Convalmore 14yo 1983-1997 43% Signatory Vintage cask# 1639 btl.1530/2460
Convalmore are another distillery now probably out of function for good, and therefor its whisky are reaching abnormally high prices in comparison to its usual quality. It has some nice odors, very fresh and herbal, reminds me somewhat of Balblair. The taste is all what I didn't expect, soft, honey, marmelade, sweet berries, soft fruits and syrup. A sweet, light whisky. Like some Highland Parks of older days. I know many would say, hey, this is not a man's whisky, aarrr (accompanied by sound of hands beating thorax areas). On the other hand, I find it a rare delight, a real dessert treasure.
A sweet escapade: 8
Convalmore 12yo 1969-1981 40% CC G&M
Convalmore is strong, very strong indeed, it litterally burns the nostrils. It tastes like some cough mixture, burnt astute and camphorcandy. Very special this one, works as a dessert malt after a good meal, but alone?
Hard to truly enjoy: 5
mandag 31. mai 2010
4 Inchgowers tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Inchgower 12yo 1980-1993 43% Master of Malt cask# 13425 btl.55/240
A limited bottling of the rarely drunk but often very good Inchgower. Master of malt is an IB whos doing well on the continent. Here there are definately some sherry notes, typical refill sherry taste, an instant dryness, a soft middle of fruits like watermelon and kiwi, before it ends eith a short and peppery finish. Oh, and yes, the nose is phenolic and peppery, much more robust than the flavours. A fine whisky, maybe sort of a gentleman's treat, but for me, it's just a bit too modest and polite.
A balanced whisky: 6
Inchgower 15yo 43% Signatory Vintage cask# 12465 btl.299/1580
A bourbon-matured Inchgower with just about anything going on on the nose, lemon, almonds, barbeque-sauce, marzipan, burnt sugar, vanilla and caramillized apples. The taste is unfortunately a bit softer, I'm not getting much out of this it's just very mild, some hints of pears. Let's add water. Water lifts it just a bit, and some of the burnt sugar comes out as well as some pepper notes and vanilla, although it's far from enough to make up for the nosing-tasting mis-expectation. The aftertaste is also quite bland.
I've tasted much better from Inchgower: 4
Inchgower 36yo 1966-2002 67.6% SMWS
A 36yo with over 67% tells me of a tight cask, this one is sherry matured too. I hope it's not one of those sulphur-monsters again. The scents of this is absolutely amazing. Caramel, honey, barbeque, salt, cuban cigars and oak. The first taste is very sweet, but even more dry and intense, it's as if it begs for water. I'll give it some. With some water it gets spicier and a little more aromatic, I'm getting the same numbness in my mouth as I do after smoking a strong cigar. As for aftertaste I can't find too much, but I don't have to either, as the taste just goes on forever.
A very concentrated flavour, but very nice indeed: 7
Inchgower 12yo 40% OB
This one I guess must be from the 80's hence the labelpolicy of describing it as "A de Luxe Malt", instead of Single. It's very tan, lots of additional colouring I suppose. It smells actually beautifully balanced between smoke and sweetness, malt and port. The taste comes off as a bit plastic unfortunately, plums with coughdrops, or dried cherries with vinegar.
Try it after a good meal: 6
A limited bottling of the rarely drunk but often very good Inchgower. Master of malt is an IB whos doing well on the continent. Here there are definately some sherry notes, typical refill sherry taste, an instant dryness, a soft middle of fruits like watermelon and kiwi, before it ends eith a short and peppery finish. Oh, and yes, the nose is phenolic and peppery, much more robust than the flavours. A fine whisky, maybe sort of a gentleman's treat, but for me, it's just a bit too modest and polite.
A balanced whisky: 6
Inchgower 15yo 43% Signatory Vintage cask# 12465 btl.299/1580
A bourbon-matured Inchgower with just about anything going on on the nose, lemon, almonds, barbeque-sauce, marzipan, burnt sugar, vanilla and caramillized apples. The taste is unfortunately a bit softer, I'm not getting much out of this it's just very mild, some hints of pears. Let's add water. Water lifts it just a bit, and some of the burnt sugar comes out as well as some pepper notes and vanilla, although it's far from enough to make up for the nosing-tasting mis-expectation. The aftertaste is also quite bland.
I've tasted much better from Inchgower: 4
Inchgower 36yo 1966-2002 67.6% SMWS
A 36yo with over 67% tells me of a tight cask, this one is sherry matured too. I hope it's not one of those sulphur-monsters again. The scents of this is absolutely amazing. Caramel, honey, barbeque, salt, cuban cigars and oak. The first taste is very sweet, but even more dry and intense, it's as if it begs for water. I'll give it some. With some water it gets spicier and a little more aromatic, I'm getting the same numbness in my mouth as I do after smoking a strong cigar. As for aftertaste I can't find too much, but I don't have to either, as the taste just goes on forever.
A very concentrated flavour, but very nice indeed: 7
Inchgower 12yo 40% OB
This one I guess must be from the 80's hence the labelpolicy of describing it as "A de Luxe Malt", instead of Single. It's very tan, lots of additional colouring I suppose. It smells actually beautifully balanced between smoke and sweetness, malt and port. The taste comes off as a bit plastic unfortunately, plums with coughdrops, or dried cherries with vinegar.
Try it after a good meal: 6
torsdag 27. mai 2010
2 Inverlevens tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Inverleven 30yo 1977-2007 49.2% Signatory Vintage cask# 3603/3604 btl.64/279
Inverleven never were a widely recognized distillery, but again, it were rarely bottled at this age and strength. The nose is kind of perfumy but coastal, salty and rosy, hard to describe but it tells a lot.Give it some time and it becomes a bit mineral. The taste is peppery, a bit sweet, some vanilla, cedarwood, a bit like Springbank Claret. The aftertaste is a bit nippy, and burns quite a lot. I do enjoy it, but it seems far younger and less sophisticated than its age should predict.
No favourite of mine, but better than previous versions: 4.5
Inverleven 17yo 1990-2007 40% Gordon & Macphail
An almost transparent whisky makes me think of bourbonmaturation. Strange odor, minty, oaky, sulfur, and a touch of cinnamon. It tickles on the tip of the tounge, with liquorice, vanilla and honey. No aftertaste.
balanced, but very tamed: 5
Inverleven never were a widely recognized distillery, but again, it were rarely bottled at this age and strength. The nose is kind of perfumy but coastal, salty and rosy, hard to describe but it tells a lot.Give it some time and it becomes a bit mineral. The taste is peppery, a bit sweet, some vanilla, cedarwood, a bit like Springbank Claret. The aftertaste is a bit nippy, and burns quite a lot. I do enjoy it, but it seems far younger and less sophisticated than its age should predict.
No favourite of mine, but better than previous versions: 4.5
Inverleven 17yo 1990-2007 40% Gordon & Macphail
An almost transparent whisky makes me think of bourbonmaturation. Strange odor, minty, oaky, sulfur, and a touch of cinnamon. It tickles on the tip of the tounge, with liquorice, vanilla and honey. No aftertaste.
balanced, but very tamed: 5
lørdag 22. mai 2010
4 Benromachs tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Benromach 18yo 1978-1996 43% Signatory Vintage cask# 244-245 btl.354/1800
A bourbonmatured Benromach at 18, it smells very spirity with some hints of oak. It seems to need some time to open up. After a while it's still very spirity. The taste is initially a bit minty and floral, but it fades soon and it all becomes spirity again. I'll add water. Water does it good, it becomes more drinkable and a bit sweeter, but not many other fragrances emerges. It strikes me as a very one-dimensional malt. Boring but not bland, strong but not characteristic, it's alright I guess but I recommend you use your money more wisely than to purchase this one.
At times a fun malt but not at this price and age: 3
Benromach NAS 40% OB
I had a blast with the "Peat Smoke" version the other day. How does the very pale no-age-stated standard compare? The label states hand-picked cask, I guess at a Nas 40% OB you gotta find alternative ways of stating uniqueness(?). By the colour I'd suggest this to be bourbon-matured, the nose confirms that although it's merely hints of bourbon plus some alcohol notes. The taste is quite light, with pretty straightforward bourbon notes and some vanilla. It's enjoyable, but gives me no thrills.
If you're new to malt whisky it's a good initiation malt: 4
Benromach 7yo 2000-2007 46% OB Peat Smoke
A strongly peated speyside malt is a, if not a new, at least a very untraditional project. The smell is lemony and sweet. Very straight-forward, not that smoky yet. The taste is again very sour, lemon or lime, and a bit of burnt wood, light smokiness. Now, it has a very smoky aftertaste, and that creating a big contrast to the fresh and tingling start.
A nice variation, a fine alternative to the peated islays: 6.5
Benromach 18yo 40% OB
Golden colour, smells spirity, like artificial colouring, alcohol ink, marcipan and smoked seabass with herbs. It tastes very herbal, like a dry Jägerschnaps, something for the germans? I'm getting freshness, mountain air, peppermints, mint leaves, and some blueberries. A fresh dram with the taste of mountainfruits, but lacks unfortunately bigtime on the aftertaste which is nonpresent.
A hunters delight?: 5
A bourbonmatured Benromach at 18, it smells very spirity with some hints of oak. It seems to need some time to open up. After a while it's still very spirity. The taste is initially a bit minty and floral, but it fades soon and it all becomes spirity again. I'll add water. Water does it good, it becomes more drinkable and a bit sweeter, but not many other fragrances emerges. It strikes me as a very one-dimensional malt. Boring but not bland, strong but not characteristic, it's alright I guess but I recommend you use your money more wisely than to purchase this one.
At times a fun malt but not at this price and age: 3
Benromach NAS 40% OB
I had a blast with the "Peat Smoke" version the other day. How does the very pale no-age-stated standard compare? The label states hand-picked cask, I guess at a Nas 40% OB you gotta find alternative ways of stating uniqueness(?). By the colour I'd suggest this to be bourbon-matured, the nose confirms that although it's merely hints of bourbon plus some alcohol notes. The taste is quite light, with pretty straightforward bourbon notes and some vanilla. It's enjoyable, but gives me no thrills.
If you're new to malt whisky it's a good initiation malt: 4
Benromach 7yo 2000-2007 46% OB Peat Smoke
A strongly peated speyside malt is a, if not a new, at least a very untraditional project. The smell is lemony and sweet. Very straight-forward, not that smoky yet. The taste is again very sour, lemon or lime, and a bit of burnt wood, light smokiness. Now, it has a very smoky aftertaste, and that creating a big contrast to the fresh and tingling start.
A nice variation, a fine alternative to the peated islays: 6.5
Benromach 18yo 40% OB
Golden colour, smells spirity, like artificial colouring, alcohol ink, marcipan and smoked seabass with herbs. It tastes very herbal, like a dry Jägerschnaps, something for the germans? I'm getting freshness, mountain air, peppermints, mint leaves, and some blueberries. A fresh dram with the taste of mountainfruits, but lacks unfortunately bigtime on the aftertaste which is nonpresent.
A hunters delight?: 5
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