Speyside's Finest (Glenfarclas) 1966 43yo, xx.06.1966/xx.10.2009, 48,2%
sherry butt#5525, 197 bottles by Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask for The Whisky
Show, London
Nose:
Oloroso, Amaretto, Coffee,
slightly burnt suger notes
Taste:
Clean cut sherry delivery
with chocolate raisins and X-mas Cake, cloves?
Goes on and on and on, 3 drops
of water takes away the few bitter oak notes that was found -
A
stunner!
91/100! (tasted 16-11-2010)
Saturday, 31 December 2011
UNDISCLOSED MALTS
Glen Avon (Glenfarclas) 1958/2007 49yo Gordon & MacPhail
40%
Nose:
Some furniture polish/vinegar on the nose before the sherry emerges, Heavy tea notes like bag left in too long, extremely vinous
Taste:
Dry sherry, but lighter style than the nose suggests, slightly bitter and drying, then gets very dry´with some cocoa/amaretto style to the finish - almost rum-like at times.
A great one for an vanilla ice cream dessert!
89/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Some furniture polish/vinegar on the nose before the sherry emerges, Heavy tea notes like bag left in too long, extremely vinous
Taste:
Dry sherry, but lighter style than the nose suggests, slightly bitter and drying, then gets very dry´with some cocoa/amaretto style to the finish - almost rum-like at times.
A great one for an vanilla ice cream dessert!
89/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
UNDISCLOSED MALTS
Speyside’s
Finest (Glenfarclas) 1965/xx.03.2011, 45yo, 54,2%, Douglas Laing Old & Rare,
182 bottles
Nose:
Struck matches
Taste:
Eggy sulphury in style, water helps a little bit but no!... dissapointment of the day
70/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:
Struck matches
Taste:
Eggy sulphury in style, water helps a little bit but no!... dissapointment of the day
70/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
TOMATIN 1965 - MACKILLOPS CHOICE
Tomatin 1965
45yo, 15.10.1965/xx.04.2011, 53,5%, cask#19346, Mackillops
Choice
Nose:
Your grandmothers herbal garden, eucalyptus, creamy caramel
Taste:
Cumin, a slightly sour note, many more herbs, cleaning detergent, moldy, earthy and maybe a tad soapy - but the whole thing works and this is the surprise of the evening for sure
87/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:
Your grandmothers herbal garden, eucalyptus, creamy caramel
Taste:
Cumin, a slightly sour note, many more herbs, cleaning detergent, moldy, earthy and maybe a tad soapy - but the whole thing works and this is the surprise of the evening for sure
87/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
OLD PULTENEY 1997 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Old Pulteney 13yo 45.1% 25.09.1997/06.06.2011 1st fill bourbon
barrel#8038702 for Aalborg Whisky Club, Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength
series - 208 bottles
Nose:
Vanilla sweet and malty, a little peppery nose, becoming more Pulteney after a while, Slight brine to it as well
Taste:
Nose continues, Creamy, Sweet vanillas, malt and apple bakery notes, becoming trademark Pulteney salty and spicy. Finish of drying oak, obvious cask influence (in a good way) maybe again some peppery notes and lingering malt
This is one I'm a little proud of. Its a cask I selected for the club in early 2011 and so far its been well recieved with all who tried it
90/100! (tasted 27-07-2011)
Nose:
Vanilla sweet and malty, a little peppery nose, becoming more Pulteney after a while, Slight brine to it as well
Taste:
Nose continues, Creamy, Sweet vanillas, malt and apple bakery notes, becoming trademark Pulteney salty and spicy. Finish of drying oak, obvious cask influence (in a good way) maybe again some peppery notes and lingering malt
This is one I'm a little proud of. Its a cask I selected for the club in early 2011 and so far its been well recieved with all who tried it
90/100! (tasted 27-07-2011)
NORTH BRITISH - THE WHISKY AGENCY
North British 1962/2010, 48yo, 47,9%, Hogshead, 146 bottles 'The
Perfect Dram'
Nose:
Lighty spiced in beautiful measures for an old grain - not at all overpowering - very nicely balanced
Taste:
Not your average heavy sweet tasting grain whisky, more laid back in both arrival/palate and finished. Mouthfilling, medium long, all spice from the cake cabinet, a beautiful grain whisky with a medium/long finish
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Lighty spiced in beautiful measures for an old grain - not at all overpowering - very nicely balanced
Taste:
Not your average heavy sweet tasting grain whisky, more laid back in both arrival/palate and finished. Mouthfilling, medium long, all spice from the cake cabinet, a beautiful grain whisky with a medium/long finish
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
MORTLACH 1991 - ADELPHI
Mortlach 1991 17yo 57%, refill
european oak cask#4235, Adelphi
This is a strange one...
Nose:
20mins out of the bottle - Big, oily malt, quite some rubber when first opened. Some sweetness coming through, mildly spiced as well, nuts? Maybe almonds?
24 hours later: Still big, now mostly on malt, sherry and spices and some fruit? now only just a slight rubbery nose that instead adds to the experience. Much more sweetness and spices coming through
Taste:
20mins out of bottle – Follows the nose very well, the Mortlach ‘meatiness’ comes through middle-palate – but the aftertaste gives a blast of rubber that to some may seem unpleasant.
24 hours later – All on darker fruits (raisins?), sherried spices (cinnamon?) extremely drinkable now, the trademark Mortlach is still there, but very stylishly delivered – aftertaste now goes on barley sugar, some creamy sweetness like candied fruit (oranges covered in caramel) – excellent!!
With water:
Nose opens up a little – it becomes more fresh (as in not heavy) and increases the sweetness of the barley, Taste: water makes it more spicy with an oaky fizz on the finish.
After 24hours it’s certainly a bottle I would recommend :cool
84/100! (tasted 07-01-2010)
This is a strange one...
Nose:
20mins out of the bottle - Big, oily malt, quite some rubber when first opened. Some sweetness coming through, mildly spiced as well, nuts? Maybe almonds?
24 hours later: Still big, now mostly on malt, sherry and spices and some fruit? now only just a slight rubbery nose that instead adds to the experience. Much more sweetness and spices coming through
Taste:
20mins out of bottle – Follows the nose very well, the Mortlach ‘meatiness’ comes through middle-palate – but the aftertaste gives a blast of rubber that to some may seem unpleasant.
24 hours later – All on darker fruits (raisins?), sherried spices (cinnamon?) extremely drinkable now, the trademark Mortlach is still there, but very stylishly delivered – aftertaste now goes on barley sugar, some creamy sweetness like candied fruit (oranges covered in caramel) – excellent!!
With water:
Nose opens up a little – it becomes more fresh (as in not heavy) and increases the sweetness of the barley, Taste: water makes it more spicy with an oaky fizz on the finish.
After 24hours it’s certainly a bottle I would recommend :cool
84/100! (tasted 07-01-2010)
MORTLACH 1961 - SCOTTS SELECTION
Mortlach 1961/1999 40,8% - oakwood (not specified) Scott's
Selection
Nose:
Light, but very mature nose with orage peel and grass
Taste:
Fruity, light, complex sweetness, medium long finish, but lacks a bit of punch
A whisky very hard to break break down/analyze!
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Light, but very mature nose with orage peel and grass
Taste:
Fruity, light, complex sweetness, medium long finish, but lacks a bit of punch
A whisky very hard to break break down/analyze!
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
MORTLACH 1957 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Mortlach 1957
50yo 26.01.2957/xx.05.2007, 43,5%, Casks 585+586 Gordon & MacPhail Private
Collection, 514 bottles
Nose:Deep beautiful sherry, heavy oloroso - almost reaching PX in style, Chocolate factory, vanilla, freshly roasted coffee - What a dram!
Taste:Toasted cask, clean cut sherry style, coffe grinds, prunes, more chocolate, Italian Tiramisu? maybe also a whiff of smoke in this one? very old style!
93/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:Deep beautiful sherry, heavy oloroso - almost reaching PX in style, Chocolate factory, vanilla, freshly roasted coffee - What a dram!
Taste:Toasted cask, clean cut sherry style, coffe grinds, prunes, more chocolate, Italian Tiramisu? maybe also a whiff of smoke in this one? very old style!
93/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
MACDUFF 1968 - DUNCAN TAYLOR
Macduff 1968 38yo, xx.11.1968/xx.11.2006, 45,8% cask#8545, 213
bottles, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld
Nose:
Loads of vanilla, tropical fruits, pineapple?
Taste:
Tinned fruits, fruit bowl covered in layers of cake cream. Slightly bitter oak to keep it all in place - what a cracking old bourbon cask this must have been!
90/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
Nose:
Loads of vanilla, tropical fruits, pineapple?
Taste:
Tinned fruits, fruit bowl covered in layers of cake cream. Slightly bitter oak to keep it all in place - what a cracking old bourbon cask this must have been!
90/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
LONGMORN 1964 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Longmorn 1964
46yo, 27.03.1964/29.09.2010 53%, First fill sherry hogshead#1539, Gordon &
MacPhail, Book of Kells
Nose:
Mint, Cappucino, soft ice sprinkles, sweetshop
Taste:
Spices, some herbs, a little acidic, dried grapes, raisins, well balanced oak, oily,
Best dram of the evening - no doubt and the notes above doesnt do it justice at all
93/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:
Mint, Cappucino, soft ice sprinkles, sweetshop
Taste:
Spices, some herbs, a little acidic, dried grapes, raisins, well balanced oak, oily,
Best dram of the evening - no doubt and the notes above doesnt do it justice at all
93/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
LINLITHGOW 1982 - SINGLE MALTS OF SCOTLAND
Linlithgow 1982 26yo 06.10.1982/07.10.2008 butt#1622, 63,7%, 601
bottles, Single Malts of Scotland
Nose:
Very closed, don't get much other than alc. on this (63,7%) needs water which releases a beautiful grassy/citric/malty notes
Taste:
Oily with loads of the above notes carried over in the taste. Maybe a tad simple but cracking delivery of the exsisting notes
85/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
Nose:
Very closed, don't get much other than alc. on this (63,7%) needs water which releases a beautiful grassy/citric/malty notes
Taste:
Oily with loads of the above notes carried over in the taste. Maybe a tad simple but cracking delivery of the exsisting notes
85/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
HIGHLAND PARK 'THOR' - DISTILLERY BOTTLING
Highland Park
’Thor’ 16yo 52,1%, 23.000 Bottles
Cask ratios for this one deserves a mention as it’s not the normal Highland Park style. The ‘Thor’ is 90% refill American oak sherry casks and 10% first fill European oak
Nose:
Clearly peated, but not in the heavy islay-style, but still significant compared to the normal Highland Park peating level. At the same time it comes across light and fresh and with an earthy note I can only describe as a dunnage warehouse style. Also very fruity, citrus style, flowers in an orange grove?
Taste: The peat hits right away, but like on the nose, its light and disappears to the back of the mouth and lets a large amount tropical fruits and citrus (grape fruits?) notes and some vanilla and oak play on the palate. Also a little spicy and salty in the aftertaste – all which dries out to allow a whiff of trademark Highland Park honey to appear. All in all a whisky with a huge mouthfeel that also allows for finer notes to appear… and what really impresses me with this one, is its incredible freshness all the way on to its medium short finish again with the peat present.
89/100! (tasted 16-02-2012)
Cask ratios for this one deserves a mention as it’s not the normal Highland Park style. The ‘Thor’ is 90% refill American oak sherry casks and 10% first fill European oak
Nose:
Clearly peated, but not in the heavy islay-style, but still significant compared to the normal Highland Park peating level. At the same time it comes across light and fresh and with an earthy note I can only describe as a dunnage warehouse style. Also very fruity, citrus style, flowers in an orange grove?
Taste: The peat hits right away, but like on the nose, its light and disappears to the back of the mouth and lets a large amount tropical fruits and citrus (grape fruits?) notes and some vanilla and oak play on the palate. Also a little spicy and salty in the aftertaste – all which dries out to allow a whiff of trademark Highland Park honey to appear. All in all a whisky with a huge mouthfeel that also allows for finer notes to appear… and what really impresses me with this one, is its incredible freshness all the way on to its medium short finish again with the peat present.
89/100! (tasted 16-02-2012)
HIGHLAND PARK 1997 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Highland Park 1997/2009 12yo
50% cask#5821, Gordon & MacPhail Elgin Shop Exclusive
Dark sherry, a few rubber notes that gives away to coffee beans/chocolaty notes/burnt notes - long finish on the same - a very different HP!
83/100! (tasted xx-06-2011)
Dark sherry, a few rubber notes that gives away to coffee beans/chocolaty notes/burnt notes - long finish on the same - a very different HP!
83/100! (tasted xx-06-2011)
HIGHLAND PARK 1959 - DISTILLERY BOTTLING
Highland Park 1959 21yo 43% - green dumpy bottle - Distillery
bottling
Nose:
Nose of dunnage wharehouse, musty, light very delicate sherry in perfect measure
Taste:
Palate is more heavy on the sherry than the nose suggests, textbook beautiful sherried HP without a single flaw. A heavy-on-the-malt HP with a fantastic finish with just a wee puff of smoke, almost untraceable...
Try it to believe it! Stunning!
93/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Nose of dunnage wharehouse, musty, light very delicate sherry in perfect measure
Taste:
Palate is more heavy on the sherry than the nose suggests, textbook beautiful sherried HP without a single flaw. A heavy-on-the-malt HP with a fantastic finish with just a wee puff of smoke, almost untraceable...
Try it to believe it! Stunning!
93/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
HIGHLAND PARK 1968 - DUNCAN TAYLOR
Highland Park, 1968 40yo 40.8%, cask#3465 28.03.68/11.11.08, Duncan
Taylor 'Peerless'
Nose:
Even though from a bourbon cask you get some of the old traditional HP style on the nose here. Then something flowery, brinyness/coastel hints, like in a Pulteney
Taste:
Malty, sweetness (vanillas), some bitter oak, some ale notes, flowers again, vagely salted
A different HP...
85/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Even though from a bourbon cask you get some of the old traditional HP style on the nose here. Then something flowery, brinyness/coastel hints, like in a Pulteney
Taste:
Malty, sweetness (vanillas), some bitter oak, some ale notes, flowers again, vagely salted
A different HP...
85/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
GLENLOSSIE 1961 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Glenlossie 1961/2007 43% Gordon & MacPhail Rare
Old
Nose:
Scented wood (Cedar/Teak) some laquer (?) citrus, old cigarbox
Taste:
Massiv on the palate, acidic fruits, tropical and citrus moderate oak, short finish
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Scented wood (Cedar/Teak) some laquer (?) citrus, old cigarbox
Taste:
Massiv on the palate, acidic fruits, tropical and citrus moderate oak, short finish
86/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
GLENALLACHIE 1975 - SINGLE MALTS OF SCOTLAND
Glenallachie
1975/2010 35yo, 46,9%, Single Malts of Scotland
Nose:
Light in style, Cinnamon, Ginger
Taste:
Nutty, more cinnamon, dried fruits, smooth, easily drinkable, oriental spices?
Really like this one...
90/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:
Light in style, Cinnamon, Ginger
Taste:
Nutty, more cinnamon, dried fruits, smooth, easily drinkable, oriental spices?
Really like this one...
90/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
GLEN GRANT 1960 - GORDON & MACPHAIL
Glen Grant 1960
(2009) 49yo, 40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Glen Grant
Nose:
Amaretto, Coffee, Chocolate, oak
Taste:
Drying, sweet oak, vanilla, coffee allsorts, figs maybe - an extremely dry whisky, but opens up with litteraly only 2 drops of water - another nice old Glen Grant, but maybe just a tad too much oak, but still...
90/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
Nose:
Amaretto, Coffee, Chocolate, oak
Taste:
Drying, sweet oak, vanilla, coffee allsorts, figs maybe - an extremely dry whisky, but opens up with litteraly only 2 drops of water - another nice old Glen Grant, but maybe just a tad too much oak, but still...
90/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)
CAMERONBRIDGE 1959 - SIGNATORY
Cameronbridge 35yo, 11.09.59/xx.09.94, cask#33/88, 53,2%, 155
bottles, Signatory
Nose:
Coconut, high end american bourbon, woody
Taste:
Moderate alchohol attack, weak middle palate, a little acidic
Gains by adding a few drops of water, palate gets more balanced
82/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Coconut, high end american bourbon, woody
Taste:
Moderate alchohol attack, weak middle palate, a little acidic
Gains by adding a few drops of water, palate gets more balanced
82/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
BUNNAHABHAIN 1976 - A.D. RATTRAY
Bunnahabhain 31yo 1976/2008
49,4% cask#6223, A.D.Rattray
Vanilla, citrus, spices and thin layer of sherry, trademark Bunna ale notes, sweet spices and a little drying - a cracker!
89/100! (tasted xx-09-2011)
Vanilla, citrus, spices and thin layer of sherry, trademark Bunna ale notes, sweet spices and a little drying - a cracker!
89/100! (tasted xx-09-2011)
BUNNAHABHAIN 1965 - THE WHISKY AGENCY
Bunnahabhain 1965 40yo 40% 195 bottles from a refill hogshead 'The
Whisky Agency - Private stock'
Nose:
Big malty nose, Honey sweetness, vanilla cake cream
Taste:
Ale'ed as most old Bunnas, light oak infusion, seriously complex whisky, old candystore style, little musty, earthen floors/old cellar, Looong finish, a whisky that just keeps on going and your jaws chewing.
A Bunna that wins with time, leave the bottle open a few days before dramming!
90/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
Nose:
Big malty nose, Honey sweetness, vanilla cake cream
Taste:
Ale'ed as most old Bunnas, light oak infusion, seriously complex whisky, old candystore style, little musty, earthen floors/old cellar, Looong finish, a whisky that just keeps on going and your jaws chewing.
A Bunna that wins with time, leave the bottle open a few days before dramming!
90/100! (tasted 05-11-2011)
BEN NEVIS 1970 - DISTILLERY BOTTLING
Ben Nevis 1970 26yo 52% Cask#4535, 222 bottles, Distillery Bottling
- Fort William Limited
Nose:
Malty cough suryp
Taste:
Dusty dunnage warehouse, with bitter oak/almonds - not my kinde dram, but then I'm afraid, but Ben Nevis never has been...
75/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
Nose:
Malty cough suryp
Taste:
Dusty dunnage warehouse, with bitter oak/almonds - not my kinde dram, but then I'm afraid, but Ben Nevis never has been...
75/100! (tasted 16-09-2010)
ARDBEG 1973 - DOUGLAS LAING
Ardbeg
1973/2002 29yo 51,4% Douglas Laing Platinum – 137
bottles
Nose:
At first a little closed, some vague peaty notes coming through – some faint citrus notes as well
Given a little time it certainly opens up, lots of peat, old tobacco box notes – like stepping into that old specialist tobacco shop, despite all these heavy there’s still a remarkable freshness to it…
Taste:
Tonnes of peat! – the heavy dark/black stuff – although it still manages to let through some of the lighter notes, again with tobacco/coffee notes and just a pinch of salt, is that ripe oranges/grapesfruits in there as well? …all things comes in never ending waves… The finish
goes on forever… especially the peat lingers, even after half a cup of black coffee, you can still taste the peat in your teeth – What a dram!! 95/100
I bought this bottle for 150£in a Mctears Auction back in 2005 with a friend, so only ½ bottle for me - it went down all to well (read: fast)
95/100! (tasted 21-06-2009)
Nose:
At first a little closed, some vague peaty notes coming through – some faint citrus notes as well
Given a little time it certainly opens up, lots of peat, old tobacco box notes – like stepping into that old specialist tobacco shop, despite all these heavy there’s still a remarkable freshness to it…
Taste:
Tonnes of peat! – the heavy dark/black stuff – although it still manages to let through some of the lighter notes, again with tobacco/coffee notes and just a pinch of salt, is that ripe oranges/grapesfruits in there as well? …all things comes in never ending waves… The finish
goes on forever… especially the peat lingers, even after half a cup of black coffee, you can still taste the peat in your teeth – What a dram!! 95/100
I bought this bottle for 150£in a Mctears Auction back in 2005 with a friend, so only ½ bottle for me - it went down all to well (read: fast)
95/100! (tasted 21-06-2009)
ABERLOUR 1996 - DISTILLERY BOTTLING
Aberlour 1996 (14yo) 59,5% 19.05.1996, bourbon cask#6884,
Handbottling and tasting at Aberlour Distillery Warehouse No. 1
(26.09.2010)
Colour:
Gold
Nose:
Cream caramels, vanillas, danish bakery store, some hints of pears. Sweets allsorts
Taste:
A litte salt and vanilla on arrival, then an exlosion of tropical fruits, apricot? mango? and then it reverts back to vanilla ending with some surprising black pepper on the finish as well. A cracking bourbon cask Aberlour!
88/100!
Colour:
Gold
Nose:
Cream caramels, vanillas, danish bakery store, some hints of pears. Sweets allsorts
Taste:
A litte salt and vanilla on arrival, then an exlosion of tropical fruits, apricot? mango? and then it reverts back to vanilla ending with some surprising black pepper on the finish as well. A cracking bourbon cask Aberlour!
88/100!
ABERLOUR 1995 - DISTILLERY BOTTLING
Aberlour 1995 (15yo) 53,9% 19.02.1995, sherry cask#2427,
Handbottling and tasting at Aberlour Distillery Warehouse No. 1
(26.09.2010)
Colour:
Deep oloroso
Nose:
Chocolaty, fresh moist raisins, cappucino & foam, and some red fruit.
Taste:
Ohh, nice... creamy yet powerful arrival of some coffee notes, orange liquer, the sherry is sweet and drying with red berries and nuts. Lovely!
89/100!
Colour:
Deep oloroso
Nose:
Chocolaty, fresh moist raisins, cappucino & foam, and some red fruit.
Taste:
Ohh, nice... creamy yet powerful arrival of some coffee notes, orange liquer, the sherry is sweet and drying with red berries and nuts. Lovely!
89/100!
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