24 drams till Christmas tasting #8: Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead’s

Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead's

Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead'sDram data:
Distillery: Strathmill
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 10.2015
Age: 19 years
Limitation: 264 bottles
Casks: ex-bourbon / ex-Chateau Lafitte since 2009
Alcohol: 55.1%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
honey
The nose is… different on first sniff. Slightly alcoholic and summer fruits (strawberries). Is this some sort of finishing? Doesn’t say on the miniature so let’s check online. Ah yes, there you have it, matured in a Chateau Lafitte (sic!) red-wine cask since 2009 (roughly six years). Thought as much. Thank god the wine finish isn’t overdone, it is still a light spirit from most likely an initial x-fill bourbon cask kindly nudged into a different direction without killing it. Now that’s established we can go back to nosing, shall we?
Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #8: Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead’s”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #7: Kingsbarns Spirit Drink (New Make)

Kingsbarns Spirit Drink (New Make)

Kingsbarns Spirit Drink (New Make)Dram data:
Distillery: Kingsbarns
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 29.07..2015
Age: 0 years
Limitation: –
Casks: no aging
Alcohol: 63,5%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Well, that’s a first for the blog! New-make spirit from the Kingsbarns distillery, owned by the Wemyss Malts company and opened in 2014. I’ve tasted many a new make before, so I feel very confident about doing this with proper notes for the first time. Since we’re already a week into the “24 drams until Christmas” series it’s probably a good idea to spice things up a little and take a look at what will be whisky in a few more years.

Tasting notes:
Colour:
crystal clear (anything else would be quite questionable, would it not?)
The nose is quite alcoholic, so you have to be careful not to burn your nostrils – no wonder, unaged and at filling strength of 63,5% ABV. Quite clean and fruity. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #7: Kingsbarns Spirit Drink (New Make)”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #5: Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 002

Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 002

Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 002Dram data:
Distillery: Glengoyne
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: 1998+2002
Bottled: 2013
Age: ca. 11 years (officially NAS)
Limitation: 3200 bottles
Casks: Sherry
Alcohol: 58,5%
unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
dark amber
The nose starts off slightly alcoholic with dark sweet fruit notes underneath. Since this is my last dram from the bottle (a minute of silence, please), I know to add three espresso spoons of water. Let some time pass. Ah ha! Much better! Glengoyne is a fruity and very clean distillate which works very well in ex-sherry casks. Very clean alcohol, dry-ish oloroso sherry (it’s not really sweet on the nose), spicy european oak with citrus fruits on top. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #5: Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 002”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #4: Longrow 18 yo (2014 edition)

Longrow 18 yo (2014 edition)Dram data:
Distillery: Springbank
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014
Age: 18 years
Limitation: –
Casks: (mostly?) Ex-Sherry
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
amber
The nose just immediately makes me smile, which is usually a very good sign. A dark and layered dram. Let’s search for the peat first. Longrow peat levels can vary, as it’s a purely manual process on the traditional malt floors and aging for 18+ years does reduce the smoke levels. Just a hint of aromatic peat remains – blending in with cask spices and dark sherry notes. Salted toffee, treacle, dark milk chocolate, coffee beans, cocoa beans, vanilla pods with the innards scraped out, old leather jacket in granny’s wardrobe, a concentrate of very dry dark fruits (raisins, dates, plums). Not too sweet though, there’s also a dry sherry component (Oloroso?). This is pure, sexy, no-frills style.
Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #4: Longrow 18 yo (2014 edition)”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #3: McClelland’s Lowland (Auchentoshan) NAS

McClelland's Lowland (Auchentoshan) NAS

McClelland's Lowland (Auchentoshan) NAS Dram data:
Distillery: undisclosed Auchentoshan
Bottler: Mc Clelland’s (Morrison Bowmore)
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2015-ish
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 40%
chill filtered; coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
E150a gold
The nose starts off slightly alcoholic, even at 40% ABV. Ah well, it’s a young malt, it is. The aroma is rather generic and a bit boring – vanilla, malt, caramel, dried oranges, custard, a hint of chocolate spices and yeast – rinse and repeat. No off notes (unless you count the alcohol which might only appear so strong because the aroma is rather weak). Very likeable and unobtrusive, just not very engaging, that’s all. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #3: McClelland’s Lowland (Auchentoshan) NAS”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #2: Ardmore Tradition NAS

Ardmore Tradition NAS

Ardmore Tradition NASDram data:
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: official bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2015
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: Quarter cask finish
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
gold
The nose opens with a fragrant waft of peat smoke – not an in-your-face Islay peat monster, but a very noticeable, yet refined peat bonfire smoke. Unterneath the peat there’s… alcohol and menthol. I guess I’ll let it breathe for a bit. Right, back to work, err, nosing: Vanilla, light honey, orange juice and oil, ginger, white pepper. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #2: Ardmore Tradition NAS”

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24 drams till Christmas tasting #1: Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead’s

Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead's

Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead'sDram data:
Distillery: Mortlach
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1988
Bottled: 10.2015
Age: 26 years
Limitation: 570 bottles
Casks: Sherry
Alcohol: 56.1%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
honey
The nose opens with quite a bit of alcohol and the signature meaty notes of sherry-matured Mortlach. I think last year’s bottling was a tad richer if I remember correctly (and re-read my tasting notes on that one). Let’s give it some time. *tick tock tick tock*. Well, as meaty as they come. Influenced by old european oak sherry casks too – leather, dampened spices, grandma’s old wardrobe (but in a good way), caramel, semi-dark chocolate and old ginger root. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #1: Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead’s”

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Tasting: Bruichladdich 15/297/543 Cask Evolution Exploration – Port wood 12 yo

Bruichladdich 15/297/543 Cask Evolution Exploration - Port wood 12 yo

Bruichladdich 15/297/543 Cask Evolution Exploration - Port wood 12 yoDram data:
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: 18.06.2003
Bottled: 04.11.2015
Age: 12 years
Limitation: ca. 250 bottles
Casks: Single Port Hogshead 15/297/543
Alcohol: 60,1%
Unchillfiltered; uncoloured

Tasting notes:
Colour:
red cherry juice
The nose opens with surprisingly little alcohol. It’s there, but not 60% ABV there – no idea what they’ve done here but I like it! Toasted oak with slight cask smoke (that’s quercus robur talking loudly!), brambles, cassis, cherries, liquorice, roasted walnuts and assorted spices (again, that’s the oak talking). Continue reading “Tasting: Bruichladdich 15/297/543 Cask Evolution Exploration – Port wood 12 yo”

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Tasting: Bunnahabhain 12 yo

Bunnahabhain 12 yo

Bunnahabhain 12 yoDram data:
Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: ca. 2015 (lot P035644L5)
Age: 12 years
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 46,3%
Unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
red-gold
The nose opens with a light alcoholic note mixed with sea salt and brine and a slight smoky note with darker undertones. The smoke isn’t peat smoke, (from what I was told standard Bunnahabhain is unpeated these days), but a mixture of cask spices and wine cask note which give the illusion of fragrant smoke. Continue reading “Tasting: Bunnahabhain 12 yo”

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Tasting: Glenrothes 1988 25 yo bottled by Archives

Glenrothes 1988 25y by Archives

Glenrothes 1988 25y by ArchivesDram data:
Distillery: Glenrothes
Bottler: Archives
Distilled: 06.06.1988
Bottled: 06.11.2013
Age: 25 years
Limitation: 213 bottles
Casks: Refill Sherry Hogshead 7318
Alcohol: 53%
Unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
golden straw
The nose opens with vanilla and light, continental fruits – sweet red apples and ripe pears. Also sweet honey melon, light honey, banana chips, vanilla pudding and a slight layer of oak in the background to round things off. Not the most complex nose, but a nice, well-aged refill cask. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenrothes 1988 25 yo bottled by Archives”

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