Sure, we had a mad dash for bottles last night, but those who are still around (adc, JS, elskling, EG, ruckus, EJ, sonicvince, Psycho, pat gva, YdS, PS, Gaija, tOMoH) meet up at various stages to enjoy more whisky at a reasonable pace in a drop-in setting.
But first, brunch at Kafé Kübe, which OB and CB join.
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| I arrive almost an hour late, owing to two hundred glasses to clean (a Dornoch copita and a stemless Highland Park are nowhere to be found) |
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| Spinach and halloumi beigel |
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| EG explains: whisky |
With some food in, we head to tOMoH Towers for drams. The idea is to spend quality time with friends, so notes are scant.
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| Freestyle |
Glenmorangie 10yo (43° Gay Lussac, OB imported by Schutz & Cloos, b. ca. 1985) (Psycho): a well-known dram that still does the trick. 8/10
House of Scotland 8yo (43°, House of Scotland imported by Bergia di T.&E. Arango, b. ca.1980s) (elskling)
Nose: soft and dusty, it has lots of OBE, but is mostly discreet. The likes of jam jars show up, as does lemon marmalade.
Mouth: mellow and berry-like, it has vanilla custard and a pinch of ashy dust.
Finish: long, with a touch of tobacco and grilled honey -- as in: honey slathered on bread, then toasted.
Comment: very good old dusty hailing from a blender/bottler in Campbeltown.
Score: 8/10
MV and AL who could not be here this weekend, call at this stage to sing a song.
103.12 30yo 1972/2003 Caramel and eucalyptus (53.3%, SMWS Society Cask) (EG)
Nose: burning fruits. Apricots ablaze.
Mouth: baked apricots, some of which dried, others juicy, a tad bitter.
Finish: more juicy goodness, yet it has a minerality too and a bitter side.
Comment: even SMWS guru PS does not recognise the distillery number. Upon reveal, I realise I have chased these old Lochnagars before, never successfully.
Score: 9/10
Kawasaki 33yo 1976/2009 (65.6%, Chichibu Ichiro's Choice imported by The Number One Drinks Company, Refill Sherry Butts, 432b, b#283) (PS)
Nose: flames, ragged leather and burnt flesh (PS, in facetious mode -- that would be the motorcycle namesake). Burnt tyre, petrol and engine oil, yeah? (tOMoH follows suit). sonicvince emits a simple "Mmmh!" Apple and tinned pineapple (sonicvince and PS). It feels very Sherried to me, with prunes and kerosene, perhaps a dash of coffee.
Mouth: rancio, earth, and fewer prunes.
Finish: long, it rolls out blackberries, blackcurrants and dry warehouse clay.
Comment: twelve years have passed since we had our first Kawasaki. I prefer this one, I think. Of course, it is now unobtainable, much to everyone's chagrin.
Score: 8/10
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| Essy approves of Kawasaki |
Glenglassaugh 30yo 1976/2007 (45.3%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2381, 260b, b#226) (PS)
Nose: surprisingly mineral, it has peach yoghurt and sawdust from a circular saw.
Mouth: jammy and fruity, it has peach jelly and thin fruit juice.
Finish: lovely fruity profile balanced with a sip of black coffee.
Comment: this has been on my list of things to try since it came out. Glad to have a chance.
Score: 9/10
PS: "This is far from being a substandard dram."
Chichibu 2009/2012 The Floor Malted (50.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt distributed by Japan Import System imported by Number One Drinks, 8800b, b#8142) (EG)
Nose: it is a tad indistinct, with custard and fruity flowers.
Mouth: fresh and mineral, it tastes like fruits cut on slate.
Finish: lovely fruitiness, mostly peaches and nectarines.
Comment: another good Chichibu.
Score: 8/10
JS pulls out her own Chichibu London Edition b.2023 (51.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt imported by Speciality Drinks, 1949b, b#1843) to compare it with the above. The opinions are divided on which is better than the other. EG and I prefer JS's (notes here). pat gva prefers EG's.
EG pours his Real Dry sparkling white wine. Alcohol free (0.5%), it is meant to reset the palates and refresh the minds.
EG: "Do I look like an Italian?"
Psycho tells a daft story. pat gva laughs so hard he chokes.
EG: "Too strong for you? 0.5%?"
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| Random nibbles Nachos, biltong, nuts |
3.217 16yo d.1997 A delicatessen shopping basket (55.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 609b) (EG)
Nose: farm-y and salty. One could say 'saltmarshes' with confidence.
Mouth: pearl onions, smoked prunes, smoked figs.
Finish: beautifully mellow, with a lick of smoke.
Comment: wow!
Score: 8/10
Gaija enters the scene and pours us a surprise one.
Mystery dram (Gaija)
Nose: super herbaceous, it has heather twigs, oregano and mizunara staves.
Mouth: juicy, a trifle pine-y, with a dollop of mountain-flower honey.
Finish: aromatic, it has oregano, twigs, bracken and dried roots.
Comment: we narrow it down to a middle-aged Bowmore for travel retail, but not the exact bottling, nor even the range. I trawl through my sample boxes to find another, similar expression, to no avail. Must have emptied it.
Bowmore Aston Martin 22yo b.2022 (51.5%, OB Masters' Selection, 12800b) 8/10
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| Gaija's Glenglass-socks |
Bunnahabhain 1989/2001 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail The MacPhail's, JA/ACC) (Psycho)
Nose: gas, sewers, pickled onions.
Mouth: mellow, juicy, it develops a chalky, eggshell-y side.
Finish: soft, it dishes out orange pulp and pepper-topped custard.
Comment: one we have had several times. It is a competent effort. Others appreciate it more than I do. Of course, the competition is fierce, today.
Score: 7/10
ruckus and EJ join the gang.
3.213 18yo Fresh, inviting and energetic (56%, SMWS Society Single Cask) (JS)
Nose: dry and citrus-y, it has orange peels and the bitter oil that comes with that.
Mouth: citrus-y, crystalline, it veers towards leather.
Finish: sweet and citrus-y, it showcases cherries (EJ), candy sweets (JS) and Mon Chéri (EJ).
Comment: JS pulled this out last minute to have it against 3.217. They are wildly different. Full notes here.
Score: 8/10
PS asks if he may open the door for air. YdS is fanning herself with a napkin.
pat gva: "She's got a fan. It's Chinese."
YdS: "It's not Chinese. It's international."
PS: "Glen-glass-okh."
EJ: "Glen-glass-sock."
Psycho: "Kh. Like Mo-kh-ammed."
JS: "That is why you get stopped at airports!"
Poit Dhubh 30yo b.2006 (43%, Pràban na Linne 30th Anniversary Edition, b#230) (tOMoH)
Comment: pat gva and elskling show no interest at first and are dubitative when I insist. They seem pleasantly surprised when they finally do try it. Full notes here.
Score: 8/10
ruckus teases EJ about ageing.
JS: "He's very competent in his cooking skills."
Invergordon 37yo 1972/2009 (46.6%, Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel CC#60478/63675, 259b, b#236) (JS)
Comment: chemical to start with, it paves the way for peach and almonds (pat gva). ruckus finds blackcurrants. Full notes here.
Score: 8/10
Comment: full notes here.
Score: 8/10
EJ: "Because you're sexaaaaaaaay."
ruckus: "She's very good at lying."
Others have the following in no particular order.
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| Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010 (52.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2649, 265b, b#71) (tOMoH) |
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| Inver-Regal (43° Gay Lussac, J.H. Wham & Son (Largs), for testing purposes only, b. pre-1991) (tOMoH) |
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| Pittyvaich 14yo 1986/2001 (43%, Ian McLeod Chieftain's, Hogsheads, C#9519-22, 1074b, L1212BB 3 11 58) (tOMoH) |
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Laphroaig 28yo b.2018 (44.4%, OB Limited Edition, Quarter Casks + Bourbon Barrels + Sherry Butts) (tOMoH): especially for Psycho, who had left when we tasted it last month. Abhainn Dearg b.2023 (61%, OB X Cask Type, PX Cask) (tOMoH) (pat gva asked about Càrn Mòr, yesterday) |
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| Laphroaig 10yo (90 U.S. Proof, OB imported by Julius Wile, b. ca. 1980s) (pat gva) |
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| Bruichladdich 20yo 2001/2021 (53.1%, Sansibar-Whisky, Sherry Hogshead, 318b) (elskling) |
It is close to 20:30 when the last ones leave. Precious moments.
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