruity and pleasant upon entrance, and revives old-blend notes when chewing -- cardboard and brine, perhaps a sprinkle of dust. This makes me think of a Glentauchers semi-officially bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. The acidity grows with time, surfing on an increasingly-woody structure, though, at what seems to be a modest ABV, none of that is detrimental in the slightest. It really is a fruity number. Could that be grated Aspirin, that adds this faint bitterness? Could it announce a Littlemill? The second sip is crisp, bright and milky. Apple lassi, pulped pineapple, a drop of lime juice... and tonic-water residue in an empty glass. Finish: more orchard fruits here that cover the height of western Europe, which is to say we see apples and quinces as well as lemons and limes. With imagination, one may find citrus-flavoured tonic water, which harks back to ground Aspirin. Then again, it could be because Bishlouk is a Littlemill fanboi and, subconsciously, I may believe he has hidden one in this selection (he suggests several times that it might be one too). The second gulp weirdly combines warm custard, pomelo zest and a splash of Indian tonic with a spoonful of chocolate milk. It has a lingering drying bitterness that reminds me of Alka Seltzer or grated Aspirin, discreet, but identifiable. On the night, it is a tad more austere, with cardboard and old newspapers.
Comment: I guess an old blend or a Fettercairn. It is neither. After the reveal, I wager a Bladnoch. This is a bottle Bishlouk got from his brother's restaurant.

Lowland Single Malt (40%, Delhaize le Lion, b.early 1990s) 8/10

Bishlouk: "It smells better than I remembered it."
tOMoH: "You're trying to get rid of the horrible stuff you don't like?"
Psycho: "As usual."

Dram #2

Nose: wide, rich and noble, this has polished-mahogany cabinets lined with precious leather-bound books. We have a lick of burgundy shoe polish and a terracotta flagon of an elegant red wine. We are then transported to a dunnage warehouse overcome by smells of rancio, clay floors and a soft dampness. In that warehouse, a tray of baked red apples cools down at pace. The second nose has oily wood, still mahogany rather than teak, but in that general mood. Or could it be a massive redwood table? On the night, it displays vanilla sugar (sonicvince), cherry-flavoured sweets, Cola Bottles, toffee, red liquorice bootlaces (Psycho) and even black ones, with a touch of aniseed (Psycho). Mouth: ooft! this is fruity. Squishy baked red apples, dark grapes, overripe plums. Chewing adds a serving of papier mâché, or simply pours the juices of the afore-mentioned fruits onto a sheet of dusty cardboard. It is wine-y to a point, and some may find cured meat, or a game sauce, but, for me, it is closer to a piping-hot lingonberry compote. The second sip doubles down on the fruitiness, with squashed blackcurrants, cranberries, blueberries, and myrtles. It wears a mild bitterness too, brambles and wine-cured blush-orange peels, purple lipstick, or a mere drop of mulled wine. Finally, cocoa-bean shavings complete the picture. Finish: it is very, very, very fruity again, with plums, baked nectarines, hot elderberry jam, and a pronounced note of dusty-warehouse floor. It also has a dash of liqueur de cassis, or, let us face it, a slice of roast beef on a piece of toasted sourdough, topped with a spoonful of cranberry compote. The second gulp is sweeter, for a second, yet is quietly invaded by a Patras wine, bold, heady and fruity. This is very good.
Comment: only when Bishlouk announces a distillery once part of Morrison Bowmore does it hit me in the face. It is, of course, a Glen Garioch of a certain era. A gift from Bishlouk's brother.

Glen Garioch 21yo (43%, OB, blue ceramic decanter, b. early 1990s) 8/10

Bishlouk: "There is a theme."
Psycho: "Bottles you inherited from your brother?"

Dram #3

Nose: now, this is even fruitier, full of fresh grapes and lychee. One sniff and I am convinced we are dealing with a Cognac. A brandy, at least. Apple peels mixed with squashed plums, cassia bark and pressed grapes. tOMoH finds a pinch of mocha too, yet it may be a figment of his imagination. In any case, the plump grapes easily dominate the nose. The second nose is jammier, or sweeter, to put it bluntly. Chewy sweets, fortified wine, some kind of syrup. sonicvince finds coffee grounds and fruits. Mouth: brandy indeed. There is nothing whisky-like at play, except for a reasonable ABV. Grapes, plums, lingonberries, even a bit of earth. Chewing reveals a mineral side too, more lime-rich soil than even limestone, let alone granite. We find scorched earth or ashes too, not a match for the fruits. The second sip is woodier and bitterer. Oh! it is not difficult or anything; just a little woodier, vine and twigs trying to compete with the grapes (and losing). Finish: rich and fruity, it has, again, grapes, plums, prunes, now, soaked sultanas, and juicy compote. Burnt-wood gratings join on the late tip, hardly a threat to the fruits. The second gulp has chewy sweets: Cola Bottles, Blueberry Creams. It dries the gob a little, just like fortified wines sometimes do. Psycho and I find it slightly woody and astringent on the tip of the tongue.
Comment: red71 is the first to say Cognac on the night. Once Bishlouk confirms, I correctly guess the distillery. When asked how, I admit that the whisky tasters I know (including myself) hardly know another.

Vallein-Tercinier Hors d'Age (42%, OB Réserve de la Maison, b#009058) 7/10

Dram #4

Nose: back with a whisky, though this one is certainly a grain. Puff pastry turns to turnovers. What kind of turnovers? A deep sniff suggests blackcurrants. That would mean only one thing: Invergordon. It has a minty freshness to it, and a generally custardy allure. In any case, it is a fresh-fruity number with none of the solvent notes of glue or varnish that grain-haters call out. Looking hard and with intent, naysayers may pick up nail-varnish remover, I suppose, and insistent nosing may give away baking trays, not just pastry. But that is nitpicking. The second nose dials the custard to eleven. That and puff pastry come to dominate, though there could be a pinch of chalk too, by now. It is all cake (Psycho) and pastry (sonicvince) on the night. Mouth: mellow and fruity, acidic, even, it has baked pineapple rings, apple turnovers, and, upon chewing, mango and chocolate. Some chocolate-makers make dark-chocolate pralines filled with a mango cream; well, imagine the opposite: a mango stuffed with dark chocolate. We have virtually no blackcurrant, here, and, indeed, find a lick of orange-capped Pelikan glue. The Invergordon lead is perhaps not the right one, after all. It may be a North British. Does it matter? Not one bit! The second sip is still acidic, even if one would be exaggerating in calling it stripping. Acidic fruits, no more. Finish: creamy-and-three-quarters, it fans the flames of chocolate-y mango, but now augments it with a slice of maracuja. That adds an acidic touch to what would otherwise be a sweet, buttery character. The second gulp is still mainly fruity, but it injects a dollop of mint cream for good measure. It is no After Eight, mind. Just a little minty freshness. On the night, I have piña colada, loud and clear -- coconut and pineapple. It also has something very bitter akin to 90%-cocoa chocolate (sonicvince). Psycho detects Malibu, which supports the coconut impression. Excellent, this.

Redbreast 21yo b.2021 (46%, OB, Oak Casks, L124431612) 9/10

tOMoH: "It smells like a grain. Coconut, coconut milk, vanilla."
All: "Yes, coconut alright."
Bishlouk: "I think it's not a grain."
tOMoH: "You are clearly wrong."

Psycho: "Oh! yeah, in the mouth, it is obvious."
tOMoH: "It's a grain. If Psycho likes it, it's a grain."

[Laughter]

tOMoH: "Years ago, a friend stayed here for a few nights. We had a tasting, so I invited her. She was not into whisky, so she did not attend. Instead, and to be self-sufficient, she brought a bottle of Malibu... which remained here when she left. Thanks! What was I going to do with that?"
Bishlouk: "Gift it to someone."
tOMoH: "It was open."
Psycho: "What did you do with it?"
tOMoH: "I drank it while listening to music."
Psycho: "What did you listen to? Barbie Girl?"
tOMoH: "You know what I listen to."
Bishlouk: "If you approach music the same way you approach whisky, I'd say you listen to a bit of everything."

About my broken glass...

red71: "Is it a Peugeot?"
tOMoH: "That's pepper mills."
Bishlouk: "No, they make tasting glasses too. You can stick your finger up its arse."
tOMoH: "What kind of tastings do you go to?"

Dram #5

Nose: another beast altogether, this is grassy -- a heap of mown lawn left out to dry for weeks, hay, and a mere whisper of smashed strawberries. This has Fettercairn written all over it, so far. Grist, cereal husks. It clears the nostrils a little, yet it does not smell that strong in alcohol. Maybe it is peppermint? That and a drop of strong all-purpose glue. The second nose brings cardboard into the spotlight, as if dried grass and grist had been packed up in cardboard boxes. Dusty toffee also features. On the night, it is a bit dry and farm-y, with leather, hay, then coffee. Mouth: oily and warming, it has corn mash, caramelised wheat puffs, chicory infusion, and Werther's Original sweets. Amusingly, it is the heat that changes with time on the tongue: it seems to grow stronger, even when no new note joins the lot. The second sip sees more toffee and dust, old Mokatines, hardened caramel and toffee eaten in a room in which others smoke. Cadbury's "chocolate" comes out on the night. Finish: caramel, butterscotch, toffee. Quality Street's Toffee Penny, caramel-glazed wheat puffs again, buttered toasts. Little, if any, of the herbaceous-grassy notes make it this far. In their stead, we have unabashed cereals and caramel, perhaps -- no! definitely expired Mokatines. At the death, we note a tiny drop of acrid eau-de-vie, which revives the Fettercairn impression a bit. Or could this be an ancient blend?
Comment: it turns out we tried this before. I like it better today.

Craigellachie 8yo 2008/2016 (46%, Murray McDavid Benchmark, Sherry Butt finished in Rum Cask, C#6001855 & 600855, 713b) 7/10

Bishlouk: "Wait! I need to check the region."
Psycho: "In that case, it's a Speyside."
tOMoH: "Craigellachie."
Bishlouk: "Yeah."

Psycho guesses the theme: reduced whiskies.

red71: "How's the dating going?"
Bishlouk: "Yeah, I had a date yesterday lunch time."
tOMoH: "Lunch time? Did she have a 17:30 curfew?"
red71: "And did she pass the visual test?"
Bishlouk: "She has magnificent eyes. The rest has yet to be discovered."
tOMoH: "Wait! Is she Afghan?" [i.e. wearing a niqab or a burqa]

Cracking evening. Bishlouk confesses he was a bit worried we would think he was flogging low-quality whiskies, but it was not the case at all. Interesting and unusual things, and they were all tasty to boot.

30/03/2026 Dalmunach

Dalmunach 10yo 2015/2025 (58.5%, Cadenhead Club, Oak Casks + 3 x Oloroso Hogsheads since 2024, 1032b): we tried this one recently in rushed conditions. Let us spend more time with it. Nose: strangely silent. The cold weather, undoubtedly. There are whispers of mahogany and swimming pools (chlorine, in other words), followed by cured fruits -- mostly apricots and oranges. It wakes up a little and gives increasing amounts of wood oil or oily wood. Teak and mahogany seem to shine brightest, but there may be others too. The second nose is not much more talkative. Perhaps it has lukewarm clean laundry, then warm orange marmalade with a sprinkle of ground white pepper. With some imagination, one may detect vegetables cooking water too. Mouth: it is a lot bolder, here. More oily wood accompanied by chocolate coulis and a thick liqueur, cherry or hazelnut. Chewing cranks up the wood oil and we find oily chestnut shells, walnut oil and Brazil nuts, as well as dried orange peels, orange oil and the bitterness that comes with that. It oscillates between nutty and citrus-y for the longest time -- and by 'citrus-y', I mean peels and oils, not juice or segments, save for a minute touch of blush orange via retro-nasal olfaction. The second sip is as hot as the first and also sweeter, full of warm marmalade on the blade of a butter knife, or in the bowl of a spoon. Yup, it has a metallic edge too, now. It is but fleeting, mind: marmalade really dominates, with dried oregano in the background. Finish: creamy and nutty, the finish has a nut-and-citrus liqueur, one in which wood oil and orange-peel oil compete for attention. It lingers like a gulp of Triple Sec, though oilier. Here, we find hazelnut-chocolate praline filled with mixed peel. That spells a clear bitterness, yet it is also rather more-ish. The second gulp brings chocolate and bitter marmalade together and adds some kind of icing, maybe slightly-crystallised mixed peel? In any case, it works well. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, SOB)

28/03/2026 London MkV

After many months of trying, we finally found a date to meet. One guest called off last week, but that leaves enough to go ahead anyway. JS, JMcD, YM and cavalier66 join me for the afternoon.

cavalier66 skillfully builds a coherent line-up
under the watchful eye of JMcD

Ta-da

The soundtrack: Aware - Requiem For A Dying Animal

tOMoH presents: Cutty Sark (y'know? The clipper in Greenwhich and the DLR station of the same name)

Cutty Sark 25yo Tam o'Shanter (46.5%, Berry Bros. & Rudd for Burns' Night 2012, 5000b) (tOMoH)

Nose: fruity (cavalier66), it has brambles and fruit-tree wood.
Mouth: "not grain-forward" (cavalier66 looking for a punch in the face), it has bitter and woody notes (JMcD), and goes really well with the ambient music (cavalier66).
Finish: it has a slight harshness of grain (cavalier66).
Comment: cavalier66 adds water and says it loses its fruit to become astringent. I enjoy this for the starter it is, today. Full notes here.
Score: 7/10

tOMoH presents: Shepherd's Bushmills

Bushmills 21yo b.2004 (40%, OB, Madeira Wood Finish, b#16296) (tOMoH)

Nose: fruity and a tad woody. It seems fruitier than last time, with lychee and baked brown bananas.
Mouth: thick and creamy, not unlike a crème au chocolat liégeois, to be accurate (a sort of chocolate custard topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa). The second sip has metal dripping with melted chocolate.

Finish: an earthy touch with cocoa powder dusted on a cup of mocha.
Comment: just as good as last time. Notes here.
Score: 8/10

vs.

Dram #3

We try this blind from a urine sample, and that is in theme ... because we try it in London. Well done, cavalier66!

Nose: fermented pear (JMcD), urine (cavalier66). He must be drunk: I have dried pineapple chunks, dried apricot and dried mango slices. Cigarette smoke takes off at second nosing.
Mouth: ah! Is it a little chalky? There is grated Aspirin, but it is mostly fruity and fresh. More citrus at second sip.
Finish: fruity and a trifle bitter, which hints at citrus peels.
Comment: I guess a Littlemill, but no. With a few clues, I end up identifying it. The quality-to-price ratio is really hard to beat.
Score: 8/10

Irish Reserve 26yo (46%, unknown bottler Superior Reserve for Aldi, b.2017) (cavalier66)

The soundtrack: Various - Witchcraft and Black Magic In The United States

tOMoH presents: Glen Mhorden

Glen Mhor 1982/2009 (46%, Berry Bros. & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection, C#1231) (tOMoH)

Nose: rotten fruits (cavalier66), sink fruits (cavalier66, who takes a shortcut to vocalise that clogged sinks, at some point, develop a fruity scent). I have strawberry- or cherry-flavoured sweets, which cavalier66 relates to Opal Fruits or Starburst (Sugus for our Continental readers). Perhaps it has sherbet too? YM declares a high-end pruneau vibe, which amuses me. He is so posh, sometimes.
Mouth: YM finds it unusual and brighter than expected. cavalier66 reckons it is dusty -- "ambient dust," JMcD adds.
Finish: pickled onion (cavalier66), ground dried berries followed by stale beer. That is the note that sticks.
Comment: love it. Very relieved too: the level was fairly low (it must have lost 5cl to evaporation) and the stopper odd. The cork was loose in the neck, but the wood cap looked oversized, as if someone had managed to remove the foil and the stopper, poured themselves a few drams, plugged a new stopper of an incorrect girth, and put the foil back on as if nothing had happened. Looking forward to trying it again.
Score: 8/10

Food enters. cavalier66 brought his usual bounty of cheeses, as well as bread ("for Baker Street," yelps JMcD. "No, it is seeded, like the tennis players at Wimbledon, London's tournament," cavalier66 answers) and beetroot-cured salmon (because it is red, like London's red routes).

Stoney King's Cross Station

Old Comté-on Street

Alp-erton Blossom Station

Membrillo, which we know is Harley Quinn-ce paste (a rugby team, apparently)

JMcD presents: Bruichladdich Old Street Skool (or Bruich Lane, JS ventures)

Bruichladdich 10yo b.2026 Old Skool (50%, OB 25th Anniversary Limited Release, 95% First Fill ex-Bourbon & 5% First Fill ex-Sauternes) (JMcD)

Nose: pungent, it has a bit of rubber and linoleum glue. It is not very open yet (new bottle), but I like it already. Then, it develops pineapple turnovers before turning creamy AF, with even a whiff of lactic acid.
Mouth: breathing is necessary, here, as it is impenetrable, straight from the bottle. With time, it gives cereals, porridge and cinnamon.
Finish: the shift in ABV is noticeable. It stings a bit, in the same way a disinfectant would. It balances bitterness and acidity for a while, is strongly lactic, then settles for creamy as planned.
Comment: it is a bit unruly from a recently-opened bottle. I reckon it will improve greatly over time.
Score: 7/10

Next to the 15yo from the 1980s for visual comparison
The label goes full circle, as with Benriach
One wonders why they spend millions on upgrading it

The soundtrack: Zanias - Cataclysm

cavalier66 presents: Glenglassaugh, as hard to pronounce as so many London places. The distillery is closed again, as are many London tube stations. This particular bottling was selected by Ronnie Routledge, who has the same first name as so many famous Londoners.

Glenglassaugh 35yo 1976/2011 (49.6%, OB The Chosen Few selected by Ronnie Routledge, Sherry Butt, 654b, b#320) (cavalier66)

Nose: polished dashboards and wooden posts so polished by ropes they almost shine. It has horse's sweat too (cavalier66 is quick to read us Whiskyfun's review, which makes it impossible to miss that) and fruits. Plums, prunes in syrup, perhaps blueberries and a jelly of sorts, or shoe polish.
Mouth: it has a mineral side to it, a lick of limestone, but also a lot of plum juice. The second sip has sirop de Liège or another jelly, though not membrillo. Green grapes, including the pips.
Finish: long, spiky, it is almost cactus-like -- not in terms of taste, but mouthfeel, if that makes sense. Prickle pears, plums, rehydrated soft prunes and green grapes. It develops a touch of softly-toasted or burnt rubber.
Comment: "a serious whisky," says cavalier66. Quality.
Score: 9/10

cavalier66: "JS, have you tried my urine yet?"
JS: "What?"
cavalier66: "In the sample bottle. I saved you a few drops."
JS: "There is so little left..."
tOMoH: "At his age, that is all he could muster up."

cavalier66 presents a bottle with a low(ish) fill, because London is a low-level city, which is why they built the Thames Barrier. And the label has a circle (the pump wheel) for the Circle Line.

Irish Single Malt 25yo 1988/2013 (51.1%, The Whisky Agency, Barrel, 212b) (cavalier66)

Nose: "is it yellow or purple?" (cavalier66) "Passion fruit?" (JS) Jacob Ree-ZOMG! A 'splosion of mango and maracuja, nectarine and peach. It also has a whiff of warm wood, followed by a pot of mocha coffee. JS finds it an air of Amaretto.
Mouth: flabbergasting fruit, of course. Pineapple nectar, mangoes, including the bitterness one feels when licking mango skins, and maracuja fruit served in a rubber goblet. Chewing gives a mix of plant sap, Alka Seltzer and rubber. Ha!
Finish: "it tastes bejewelled to me" (JMcD). Seeds of passion fruit (JMcD). Yes, it has that bitterness and, fortunately, not the crunch. I find pineapple bark, on the other hand.
Comment: phwoar! cavalier66 arrogantly announced a dram that could give 117.3 a run for its money. After trying it, one must admit it plays in the same league.
Score: 10/10

The soundtrack: Sabled Sun - 2145

Time for cake. JMcD brought a blueberry cheesecake and "a German cake with a name that starts with 'A'" from Artisan Foods, on Brora Market.

JMcD: "Hang on! Who brought a Brora?"

JS presents: St Maggy Axe

St.Magdalene 23yo 1982/2006 (56%, Hart Brothers Finest Collection imported by Marsalle Company) (JS)

Nose: petrichor and ozone (cavalier66). It is indeed earthy and fresh as a summer rain, or as "a meadow with a beautiful maiden next to you" (cavalier66). Hippie music (cavalier66).
Mouth: muscular (the inspired cavalier66 again), it has orange peels and citrus oil, pith and a mineral touch (it is a Magdalene, after all).
Finish: sticky, almost soot-y, it remains elegant at the same time, like only St Magdalene can do.
Comment: my full notes are here. This is delicious. "Delishballs and corpuscular" (cavalier66).
Score: 9/10

Only now do we spot JMcD's socks.
Is that the London Eye? One Canada Square? The Shard?
It is the same pattern as the seats on the Jubilee Line!

cavalier66: "It is quite potent."
JS: "Oh! You're not using your usual complaint... [imagine this at cask strength]"
cavalier66: "No. This one, I'm going to dilute to cask strength."

tOMoH: "Is 'corpuscular' a real word?"
cavalier66: "I don't know."
tOMoH: "It is logical. 'Corpuscule' exists, so, if it isn't, it should be."
cavalier66: "Yeah."
tOMoH: "You deserve your own entry in the dictionary."
cavalier66: "It's all that LSD I put in the Irish."
tOMoH: "Is that why I'm tripping delishballs?"

YM presents: Bow and More Gate

Bowmore 15yo 2003/2018 (57.1%, Cadenhead specially bottled for Cadenhead's Whisky Shop Campbeltown, Bourbon Hogshead + Burgundy Cask Finish, 264b) (YM)

Nose: farm-y nose if there was one, it has peat, farm paths, dried mud cakes, bone-dry apples. We find tincture of iodine too, which is less farm-y, and bandages. That continues towards super-dry hay and ashes. YM detects ham hough. Water confirms the farm, even if the others think it is fruitier. Eventually, chargrilled pineapple and peaches come up with the adjacent smoke.
Mouth: grilled peaches and nectarines (YM), heavy smoke (YM). Yeah, it has a drop of fruit and buckets of soot that sticks to the gob until the end of times. Chewing brings earth, tar and ink. It is as bitter as vine leaves too, and hot. Water makes it acidic and ashy, with citrus juice and the ashtray of a domestic fireplace.
Finish: hot, very hot, it has scorched earth, burning hay and spilled diesel. Water adds a touch of charred cherry tree and charred cherries that still give a soft fruit juice.
Comment: lovely Bowmore, if not the fruitiest.
Score: 8/10

Celebrity spotting

YM: "Burgundy cask since 2011."
tOMoH: "Seven years out of fifteen, that's not a finish; it's a double maturation."
cavalier66: "Burgundy? We can hope it was a white Burgundy, not a red one."
tOMoH: "You're so racist, cavalier66."

cavalier66: "With water, it becomes sooooo good."
tOMoH: "Do you want to try the water without the whisky? I can give you a clean glass..."
cavalier66: "The water swims like a whisky that can swim. Wait! I mean..."

The soundtrack: Foetusdream - Brouillard

JMcD presents: Valinch. He admits he did not know what a valinch was until he saw a specimen in the Museum of London. A valinch used by the Excise at Newham, which is in London.

The Laddie Valinch 12yo d.2009 Lindy Maclellan (62.6%, OB The Laddie Valinch, ex-Rivesaltes Cask, C#1618, B#56, 384b, b#332) (JMcD)

Nose: it is very tannic (YM) or tea-like (cavalier66). YM also finds vanilla, or the vanilla glaze on a doughnut. It then becomes more typical of a Sherry cask, with leather and shoe polish. Follow mushrooms and potting soil. It gains a mineral side, over time.
Mouth: strongly sweet and savoury at the same time. It has cured ham, prunes, dried dates and hairy plums (yes, mould). It is also very hot, unsurprisingly, but remains tolerable, thanks to the fruits and a comforting flock of fluffy hair.

Finish: long, earthy and pretty drying, it has shoe polish, tanned leather and the skin of a dead fox.
Comment: uncompromising 'laddie.
Score: 7/10

YM presents: Old Street Potrero, a whiskey made of 100% malted Peckham Rye.

Old Potrero 7yo (65.6%, OB Single Barrel Reserve, Air-Dried Fine-Grain New American Oak Barrel, C#11-14/3, 129b) (YM)

Nose: overly-lacquered wood. This is exuberantly heady and has a distinct rye note. Rye bread and lukewarm, flat Irn Bru, reminiscent of a Scottish-Jewish bakery (cavalier66).
Mouth: ooft! A rye alright, with a dash of Irn Bru, metal, artificial sweetness, and plasticine. It feels a tad more gravelly at second sip, mineral and drying. The sweetness comes back quickly, however. cavalier66 finds caraway seeds and malted rye.
Finish: long and huge, it is also insanely sweet. Repeated quaffing confirms that sweetness. Lemonade, Irn Bru, diabetes. I even get dill, after a while, probably suggested by the others who talk about gravadlax.
Comment: what an original one to finish with! dom666 and kruuk2 used to talk about Potrero often, more than twenty years ago. Good to reacquaint. Sadly, it is a headache-inducing one, if not as bad as a Cambus.
Score: 8/10

Post-tasting, JMcD tries Laphroaig 10yo 1994/2005 (52.5%, Creative Whisky Company Exclusive Malts) (notes). YM has Bowmore 23yo b.2023 Lovers Transformed (50.9%, OB travel retail exclusive, Refill PX + Oloroso-seasoned European Oak, 8000b) (notes). cavalier66 tries Laphroaig 31yo 1974/2005 (49.7%, OB for La Maison du Whisky, Sherry Wood Casks, 910b, b#652).

Great times. Pity it has become so difficult to gather everyone for one of these sessions, as they are invariably good fun.

27/03/2026 Ardbeg for International Whisky Day

Ardbeg 20yo 1992/2013 (46.6%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, Refill Hogshead, C#434, 222b, b#4): nose: similarly to last week, we find ink, tarry sand and crushed seashells (oysters and mussels). It is also quite farm-y, today, which was not obvious upon first encounter. Boggy tracks, muddy farm paths, ploughed fields. There are some toasted cereals too, which, coupled with the afore-mentioned sand, give a tame impression of crystal that is difficult to comprehend, let alone describe. It then gains a certain sweetness akin to sugary milk laced with melted tar and poured on warm cereals. Next up is a mugful of chicory infusion spilled on cardboard, yet sand and tar soon catch up again, this time with a slightly more-pronounced dash of sea water. The second nose has braised leeks, more ink and grape-flavoured chewy sweets. It has hazel bark on fire, but it seems to have otherwise lost all farm-y character. It circles back (did I really use that phrase?) to sweetened milk and chicory infusion, in the end. Mouth: pretty sweet upon entry. It is neither corn syrup, nor maple syrup; it is closer to lukewarm milk with a lot of sugar, but sweet it is. Chewing unleashes a big puff of thick, dark smoke that contracts as quickly as it expanded. It leaves behind oily Virginia tobacco, honey on slightly-burnt toast, and that sweetened milk. We find some mocha too, which tells of a gentle bitterness. Distant diesel fumes are the only sign this was ever farm-y. After a couple of minutes on the tongue, crushed seashells do re-emerge timidly. The second sip has cold coffee made with sea water, chicory granules on which water is poured that is not hot enough to dissolve them, and honey-coated Mokatine. Oh! yes, how did it take me so long to identify Mokatine? It still has ink, a drop of petrol and (less) tarry sand, yet not much smoke to speak of. Finish: a punch in the gob, it is not breath-taking, but certainly bold. Dark smoke from burning fruit-tree wood, a dash of sea water -- scratch that! It is vase water or stagnant mushroom-cooking water. Yes, after some time, we have a lingering lick of dried shiitake or dried oyster mushrooms, and also the water used to rehydrate them, albeit served separately. This is peculiar. The second gulp has Mokatine fished out of an ashtray. Indeed, if it stays sweet and earthy, it suddenly also becomes very ashy -- ashes that revert back to embers and provide a satisfactory glowing warmth. It is not one of the great, but it is perfectly competent. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, PF)

23/03/2026 Jura

Jura 30yo 1990/2020 (46.33%, Thompson Bros., Refill American Oak Hogshead, 186b): we had this one five years ago and again two years later. cavalier66 brought it again to DWequinox, but I prioritised other things on the night. Nose: it is fairly subtle and subdued, yet elegant and classy. Old lacquered pencil cases, dried plums in a wooden bowl on the buffet, oiled mahogany. Nothing shouts, nothing stands out. Shaking the glass suddenly takes us to the forest on an autumn morning (even though spring just started), with its scents of wild mushrooms and humus. It adds candied red apples peppered with ginger powder and sawdust, and follows up with bone-dry citrus zest and pink peppercorns. There remains a sweetness too that hints at marmalade slathered on a woodworm-riddled chair. The second nose is drier yet oilier. We spot oily Virginia tobacco, wood panels not dripping with oil, and even a spoonful of ash taken from the fireplace's tray. Green grapes tag along, eventually, as discreet as the dried plums were, earlier. As one tilts the glass, one may find a carpet roll as well. Mouth: the late-found sweetness is clear on the tongue, even if it comes with a certain bitterness; Seville-orange marmalade, honey and wooden planks precede a pinch of ginger powder. Chewing causes the marmalade to explode. In the fallout, we have satsuma, kumquat, pink-grapefruit peel and prickle-pear jelly augmented with a drop of plant sap. It has a juicy texture, slightly sticky, and more horsepower than one would have anticipated. The second sip feels a tad thinner. That is not a complaint; it is merely less sticky. Orange juice served in wooden goblets, augmented with a pinch of confectionary sugar and another of wood dust. Soon, it recovers its ginger powder and adds ground orange pips. The longer one keeps it in the mouth, the more intensely fruity it becomes. At the same time, it brings back the bitterness too. Perhaps we catch something more synthetic, in the long run, something akin to rubbery underlay. That gives another dimension to this. Finish: the marmalade ride continues; the oranges turn bitterer, though there is enough sweetness on display to make that palatable. Ginger powder, asafoetida, mango powder, sawdust (yes, it has its share of wood spices) rub elbows with honey and marmalade. This has a dash of wood oil to boot. The second gulp is in line: citrus-y jams and marmalades are elevated by tingling wood spices. The tongue and, especially, the roof of the mouth are left throbbing, as if hit by a decilitre of paper paste, or a sort of wood paste made of birch. That all comes back towards chewy citrus peels upon repeated quaffing, bitter, fruity and delicious. A strong 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, cavalier66)

20/03/2026 DWequinox at 3 Greek Street

DWeaster had to move, due to another shindig. Although he has nothing to do with the organisation of the event, tOMoH makes an executive decision to rename it DWequinox, on account of the date.

In attendance are DW, SOB, MSo, CDn, DR, DC, BA, cavalier66, TS, WS, JL, JS, YM and others whose initials I fail to write down. It would also be odd to go around the room and ask point-blank -- ha! ha!

It is the now-usual affair, bottles on the tables, free pour, freestyling session with no structure whatsoever. That probably means that everyone's experience is hugely personal. It also leaves time for socialising, for those who want to do that more. As often in that setting, notes are minimalistic, and not all bottles are attributed to their kind owners.

For reference, I brought D.town 33yo d.1979 (56.3%, Cadenhead Cask Ends, 3rd Fill Bourbon Cask, 1b) (notes here) and Inver-Regal (43° Gay Lussac, J.H. Wham & Son (Largs), for testing purposes only, b. pre-1991) (notes here) JS brought Sandy Macnab’s Old Blended Scotch 5yo (40%, Macnab Distilleries, b.1980s) (notes here) and Hazelburn 9yo 2008/2018 (59.9%, OB Duty Paid Sample, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, Warehouse 15, Rotation #4) (notes here). Amusingly enough, three out of our four bottles are one-offs.

I try none of them, since I know them well and there is so much else to try.

Glenrothes 21yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines First Cask, C#6045, b#167) (PF)

Nose: fresh, leafy and floral, it also offers cut orchard fruits.
Mouth: it is more savoury here, though it gains fruit at second sip. In fact, it is sherbet more than fruits.
Finish: fresh and fruity. We now pick up sherbet and dried raspberry slices.
Comment: I cannot read the distillery name on the spot (it is written small, the Direct Wine logo obstructs the view, and the lighting is inadequate). The profile should suggest a 'rothes. A good 'rothes. 8/10

JL: "What are you working on?"
tOMoH: "Embiggening my cock."
JL: "Oh! So nothing has changed [since last time I saw you]."
tOMoH: "Nope. No success to-date either."

Ardbeg 20yo 1992/2013 (46.6%, Whiskybroker.co.uk, Refill Hogshead, C#434, 222b, b#4) (PF)

Nose: oyster shells, salt water, peat smoke caught in fishing nets and ink.
Mouth: it is decidedly inky, almost tarry -- no! not almost. Proper tarry sands, like.
Finish: big and tarry again, with wood smoke added for good measure.
Comment: competent effort. I think I hear that the father of the owner of this bottle used to own the cask. Do not quote me on that. 7/10

Glen Elgin 20yo d.1995 (51.5%, Claxton The Single Cask, Refill Hogshead, Cask Ref 1609-1671, 194b, b#40)

Nose: fresh raspberries become dried strawberries and talcum powder sprinkled on new socks.
Mouth: woah! This has quite a bite. Mineral and acidic, it is akin to the effervescent reaction caused by acid dripped on limestone.
Finish: long, wide, acidic and mineral. It even emits a whiff of delicate smoke, in the long run.
Comment: excellent Elgin. 8/10

cavalier66: "Here it is. The Cadenhead gang. We had it good, didn't we? All those great bottlings, month after month..."
SOB: "2017 to 2020 were great years."
cavalier66: "And then, it just stopped. Like that."
MSo: "That's the thing with life. Things are good, then they just end."
tOMoH: "This is the most philosophical I've ever known you, MSo."

Táin 20yo 2001/2022 (56.1%, Irish Spirit Echoes of Éire, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Cask, C#4551, 66b, b#49)

Nose: phwoar! How pretty are these Irish whiskies, eh? Mango, papaya and a lick of metal.
Mouth: big and fluffy, the palate has peaches, mangoes and strawberry sweets. It is a notch drying at second sip, much like those sweets.
Finish: huge and hugely fruity, here are the same fruits and more strawberry sweets. I dare not say Fraises Tagada.
Comment: another cracking one. 9/10

JL reaches for something under the counter.

Johnnie Walker 12yo Black Label (43%, John Walker & Sons imported by Wax & Vitale) (JL)

Nose: dusty, fruity, soot-y. Soot-covered strawberries. JS finds it rubbery.
Mouth: faded leather cleaned with strawberry coulis.
Finish: a blast of strawberry paste or jelly, and a dusting of old-school soot.
Comment: delicious. 8/10

tOMoH: "Is this yours?"
DC: "Yes."
tOMoH: "May I?"
DC: "Sure. I also brought a rum. What an idiot. A rum. To a whisky tasting."
JS: "Many here like rum too."
tOMoH: "Yeah. There is so much whisky already, though. That's why it's not getting much love."

Dornoch 5yo 2018/2023 (55.9%, OB, 1st Fill Bourbon Octave, C#80, 82b, b#20) (DC)

Nose: pickle and brine flirt with chocolate coulis and dried wood. Walnut spread appears next.
Mouth: it is weird, here. Maybe it has glue? Yes, there is a lot of that upon chewing. Then, it has linoleum strips and wood.
Finish: it is balanced, but what it balances is glue and linoleum strips. It works in an odd way. Then, suddenly, nut spread and chocolate kick in.
Comment: interesting. 7/10

DR has me try the last drops of a sample he brought. I try to guess what it is.

tOMoH: "Hard to tell. It could be anything from 1992-1993..."
DR: "Well, you got the vintage right."
tOMoH: "Did I? Well, that narrows it down! How old is it?"
DR: "It is seven. It is the first organic whisky."
tOMoH: "Ah! Springbank Dà Mhìle."
DR: "Spot on!"

Springbank 7yo 1992/1999 Organic (46%, OB for Dà Mhìle, 1000b)

Nose: soft, floral, it has a vague hint of smoke, though it manages to stay fresh.
Mouth: similar fresh-and-floral character.
Finish: it ends with a modest blast of soot.
Comment: lovely to try this again. The first time was in 2017 and I took no notes. 7/10

Tobermory (Ledaig) 24yo 2001/2025 (52.2%, Thompson Bros. specially bottled for Dornoch Castle 25th Anniversary, Refill Hogshead, C#201, 158b) (DW)

Nose: this one has ink, petrol and seal wax. The second nose brings suede and horse's hair. Later yet, it is spent matches that tickle the nostrils.
Mouth: sweetened sea water, petrol and ink, as well as crushed seashells.
Finish: more petrol and ink are balanced by a slightly-sweeter touch.
Comment: this is excellent. 8/10

Dalmunach 10yo 2015/2025 (58.5%, Cadenhead Club, Oak Casks + 3 x Oloroso Hogsheads since 2024, 1032b) (SOB)

Nose: hard to tell for sure, by now, but oil wood seems to come out strong, then lots of cherries (maraschino and candied more than fresh).
Mouth: it is seriously woody, which comes as a surprise, considering the age, perhaps less when seeing the colour. Teak and mahogany are the loudest.
Finish: oiled wood, chestnut spread, walnut dashboards.
Comment: interesting whisky. My first Dalmunach. SOB chose it after checking this blog to verify I had never tried any. Is that not considerate? 7/10

MSo [about his gaff]: "Ten minutes' walk to the tube station. It keeps me slender and fit."
tOMoH: "You did lose some weight."
MSo: "Yeah. If my wife were a better cook, we'd be having a different conversation, right now."

Linkwood 28yo 1994/2023 (51.7%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength, Refill Sherry Butt, C#12601202, B#23/208, 656b, 230085) (MSo)

Nose: oh! Here is an animalistic number, a fair bit musky. It has a bit of plasticine too.
Mouth: ooft! Green-grape skins, cured fruits, a lick of stainless-steel metal.
Finish: surprisingly soft, it has chocolate and a minute smoke.
Comment: good. 7/10

DC: "How can you still write after all these whiskies?"
tOMoH: "I can write easily. Re-reading myself is the problem. But then, that's a problem even when I'm sober."
MSo: "The thing with tOMoH is he's in a consistent level of drunkenness. His handwriting is always immaculate."

Ardbeg 10yo b.2025 Cask Strength (61.7%, OB Committee Exclusive 2026, Bourbon Casks)

Nose: stacks of hay, hot smoked mussels and plasticine.
Mouth: woah! This is inky, salty and smoky. Tarry sands drenched in sea water.
Finish: it kicks like a mule. There is a smidge of barley and salt water, augmented with petrol and crushed seashells.
Comment: funny to see the similarities with the Whiskybroker bottling from earlier. There has been a lot of hype around this bottling. It is not bad, but the hype is disproportionate to the quality, in my opinion. 7/10

We disband and, after spending a good while chatting with SW, disappear into the night.

20/03/2026 St Patrick's Day delayed

We were doing other thing on the actual day.

Bushmills 21yo b.2004 (40%, OB, Madeira Wood Finish, b#16296): nine years, one month and two days have passed since we latest had this. Unfathomable. Nose: a musty cellar. And that does not mean fruity dunnage warehouse, in this case, but a musty cellar. It has a blend of damp clay, woodworm and cured meat, which is unexpected. Further onward, we find glue and wallpaper, as if someone had wallpapered the wooden shelves of a larder (if you lived through the 1970s or 1980s, you know). It gains more and more wood with time; oaken shelves so old they are starting to crumble, nuts kept in a basket for years, if not decades. Very slowly and gradually, that morphs into charred-chestnut spread wet with pressed-prune juice and a drop of nail varnish. Tilting the glass brings synthetic scents such as linoleum and flooring glue, but also a drop of urine. We swiftly go back to prunes, now served in a lacquered-ebony case. The second nose is screaming CURRANTS and PRUNES, RAISINS and SULTANAS. That comes with the Madeira finish, presumably, yet it is still a bit surprising, following that musty first impression. Okay, there are fortified-wine-glazed button mushrooms to prolong the cellar-y theme going, but it is not the same... until we dig up potting soil, which comes much closer to the damp clay from before. Ha! Ha! Mouth: a soft -- I dare not call it 'bite' -- introduces a silky mouthfeel. Following an initially-woody taste (oiled mahogany), it becomes fresh and presents pressed Mirabelle plums and physalis. There may even be filtered lychee juice in it. Chewing catches one off guard, however: a tide of tropical fruits floods the palate, with lychee indeed, rambutan, mangosteen and dragon fruit gracing the roof of the mouth. It has a tame wine-y touch too, somewhere between rosé, vin jaune and sangria. That could spell a catastrophe, but it works rather well. The second sip has a tame chocolate-y touch, augmented with a drop of cherry liqueur. Moving the liquid around the mouth revives the fruit -- the same as before, in the same order. Astonishing! Finish: it only has a modest kick, at the legal minimum of 40%, yet that is more than enough to trigger an incredibly-long finish that sticks to the gob like a good cough drop. We find as much wine (rosé, jaune, orange) and much less fruit, although that grows in intensity. Once again, we are talking about Mirabelle plum and physalis, rambutan, dragon fruit, perhaps even mangosteen, yet also dried cranberries and sultanas, some of them coated in yoghurt. The second gulp adds a pinch of cinnamon powder and one of mango powder, as well as chewy dried mango slices. Surprisingly, considering the low strength, the whole leaves the tongue and gums a bit numb. Finally, as the taste buds come back to life, they pick up sirop de Liège, or a berry paste out of a tube, thick, concentrated, sweet. This is good. 8/10 (Thanks, OB)

17/03/2026 Member Take Over: John Peter Hughes

I bumped into JPH (PH for short) on Friday where he told me about this tasting he would be hosting. It had somehow slipped my radar, so that was pure serendipity to meet him on a day I had not planned to be there, and at an unusual time to boot.

Before the tasting starts, I am treated to a dram of 10.288 16yo d.2008 Savour the savoury (60.8%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 237b). I take no notes. The Oloroso influence is a little loud for me. It should score 6 or 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, KT)

We know the format quite well, now: an SMWS member showcases Society bottlings from their private collection to a group of people who signed up to be there. Amongst those, PS, Dr. CD, GT, YM, DW, JS and tOMoH.

PH starts by telling us how he fell into whisky (through wine and Michael Jackson) and how he became an SMWS member in 1991. He quickly points out that he is not the most-senior member -- of all, in London, or even in this room. Indeed, Dr. CD famously joined on the 29th February 1495, so he predates even Pip Hills. And Friar Cor.

As he continues his story, I start with the work. The data is given more or less as we go; we are not really tasting blind, this time.

45.8 16yo 1982/1998 (64.6%, SMWS Society Cask, finished for 16mo in ex-Sherry Gorda, 577b): nose: apple slices peppered with a pinch of ashes, super-dry hazelwood, incense. That incense grows and grows into refined ash from a fruit-tree fire. Candlewax rises, as do fruits (plums, grapes). Mouth: crisp, it has fruity dry white wine -- Riesling, then Sauvignon Blanc. It is a tad ashy, but that is balanced by green grapes and chestnut oil. There may be a drop of cider vinegar too. It is ashier at second sip, but also immensely fruity (crunchy apples). Finish: delightful ashy white wine. This is positively fruity. It develops a coat of wood polish at second gulp, but Paula Red apples dominate, roasted, yet still crunchy. What a way to start! 9/10

PH tells us the last cask of distillery 45 was filled on 16th March 1983 and he regrets that he could not do the tasting yesterday to mark the anniversary (the SMWS is closed on Mondays).

61.9 18yo 1981/1999 Crepe bandages and lavender oil (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill American Oak Barrel, 305b): from a time when the Society gave its bottlings names, but did not write them on the label. Nose: phwoar! Here are matchsticks, guaiacol, a fire of twigs and brambles. Behind that are cactuses and white-fish skewers. It is not strongly charred, but charred alright. Old burnt staves and scorched marshland plants. Mouth: another cracking old glory that has a blend of roasted fruits and ashes, incense and peach nectar (unless it is orange juice). The second sip is drier, waxy, with lots of burnt candle and incense. It is quite chalky too, but no big whoop. Finish: long not big. It is elegant, fruity, a little ashy again. Despite its provenance, it is not particularly farm-y. The second gulp has more earth, and the whole is warming and comforting. Wood dust (not sawdust) at the bottom of a log basket by a fireplace. PH finds it a citrus freshness too, but that does not hit me. 9/10

Someone near me is wearing enough perfume to distract me and lower my enjoyment. Hm.

44.35 14yo 1994/2008 Egg sandwiches and walnut cake (58.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Hogshead, 124b): nose: water colour, dried plasticine and daffodil petals. It also fans a roaring fire in a cast-enamel wood-burning stove, and warm metal that has been used to cut baked apples. The second nose brings cosmetic powder. Mouth: baked Paula Red apples and sugar. It then gets metallic and sees lichen forming on copper (not Verdigris). The second sip is a trifle chalky, much like a Granny Smith apple. That is augmented with a pinch of ash. Finish: medium-long, it has fermented apples (Paula Red again). The second gulp is well warming. In the long run, it takes the bitterness of mahogany shelves. 8/10

PH: "There was once an SMWS Port Ellen [maybe 43.13 Sweaty gym shoes?]; the notes said it smelled of fart, sweat, urine and decayed fruits."
PS: "For Charlie Maclean, that's a good night out!"

PH explains he and Dr. CD have large collections of SMWS publications, and are sometimes asked if they would provide original tasting notes for an old bottle.

PH: "We are not hoarders, we are archivists."

66.20 20yo 1985/2005 Sun-dried sprats and prune juice (54.1%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill Hogshead, 310b): nose: smoked plasticine, burnt cow dung, clay and cut meadow grass, thick and juicy. This is a farm-y nose. PH talks of wood, but I do not agree. The second nose is an even-farmier affair, ripe with muddy pastures and cattle droppings, followed by charred dried raspberry slices. Mouth: greasy earth and peat smoke. It has a lick of fruits too, mainly grilled grapefruits and satsumas. The second sip is a little more pine-like, fresh and acidic. Finish: charcoal, burnt wood and charred citrus slices. That turns a little greener at second gulp, reminiscent of pine needles after the rain. I could give this a higher score any other day. Tonight... 8/10

PH tells us how to reproduce the smell and taste of a certain release of distillery 19, called Peat, germolene and strawberry jam. It involves double-toasting bread on the highest setting, scraping some of the charred surface, then slathering the toast with jam.

PS: "Now I know why your psychotherapist lives in a mansion."

The two guys at the next table have not stopped talking for the whole dram and story -- roughly twenty minutes. They are showing pictures of their family on their phones, debating the merit of phone models etc. It is starting to lower my enjoyment too.

33.76 10yo d.1998 A civilised scout camp (56.3%, SMWS Society Single Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 242b): nose: a big slap of peat smoke, without surprise. Embers, charred wood, tarry sands and dark ink, spent incense, spent wick. Suddenly, it comes up with sea spray and briny air, then wood-fire smoke. The second nose brings out guaiacol and smoked plasticine to supplement the incense. Mouth: dark ink it is, a pinch of sugar, then a raging bracken fire and burnt tyres. The second sip is juicy, thick, with apricot nectar in terms of texture, and apples roasted on a wood fire in terms of taste. Finish: it is well balanced, here. Oh! it is smoky alright, this time with petrol fumes, but also some fruits, such as smoked roasted apples. It also has a lot of ink. The second gulp serves tarry sands and crude oil in unbaked pottery made of smoked clay in a smoky boat shed. It may be the least convincing dram tonight, yet it is excellent nevertheless. 8/10

Very good tasting. I managed to overlook the talkers and the perfume, in the end. It was hard. PH somehow selected only things we had never tried before -- yay!