13/08/2023 Barbie

With the film about Mattel's iconic doll still in cinemas, receiving a lot of attention, this was the best (if most unlikely) theme for the August tasting in ze Heimat.

adc, JS, red71, STL, Psycho, sonicvince, kruuk2, and dom666 join me to share laughs and drams.

kruuk2 brought a gift. "Your reward for making up dumb themes!"
At least, tOMoH gets to show off legs. :)

kruuk2 {about his recent road trip in Morocco]: "I reached my destination, which was Meknes."
sonicvince: "Wait, my geography of Morocco is a bit..."
tOMoH: "You see Schaerbeek? A bit south of it."
kruuk2: "There's also Liège, rue du Moulin... right next to Super Poulet."

But we have work to do.

dom666 spills a bucket of water on the tablecloth while pouring himself a glass of water (not the first time, despite his claims). After we have mocked his very own watershed moment, he receives a towel to mop it up.

tOMoH: "Careful now. That also doubles up as your bib."

Aside from the whiskies, we are having a pot luck, today: various bits and bobs generously supplied by all guests.

dom666's nuts

Tapenade toasts, courtesy of red71

STL's daughter's biscuit-and-mocha cake

kruuk2's finger-licking cakes

I have hardly slept, and am more interested in enjoying the company so appalling notes again.

adc presents: Ben Brac-Ken

Ben Bracken 12yo (40%, Scotch Whisky Company for Lidl, b. ca. 2007): nose: inoffensive, it has corn syrup, custard, crusty choux dough, toffee, fudge, vaguely-paprika-ed cinnamon. Mouth: gently spicy, with black pepper, cinnamon, ginger powder. Next sip has a hazelnut cream. Finish: shortish, here are cinnamon shavings on vanilla custard, peppery and cinnamon-y, Lovely starter. Hope to try it again. 7/10

dom666: "There was a time in the 1970s when saying you were gay was a good way to revive your career."
red71: "Are you trying to tell us something?"

sonicvince, who has not seen the film, presents the next dram: "I'm sure there is some singing in Barbie (the film), and there is bound to be someone whistling."

The Whistler Mosaic (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrels + finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks, L21/014 152, b.2021): nose: a heavy note of peppermint, and ginger toothpaste. It grows rather woody (in a good way), adding a pinch of grated chalk to the mix too. adc finds butter caramel, whilst I detect dusty birch shelves. Mouth: fudge, melting and quaffable, like chewing on molten wax. It has a notch of soft spices, now closer to turmeric than the above. adc reckons it tastes a bit like limoncello. Finish: another fairly short one, it has toffee (melted Toffee Penny), melted caramel, and a pinch of wood dust (sawn old wood shelves). 7/10

kruuk2 explains how the next one fits into the theme: "10 is the age at which girls play with Barbie. And why Arran? Why, because Barbie wears a miniskirt, which, as any French-speaking Belgian knows, s'arrête Arran del'touffe [it stops within shaving distance of the bush]."

On a less-vulgar note (kruuk2, tsk!), I observe that Barbie is obviously the shortening of Barbarran.

The Arran Malt 10yo b.2006 (46%, OB, 120206): nose: lemon-y to the max, it smells like Cif Citron, says sonicvince. Pomelo foliage, pinched-and-rubbed pomelo peels. Over time, peach skins grow and grow. Great nose. Mouth: lemon-y, fresh, a tad bitter, with a pinch of grated effervescent tablet. Finish: it is extremely crisp, lively, fresh, fruity, and it display the characteristics of tonic water -- or crushed Alka-Seltzer. 8/10

The next one is mine. I bring a gentle, girly dram with a blonde tube. Just like Barbie.

Spot the streak of blonde
hair on the tube

Tomintoul 16yo d.2004 (46%, OB, Sauternes Casks, 5094b): nose: crushed cardamom on lemon pudding. Mouth: a little spicier than the nose suggested, yet it is an approachable one that puts everyone on the same page. Lovely drop, with a tiny bitterness that comes unexpected (pomelo peels) and ground cardamom again. Finish: wider and longer than the previous, this is rich, juicy, and a little bitter, overflowing with green citrus. I love this. Full notes here. 8/10

adc: "What is this next one?"
STF: "It's a Burnside."
adc: "Yes, and the connection to the theme?"
STF: "Burnside. That was the theme."
All: "Barbie."
STF: "Oh! Drat. I was daft as Ken, on that one."

Speyside 27yo 1994/2021 (47.5%, Le Gus't Selection special bottling for Nanyang Whisky, Bourbon Hogshead, C#3525, 240b, b#224): "Distilled at Speyside Distillery" should actually read "Distilled at a Speyside Distillery." This is allegedly Burnside, or tea-spooned Balvenie, not Speyside, aka The Spey. I thought this was the one I tried a while ago, but it is not. Strangely, it does not have a Roman numeral, despite being from the Selection collection. Nose: rich AF, it has custard (sonicvince), tons of peach skins, cured fruit, almond skins, and it opens up to reveal unripe pineapple, and citrus slices (unripe oranges). Mouth: incredibly bitter (certainly when compared with the nose), ground cardamom, then peach stones, ground almonds and hazelnut skins. The second sip displays more cream, with a custard-y texture. A lick of metal joins the nut skins (not the scrotum, naughty reader!) Finish: long, ripe with citrus-y pastry, almond-and-lemon cake, crisp-dried citrus peels, and gingery, cinnamon-y, cured orange rind. Very good! 8/10

dom666 brought the next one, because it has pink on the label.

Nikka Coffey Grain (45%, OB imported by La Maison du Whisky, 6/04F101511): nose: walking into an Ikea (freshly-sawn pine wood), a pinch of dried herbs, and a vague note of outer sole (rubber?) Mouth: soft, pleasing, it still has pine planks, though young enough to be full of vanillin. Finish: a softly-bitter spiciness (ground cardamom) crowns an-otherwise creamy custard. 7/10

adc: "A dram is okay, but..."
kruuk2: "The whole bottle would be too much!"

dom666 brought his Coffey Malt to try it back to back with the Coffey Grain, but I have another grain idea -- an idea which will stop us repeating an experience we had five years ago. And, since the bottle belongs to this group, when is a better occasion? Also, it is in theme: it is a Caledonian; to go to Islay, one takes the Caledonian MacBrayne from Ken-nacraig.

The Cally 40yo 1974/2015 (53.3%, OB, 5060b, b#3642): totally unfair fight, I know. To counter that, I have it at the end of the tasting, but, for everyone else, it comes now. Nose: wallpaper glue (kruuk2), pot-pourri, wet sand (sonicvince). adc produces a bottle of BioLevel detergent, and, indeed, it has a very clear similarity. Pine needles, Harpic Air Freshener, ground cherry stones, and crushed mint leaves. Mouth: it is a supreme mix of pine-needle-scented air freshener, and powerful wood glue. We talk of MDF (glued sawdust) and OSB (plywood pressboards, pressed wood shavings) -- the DiY specialists are keen to show off their science, which is both amusing and unlikely. This here dram is glue-y, yet also staunchly elegant, made bolder and more showy by a sprinkle of spices (ground ginger, ground mace, lovage seeds, crushed bay leaves, and roasted galangal shavings. Finish: a spoonful of honey (sonicvince), Gocce Pino, (fairly fierce) menthol, shards of cinnamon bark, and more crushed bay leaves. Maybe lovage too, but it is less well defined. This is rich and never-ending, although not stupendously complex, but it is so well made everything else is forgiven. Show-stopping grain. 9/10

Same drink, different label

tOMoH reminds the group that Barbie drives a car -- a Chevrolet Corvette, they point out. Therefore, we will have a Cor-vettercairn.

Boom.

Fettercairn 28yo 1988/2017 (48.9%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams special edition for TastToe, 16/06009): nose: feet and biscuit (adc), butter biscuits, cheese rind (sonicvince), fermented apple, and something acidic (sonicvince). One could easily deduce that it is lactic acid, or a drop of vinegar. Mouth: round and sugary (red71), a tad drying, and strong, it shows pronounced ethanol, warm white vinegar, and a herbal note of straw. Finish: long, drying, but also rewarding, herbaceous, in a dry-grass way, or hay. This is weird and wonderful. Astonishingly whacky, it puzzles everyone, and I love it for it. Full notes here. 8/10

As everyone looks forward to the next one, JS asks the others who makes Barbie: "Mattel!" Yes, and reversed? With the help of alcohol, it only takes them several minutes to finally utter: "Lettam." Lettamill, then.

Littlemill 24yo 1990/2014 (50.6%, Maltbarn No.28, 158b): nose: not at its most expressive, today, yet, it still exhibits a carousel of fruits, with papaya, dried mango slices, wood-dust-covered cherries, tinned peaches, but also hand cream, and scented talcum powder. sonicvince finds a faint plum-skin aroma, while I detect bergamot foliage and Kafir lime leaves. Mouth: powerful, it has rubbery lime leaves, chewy dried mango slices, and that trademark Aspirin bitterness because of which Littlemill can sometimes be divisive. Finish: huge, woody, fruity, and Aspirin-y. Excellent. Full notes here. 8/10

Psycho is about to depart. STL asks if he may try his bottle prior. Psycho was about to leave it behind, but agrees this is a better solution. He tells us that Ken has a hairless chest, so he brought something to make hair grow on one's chest.

Caol Ila 25yo (43%, OB, b. ca 2010): nose: Iso Betadine (sonicvince), gauze, bandages, plaster glue. Later on, we have waxy lemon zest and dried bulrush too. Mouth: a huge slap of gauze and old bandages, tincture of iodine, and muscle-warming spray. It is boldly medicinal, perhaps augmented by a seaweed poultice. Finish: unexpectedly maritime, with sea water, kelp, and only minimal medicinal touches, now. Excellent drop. "Cannot help but wonder how it would fare at cask strength," says STL, who obviously spends too much time in France. 8/10

red71 worked hard to find something to fit the theme, he says.

red71: "Barbie was created in 1959; Glenfiddich launched a single malt in 1959, but I have no Glenfiddich."
STL: "...and not from 1959!"
red71: "But, in 2012, in Paris, they celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Barbie. This here bottle was distilled in 2012."
tOMoH: "1959-2012, fiftieth anniversary?"

Kilchoman 2012/2019 STR Cask Matured (50%, OB Limited Edition, Shaved, Toasted, Re-Charred Red Wine Casks, 14,500b): nose: crushed raspberries in mud. It has more and more earth with every passing second, and it turns muddier and muddier too. Then, we have anchovies, cigarettes, and myrtles, which is a (welcome) surprise. Mouth: soft and velvety in the attack, the mud soon rallies, and takes centre stage, backed by dried chilli flakes. The texture is chewy and the whole coats the teeth. Finish: silt, mud, vase water, loads and loads of boggy peat. It becomes cloying, in the medium term, which prevents a higher score for me. It is good, but does not go the distance -- like listening to someone playing the trombone: you do not want to hear too much of it. 7/10

dom666 notes that the word of mouth (le bouche-à-oreille) about the Barbie film is positive.

dom666: "Le bouche-à-oreille marche très bien. Il joue beaucoup dans ma décision de voir un film ou non." [Word of mouth works a treat. It plays a big part in my decision to see a film or not.]
tOMoH: "Le bouche-à-oreille, c'est bien, mais ça ne sauve pas des vies, contrairement au bouche-à-bouche." [Word of mouth is good, but it doesn't save lives, unlike mouth to mouth.]
dom666: "Le bouche-à-bite est mieux, alors." [Mouth to dick is more pleasant, then.]

sonicvince chose the next bottle, because Barbie is causing a real cinematic storm, or indeed, a tempest.

Bowmore 10yo b.2012 (55.1%, OB Tempest, B#IV, First Fill Bourbon Casks, 11000b, L122384): nose: refined smoke and oily blonde tobacco, as well as raw shortcrust. Behind all that, clay and plasticine mix with lemon-flavoured gum. Mouth: a burst of fruit, not just citrus, but mango and starfruit, or is it mangosteen? There is a dose of peat, yet it is remarkably subdued. Finish: a little masterpiece with a complimentary combination of embers, burning peat, and juicy fruits. This is even better than the other time, and the score will reflect that. 9/10

Excellent tasting, with a wide variety of drams, delicious nibbles, and tons of silly nonsense. Good times.

27/11/2022 dom666's birthday bash

After not aging one day since 2019, dom666 turns three years older in one sitting -- and does so at adc's. The theme (or themes), as is increasingly customary for our esteemed guest, is all over the shop:

• The Qatar world cup, which will gather the best ballerinas of the 32 qualified countries, including an epic Belgium - Morocco that will certainly see kruuk2 sleep in the sofa for at least 12 nights (and is the reason our dear kruuk2 is not joining us, today)
• The Liège tramway before the end of the XXIst century (they are laying the tracks in front of our host's, and, since those are not made of copper, they have not yet been stolen)
• The energy crisis (please all bring a log for adc). Do not do as the Latvians, who have sawn the (wooden) benches of bus shelters
• Bad puns relating to songs (tOMoH is forbidden to recycle Cavalier66's pun from 2017; if he is to bring any Bowmore, it has to fit otherwise)
• Five UK Prime Ministers in eight years -- just one more, and they can pull Santa's sled, and at last make themselves useful

dom666 goes to the end of the joke and does, indeed
bring adc a log. It will burn this afternoon

Who? dom666, adc, sonicvince, Psycho, JS and tOMoH, who opens the dance.

Modest line-up of thirteen bottles

tOMoH presents: one of the candidates to become Prime Minister in the most recent (July and October 2022) couple of beauty contests: Glen-ny Mhor-daunt.

Glen Mhor 8yo b.1989 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, HI/CAH): nose: fresh and metallic, with the cold lids of jam jars, marmalade, and hot fruit-turnover filling. Mouth: soft, not weak, the tongue catches similar notes -- marmalade, the metallic lid of jars, but also clove shavings. Finish: it feels more assertive than the low ABV suggested. It is velvety and warming, with warm marmalade and caramel scrapings that had stuck to the bottom of a pan. Full notes here. 7/10

sonicvince presents: a Czech whisky, certain that the Czech Republic is in the world cup. He is wrong: they did not qualify. But who cares?

Hammer Head 23yo 1989/2013 (40.7%, OB, Czech Oak Casks, L19178): talk about a curiosity! This. It was made at the Prádlo distillery, in the Czech Republic, or indeed in Czechoslovakia, since that was the country, at the time: it was distilled shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, at the request of the rulers of the day, who wanted something that could compete with Scotch, but that would be produced behind the Iron Curtain. It was allegedly found again when the land was sold upon which the distillery was located. History or fantasy? Does it matter? The truth is that here is a 23-year-old whisky from an unusual whisky-producing country. Nose: it smells like a nice grain, with corn syrup, and a pinch of herbs, sprinkled on top of melted marshmallow. Mouth: corn syrup through and through, crushed bay leaf, and custard, in a chocolate-éclair way. Finish: it is sweet, with salted caramel (adc), a lick of vanilla, fudge, dried apricot (sonicvince), overripe peach, Pandoro panettone and hazelnut paste. It is well convincing. A nice surprise. Dram of the day for adc. 8/10

dom666: "Have you been to this restaurant in Prague?"
tOMoH: "No."
dom666: They serve this eau-de-vie, in which they add cloves."
tOMoH: "Uhuh."
dom666: "It's not good."

dom666 [talking about the consequences of COVID-19]: "No-one is kissing hello at work, any longer."
tOMoH: "That's because you only work with women. They don't want to kiss you."

sonicvince presents a French whisky (albeit bottled by a Belgian company), because France is in the world cup. A bit of a one-trick pony, our sonicvince...

August 17th 3yo (40%, Wave Distil, ex-Port + ex-Cognac Barrels, 4250b): hard to tell when this one was bottled: the MMXIV mention seems to appear on all the yearly batches. Nose: eau-de-vie, grappa, Arquebuse. This smells very close to a white spirit, though it does have a lick of staves. adc finds cleaning fluids, "but not the ones that smell nice." Hawthorne completes the picture. It is not an enticing start. Mouth: it is very marked by the wood, here, even at this young age. There is a bit of hay-like vanilla, as if it were an éclair topped with a hay paste, instead of chocolate. But the custard is definitely there. Finish: short, neutral (Psycho), inoffensive. The eau-de-vie note is well balanced by a good dose of custard. 6/10

adc: "Not that I have tried cleaning agents..."
tOMoH: "Perhaps it's time you tried."
sonicvince: "To compare, see?"

Food enters

Cheeses:

Epoisse

Calvados-cured camembert

Soumaintrain

Reblochon fermier

Pavé de Savoie

and a a cheese with nuts, but without nuts

Puddings:

White pudding

Raisin pudding

Leek pudding

Green-cabbage pudding

Foie gras and chanterelles

Pâtés:

Creamy pâté

Apple, pear and raisin pâté

Sauternes-cured duck mousse

Foie gras terrine with oyster mushrooms

Saltufo

JS goes for the one mega serving

Psycho presents Guns 'n Roses - Knockando On Heaven's Doors

Also, he breaks the cork

Knockando 25yo 1980/2005 (48.3%, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld, C#1908, 260b, b#10): nose: pure lemon (adc), limestone. Mouth: a bit dry and bitter, but in a perfect way. There is a bit of crushed bay leaf and pepper too. In fact, it feels surprisingly spicy, for something of that ABV. Finish: medium long, with hay again, and aromatic herbs. Short notes; this is a lovely drop that we know well. 9/10

adc explains that the current energy crisis started with the war in Ukraine, and therefore presents a Wolfburn bottled for Ukraine.

Wolfburn 7yo 2015/2022 (46%, OB supporting the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, ex-Bourbon Quarter Casks, 1550b): nose: it smells pastoral to me, with orchard fruit (heirloom apples abound) and honey-glazed baked potatoes. Psycho finds it aromatic, and I detect olive oil. Far in the back, we have squashed raspberries on a bed of hay. Mouth: lightly acidic, fresh (Psycho), balanced (Psycho). It is less successful than on the nose, since it cannot hide its brash youthfulness. Keep it on the tongue, and raspberries come back, this time accompanied by cherries, and desert-dry leather. Finish: dry, hay-like, here are brambles so dry they will crumble into a powder if one just looks at them. There is also an iodine note, at this point. 7/10

dom666 presents George Harrison - My Sweet Lord (of the Isles)

dom666 insists on emptying the bottle. I give him my glass... full of Wolfburn. Yay. Here is a Lord of the Wolfburn. :-(

Ardbeg Lord of the Isles (46%, OB, L3170 1209 4ML): nose: well, well, well, what have we here? Tarry ropes on a sailboat, ink, tapenade, briny anchovies, oilskins heated by the sun, Kalamata olives, age-old blotting paper, and docked trawlers, which is to say: fishing nets, diesel and crab cage traps. We even find oysters with a drop of lemon. The second nose welcomes hot sands and a coating of wax. Mouth: perfectly balanced. It is salty, briny, with cockles and mussels, jellied olives, ashes and honey-glazed cherry stems. In the long run, some fruit appears too. Finish: olive, tar, bitumen, menthol, and a pinch of ash. With exactly zero surprise, this is just amazeballs. It seems much better than the previous time we had it, and a good way to bid the bottle farewell. 9/10

dom666 reckons the Ardbeg goes well after a mouthful of Calvamembert.

dom666: "Les whiskies d'Islay vont bien après les fromages a pâte molle."
tOMoH: "Tu as remarqué que ces whiskies passent bien après des fromages bleus, du chocolat noir, du chocolat au lait..."
dom666: "Au lait, au lait..."
Psycho: "Après le café..."
tOMoH: "...au lait, au lait... Au bal masqué..."
Psycho: "...au lait, au lait."

And, since we must:

Lord of the Wolfburn: nose: the Ardbeg easily dominates the Wolf, though berries emerge, that seem to be imparted by the latter. Mouth: mellow, it has a combination of seafood and custard powder. Finish: long, it is all berries, with a dusting of ashes. Another Serendipity as JS says. 8/10

sonicvince proves once and for all he knows nothing about football, and presents an Irish whisky, on the off-chance that they are in Qatar, for the world cup (they are not). That is why we like you, sonicvince!

The Whistler Mosaic (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrels + finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks, L21/014 152, b.2021): from the Boann Distillery, in Co. Meath, this is another first for me. Nose: herbal liqueur, with a display of gentian, angelica and smoked thyme, alongside rosemary. Mouth: sweet, showcasing pouring honey, Lyle's Golden Syrup, maple syrup, corn syrup. This is borderline cloying, so sweet it is. Finish: long, powerful, it clings to the roof of the mouth, with lots of syrups of all sorts. 6/10

Dessert enters: pear tart and caramel/apple muffins, courtesy of adc

adc presents the consortium that is developing the tramway in Liège: Tram'Arran (for Tram'Ardent, for the out-of-towners).

Lochranza 8yo (unknown ABV, blend of cask samples, ex-Sassicaia Casks): I tried this earlier in the week, so minimal notes, today. Sweet and bitter, like a sharp cocoa custard. I love it. So do most of, if not all the others. 8/10

JS reminds the tasting that, between 2016 and 2019, Teresa May was Prime Minister in the UK. May happens to be peak puffin-breeding season. And look...

Orkney 15yo 2006/2022 (57.1%, Thompson Bros. bottled for Milroys of Soho, 280b): had this one not long ago too, so short notes again. Caramel butter, half-baked fudge, butterscotch, chicory granules, and even coffee. 7/10

Psycho presents: Michel Sardou - Les Lacs du Caol Ila. And since we can, JS presents: Philippe Timsit - Henri, Porte des Caol Ila

Caol Ila 36yo 1982/2018 (54.4%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 120b) (Psycho): nose: shrimps, mild coffee, fine ash, maraschino cherries and dusty furniture. Much later on, a faint fruitiness comes up, supported by a minute touch of sulphur. Mouth: a strong attack, acidic, with unripe pears, ashes, fishing nets, and oyster shells. The second sip is much more acidic, and earthier as we go on: rich dark earth. Finish: wide, generous, salty and smoky. Here are smoked dried-pear slices, barbecued cockles, and pineapple slices. This is never-ending and all-enveloping, it warms up one's soul! 9/10

Caol Ila 35yo 1984/2020 (47.5%, The House of Macduff The Golden Cask Reserve, C#CM260, 204b, b#128): nose: amazingly more sandy than Cadenhead's, it has salted caramel poured on cotton candy, wet swimming costumes after a sunny day at the beach, smoked marshmallow, and old gauze. Despite those old-school notes, it does not want for freshness. The second nose adds a tiny drop of coffee. Mouth: mellow, but full, with honey-glazed ashes, smoked fudge, Reflex spray, and gauze. The second sip has sweeter notes of peaches, but chargrilled peaches, with a spoonful of cocktail sauce. Meow! Finish: tarry ropes, smoked mackerel, charred pineapple, roasted apples and happiness. I like it better than the Cadenhead bottling -- by a nostril hair. JS disagrees, but, of course, she wants what she does not already have. :) 9/10

Chilling

dom666 presents: AC/DC - Islay to Hell

Bunnahabhain 16yo b.2007 (54%, OB Limited Edition for Feis Ile 2007, Oloroso Sherry Cask, C#276, 190b): a bottling that needs no introduction, really. Nose: cork and dust (adc), blackberry compote, dark plasticine, dark shoe polish, leather belts, rich earth, polished dashboards. It is hugely powerful, nostril-cleansing, even. Chocolate coffee, mocha custard. Mouth: big, full of dark honeys, wood varnish, polished mahogany, shiny leather, blackcurrant jam, and a huge dose of cracked black pepper, which I do not recall feeling in the past. We also have bone-dry orange rinds. Finish: outstanding Oloroso maturation, a masterclass of balance. It is leathery and spicy, with loads of leather tatters and cracked black pepper, harmoniously combined. The death sees rich earth and berries, where elderberry complements dark cherries and blackberries. Masterpiece. 9/10

dom666: "I'm like an old yoghurt jar: the expiry date has long passed, which means I am dangerous."

tOMoH presents something that tastes like burnt peat, to mark the energy crisis

Undisclosed Islay ~3yo b.2020 (~57%, cask sample, Cognac + Armagnac Casks): I do not try it, tonight. It seems appreciated, but I have had enough, and the Bunna was a great ending.

The long-haired bunch goofing around

Excellent tasting, with a wonderful balance of glories and curiosities, delicious (indulgent) food, and great company (aka good banter).

Special guest Jim Murray made a brief appearance