16/11/2021 Glenturret

Glenturret 34yo b.2012 (47.6%, Berry Brothers & Rudd Selected by Berrys', Cask Ref 2): this is the one that started it all. Nose: it feels a bit faded, after spending so long in an open sample. It gives away cereals, gauze and timid fruits that, to be fair, grow bolder with each sniff. Satsuma, kumquat, bergamot, stewed apricot, dried mango slices. The gears shift pretty quickly, and poached quince and poached pear soon join the party, accompanied by a leafy touch that I suspect is clementine foliage. Further on, flowers take over, a combination of lilac and honeysuckle opening up for abundant jasmine. Shortly thereafter, the whole nose fades out, timid and reserved, if well conscious of what it once was. Orange peels then envelop it all, and it starts all over. The second nose brings a whiff of wood, stripped, not sanded, and shiny hot metal, maybe. Over time, a strong scent of candied fruit grows, simmering apricot jam or a marmalade made of satsumas or clementines. Mouth: part acidic, part bitter, this is reminiscent of the afore-mentioned orange peels, pith and all. It has got apricots, satsumas, unripe tangerines, and dried mango slices in a cardboard wrapper, all counterbalanced by flower petals, which is to say: bitterer than they look. Oh! it is velvety and soft, but it is not that sweet. The second sip is more outright fruity, displaying the same sweet citrus, riper than before, and held afloat by acidic clementine-peel sap. That is supported by a tiny-yet-distinct bitterness, in the long term -- likely the clementine foliage from earlier. Finish: long and unctuous. Aside from the obvious fruitiness, this has cinnamon cross buns, cinnamon doughnuts and... rust!? Yes. It provides the same feel as breathing in a cloud of rusty-metal sanding dust. How weird is that? Soon enough, said fruitiness takes control, bright and creamy. Come to think of it, if it has a squashed-mango-like buttery texture, it is closer to clementine-and-milk-chocolate custard than to marmalade or jam. The finish too is both acidic and bitter, although that is not meant negatively at all: it is induced by fruit, not by anything other. This triggered my appreciation of Glenturret. Almost a decade on, it still does not disappoint. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, adc)

13/11/2021 Back-to-Back Minis tasting

Cavalier66, JS and I start the session by discarding at least ten samples, because we have too many. JS and Cavalier66 build the line-up.

Immediately thereafter, Cavalier66 rocks out the cold cuts and bread to go with JS's cheeses.

Parma and Serrano hams (under wraps)
Chaource, Danish blue, Brie, Manchego, bread and olives

Soundtrack: The Unity Mixers - The Full Unity Megamix

Rosebank vs. Rosebank

Rosebank 12yo 1991/2004 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Bourbon Barrel, C#4710, 322b, b#49, 04/0638) (tOMoH): nose: candied vinegar (Cavalier66), sweet-and-sour pork (Cavalier66), perhaps pear drops. The nose is contained, in any case, a little waxy. Over time, a whisper of smoke appears, which is how I remember it from the very first time, before this blog existed. Mouth: prickly and seemingly strong (Cavalier66), and indeed: it has smoked paprika as well as roasted barley. Finish: delicate, but not soft, it has mild smoke here too, roasted barley and Weetabix. A poor literary effort from my part, but a good dram. Full notes can be found here. 7/10

JS: "It's not what I expect from a Rosebank. It's a good 5 or 6."
tOMoH: "What? This is post-war Rosebank? Well, it's even post-Gulf-war Rosebank."

Rosebank 21yo 1992/2014 (55.3%, OB Limited Edition, Refill American Oak, 4530b) (Cavalier66): nose: hot, peppery popcorn, some plastic, including, but not limited to, cellophane. Also lemon drops, of course -- it is a Rosebank, after all. Later, it is Turkish delights and powdered sugar, chewy sweets, full of sugar and -- wait for it! -- a water-soaked dish towel. Mouth: hot cardboard, lots of horsepower, pepper, all on top of lovely powdered sugar on custard-y pastry. It really is warm, almost hot, veering towards hot metal and fierce lemon juice. Finish: powerful and spicy, it stays on the tongue for a while, though one would be hard pressed to say much is happening beyond the heat. Preserved lemons, probably. JS likes it for its clarity: lemon-y, straight. 8/10

Soundtrack: Dave Clarke - Electro Boogie Vol. 2 -- The Throwdown

Littlemill vs. Littlemill vs. Littlemill

Littlemill 21yo 1991/2012 (50.6%, A.D. Rattray Cask Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, C#560, 290b) (Cavalier66): nose: bursting with tropical fruits, this nose has mango and persimmon, quickly joined by a clear bitterness -- aspirin, says Cavalier66, while I say cinchona bark, just to show off my newly-acquired vocabulary. Next up is a drop of varnish of sorts, but there is also drying wax and gritty plasticine. There is something that resembles a paste made of crushed forsythia flowers, which is pretty original, you will agree. Mouth: astonishingly rubbery. It is not at all akin to licking a new rubber joint, but it does have a warm-old-tyre quality; bicycle tubes, talcum powder and all. The second sip cranks up the lemon, and it is lemon detergent on rubber joints in a bathroom, amusingly enough. Finish: long and comforting, it is now pastry-like, with a notch of menthol cream. The second sip has more citrus, this time coming close to lime, maybe pomelo, yet sweeter than both. Not much of the rubber remains. Perhaps cleaning gloves? In any case, it is a citrus-y show, this finish! 9/10

Littlemill 21yo 1992/2013 (49.9%, The Whisky Cask, Bourbon Hogshead) (Cavalier66): nose: crushed aspirin tablets, quinine mixed with muddy clay. It has a certain freshness to it, without displaying any fruit. A minute later, white peach and conference pear make an entrance, then old rubber, tractor tyre that has sat in a sunny field for years meets rubber catsuit. Then, it is porridge, with a tiny spoonful of honey. Mouth: bitter and peppery, heaving with crushed aspirin and quinine, crushed Kaffir lime leaves, Indian tonic residue in an empty glass, sawdust sprinkled on oiled crackers. Finish: a bit of melted chocolate, augmented with crushed leaves. That subsequently turns into chocolate pudding (thick custard). I like this, even though Cavalier66 calls it more intellectual than good. I guess that makes me an intellectual. I better buy slightly-larger glasses. 8-) 8/10

Littlemill 33yo 1967/2000 (49.1%, Iain Mackillop Mackillop's Choice, C#668) (tOMoH): full notes are here. Nose: precious wood, noble lacquers, fig relish, dried dates, nuts in syrup, nut liqueur. Much later on, unlit mentholated cigarettes, mint paste and even a whiff of soft smoke. Mouth: full-bodied, slightly syrupy, it has more fig relish, this time punctuated with liquorice shavings. The second sip seems oilier, silky. Soon, speculoos spice mix appears, brown-sugary, gingery and cinnamon-y, yet balanced. Finish: warming, sweet and harmonious, this is full of gingerbread and speculoos, prior to baking. The second sip is very creamy, dishing out loads of chocolate pudding and banana bread. Water does not change it much. I love this. 9/10

Cavalier66: "[...] flatus."
JS: "Flatus? What is that?"
tOMoH: "Farts."
Cavalier66: "Gas, winds."
JS: "Can you bottle it? Can you put it into a balloon?"
tOMoH: "Give it to the youths in the park?"

Cavalier66: "Some sperm-clinic owners substitute donors' sperm for their own and stuff like that."
tOMoH: "What a bunch of wankers!"

Soundtrack: Fuse Presents Hell

StilL 630 vs. StilL 630 vs. StilL 630

StilL 630 15mo 2015/2017 X-7 Mesquite Smoke (50%, OB Experimental, C#15-66, b#177) (JS): nose: roasted nuts and baking clay, old leather boots and faded belts, bread and porridge (Cavalier66). That cereal character translates into slightly underbaked dough, even. Mouth: caramelised puffed wheat, roasted malt, crusty bread, now baked for too long, the crust having turned black. Finish: dark cocoa beans, mildly roasted, chocolate pudding, spread onto steamed wholemeal bread. 7/10

StilL 630 24mo 2015/2017 X-8 Chocolate RP (50%, OB Experimental, C#15-38, b#47) (JS): nose: sewers (Cavalier66, obviously still under the aftermath of COVID-19), coffee (JS), coffee liqueur, kahlua. However, this is also very sweet, almost sickly. There is varnish, corn syrup and hand cream. Mouth: very, very sweet, it has coffee-flavoured toffee (Caramella Mokatine), kahlua ice cubes. Over time, the coffee taste becomes bitterer. Finish: long and coffee-laced, with roasted coffee beans and coffee-flavoured toffee, caramel and mocha. This one is definitely for coffee lovers. 7/10

StilL 630 16mo 2015/2017 X-9 Cherrywood SMB (50%, OB Experimental, C#15-65, b#161) (JS): nose: Christmas cake, marmite (Cavalier66), Parma ham (Cavalier66), and some bread too. The sweet and the savoury compete in a fascinating fashion, here. Mouth: honey-cured ham, oily Serrano ham and Parma ham. We are eating those hams, yet that has nothing to do with our perception of this dram: it really is that savoury. Finish: tamer than the other two in the finish, it has hints of X-8's coffee, in which ham would be soaking. The last thing to come to attention is, again, Mokatine, the coffe-flavoured toffee. All these are solid efforts. Amazing to find such a result after only one-to-two years in wood. 7/10

Ten minutes in, glasses shift, and it turns out we have no idea which is which, so take the above with a pinch of salt. We will try them again another day.

Sountrack: Xymox - Subsequent Pleasures

Brora vs. Brora vs. Brora

Brora 20yo 1982/2003 (58.1%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#5382) (tOMoH): we tried this a while ago (full notes here), but it feels like the right opportunity to share the remainder. Nose: wax and spent wick, sulphur-y jute sacks, stacks of limestone blocks in the rain. This is more mineral than I remembered, becoming almost chalky, in the long run. The second nose sees, if anything, more spent wick, and adds soot and caramelised marmalade. Mouth: boom. A pinch of soot, hot candle wax, grated limestone, heated almost into a paste. This palate has spent wick until you die. The second sip displays ground black cumin, on the other hand. Finish: ash, stewed apricots, hot wax, spent wick again... My notes are a bit repetitive, I know. The flavours are loud, but seamlessly integrated. One thing that comes out is blow-torched marmalade, the top of which is turning into a crusty skin. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, pat gva)

Brora 25yo (56.3%, OB, b.2008, 3000b, 7th Release) (Cavalier66): nose: let us crank up the wick, and even the chalk. Next, watered-down marmalade or quince jelly becomes dominant. The lower ABV seems palpable, but the markers are there: the wax (scented candlewax), the marmalade, the farm-y touch (even if it is less manure than clean hessian sacks used to carry hay). Over time, a dry, dusty-earth note grows, as do verdigris and dry lichen. Finally coffee sweets turn up (again!?) Mouth: the palate is a lot farmier, yet, here too, it is pronounced hessian sacks and sulphur-sanitised jute bags, as well as limestone blocks and lime fertiliser. The second sip is very peppery. Finish: long and assertive, it is rustic and balanced. Spent wick, soot, dark ash spread over dry, crusty earth, burnt Sienna earth. 8/10

Brora 13yo 1982/1996 (59.9%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection) (tOMoH): there is not enough left in this one to make three parts, and I prefer sharing with those who have not yet had it, so my notes are de facto short. Full notes here. Nose: the farmiest of the three noses, it has the trademark ploughed fields, alongside hessian sacks, disinfected with sulphur. That said, this nose is mute, compared to the other two. Mouth: hot. Candlewax, hot limescale, a few grains of soot, and hair balls. Perhaps there are a few dried mint leaves too. Finish: Cavalier66 finds manure. For me, it is the freshest of the lot, almost minty, lemon-y, and long, if quite narrow. 8/10

tOMoH: "The 25yo is growing on me. It's an 8/10, but still good."
Cavalier66: "Is the Rare Malts a 9?"
tOMoH: "No, an 8 too. I like it better than the 25yo, but only by a hair. They're on a similar level."
Cavalier66: "What kind of hair?"
tOMoH: "A pubic hair?"
Cavalier66: "It's a horse's hair! Full of manure..."
tOMoH: "Pubic hair can be full of manure too..."

Excellent tasting. It is good to share and clear up some samples.

11/11/2021 One dram at SMWS

Quick stop at the SMWS to say hello to PS. He lets me try his dram.

31.38 32yo d.1988 Slippers by the fire (43.5%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Cask Finished in First-Fill ex-Sauternes Barrique, 124b): nose: fruity and sweet, teeming with prune syrup and pressed dried dates. The nose has a lick of nail varnish too, albeit in a secondary role. Mouth: syrupy, sweet, it is obviously an active sherry cask, though not of the earthy type. Dried dates, prunes, figs, apricots, all slathered in thick syrup. There is also a gently bitter note of wood spices. Finish: the wood is louder, here, spicy, toasted, borderline liquorice-y, yet the dried fruits are still present as well, thick and jammy. This spent twenty-seven years in a Bourbon cask!? The Sauternes finish clearly messed it up metamorphosed it. Not much of the distillery character survives, if any. That said, it is far from bad; a nice £75 bottle to sip. Trouble is: the introduction price is £425... 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, PS) 

08/11/2021 Banffire Night 2021

I was hungover on the 5th, hence the delay. Get over it.

Banff d.1974 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, b. ca 1990): there is a version of this mini with the code IJ/AJA. This has no core. Not sure if the juice is the same. Nose: a warm, fuzzy combination of brine (Old Mini Effect -- OME) and pressed apricots. We have encaustic, oiled furniture, mild gherkins, lukewarm apricot jam with hardly any sugar in it. At some point, a vague metallic hue seems to emerge, even if it is tin knives, rather than anything more noble. Obviously, it is a knife that has been used to spread apricot jam onto Melba toast. That is right: the pickled, woody notes given by the OME turn into dry, toasted bread, over the space of a couple of minutes. It is now noticeably more cereal-y, with Horlicks and Ovaltine. Perhaps a dollop of engine grease rubs feathers with burnt pizza dough, at second nosing. Furniture oil resurfaces, later on. Mouth: it remains pickled on the palate, if not overly so: cucumber in brine and mild gherkins (not the sweet-and-sour kind, however) frolic with bold cereals and Melba toasts, overly-toasted crusty bread, malt, Weetabix and Horlicks. If there is any jam left, it is closer to shrivelled, unsweetened fruit than to juicy compote; apple slices so dried up that they have taken in some of the pips' taste -- yes: one could call that bitter. The second sip has a wave of fruit-tree-fire smoke, discreet, but distinctive. It is rather bold, for 40%, and the texture is thinnish, if clingy. Finish: at last, amongst the malty notes, a spoonful of jam re-appears, sweetening the finish somewhat. It is a very small spoon, though, and whatever sugar there is cannot really compete with the drying, desiccating cereals. A layer of ground white pepper rises, fine and ashy, and it takes control, over time, like sawdust will suffocate everything else, in the right amount. The long-lasting impression is that of a blend of fruit-tree-fire smoke and very-hard, overly-baked Biscotte (Melba toast). Next step: the water fountain! Probably the worst Banff I have had, which is not saying much, as all the others have been excellent. 6/10

30/10/2021 The horror

On this eve of Halloween and daylight saving, OB, JS and first-timer SOB join me for an afternoon of dramming. GL unfortunately discovers, twelve minutes before the start of the tasting, that Wales is a three-hour drive away from the capital, and that he will not make it on time. As for Cavalier66, his busy social life inflicted him a nasty cold that impaired his smell and taste. BA tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, and announced that he would not make it, clearly oblivious to the fact he had said two weeks prior that he was not free today. Ha! Even OB almost flaked out, he admits, unable to distinguish a Saturday from a Sunday. Luckily, it only makes for a good story.

Soundtrack: Ab Ovo - Empreintes

SOB and OB build the sequence

.

tOMoH presents: Hellrayrshire

Rare Ayrshire 34yo 1975/2009 (45.2%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Bourbon Barrel, C#558, 166b, b#115, 9/124): nose: delicate flower pistils, make-up powder and crushed biscuit (shortbread, probably). Later on, it is lemon drizzle and vanilla sugar. Mouth: unripe-banana peel (JS) and a gentle bitterness (JS). I find it soft, silky, with more shortbread and, indeed, a green, bitter touch, almost leafy. This is spring-like, but it is also fitting on this sunny October afternoon. Pomelo, soft lime and unripe calamansi appear, in the medium term, which all mean acidity, faint bitterness, as well as fruit aplenty. Finish: more lemon drizzle and macha-tea doughnut, lime zest and pomelo custard. The profile and ABV designate it to go first, but it is perhaps a shame, as the first dram in any line-up is de facto sacrificed. This is excellent and deserves to shine. 9/10

Soundtrack: Noizaddict - Synth-pop mix (20-01-2010)

SOB presents: American Werewolf in London

Bimber King's Cross St Pancras b.2021 (58.5%, OB The Spirit of the Underground, American Oak Ex-Bourbon Cask, C#129, 259b, b#160): a series dedicated to the London Underground stations. It could be long-lived... Nose: banana sweets and an unexpected, pronounced green note (dried sage, oregano, bay leaves, thyme). Over time, the green, herbaceous aspect turns almost metallic. Mouth: it has more bite than a werewolf (to paraphrase Colin Dunn). Seriously, it retains a strong metallic touch, which may start with sage and definitely ends with the back of a silver spoon. But there is also lovely, juicy grapes and custard -- oh! yes, it has a custard-y texture, this one. OB, on the other hand, finds it syrupy, sweet and sour, while JS thinks it is almost vinegar-y. Finish: warming, but not actually that hot, the finish has plantain, baked banana, and sage-sprinkled doughnut (again). It is a relatively short finish, in terms of flavours, yet the warmth stays on. 8/10

SOB: "If you take a picture of the QR code, they'll offer you a discount on your next purchase."
tOMoH: "They should offer you a Zone-3 travelcard on the Picadilly line."
SOB: "We'd use the cork to touch in!"

Soundtrack: Lamia Vox - Sigillum Diaboli

SOB presents: I Know Watt Whisky You Did Last Summer

SOB also has another pun for this, which I do not fully get (Impergerial?) He misses the obvious Vampirial, though.

Imperial 25yo 1996/2021 (53.6%, Watt Whisky, Refill Barrel, 214b): nose: deeper and richer, it is lively and feisty nonetheless. There is a lot going on, and it is all tightly interwoven. Certainly pepper, hot jack fruit, hot pineapple that melts into a pulp, fruity yoghurt, but also sumac. Mouth: oily! Orange-blossom-infused olive oil, to be precise. Then, a softly-drying touch of old wood appears to balance that mellowness with bitterness and spice -- satsuma, ground orange peel, ground red chilli. The second sip has more citrus, louder satsumas, veering towards oranges. Finish: mandarin peel and... It leaves me wondering a bit: it is so well integrated that I find it hard to pick flavours apart. White pepper sprinkled on hot citrus slices, hot, custard-y yoghurt, with pomelo wedges thrown in to enhance the acidity and the bitterness -- both of which are mild enough, yet they add complexity. Excellent. 9/10

tOMoH: "A friend from out of town has burnt out and is struggling to find out what he wants to do with his life. In this city, you can leave a job and walk straight into another one. And, of course, we pay dearly for it: he's done paying his home, and I have twenty years left on my mortgage."
SOB: "But we have nice stuff on our doorstep..."
tOMoH: "Yeah! If I want vegan Korean food, I can!"

Soundtrack: Noizaddict - Synth-pop mix (18-01-2020)

JS presents: Warlockside

Lochside 21yo d.1981 (50%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland, Bourbon Cask, C#607): nose: peppery (OB) and almost devoid of the trademark fruity onslaught. It is a bit more nuanced, with lots of pepper fleetingly hiding chunks of mango, papaya and even maracuja. There is some hay too, subtle, and burnt gas (think of the smell of a natural-gas hob or stove). The second nose sees dry lichen, a pinch of dust, and a touch of wax. Mouth: velvety, comforting, then fruity AF. Lots of mango, smoked peach, dusty orange slices about to turn blue with mould. Finish: of a medium length, it has dusty fruit and a thin layer of pepper. Peach, sliced orange, satsuma, plum... This is beautiful. Better than I remembered it, if that is possible. 9/10

Food enters: St Felicien, Comté, St Nectaire, Mont Charvin dried sausage

JS [back from the hairdresser}: "SOB, I want to see your generous pour."
[SOB pours JS the Bimber]
JS: "Oh! That's enough!"
tOMoH: "That's a small pour! OB had more."
JS: "Would you have continued, if I hadn't stopped you?"
tOMoH: "The rim is the limit... Great title for a porno, that."
SOB: "Is that what you do, when you are not drinking your bottles?"
OB: "How do you think he can afford all this whisky?"

Soundtrack: Apocryphos - Stone Speak

OB presents: Ben Neviscerated

Ben Nevis 19yo d.1996 (51.8%, OB Single Cask, C#1424): nose: banane flambée, porridge, a dollop of damp earth, clay pots, dried plantain skins. Later on, it is pencil shavings and raspberry jam. I observe it is less dirty than some Ben Nevises that are so popular, at the moment. Mouth: oh! it is plenty dirty here, with oily rags, greasy knives and ink stains on peach slices. The second sip cranks up the fruit, yellow and juicy, plum-and-grapefruit juice, very nice indeed. Finish: custard, though it is also loaded with peach, ink and engine oil. Over time, that morphs into a bold tropical-fruit blanket, with warm mango and stewed persimmon bathing in lovely vanilla custard. Great surprise. 8/10

That is a bottle OB bought at auction, and it turns out Cavalier66 was bidding against him, after telling him how good it was.

OB: "This one is exactly how Cavalier66 described it to me..."
tOMoH: "What? Expensive and hard to get?"

Soundtrack: Soft Cell - Non-Stop Electric Cabaret

OB: "I'm not sure I've had a Pittyvaich before."
SOB: "Did you pour one at Coke Float?"
tOMoH: "Yeah, but neither of you was there."
OB: "So much virginity lost, today!"
tOMoH: "You won't be able to sit down for two weeks!"

Popcorn enters.

tOMoH presents: The Pittyvaich and the Pendulum

JS and I lament that GL is not with us; The Pittyvaich and the Penderyn would have been a great double-whammy.

Pittyvaich 14yo (54.5%, James MacArthur Fine Malt Selection imported by Pevarello, b. ca 1990): nose: a completely different ballgame, with cardboard and salted popcorn (or is that the popcorn?). OB finds it porridge-y, sour, full of fermentation aromas and crusty bread, a bit charred. I have hot cobblestones, while JS reckons toast -- we all agree on Biscotte/Melba toast, in the end, with even char and a thin veil of smoke. Mouth: hot, muscular, hairy, earthy, cardboard-y. It has stale porridge, flat cola, yet also piping-hot marmalade and hot compote. There is a dichotomy at play between the cereal and the fruit. Finish: caramelised apricots, roasted cereals, malt (OB), porridge stuck to the sauce pan. I love this, today. 8/10

OB: "We were flying at high altitude, but..."
tOMoH: "You don't like it? I know this one is very divisive."
OB: "I love it. Best, so far."

We talk about good tracks being always too short: if they are three minutes long, they should be six; if they are six they should be ten. To prove the case, I play the following record:

Soundtrack: 777 - Alpha Wave (Plastikman's Acid House Remix)

Then, I decide to follow that path.

Soundtrack: Plastikman - Sheet One

SOB presents: The Cage

Springbank 18yo 2002/2021 (52.8%, Duty Paid Sample, Fresh Port Cask, Warehouse 3, Rotation 843): a bottle bought from The Cage, a restricted-access cupboard in a back room of the Cadenhead shop, in Campbeltown, where one can pick up one-off bottles and other curiosities. Nose: charred maple syrup, toasted oak, charred chocolate that has been left too long in the microwave oven. However, there is also a touch of varnish, rubbing feathers with toast and overly-roasted peanuts. The second nose is vegetative, with natural gas and cooked-vegetable water. Mouth: sugary, in a caramelised-Demerara-sugar way, it has lots of smoke from the chimney of a coal stove. It is syrupy to a high level, giving away peaches, poached in reduced Port. It is powerful and turns rather tannic, in the long run. Finish: big, sweet, hot, gently smoky. It seems that the toasted notes have all gone, surprisingly enough, making room for maple syrup and caramelised manuka honey, treacle, almost. It leaves the gums a bit dry, as if covered in ash, but it does the trick. 7/10

OB presents: GlenDronachloween

OB also thought he would open the box, and I would look at the colour with horror.

The GlenDronach 19yo 1994/2013 (58.4%, OB Single Cask, Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#101, 628b, b#396): nose: gas, boiled vegetables, sulphur-adjacent (OB, inventing words). Behind that is, of course, lots of wood varnish and wood lacquer. Water makes this more cardboard-y, with coffee spilled on a cardboard box. Mouth: ginger, cinnamon and liquorice root aplenty to accompany a strongly varnish-y accent. It also has lukewarm, flat Dr. Pepper and ebony. Further sips are sweeter, with Port, PX, and prune compote. Water makes it sickly sweet and syrupy as hell. A cola pouch, prior to being mixed with carbonated water. Anyone who has worked at a fast-food joint will see the reference. This is toasted and bitter to the extreme. Further sips add a note of dark sugars, but it remains very earthy, all in all. Water, again, turns it sweet and syrupy, although this finish stays spicy too, dishing out ginger and cinnamon drops. 7/10

Soundtrack: Front Line Assembly - Monument

Good times and a cracking line-up. Considering the hefty pours, it is perhaps a good thing more people did not turn up, after all. :)

Dram of the day:
OB: Pittyvaich, Lochside a close second
tOMoH: Lochside
SOB: Lochside
JS: Ben Nevis