Speyside Region (probably Glenfarclas) 17 y.o., Archives ‚The Fishes of Samoa‘ 1995 – 2012, Butt #56, 54 btl., 48,2%

Very regional Speyside indeed, a malty and flowery profile out of a Bourbon cask. Some nuts, vanilla, honeycomb, aniseed and dried fruits in the second row, later becoming more tropical (mango, pineapple), beachy (I know, this word doesn’t exist, but it works for me here) and milky. Very well-balanced and classic, quite a quaffer. A little water doesn’t change a lot, but more H2O creates a soft dram with even more complexity and ferns like a Bowmore occassionally: amazing, try it. 89 points.

Tormore 29 y.o. Archives ‚The Fishes of Samoa‘ 1984 – 2013, Barrel 3669, 90 btl., 51,0%

Big exotic fruitiness (all kinds, mostly oranges, pink grapefruits, pineapple, Guava, Bergamot), vanilla, pepper, canned milk, dried moss, a trace of ginger, Blue Mountain coffee, lilac and white oak – all that seemingly older, quite bold. The palate is much oakier than expected, with spice, chili, ginger and fruit in a fight, like a hot Caribbean dish. Water improves the balance and pushes the dram closer to its outstanding olfactory profile. 87+ points.

Bunnahabhain 40 y.o. Archives ‚The Fishes of Samoa’1973 – 2013, Butt 3463, 156 btl., 50,6%

Banana-Rum (Arcane)! Huge sweetness, vanilla, citrus fruit attack, passion fruit, yellow X-mas candles, flower honey, discrete oak and salt, really high class. On the palate, the banana is still huge and the immense fruit oils are accompanied by some linseed and soap (puts me off a bit). Almost no aok after 40 years. This one is a stunner – only the soapy touch is not for me, others might not even taste it, so my score might be too low – it could have been a 92 without it. 89+ points.

Don’t mess with me!

Glenrothes 18 y.o. The Maltman, Bourbon Cask, 50,8%

Grilled marshmallow and a lot of Bourbon cask influence right away (white oak, vanilla, fudge) with heather, honeycomb, pineapple, melon, apricot ice cream, pistachio and just a hint of smoke in the nose. The oakiness with bitter elements dominates the taste and is a bit closed at first. Water really opens up this dram and unlocks the complexity and aromas of the nose. Medium length finish on this classic mature Bourbon cask Speysider. 86 points.

Mortlach 22 y.o. The Maltman, Bourbon Cask, 46%

The first reminiscence one gets is thick smoke when a good steak is turned on the grill. This meaty and smoky base is accompanied by Italian herbs (mainly rosemary, sage and thyme, but also bay leaf), peaches, dried fruits, sandal wood, earth, milk, caramel and vanilla. Barrel-fermented Chardonnay might work as a wine comparison. Wow, this tastes as good as it noses, really well-balanced with all aromas dancing on a small pin of a needle. The smoke delivers such a perfect counterpart to the other aromas. A more-ish dram with a long finish. High class. 90 points.

Isle of Arran 16 y.o. The Maltman, Oloroso Sherry Cask, 46%

Dark cake with loads of different cherries, which come from the Oloroso cask. Maraschino, Amarena ice sauce from Italy, morello jam, you name it. A nice spiciness (salt, pepper, curry, Asian aromas), darker bread dough, raisins, summer flowers, and more without anything dominating (aside from the cherries in the first row). It tastes spicy and full of life with tingles. One of my favourite Arrans from a great sherry cask that doesn’t change distillery character too much. Kudos! 89 points.

Cask Sample: Ledaig 7 y.o. The Maltman (Bourbon Cask)

For years now, I have been introducing Ledaig to my friends as a wonderful dram with peaty qualities that doesn’t need to hide from any South Coast Islay whisky. My collection of 1972s can show the capacityin taste, and the 2005 is such a great distillate as well. That’s why we chose to bottle a Ledaig 2005 as our club bottling (soon tho be released, only a matter of weeks). This one, still a cask sample from the same time, makes no difference. Already great, but needs to mature for three more years or so. Love it already (89-91 points)!

P.S.: Between sample sets, there was a Springbank 17 y.o. (dark vatting) which I strongly recommend (90+ points) if you can find it (there are still some around). As it tastes a lot like the old sherried stuff (green thistle release, etc.), it is a real bargain for  around 115.- Euro at cask strength.

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Bladnoch 21 y.o. The Whiskyman & The Bonding Dram 1991 – 2012, Bourbon barrel, 118 btl., 52,9%

Comment: Vanilla and white peach lead the way, pretty expressive right from the start with some freshly cut grass  and lemon zest lurking in the background plus the white oak being there in medium intensity. I also get white pepper and spinach. Well balanced in the nose and on the palate, which displays a typical Bourbon wood-maturation profile with loads of toffee, peaches, pear drops and vanilla again, all that rather unrestrained. Water sends the dram in a bitter and greener direction, I prefer it straight. The finish is oakier than expected but clearly within limits. A fun Lowlander, no doubt (and thanks, Jeroen).

Score: 87

Springbank 17 y.o. The Maltman (Meadowside Blending), Sherry cask, 46%

Comment: Unusual first whiffs that remind me of a pile of wood in the forest on a summer day. Pine needles, fir trees, and really dark chocolate, strange but in a good and different way. Cured ham, salt and mustard seed join the winey traces of the sherry cask in this dram. This one really needs time to unfold: after 10 minutes, I can detect peaches, maritime freshness and some spices but all that behind the forest motif. Does the walk in the woods continue on the palate? Yes and no, this is quite earthy (a slight peatiness surpised me) and noble on dark mahogani wood notes, mushrooms, excellent sherry, Culatello ham and discrete hints of various fruits in the background, really old-fashioned and lovely! The finish is long and shows the same balance and aromas mentioned but adds burnt wood. This is not your common dram, it brings back memories of a trip to the woods with your grandfather, probably a real gentleman of his time. Not for everyone, but for those who love to explore whisky variation. It grows on you, great pick!

Score: 89+

Ardbeg 12 y.o. SMWS 33.114 (Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Sweet versus Savoury) 1999 – 2011, refill sherry butt, 630 btl., 56,3%

Comment: A very spicy start with quite some eucalypt/agave/menthol aromas going on alongside the peat, brine, roots, herbs and some chalky oak. In second row I find the more typical notes of cocoa dust, tire store, Arabica beans and very discrete sherry. The taste is more typical of a classic Ardbeg than the nose would suggest, simply good. No water needed, but it swims well. Great iodine and matchstick sulphur in the very long finish. Daddy like !

Score: 88

Port Charlotte 9 y.o. SMWS 127.18 (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) 2002 – 2012, refill Bourbon barrel, 66,1%

Comment: Rhum agricole with peat, what a start! Like a lovely flower bouquet handed to you inside a peat-smoked kiln. Without water it plays it close to the chest. Menthol, camomile, iodine, charcoal, that’s about it in the nose and on the palate. Let’s add water: It unfolds now on smoke, barley sugar, roots, heather, apple skin, salt, sea spray, nettles, resin, chalk and oak. A wild ride around the ash tray altogether, I’d say. The whisky seems younger than other PCs from that era somehow.

Score: 87

Laphroaig 10 y.o. SMWS 29.108 (Scotch Malt Whisky Society – An Angel in a Sauna wearing Wellies) 2001 – 2011, refill Bourbon Hogshead, 28z btl., 56,8%

Comment: Although the angel and the sauna part in the titleof this bottling is bull – I can really smell the wellies (accompanied by peat and green stuff like herbs and celp). A great Laphroaig with loads of personality. Nothing fancy, just a great Southcoast Islay dram that needs no explanation. An ideal ‚for-the-road‘ whisky at the end of your tasting session that puts a smile on everybody’s face and guides them home with the warmth of a peat fire. No water necessary. Kudos!

Score: 90

Laphroaig 17 y.o. The Whisky Agency ‚Fights‘ 1995 – 2012, Bourbon barrel, 253 btl., 53,9%

The Whisky Agency's new series 'Fights'

Comment: Wonderful start with a great integration of all Laphroaigs elements. I am getting vanilla, white oak, herbs, nettles, peat, brine, iodine, rusty fish trawler smells, ropes, pepper, old Golden Delicious apples, softly boiled potatoes with butter on top, lemon dash and grapefruit. Wow! On the palate it delivers as well, I adore how it is wild and mild at the same time. My beloved flintstone and matchstick sulphur shows up in the long peaty finish with chalky oak and some vanilla traces. No water necessary, but it can swim. Kudos, I really like this dram (having a weak spot for Laphroaig anyway).

Score: 90

Bunnahabhain 21 y.o. Single Cask Collection 02.12.1991 – 2012, Bourbon Hogshead 5468, 49,1%

Comment: Great and typical start with salty notes and maritime freshness, well-balanced with a good malt-cask-ratio that renders quite some complexity. There is a sweet and fruity base (caramelized fruits like peaches, pineapple, orange zests and such, toffee, marshmallows, honey) underneath this oceanic beauty paired with a typical charcoaled white-oak influence, heather, elderflower, tinned condensed milk and some almonds. I can also smell traces of peat. On the palate it shows a malty and tannic back at first, then it plays the maritime card with discrete peatiness. Without water it stays a bit shut down, but H2O (recommended) brings back the multitude of aromas it had in the nose and makes the hard shell smooth. The medium-length finish leaves you with the wish for another glass – good Bunnie again, but not a loud dram in your face, rather subtle and austere. At a price point of 69.- Euros, this is good value and pairs amazingly with shrimp or lobster.

Score: 89

Bunnahabhain 43 y.o. The Whisky Agency ‚Sea Life‘ 1968 – 2012, refill sherry butt, 498 btl., 47,0%

Comment: Excellent right from the start! It posesses a hugely fruity nose (this tropical and sour fruitiness I adore – passion fruit, melon, guava, grapefruit, kiwi, etc.) with maritime elements in the background and quite a combo of caramel and vanilla. A cookie-like and rather discrete oakiness is kept at bay by the ever-present fruits and whiffs of coconuts, almonds, late-harvest Riesling, heather honey, marshmallows and spring flowers. A really complex dram yet easy to like. On the palate it has more power and spice than one would expect, somehow not as well integrated as its nose – so let’s add water: yes, that was the key, now the beautiful aroma is translated all the way into the finish. A wonderful oldie, absolutely worth the 225.- Euro.

Score: 90-

Bunnahabhain 21 y.o. Archives 12.1990 – 03.2012, fresh sherry cask #14, 62 btl., 52,3%

Comment: This one is clearly sherried and comes from a good cask. Aside from the salt and parma ham, I am getting notes of morello cherries, plums, raisins and marzipan – yep, Christmas cake-like. Pepper and beef jerky complete the nose. On the palate it is less complex and the raisins and the marzipan take the lead along with wet dark wood planks. Then the dram turns dry towards a sherry- and cherry-laden finish. Water brings out even more raisins (some love that), which dominate the finale. The other aromas are there but more in the background. Very drinkable and suitable as a X-mas dram for sure.

Score: 88

Bunnahabhain 21 y.o. TheWhiskyCask 1990 – 2012, sherry butt, 54,0%

Comment: At first nosing, this darker Bunnie is very similar to the Archive bottling above but it is a bit more closed and dry, spicier (pepper, chili), less fruity overall. Prunes and plums, freshly ground Sicilian coffee, dark chocolate filled with cherry schnaps (Mon Cheri), Vintage Port wine and dark wood are the main elements. In the mouth it is even closer to its sibling from above, but it is more restrained with bigger coffee notes and a drier finish. Water helps a lot here and makes it much more enjoyable and complex. For sherry-heads, though.

Score: 88

Caol Ila 30 y.o. Archives 1982 – 2012, Bourbon Hogshead 758, 207 btl., 51,2%

Comment: Unusually fruity at first whiff but still with the typical peaty DNA of Caol Ila or even the one of older medicinical Islay drams like Ardbeg (indeed) but only for seconds. This amazing stuff turns towards mineral austerity after a while and then displays fruit again – a tightrope dancer with impeccable balance between these worlds. I am getting lemon zest, salt, olive oil, tarry tires, chalky and discrete oak, minty freshness, tropical fruits (peaches, pineapple, banana), herbs for soups and only a little juniper. This is mature Islay whisky for the connoisseur of elegant drams. No water needed.

Score: 90+

Caol Ila 28 y.o. The Whisky Agency ‚Sea Life‘ 1984 – 2012, ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 254 btl., 53,5%

Comment: Same basic maritime style minus the fruitiness of above’s bottling, yet wonderfully austere and mineral again with a touch of lemon zest. This is spicier and more Talisker-esque, dare I say. The peat layer is thin and and very elegant but develops some grip on the palate. Chalky oak again, tar, burning embers and juniper combine in great balance with wonderful of sea salt on the palate. Great choice.

Score: 89

Caol Ila 21 y.o. TheWhiskyCask 1990 – 2012, Bourbon Cask, 55%

Comment: This one is different, a farmyardy and herbal peater with quite some spice (white pepper, coriander, a little cinnamon), altogether the most typical of the three (white pepper,olive oil, juniper, lemon chicken, suede leather) – and it is notably younger and a little less balanced, but has more power and oak. The dry attack with some sulphury moments is best tamed with some drops of water.

Score: 86

On Friday, a 1993 even won the tasting in Landshut: It was Andrea Caminneci’s C&S Dram at 18 years and 51,4% (90+ points for me). So let’s see if this version can keep up:

Glen Keith 19 y.o Whisky-Fässle „Duck Edition“ 10.1992 – 07.2012, Bourbon Cask, 49,1%

Comment: The first whiff already tells a novel – another great Glen Keith that could be a poster child for how Bourbon casks should influence a spirit, a quality being typical of Glen Keith. Loads of vanilla, dried fruits (pineapple!) and white oak (plus the spices going with that) followed by natural caramel, flowers (pollen), honey, mango, melon, pear, orange, Sauvignon blanc (gooseberries) and a slight hint of cloves – all this is well-balanced. The taste doesn’t let you down either and the oakiness is just as loud as necessary. Fruit oils caress the tongue and even some coconut can be found. The long and tasty finish makes you want to pair this bottling with a creme brulee or stuff like that. A dash of water brings out even more fruit. A malt also for Bourbon lovers. Kudos, Jens! Hurry up to get a bottle, guys …

Score: 90

To warm up for this event, let’s have a dram from the local Swabian bottler Whisky-Fässle:

Tomintoul 44 y.o. Whisky-Fässle ‚Duck Edition‘ 1968 – 2012, Bourbon Hogshead, 45,5%

Comment: A great tropical fruit basket on the sour, flowery-light and fresh side with just the right amount of white oak despite 44 years of age. Just to name a few aromas, I am getting passion fruit, mango guave, green banana, pineapple, lime, a pinch of white pepper, vanilla cream, acacia honey, malt, candyfloss and macadamia nuts. All that is well-balanced, and it is not another banana-boat. It tastes wonderful, I must say, starting lightly but then building up more and more (with all these beautiful scents mentioned). A little malty, oaky and spicy grip after swallowing ends the growth period and leads into a vanilla-toffee and oak-laden finish with the fruits hovering around. Long echo! A drop of water levels out the bite if you want to have it super-smooth. A great oldie all the way.

Score: 90+

Littlemill 20 y.o. Liquid Library (The Whisky Agency) 1992 – 2012 Bourbon Hogshead, 313 btl., 51,6%

Comment: Nice one again, aahhh, wonderful freshness and amazing complexity! I am getting green grass, spinach, pine needle, vanilla, fudge toffee, sweet malt, thyme and rosemary, cinnamon, cilantro, cardamom, pepper, ginger ale, smoke, wet earth, nutty elements, pineapple, maraschino cherries and plums. It tastes very fruity and vanilla-toffee-like, berries, malt, spice and grass join in. The finish brings back all aromas of the nose in soft waves. Kudos, one of the best Bourbon cask Littlemill from those years up to date, i.m.h.o.!

Score: 90

Littlemill 22 y.o. Malts of Scotland MoS 28.03.1989 – 05.2011, sherry butt 2511, 325 btl., 52,8%

Comment: Smokier, slightly darker, sherried and spicier than its predecessor. Surprisingly rummy as well but overall the same fresh profile (rosemary, thyme, pine needle, maraschino sherry, pineapple, plums, cinnamon, cardamom, smoke). The taste is on the herbal side and displays a dark woodiness of the fine kind – there must have been great sherry casks used at Littlemill back in the late 1980ies. The depth of the finish is breathtaking. High quality!

Score: 91

Littlemill 23 y.o. TheWhiskyCask 1988 – 2012, first-fill sherry butt, 54,9%

Comment: Way darker stuff! It possesses beautiful aromas of old sherry casks in this noble style – like early 1970 Bowmore wood, I daresay, clearly there but unobtrusive. This one adds cigar and humidor notes to the earthy smokiness, very close to the excellent 1989 sherry cask releases by Archives and Whisky-Fässle (check their tasting notes here on the page by following the link above). Great balance, too, amazing! The taste has dry moments and the other features of such casks while bringing the usual qualities to the table as well, just a darker style that dampens the profile a bit overall.

Score: 90+

Bonus:

Littlemill 22 y.o. Liquid Library (The Whisky Agency) 1989 – 2011, sherry wood, 221 btl., 48,3%

Comment: A bit thinner and more fragile than the bottlings before but a great Littlemill nonetheless. Like the smoother and softer brother of the MoS release.

Score: 89

No words make sense here: R.I.P. Tommy

Springbank 13 y.o. OB Pot Still Edition 1997, Sherry Hogshead #296, 216 btl., 57,1%

Comment: This departs from the recent austere style, it is lush and full of dark cooked fruits, but the sherry is a bit too intense and monodimensional in here to be a great one – the saltiness saves it. Altogether, a good dram for lovers of very sherried drams (thanks, Reinhard).

Score: 88

Springbank 14 y.o. OB Jazz Edition (selected by Hans Offringa) bottled 2010, Cream Sherry Butt, 600 btl., 56%

Comment: A raisin-driven and spicy (peppery) dram with quite some power. I also get a good maltiness wrapped in honey and salt. Decent, but not a must-have, recommended with water.

Score: 84

Port Charlotte 9 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 127.15 ‚A jostling jingle-bag‘ 21.06.2002 – 2011, refill barrel, 256 btl., 65,9%

Comment: The ashtray itself, really, that is what it reminds me of at the first whiff. Ash and burnt tobacco rise from the glass with some sweet maltiness and peat embers in the back. Kippers, oysters, you name it. Very coastal, but a bit closed without water. It also tastes ashtray-like, way to hot, it has enormous teeth! Let’s tame it with H2O, lots of: Now we’re talking. Hints of caramel, mossy earth, lemon zest, Grand Marnier, heather, iron powder (like a nail), green banana skin and glue widen the range of aromas in this PC after dilution. It also tastes much better now and the finish is longer and more complex, it shifts into an Ardbeg-like direction (iodine, chocolate, etc.), the finish becomes quite amazing ind seductive, surprisingly. Still more on the brutal side and less refined though. Water is essential here, the key to unlock it. I would have called this dram ’nail in the ashtray‘. Not bad but there are much better versions out there.

Score: 86

Ardbeg 5 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 33.112 ‚Powerful, elegant and atmospheric‘ 20.12.2005 – 2011, 2nd-fill sherry butt, 252 btl., 60,8%

Comment: It doesn’t smell that young, quite a surpise. A rather typical Ardbeg on the mineral, green and farmyardy side again with nice citrus and Granny Smith apple notes. The peat, resin, smoke, burnt tires on hot tar, sulphur, iodine, discrete chalky oak from those refilled sherry casks (that go perfect with Ardbeg i.m.h.o.), mustard seed, chocolate, spinach and jet fuel aromas have some acidity to them. I am also getting sandy pebbles on the beach. Rather complex for such a youngster, not at all an alcohol-driven nose. The palate is a powerhouse, really punchy without being spicy or unpolished, no offnote here! What an Ardbeg! A monster without being rough. Long finish with big iodine, tires and soot! I used to say that Ardbeg takes some time to unfold, but this dram seems to be an exception. Impressive and very South Coast Islay. Water is not necessary but makes it more accessible to some fainter hearted natures.

Score: 90+

Ardbeg 11 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 33.115 ‚Man, that’s braw!‘ 31.08.1999 – 09.2011, refill sherry butt, 578 btl., 55,4%

Comment: This is less powerful and dryer than the 5 y.o. contender because the refill sherry cask has done a good  ‚rounding-off the edges-job‘ without being very obvious or sweet (unobtrusive in background) – a rather inactive cask like the one above has been used, but over 100% more time of ageing took place. There are nice white pepper and chili notes, eucalypt, nettles, pu-erh tea, plums, prunes, apples, peat, chalky oak, iodine, aromatic smoke and sulphur. Asian spices and chocolate join in on the palate with sherry traces and green tea – later plums and the peat-sulphur-iodine-combo. If the 112 is the mineral and fresh Riesling from Rheinhessen, this one is your typical Barossa Shiraz (in wine analogy terms speaking). I prefer the Riesling this time.

Score: 89

Littlemill 22 y.o. The Whisky Agency ‚Sea Life‘ 1990 – 2012, refill sherry butt, 719 btl., 52,2%

New Whisky Agency Bottlings (Sea Life and more)

Comment: Cookie-like (sweet malt) and very complex. All kinds of fruit (also maraschino cherry), green elements (fresh grass, herbs), huge vanilla notes, natural caramel, almonds, quite some coconut, cinnamon, white oak, dry earth and a little peat, all well mixed. The palate is just as fine as the nose with impeccable balance. Sour fruitiness with some berries (cassis), coconut, apple crumble with vanilla sauce, ginger, lemon zest in medium weight show up as well. The fruits get bigger in the finish (hello pineapple), wrapped in gentle peat and oak. It makes you want another glass. Adorable, just like a cookie-coconut dessert!

Score: 89+

Littlemill 21 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 97.21 ‚Laurel, meadowsweet and honeysuckle‘, 07.03.1990 – 2011, first-fill barrel, 217 btl., 54,7%

Comment: Fruity (pears, cherry, plum, passion fruit) and oaky at first with this amazingly sweet malt note like Macallan (sorry for repeating this, the maltiness is just very similar). There also is vanilla, cookie and caramel, but less intense than in the Sea Life release due to louder wood. In addition I am getting cocnut and hazelnut, cinnamon, grass and peat, so the two Lowlanders are not far from each other. On the palate it reveals the Littlemill fruit and grass charm with slightly more wood than usual, somehow it is sweet n‘ sour and oozes beautiful Indian spices. It finishes just like that with the oak in domination. That is its weakness, but on a high level.

Score: 86+

Where the FUCK are my cookies?

I loved the ‚Cowboy’s Campfire Dram‘ release (SMWS 29.102), an amazing Laphroaig. Let’s see how these two compare in a head-to-head:

Laphroaig 12 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 29.105, ‚Massive and volcanic‘, 25.3.1999 – 8.2011, Refill Sherry Butt, 619 btl., 59,6%

Comment: Typical, very dirty, peaty and maritime with a green herbal touch, hot ash, slight mint aromas, much salt and pepper, mustard seed and a very discrete sherry influence. The power on the palate is enormous, what an explosion of peat and spice with heavy oily aromas, untamed Islay to the core, then my beloved matchstick sulphur and soot set in for good and the dram ends on these notes – smoother than expected – but still monstrous. I like it without water for its punchiness, but water makes it very well rounded and accessible. Try for yourself.

Score: 90

Laphroaig 20 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 29.104, ‚Not for wee boys‘, 12.10.1990 – 2011, refill sherry butt, 584 btl., 58,2%

Comment: Something went wrong with this cask, a bit of fungi, rubber and rotten sherry cover and dull down the usual Laphroaig features, but there also are nice aromas of ginger bread, curry and forest floor (Ben Nevis-like). Chocolate, sauerkraut and bacon add to the mix, a really unusual one. I am not yet decided. The taste is a bit more Laphroaig now (spicier than nose) but still in the same camp, quite sweet, then heavy peat smoke, the finish finally displays South coastal Islay features in a more typical way (soot, sulphur, peat, iodine). Worth a try, yet uncommon. No water needed.

Score: 86

To celebrate this I am going to publish this review from a session with fellow Maniac Keith Wood. We also featured the Ronnie Routledge bottle on our stands at fairs recently where people loved it. Here is why:

Glenglassaugh 35 y.o. OB The Chosen Few No. 1 – Ronnie Routledge, May 1976 – 2011, Sherry Butt, 654 btl., 49,6%

Comment: What a fruit basket, mostly on passion fruit, pineapple, plum and huge apricot jam notes, slightly cristalline and very clean. The complexity is amazing. We also found vanilla, natural caramel, elderflower, violets, lilacs, grass, herbs, candyfloss, honey, a hint of licorice and the smell of rising pretzel and dark bread dough in the oven. On the palate it turns more herbal and posesses way more bite than expected (a peppery influence) without ever losing the big dextrose fruitiness. The finish reveals frothed milk, malt, oatmeal, Vermouth and soft echoes of the passion fruit and apricot. The oak is always very discrete. Who wouldn’t ask for a second sip of this nectar? To put it in a nutshell, this is another stunning single cask from Portsoy in a style of days gone by – and slightly different from the others I had so far. If you want to compare, click here and here and here.

Score: 90

P.S.: A friend of mine was so kind to provide me with an unreleased sip af a 1967 Glassa from a sherry cask. It blew me away, 92 points. The only downside to this dram was that is turned a bit dry but aside from that it was merely perfect on dark and even some brighter cristalline and cooked fruits (many maraschino cherries), coffee and chocolate, broodingly powerful. Forgive me that I am predictable here, but these profiles of secondary and tertiary aromas with high complexity and clean character are right down my alley. Kudos, Glenglassaugh!

Glenfarclas 2001 – 2011 OB ‚The Family Casks‘ for Potstill (Vienna), first-fill Sherry Cask 2819, 318 btl., 60,1%

Comment: To put it short and sweet, this Farclas has a classic dark sherry profile with morello cherries and jam, ginger bread, dark chocolate, dark wet wood, mahogani, caramel and a hint of aniseed (typical of Glenfarclas), all well-balanced and powerful. A recommendation for you Sherry-heads out there!

Score: 90

Glen Spey 35 y.o. Maltbarn 1977 – 2012, Bourbon Barrel, 124 btl., 52,4%

Comment: Hello big big vanilla, it is also nice to meet your friend from white oak country (sorry for that, this smell caught me by surprise). These main aromas already reveal that it is a huge Glen Spey. Nutty components (coconut oil, almonds, salted peanuts and green walnut), quite some toffee caramel, white chocolate and a pleasant fruitiness (peaches, oranges, lemon zest, pear) join the mix and all have their say. Behind that I find only traces of the expected licorice and grass – and some flowery aromas, white pepper, hints of cinnamon and dry malt. Some time is recommended for this nose because the elements behind the big vanilla-toffee-nut-combo are less obvious. The taste is departing a bit from the olfactory analysis (not completely, but really noticeable) – I expected huge creamy and vanilla-laden oiliness but the whisky actually bears more malt, grass, licorice, honey and wood with tingling spice, a bit green and bitter – as I remember these distillates. The newer palatal tastes dominate now, strange but interesting: two malts in one. The fruit comes through after some seconds until the oak eats it up. Aniseed and herbs complete it. Acceptable balance altogether. The finish is very long on warm oak, nuts, green notes (all kinds),  fruit echoes and consists of 2/3 of the palate and 1/3 of the nose, I’d say. One of the good Glen Speys, congrats Martin, good pick.

Score: 88

Spirit Hunter: Simon Thompson

White wines from Ugni blanc and Colombar varietals from the Bordeaux region are first double distilled (“à repasse”) in traditional copper pot-stills and then set down to mature in oak casks, only to be woken from a deep slumber – like a sleeping beauty – by a subject of Her Royal Majesty, who has fallen in love with this absolutely unique elixir from Bordeaux. Inspired by the region’s wine making craftsmanship and rich history, resolutely contemporary, the Thompson’s® range offers uniquely selected “eaux-de-vie”, exclusively from the Bordeaux region. The shared history between Bordeaux, Aquitaine and England is long and rich. The discovery of this forgotten treasure will add a new page to that special relationship.

As I love a good brandy, I am curious to try these rare distillates. Only a few hundred bottles of the 25 and 30 year old versions exist. Find out more about them here. Simon Thompson wants to become an established producer in Bordeaux. But can his distillates become rivals for cognacs. Unique, they are! To answer that, let’s try all three currently available versions:

Thompson’s Single Distillery Finest French Grape Brandy, 40%

Comment: On paper, this is not the real deal yet (hence the name) because it is only married with a little Fine Bordeaux A.O.R. However, I am positively surpised. The mixing seems to enhance complexity and the Limousin oak did a good job. The lead notes are hay, straw, dried flowers (geranium)

Union Jack Version

and licorice, which don’t immediately become associated with brandy. In fact, it is a bit whisky-like at first nosing, somehow between the worlds. I am also getting vanilla, soft peppery spice, raisins, green grapes, crystallized oranges, lemons and pineapples. On the palate it clearly presents itself as a grape distillate in a very gentle, light and slightly creamy style. The vanilla and the brighter fruits get bolder and are well in tune with the licorice and hay. This youngest version also finishes like it tastes, a real smooth and light sipper of good quality.

Score: 86

Thompson’s Fine Bordeaux 25 y.o. A.O.R. Single Distillery, Very Limited Edition, 40%

Comment: This brandy actually is 26 years old and way heavier and deeper in style than its predecessor, also more typical. Wonderful aromas of tobacco and soft smoke from fine cigars in cedar wood caress the nose as well as some rancio, marzipan and vanilla. Intriguing Indian restaurant smells join in (sandalwood sticks, Tandoori, Ghee butter, curry), very interesting. There also are raisins, prunes, dates, cherries in chocolate, ginger bread, dough, lemon grass, crystallized citrus fruits, pineapple and a whiff espresso to be found in this complex combo. This complexity translates into the palate and the long finish in a full and slightly creamy style that bears gentle smoothness. The raisins take center stage without going overboard. This is better than many cognacs of the same price category. Recommendation!

Score: 89+

Thompson’s Fine Bordeaux 30 y.o. A.O.R. Single Distillery, Very Limited Edition, 40%

Comment: Here comes the ‚headliner‘, actually being 33 years of age. And how those seven more years in Limousin oak make a difference! There is so much going on in this Fine Bordeaux, amazing. A wonderfully balanced nose without any edges and a depth that displays perfect maturity that reminds me of an old Demerara Rum or a heavily sherried Speyside whisky (Glenfarclas) in its thirties but with still enough trademark brandy features. It is sweeter and darker than the 25. This kind of complexity leaves me speechless: Muscovado sugar molasses, lit cigar, humidor, cedar wood, chocolate-covered coffee beans (mocca), vanilla pod, mahogani, sandal wood, marzipan, old balsamico vinegar, fresh dough, ginger bread, soft smoke, flowerpot earth, geranium, malt beer, walnut liqueur and many fruity elements (dried apricots, prunes with a Hoisin Sauce touch, dates, red grapes and raisins, crystallized oranges and lemon skin) and what not – I kid you not, it’s all there! This elixir from Bordeaux coats the tongue and mouth in fat and creamy fashion and finishes at medium length. Utter bliss. Imagine this dram in cask strength. It would easily rival great cognacs. A ‚must-have‘ at a price point below 100.- Euro.

Score: 92

P.S.: I kept this article back to celebrate the first birthday of this blog (not the page) – which is today :)! Thanks for reading, everyone. Here’s to many more years!

Highland Park 10 y.o. G&M Reserve, 15. June 1995 – 1. May 2006, Refill Sherry Hogshead 1329, 307 btl., 57,9%

Comment: Great maritime freshness and discrete sherry, also herbal (thyme, minty menthol) and softly smoky. There also are aromas of cole slaw, heather and turkish delight in the well-balanced mix. Some tasters found traces of ‚Gletscher Eis‘ drops, an old German sweet with the so called freshness of a glacier. Mmmh. Isn’t it lovely how whisky aromas conjure up childhood memories. On the palate there is a lot of natural caramel in company with the already mentioned notes. A long finish, really an allrounder with so much going on, Scotland in a glass. I just bought another bottle for 59.- Euro a month ago.

Score: 91–

The ‚distillery only-bottlings‘ can be real stunners (I had great Glengoyne, Laddie and Glendronach) but some were only specially selected by name, not by taste. Let’s see how this new Balblair compares.

Balblair OB 1992 bottled 30.4.2012 (Hand Bottling, Distillery only), Cask 2990, 60,9%

Comment: This is a spicy and fruity endeavour. I am getting apples, apricots, pears, white pepper, aromatic smoke, a hint of vanilla and rather big oakiness. On the palate it is too sharp for my taste. I also find a spicy bitterness from the wood and the typical Highland maltiness. This dram needs water, which releases more fruit and gets a creaminess going. However, still a lot of oak though. It finishes at medium-length on vanilla, apple, apricot and licorice. For lovers of oaky and malty drams and Highland austerity, only.

Score: 81

Glen Garioch 36 y.o. Douglas Laing Platinum Selection 1967 – 2003, 132 btl., 55,5%

Comment: Definitely a classic in a timeless style. Leather, earthy smoke, spices (also ginger) and glue, honey, dark wood, morello cherries and peaches caress the nose. On the palate, it is a real powerhouse with bright and dark elements in one (which I love). The spiciness bites but there also is a great maltiness. Aditionally, armchair seat aromas emerge. A tiny drop of water helps this dram to become creamier, rounder and more accessible overall – but avoid more H2O as it also evokes soapy elements (not uncommon in 1960 Gariochs). The finish is long and warming on spices, malt, leather, mahogani and pralines. A heavy old malt with distinction.

Score: 90

Tomintoul 33 y.o. OB 43%

Comment: Welcome to the flowershop! Pollen! Hay, mint and grass! This is nice if this is your style. It is very light and fragile. Our tasting panel also got acacia honey, rising dough (pretzels), dextrose, star fruit, quince and the obligatory banana (green in this case). This soft character continues on the palate, a very flowery experience. Light but complex, I must say. The finish of this Speysider is more on the short side on licorice and – you got it – dried flowers. Gentle it is!

Score: 88

Teaninich 28 y.o. The First Editions 1982 – 2011, Cask ES 004/01, 49,5%

Comment: Indeed an autumnal fruit basket (green apples, peaches and peach liqueur, plums and a hint of banana) with vanilla, toffee (from a Mars bar, unfried that is ;)) and oaky aromas plus green tea, mint, macadamia, hazelnut straw and big spicy elements (white pepper). Fruit and oak also dominate the palate at first, then vanilla takes over. The spice is big but still within borders. Water helps a lot here as it softens the oakiness and creates a pleasant oiliness. The finish reverberates the mentioned aromas and adds honey, linseed oil, sweet maltiness and Werther’s Originals-toffee. I wouldn’t call this a typical austere Highland Malt but a quite typical Teaninich – and a good one, by the way.

Score: 87+

Ledaig 7 y.o. Archives 2004 – 2012, Hogshead 90009, 302 btl., 61,9%

Comment: Ok, this is complex for its age, the lead aromas are peat, farmyard (compost pile), iodine and mustard. In the second row there are tires, soot, salt and ferns detectable. I am also getting a little sulphur, the smoke of a beach bonfire, wet cowboy boots (leather), lemon juice, white beans, chalk, black pepper, cocoa and stinging nettle in the nose – all that is more clean than dirty. On the palate this Ledaig is greener than the nose had suggested, there are green malt, ferns, eucalypt, pistachio, green tea, mustard, mint and nettles in good balance. Then it becomes quite South Coast Islay leading into a long and satisfying finish on peat, iodine, tires, mustard, cocoa, a dash of lemon and some green stuff, altogether not totally unlike younger Ardbeg. I like this a lot. Recommendation!

Score: 90

Longmorn 19 y.o. Archives 10.1992 – 5.2012, Bourbon Cask 86607, 60 btl., 48,5%

Comment: Indeed summery. There are five main themes which are apricot (the fruit and a flavoured apricot tea), raw black tea, sugar-coated cookies, white oak (with vanilla) and coal. A nice sweetness, which is not only coming from the pastry but also from the malt, fits well with other fruits like apples, crystallized pineapples and lemons. All this is accompanied by some nutty elements, grass and spice (white pepper, chili, ginger). Good altogether, but not great yet. But hold on: On the palate, it really starts performing on a higher level with excellent balance. Slightly sweet, liqueurish and very fruity, all aromas wrapped in a vanilla-oak-combo and some nutty elements. The finish is likewise (which means pretty darn good). No water necessary. A good Longmorn for the second look.

Score: 88

Miltonduff 29 y.o. The First Editions 1982 – 2012, Cask ES 015/01, 47,8%

Comment: Aaah, very aromatic, enticing and well-integrated right from the start, also a bit unusual (which is a good thing). A gentle giant. This whisky displays its amazingly ripe tropical fruit (mainly tangerine, guava, grapefruit, but also some pineapple, peach and peach liqueur, crystallized orange, pear and a touch of coconut oil) in a refreshingly sour surrounding, adds toffee, marzipan, macadamia nuts, nettles, a hint of a black peppery spice and something to describe as a vanilla-strawberry-milkshake. The oak is very discrete for 29 years of age. On the palate it is slightly more oaky (but still unobtrusive) and as elegant as malt whisky can get. All elements mentioned are there in wonderful subtlety and translate into a long finish that leaves you wishing for another pour. I recommend drinking it without dilution but water doesn’t hurt the dram, it just doesn’t change it much. Great pick, Andrew, this is a recommendation!

Score: 91

Macallan 21 y.o. Malts of Scotland 24.01.1990 – 27.05.2011, MoS Fino Sherry Hogshead 1135, 51,5%

Comment: It starts with the typical Macallan balance, this is fab. I find this dram to be quite typical in other aspects too: We got a decent sweetness (from malt and a little from the sherry), crystallized oranges, cherry jam in chocolate-covered gingerbread (Christmas hearts), apple kirsch liqueur, ripe plums, apples, tobacco and a hint of smoke from earthy peat. All these aromas appear in good Macs regularly. In addition to that there are black pepper elements and caramelized lemon skins with a chemical touch. The palate is very smooth despite 51,5% abv. Great balance again and pretty similar to its nose with discrete oakiness. Water isn’t necessary but doesn’t hurt the dram either, but I couldn’t find improvement – so better leave it. The finish is lovely and long, full of gingerbread, cherry pie, sweet malt, chocolate and  Fino sherry. What’s not to like here? But never forget, taste is personal.

Score: 89+

Glenturret 34 y.o. Maltbarn 1977 – 2012, Bourbon Barrel, 249 btl., 48,4%

Comment: Big fruit and spicy oak at first, quite powerful, but this settles quickly. Also lots of vanilla cream, toffee, marzipan and roasted macadamia nuts. The fruit elements are passion fruit, apricot, white peach, strawberry, apple and pear. It also has something like Pina Colada in it, plus some green tea and honeysuckle. 34 years, ok, but the wood is a tad too dominant for me because it doesn’t allow the other aromas take center stage (water doesn’t change that). The first taste impression is Tequila-ish, then fruit, green walnut and big oak n‘ friends take over, all the way into the long finish, where vanilla, passion fruit and coconut reverberate.

Score: 86

Small Batch Gin from Balmenach

have enough Balmenach whisky yet to judge the overall quality fairly. This stuff is quite rare. Check here for another winner which has just been released months ago. By the way, Inver House also produce the Caorunn Gin there (recommendable).

Martin Diekmann, former fellow Malt Maniac unearthed this 1979 version. As he is in the independent bottler’s business now with his Maltbarn labels, he stepped down as an active Maniac. This tasting note is dedicated to him and his young family – he just got married in that very barn to be seen on the label below. Heartfelt congrats from all of us at slowdrink, Martin!

Balmenach 32 y.o. Maltbarn 1979 – 2012, Bourbon Barrel,  209 btl., 53,1%

Comment: High class nose with clean crystalline bright fruits, berries and a pleasant pepper note on the side, altogether very fresh, slightly mineral and acidic/sour. The pineapple-grapefruit-coconut-marzipan-vanilla combo plays a beautiful tropical Calypso tune (ok, I’ll cut the crap – it is really nice). Also lemon zest, mango, kiwi, pear drop and traces of moss, ferns, summer flowers (echinacea), elderflower, redcurrant, flour, green tea and late green herbs join the well-balanced bouquet. Give it time and you will be rewarded (it might turn opaque). I adore this massive complexity that, nevertheless, smells simply enjoyable and accessive without being all over the place: this is what makes good whisky great. Let’s hope it tastes like that: yes, it does! A Speyside heart and a tropical body (how would that be for a woman?) in perfect balance and within a slightly sour ‚milieu‘, no water necessary. Ginger and dried flowers add to the mix, they are now on par with the tropical elements and the damp mossy earth. The freshness and discrete pepper amaze me again and lead into a long finale full of tropical joy (never trite in this dram), toffee and vanilla. Lovely! Martin, please put two bottles aside for me, this is a great pick.

Score: 92

Tormore 16 y.o. Whisky-Doris 13.9.1995 – 1.11.2011, Bourbon Hogshead 20213, 132 btl., 53,4% (In memoriam Horst Manthée)

Comment: The nose consists of a fruit basket (pears, apples, oranges and orange zest, peaches, pineapple) and spices (ginger and chili) at first, then butter, some white oak with vanilla and caramel – plus a lot of ‚m‘ join in: marshmallows, malt, meadow (grassy), macadamia nuts and marzipan. On the palate this Tormore adds licorice and honey and needs quite some water to be tamed. A lot of grass now. The wood evocated a lot of spice, which you have to like. The fruit just shortly emerges, but in a fat marmelade style. It finishes in peppery spice, sawdust oak, malt and hints of sweet bright fruit. In summary, this is a very classic Speyside Malt with spicy white oak elements.

Score: 85

Laphroaig PX CASK OB, Travel Retail Exclusive, 100cl, 48%

Comment: Still noticeable Laphroaig but with way more cask influence (American oak, then Quarter Cask, finally PX). I can smell more Bourbon (a lot, actually) than Pedro Ximenez, which seems normal when you look at its maturation process, but both elements are there. American Laphroaig, so to speak, with juicy oak, vanilla, caramel and quite some ripe tropical fruit (pineapple, lemon, dried peach, even banana and coconut). The sherry cask brings dark fruit aromas as well (prunes, dates, sultanas) and has taken some of the edge Laphroaig usually has – it simply is softer yet fuller and less austere (dare I say ‚modern‘) and moseys between three worlds (Islay, Jerez and Kentucky). However, the oak is controlled and has not gone overboard. More in the back there are different kinds of nutty aromas, orange liqueur and Laphroaig’s typical peat, seaweed, tires, pepper, iodine and resin. On the palate it is peatier and more South Coast Islay than one could have suggested, which is good news to me. Quite rich, a bit sweeter than usual Laph and really well-balanced. Like in the bouquet it takes little leaps to Jerez and Bourbon Count(r)y, altogether in medium concentration and weight. This dram would also work as an introduction to the peat genre for newbies. The finish stays Hebridean mostly with matchstick sulphur, peat, chalk and iodine. A good addition to the range, subtle Islay summer, but not for purists and hardcore peaters.

Score: 89

Port Ellen Pe1, Elements of Islay (Specialty Drinks), bottled 2009, 50cl, 58,7%

Comment: This is really complex, deep and enticing with numerous elements that consist of dried malt, game, salt, some sherry influence, peat, sulphur, pepper, mustard seed, oily ropes, resin, pine needle, almonds, leather (suede), caramel-chocolate mix (e.g. Milka Daim), cocoa, balsamic vinegar, Italian herbs, Wellington boots, Havana tobacco smoke, lemon zest and discrete fruit (morello cherries, plums, raspberies, cooked apples). And all that jazz is finely tuned for a perfect balance. Whenever you pick up the glass it smells a bit different. Wow. On the palate is just as great, my kind of PE with that lovely soot, flinty sulphur and big peat in a discrete sherry environment – an Islay core that goes straight to your heart, gunpowder paradise. This is wild despite the sweeter cask influence. Smack my ass and call me Sally, this is darn good whisky, extra long finish, extra special.

It doesn’t surpise me that it has its own fan shirt. I’m a groupie myself, but they didn’t have my size.

Score: 93

The series of Port Ellen by The Whisky Exchange (Specialty Drinks)

Brora 32 y.o. OB Special Release 2011 (Annual Release No. 10), 1500 btl., 54,7%

Comment: Very austere, maritime and mineral, a typical old Brora, but a bit less farmyardy in the nose than usual. It almost strikes me as mild with notes of waxed apple, herbs, discrete vanilla, camphor, diesel and a put-out bonfire (coal smoke, soot ashes) on a stony beach with storm clouds rolling in. More on elegance than power altogether, so you have to be into austerity to go nuts for this one. This profile totally changes in the mouth, it literally explodes on the palate without becoming too sharp. This Brora just went from mild to wild while keeping a great balance. It now unfolds the breathtaking 1972-ish peat-soot-farmyard combo and also reminds me of the Talisker-esque bite (here on black pepper). There are some sweet milky-vanilla-licorice moments that get wiped out by the powerful elements in the finish. The traces of lemony fruits and leather can hold on though and counter the sooty ash and peat. A dram that screams for another glass. It is between the recent releases and a legendary 1972. No water is necessary but the Brora 32 can swim well. I am afraid this one will become very expensive in a few years.

Score: 92

Port Ellen 26 y.o. Three Rivers (Tokyo) 13.10.1982 – 17.08.2009, Sherry Butt 2473, 200 btl., 55,7%

Comment: Much rounder and sweeter than the LMDW version below due to a discrete but noticeable sherry cask influence. Stable and farmyard, tar, pine resin, loads of mustard seed and orange liqueur (lead notes here), salt, peat, diesel, aromatic smoke and an Asian spice combo. Close to perfect in its own way. On the palate it is wonderfully intense and complex. This one is full of life, spicy tones mingle with sweet ones (more sherryish in taste) at enormous depth, then the dirty PE characteristics kick in, and we start over again. This game goes on and on and leads into a great and extra-long finish. Excellent stuff! The tasters in the whisky tram (street car) agreed to this, it is an extra-special Port Ellen.

Score: 93

Port Ellen 25 y.o. Signatory for LMDW (La Maison du Whisky) ‚Collectors Edition, 1982 – 2007, Hogshead 1203, 255 btl., 55,7%

Comment: Clean and fresh, on the sharp and spicy side (white pepper, chili), resin, peat, mustard seed, chalk, lemon zest and very discrete fruit in the background. Nice clean maltiness paired with PEs complex distillery character, an intriguing couple which is clean and dirty at the same time. Just a little oak here. Very good and slightly Ardbeg-1970-like in parts, yet lighter. Nice nose, let’s check out how this slips down. The palate is also very structured and clear, simply straight and austere Port Ellen. This elegant dram finishes with some matchstick sulphur – it is never loud, a good company. If you are into austere PE, this is a must-have.

Thanks to Flo for the sample – it is the bottling he chose to open in celebration of the birth of his daughter. Welcome little Magdalena!

Score: 92

Einladung mit Details (bitte klicken)

Dram in a Tram II. (Sa., 15. September 2012)

–> High-End Whisky-Tasting bei einer Straßenbahntour durch München <–

– Kult-Guide Rainer Blumer ist auch dabei –

!!! Schnell anmelden und dabei sein !!!

Ort / Beginn: Ostbahnhof München, 18.30 – 22.00 Uhr

Moderation / Whiskys: Pit Krause (Malt Maniacs, www.slowdrink.de), Rainer Blumer und Klaus Onnich vom MVG, der diese Tour erst ermöglicht

Ein super Event – wir werden mit einer echten und historischen Trambahn durch München fahren und dabei Top-Whiskys verkosten. Purer Kult, bei dem Whiskygeschichte Stadtgeschichte trifft. Seid bei dieser zweiten Tour dabei! Beim ersten Mal wollten so viele Genießer teilnehmen, dass wir fast 30 Leute nicht mitnehmen konnten – weshalb wir nun noch eine Runde drehen! Good whisky, good music and an amazing city tour!

Bei den Whiskys/Spirits machen wir wieder keine Kompromisse – wir gehen von ‚mild‘ nach ‚wild‘:

1. Warm-Up: Uralter Armagnac (vermutlich Dupeyron) aus den 1970ern (Premium-Stoff aus alter Sammlung, wird Euch positiv überraschen und die Geschmacksknospen vorbereiten)
2. Auchentoshan 18 y.o. OB Cube dumpy bottle, from 1970ies, 75cl, 43% (bei der ersten Fahrt gewann ein Auchie wie auch schon in Regensburg 2011, also muss die Brennerei ihre Titel verteidigen – alter, leichter und komplexer Lowland-Dram vom Feinsten, sehr rar)
3. Berry Bros. & Rudd 1967 – 1981, Pure Single Malt, screw cap, Soc. Best Import (Italy), 75cl, 43 gradi (Mystery-Dram, dies kann ein Laphroaig, Macallan oder etwas ganz anderes sein, ich konnte trotz Recherche nichts erfahren. Die Macs und Laphs dieser Serie waren göttlich. Uns erwartet auf jeden Fall alter legendärer Whisky, den erst wenige verkostet haben)
4. BenRiach 29 y.o. OB for VA.MA (Italy), 1975 – 9.2005, 216 btl., Hogshead 7211, 59,1% (Kristallin-tropenfruchtiger Single Cask-Whisky der höchsten Kategorie, Mandarine, Ananas, Traubenzucker, würzige Eiche – wow!)
5. The Glendronach 12 y.o. OB (for Teachers) from 1970ies, matured in Sherry Casks, 75cl, 43% (Ein Muss für Sherry-Fans, hoch bewertet, wunderbare Nussigkeit und dunkle Frucht, Schokolade, nasse Erde, tief und komplex. Leider teuer und selten geworden. Einer meiner Lieblings-Glendronach)
6. Old Pulteney 15 y.o. OB, 1983 – 1998, Sherry Cask 1525, 60,8% (Lasst Euch nicht von den nackten Zahlen täuschen, dies ist fantastischer Highland Malt aus dem Sherry-Fass mit dezentem Torf. Der Pulteney 21 y.o. wurde ja bei Jim Murray Whisky des Jahres, aber dieser aus dem Pulteney-Spitzenjahr 1983 kann wesentlich mehr. Absoluter Allrounder und megarar!)
7. Clynelish 14 y.o. Single Cask Collection 14. Sept. 1997 – 13. Feb. 2012, Refill Sherry Hogshead 6891, 302 btl., 56,8% (so geht Clynelish mal anders: für mich 91 Punkte wert, hier könnt ihr die Tasting Note dieses wirklich gelungenen Sherry Clynelish lesen)
8. Ardbeg 10 y.o. Douglas Laing OMC March 1992 – Feb. 2003, 360 btl., 50% (Single Cask Ardbeg vom Kult-Abfüller Douglas Laing – immer wieder ein Genuss der torfig-jodigen Art, der leider immer teurer bezahlt werden muss, da so viel Hype um diese Stoffe herrscht)
9. Laphroaig 12 y.o. C&S Dram Collection 1998 – 2011, Hogshead #284, 59,1% (For-the-Road-Torfbombe mit sehr maritimem Charakter aus dem verlässlichen Laphroaig-Jahrgang 1998 in Fassstärke. Southcoastal Islay, we love you for that!)
   

   Line-up der Fahrt (ohne Glenfarclas)

Die Plätze sind auf 30 limitiert – daher unbedingt schnell anmelden, zuletzt waren wir nach zwei Tagen ausreserviert. Die Anmeldung ist mit einer mail und der Überweisung der Tastinggebühr komplett.

Anmeldung: info@slowdrink.de

Kosten: 99,90 Euro (inkl. Straßenbahnfahrt und Whisky; mit der Anmeldung erhaltet Ihr die Bankverbindung)

Impressionen der letzten Tour findet Ihr in der Galerie (rechts) und hier:

Port Ellen 2.2.1983 – 4.2011 Reifferscheid ‚Romantic Rhine Collection‘, Cask 229, 180 btl., 54,3%

Comment: This one has a touch of everything somehow and belongs to the clean side. Slightly farmyardy, malty and spicy altogether at first whiff. Despite the ‚peat-oil-tire-sulphur combo‘ and some soot, ropes and iodine, this Port Ellen has an elegant side to it. Maybe it is the dash of lemon and a pinch of sea salt/brine in the background that render this nice zestiness as a counterpart to the powerful Islay aromas. In addition to that, we detected milk coffee, leather and white pepper in the nose. On the palate the dram focuses way more on farmyardy and peaty aromas as suggested before. A discrete saltiness leads into the eternal flinty and sooty finish. Simply a great whisky with minor cask influence. I got me a bottle, what else can I say.

By the way, its sister cask #230 by Old Bothwell is equally as great and The Whiskyman release (Serge: 93) came from identical sources. I think Ruben scored it at 92 as well. I can confirm and recommend.

Score: 92

A great source of information by Ulf

Some releases are true legends like the 1972 Broras, others were a bit inexpressive. If you want to know more about the Rare Malts selection you should read fellow Maniac Ulf Buxrud’s book about them (see picture).

1972 was definitely not a bad year for Brora/Clynelish and I would like to find out if one of the Clynelish Rare Malts releases of that year can hold a candle to the Brora nectar, or at least, can show some similar features. Let’s see:

Clynelish 24 y.o. Rare Malts Selection 1972 – 9.1997, 61,3%

Comment: Great from the start. It shows the typical distillery notes in an austere yet complex  style, e.g. green waxed apples, beeswax and honey, big minerality and the smell of a stormfront rolling in from the sea. We also have aromas of bonfire smoke, resin, artificial leather, apricots, pineapples, vanilla and flowers in the enticing nose. On the palate it is really intense, powerful and similar to its bouquet, but the honey becomes much bigger and licorice joins in the mix. The bold spiciness is necessary to balance all these bees. Big malt here! I recommend some drops of water but it is drinkable at full strength as well. However, water opens the dram a lot and you get more of everything. Don’t worry, this dram is still far from being weak – actually it is quite a monster in terms of power but retains its austerity in character, which makes this Clynelish a great drinking experience. Not for beginners, though. As for the comparison: The Broras from 1972 add a complex layer of soot, iodine and peat to this profile and possess even more depth.

Score: 91

Longmorn 35 y.o. Douglas Laing Platinum 1968 – 2003, 95 btl., 57,8%

Comment: Amazingly balanced allrouder quality (we have dark and bright fruits, a discrete and noble spiciness), deep like the financial crisis and full of life after 35 years in the cask. This complex Longmorn bursts wine gum, tropical fruits, peaches, mirabelles, some plums and cherries. in the background notes of short bread and vanilla pastry (‚Vanillekipferl‘) join the beautiful mix. Let’s taste it: Yes! On the palate it keeps all its promises and simply delivers. Typical of old Longmorn, we have this special cristalline fruitiness (dextrose-like) that can get you addicted. Forget adding any water. All this malt mania ends in a glorious finish that underscores the depth of this dram again. There was an absolute silence among the tasters – a real good sign. We tried to find a bottle, but at an outturn of 95, we are still looking for one to come home.

Score: 93+

Glenrothes 30 y.o. Gordon & MacPhail ‚The Macphail’s Collection‘, 43%

Comment: This quite dark liquid with a nice Sherry-cask influence reveals a very complex nose consisting of dark fruits (plums, raisins), baked apple, dark forest honey, nougat, pomegranate seeds, pine needle, pepper and cinnamon. On the palate this unusual yet harmonic profile renders pine resin, apples, sandalwood, fallen leafs, pomegranate and this wonderful Sherry note again. The medium-length finish follows the described style and reminds the taster of mulled wine (hot wine punch with Christmas spices). Nicely strange, altogether and therefore, a recommendation!

Score: 90

Rittmayer Hallerndorf ‚Rauchbier‘, 4,9% (European Beer Star Gold Award 2007, 2008 and 2009)

Comment: Lager-like with fine sweet malt, some lighter barley aromas, whiffs of lemon, dark toast, chestnuts, smoked ham, cereals, caramel and sugared almonds, suede, slightly more acidic than the others. Aromatic smoke with wonderful wood notes (cedar, sandalwood and loads of beech, which is traditional in Frankonia) hovers over the combo, used in small amounts. In the mouth it has a fine balance between beer aromas and the soft discrete smoke and is very moreish and quaffable, also easily accessible. Elegant, fresh and clean smoke for everyone, so to speak, yet complex enough for the connoisseur. The ideal starter into the world of smoky beer.

Score: 91 (this is right down my alley)

Rittmayer – Hallerndorf  ‚Smokey George‘ aus orig. schottischem Whisky-Rauchmalz, 5,0%

Comment: The producer (same as above) is an ardent fan of smoky Single Malts and a member of the Highland Circle. This beer can be a testimony of that. Darker but still in a lager-like area, quite yeasty in comparison, clearly malt-driven. Discretely sour, earthy-peaty and oily (this is the dark and dirty one of the three), pretzel dough, burnt caramel, walnuts, old couch leather, the most phenolic of the three. You can actually smell the whisky barley it is made from. Just like sitting inside a field – this is the leading theme here. Dark and big aromas of malt roll over the tongue in creamy fashion, whisky malt, oil and resin coat the mouth, like hanging on the exhaustion pipe of a Harley. This is a big one with a little sour and dry side kick. The finish is soothing and moves the whole experience into harmony. One for rough Islay fans.

Score: 90 (really good and complex – great stuff if you are into this profile)

Helios-Braustelle/Freigeist Bierkultur ‚Mac Heath’s Murder Malt – Cal. 45‘, 6%

Comment: This was the official Festival Beer of the ‚Braukunst live!’2012. Our plan was to connect the worlds of beer and whisky, just like the two Munich Festivals did connect . But it was hard to get peated malt within a short frame of time, but we did it. This rare beer has a stout base, it is the sourest of the three. Brewed by my friend Sebastian Sauer at Braustelle, this surely is complex: Dark whole grain bread, traces of banana, only little smoke or phenols in the nose though. Fatty acid, some yeast, scorched earth, tar and whiffs of resin. I love how two worlds collide here: the dark aromas and the exotic fruit, quite mindboggling and intellectual. It also is the most demanding beer in this comparison with a dry, slightly adstringent and sour touch that is not for beginners. Belgian sour-bitter reminiscences come up in some moments, also dark coffee, oak and 100% cacao chocolate. Medium intensity and weight, long finish with whiffs of smoke and tar.

Score: 87 (lovers of this style might score it higher)

Highland Park 11 y.o. The Maltman (Meadowside Blending), released 2012, 46%

sorry, not photo of bottle

Comment: Malty and fruity start, some leather, quite some vanilla and toffee, a nice spice-combo, coffee beans, apples, raspberry, candyfloss, good intensity yet very accessible. One for every kind of taste, I’d say. In the mouth this one performs like the great allrounder it promises to be with fruity glycerins and the maritime freshness. A classic Highland Park as it should be that finishes with traces of peat, heather and leather. Very typical too. Great stuff that screams for another pour.

Score: 89

Highland Park 11 y.o. Whisky-Doris 6.2000 – 01.2012, Bourbon Cask, 53,3%

Comment: Spicier and more leather than its predecessor at first. This requires more time to open up but then has more to tell. It becomes fruitier with each minute. Lead aromas are moss, hints of peat, apples, raspberries, ozone in seaspray and a beautiful American oak influence. Doris’s version has some extra depth to it, which I like. The spicy heat also translates into the palate and unfortunately shows less complexity there. Water broadens the profile by 100%. Good and satisfying finish with the peaty and spicy grip (but no king of balance). If you are into spice though, this is your choice. All these drams are on a high level.

Score: 88

Highland Park 11 y.o. Archives 2000, Bourbon Hogshead 800005, 129 btl., 50,9%

Comment: Not very different from the Whisky-Doris release, but it has more vanilla and reveals its secrets of fruit (raspberries and banana, mainly), spice and leather a bit earlier. There also are some pears, coal, white chocolate and milk coffee. By the way, white chocolate (maybe even with raspberries) goes very well with Highland Park whisky in general as a food pairing. The Archive babe tastes and finishes like it noses, all the way high class and very well balanced. No water needed. Adorable and very quaffable. Recommendation. I don’t know why some other tasters weren’t so fond of it.

Score: 90

Highland Park 11 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society 10.1999, SMWS 4.155, first-fill Bourbon Barrel, 58,6%

Comment: This is the aromatic smoky one in the bunch – plus the American oak weighs in more intensely. A tad bit simpler and less complex than the others altogether. Moss, peppery spice, pear and leather are to be found right away again but the whole dram is a bit sharp and more zesty overall. Water helps this one a lot. On the palate, the herb brigade rides in, accompanied by captain peach (sorry for that!). A bit unusual. Smoky and spicy finish with some toffee and green apples.

Score: 87+

Highland Park 17 y.o. C&S Dram Collection 1994 – 2012, Hogshead 22046, 55,7%

Comment: Let’s see how the older brother behaves. Oh, he’s from the farm, or he smells like that at least. Completely different from the others, very leathery and full of  stable-smells, also very coastal. Old Ardbeg-like antiseptic moments with sulphur, smoke, peat and dirty tires. Some lemony fruit, pepper, salt and dried hay as well. What an edge this has to it, wow!  No water here! I wouldn’t have guessed this as HP-Sauce in a blind tasting, that is for sure. The palate also screams old style South Coast Islay with that magnificent peat, iodine and salt. Kenny, it isn’t funny to bottle an older Ardbeg as a Highland Park ! Seriously, this is definitely not typical for HP, but extremly good if you are into discrete and complex Islay drams with some phenols – plus you can fool your friends in a blind tasting. I score its quality, not its typicality, so the score is high. Mmmmh.

Score: 91