25/04/2026 The Whisky Fair (Day 1 -- Part 2)

There is one more stand to visit urgently.

Imperial 26yo 1996/2022 #6 (48.1%, Maltbarn The 26, Bourbon Cask, 51b)

Nose: forsythia, daffodils, unripe peach. It has a bit of dust in the back, and baked goods (JS).

Mouth: pillow-y, flowery. This has yellow-tulip petals and daffodils. It becomes slightly drying, after a while.

Finish: more yellow magic; unripe peaches and apricots mixed with daffodils.

Comment: phwoar!

Score: 9/10

Glentauchers 31yo 1989/2021 No. 177 (43.4%, Maltbarn, Bourbon Cask, 100b)

Nose: more flowers (honeysuckle, jasmine, buttercups) and soft fruits (apple cubes). Fruity-minty notes grow in intensity.

Mouth: full-bodied, it has buckets of yellow flowers bathing in yellow-fruit juice, and a few jasmine buds to spice things up.

Finish: bright yellow, flowery and delectable. It goes from flowers to fruits more clearly with each sip.

Comment: stunning.

Score: 9/10

Highland Malt 38yo 1983/2021 #2 (51.4%, Maltbarn The 26, Sherry Cask, 48b)

Nose: rich berries and tobacco with what could be cedarwood sheets to give the whole a structure on which to lean.

Mouth: berries jam, rancio, blackcurrants. It has some power as well! Once the palate gets accustomed to that, carambola enters the scene.

Finish: long and assertive, full of berries. Subsequent gulps add all sorts of custards.

Comment: excellent. My score may be a little generous, but...

Score: 9/10

Highland Park19yo 2003/2021 #5 (51.8%, Maltbarn The 26, Bourbon Cask, 48b)

Nose: leather and suede, horse's hair. Suddenly, salt water comes in.

Mouth: softer and fruitier than expected, it has chewy sweets kept in a suede pouch.

Finish: yup, chewy fruit sweets eaten from a leather pouch.

Comment: beautiful.

Score: 8/10

Ben Nevis 29yo 1996/2026 No. 265 (47.6%, Maltbarn, Bourbon Cask, 152b)

Nose: pine scents alongside timid mango and papaya. With a little breathing, it turns into a bowl of fruits, with carambola and guava the loudest, We have soot in the background as well.

Mouth: big, bold, fruity. Carambola, guava, papaya. It is acidic and cleansing, not stripping. 

Finish: not that long or explosive, but so fantastically comforting. Fruits everywhere.

Comment: gawjus.

Score: 9/10

Time to move again. Or time to eat something, actually. There is a catering company on the terrace. I order a vegan Mediterran Flammkuch.

Her: "With or without ham?"

It is a dreary wrap with uncooked vegetables on top,
but it fulfills its mission adequately: lining the stomach

Back to the grind. We stop by MW's stand.

MW: "Have you tried this Macallan?"
tOMoH: "No. Macallan, you know..."
MW: "This is a good one."

The Macallan 10yo b.2000 Cask Strength (58.8%, OB, Sherry Oak Casks, MDR103)

Nose: decaying oranges, pickled red onions.

Mouth: earthy, bitter, bold, fruity.

Finish: huge, it has caramelised red onions, sweet and luscious.

Comment: I was not convinced I would like this, but I do.

Score: 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, MW)

Hi SA.

Bushmills 34yo 1991/2025 No.099 (46.2%, The Whisky Blues joint bottling with Abyss Whisky Bar, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#11534, 137b)

Comment: SA insists I must try this. It is a masterpiece of Irish fruitiness. 10/10 (Thanks for the sip, SA)

And here is the bottler

Ichiro's Malt b.2015 (58.6%, Venture Whisky for Lady Jane 40th Anniversary Booze & Jazz supported by Shinanoya distributed by Japan Import System, C#4077)

Nose: hay and mint infusion.

Mouth: oof! Fire. There is a note of straw, muesli and porridge.

Finish: long, it has hot pastry, sweet, yet balanced.

Comment: lovely.

Score: 7/10

We meet Mr. whiskynotes.be himself. He tells us he knows this blog, which I do not fully believe, but it is very kind of him.

PH pours me this:

Kilchoman 4yo 2007/2012 (59.3%, OB Single Cask Release for The Nectar, Sherry Cask, C#455/2007, 330b)

Comment: cannot say it is really my bag, but a competent smoked-mud effort.

Score: 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, PH)

We move again.