Tasting 5 Ben Nevis

I'm sorry for the crappy photo, what showing the bottles are concerned. I promise to do better next time. Five different whiskies from Ben Nevis, a whisky that's harder and harder to obtain in europe, for two reasons I think. Japanese owners who uses much of the malt for own blending and selling on eastern markets. The rest goes into blends such as Long John and Dew of Ben Nevis. The distillery has a 10yo standard.













Ben Nevis 8yo 1990-1999 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1376 btl.18/1480

A youngster from a sherry butt, not often you single sherry casks bottled at this age and strength combined. Perhaps its a bit off the radar as to what whiskies are primarily desired by the customers these days (or back then as this was). The color is hazy golden. It smells floral and peaty, Bladnoch? fresh, coriander, lemon straw, grassy, peppery, lemon zest, window spray. Sort of soapy and balsamic. The taste is drying, oaky and peppery, some heather and red peppers, biscuits, corn flour, very peppery. Some hints of sherried notes can be found in the background, and the drying earthy notes are like a breath of fresh air in this otherwise oaky and peppery little devil. A small drop of added water makes this more herbal, grassy, austere, coriander again. I do not recommend adding water to this one.(but that's just a personal opinion)

The sherry struggles making an influence on this one: 3.5


Ben Nevis 22yo 46% Cadenhead's

Old dumpy bottling from Cadenhead's. I have often wondered why many of the whiskies in this series weren't bottled at CS, maybe they needed some additional water to shine? The color is amber brown. It smells dry, rich, leather, cigars, chili, bonfire, peppery. The taste is sweet, peppery, very dry, oaky, hay, chalkdust, cigars, very peppery, mustard. Apple vinegar and black pepper on the finish. A bit of water makes it sweeter, dry port, apple tart, grape juice, wild berries, blackberries, blackcurrant and wild strawberries. Amazing stuff.

Another great one from Cadenhead's: 7.5


Ben Nevis 26yo 1974-2000 56.4% OB cask#2895

A rare older OB by the distillery, from a hogshead. Bottled when Nikka started up the distillery again, and possibly bottled to create a bit of fuzz about the distillery's relaunch. Amber color. Smells sweet, toffee, caramel, hot chocolate, coffee beans, mint julep, sweet tea. Modest and nice I'd say, a sweet treat, the strength doesn't show off on the nose. The taste follows it up, sweet toffee and caramel, milk chocolate, mint leaves, creamy, but the aftertaste is recognizably peppery for this distillery. With a small addition of water it turns more zest, dry, bitter, vague honey notes, cough mixture, bourbon whisky, a total 180 degrees deflection when hitting water. I liked it best with no water added.

Good nose, very good palate, middle finish, then the water came: 6


Ben Nevis 37yo 1966-2003 48% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing for Skorupa Germany

Old stuff, I've heard that older Ben Nevis can be a real treat, or usually it is, that means. I like my OMC-bottlings below 50%abv. at least then, I know they ar bottled at cask strength. The color is brown. It smells sherried, figs, red wine, sulphur, feta cheese, strawberries, apple vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, cinnamon, cumin. The taste is all on berries and black pepper, drying, dark chocolate, licorice. Needs a bit of water I think. Now it turns sweeter, more berries, red berries, marshmallows, red bell peppers, cumquat, squash. A bit lighter and perhaps easier to get around to at this point, yet I prefer the more extreme dry sherry notes it displayed when bare.

Between this and the Cadenhead's, I guess this pulled the longest straw: 8


Ben Nevis 11yo 1992-2003 59.6% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#687

A youngster from a bourbon hogshead, should be a new twist in this session. A nice amount of cask sediments, which I enjoy a lot, in this one. Could suggest it comes from a well charred cask then. The color is white wine. It smells sweet, glue, vanilla, rum, onions, grassy, red onions, peppery. The taste is vanilla, nuts, stewed onions, glucose, peppery, bitter, extremely sweet. I do like it a lot. Zesty as well. This is a great Ben Nevis, very typical for Ben Nevis, that meaning peppery, but the sweet vanilla notes and other sweet treats in this one calls for a good mark I guess.

Concentrated on a lot of nice bourbony notes: 8



Next tasting: Tamdhu Distillery

Tasting 5 (+1) MacDuffs

4 bottlings from the excellent James MacArthur's, two bottled at 55.5% and one at 55.7%, perhaps mid-50's is a good strength for this whisky? Usually named Glen Deveron by the distillery. Macduff is a young distillery established as late as 1962 and is mostly produced for blending purposes, still there's a lot of IB bottlings out there, and the standard OB is not hard to obtain. I think, based on other bottlings I've tried, this is a whisky to look out for. And the cow is in front of a barely visible 1 ltr. Debowa polish vodka cask.











Macduff 12yo 40% Blend House of Macduff

I'm not sure how much Macduff there is in this little bottling, but looking at the logo its easy to confuse it with a Macduff bottling. The color is the standard blend golden hue. It smells light and dusty, some mineral notes and hay. The taste is sweet, nutty, oaky, honey, nice, quite a surprise actually. It's a delicate blend, but there's no off-notes, flaws or anything like that.

Nice, clean and fun whisky: 4.5


Macduff 12yo 40% James MacArthur's

Maybe a bit like the standard OB, light and sweet? The color is straw. It smells sweet, creamy, malty, yeasty, leeks, very nice. The taste is burnt, sweet, rubber, acidic, earthy, spicy, yeast, licorice. Complex for this age and strength. I will try adding some water in this one. Now it gets lighter, sweeter, grassy, more in the blend zone now.

Another nice, clean and good fun: 4.5


Macduff 30yo 53.2% James MacArthur's Old Master's

I must say I think the Old Master's series by James MacArthur's is one of the real "solid gold" series out there. The color is butterscotch. It smells sweet and creamy, cinnamon, honey, cigar, oily, cheese, onion, rubber. The taste is sweet, hay, herbs, sausages, peppery, chillies, raw onions, salty, vegetable stock. The finish is long, all on chili and herbs.

A whisky with a lot of heat: 6.5


Macduff 21yo 55.5% James MacArthur's Fine Malt Selection

Another golden colored whisky. The Fine Malt Selection is another CS series, which most (almost all) of James MacArthur's output is. It smells peppery, honey, cinnamon, fried bananas, yoghurt, sour milk. The taste is peppery and spirity, needs some water to open up. With a small addition of water it becomes sweeter, red wine, raw onions, wheat, oil, peanuts, chili, rubber.

Peppery, strong stuff, but lacks some contrasting elements: 5


Macduff 27yo 1967-1994 55.5% James MacArthur's 500 Years of Scotch Whisky

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of Scotch Whisky, James MacArthur's bottled some whiskies. So it's not really a series, but some of them have been fantastic. The color is deep golden. It smells rich, butter, herbs, red bell peppers, peppery, dirty harry licorice liqueur, jägermeister, leather, a more fun and expressive nose this time. The taste is fiery, raw onions, peppers, chillies, corn starch. Adding some water. Now it gets lighter, red onions, turmeric, shrimps sauce, cashew nuts, raw eggs, nutty, corn. The finish is peppery and long, not complex.

The rawest in this session, but not necessarily the best: 6


Macduff 19yo 55.7% Whisky-Doris

I've had an absolute top notch Tamdhu from Whisky-Doris, so it shows they can pick a good cask. I remember that Tamdhu being sort of grey-ish brown, typical fino-sherried, and such color has this one as well. It smells sweet honey, gun-powder, crushed mint leaves, oily, creamy, red wine, port wine, dark berries. The taste is sweet, peppery, malty, cinnamon, dry, caramel, burnt sugar, a lot of cinnamon and chili. Hot whisky with a sweetness that prolongs the finish. I have to say that in this session this one is the absolute winner.

Creamy thick bitter-sweet sherried whisky: 8

(Oh yes, last time I tried this W-D I gave it 9+.)



Next tasting: Ben Nevis Distillery

One good Irish Stew

Some say there's too much whisky on this site. But it's what its all about. Then I'd like to bring on a recipe on Irish stew.

Ingredients: 4 carrots, 3 potatoes, 2 onions, 3 tbsp oil, 1 crushed garlic seed, 3 laurels, 1.5 teasapoons of salt, 2ltrs beer, 300 grams of lamb chops, 3 tbsp salt, 1/5tbsp black pepper, 1 ltr water, 2 dices of stock concentration.

Chop and add all the vegetables at first, let stir for about 10 minutes, then add the spices and concentration, 2 minutes later add the water and beer. Then, at last, add the meat for another 7 minutes of boiling. There you go, serve with Glenlivet and toast.

Tasting 4 Braes of Glenlivets

Braes of Glenlivet was down for several years, actually 6, between 2002 and 2008, and they has now changed its name to Braeval. So forthcoming bottlings from this distillery will be known as Braeval, but even with this re-baptization I do not think there new production is due to the thought of single malt bottlings. I've not had that many Braevals/B.O.G.'s yet, but the ones I've had have all been good, yet very peppery. The cow is in front of the window...













Braes of Glenlivet 10yo 43% Bottled for Mini Bottle Club, Commemorate 10 years at Queens Hotel, Blackpool

Should be a way lighter one than the rest in this session. The color is light white wine. It smells synthetic candy, minty, eucalyptus, herbal, more eucalyptus, pines, aperitif style malt so far. The taste is light, densed milk, peppery, wheat, olive oil, green peppers, mustard seeds, cloves, oysters. I like it a lot, would make for a great straight shooter, that meaning it's hardly complex, just very light and pleasant with no flaws.

The perfect starter whisky: 6


Braes of Glenlivet 22yo 1989-2011 55.4% Duncan Taylor cask#979 btl.160/268

From the pretty recent Duncan Taylor series Dimensions, which is a series of both CS, 46%'s and SC's. Not a premium series, but one where hidden gems can be found. The color is wheat, grey-ish yellow. It smells extremely peppery, some notes of mustard and oak. Kind of shallow, one-dimensional (no pun intended). The taste is first of vanilla, banana, parsnip, very sweet. The continues on those very familiar peppery notes. It needs a bit of water I think. Now it turns lighter, more peppery, burnt notes, bitter, grassy. It doesn't get any better, it has some flaws, but all in all I would not say I'd ever reject it if offered,

Sub-standard Braes of Glenlivet I think: 3


Braes of Glenlivet 10yo 1987-1997 59.8% Master of Malt

Although it says its from a single cask on the label, there is no statement of which or what type of cask. The color might give an idea as its about as pale as water. It smells burnt, peppery, spirity, sweet, corn starch, corn grits, perfumy. It comes of a bit wile. The taste is sweet, vanilla, sugar, caramel, creamy, honey, definitively a dessert whisky. Just about as sweet as it gets. This is a good whisky from a goos cask, but I can't help wondering what would happen if they let it sit on wood a few more years.

A nice whisky, still light and sweet even at this strength: 6


Braes of Glenlivet 15yo 1989-2004 60.8% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#1001

Time to try another Raw Cask miniature, a series I like a lot. One might say that including cask pieces in a whisky is a lot of juhuu for the purists, but in theory it could enhance bottle maturation. A tip is to shake the bottle before pouring one of these as you'll then have a greater chance to catch the cask bits. The color is golden hazy. It smells rich and spirity, balsamic vinegar, fatty, greasy, ouzo, mint, strange stuff thus far, but that just emphasizes my curiosity. The taste is iodine, chalk, avocado, cinnamon, oil, orange zest. With water. Now it turns more bitter, licorice, paper. Don't add water. But I must say it's a whisky intended for those looking for complex and hard-to-follow aromas.

Unorthodox whisky, a big and greasy bowl of good flavors: 6.5



Next tasting: Macduff Distillery

Tasting 4 Benromach's + a meddling Cameronbridge

First of all, the reason I have put a Cameronbridge single grain at 51.9% in the middle of these Benromachs, is that between the 2nd and third Benromach in this tasting it differs no less than 20%abv. And 51.9 being about right in the middle of 43 and 63, and a spirit that otherwise will not affect my tastebuds too much, I think it'll work as a smooth transition from the 43%abv to the 63%abv. And the cow is now on a ladder...














Benromach 17yo 1981-1998 40% OB Centenary Bottling

The color is orange bright hue. It smells light, nutty, pistachio, fresh, hardly complex. The taste is sweet, grape juice, hard jelly, fruits and berries, sweet as it gets really, but hard to distinguish any real flavors as this burnt sugar finish comes on a bit soon, and lasts much longer than what you'd expect at 40%abv. Oh yes, its a perfumy one too.

A starter whisky: 4


Benromach 21yo 43% OB

This one also has that brightness which it gets from E150. It smells very light, some mint, fruity notes and fabric softener. Again I find it hard to grasp some real notes, very shy spirit. The taste is perfumy, onions, mint, fresh herbs, grassy, maybe some water will help it open up a bit? Now it gets fruitier, some wax and honey, otherwise its still an exceptionally quiet whisky.

Adding water did help a bit in this one: 4.5


Cameronbridge 30yo 1979-2009 51.9% Duncan Taylor cask#3585

Still a very good grain whisky: 6.5


Benromach 13yo 1982-1996 63% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#1335,1341

Brown color, sherried? It smells rich cream and spirity. Vodka and baileys? Not much whisky in this one so far. Perhaps it needs a drop of water? Lets try it bare first. The taste is sweet, fruit gums, concentrated sweetness, milk and honey. But the high strength shows of a bit, and water is needed. Now it turns extremely grassy and peppery, not much enjoyable. Even if the crazy strength did put me a bit off at first I'd actually enjoy this much more when neat. Yes, its just very perfumy too, and oaky.

If diluted (1point), if neat: 5.5


Benromach 18yo 1976-1995 65% Cadenhead's

I believe this is the only 70's distillation in this session, except from the Cameronbridge of course. The color is dirty brown, you know the ones one might find in fino- casked whisky. Smells bitter, sweet, hay, honey, tannic, raw onions, garlic, cumin, curry powder. The taste is creamy, lemon, orange zest, seems much lighter than 65%abv. Maken me think of some cream cake and lime fudge. Waxy too, but not perfumy like the previous ones. The finish is a bit drying, vanilla, ginger and cream.

A good Benromach but might fool you believing its a 40%abv: 6.5



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet Distillery

tasting 5 Deanstons

A small change I will try is uploading some photos of the whiskies I'm about to try in the sessions to come. I know my blog probably is one of the least visually entertaining ones out there, so this might help a bit. As always, my good old trustworthy whisky-cow is in on the picture as well as a signed r-rated bodyprint by Annie Sprinkle. Deanston is not known by many by more than a few bottlings, myself included, very rare do I get the opportunity to try 5 at once.



Deanston NAS 40% OB

The square bottle, probably from the 80's. Golden color. It smells burnt, gorgonzola cheese, leather, dry, oaky, not bad. Some soapy notes appears as well, household soap. The taste is sweet and light, bubble gum, oak, camphor, grassy. The finish is short-lived and grassy. Perhaps Deanston is a distillery that has never put much effort into single malts, and therefore all their good casks have gone to blenders? I hope not.

No off-notes, just remarkably mundane: 3


Deanston 12yo 40% OB

I think this is a newer bottle, perhaps the last one before the current 46.3%abv OB. It must be a pretty recent bottling because they have written, or suggested as I'd call it, some tasting notes on the label. The color is golden. It smells honey, pepper, cardboard and bourbon. Quite some bourbon notes here I think, very smooth, syrup, almonds. The taste is fruity, fruit drops, sweet licorice, again very light and far from complex. Some mascarpone and gingerbread, finishing with grassy notes.

Again very mundane, because of the low strength? Let's find out: 3


Deanston 12yo 46.3% OB

Upping to 46.3% in 2007/2008 I think, alongside Bunnahabhain and Tobermory. I don't know wether it has paid off or not. The color is light golden. It smells malty, peppery, minty, hay, frying oil. The taste is sweet, red apples, honey, cinnamon, musty, ketchup, olive oil, hickory sauce. The finish is sweet, but gone in the flashes of flashes as they say. But the palate was a huge improvement from former bottlings which means to me, the new %abv. has paid off.

More fruity this time around: 4.5


Deanston 21yo 53.5% Cadenhead's

At this strength and age it's a more fair reasonable expectation to get a glimpse of what this spirit stands for. Some cask sediments in this one. The color is light bronze. It smells initially very spirity, sour, lemon juice, lemon juice and tea. Not many shades in this one, but the lemon juice is as if I close my eyes and smell, I think of only that. The taste is rich, camphor, caramel, ginger, dark roast coffee, lime juice, fantastic whisky. Drying, white wine, rhubarb, mustard. The finish is oof cinnamon, camphor and oregano, longlasting.

An amazing Deanston, my first one I think: 8


Deanston 24yo 1967-1991 55.4% btl.56/120 Bottles for The Nest, Offie of the year 1991-1991.

It seems this whisky retailer is out of business, but much happens in 20 years. The color is light bronze, close to the Cadenhead's. It smells strong, ground coffee and bitter herbs. I can't get this sense of some bitters out of my mind, even bitters like Underberger and Gammel Dansk would come to mind before whisky if nosed blind. The taste is cinnamon, honey, creamy cheese, bean sprouts, onion stew, cheddar, oily. This whisky smells bitter, but gives a sense of fatty indulgence.

Another great Deanston: 7



Next tasting: Benromach Distillery

A small mixed session

Not the fancy lineup at all this time, but just a small session to celebrate my new background. I actually put this one together because I have no other bottlings from these distilleries, and that I read somewhere that Dalmore was the biggest selling single malt in Tax Free shops these days. I think it was on the Norwegian whisky forum. So, the bestseller against some less notable whisky distilleries. I know its not a contest, but its a bit of fun to see how they compare. The other whiskies are a best-seller in France, the highest placed distillery in Scotland, and the home of the Famous Grouse.



Cardhu 12yo 40% OB

Beige color label and silver letters on this one. From Italy, and thats surely not a big surprise as countries like Italy, France, Spain and surely some others are warming more to this particular whiky, perhaps because of the warm climate, than us up here in northern europe. Golden hue. It smells light, polyester, spirity, old factory smell. hard to distinguish any real notes here. The taste is sweet, cherries, puff pastry, sweet onions, some hints of sherry wood, but all in all its a lightweighter in every sense. If it was 30 degrees outside I'd rather have this than a Fettercairn, but only then.

Light and easy, drinkable and even enjoyable, but never interesting: 5


Dalwhinnie 20yo 1963-1983 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail

This, usually, light highlander has never been a favorite of mine, but then again I think I've just had like three or four bottlings of it, so this might be its time to chine. Orange/bronze color. It smells pungent and spirity, more like some questionable Mannochmores or even Loch Lomonds. Perhaps it just needs some time to open up, remember, its an old whisky. Breathing helps a bit as it calms the spirity notes, but what's left i nothing more than a bland highlander. I remember some young recent Ben Nevis that smelled a lot like this one. The taste is far better, peppery, floral, honey, vanilla, mustard leaves, musty, aroma oils, licorice, heather, nutty. A great comeback.

Old style, and one of the best Dalwhinnies I've tried, if not the best: 7


Glenturret 25yo 1965-1991 52.4% Cadenhead's Original Collection

I've never felt so much anticipation before trying a Glenturret ever before, I don't know why, maybe it has to do with it being produced almost half a century ago and bottled at CS, which is rarer with whiskies from back then. Nowadays it seems CS is the new 40%abv. The color is light golden, an it carries some cask sediments. It smells burnt, sweet, marzipan, vanilla, burnt sugar, becomes lighter after some breathing, heather, parmesan and dried herbs. The taste is peppery, light, heather, lentils, yoghurt, or more like soured milk actually. Water added. Now it gets a bit more recognizable for this distillery, even if that means just plain peppery and spirity in this case.

Don't add water, rather just have it in very small sips: 3


Dalmore/Auld Lang Syne 18yo 1976-1994 62.3% The Whisky Connoisseur

So, if this is the whisky which is sold in biggest quantity or thats sold for most money in the duty free shops I'm not sure, maybe its both. Richard Patterson nose his work. I've never tried Dalmore at this high strength before, and never from a single bourbon cask. The color is golden. It smells rich, mustard, creamy, spices, red bell peppers, saffron, cumin, sweat, grits. The taste is drying and peppery, mustard, salty, batter, crusted nuts. With water it becomes earthy, complex, root veggies, raw onions, garlic, a style I know many would like, not me unfortunately, so I recommend drinking it neat, in neat proportions.

When neat: 7



Next tasting: Deanston Distillery

Tasting 6 Mortlachs

After the great session with high strength Balmenachs, I thought why stop, so instead of doing a Braes of Glenlivet, I'm instead going for another bunch of whiskies bottled at about 60%abv. This time from Mortlach Distillery. Mortlach is known for a meaty style, some heavy perfumy whisky. I have not tried many enough to say either yay or nay on that characterization, but maybe after this session, I'll be a bit wiser.



Mortlach 11yo 1984-1995 40% Gordon & Macphail Centenary Reserve

I don't think this series is produced no more. I remember it had some well received sherried ones, but unfortunately, like so many other G&M-series, in many cases it couldn't live up to the potential of the spirit because of heavy dilution. The color is golden, adjusted with caramel. It smells malty and perfumy, kind of flat and uninspiring. The taste is oaky, malty, bland, floral, oily, carrot juice, cod liver, raw bacon.

Nice palate, but it's still an undemanding malt in all aspects: 4


Mortlach 15yo 57% Gordon & Macphail Eagle label

Bronze color, nice red-ish hue. It smells meaty, roast, barbeque sauce, phenolic, cinnamon, peppery, sherry, very nice. The taste is peppery, sweet, dark grapes, honey, cinnamon, sweet mustard, one of the better sherried youngster's I've had. The finish is nicely sour and peppery, pickled jalapenos is what comes to mind. A sherry bomb that would make a great sherried malt initiation for those that wants to experience a real sherry influence.

Old style sherry, there's nothing like it: 8.5



And now for something a bit different. I have two Mortlachs from Blackadders Raw Cask range. One is 12yo and one is 13yo. One is bottled in 2003 and one is bottled in 2004. One is 59.4% and one is 59.9%abv. One comes from a "sherry oak butt" and one comes from a "first fill sherry cask". That's all good, but then, both bottlings comes from cask#5149, which means, that this cask has been bottled at two different times. I hope these will be distinguishable on my palate, and not just two versions of the same stew... or.. well, lets just say I hope the versions of the same stew will be very contrary. Another fun fact is that the whisky has actually gained %abv as time has gone by. Oh yes, another point is that they do scrape out the inside of the cask to put in the bottles in this series, which they are the only ones to do. But if the casks were scraped in 2003 and they refilled the scraped casks with whisky to mature for another year, this is almost a finishing then? I'm a bit overwhelmed to be honest.



Mortlach 12yo 1989-2002 59.4% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#5149

A good amount of cask sediments in this one, which I do like. I know the purists out there doesn't agree, and I know that the sediments probably doesn't affect the whisky much. But chewing and grinding on these small buggers after the whisky is consumed, or in the midst of the dram, is a treat I enjoy. The color is golden honey. It smells smoky, sweet, orange marmalade, Jägermeister, herbal, sweet wine. The taste is bitter, burnt, grassy, phenolic, needs some water to open up I think. With added water it tastes now sweeter, smoother, leather, onion stew, pickled mushrooms, beef stock, meaty, thick. I do like it a lot with a bit of water added.

Great Mortlach, yet a very typical one: 7.5


Mortlach 13yo 1989-2003 59.9% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#5149

I'm a bit disappointed of the small amount of cask sediments in this whisky. The color is just the same as the 2002 bottling. It smells stronger, more spirity and oaky, needs some breathing I think. Now it gets thicker, heavier, sulphury, cinnamon, honey, hay, sumptuous, glazed onions, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, lots of sweet desserts in here. Let's just say this then, it's certainly not the same whisky as the last one even though its the same spirit and comes from the same cask. The taste is dry, cinnamon, syrup, peppery, red onions. Sherry influence all over the place. Water added. Now it gets sweeter, onions, caramel, black pepper, beef stock, fried batter, a bit more MOTR than the 12yo.

Why didn't they empty the cask at 59.4%abv? I guess we'll never know: 5


Mortlach 20yo 1978-1998 62.2% OB Rare Malts

A high strength old Mortlach, oldest one in this session, and hopefully the age in cask will prove to make a great sherried malt. The color is dark golden. It smells pungent, a bit spirity, drying, spirit marker, herbs, raw onions, grassy. the taste is very rich, cigar smoke, dried paprika, smoked ham, poached eggs, caramel, red onions. With added water it turns sweet, light but not much differs from the bare version.

It lacks the richness I've found in the others so far: 3.5


Mortlach 8yo 62.4% The Whisky Connoisseur

In last session I had a Balmenach from The Whisky Connoisseur, which was excellent, I hope this youngster from Mortlach will be the same. The color is pale white wine. It smells spirity, caramelized sugar, licorice, flour sugar, extremely sweet. The taste is peppery, dark chocolate, black pepper, chilies, drying, smoky, another, more raw side of Mortlach for sure. This is a modest malt that wins with its rich sweetness and smoky levels which goes from light at first till heavy in the finish. With water it turns lighter, grassy, wheat, burnt.

A bit too hardcore for me I'm afraid, and lacks a bit finesse: 5



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet Distillery

Tasting 5 Balmenachs

Balmenach is not a widespread whisky, and although the Distillery goes back as far as 1824, I do not think it's ever gained much fame and glory. It's said to operate in a very old-fashioned manner and producing a light style malt. The ones I'll be trying in this session are all high-strength CS-versions, so granted the spirity notes won't overpower the malt and oaky, I think these ones perhaps will show the core of the spirit of Balmenach. I remember I had a Deerstalker(Balmenach) at 40%abv, and I can surely agree it was a very light whisky.



Balmenach 21yo 1979-2000 58% Scott's Selection

I did have a little warm-up whisky before starting a tasting at 58%abv. Which is a tip I'd like to share because the palate could find it hard to divide the nuances in such a high strength spirit if it hasn't been given a small starter. Some always do this before a session with a so-called reference whisky, of which they compare the other whiskies in the session too. The color on this ones is light golden. It smells floral, white wine, grainy, rubber, vanilla, fresh, a summers dram so far. The taste is vanilla, lemon, lime, grape fruit, gin, zesty, fruity, pastis. Wow, this is a true summers dram, perfectly fruity/sour. I love it!

In the category light'n'fruity it's a winner: 8


Balmenach/Scots, Wha Hae 18yo 60.2% The Whisky Connoisseur cask#7314

The Whisky Connoisseur is one of the quietest IB's in Scotland I think, which I believe are only bottling miniatures. I've had both highs and lows from them. The color is golden. It smells syrup, caramel, rich, creamy, floral, herbal, malt syrup. The taste is very sweet, honey and vanilla, peppery, perhaps its due for a small addition of water. With a drop of water it turns sweeter, more rustic, red onions, dried paprika, shallots, much better. If it wasn't for the distinct spirity note on the palate this one would have me go even higher than...

8!: 8


Balmenach 32yo 1977-2009 55.7% Flying Pigs for Juuls

This one comes from a sherry cask, so it could maybe show a bit more complexity. I mean, the 21 and 18yo was excellent, but very light, this might be a bit more heavy, if you know what I mean. Color is dark brown/red. It smells cinnamon, dried red paprika, barbecue sauce, fried bananas, vanilla, oloroso sherry. The taste is peppery, chili, hot sinnamon, drying, oaky, leather, cubans, raw onions, grassy, rhubarb. I might dread it, but I'll add some water to this. With added water it turns more nutty, almonds, pecan nuts, gorgonzola, leather, oak. It totally changes, and might for the better for those that looks for a challenging complexity, but if you just want a good, clean and fun sherry monster don't add any water to this.

Great sherry although it seems much younger than 32yo: 8.5


Balmenach-Glenlivet 12yo 1981-1993 62.6% Cadenhead's

I'm ending it all with the two youngest whiskies in this session. This being one year older than the next, you might guess which bottler I'm talking about. It smells burnt, grainy, herbal, heather, peppery, honey, sweet chili sauce, waxy. I'm quite surprised with these whiskies showing absolutely no off-notes except some spirity ones that one might would expect from 60%+ spirits. The taste is sweet, thick, syrup, vanilla, strawberries, ginger, caramel, it's really a dessert all on its own. I must let you know that I'm a bit of a sweet-tooth, so if you're into the more earthy and bitter flavors of a whisky this might not be the one for you. But for me it's exceptional. Not that the sweetness does it all, but its very full and thick, coating one might say, as well.

Great bourbonized scotch: 9


Balmenach 11yo 1982-1993 65.9% James MacArthur's

Another crazy strength youngster from JMcA. With the 1981 in mind, and this one being distilled only one year later I cannot help getting some expectations. Many spectators and commentators does a lot to prove their objectivism, I don't think its possible to be objective as long as you've tried whiskies from the same distillery before. But on the other hand, there is quite a difference between being biased and being open to surprises. The color is white wine. It smells strong, gorgonzola and roquefort cheese, peppery, tabasco, extremely strong, I wonder why... The taste is sweet, honey and vanilla, caramel, creamy, cinnamon, butterscotch, amazing sweet and creamy, luxurious one might say. With water it becomes sweeter and more sumptious, thick, onions, peppery, vanilla in the aftertaste. I love it.

Thick, sweet and creamy: 9



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet/Braeval Distillery

The In-law's choice, Balvenie Distillery

I think I'll stop doing these weird sessions now, because it all becomes a bit pointless. Anyways, the reason my brother in law (to be) chose Balvenie Distillery is purely because he recognized the name from a TAX-FREE shop he once visited at an airport abroad. Nuff said! Balvenie is the neighbor of Glenfiddich and is also very rare to find bottled by IB's, but I've managed to pick a couple old ones for this tasting.



Balvenie 10yo 40% OB Founders Reserve

The Founders Resere has been released at both 40% and 43%abv. I think the 40%abv was the first batches. Golden color. It smells honeyed and perfumy, gasoline, oaky, a lot of wood influence. The taste is rather thick and creamy, sweet vanilla, creme brulee, brandy, nice one. The finish is on black pepper, salt and dried onions.

A very good Balvenie, affordable good whisky!: 6


Balvenie 17yo 43% OB Madeira Reserve

This one was finished in madeira casks. The color is dark amber. It smells rich, licorice, glue, perfumy, rosé wine, bitters. The taste is light, floral, zesty, onion juice, turmeric, ginger, other root vegetables. This one is a bit harder to follow than the Founders Reserve, but then again, I have never been the biggest fan of Madeira matured whisky.

I did like the Rum Reserve much better: 3


Balvenie-Glenlivet 21yo 1973-1994 52.8% Cadenhead's

As I've already mentioned in the intro, IB Balvenies are quite a rare treat. The color on this one is golden brown, and it turns hazy the minute is it poured. It smells onions again, creamy, herbal, bitter herbs, thyme, absinth and tarragon. Sweet apple cider and butter is also found in this one. The taste is burnt, oaky, burnt again, needs water. A drop or two and heavy breathing makes it peppery, grassy, more like some wild lowlander actually.

Wile stuff, grassy & herbal whisky at its best: 7.5


Balvenie 15yo 1974-1990 57.1% Signatory Vintage cask#18103-18130 btl.493/2400

A freakishly large number of casks has been used to make the 2400 whiskies produced in this batch, and furthermore, this bottle, meaning at least one of them, is a miniature. The color is golden. It smells apple compote, freshly baked apple pie, stewed onions, a nice mixture of apple fruitiness, fresh bakery and browned butter. The taste is heavy smoke and peppery, extremely peppery, reminds me of some recent 10yo Talisker actually. Without the coastal notes. Water added. Now it gets just extremely peppery alongside some onions and herbs. This is by far the most extreme Balvenie I've ever had, and I wish they made them like this these days as well. I would say, if I was sure, that there is peat in this one, but that's impossible to say for sure. I think this extreme version would be quite a hit if turned out these days.

Powerful Balvenie, peat/pepper?: 7.5



Next tasting: Balmenach Distillery

The brother's choice, Strathisla Distillery

Today I'll be trying three Strathislaes after my brother chose that distillery for me, in his own words, because it sounds sophisticated. And I can in a way see what he means, Strathisla sounds a bit more posh than Brora, Banff, Dufftown or Glen Ord. Strathisla is one of the main contributors to the Chivas blends, and therefore I'm suspecting a lighter palate, but that might be a misreading by me.



Strathisla NAS 1980 40% OB by G&M

The color is dark golden, probably adjusted with some caramel. It smells rich, honey, banana cream liqueur, orange zest. Vanilla, oranges, cream liqueur, a sweet and fruity whisky that's perfect for a sunny summers day I think. The taste is sweet, pears, mint, oranges, Bols egg cream. Sweet & peppery. The finish is rather short and peppery. A bit to go on that note, but other than that I must say its a fantastic summers malt, a real fruitbomb.

Hardly complex, but a very "fun" whisky: 7


Strathisla NAS 1982 40% OB by G&M

Same deep golden color, adjusted with caramel. It smells light and spirity, a much weaker spirit than the 1980. Perhaps some inferior casks in the mix? Reminds me of some young grain whiskies I've had, Cameron Brig 12. The taste is light, malty, creamy, caramel, not far from the 12yo Chivas Regal actually. Some rustic balsamic notes in the finish, but this is blend territory.

Easy, light and drinkable: 5.5


Strathisla 25yo 43% Gordon & Macphail's

This one comes from 1st fill sherry butts. The color is light brown. It smells cinnamon, cream, leather, wax, mushrooms, glue, wheat. The taste is sweet, peppery, cinnamon, chili, salt, cashew nuts, peppery, licorice, polyester. I like it, even though the cask does almost all the talking here. A text book example of a good, sherried malt.

One for the sherry-lovers: 6



Next tasting: An inlaw chooses a speysider/highlander for me.

The misses choice, Glen Spey Distillery

On choosing a distillery for me to try, my GF found that it was time for me to try Glen Spey Distillery, more or less because she likes green bottles. So, therefore I'll have a go at three Glen Spey's in this session, of which two comes from green Cadenhead decanters. It's a bit of fun to see what the no-whisky drinkers make their decisions on when choosing for me what to taste. Funny names and nice decanters, I think there's also connoisseurs who have been lured into a whisky or two by similar features.

http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/laughfrog-miniature.html
http://privilegedclub.com/183596-diamond-jubilee-whisky-by-john-walker-sons/

Glen Spey then, still a malt that I, and many others I think, is yet to come around to. Not many bottlings readily available out there, and a whisky which's reputation makes it appear a middle of the road whisky. Here we go!



Glen Spey 13yo 1995-2008 43% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail

No added color on this baby. White wine. It smells fresh and minty, rhubarb, parsley, herbal, honey, fresh. Nice one so far. The taste is sweet and peppery, custard, mustard seeds, vanilla, banana, apricots. A bit easy, some water might help. It's still a sweet and peppery whisky, which has no flaws. But it lacks a finish, and all in all it comes off a bit light and simple.

A summers day dram: 4.5


Glen Spey 13yo 1985-1999 60.9% Cadenhead's

From a sherry butt. Amber orange color. High strength like this usually calls for water, but I'll try it bare first. It smells sulphury, syrup, chili, dried paprika, nuts, dark chocolate. The taste is very oaky, sulphur, cherries, blackberries, sour berries, drying, unripe apples, some nice sour notes in this one. Water added. Now it turns more peppery, rubber, ginger, bitter, banana peel, lime peel, green grapes. This is a very good young sherried CS. A bit of Aberlour A'bunadh-style here. Heavy sherry.

A young whisky that lets the wood shine: 7


Glen Spey 15yo 1981-1996 61.9% Cadenhead's

An older bottling, but this one is matured in a bourbon cask, which usually is not as tight as a european cask, which the 1985 was. Seeing these strength, the age difference and wood difference makes me assume that the initial new-make %abv strength was higher in this whisky. But thats just my opinion and may not be right. The color is white wine. It smells sweet, creamy, bourbon, olive oil, orange marmalade, nuts, fried bacon, banana, yoghurt, sour cream. The taste is green apples, wheat, hay, tonic water, warm milk, onion stew. With added water, the onion sensation is coming on even more now, but it also enhances the bitterness, spirity notes and other undesired elements.

Many layers in this whisky, one for the experienced taster: 6.5



Next tasting: My brother chooses another Speysider/Highlander for me.

The friends choice, Linkwood Distillery

I let a friend that know little or nothing of whisky randomly select the name of a Speyside Distillery to taste the other day. He chose Linkwood because he found the name of the distillery funny. There you go!
I have tried many linkwoods, and more often than not I find them to excel if matured in sherry or other wine casks. No such casked in this session, bourbon wood only. But an age, strength and range difference that gives this whisky every opportunity to shine. I think.



Linkwood 24yo 1987-2011 51.4% Malts of Scotland cask#11008

From a bourbon hogshead. I love these small MoS-bottlings. I I often find their vast variety a bit too expensive to hoard up on, so this is a great alternative for those that doesn't have money growing on a tree in their garden. Apple juice color. It smells vanilla, toffee, oaky, wheat bread, nail polish, seems much younger than 24yo. The taste is very acidic, fizzy fruit drops, lemon, green apples, beetroots, pickled cucumber, garlic. I think this one needs some water. With a couple drops added this turns sweeter, marzipan, cognac, white wine, acidic, lemon zest, tonic water. The finish is short and peppery.

A very tight/bitter whisky, no fruity sweetness or peppery power: 3


Linkwood 20yo 1989-2010 53.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1826

Another one from a bourbon hogshead, slightly younger and stronger. Same color as the 1987. It smells sweet, banana, heather, cream, stewed onions, a potent bourbon matured whisky it seems. The taste is excellent, sweet white wine, caramelized onions, hazelnuts, coconut, peppery, bitter, ginger. Given some time it becomes a bitter extravaganza, as bitter as they come I think, lemon seeds, tonic water, rubber, orange rind. Now it has lost some of its initial sweet charm, but perhaps some water will restore it. With some water it turns more nutty, I like it better now. hazelnuts, cashew, sweet nuts.

Cheaper and better than the 1987, go on you young whiskies!: 5.5


Linkwood 16yo 55.8% Cadenhead's

I have to say that Cadenhead's is one of my favorite IBs, not only because they have a great range, but they do bottle some whiskies that not many others do. Look out for some rum casked Fettercairns. Amazing stuff. But as with all big IB's the distance between top and bottom seems very big. It smells cocoa, caramel, honey, biscuits, ginger bread, hay, wheat, banana, cinnamon, creamy, very good. The taste is extremely peppery, a bit too much, needs some water I think. Water doesn't help much, still very peppery, creme crackers, drying, nothing more. This had the most promising nose and the most disappointing palate.

A nosing freak? please try this one, the taste won't thrill anyone I think: 3


Linkwood 10yo 1984-1994 60.5% James MacArthur's

As mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of these high strength youngsters from James MacArthur's. Which seems to be a bit of the fashion these days as older casks are getting a bit scarcer, and demand are increasing as we speak. White wine color. It smells extremely peppery, vanilla, juniper, licorice, cream, a lot of licorice. One of the best nosing so far, but do it the Richard Patterson way, if you're dipping your nose too far into the glass, the alcohol level will kill you. The taste is all on ginger and herbs, raw onions, it needs water. With added water it turns fruitier, peaches and pears, bitterschnaps,licorice, peppery.

Old style, bitter and brutal: 3


Next tasting: Speyside Distillery chosen at random by Girlfriend

Tasting 2 blends

For this session I think many scotch malts needs to be tried alongside blends and grains, or even foreign malts these days. I'll just say that there is a lot of good alternatives out there. And these blends are made by my favorite blender, mr. Paterson!



The Whisky of 1990 NAS 40% W&M blend

I wish this whisky was bottled at CS, even before trying it. The color is golden brown. It smells fruity, mint, honey, nectarine, apple juice, caramel, a weird one. The taste is oaky, leather, kiwi, grape fruit, butter. Oily!!! This is not my favorite W&M by far, but I hope it makes its way into a good blend one day.

A crappy whisky: 2.5


Whyte & MacKay 21yo 43% Blend

I think I gave this a 8 last time I tried it. But I might go the opposite way this time, considering the last score. The color is golden bronze. It smells peppery, snails, oysters, seaweed, caramel, onions, pickles, honey crust. This is a whisky which speaks very well on its own. The taste is sweet and peppery, not my favorite. Vegetable tasting, carrot juice, cauliflower, orange juice. The finish is peppery and burnt.

A good mixture: 4.5



Next tasting: You make the guess!

Tasting 4 Tullibardines

No Linkwoods today due to some upcoming sessions, instead some Tullibardines(!). I believe Tullibardine is a distillery that's trying hard to cope with a bit of a bad reputation from earlier days. I cannot remember ever hearing it being stated as a favorite by anyone. And it is also not a big favorite of the IB's. Their new effort to produce vintage bottlings seems to have given them some much needed PR at least. Personally I have tasted very little from this distillery this far.


Tullibardine NAS 40% OB

The former standard bottling which was the distilleries only bottling as well. Golden color. It smells straw, reduced white wine, bleach, perfumy. A light one, but the perfumy notes and what reminds me of very strong detergent or bleach puts me a bit off. The taste is light, citric, lime, ginger, grassy, some minty notes, rubber and old coffee. I think they made a wise decision putting a vintage selection out there, as I don't think many people would warm up more to this as other distilleries also pushes forward in finding a niche for their bottlings. ON the other hand, bottling at 40%abv. seems to be on its way to become a niche all on its own doesn't it?

It's a nice whisky, but more in blend territory: 4


Tullibardine 19yo 1988-2007 46% OB

One of the aforementioned vintage bottlings. I hope this one will stand a bit more out than the NAS OB. If the vintage doesn't do it I hope at least the rise to 46%abv. will made a difference. This one is a bit darker, some golden copper tones. This one smells dry, wheat, bitterish, rhubarb, grenadine, red berries, white wine. It's definitively much fuller and sumptuous than the NAS-version. The taste is winey, perfumy, short, rubber, ginger, bitter, lime, clove seeds, white peppers. This one lacks a bit on the palate compared with the NAS OB. A small drop of water gives way to a bit more sweetness, but it still lacks both a certain complexity and a finish.

I hope there's slightly better vintages out there, at least: 3.5


Tullibardine 15yo 1989-2005 49.8% Hart Brothers

Under 50%abv already at 15yo? Perhaps not the tightest cask at Tullibardine Distillery, or at least I hope so. The color is light apple juice/white wine. It smells white wine, citrus, lemon, onion soup, burnt rubber, soap. The fact that this one is bottled at CS is a difference which is only shown on the label thus far. The taste is better, sweet, lots of green apples and fresh mint. Sour candy. Also some ginger and tannins. If not a great Tullibardine, it sure is the best of this session by far.

Apple Bonanza: 6.5


Tullibardine 20yo 57% The Golden Cask

From the House of MacDuff, is this similar project as the Bladnoch Forum, just at the MacDuff Distillery instead? It doesn't seem that way according to online sources. The color is golden brown. It smells raw and burnt. A bit too much for me I think, but lets try it first without adding water. Sweet, creme brulee, honey, vanilla, a bit too sweet. Its a good whisky but not the most complex. Some peat would've worked magic in this one I think. Peppery and burnt with water added. I can't say that its a mediocre whisky, but its surely unlike most other whiskies. Reminds me of a buttery Loch Lomond. And if you still consider trying this one, I'll add that its actually not that bad.

It's the standard Tullibardine, but very amplified: 6.5



Next tasting: A mixed session

Tasting 4 Arrans

I have always found the Arran/Lochranza Distillery a gem to the whisky-world, as it showed that one can make profit from opening a distillery and basing the income mostly on single malt bottling. Many of the distilleries which were opened in the 70's and about, such as Allt-'a-Bhainne, Auchroisk, Braes of Glenlivet, Pittyvaich, Glenallachie and others were primarily established to be a contributor to blends. And seeing how well Arrans has done must have led way for economic support for distilleries such as Kilchoman, Abhainn Dearg, Glenglassaugh and others popping up or restarting production nowadays. Time to try some more from this distillery.


Arrans NAS 43% OB White label, bronze letters.

Young, watered down Arran, there were some whiskies early on that showed great promise, I hope this one will further that notion. The color is white wine. It smells minty and fresh, peaty, austere, raw, a bit on the wild side. The taste is floral and spirity, burnt, a bit creamy, malt syrup, biscuits, rubber, vanilla. A nice one that seems bot older and higher in strength than what is the case. I got a certain CS-feeling from this youngster.

A savage spirit with a great future: 5


Arran NAS 43% OB Beige label, red letters, Distillery drawing.

Another youngster, a bit darker on the hue. It smells peaty, smoky, floral, peppery, dried onions. The taste is much lighter in this one, some floral notes, greengages, lime, snow peas. Water does not help and it stays much the same, apart from becoming a bit more bitter. This was some of a letdown after the promising first one.

Blend territory, not a good one: 3


Arran NAS 51.4% OB 15th Anniversary Bottling

No age statement, but I can for sure say that it is no more than 15yo:). Arran seems to be coming along very well with their latest 14yo OB, which was a nice whisky as I remember it. The color on this one is golden brown. It smells peaty, I know there is little or no peat added to this whisky in production, but there might be some in the water? Cinnamon, herbs, thyme, rosemary, lamb steak, meaty, nice nosing so far. The taste is thick, cinnamon, licorice, wheat, creamy, really light, light creamy cheese or even creme brulée. The finish is drying, marzipan, orange zest, cinnamon again.

Seems there's quite some sherried whisky in the mix here: 6.5


Lochranza 11yo 1996-2007 57% Hellmann's Naturextrakte

A wine-bottle looking decanter. An independent bottler with a very alternative name. I like it and it brings a bit of fun, opposed to the more traditional, and maybe pompously named IB series. This one is from a sherry cask, and was produced just one year after production started, and two years after establishing the distillery. The color is orange/brown, dark. It smells rich and creamy, leather, prunes, cigars, a sherry beast for sure. I do already believe this one will need a bit of water but I'll try it bare just to be sure. The taste is all on dark chocolate and caramel, cigar smoke, doesn't need any water at all, but when added it deteriorates more than improves the whisky. Still bare it turns very oaky, drying, leather, dry sherry, red paprika.

I think it represents a style that's hard to find at young age: 7.5



Next tasting: Linkwood Distillery