02/03/2024 Leap year

OB, cavalier66 and JS join me to mark this calendar oddity that is a 29th of February -- or a year in which it happens, at least.

Another oddity are cavalier66's funky socks
which he pulls up his trousers to show off

OB and cavalier66 both brought food, sweet and savoury, which will come in handy. As usual, cavalier66 has been up for seventeen minutes when he arrives, meaning he has had neither breakfast nor lunch.

Hence the cheeses and fig spread

...and OB knows he can no longer set foot in these premises
without bringing baked goods. :)

OB presents two samples to kick off, both distilled in a leap year, and one of them bottled in a(nother) leap year.

Glen Grant 40yo 1972/2012 (54.2%, Malts of Scotland Angel's Choice, Sherry Hogshead, C#MoS12045, 136b) (OB): complete with mistaken ABV on the sample label. This bottling is 54.2%. The 54.1% promised by the label is the offering limited to 78 bottles and was bottled at 39 years old from cask MoS12006. Tsk. Nose: "the immediate glory of the MoS" (cavalier66), "you can already smell the tertiariness" (cavalier66). "It is very, very, fucking elegant" (cavalier66). We have dunnage warehouse (cavalier66), thatch, lattice cob walls, dusty marmalade, a dusty beehive, with honey and propolis. The second nose has a faint whiff of soap -- the hard blocks of ashy soap that do not generate any foam. That soap grows in power, and, if it never bothers me, it is hard to see past it, after a while. Hand soap and washing powder (cavalier66). Mouth: orchard fruits (cavalier66), non-Tatin-ed tart (cavalier66). I find it spicy and equipped with a nice woody bitterness, before it brings back some honey, and lots of liquid beeswax. Cassia bark, cracked green pepper, and unripe physalis too. The second sip is less outspoken; perhaps it has damp pumice. Finish: bitter and refreshing, it unrolls cassia bark and mint stems. cavalier66 calls it narrow and spirit-y. The second gulp is still as good, with vine and grape pip -- grape-pip oil, actually.  8/10

vs.

Glen Grant 38yo 1972/2011 (52.8%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Sherry Hogshead, 215b) (OB): always a treat to tick off an entry in that highly-regarded collection with crocodiles on the label (the colloquial name of which appears nowhere, by the way). Nose: spirit-y (OB), rougher (cavalier66). For me, it is fruitier, with waxy plums and waxy apples, poached nectarines, and sugar-glazed pears. Dried melon-cubes, watercolour, even. The second nose incredibly has soap too (they are in different glasses, so this cannot have been tainted by the first whisky), though this one is closer to dried lavender and pot-pourri, with the earlier fruits in the background. Mouth: warm, it has a strange hint of metal. Fruits do show up at second sip, but they are not totally ripe, and are accompanied by the bitterness of their peel (think: watermelon skins). I spot a note of sink funk, in the end. Finish: yeah, it is indeed a little less elegant, and perhaps bitterer. It has crushed bay leaves, and conifer-sap dark honey. The second sip is in line, maybe a little more rustic, with hot pots on an old-school, wood-fuelled stove. 8/10

We are nit-picking (ensues a long conversation about nits). They are both very good. cavalier66 and OB prefer the Malts of Scotland, while I reckon I like The Whisky Agency's more, in the long run.

cavalier66: "In a leap year, there are (Conval)more days. Also, leap years are relatively rare -- like this malt."

Convalmore 24yo 1978/2003 (59.4%, OB, Rare Malts Selection) (cavalier66): nose: it smells complex, even if that is hidden behind a wall of alcohol. Some wax, ether, berries (cavalier66), flint, then melted plastic, and things of the land, such as crusted mud and mulch, as well as a minty custard, a pinch of cinnamon, and cocoa powder. A closed nose altogether. Water may help it reveal itself, but I will not try that, today. Mouth: an über-artificial fruitiness (cavalier66), jackfruit, maybe (cavalier66). It is immensely powerful, with heirloom apples and coal-fire smoke. The second sip is sweeter, teeming with caster sugar to augment those gorgeous apples. Smoke is relegated to retro-nasal olfaction, now. Finish: boom. The industrial revolution has returned. Dusty boilers, stacks of coke, steel rolls, industrial-sized apple presses. This is a long, devastating steamroller of a finish, overflowing with stewed apples and warm cider. I like it just as much as the first time. 9/10

cavalier66: "Did you hear about this campaign to change the extra day from February to June?"
all: "?"
cavalier66: "...so we have a warm extra day, rather than a cold one."

cavalier66: "I did get my nipples photographed, recently."
OB: "I know."
tOMoH: "???"

tOMoH indicates that the next bottle is from Jura. There is a Jura region in France; the French are known as Frogs, and that hints at leapfrog. Boom. Also, it was distilled in 1976, which was a leap year. Finally, there was no information about this bottling anywhere that I could find, so I took a leap of faith, when I bought it.

Isle of Jura d.1976 (57.5%, Harleyford Manor for Geoffrey Folley, b.1980s) (tOMoH): nose: vinegar and pickled onions (cavalier66), acetone (cavalier66), musk ("is it deer musk?" asks cavalier66, showing off his knowledge of Jura), skunk musk, hints of peat and/or smoke (cavalier66), rubbery clay. The second nose morphs and gives mercurochrome and flowers. It becomes very ester-y, with faint citrus in the back, as well as a whiff of smoke. The vinegar and onions have completely gone. Mouth: perfume-y (OB and cavalier66), soapy (cavalier66), very soapy (OB). cavalier66finds a lot of soap on the back of the palate. Indeed, it feels soapy to me too. I do not remember that from the first time, but it has scented shampoo, washed pebbles, and soapy pineapple chunks. Finish: "it does linger" (OB). "It remains soapy to the soapy end" (OB). It is musky-and-a-half to me, with maybe a shampooed cat skin, if there is any soap. Repeated sipping makes it gradually more pleasant. It is a challenging dram, though, today. 6/10

cavalier66: "A whisky you must work at."
tOMoH: "It doesn't come to you."
cavalier66: "You must go to it."

OB: "I am very sensitive to soap. That is why I never use it."

As an intermezzo, cavalier66 pulls a sample out of his bag of tricks: a Longmorn, because a leap year is a longer-morn year.

Longmorn 18yo (57.8%, The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2011, 150b) (cavalier66): immediately buttery, then quickly sharper, with heady alcohol and colour-pencil leads veering toward chalk. The buttery side comes in and out, blowing whiffs of mango and avocado, and, in the back, we find skinned plums. Over time, the nose is closer and closer to a grain's, with baking sourdough and fruit turnovers. Water reveals plasticine too. Mouth: it is powerful alright! Once one gets accustomed to the high strength, it has lichen-covered Honeycrisp apples. The second sip has some incredibly-pronounced apple, acidic and fruity, and a mineral side. It is mellower with water, settling on dried apple slices. Finish: fleetingly mushroom-y (OB). It does have an odd earthy-metallic touch, I find. cavalier66 spots bergamot, whilst I find a wave of crunchy apples covered in bitter lichen. The alcohol stuns. Water allows tutti frutti and dried papaya cubes to come to the fore. This has a lot of potential -- sadly unrealised, in my opinion. We will try it under different circumstances. 7/10

JS points out that, in a leap year, February has 29 days. SMWS code 29 is Laphroaig, which was bottled a few times as Leapfrog.

OB, who built the line-up, smells it and calls a sequence mistake. We decide to postpone this dram.

Instead, OB introduces a 29-year-old, because there are 29 days in February, in a leap year.

Caol Ila 29yo 1984/2013 (55.5%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Hogsheads, 564b, 13/467) (OB): nose: ashy, earthy fruits. Very earthy, actually, with damp earth, then hot dry sands, and a whiff of dried old tyres. The second nose has a layer of plasticine and a few bandages. Mouth: crushed raspberry blended with damp earth. It soon turns drying, desiccating as ground nigella seeds, without the toasted or burnt taste. The second sip has raspberry jelly on charcoal crackers, then smoked cockles. It becomes dry again, after a bit. Finish: long and elegant, earthy, with just a hint of raspberry. That earthy touch is very vivid and distinctive. Repeated quaffing makes it juicier, with blackcurrant joining the raspberries, peppered with black sesame, or black cumin. Excellent, without surprise. 9/10

cavalier66 brings in another 29-year-old.

Islay 29yo d.1991 (49.2%, The Auld Alliance and Thompson Bros. Refill Barrel, 240b) (cavalier66): released in 2021, but no bottling year given, it may have been bottled a while before release. Nose: muddy, boggy fields, mere metres from the sea, which gives it a nice, maritime touch too. It is well earthy, though, mud patties and all, as well as a layer of dry paint and dried paintbrushes. Mouth: mellow, it has plasticine, pottery clay, and orchard fruits, trampled in mud. The second sip is a bit more muscular, with a mix of dried fruits fallen into mud. That mud dries and gains mosses and ink that stick to the gums. Finish: long, muddy, it has faded papaya and old blotting paper. It is not ridiculously complex, but it does the job well. 8/10

tOMoH offers a face-off between JS's SMWS Laphroaig (see connection above) and his own expression, bottled for LMdW, a French shop that will serve as another leapfrog connection.

29.99 20yo b.2011 Power and scorched earth (59.6%, SMWS Society Single Cask, Refill ex-Sherry Butt, 360b) (JS): ashes, ash grounds. Burnt pine trees and volcanic sand complement the scorched earth. The second nose has a note of ageing Parmesan. Mouth: wow! This is marked by the Sherry maturation it has gone through. It has a syrupy texture, and some sweetness for sure, that compete with ashes and sweaty Parmesan. How odd! The second sip has a medicinal feel, in that it is drying and numbing. Finish: pure, powerful ash (cavalier66), similar to an ashtray. Yes, it is dry, here, really dry, and ashtray is the right word. The second gulp is much fruitier, with fresh figs, dried dates, and prunes in syrup. I hope to try this again in its time. 8/10

vs.

Laphroaig 15yo 1998/2014 (61.6%, Signatory Vintage for La Maison du Whisky, Sherry Butt, C#700356, 554b) (tOMoH): I am so behind that I take no notes for this one. Full notes here: 8/10

cavalier66 departs, and OB's glasses are empty. Since I am still at it, I pour him a Bourbon, as a reference to the French royal family. Frogs, leapfrog. Yes, I have milked that one to oblivion.

I found it hard to keep the faith pace, today. All the same, good fun, and good whiskies.

10/04/2023 Belgium #7: Try before they are empty

An eclectic selection of bottles that this group has not yet had, before all chances of trying them are gone. One is emptied tonight, two more have but one dram left in them.

red71, STL, Bishlouk, Gaija, JS and I meet virtually for this one.

Dram #1

Nose: "it smells old" (Bishlouk), it has lime juice and dust. STL and Bishlouk reckon it is an ancient bottling, while Gaija spots carambola. Marzipan (STL), dry and woody (Bishlouk).
Mouth: Bishlouk notes a watery side, as if it had gone off, whereas Gaija finds the attack rough and floury. It stabilises at second sip, yet it does not shake off a chalky feel entirely (Gaija).
Finish: spices (Bishlouk), pepper on the tongue. Classic profile (red71), well made, approachable, accessible, nothing surprising (STL).
Comment: a nice 15-16yo Speysider from thirty years ago. Wrong. Full notes here.

The Tyrconnell ★★★★★ Single Malt (40%, Andrew A.Watt & Co. imported by Fourcroy-Renglet, L2014, b. ca 2000) 8/10

red71: "Do you know which vegetable is the best to counter the effects of Alzheimer? The cucumber! A friend of mine got one up the backside ten years ago; he still remembers it!"

Dram #2

Nose: a grain? (Bishlouk) Spices, vanilla, wood (Bishlouk), old bottle, hot wax, ointment, camphor (Gaija), polished furniture (Gaija). A blend? (Bishlouk) "It makes me think of a Strathisla." (Gaija)
Mouth: thinned apricot juice, quite dry at the back of the mouth (Bishlouk).
Finish: Bishlouk reckons that the dryness lasts for a long time.
Comment: always loved this; still do. Full notes here.

The Tomatin 15yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Il Sestante, b.1980s) 8/10

tOMoH: "I came across a bloke on Whiskybase whose name is Jean-Claude Van Dram."
Gaija: "I bet he does splits."

Dram #3

Nose: "this smells very, very good." (Bishlouk)  "It smells like the products at my dentist's." (red71) Flower stems (Bishlouk), "a sherry-matured Littlemill" (Bishlouk), menthol (Bishlouk). Aromatically exuberant (Gaija), with bubble gum and lavender (Gaija). Both Gaija and Bishouk find this very perfume-y and very evolutive. However, if Bishlouk is enthralled, Gaija is not yet sure whether he likes it or not. I find pencil erasers too. red71 detects resin, or retsina, the associated Greek alcohol, Bishlouk has wax.
Mouth: flower stems (Bishlouk), pèket à la violette (Gaija), sugary sweets (red71).
Finish: wax, long, resin-y, woody, full of retsina (red71). Bishlouk loves it. Upon reveal, Gaija is baffled by the alcohol integration; unwilling to believe it is 56.5%.
Comment: always a curveball, this. Really enjoyed the effect it had on the crowd, tonight. Full notes here.

Sonoma County West of Kentucky Bourbon N°2 2014/2016 (56.5%, OB, Barrel, C#14-0224, b#246) 7/10

Dram #4

Nose: vanilla (Bishlouk), an ultra-pronounced sweetness (Bishlouk). Gaija finds it fairly neutral, compared to #3. red71 has acetone and stencil ink (xylene), Gaija has lemon tart, and I settle on crêpes suzette.
Mouth: new-make-like pear (Bishlouk), a nice, creamy texture, after a sharp attack (Gaija). STL confirms that it starts off aggressive, then plateaus.
Finish: "very good, but the alcohol prevents a certain finesse from ever emerging." (Red 71) Gaija thinks the alcohol integration is a clear flaw.
Comment: JS and I are more used to a shower of praise, and disbelief at the age statement, followed by a request to buy multiple bottles of it. Ah, well. The beauty of trying the same whisky in different contexts. :) Full notes here.

Strathclyde 13yo 2001/2014 (64.4%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Editions, B#ST 13 002) 8/10

Bishlouk: "Our tastings aren't serious anymore. Not even 10 o'clock, last dram already."
STL: "You'll have time to shag."

Bishlouk downs 7.5 in one gulp.
Bishlouk: "RRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
tOMoH: "You OK?"
Bishlouk: "I thought it was my glass of water!"

Dram #5

Nose: a pine forest, light peat (red71). Gaija confirms. Tequila, mezcal (Gaija), something reminiscent of Longrow, Croftengea, or Kilkerran (Gaija). I find limestone or limescale.
Mouth: peat and smoke, though more smoke than peat (red71), and it is refined (red71). Chalk bordering on chlorine (Gaija). "It is not organic enough to be from Loch Lomond." (Gaija)
Finish: dry and soothing, elegant and warming.
Comment: this one also gets a different reaction, depending on where in the line-up it is. I have seen someone unwilling to finish it, once. Tonight, it works. Full notes here.

Convalmore 22yo 1984/2007 (52.2%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength imported by Classic Wine Imports Inc., Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#1538, JG/CJG) 8/10

tOMoH: "J'ai du pin."
STL: "Du pain?"
tOMoH: "Du pin. Pas de la boulangerie; de la forêt."
STL: "Ah! Du pin, P-I-N. De la pine."
Bishlouk: "Parfait pour Pâques, lapine."

Dram of the day:
Bishlouk, STL: Sonoma County
red71: Convalmore
JS, Gaija, tOMoH: Tomatin

Good times, as usual. Loads of relaxed nonsense.

07/10/2022 Convalmore

Convalmore 16yo 1981/1997 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#89/604/112): I had kept this one to try alongside C#1538, then obviously forgot. Ah, well. Nose: a delicate, floral, almost ethereal nose, at first, with primrose, pansies, and forsythia, it soon pulls in plasticine, as well as leafier, waxier plants (peace lilies, monstera deliciosa). It is not long before all that turns drier, with desiccated bunches of flowers, pot-pourri, and Scottish gift shops, with their smells of candles, heather and faded tartan plaid. The second nose has unripe citrus (mandarin, tangerine, lime), and citrus foliage, not very fragrant, and covered in dust. It does wake up a tad, after a while, and oak-smoked pomelo and lime slices appear, alongside a drop of brine. Mouth: gently drying here too, the whisky takes a bitter turn on the tongue, with vine leaves, ivy leaves, black olives or tapenade, and a vaguely-soapy lick. Underneath that, flowers remain, and there are clearly some fruits, though too tame yet to identify them (unripe apples, maybe?) The second sip confirms what the nose suggested: oak-smoked green-citrus slices, oroblanco, combava, or lime. The leaves are present too, to a lesser extent, and, after a minute of keeping the whisky on the tongue, some mocha chocolate. Finish: bitterness, fruit, and leaves, all subtle. Clearly, we have unripe mandarins with their foliage, lime-onade in which lime leaves have soaked, Kaffir lime leaves, vine leaves... Boy! it is quite leafy, now. The next gulp adds mocha-flavoured chocolate and mocha toffee. It retains some citrus-y fruitiness, especially noticeable on the edges of the tongue, but that truly plays second violin  to the mocha touch that now enjoys the spotlight. Further sips are a different story again, however: lime-and-milk-chocolate PiM's steal the blanket. I had this as a 7, at first sip, thought it was an off day, and found it dishonest to go higher, but it actually grows better with each sip. In line with my impression, a year-and-a-half ago. 8/10

13/09/2022 Convalmore

Convalmore 22yo 1984/2007 (52.2%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength imported by Classic Wine Imports Inc., Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#1538, JG/CJG): nose: rather medicinal in an alcohol sanitiser way, this has ether and gauze, alcohol swabs and white spirit (as in: unaged, not the paint remover). That only lasts for a second, however. Then, we have delicately-fruity overtones, though it is not fresh fruits -- rather pink ,fruit-scented pencil erasers, or even scented crayons. Underneath that, and not really hidden, is a pinch of soot, which adds a layer of old-school dirtiness. Toasted cereals, borderline burnt, smashed strawberries on rusk, and the return of alcohol, in the form of a stencil machine, or xylene. A schizophrenic nose, with attractive and (some might say) repulsive aspects, probably. Of course, that makes it interesting! There is even a waxy note, after a while (crayons again). The fruits become bolder on the second nose, though they are not riper. We have mixed nuts and raisins (hazelnuts, coconut shavings, Brazil nuts, sultanas, almonds), served with a shot of Manzanilla that grows in intensity. Mouth: the soot is obvious from the attack onwards, which is at odds with the pouring-honey-like texture and sweetness. This would be a velvety dram, were it not for that bold soot. It has a faint drop of pickle brine too, unripe gooseberries (cue bitterness and acidity), chipped burnt wood, and green hazelnuts. If anything, the second sip increases the soot-y impression, carpeting the tongue with the black stuff. That overshadows the undeniable fruitiness and makes it appear less ripe. The whole grows to a comfortable heat, like a cauldron on a coal fire. Finish: yes, green hazelnuts it is, mashed into a paste. Cider vinegar comes up through retro-nasal olfaction, as does hazel wood. This has something green about it, without the remotest suggestion of immaturity. It is a long finish, and it comes with that green hazelnut paste, creamy enough, yet it cannot shake a certain bitterness. The second sip is much sweeter and brings back honey (dark and set, this time), and throws lots of raisins and currants into the mix to accompany the lingering heat and soot. I really like this, yet I can see it dividing opinions. It is an instant strong 8 for me that may become 9 under different circumstances. In fact, I had it as such, the first two times we tried it (in 2016 and 2017). My notes from then were quite different. 8/10

23/04/2021 Whisky-Online Auctions' First Cask tasting Part 2

JS and I, along with fifteen-or-so others, join Tim Roberts, Harrison and Wayne Ormerod and Lee "Connas" Connor for the second episode of the triptych dedicated to First Cask, Direct Wines Ltd.'s late collection.

Connas reminds us what First Cask was, as not everyone was at the first tasting. That takes up a whole thirty seconds or so, as the information is as scarce as it was last month.

Connas announces he took the feedback from last time on board and has a presentation to share. He apologises in advance for the fact he is not extremely tech-savvy. Case in point: his version of Powerpoint tells him that his licence has expired and offers to close that message by clicking a button -- he never does. The presentation is composed, for each dram, of a picture of the bottle, superimposed on a picture of the distillery. Connas then seemingly ad libs a little history and facts about the distillery.

I do not pay it much attention, more concentrated on enjoying the drams at my pace.

Bladnoch 16yo d.1980 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#89/591/12): nose: fresh and minty, fruity as a crisp white wine (Rivaner?), soon morphing into citrus peel. Later on, a woodier note shines through, with eucalyptus and rubbery olive-tree bark. Mouth: a surprising bite, with sparkly orangeade, which grows at the second sip. Swirling the liquid around the mouth reveals a soft bitterness and an even softer fruitiness. Finish: big, wide and orange-y, with a minute amount of grated Alka-Seltzer. It keeps the gentle bitterness, reinforcing the citrus (marmalade) and an almost rubbery woodiness. Lovely. I almost had it at 9, but for tonight, it is 8/10

Inchgower 18yo d.1976 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#9891): nose: barley sugar, apple jelly, crushed pear, candied lemon peel, lavender leaves (not the flowers, strangely enough), perhaps a note of pineapple. All in all, I find this rather herbaceous, despite the others detecting tropical fruits. Mouth: acidic attack and a lot more fruits, now, with pineapple and juicy apple, sprinkled with lime droplets and pomelo juice. Finish: bold -- no! Assertive, it once more has a softly bitter, rubbery side. Asafoetida and nigella seeds increase that bitterness. Someone cleverly mentions Campari and it is indeed reminiscent of bitter liqueur or dry vermouth. 9/10

Glenrothes 21yo 1975/1996 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#6051): nose: ah! It is a Glenrothes that falls under the category I am not fond of: rancid butter, sticky feet, chemical lemon flavouring, before sweet pot ale comes through. In the long run, the lemon-y side wins, which is good news, as far as I am concerned. Mouth: phew! It is all lemonade and chemical lemon flavouring, akin to souped-up Sprite. It is almost sickly sweet, though that is balanced by a gentle bitterness. The rancid butter seems gone. Finish: same as the palate, but even sweeter. Lemonade, in which one has poured ladles of caster sugar. Undoubtedly the weakest dram of the night, according to my taste, but still a decent drop. 7/10

Convalmore 16yo 1981/1997 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#89/604/112): there is a typo on the sample. Connas tells us this is his first Convalmore and he is excited to tick that box. Based on his post-sip reaction, that box-ticking excited him more than the dram itself, which is a pity. Nose: old school. This is smoky and hairy, boiler-room-like, with derelict garden tools and caramelised apple compote, simmering in a cast-iron cauldron. Mouth: zingy, it sparkles and tingles on the tongue. Repeated sipping makes this a full-on flat pomelo lemonade affair (pomeloade?) Finish: a lovely combination of citrus and vanilla; juicy mandarins, vanilla pods, and the whole turns creamy, towards the death. Very nice. 8/10

Glencadam 29yo d.1972 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#7639): nose; hugely vanilla-flavoured at first, with lots of custard, it then becomes weirdly farm-y, with dried cow dung and faded leather. It is not as metallic or herbaceous as more recent expressions from this distillery, even though it is also not the 1960s style. Mouth: furiously bitter, here, with lichen growing on old metal and moss on rubber joints. Cough drops, cachous... Oh! yes, this is Glencadam alright, now: vegetal, metallic and very good. Finish: a different story altogether, the finish is overflowing with melted milk chocolate, though chocolate sticking to a tin mould, to be sure. 8/10

Connas has another slide deck in which he talks about distillation. Again, I am too focused on the drams to pay much attention.

Tomatin 18yo d.1976 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#27643): nose: caramba! Tropical fruits aplenty, although that swiftly mutates into fruity/mentholated drops (dragées), before fire catches up, numbing the philtrum with verbena and fresh mint. Proper nosebleed, like. Then, the fruits come back, with peach and rosehip, dragon fruit and lychee. Mouth: it starts out bitter, then a huge wave of tropical fruits slap you in the face. It has dragon fruit, enormous peach and strawberry yoghurt, topped with nigella seeds. Finish: unctuous, creamy mashed peach, apricot custard and, quite simply, a fruity cavalcade, with caraway seeds to round it off. Total lack of surprise, as far as I am concerned, but when the quality is this high, I certainly do not mind it being predictable. 9/10

Bunnahabhain 19yo d.1980 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#5643): nose: dry earth and soft menthol, then steamed vegetables (swede?), turning back to toffee and mocha custard. Mouth: it is very mentholated. It also has a strong dandelion-stem bitterness, as well as peppermint, apple mint, crisp-apple skins and a delicate sea-air influence (sea spray, iodine, salt). Finish: complex, it swings between mentholated custard and dry moss, becoming almost mineral, then drying, with a lick of new-car rubber joints -- or is that melon skins? A more-than-decent Bunna, but to put it in simple terms: it is a sequence mistake. It is completely in the shadow of the Tomatin. 8/10

Different vibe, tonight. It felt less relaxed, and the conversation flowed less easily. Perhaps everyone was exhausted from a long week (I know I was), but it unfortunately made for a slightly-less enjoyable time. Some found the selection inferior to Part 1's. I did not share that opinion, but nevertheless...

Connas's line was also hissing during the whole tasting, which I found draining. Not sure if it was his microphone, his connection, or whatever else.

Anyway, looking forward to Part 3 all the same!

19/07/2020 Two Convalmores

Convalmore d.1969 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, b. early 1980s): there were at least three versions of this (bottled at 12, 13 and 14yo). Considering the bottler did not mention the age or the bottling date on their miniatures, at the time, it is unclear which one this is. Nose: well, it is the trademark dusty/pickled leather/coffee that comes with a brown-label, Gordon & MacPhail miniature (Old Miniature Effect, or OME, remember). It only takes a couple of minutes to evolve and display mocha butter cream, damp bung cloth and inky blotting paper, stained with preserved-gherkin pickle juice. A little later, old bookshelves and cardboard boxes appear. Clearly, this one is dominated by aromas of old wood. Only after more than five minutes does it present a mix of fruit (oranges, past their prime) and stagnant water, then cappuccino. At that point, it is very pleasant too. Just before the last sip, it becomes obvious that the nose has a little smoke from a coal stove. It is discreet, but it is there. Mouth: gentle, even soft-ish, at first, it has barrel-aged orange juice, fruity and woody in equal measures, then dried grated ginger, mixed peel, and candied orange cubes. The texture is velvety and nicely mouth-coating. The second sip brings up more spices (white pepper and galangal shavings), and it stops feeling soft-ish. Musty cellar, damp, earthy floors, cardboard. Perhaps burnt Christmas cake, sticking to the side of the mould. Finish: marvellous finale that has most of the above: a drop of cappuccino, lots of orange juice, candied papaya, now, dried ginger, damp bung cloth, cardboard, a pinch of earth, though little pickle, at this stage. Cocoa powder, perhaps, bitter and chocolate-y at the same time. The stagnant water from the nose has disappeared (phew), but a new addition is an impression of a classroom coal stove -- a little smoky, a little sooty, very warming, very oldskool. Love this. 8/10

Convalmore 40yo 1977/2017 (56.8%, Cadenhead 175th Anniversary, Butt, 522b): this mighty expression was released at the 2017 Campbeltown Festival, for the 175th Anniversary Tasting. You may recall that I never tried it, because I had spent too much time with the Banff. Luckily, I had an empty container, that day. Now is the time, then. Nose: oh! My word, that is so different. It is to be expected, of course, seeing the age difference (not to mention the vintages). In no particular order, we have flower stems (gorse), custard, satsuma, kumquat, kaffir lime leaves, bergamot and calamansi (though the latter is subtle). It smells citric, but in a sweet, leafy sort of way, rather than overtly acidic. There is something else, though -- something unexpected: pet-fish or pet-turtle food. I do not think I have come across that aroma in a whisky before (or seen that tasting note, so remember: you read it here first!) Lavender, pineapple skin, cucumber peel, lemon sage, primrose and violets -- phwoar! This rawks, innit! Further nosing reveals fruity custard, perhaps with fleeting minty cough drops added in for good measure. Mouth: soft texture, despite the significantly-higher ABV, it has thinned juice and white-wine sangria (if such a thing exists). Soon, it unleashes fruity custard or yoghurt, with pineapple chunks, peach (roasted peach, no less), Chinese gooseberry (also roasted), smoked tangerine segments (that is right: smoky), stewed rhubarb, primrose again, kumquat and banana rum. The palate has something perfume-like too; some kind of essence, though not pine, even if one might find traces of pine resins in this. Perhaps it is simply the structure, which is concentrated and lively-ish. A green note persists: the primrose stems, without a doubt. The whole palate reminds me of the boozy haze in a dunnage warehouse, filled with the angels' share. Finish: here, it is superfruity, with smoked tangerine again, smoked kiwi, fresh pineapple cubes, charred calamansi, grilled apricot, fruity crème brûlée, waves of custard, bursting with squashed fruit (mostly peach again) and a few grains of sooty charcoal in a galvanised-steel bucket. The finish has the same comforting warmth the Gordon & MacPhail had, but it is made so much richer by that custard-y fruitiness that accompanies it. This is boss. The sort of bottles that will inevitably grow in reputation and prestige. A very strong 9/10

30/01/2020 February outturn at Cadenhead's

A small outturn, this time, but a very full house for it.
No samples, this time. A proper bottle of each whisky, and proper pours in proper glasses. Christmas is back again!
On the negative side, no more distillation or bottling dates on the back label, and the number of casks that composed the bottling has also vanish. Finally, we are told the number of bottles now only represents the number of bottles available in the UK. Why?

Fettercairn 12yo b.2019 (51.1%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Casks, 324b)
Nose: limestone and citrus fruit (lemon juice, to be accurate), ivy leaves and -- wait for it -- unopened hyacinth.
Mouth: fruity, mellow, salty and a little acidic.
Finish: light and fruity, it has candied lime and pomelo.
Comment: a very good Fettercairn. 7/10

Thanks for the pic, SW

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 9yo b.2019 (55.1%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 1 x Sherry Cask & 3 x Bourbon Casks, 354b)
Nose: dark chocolate from the word 'go', precious wood, walnut liqueur, dark cherries.
Mouth: soft and gentle in a chocolate-coulis sort of way, but with a touch of chilli powder. "Swiss chocolate," says Cavalier66. Inferior chocolate, then.
Finish: long, chocolate-y and nicely rounded. 7/10

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 18yo b.2019 (51.1%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Casks, 264b)
"It has been a while since we last had a Glenrothes," says everyone, hinting at there being one in virtually every 2019 outturn.
Nose: a buttery one, with porridge and boiled sweets (crystallised oranges), doughnut, and a touch of powdered sugar.
Mouth: soft, buttery, with lemon-and-sage butter.
Finish: pastry, buttery dough, soft pomelo flesh, white peach.
Comment: nice one. 7/10

Ord 11yo b.2019 (56.4%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Bourbon Casks, 342b)
Nose: sandpaper (I know!), old rags, oily tools and dry straw. There is some old-school funk in this one.
Mouth: quite dry, here too, with straw and oily rags, as well as cardboard.
Finish: dry, drying, with super-dry, crackling leather, dried grape skins.
Comment: OK, but not the most appealing. I find it a bit rough. Others love it. 6/10

Strathclyde 30yo b.2019 (54.5%, Cadenhead Small Batch, Sherry & Bourbon Casks, 360b)
This one spent a year in a Sherry cask, apparently.
Nose: pure grain nose, with blackcurrant turnovers, blueberry pancakes, coconut and cooked ham (what?)
Mouth: Kola cubes, blackcurrant, elderberry, blueberry -- ooh! dear.
Finish: a lash of black liquorice will prevent a higher score, even though it is mostly blackcurrant, blueberry and blackberry.
Comment: Amazing Strathclyde. Probably even better than the 28yo that came out in March 2018. 8/10

William Cadenhead 12yo (46%, Cadenhead, Sherry Casks)
A blend containing Invergordon, Girvan, Benrinnes and Miltonduff. Those were added to the previous vatting, since this is a solera.
Nose: leather and meat, dusty cardboard.
Mouth: chocolate, nuts -- roasted walnuts.
Finish: chocolate in the finish too, augmented with dark cherries.
Comment: very nice. £33. Perfect sipper. 7/10

SW pulls a few rabbits out of his hat. Bits and bobs from open bottles whose ABV have fallen.

Linkwood 17yo d.1978 (55.5%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask)
Nose: earth and brine.
Mouth: brine, mildly acidic, pickled onions.
Finish: long, comforting, but also a bit bitter.
Comment: nice opportunity. 7/10

Convalmore 23yo d.1962 (46%, Cadenhead)
Nose: white wine, gravel, crushed hazelnuts.
Mouth: mellow, slightly ashy, with cheese rind and sweet green grapes.
Finish: big, rancio-ed, it has Virginia tobacco and roasted peaches.
Comment: I like this. 8/10

Dalmore 15yo d.1963 (45.7%, Cadenhead, probably Bourbon Cask)
Nose: bathroom soap, toothpaste and mint.
Mouth: more toothpaste, mint, or even peppermint.
Finish: the wood has taken over, almost splinter-y, with ginger, mint and galangal shavings.
Comment: not bad, but over the hill, in my opinion. 6/10

Despite the low outturn, we finish at the same time as usual. Lots of banter and other socialising.

This one, we do not try

30/12/2018 Southeast Asia

Well, well, well. It was difficult to gather many people for this one, but considering how few tastings took place in 2018, it seemed fitting to hold one anyway. Also, no trip to Dornoch, this year, and that meant an additional three days to sip whisky elsewhere -- at tOMoH headquarters, for example.

JS, GL and OB join me for a selection focusing on Southeast Asia. An excuse for good puns, of course. :o)

It takes me an hour to find the first bottle. I am ready to give up when I finally locate it, stuck at the very back of a broom cupboard.
Fortunately, I have poured GL Inchmurrin 20yo (40%, OB imported by T.A.C., b. late 1990s). To keep him hydrated, you understand.

But we have real work to do!

Grand Royal Special Reserve (43%, International Beverage Trading Company, LM006/0281N 6027) (tOMoH): it appears this is the best-selling whisky in Burma, Myanmar, or however one wants to call it (current official name is Myanmar, though that has changed more than once in my lifetime). FN spent a holiday there, a few years ago, and brought this back as a souvenir for me... for shits and giggles. The bottler is a Thailand-based group, it is bottled for the Burmese market, yet the label clearly states that it is blended by a Scottish master blender. Nose: a bit of spirit, a bit of varnish, a bit of perfume, plum liqueur (JS), umeshu (OB, showing off his own latest travels), and the tiniest hint of polished wood alongside fresh butter. This is inoffensive, if not very interesting. Mouth: prune juice with a hint of wood and a gentle alcohol bite. It is round and inoffensive again. I can see the local populace sipping this on ice, in the humid heat of the land (which, I should add, I have never set foot in). Finish: soft, round and short, this is really neither challenging, nor very good. However, it is also not very bad. It tastes of whisky, the sort of which one would get in a pub, upon ordering "a whisky." GL reckons  a high-grain content, whilst I am simply happy it does not seem toxic. 5/10

GL: "It's not paint-stripper."

OB: "At least, it is proper whisky."

OB refers to what passes as "whisky" in Laos, which, apparently, has nothing in common with the amber liquid. He is well-travelled, our OB!

Inver House Green Plaid (40%, Inver House Distillers for Portugal, L0:292:510 12:22:00:06904, b. early 1990s) (GL): GL brought this because Inver House is now owned by Thai Beverages, a large conglomerate. Nose: green-tea leaves, a hint of metal, a pinch of salt. Even less is happening here than in the Burmese one; neither good, nor bad. Mouth: candied lemon, pomelo zest, barley sugar. It is a tad more complex, here, with some tongue-dancing citrus. Finish: yup, barley sugar, lime drops and muscovado sugar. Simple, but pleasant alright. Historically interesting too; plus, there is a chance that this is a single blend of Garnheath and Glenflagler -- though the salty note makes the boys think of Pulteney instead, which is also in Inver House's portfolio, these days. 6/10

Food. Home-made caramel shortbread and Christmas cake. Yum!

Lady-boy-burn 20yo 1966/1987 (45.7%, Cadenhead) (JS): they are a bit of a cliché and the subject of jokes, in Europe, but those who have been to Thailand assure us that lady boys are really a thing there, and such a part of the culture that they are mainstream. In any case, far from passing judgement, we are only after a good pun. Nose: we are shifting gears. Fantastically deep, the nose has a combination of controlled wood and lovely fruit; apricot turnovers in a rustically-furnished kitchen, dusty tangerines, overripe, dusty satsumas. Mouth: fresh, fruity, it has satsumas, mandarin juice, ripe-orange flesh and a lot of zing. I love this. Finish: citrus, milk chocolate, a drop of lime juice -- scratch that! Pomelo juice. A pinch of dust. Superb dram. I hope to spend more time with it soon. 9/10

South-East Village-ia 44yo 1973/2017 (47.4%, East Village Whisky Company Jack's Finest, Sherry Butt, 142b, b#125) (OB): a Jack Wieber bottling in disguise? Nose: extremely floral, with jasmine, honeysuckle, snowdrop, thrush, hyacinth, honey and cut red apple, as well as dead leaves... This nose is stunning! It develops earthy tones and daffodil as well. Mouth: raspberry coulis, cut strawberries -- phwoar! Apricot compote and a pinch of spices. This is very, very good! It later becomes dryer, with dried daffodil stems. Finish: mellow, it has caramel and chocolate, apple and strawberry. This does not have the depth of the Ladyburn, but it is a great drop too. 9/10

OB: "It is good enough, if you want to Asia-culate."

Imperial 1976/2005 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection imported by Charles Hofer, C#10171) (JS): a big part of of Southeast Asia formed Indochina, which was a result of French Imperial-ism. Nose: it is initially very musty and leathery, which surprises me a lot. Then, it calms down and moves towards squashed raspberries and humid hay, thatch, even. The leather comes back, with mud, then bandages, hospital lint, cigar ash, gummi bears in alcohol, paint and linseed oil. This is most unexpected. Mouth: punchy and hay-like, it has wine gums, lots of drying lichen and dried moss. Next is gentle-if-acidic fruit. Finish: earth and smoke, surprisingly -- rather bold, too. The general impressions are red wine, moss and a distant note of fox's skin. Crikey! The earthiness is strong, in this one! I love this. After breathing in the bottle for a while, it will probably score higher. For now, it is 8/10

Mekong-valmore 22yo 1984/2007 (52.%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#1538) (me): nose: ink and flint, very dry hazelnut shells, some sort of nut oil, hazelnut vinegar, currant juice, grape juice. Later on, raspberries show up as well. Mouth: nutty and sherried, with a bit of rancio, pressed raisins, strong red wine, tawny Port, jellied hazelnut and a pinch of earth. Finish: more of that hazelnut and raspberry combination, which works a treat. The finish is creamy and lovely, fruity, punchy, yet also light and well balanced. Great dram. 9/10

OB: "I have yet to become a Convalmore fan, but this is better than I expected."

Glenflagler 23yo 1970/1994 (50.1%, Signatory Vintage, C#1260+7861, 350b, b#119, 94/923) (me): same story as the Green Plaid: Glenflagler was part of the Moffat complex, owned by Thai Beverages -- although, really, I only selected it for GL, who is from Airdrie, where the distillery used to be. This, by the way is one of the rarest malts in Scotland, and only my second Glenflagler. I am not a little excited. Nose: a dusty cellar, dunnage warehouses, mint, lime leaves. A minute in, it has aerosol, vaporised scents, ozone. Later still, hazel tree comes through, Brazil-nut butter and milk chocolate. Wow. Mouth: mild, sweet and fruity, the palate showcases squashed raspberries (a recurrent, today!), raspberry yoghurt, nutty body butter and a pinch of spices. Finish: super fruity, with loads and loads of raspberry, a hint of hazelnut and pineapple yoghurt. Amazeballs! Who would have thunk, eh? 9/10

Glen Moray-Glenlivet 25yo 1991/2016 (55.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch for The Whisky Hoop, 1 x Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) (OB): The Whisky Hoop is a bar in Japan; Japan, of course, is in Asia (albeit not Southeast). As soon as JS sees Whisky Hoop, she remembers the fantastico Tomatin that OB brought a while ago. Nose: warm wool, then it becomes generically fruity (which means I cannot clearly identify which fruit it is), with, perhaps, old peach and walnut stain, warm cigars, traces of ink, hot tarmac... Then it settles for blotting paper. This is surprisingly old school, but what a lovely nose. Mouth: mellow, with peach flesh. Pepper grows quickly and intensely: cracked black pepper and lots of plump, fluffy peach. Finish: the finish is very peppery again, and remains peachy. Superb mixture of fruit and spices. The third sip is very nutty. This one is not too complex, but it is nice. JS now compares it to Bladnoch 23yo RMS, and that is a fair point. 8/10

OB sadly has to leave.

Springban-gkok 1965/2002 (46%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland) (me): a weak pun, and one that I have used in the past, but I stop at nothing. Also, I really want to pour this. I reviewed this at length elsewhere, so short notes. Nose: it is still fruity as fook, with cut apple, carambola, bubble gum and plasticine. Mouth: juicy fruit, coated in honey, waxy apricots, plums, and memories of metal shelves. Finish: walnut stain, crushed peach flesh, rhubarb compote and happiness. This is a capital dram. I might easily be convinced to give it top score, but I will stick to my previous. 9/10

Garnheath 42yo (44.3%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, B#1, 120b, b#49) (GL): Airdrie boy in full swing! This grain made at Moffat was owned by Thai Beverages too, before it closed, in 1986. Nose: wood varnish, nail polish, polished mahogany or chestnut, with an undercurrent of custard. A new chessboard, with new pieces; the queen is shiny with wax. JD would hate this with a passion. Coconut soon follows, then caramelised hazelnut and hazelnut paste (none of that palm-oil-rich Ferrero shite). Mouth: full-on coconut yoghurt with a good dose of pepper. In fact, coconut and custard. It is milky and fresh, zesty and herbaceous. Finish: toasted coconut savings, waxed furniture and a lot of wood. It is a bit plank-y, even, drying and bitter in the aftertaste. 8/10

44.98 15yo d.2002 Umami of smoke (58.3%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-PX Hogshead, 238b) (GL): umami is a very Asian concept, hence why GL brought this. Nose: very chocolate-y, it has hot pain au chocolat, pine cones, roasted chestnut shells, toasted cocoa beans, chestnut butter and a hint of mocha. Mouth: rich and sherried, it has polished dashboards, walnut stain and (very) hot chocolate coulis. Ginger comes in, hot, grated over sultanas. Finish: long, warming and syrupy, it displays elderberry, dark chocolate and gentle coffee. This is good, if cloying. Glad we have it as the last whisky.  7/10

We finish with a PX sherry that feels like sultana juice -- and it is very nice.

Great one, as usual.