GLENFARCLAS-GLENLIVET 1973 41YO - CADENHEAD AUTHENTIC COLLECTION

After my last post, I thought it would be fitting to do a post where, as I mentioned here, some Cadenhead bottling actually do carry the Glenfarclas name - and this one of them. Bottled back in 2014, this is not one you'll come across every day, but if you do and want to treat yourself to a little extra, go for it

This family-owned distillery -one of the last in Scotland- is one of my favorite distilleries, certainly in my top 3. Why? Because they still do things the way they want to - and not to satisfy a large number of shareholders demanding a return on their stock every year. And you know what? It works for Glenfarclas!

Glenfarclas seems to make consistently good whisky which is very important and also seems to be able to still source some very good casks - especially their sherry casks! Long-standing contracts with sherry producers have secured a steady flow of good sherry casks and we just have to cross our fingers that this will last.

Glenfarclas Distillery Visitors Centre, September 15th 2019 © The Malt Desk

Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 1973 41yo 40,7%, bottled July 2014, ex-bourbon hogshead, 186 bottles, Cadenhead Authentic Collection

Nose:
Very laid back, quite possibly because of the low abv
It has dusty wood, vanilla, loads of sugary notes, the artificial strawberry scent from the strawberry cream caramels. Also vanilla, a little wood sap, and fruits in there, loads of them! Sweet mandarins, mango juice, peaches, and banana. Very tropical but also with that little touch of wood to keep it all in place - Very nice and I like this dignified old-style bourbon cask that still manages to deliver in spite of its very long time in the cask. 

Taste:
Gentle, yet expressive arrival...

This is candied fruits galore, turning into a nice malty finish.
We're all over the fruit range here, from apple notes, apricot, lemons, and honeydew melon covered in vanilla and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
All this turns into a slightly drying gingery note and some dusty greenish wood along with a dominant malty note that eventually has to give away to a little
drying oak and a slight herbal note.

This is a delicate malt and bottled just in time at 40,7%.
Also, more time in the cask will probably have tipped this OTT and introduced far more drying and bitter notes.

But at this stage - lovely old stuff! and since I don't do ½ points

91/100!

'A SPEYSIDE DISTILLERY' 2001 18YO - CADENHEAD VIRTUAL OPEN DAY 2020

In September 2019, independent bottler Wm. Cadenhead did their first dedicated Open Day event - just for them called Cadenhead in the Courtyard.
This was a new type of event to make up for them having to share the Kilkerran Open Day during the Campbeltown Malts Festival in May. This day also gave Cadenheads the opportunity to feature only their bottlings and tastings and also release some bottlings only for this day, also. It was great fun and an event to look out for in the future.

This year the Campbeltown Malt Festival was, of course, canceled due to Covid - and so was the planned Cadenhead in the Courtyard even for September 2020.

Instead, a virtual festival was arranged, which each brand having its own virtual Open Day and a release of a virtual festival bottle.

The one offered on the Cadenhead Virtual Open Day was the bottle featured in the review below... it's only named 'A Speyside Distillery' which, with Cadenhead, usually means the family-owned distillery in the Valley of the Green Grass - and I'll go out on a limb here and go along with that.

It's not that Cadenheads never bottle anything with this particular distillery name on - but due to legal reasons, they can only bottle 2 or 3 a year if I remember correctly. I'll shortly be reviewing one that carries the GF name.

It's also not only Cadenhead that is limited to this and this distillery that imposes restrictions on names. Its widely seen across the whisky industry.
Other examples are names like Williamson & Leapfrog for Laphroaig and when the label says 'An Orkney Malt', you have a Highland Park.

On to the review...

Glenfarclas Distillery Visitors Center, September 23rd 2016 © The Malt Desk

'A Speyside Distillery' 2001 18yo 52,3% (dist. xx.10.2001 - bott xx.10.2020) 1 ex-bourbon + 1 ex-sherry cask, 552 bottles, Cadenhead Virtual Open Day 2020

Nose:

OK, I'm guessing that if you get this straight out of a newly open bottle you'll wrinkle your nose...
My bottle has now been open for a couple of weeks and the nose has certainly come to life with notes of malt barns, damp slightly bitter/sweet wood notes, brown sugar, cracked peppercorns and a slight sour note.
Various wood spices start to dominate a bit along with more dry and sweet sherry influence and a hint of milk chocolate bars.

All quite well - even though it doesn't seem to swim well

Taste:
Much better (without water, that is)

The sherry notes are coming through very clearly - though, I'm having a hard time determining if the wood spices that follow are from the bourbon or the sherry cask used.

I'm getting quite an active bourbon cask in the background (I might be wrong) then sweet and spicy, nutmeg, caramel, dark honey, a hint of dark chili-infused chocolate, drying cinnamon, powdered ginger, and hint of orange peel.

It's all very pleasant, but it's like it wants to allow both the bourbon and sherry cask to have their say but it's not allowing either or both to shine - it's like it has not had time to marry properly before being bottled.

This is not -by any account- a bad whisky scoring an 85/100
I just expected a bit more of this - especially given the circumstances surrounding this release.

85/100!

HAZELBURN 2007 12YO - CADENHEAD AUTHENTIC COLLECTION

It's time to review another recent release from the good folks in Campbeltown, Wm. Cadenheads. Released late in Autumn 2020, this triple distilled unpeated Springbank carries the name Hazelburn.

The triple distilled unpeated style was introduced by then Manager Franck McHardy, who'd returned to manage Springbank after a stay in Northern Ireland and a job at Bushmills Distillery, where whisky is also triple distilled. The new Hazelburn spirit was first produced by the Springbank Distillery again back in 1997. 

The name Hazelburn originally comes from another distillery in Campbeltown (Early 18th Century - 1925/26) and was at the time, one of the biggest distilleries in Campbeltown. 

This particular edition comes from a single re-charred bourbon hogshead. Something that previously has worked very well with the Springbank spirit

Casks in the Springbank courtyard May 22nd 2019 © The Malt Desk

Hazelburn 2007 12yo 51,9%, re-charred bourbon hogshead, 234 bottles, Cadenheads Authentic Collection

Nose:

Quite heavy - that re-charred bourbon hogshead certainly has a say here...
Also quite creamy, loads of sweetness from vanilla and a strawberry note, hints of oregano and orange peel, a touch of ginger, custard and crisp slight burnt butter dough with the cask char also showing itself. A few drops of water brings out some flour/freshly made baking dough

Taste:

Thick and creamy arrival. If you've tasted whisky from a re-charred cask before you know where this style comes from. Dark honey, overripe banana, loads of caramel notes - that Créme Brûlée again. There are hints of cloves in there too, along with some fair bit of delicious but, to me, unrecognizable fruity notes.

At first, this came across as slightly peated to me, but this quickly receded and I found that it was probably the cask char speaking loudly on the first approach and at this point, I think I was right... This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love this as opposed to another re-charred oak matured whisky, I've reviewed lately...

89/100!

Sample was bought via my whisky network

BENRINNES 2000 20YO - CADENHEAD WOOD RANGE

It's quite nice to be trying some Benrinnes again... and I just recently had the opportunity to try both the below bottling as well as a very nice bourbon cask expression from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The SMWS expression will be reviewed at a later time... 

Anyway, there was quite a buzz surrounding this Cadenhead release as everyone wanted to get their hands on this heavily sherried expression.
Why? Dark whisky sells - that's just a fact! Is it better?
Well, depends both on your taste - darker and spicier vs. lighter and fruitier? 
Personally, I like both - but it also comes very much down to my mood which one I prefer on that specific day! What's your preference?

When you, in this case, combine the sherry maturation with the amount of buzz that has been created by some independent bottlers around Benrinnes Distillery - especially from Cadenheads- as to how good whisky from this distillery can be - you got your whisky frenzy with bottle flippers and whisky anoraks competing for the same bottles.

My only fear when buying a sherry cask bottling today (both a cask finish or fully matured) is sulfur. That, or getting a bottle that has been in one of those new very modern sherry infused style casks. Hello, Whisky Industry - they're just not very good casks! (rant over!)

Now, I know that sherry isn't fashionable anymore, so there's bound to be fewer casks, and especially good casks, out there for the whisky industry to snap up - but these new ones? They're but a shadow of previous casks.

Then there's the price of sherry casks, costing about x10 as much as a bourbon cask - but all this warrants a post of its own.

But back to the review...

Benrinnes Distillery from the road, August 26th 2012 © The Malt Desk

Benrinnes 2000 20yo 54,7%, Oloroso sherry cask finish, 336 bottles, Cadenhead Wood Range

Nose:

Luckily, it seems this cask has escaped the sulfur candles of Jerez unharmed.

Bl**dy hell, how much sherry was left in this cask when it was re-reracked into this cask? Right away you get that heavy sherry influence you also imagined that would approach you when looking at the color of this whisky. 

Loads of dark fruits, raisins, figs, and alcohol-soaked plums. Also in there, there's cinnamon, cooked apple, and some lovely spicy wood notes - all well-integrated and delivered by the alcohol

Taste:

Again, this is a cask finish! This means that this has been matured in a (probably) ex-bourbon cask before being moved to its finishing cask, an ex-oloroso sherry hogshead in August 2019... It's showing a lot of sherry influence, for sure -but I'm also getting quite a bit of delicious wood spices, possibly a combination of its previous cask and the sherry cask? Also there, is nutmeg in abundance, some milk chocolate, a slight hint of warming paprika, and Danish 'krydderkage' (look it up!)

I get if someone wants to call this one a one-tracked whisky as it takes experience to pick out the more subtle underlying notes in this one.

It has certainly turned into what many whisky anoraks refer to as 'sherry bomb' but I still feel there's a bit more to this... In any case, it's a whisky that, for sure, is in tune with the Xmas Holiday season.

88/100!

Sample was bought from via my whisky network

A SHORT OPINION PIECE 2020

It's time to pick up those reviews again on a bit more regular schedule than has been the case for the past 3 years.

Honestly, I had lost the desire to do the reviews for quite a while and kinda felt it they had reduced itself to duty rather than pleasure - and it's not supposed to do that!

Not that I in any way has lost the passion for whisky in the time between 2017 where I posted this Opinion Piece and now:

After 9 months of quiet - an opinion piece (link opens in a new window)

Right now, I just feel it evolving into something else that I'm still trying to find out what is...

Lots of what I wrote in that piece 3½ years ago still applies - Most things have even gotten worse - but its also factors outside our control - at least out of control for us mere whisky mortals.
There are also things happening in certain Facebook groups that I'm still to decide if I'll be commenting on - some related to the above article and some not.

For now, reviews etc. will be sporadic at best here on the blog itself, but there will be the more occasional posts on the blogs Facebook Page, Instagram and Twitter - in all places, just search for The Malt Desk and follow - Thanks!

GLEN MORAY 2004 15YO - DISTILLERY EDITION OB

This will be the last Glen Moray, I'll be reviewing for now...

While I feel the other expressions have been somewhat underpowered - its certainly not the case for this one. More of this, please Glen Moray... or at at least bottle at 46% and don't chill filter - it just takes away too many natural oils and flavors

This one doesn't suffer from either of the above, this is pretty much as close as you get to get your whisky straight from the cask, except for some rough barrier filtering and this is how whisky is supposed to be, IMO

A conclusion of the reviews I've made must be that Glen Moray is whisky very well made - but I knew that already. But as with many of the bigger producers they still fail to see that 40% and chill-filtration just kills off their whisky - with the exception of the one below

Different casks at Glen Moray incl a wine cask. You can recognize a wine cask by its extra hoops around the cask © Glen Moray

Glen Moray 2004 15yo 60,1% Burgundy Cask#213 - Distillery Edition

Nose:
initially a lot of wood, but that was to be expected coming from a wine cask - let's leave it for a bit...

Coming back 10mins later it's now it's bursting with sweetness - marzipan, sweet crushed blackberries, sweet mandarins, and icing sugar, concentrated garden roses and candies apples. After a while, hints of milk chocolate comes through as well.

Taste:
Lovely malty sweet arrival with much of the above mirroring itself on the palate after that. In addition, I get a little more wood than expected from the nose, but nothing invasive.

The wine notes are more dominant now, adding a distinct drying edge to this whisky. If you're a wine drinker it'll not feel invasive, but again, it is distinct. Finally, the alcohol delivery is significant but I do recommend not adding water to this if you can handle the abv% as water brings out more bitter notes, which some might not find desirable.

This sure is a whisky if you have a sweet tooth - and want your flavour delivered with a punch

86/100!

Official sample provided by the Danish importer

GLEN MORAY 10YO 'FIRED OAK' - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

We're on to the next Glen Moray review - this time I'll be reviewing the 10yo 'Fired oak' which is a combination of ex-bourbon and heavily charred fresh American oak casks.

So what does heavily charred oak add to the whisky, I hear you ask?
In this case, the good folk at Glen Moray have chosen to get American oak casks that have never been used before, charred, or burnt of you like, on the inside of the casks to a degreed where the casks produce a layer of charred oak, much like a piece of charcoal - on the outer layer of the oak staves.

This degree of charring brings out a more heavy cask influence than regular oak staves will, as the charring will have brought out more flavor compounds from the oak. The charring will also remove unwanted, usually natural sulphury notes from the maturing spirit - much like charcoal filtering normally do.

However, there is a fine balance to keep when using charred oak for maturation.
Some spirits lighter in character, like e.g. Glen Moray can easily be overpowered by charred oak, IMO - and this is probably why they have chosen to mix it with regular oak cask matured Glen Moray... A wise choice if you ask me!

Let's take a closer look:

Cask rows at a Glen Moray Warehouse © Glen Moray

Glen Moray 10yo 'Fired Oak' - Distillery Bottling

Nose:
Fresh warm baking, hints of orange peel, dark honey and overripe banana.
It's all carried forward by candied apples on a stick. After a while, a strong vanilla note comes through.

Taste:
Quite laid back and very much driven by the fired oak casks, making up what I would think is a large portion of this. A hint of burnt toast, thick malt, burnt caramel and some vanilla notes. The finish continues with quite some wood influence, turning it slightly bitter.

I like the nose on this and flavor-wise this is a notch heavier compared to the Elgin Classic edition. If you're new to whisky you'll either love or hate this as it introduces some new flavors that might need some getting used to. On the other hand, this also produces some more candy, burnt caramel-like notes that might appeal to some.

I actually felt more a sense of original Glen Moray whisky, drinking the 'Elgin Classic' than I do this. Also, I would also be more inclined to pick up the regular 12yo instead if this after comparing (UK) prices.

77/100!

Official sample provided by the Danish Importer

GLEN MORAY 'PORT CASK FINISH' - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

After a short break, I'm back with another Glen Moray review.

Now, I've always liked Port cask matured whisky - 'cause I'm also a Port Wine drinker. However, it comes very much down to if it has spent all its years in a port cask or if it has only been finished.
The latter is the case here... and as always it comes down to a combination of the original casks but especially the quality of the port casks, in my opinion.
I mean, like with whisky there's 'your run off the mill' and there are great quality casks - the same goes for port - There's what your Granny likes for Xmas and then there's the Prime Douro Valley stuff

But let's try this one...

A peak inside a Glen Moray Warehouse © Glen Moray

Glen Moray 'Port Cask Finish' 40% Distillery Bottling

Nose:
As expressive as the 'Egin Classic' was, this is its absolute counterpart - it definitely needs time to open up... zzzZZZzzz and we're back, now picking up some obvious vinous notes, wet cask staves, bung cloth, mint, and whiffs of strawberries

I feel like it's really being held back by either the quality of its initial maturation rather than the Port casks that have imposed a pinkish-orange hue to the whisky.

Taste:

More expressive on the palate for sure. Lovely cask spices, slight orange zest, alcohol-soaked blackberries, and generally quite earthy in style. The oak is very active and drying, especially on the finish, which this whisky sadly cannot withstand.

Now,  as I mentioned I normally like port cask matured whiskies but this one seems a bit rushed. Maybe a year or 2 more in the port casks to smooth out the rough edges? and would think Glen Moray could do better with a Port Cask whisky than this?

72/100!

Official sample provided by the Danish Importer

DIAGEO SPECIAL RELEASES 2020 - REVIEWS

The 8 Special Releases for 2020 © Diageo Press Kit

Very recently an invitation to join a virtual tasting of the Diageo Special Releases 2020 found its way into my mailbox - an invite hard to ignore and meaning a very nicely packaged tasting kit was received and an online link was provided.

How did I approach this tasting?

The tasting kit contained 8 x 3cl of each whisky.
The first 1-1½cl were tasted and preliminary notes were taken during the online event itself - mainly nosing notes were taken along with a few tasting notes.
Then 2 hours after the tasting and a thorough palate-cleansing, more serious work was put into the notes, on both smell and taste and I'll let you know right away - this changed my first perception quite a bit on more than a couple of the whiskies.

Before you scroll down and try to find scores on each of the bottles, then I have to disappoint you this time. I have not scored these, but reading my notes and finishing comments should still give you an idea of what I think of each whisky.

Cardhu 2008 11yo 56% Refill and new ex-bourbon hogsheads

Nose:

A good sweet malty edge with some white garden fruit and juice from mixed tinned fruits

Palate:
The palate shows quite some active wood, very much citrussy notes, honey and
malt

Water brings out more vanilla on the nose but increases the spiciness on the palate. A very refreshing and nice Cardhu but lacking a bit compared to the Special Release from 2019

Singleton of Dufftown 2002 17yo 55,1% Refill American Oak Hogsheads

Nose:

Lovely fresh and grassy, some vanilla and citrus ripe honey melon. also a dusty note in there...

Taste:
Quite sweet and honeyed, still... some garden fruit and fresh ginger coming through

Almost too sweet in the long run but a nice surprise in this otherwise impressive lineup. 

Dalwhinnie 1989 30yo 51,9% Refill ex-bourbon hogsheads

Nose:
Lovely old bourbon cask style nose, Lots of honey, boiled fruits and oak spice. Also in there a slight mineral and olive oil note along with a slight hint of wet newspaper

Taste:
I may be a bit sentimental here as Dalwhinnie 15 was one of my first single malts 20 years ago, but I was instantly taken back to that time. Honeyed, a slight mineral note, good spirit feel - citrus and pears

Do I even detect a slight hint of smoke on the very long finish of this?

A lovely, lovely dram! Yes, I'm a bit sentimental about Dalwhinnie since it was one of my first malts but this is indeed a very nice dram. I'd rush out and buy a bottle if it wasn't for its very high price tag.

Pittyvaich 1989 30yo 50,8% Refill casks finished in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks

Very different to begin with - will probably need time

Nose:
Initially some mint, herb garden, very malty
Returning to pour the rest this after a good 4 hours the nose has now shed all its distinctiveness and returned to more classic old whisky notes
Mellow and wet oak, lightly scented candle wax, tinned peaches and malt

Taste:
The palate carries a huge malty profile, along with overripe banana wet hops turning into a very ale-like on the finish

This is one of those drams that are really hard to decode but I do know I've really enjoyed this. And it's certainly better than the old 2009 Special Release...

Mortlach 1999 21yo 56,9% finished in toasted PX and Oloroso sherry casks

Nose:
Nice and characterful nose not drowned entirely in sherry.
Also, no sulfur from the sherry cask finishing - a big plus!

Quite a heavy nose, in fact, as one would expect from a Mortlach but the sherry is pretty much kept in the background. Instead, it's promoting a lovely array of fruity notes.

Taste:
Lovely heavy arrival, thick and rich - and quite waxy - is this a Clynelish? (Just Joking)

The sherry is more pronounced on the palate but in no way invasive - only a slight drying and bitter note on the finish reveals its presence.

As pleasant as this is, I can't help feel that this is also a bit one-dimensional as it never strays from a very fine line of fruity notes and some oak spice.
This is also a dram I think many people would take a liking to but sadly this also carries quite a hefty price tag.

Cragganmore 1999 20yo 55,8% Refill and new freshly charred ex-bourbon hogsheads

Nose:
A heavier than normal style for Cragganmore if you ask me - Are the re-charred casks speaking quite loud here?

Getting a hint of red berries but with burnt orange notes taking over and delivering something resembling sherry cask influence even though the official cask make-up says otherwise. (those re-charred casks again?) 

Think dark honey, slightly burnt caramel - think creme brulee. Also getting very sweet dessert wine notes. Very expressive!

Taste:
Quite a traditional Speyside whisky arrival turning towards darker notes straight away. I feel that this is very much cask driven and not so much letting the Cragganmore spirit shine. This is like going half-way with caramel Macchiato maybe? Also licorice root and added walnut for extra bitterness.

I was initially impressed with this, especially with its nose but the palate lets this one down a bit after a re-taste. Just too bitter and out of balance for me. Is it bad? no - just not my kinda preferred profile.

Talisker 2011 8yo 57,9% Refill casks finished in Caribbean Rum Casks

Nose:
Drying smoke, seaside salt, bbq flavored crisps with a hint of vanilla and cracked white peppers. Also a hint of white wine downwind from a garden bonfire.

Taste:
Very drying on arrival - is this distillate driven? If yes, I would like some more cask influence, please... sweet peat, notes of white rum indeed along with some vanilla influence. Salty green olives and rocket salad bitterness.

A bit disappointed to be honest having tried a few young Taliskers over the years.
I so much more prefer the excellent Special Release 2018 8yo over this any day!

Lagavulin 2007 12 56,4% Refill hogsheads and butts

Nose:
A more delicate Laga12 than some of the previous years' releases? Certainly less smoky/peaty and 'in your face'. Notes on bbq'ed burnt lemon slices, smoked mustard glazed ham, peat bog after the rain and wet gravel

Taste:
Great arrival on peat, olives in seawater, some mineral note (chalk?) More lemony notes coming through as well - all finishing on a smoked paprika note

A Laga12 a bit out of the ordinary style - quite refreshing, IMO

Conclusion:
There are no bad whiskies here. All range from good to excellent.
Sadly, some of these whiskies carry a price tag higher than your average whisky drinker is willing to spend- but maybe that's why they're bottled in the Special Release series. All are bottled in limited numbers - but still in the several 1000s.

I hope you've enjoyed my review of the DSRs for 2020

Official samples were provided by Diageo Denmark. All pictures from the official Diageo Press Kit

GLEN MORAY 'ELGIN CLASSIC' - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

It's time to review a small handful of more commonly available whiskies - 4 to be exact - all from Glen Moray Distillery in Elgin, Speyside.

I'll start off with what Glen Moray themselves also call 'Elgin Classic' which pretty much sums up what this is - Straight forward easy drinkable whisky from this giant hidden in a residential neighborhood in Elgin.

The last time I visited was in September 2019 and would like to go back - and quite possibly pick up one of the very nice hand-bottlings offered there.
Since circumstances currently prevent travel, I'll have to settle for a virtual trip down Bruceland Road

Glen Moray Distillery at the end of Bruceland Rd. in Elgin © Glen Moray

 

Glen Moray 'Elgin Classic' 40%, Distillery Bottling

Nose:
Very expressive, much more than expected - promising...
I expect a lot of 1st fill ex-bourbon casks at work here.
Lots of grassy notes, a floral hint, and then green apples and malty notes and sugary lemony sponge case fresh from the oven.
After a while, some wood chip notes and a hint of wet newspaper peeps through

A nose that would appeal to many first-time whisky drinkers, I expect

Taste:
Quite warming for 40% as if the casks have a bit too much to say here? Slightly off-balance, maybe... The palate is very much an echo of the nose with warm apple, some citrus, and grassy notes, and a quite surprisingly long finish

I do not recommend you add water to this one - doing so kills it off and brings out an unwanted note of varnish/paint thinner on the palate.

Do I like it? yes, I do... Will I drink if offered, yes, I will...
I would have loved to try this at 43% or even 46% where I think this would be much better as the delivery still leaves a few things to be desired.

All in all a good starter whisky for new malt drinkers as well as fairly inexpensive compared to other entry-level whiskies.

77/100!

Official sample provided by the Danish Importer

SPRINGBANK 1993 26YO - VIRTUAL OPEN DAY 2020 DISTILLERY BOTTLING

Due to Covid19 this year, lots of festivals and whisky gathering have been cancelled. However, quite a few have also moved online and the Campbeltown Malt Festival 2020 that was originally scheduled for May 2020 was also moved online - placed in the last week of October.

The festival gave us a tasting each night from Monday - Friday, each tasting having at least a couple of star drams. One of those and one highly anticipated was the Springbank 1993 26yo Open Day bottle - a vatting of 2 bourbon casks. This was included in the Springbank Tasting Kit for the Friday night tasting along with 5 other drams, incl. a preview tasting of the next Local Barley - don't try and chase it down, folks - it will not be released until sometime in 2021.

Anyways, the purpose of this writeup was to review the Springbank 26yo - a, for some, a bit had to interpret dram. At least that was my impression from the comments during the tasting which left me thinking that the people giving this a not so good review, maybe didn't give this dram the time it deserved?
However, I did... I poured it a good 45min before I even approached it except for an initial sniff thinking it seems very closed up.

So what did I get from it once I went back to it? My notes are below the picture...

The Springbank 1993 26yo Virtual Open Day 2020 Bottling

Springbank 1993 26yo 51,1%, 2 Refill Bourbon Hogsheads, 432 bottles, Springbank Virtual Open Day 2020

Nose:
The Open Day has a cracking nose, initially dusty and notes of wet sand.
A bit closed but opens up nicely showing a slightly peaty side before going fruity. Quite some brine in there as well. The fruits, some tropical and citrus ones are struggling a bit to come through but give this time and you will be rewarded. All in all quite vibrant for a 25yo+ whisky

Taste:

Quite potent on arrival, peat, overripe apples and pears, honey, cask spices... Ginger and pepper, a little salty, the peat linger along with a nice malty finish. A few drops of water brings out more tropical style fruit notes but never leaving its Springbank DNA behind.

As with the 24yo Springbank from Cadenhead released in 2019, this needs time.
Time to breathe in the glass and time on the palate. It cannot, or I'd rather say, it must not be rushed. Give it time and you will be rewarded. A cracker!

91/100!

CLYNELISH 1995 23YO - SIGNATORY VINTAGE

Tonights single malt indulgence...

Clynelish 1995 23yo bottled at 56,4% from a single sherry butt#11242. Opened little over a week ago. Back then gave off some undesireable sulphury notes. A huge disappointment then...

It has now in the past 9 days been sitting with the cork off for a few hours and left to breathe (cork in) for this past week and has developed nicely. It still has a little trace of sulphur on the palate but this can be drowned out with water without hurting the overall experience.

What your experience with letting sulphury drams breathe for a periode of time?

And do you like your Clynelish better fra bourbon casks rather than sherry casks? I think I do...    

Clynelish 1995 23yo Dist. 21.11.1995 Bott. 16.06.2019, Refill sherry butt#11242, 592 bottles, Sigantory Vintage series Nose: The nose is now on stewed overripe fruits, heavy on dark honey with a hint of something herbal and camphor.

Taste: The palate has a slight hint of the sulphury still, even after adding 2 teaspoons of water, but its heavy on dark fruits and slight burnt caramel. Think the top of your Creme Brulee.

Its thick and oily and fruity, but maybe not as waxy as we normally see from Clynelish. Here, I'm sensing the sherry cask masking it somewhat.

Still, a great dram once its been allowed to breathe and with water added it definitely moves up a class!

What your experience with letting sulphury drams breathe for a period of time?

And do you like your Clynelish better fra bourbon casks rather than sherry casks? I think I do...    

82/100! ... and thats with added water to drown out the sulphur

SPRINGBANK 1995 18YO FRESH PORT HOGSHEAD - SPRINGBANK'S 'THE CAGE'

Outside, the World is going mad, trying to escape the Corona virus.
Inside and trying to keep sane I popped this Springbank distilled on 26. May 1995 and matured for 18 years in a fresh Port Hogshead before being bottled at 51,7% on 14. May 2014, just 12 days short of its 19th birthday.

Honestly its not fair reviewing this as its a one off, so no chance of picking up a bottle like it - only a similar one - if you're extremely lucky

Springbank 1995 18yo Fresh Port Hogshead 51,7% - Springbank 'The Cage'

Nose:

The nose is stunning, the Springbank character is there with both brine and peat, but its wrapped in this delicate wine sweetness that never manages to take over completely but instead delivers both oranges and Christmas cake notes. Stunning!!

Taste:
The feel in the glass is heavy as are the curtains on the glass. The arrival is mellow at first, the wine paving the way but never taking over. The Springbank DNA is so close behind, it instead delivers a mix of all things Springbank mixed with a very clean spot on port cask. Sorry Folks, this has to be tasted to get the full impression. Only thing I can say now is that I know this bottle won't last long... Again stunning! Lost for words! But you'll have to like this style of almost too much cask influence...

91/100

'AN IRISH' 2006 10YO (13YO) - CADENHEAD

Tonights tipple is 'An Irish' from Indie bottler, Cadenheads

Effectively a 13yo whiskey, but since it left Ireland for Scotland at the age of 10, it also say 10 on the label. It then spent a further 3 years in the cask in Scotland, the last 17 months in an Ex-Guyana rum barrel.

Most likely an unpeated Cooley, it carries that light Irish style beautifully but still has a little kick due to the 47,1% abv.

'An Irish' 2006 10yo (13yo) 47,1%, Ex.Guyana Rum Barrel since April 2018

Nose:

Those nose reveals loads of malty sweetness in the traditional Irish style with noticeably apple and pear notes - but also dosed with influence from the rum cask, but in no overwhelming influence.

Taste:
The taste comes across slightly hot to begin with but mellows out as its also gets your mouth watering. It all comes across quite tropical with the sweet malt, fruit, vanilla and rum cask influence. Not a huge star of a whiskey, but thoroughly enjoyable whisky from 'The Emerald Isle' - via Scotland and Guyana

86/100