These two drams received a lot of attention recently. The Old Pulteney 21 y.o. was named ‚World’s Greatest Whisky 2012‘ by Jim Murray with 97.5 points in his annual release Whisky Bible, a choice many people joked about, and the Ardbeg 1991 – 2011 Malts of Scotland for Hotel Bero from an extremely dark Sherry Cask 11003, 48,8%, started fiercly held debates in several forums because a) of its color and b) you can only get a bottle if you stay over night at Hotel Bero in Belgium (well, at least no other duties like kissing Geert Bero’s ugly cousin or dancing in lingerie on a pole were involved there, so what is all the fuss about?

Slainte Math, Geert!

It’s a real cool place to stay with great cuisine, you Ardbeg nuts! By the way: excellent marketing, Geert! I like this creation of hype).

Let’s take a look behind the chitter-chatter and only judge quality:

Old Pulteney OB 21 y.o., 46%

Nose: Very balanced, an allrounder. Smoked peaches (does that exist?), maritime freshness, white

pepper, a lot of vanilla, honey, ripe pears and intense apple compote. It is much less farmyardy than earlier versions, this bottling is clean and fruity-sweet like a first-fill Bourbon-Cask Glenmorangie. Later I am getting milk coffee, whiffs of leather and even more tropical fruits in the sweet malkt. Maybe a tad too nice – like an A+ student.

Palate: Dry at first with dried flowers and heather. Woodier and more gristy (just as I remembered it) than the nose suggested, but overall very fruity and tropically sweet (white oak madness) like above.

Finish: Very long, malty, gristy and sweet. Echoes of the fruit and vanilla and big Bourbon Cask influence again.

Score: 90

Comment: This whisky has become more mainstream. Every note is clean, upfront and present, Bourbon Casks are doing the fruity trick, but spices are missing a bit. This Pulteney is more on the oaky side in general. Where have the stable notes gone? Good whisky, but not the world’s best whisky in this year for me. However, I have no problem with Jim Murray’s decision – taste is individual, in this case VERY individual. Congrats to the producers and thanks to Lucas for the quick shipment of the sample.

Ardbeg 20 y.o. Malts of Scotland for Hotel Bero (Commemorating 90 Years and Four Generations), 2.1991 – 10.2011, Sherry Cask 11003, 240 btl., 48,4%

Nose: As deep as the colour. Burnt woodsticks in a bonfire, roots and herbs (camphor) like in a Port Charlotte, new tires, dark fruits, orange zests and figs, cola nut, tarry rope, pine resin, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, leather, coffee beans, beef jerky, forest honey, traces of sulphur and iodine, lit Cuban cigar, pepper and mustard seed. All that jazz is well-integrated and still maritimely fresh.

Palate: Liquid ashes,chalk and earthy roots at first, then it displays old medicinical Ardbeg notes, which is extremely good news. Hello beetroot! Resin! Herbs! As dirty and mossy as the Very Old Ardbeg or some 1967s plus my beloved model train trafo burn aroma. Round, not disjointed at all. Wow.

Finish: Extremely long and flinty (gunpowder). Sulphur, ash, peat and iodine in a great combo, tobacco, cocoa powder, pine needles and resin smoke. Just perfectly balanced between bitter and sweet, wonderfully dirty – like clothes and skin after a night at the bonfire.

Score: 91+

Comment: Awesome cask choice – and I find it extremely heartwarming that such old-style Ardbegs can still be found (with hints to Port Charlotte). I just wish I knew where! Anybody selling?

1) Ledaig 1998 for Malts of Scotland, 13 y.o. around 59% – exact dates coming soon (no label exists yet)

A wonderful drinking whisky in the peated genre – only few people wouldn’t put this on Islay in a blind tasting. This expression is significantly older and more mature than the recent Berry Bros. & Rudd releases of Ledaig, but surprisingly also a bit less complex. However, it still is a buy for me at a fair price – but hurry, these are quite limited- This is the second half of a Sherry Butt 800025, 256 btl. released by MoS in 2010.

Score: 88+

2) Maggie Miller’s new Port Ellen for the Scotch Single Malt Circle, 1982, 28 y.o., Cask 2860, 63,6%

This is a classic Port Ellen but nothing expressive or magical to it. Straight and honest bottling here, but not a must-have.

Score: 87

3) Bunnahabhain 1991 SSMC, 18 y.o. Sherry Cask 5447, 312 bottles, 54%

This SSMC bottling is a real stunner and worth more than the PE in my eyes – drink more Bunnahabhain, guys, there are beauties out there. This is wonderfully sherried and perfectly aged. People drank this big sweetie quickly at my stand.

Score: 90

And if you like your Ex-Sherry Bottlings even more complex and ‚old-time‘ get Maggie’s bang for a buck:

4) SSMC Glenlossie 1984, 25 y.o. , Sherry Cask 2534, 60%

L_O_V_E    I_T ! It is as good as  e.g. old Glenfarclas bottlings around the age of 30 and reminds me of classic mature Speyside Whisky from way back…the ones we hunt for at auctions. No offnote here, this is a classic! Don’t miss out on it! A big recommendation and this article’s second-highest score!

Score: 90+

5) Bunnahabhain 1997 – 2010 Octave (Duncan Taylor) for Malts and More, Sherry, 51,2%

This is a peated version that many people liked: big Sherry meets peat and Bunnahabhain’s style adds to the combo. More on primary notes but punchy and well-priced – another ‚easy-to-sip peater‘ like the Ledaig MoS. Mention our name to our friend Thomas Mansen for a little discount on this one.

Score: 87+

6) Glenglassaugh 1978 for Villa Konthor, 32 y.o., 46,2%

This I could try at the Whisky Agency stand, it was bottled for Villa Konthor (which we inaugurated in its basement with a memorable Slowdrink.de-Event!). A well-made Glenglassaugh, but not as magic as others from that time, rather fruit-driven with malty and woody sidekicks. But this is nit-picking: undoubtledly great whisky.

Score: 89+

7) Glen Grant 1972 MoS, 38 y.o., Sherry Hogshead Nr. 8235, 148 btl., 48,2%

Despite a different cask type, it resembles the style of the 1969 Lonach from my tasting (see article about Biberach tasting), which was also 38 y.o. – this one is a bit more fragile and not as strong on the mid-palate, but the complexity is just as great. Mature whisky of a fine distillery.

Score: 90-

8) Laphroaig 1996 – 2010, ‚Rolf’s No. 2‘, 14 y.o., matured in Bourbon Cask, finished in ex-Springbank Sherry Bloodtub, 66 btl., 58%

Last but not least, my favourite find of the day: this Laphroaig has been finished in an Ex-Spingbank Sherry Bloodtub which Rolf had bottled before as his ‚No. 1‘ (89/100). It has all the elements of a powerful Laphroaig plus another dimension given by the Sherry, perfectly integrated and without the blue-cheese that often goes with it in sherried Laphroaigs. Great balance, secondary and tertiary aromas have developed, rendering a wonderful maturity – therefore it is high quality stuff and dangerously drinkable! It somehow is bigger than other Laffis from that time. Mmmmmh. I could convince Rolf to sell me bottle 6/66

Score: 91-