Dailuaine 21yo 1985-2006 46% Berry Bros & Rudd cask#1064

Ending 2013 with a Dailuaine. Happy New Year! I do believe this one comes from a sherry cask, as most Dailuaines usually do(did?), but the label states no such information. It should come as no surprise I'm thinking highly of Dailuaine's whisky, but I've not tried many distilled in the mid-80's. The color is light amber/dirty golden. It smells spicy, green chillies, honey, leather, black pepper, bananas, fruit compote, ginger, orange jam, an interesting mix of sweet and spicy notes it seems. The taste is drying, burnt, rubbery, ginger again, wheat crackers, some citric notes of lime and melon. It's not my cup of malt, it reminds me a bit of some DE editions from Talisker that I wasn't that thrilled about. Adding some water. Now it turns sweeter, more on madeira, or dry tawny. It's somewhat more drinkable but once again it reminds me more of something that isn't whisky. White rum, calvados perhaps? The finish is middle long, peppery and grassy.

I've tried many better BBR's and Dailuaines: 5.5



Next tasting: Speyside Distilery

Famous Grouse 7yo 43% for Armando Giovinetti Junior

I've had a couple bottlings for Giovinetti (sr.), and I must admit I find this more of a crazy curiosity than a whisky I'm dying to try. Some 8yo Fettercairn amongst others. The color is neo-traditionally adjusted, and there's some sediments that I believe have been released from the inside of the screw cap. It smells heavy vanilla, sage, cardamum, heather, hay, coriander, cinnamon, nuts, caramel, prunes, malt syrup, a rather sweet and malty blend, it seems. The taste is buttery, nutty, caramel, cinnamon, some vanilla, wallpaper glue, stamp glue if you want a tasted reference, some weird notes on the finish. No reason to add water, but lets try just for fun. Now it turns more peppery, minced garlic and chili, lots of spices, still some malty notes and vanilla. A curiosity, well worth tasting, but still a curiosity in my opinion. Merry Christmas!

This blend speaks fluently Vanilla: 5



Next tasting: Dailuaine Distillery

Neumarkt Special Smokers Malt 14yo 1998-2012 43% Tabak Jurewicz Pfeifen Studio, Aachen

What could this be then? a smokers malt from Speyside, bottled in Germany. Could be just about any speysider then? I'll do some guessing along the way, as I taste. I got this one at auction at a vey fair price. What got my attention is the age, for a whisky like this, its rather out of the norm these days. The color is golden. It smells straw, perfume, malty, pickled beetroot, riesling white wine, grassy. I can't avoid thinking of Dufftown Distillery, Glendullan or Glen Moray. The taste is sweet, more on riesling, peppery, vanilla, floral, garden fruits, peach tea, nutty, pears, banana. It's a light, bourbon oak-influenced speysider, and it could be from just any lesser profiled distillery from that region, I think. The finish is on dry licorice, honey, vanilla and apricot jam.

No big thrills, but flawless non the less: 6



Next tasting: Something young, yet old. A rare bottling of a commercial brand to celebrate Christmas.

An old friend from Inverness

I believe this is my third miniature of the 1250 bottles from cask#1102. I'm not definitively sure its all miniatures from this cask, but with that number of bottles, one could very well assume so. 60.1%abv is a decent strength after 16 years on wood. How better to taste a Millburn than with most of its strength intact? The color is amber golden. It smells honey, spirity, waxy, engine oil, butterscotch, dark chocolate, cocoa, burnt butter, oil paint, a slightly strange one. This is quite the whisky, I believe it carries a lot of aroma, enough to keep most punters at bay, but then again, if your adventurous and want to experience the wild side of Inverness, please enjoy. The taste is all on dry white wine, honey, lemon rind, grapefruit bitterness, starchy, peppery, aniseed, mustard, strong stuff! Adding water. Now it turns more honeyed, richer, saltier, more buttery, peat, leather, ashes, filled with sweet bitterness. The finish is dry, oaky, dry white wine, butter, grassy, salt water, wheat biscuits, a bit hard to follow. But with all these fruity/floral whiskies these days, if you wanna have a go at old school, leather and attic smells, this is the concentrate you're looking for.

Not for the wine/sherry cask freaks, rather a humble whisky with a much wilder side: 8



Next tasting: 14yo Smokers Malt from Speyside(???)

Laphroaig 11yo 1998-2009 57.3% Celtic Whisky

One cask (presumably just one) bottled for the shop Celtic Whiskey in Nürnberg, Germany. Don't let the rather pixelated and simple label fool you, this is an authentic Laphroaig. I won this at a recent auction for a very fair price, remember, even Laphroaig prices are skyrocketing these days. There is no mention of cask type, size or anything else. Only age and strength, a glimmer of days gone by? The color is pale, white wine. It smells rather light, vanilla, pears, sweet mint, peat, stearic/waxy notes, ashes, paint thinner, gasoline, pretty much what one would expect from a young Laphroaig, not far off some of the best batches of the QC. If this is what they can produce without any port finishes of other crap, its golden! The taste is raw peat, spirity, vanilla, raw onions, medicinal, herbs, bitter notes, tonic water, lime, sour grapes, ginger, peppery. Reading these notes it could seem like there's quite some off-notes, but I must add there's no peatiness like Laphroaig peatiness, no matter how high you get the ppm level. These seemingly off-notes is the notes that cracks through, it's just so powerful that I'm not able to detect heather, strawberries or tiramisu. I will not add water to this, you may. But Laphroaig is rarely suited for additional water, imho. The finish is longlasting, peppery, peaty, dark chocolate, onions, one of the best "natural" peat-monsters I've had in a while.

Comfortably raw and peaty, a distinct malt, I love it: 8.5



Next tasting: Millburn Distillery

Fettercairn 22yo 1990-2013 51.5% Malts of Scotland cask#13004 btl.29/242

How about that, a Fettercairn from one of the smaller, and some might say more "picky" independent bottlers. I have no reason why they've waited this long. Oh yes, also Blackadder and Whisky-Doris among others released new Fettercairns this year. This one comes from a bourbon hogshead. The color is pale auburn, darker than golden, yet pale. It smells rich, vanilla cream, mashed banana, pickled beetroot, very light vinegar notes, porter/stout, wasabi, leather, mulled wine, cardamom, fresh clover. The taste is vanilla, sour fruits, lemon, mango, pears, kiwi, honey, marzipan, peppery, a bit austere, glue perhaps, stearic. With a drop of water added it loses some of the austere and stearic bits. The finish is peaty, citric, sunflower, cactus, lemon meringue. That was a strange finish. Usually the longer finishes are those of bold spicy and peppery notes. This had more of a peaty lowlandish finish, perhaps a Bladnoch. But Bladnochs fade pretty quick, this ones still hanging around about 30 minutes after I finished the dram.

An enjoyable whisky that for me, scores high on all tasting aspects: 7.5



Next tasting: Laphroaig Distillery

Dramming away at the break of a new day...

Some Andersonian rephrasing here, but since I've stopped going to bars and started working late evenings I find it more fulfilling doing my whisky tastings earlier in the day. It's not that I ever get drunk or anything, but unless you are going to operate a vehicle, I see no harm in having a small drop of whisky in the mornings. This I have recognized having some very positive effects on my daily life.

1. I drink very little whisky, because the whole house(family) is up by the time I pour my first cl. At late evening/nighttime, I often find myself in a quiet house with nothing more than the bed to look forward to. So it's easy to just keep dramming then. Now I rather just sleep.

2. I am more thorough with each whisky. In the morning, as long as I've had a good nights sleep, I'm sharp, invigorated and inspired. Which makes the tasting experience much more fun.

3. I get better sleep. No matter how little, or much, alcohol one consumes before going to bed, it'll make you more awake, and thus having a harder time falling to sleep.

4. I get up earlier, which pretty much says itself, and means I get more out of the day.

5. It gets my brain started early on. Believe you me, tasting a whisky is a great way to focus your brain. I sniff, memorize other/similar odors. I taste, then memorize other/similar flavors, times, places and so on. I get my momentum for the day, and I'm already loaded with inspiration the minute I walk out the door.


Just a bit of personal experience, but thats what diaries are for?

Old Fettercairn 10yo 43% OB Whyte & MacKay Porcelain Decanter

I've had Old Fettercairn 10yo at 40%abv and 43%abv, from miniature bottles as well as standard 70cl bottles, I've even had it from plastic decanters, but this pot still shaped ceramic 37.5cl is a new one. I've had some bad level experiences with old ceramic decanters before, especially some from Signatory's holding Port Ellen. Let's hope the contents in this one is more intact. The cork was so fragile it fell into the still when I opened it. The fill level seems good. The color is dark golden, almost auburn. Much darker than what I usually find the 10yo. It smells sweet, pistachio, vanilla, malty, coconut flesh, a bittersweet musty note, tartness. The taste is at first nutty, custard, malty, rich sweet notes, hazelnuts, honey, light vinegar. Then it turns more peppery and peaty, some menthol, oaky notes, but most of all I'm pleased with this unusual peatiness. The finish is tannic, drying, rich, smoky, heather and cinnamon.

Takes me back: 9



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Statesman NAS 40% Blend Blackstone

Why not do a cheap blend for once, just to see what one can get for around 3 quid these days, now that single malt prices are increasing at the level it is. It's got all those nice words such as "Special Quality", "Finest Old", "A rare selection", "Perfectly blended" and "Fully Matured", which all really tells me nothing about the product. It's imported and bottled by german company Blackstone. The color is golden. It smells light, perfumy, malty, some cereals, candy floss, stearic, a bit spirity, surely much young spirit. The taste is sweet, malty, some hay, slightly bitter, but really there's no off-notes or anything, just a very safe and plain spirit/whisky for those that barely can handle their Vodka. Don't get me wrong, there are great Vodkas out there, but this is a very basic whisky.(?) The finish is salty, barley, citric, lemon peel, orange peel, nice bitter notes, a pleasant surprise after the initial vagueness.

Hard to score, the quality of the finish surpasses the nose and palate by miles: 4



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Ardmore 22yo 1991-2013 53.8% Malts of Scotland cask#13018

I don't think I ever had a sherried Ardmore, not even from from port or wine wood. Only bourbon-matured ones, so this one from a rum-barrel should be something else. For me, Ardmore is the best peated Highlander, there, now I've confessed! The color is golden. It smells fresh, minty, cloves, peat, fennels, ashes, vanilla. This is one of the freshest and cleanest Ardmores I've nosed. The taste is sweet, smoky, barbecue sauce, cinnamon, leeches, honey, ashes, salted butter, a rich and sweet whisky. The finish is a bit oaky and rubbery, tannic notes. All in all a lot of Ardmore, the strange cask haven't tampered with the evidence...

A worthy alternative to the otherwise good bourbon-matured Ardmores: 7



Next tasting: A rather cheap scotch blend

Caol Ila 13yo 1995-2008 59.1% Alambic Classique

Only 60 bottles, most likely a shared cask then? IB Caol Ila is always fun as its usually much more affordable than Ardbeg, Lagavulin and such, but not necessarily inferior in quality. And at a decent age and strength like this, we could be in for a real treat. The color is golden. It smells peaty, earthy, gasoline, clay, baking powder, old attic, lemon zest. The taste is camphor, licorice, butterscotch, rich vanilla and leather. Actually, the nose was much more Islay-style than the palate. The peat on the palate is excellent, but its a very rich and thick palate as well. One might think it was matured in some sweet wine cask, but then again it could be. Info lacking. The finish is peppery and short.

A rich Caol Ila that lacks a bit on the finish: 7



Next tasting: Ardmore Distillery

Edradour/Ballechin NAS 46% OB Batch#6

This was a surprise mini sample I got when purchasing a Talisker at Loch Fyne Whiskies webshop. Ballechin is a peated version of Edradour, I'm a bit unsure to what level it is peated. It's 100% bourbon-matured. I think I've got just about 1cl of this so I will unfortunately not have the opportunity  to investigate it as thoroughly as I usually do. Now Edradour is owned by IB Signatory, and claims to be one of the smallest, if not the smallest, distillery in Scotland. It has no big following, and is often looked upon in a grim light, so to speak. I've had good ones, and also rather unpleasant ones, but very few peaty ones. Was Glenforres peated? The color on this is light golden/straw. It smells buttery, ginger, honey, dark chocolate, a bit raw and spirity, damp and earthy notes. It shows there's no fancy wine finishing to camouflage any unwanted nuances. The taste is fruity, vanilla, banana, mango chutney, meringue, canned pears and peat. How weird. The finish is short and peppery. Btw, stating a code on the label instead of the whiskys name was a clever way to lure me back to the whiskysite, and hopefully lead me onto another whisky purchase(!).



Next tasting: Caol Ila Distillery

Glenkinchie 12yo 43% OB

As the ones of you following this blog on a regular basis may have noticed, I have had quite a number of standard bottlings from Diageos Classic Malts range lately. I'm sort of reintroducing my palate to the basic. I must admit, having a period of very old whiskies, very peaty whiskies, and heavily oak-influenced ones over a period of time does something with your appreciation of other, more mundane whiskies, in general. The color is golden. It smells citrus, lemon, lime, mango, raspberry, hay, appletini, tonic water. What can I say, its sure classic lowland in style. The taste is sweet, lemon tart, grassy, apple cider, lemongrass, rhubarb, well-balanced and just a bit of vanilla sweetness in the end. The finish is short on laurels, garlic and starch.

Great stuff, perfect everyday dram: 7.5



Next tasting: Peaty Edradour

Why we must not blindly trust a whisky review?

A bit of shooting my own foot here, but it seems that these days, points from outer references are becoming more and more important when one wants to buy a new bottle of whisky. Popular Whiskyfun.com of Serge Valentin is often used, also the Malt Maniacs and Whiskybase.com, Ralfy deserves a mention, and so on. I myself often read those reviews after first having tried the whisky. I mean, a whisky at 93+ points anywhere is usually a universally good whisky, but that's not always the case with lower scores. The reasons can at times be pretty simple. I believe that  the elite of whiskies, those that score 93+points is of the kind, and often price range, that it justifies such a score. When you drink whiskies that fetched scores in the 80's and 70's I believe personal taste play a bigger roll. Is the taster a sherry or bourbon fan, is he/she a peat-head? Does he/she love oaky notes, young spirits, wine casks, high strengths or others? (one does not exclude another, I know). Does the taster use little, non or lots of water, lets he the whisky breath for a short or longer period? All these things are factors that can affect a persons opinion of a whisky. I myself try each whisky both with and without added water. I try to taste every whisky from an as newly opened bottle as possible. (That is hard to pin when tasting samples).
One thing conserning many whiskies is that a drop of whisky from a newly opened bottle taste quite different than what the last drops from a bottle that's opened a couple of months ago does. I mean, every so often I get a whisky that I initially find extremely good, often from port wood or heavily peated youngsters. Then I find it more or less faded just within a week of opening the bottle. So, to be fair with the score I would have to try the whisky at at least two stages of fill level to catch the whisky's lifespan quality from when opening the bottle till its empty.
Another is the batch differences. I once had a HP 18 that I scored about 5/10 points, which came from an ill batch. I've since tried it from other batches and found its a solid 8/10 in my book. I know Ardbeg is one of those distilleries where batch differences can be recognizable. There must be many more shades of this issue to enlighten, but I will leave you with this last comment:

Your best scale will always be yourself.

Oban 14yo 43% OB

Since my memories of what used to be the spicy speysider in the Classic Malts range from Diageo, Cragganmore, way surpassed my experience of it a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd have a similar go at the 14yo Oban from the same range. I remember it as a characterful, spicy highlander, and it was one of my first ever whisky-experiences. The color has been adjusted to the level I remember :-). It smells heather, cumin, honeysuckle, peat, ashes, biscuits, sour milk, leather, wax, coal. The taste is sweet, musty, cumin, strong mustard, cinnamon, fennel tea, malt, peat, dry port, yeast, ginger ale, most of all there's unusually strong hints of fennel(!). I can't recall getting the notion of fennel in many whiskies. Adding water makes for a heavier malt, more citrus notes like lime peel and sour fruits, also a bit more malty notes. Unfortunately both the peat and the fennel disappears. All in all I must say this whisky is not far of what I recollect from many years ago, thoughts wander to peated/older Glen Garioch, Clynelish,  and other typical highlanders.

A classic malt that truly carries its stamp: 8



Next tasting: Glenkinchie Distillery

Cragganmore 11yo 1989-2000 59.8% Blackadder Natural Strength cask#1467

I've actually never tried this "Natural Strength"-series from Blackadder before. The only CS-series from them are the Raw Cask-series, maybe this was a one-off? I could research that, but lets not waste time. I recently had the Cragganmore 12yo OB and found it a bit weakly, so lets have a similar aged one and up the %abv with nearly 20. This could be something new? I know there are a bunch of older OB CS's from Cragganmore, but this is much younger. The color is golden. It smells honey, stewed onions, green apples, floral, vanilla, nutty, banana, creamy. I'd guess this comes from a large sherry cask as it held 599 bottles, but its more of a bourbon-matured character. The taste is sweet, vanilla, leather, green olives, dried herbs, oregano, banana peel, bittersweet, dry gin. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more honey, black pepper, leather, wax, vanilla, coconut, very sweet and spirity. The finish is long, drying, peppery, the finish is the highlight of this dram.

It seems Cragganmore can be a bit more than just a light Speysider: 6



Next tasting: Oban Distillery

Cragganmore 12yo 40% OB

Once in a while I try to have a taste of some familiar stuff, such as bottles from the "Classic Malts"-range from Diageo, or even a Laphroaig, Glenmorangie or Glenfarclas 10. I find it rewarding to keep my reference points to more recent batches. Remember, the 12yo HP from 1998 was sure a bit different than the latest release, I can assure you. This one is marked with the rather bold statement "An elegant sophisticated speyside with the most complex aroma of any malt". Poor linguistics aside, I don't think that statement is objectively true. The color is nutty golden. It smells malty, oak zest, coriander, walnuts, parmesan, caramel, sweetness of roasted almonds, rather fruity, some mango and kiwis, clean. The taste is light and fruity, pears, kiwis, honey melon, coconut juice, light citric with a clean fruity speyside-style. But, its not very complex. Are Diageo having a go at us? The finish is peppery, malty, with some coffee and vanilla in the background.

It works, for what its worth, as a precise representation of its region: 6



Next tasting: Cragganmore Distillery

Bruichladdich 10yo 2002-2013 55.2% Malts of Scotland cask#13026

From a bourbon barrel. What the actual peat level is in Bruichladdich varies according to sources. Or some sources maybe more right than others? Most say its about 5ppm. Some say its unpeated. The color is golden. It smells spicy, sea salt, truffles, earthy, damp smoke, burnt butter. It's a typical Islayer with little peat (if such a thing exists?). Reminds me a bit of that unpeated Caol Ila that was in the wind a couple years back. The taste is peppery, salty, seaweed, dry white wine, raw onions, raw shallots, sweet and peppery! And there's quite some peat as well. The finish is sugary, caramel, syrupy, quite a surprise!

I think this is the way to go, not too young, not too wild, just damn feisty!: 7.5



Next tasting: Cragganmore Distillery

Aberlour 14yo 1989-2004 56.8% James MacArthur's Old Master's cask#12198

I had a taste of this utterly pale Aberlour from bourbon wood a couple years back (it's not a leaking bottle). And I rated it an impressive 8 points. I have read many online reviews of it, which I usually never do before having a tasting, and I find that most people rate it in the 70's somewhere on a 100 scale. Perhaps it was that nice newly-opened-bottle effect that lured me last time. Or its just a misunderstood whisky imo? Lets have another go. The color is pale straw. It smells gingery, vanilla, white wine, yeasty, like boiling white wine, or even wheat beer. Nice peppery notes. The taste is wheat, hay, vanilla, clay, sawdust, pear jello, dry chicken meat, leather. The finish is rubbery and peppery. Adding water leads to a sweeter and easier whisky, some might say boring, yes, boring...

This seems more tired and less peculiar than last time I tried it: 5.5



Next tasting: Bruichladdich Distillery

Clynelish 15yo 1997-2013 53% Adelphi for Daracha Norway

A very recent bottling of Clynelish, for the Norwegian Market. At around 70 quid, it's an affordable bottle as well, in Norway that is. The color is golden. I believe it comes from a bourbon hogshead. It smells heather, starchy, vanilla, peat, orange zest, lime rind, leather, old boots, stearic. The taste is floral, dry, peppery, aniseed, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, rootbeer, malty. I think I've read someone praising this malt for its little developed palate, another one stating it tastes like a cheap frozen pizza. I can hardly agree with any of them. But the spirit is so strong that I think it overpowers the mild cask(s) in this incident. The taste is arguably real Clynelish style, and to me its just what I'd expect from a standard 12-14yo from them. The finish is short and peppery. Btw, adding water to this makes for a milder and less interesting spirit in my opinion.



Next tasting: Aberlour Distillery

Tobermory 15yo 1998-2013 62.2% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#800030

No Clynelish today. Its because today I got my first born son home from the hospital, and that was to be celebrated, now that he's well asleep, and the misses too. How to celebrate? With something made in Scotland and sold only in Denmark. As you see, this whisky was exclusively bottled for "Vin & Vin Hjørring" 36 btls. But I have another bottle strikingly similar, also of only 36 bottlings,  from the same cask, but exclusively bottled for "Skjold Brune Vinhandel Aalborg". So it seems there was a cask of Ledaig split between several wine shops in Denmark. That might sound a bit liberal, but then again, it scored 92p on average (this day) on www.whiskybase.com (Omg, that should so not count, well it doesn't, too me). From a sherry butt. The color is cinnamon orange. It smells sweet, peppery, rich, yet not creamy sherry, honey, beeswax, seaweed, salty, butter, dried garlic, reminds me a bit of a young Talisker, but it has a lot more depth, a mix of Talisker and Dailuaine? Maybe some Glenfarclas in the mix, quite rich, spicy and peaty! The taste is extremely peppery, ashtray, peat, smoke, bonfire, wow! The peat completely dominates the sherry, but some dry notes in the aftertaste leaves a lingering exit. Time to add some water. Now it goes more oaky, feinty, pine wood, citron, a bit earthy notes, just a bit off as the peat is severely restrained by the addition of water. The finish is (with water) herbal, peaty and peppery.

The nose is easily a 9.5, even a 10. The taste shows it should've stayed 5 more years on oak: 8



Next tasting: Clynelish Distillery

Kavalan NAS 57% OB Solist

I've had som Kavalans before, varying in quality, but never disappointing. This one was all matured in oloroso sherry casks if I'm not mistaken. The color is dark brown. It smells sweet, honeyed, plums, grenadine, raisins, figs, oloroso sherry, cinnamon, cumin, dark chocolate, malt syrup, sweet orange liqueur, perfectly decent sherried profile. I wonder where they source their casks? The taste is intense, raw oaky notes, oak zest(?), spirity, aniseeds, cumin, peppery, perfumy, I believe this requires some added water. Now it turns richer, more cinnamon and chillies, black pepper, tannic, spirity, reminds me more and more of some of the rawest Aberlour A'bunadhs that I've had. The finish is citric, lime peel and grenadine.

A must for sherry freaks, not so much for me, nevertheless I believe the MB achieved his goal: 7



Next tasting: Clynelish Distillery

Amrut NAS 61.9% OB 2007 Release

This is only the 4th batch of CS OB Vintage Amruts. And it is approximately 3yo. Since its another continent I do not know wether the 3 y.o rule for what can be called whisky applies. But then again, things mature more quickly in warmer climates (or something like that).  The color is golden brown/deep golden. It smells young, raw, spirity, ginger, wasabi, black pepper, sour dough, yeast, spirity. Now remember, this is both young and at a very high strength. Lets try it straight just for fun. The taste is syrupy, sugary, vanilla, fried bananas, immensely sweet. Some spirity notes and even some small hints of peat in the background, but most of all its a sweet soup. Lets add some water. Now it turns drier, wheat biscuits, ginger and rubber. Water will be out of the question next time I try this batch.

Decent stuff, influenced by heavily toasted bourbon wood, is my guess: 4.5



Next tasting: Kavalan Distillery

Caol Ila NAS 60.1% OB

Some sources say this is a 12yo, but since there's no such information stated on the bottle, I'll stick with the NAS. Young high strength Islayers are popular as ever before, the likes of Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Ardbeg and Bowmore seems to be throwing themselves at every chance to deliver a young monster. And Kilchoman, though they have little other options these days. And the IB's are following too. Caol Ila on the other hand, and Lagavulin, seems to be a bit more careful...  This at 60.1% my be one of the more extreme Caol Ilas I've tried. The color is pale golden. It smells peaty, gasoline, burnt rubber, ashes, earthy, salty, vinegar. Stellar example of an Islay malt that's not been over-powered by peat in any sense. The taste is peppery, tarry, drying, peaty, a bit too raw and unfocused. Hard to distinguish one nuance from the other, a bit like a Jackson Pollock painting. Lets add a few drops of water. Now it turns sweeter, more vanilla, smoky, ashes, damp smoke, lemon peel. The finish is long and peppery.

A good classic style Caol Ila: 6.5



Next tasting: Amrut Distillery

Hjørring Rom & Whisky Festival 2013

This year I attended the Rum&Whisky festival in small danish city of Hjørring. I was at this festival last year as well, when it was held in Nørregade in Hjørring at the old Vin&Vin locals. Now that the shop has expanded and the range also, its relocated just north of the city on Frilandsvej. The owner is still Stig Risgaard, and he successfully created a great festival this year too. The festival focuses mainly on Scotch single malt whisky and rums, but also tequila, cognac, bourbon, japanese whisky, gin and other spirits. Approximately 200 people attended the festival in its 4 hours period. When talking to Stig, he told me that next year there will perhaps be a smaller event for a smaller ensemble of invited people instead of the open festival. If so, its about time to see what we might miss in 2014. Photos, here we go!

/ means it's one to try, X means its one to buy! Bernheim wheat whisky!

Some of the IBs on display, something for everyone.

It was supposed to be 2cl a coupon, well measured ;-)

Inside the tent, but with 20 degrees outside, most people enjoyed their drinks outside...

Some of the more exclusive stuff, 1975 Ardbeg for instance.

The shop, in case you ever wanna stop by, much recommended by myself.

Some guy got the idea of selling cars at the whisky festival. Let's hope they didn't drive them home that night...

Highland Park 11yo 2000-2011 58.2% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#542,543,544

It seems to me, this often underrated series by G&M is on its way back to the shelves. Nothing would make me more happy. And finding the prices on HP CS sky-rocketing with their valhalla-series these days, this makes for a very affordable alternative. A mix of three refill bourbon barrels. The color is nutty golden. It smells iodine, coastal, salty, waxy, rich, perfumy, buttery, wheat, rich whisky. I'm suspecting a decent amount of peated barley has been used here. Remember, it varies at HP, or it could just be that it stands out a bit more due to the lack of sherried wood. The immediately releases a flow of sweet cinnamon and vanilla notes. Quite extreme in its own right. The middle is more sweet'n'sour, pineapple and mango. The finish is long and peppery. Although the nose was the star here, its a whisky for anyone who loves the HP profile.

Complex nose, sweet palate, peppery finish: 8



Next tasting: Caol Ila Distillery

Kornog NAS 58.7% OB Glann Ar Mor

Kornog is the peated whisky distilled at Glann Ar Mor distillery in France. Its gotten a lot of praise the last few years. The color is pale golden. It smells spirity, some malty notes, a bit of peat, some paint thinner and spirit markers. Some coastal aromas of salt and brine. The taste is phenolic, peaty, briny, brick dust, ashes, burnt oak. It seems to me a bit raw, a bit like some of those CS youngsters from Kilchoman that needed a year or two more on wood. Let's add some water. Now it turns a bit sweeter, more citric notes, lemons, unripe kiwis, peat, salty, fresh lime, briny, much easier to see the Islay reference often used to describe this whisky now, that its been diluted. The finish is briny, peaty and longlasting.

Water provides a welcomed twist to this youngster: 7



Next tasting: Highland Park Distillery

Tasting a mix of 9 very different whiskies (so it seemed)

After being exhausted by some crazy big sessions of closed down distilleries, I then went into a state of nearly a dram a week. Even less than what my doctor recommends. But I'm now feeling its time for a session of variation, and this is it. Variation, yes!


Goldlys 12yo 43% OB 2012 (PX sherry finish)

Belgian. The color is amber, nutty brown. It smells rich, toffee, cinnamon, heather, burnt tarts, honey. The taste is quite bitter, grainy, mustard, raw onions, chewing tobacco, quite off. (I won't be adding water to these whiskies by the way) The finish is bitter on sawdust, coffee beans and lime rind. Quite peppery as well.


Speyside 15yo 1996-2012 46% Strictly Limited Carn Mor (Sherry Butt)

The color is lightly tanned golden. It smells like wet wool, sage, rotting grass, Drumguish(?), waxy, all sorts of wet/rotting vegetables, like carrots cooked for broth. The taste is  on camembert, vieux du pane, salty cheese, a bit gunpowder and some leather. The taste is waxy and peppery, dry and sweet licorice, maltodextrin, not very complex, but a real kicker. The finish is dry and short.


Islay House Malt 21yo 1990-2012 46% Wilson & Morgan (Sherry Butt#50)

Many say this is a Bunnahabhain. The color is deep golden brown. It smells sweet sherried, something in the line of cream sherry, salt, custard, rib fat, oysters, acrylic paint, fabric, apple cider. The taste is tannic, phenolic, blueberry wine, some ginger and cider vinegar. The finish is long on wheat, yeast and black pepper.


Amrut NAS 50% OB Fusion 2013 batch#21

Indian. The color is golden brown. It smells restrained, some flour sugar, menthol, honey and mint. The taste is rich, sweet, unripe apples, dry white wine, vanilla, fruit syrup, a bit cloying actually. Reveals its young age by some spirity notes of vodka and yeast. The finish is long, black pepper, some peat, vanilla and phenol.


Braeval 14yo 1997-2012 52% Creative Whisky Company Exclusive Casks (cask#126678 Sherry Finish)

Exclusive Casks perhaps wasn't that creative name of a series of single cask whiskies? The color is golden brown. It smells sweet, bubble gum, air freshener, vanilla, some light notes of cinnamon and hay. The taste is sweet and almost sticky, candy, syrup, ginger, chillies, quite intense an strong behind all that sweet stuff, unbalanced. The finish is rather peppery and austere.


Greenore 10yo 2000-2001 52.9% OB for Belgium cask#87

Irish grain whisky. The color is pale straw. It smells rich and buttery, butter crackers, grassy, lavender, vanilla. Pleasant enough. The taste is vanilla, honey, barley, onions, leeks, mashed parsnip, grainy, some children crayons and rubber. The finish is on wheat, pickles, cumin, curry paste.


Glenburgie 23yo 1989-2012 54.8% Chester Whisky & Liqueur Co. (Bourbon Barrel)

An IB I've never come across before. The color is pale straw. It smells soapy, honey, sweet yet more like some lavender or flower. The taste is malty, peppery, vanilla, oaky, more traditional so to speak. This one carries nothing that you can't find in a 12yo malt. The finish is zesty and oaky.


Redbreast 12yo 57.7% OB 2011 (batch#1)

Irish. The color is golden. It smells rich, vanilla, heather, butter, grassy, oregano, cinnamon. The taste is very phenolic, burnt sugar, malt syrup, coffee, buttery, salty. The finish is smoky, peppery, cured ham, a lot of salty notes, smoked bacon.


Cooley 13yo 1999-2013 51.4% The Whisky Mercenary

Irish peated. Pale color. It smells sweet vanilla, honey, brittle, ashes, grapefruit, leather and beetroot puree. The taste is sweet, coal, ashes, heavy peaty notes, some ashes and grape seeds. The finish is pretty oaky and seems a bit underdeveloped. Oak and spirit.



Next tasting: Glann Ar Mor Distillery

Glenlivet 26yo 1974-2000 54% Danehill cask#8180 btl.33/197

This was a millenium edition for Danehill, which I've never heard of before, to tell you the truth. Only 197 bottles. I bought this from the whisky exchange. If you've done the same thing, and notice my cork top is a bit different than yours, its because the original cork in mine was ruined. Lets hope the whisky isn't. The color is golden. It smells sweet, rich peat, vanilla, burnt oak, cinnamon, heather, stewed onions, caramel, burnt sugar, glue. The taste is clean and peppery, again very peaty, austere, black peppers, mustard, yeast. I've never encountered such a peaty Glenlivet before. Time to add some water.  Be generous with water on this one, that is my tip. The taste is now much sweeter, more vanilla, custard, honey, green paprika, initially a bit too light for me, but the finish hits with serious peppery, peaty, mustardy notes.

Quite an extreme Glenlivet: 7



Next tasting: Mixed bunch, Scotland and the World

Longmorn 14yo 1990-2004 56.7% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#30049 btl.

There was drawn a mere 219 bottles from this bourbon hogshead. I usually like this series a lot, and I've always been found of Longmorn. A match made in heaven? The color is deep golden. It smells banana, creamy, vanilla, oaky, spicy, cinnamon, garlic, red onions, some dry hay and nice gin notes. The bottler actually suggests on the label, to add water to this, to "help release its FULL FLAVOUR". I'll try it neat first anyway.. The taste is on dry green herbs, green paprika, leeks, oregano, vanilla, very nice even without water. It's a pretty light and easy-drinking malt. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, fuller, rum and raisin notes, heather, rich vanilla and banana notes, I must say this is a very decent 14yo, one of the better I've had to be fair. The finish is long on peppery and honey, a perfect finish on this rich whisky.

Longmorn, time go get some more: 9



Next tasting: Glenlivet Distillery

Port Dundas 46yo 1965-2011 43,3% Scott's Selection

I don't think I've ever had a Port Dundas before, or wait, I had a 20yo OB a while back. I remember it as an easy-drinking grain with little personality, despite high strength. This one is in the top flight on my list of whiskies what age is concerned. Not the vintage though. Port Dundas was closed down in 2009, so its not a scarce whisky, but if you can, please get hold of one before grain-prices starts sky-rocketing as well. The color is brown/orange. It smells oaky, lacquer, paint thinner, quite spirity, lets give this some time to open up, remember, its an old whisky that can make you miss its magic if you rush it. Ten more minutes of breathing. Now it turns more fresh, minty, leather, peppermint, much more vigrant, but far from your typical 40yo+ whisky. The taste is slightly bitter, gritty, acidic, sweet coffee, banana. A mix of two worlds, first bitter and closed, then some nice sappy sweet notes, almost like a sweet vegetable broth. I do like this, and I have to try with water added. Water added. Now it turns more gritty again, grassy, very tame. Water kills this otherwise interesting single grain.

For this age, it seems underdeveloped, but its a decent dram: 5.5



Next tasting: Longmorn Distillery

Macduff 25yo 1983-2009 56.8% C&S Dram Collection cask#4093 btl.250

Sadly, it seems www.blogger.com, for whatever reason, refused to post my notes on the st. Magdalene I was gonna have, and now its all disappeared... Let's try to redeem that loss with a Macduff...

I must admit that although having tried a good number of Macduffs aka Glen Deverons through the years, I have not yet found a clear or slightly consistent taste pattern for this whisky. I find its a bit of an either or whisky. If you get what I'm trying to say. This one comes from a sherry butt. The color is mustard brown. It smells immediately very sherried. Vegetal, grassy, chives, raw onions, austere, vinyl, sour citric notes, bitter and burnt. This is somewhat intriguing though not very pleasant, another kind of beast? The taste is very bitter and peppery, those bitter sour citric notes comes plunging forward. Lemon and lime peel, grassy, raw onions, bitter sherry, almost a bit too much of that. Not much distillery character, or is that it? Its bitter and burning, needs a dash of water to release its potential I believe. Adding about 4 teaspoons. Now it turns a bit drier, maltier, wheaty, burnt toast, rubbery, glue, this is rather unpleasant, but I know some lovers of bitter drops that would appreciate this kind of whisky. For me, and I emphasize me, this is not a good whisky, too much oak influence for a spirit that seems to have been weak initially. But when had neat, its just more of an experience, a lot more happening. The finish is sweet and intense on sour fruit gums, syrup and vanilla.

One that needs a lot of breathing, and a bitter tooth (what?): 4



Next tasting: Port Dundas Distillery

Fettercairn 15yo 1989-2006 62.6% OB cask#2224 btl.118/225

                                           

This was bottled on the sixth of june 2006, so 666 then... That cannot be all by coincidence, or? This comes from a hogshead, which have been finished in, well, "Spanish White Oak Sherry Finish" it says. But the color has more of a copper tone. And what a strength! You see 3-5yos from different distilleries these days carrying well below 60%abv at CS. It smells heather, orange liqueur, dark chocolate, vanilla, plum wine, sherry, dark roasted coffee, leather, cherries. The taste is chili, spicy, bitter licorice, juniper, ginger, waxy, salt, really intense and powerful. Some sweetness such as cherries, honey and ashes joins after a while. I will not add water as you can see from the bottle I've had some of it and some with water indeed. I remember it as becoming far more spirity then. I believe this is edging from the usual character of Fettercairn, but maybe it can work as an eye-opener for the skeptics out there, I know there are a few. The finish is peppery, sherried, dry sherry, red onions, dry red wine, tannic, gotta love your dry and bitter sherries to love this one I think.

I rarely enjoy sherry finishes as much as this: 8.5


Next tasting: St. Magdalene/Linlithgow Distillery

Glenkinchie 20yo 1987-2008 46%First Cask cask#2846 btl.37

It's rarely I get to try Glenkinchie, and a single cask IB bottling is a real treat. Bourbon cask. The color is straw/golden. It smells ginger, mustard, grassy, floral, rhubarb, minced garlic. Textbook lowland style. The taste is just a huge punch of lemon, sour and bitter, I don't think I've ever encountered such strong hints of lemon in a whisky before. It's hard to find anything else, but it delivers just the smallest touch of smoke on the finish. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, garden fruits, honey, floral, apricot jam, more smoke and oaky notes. It's not that it improves a lot with water, but it gets more complex, more flavors on display. Overall I'd say its a nice, maybe a bit pricey, everyday dram alternative. Or just a nice presentation of the lowland region.

Clean and fun spirit, no big thrills though: 6



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Glen Garioch/Intravagan'za NAS 50% Michel Couvreur

Another spirit from Glen Garioch thats rested in caves in cognac country. This one holds 50% abv and is said to be both cask strength and matured for 3 years. I can't confirm any of that at this point, but since its been maturing in a dry and cold cave I find 50%abv as a weird CS at such a young age. The color on this is light bronze. It smells leather, honey, dry licorice, hay, clover, boiled grits, stilton, cinnamon, I recognize the sherry influence but also a clear Glen Garioch character. Oh yeah, didn't mention this came from a sherry hogshead, did I? The taste is sweet, peppery, marzipan, chillies, honey,  sweet sherry, tannins, dry red wine, peat, black pepper, grits again, bittersweet. Impressive! The finish is long and peppery with dry licorice and dry spices.

A great alternative to maturing in Scotland, fab spirit: 7



Next tasting: Glenkinchie Distillery

Couvreur's Clearach 3yo 43% Michel Couvreur

I bought this bottling in Denmark, its the result of a crazy Belgian citizen importing Scotch single malt spirit to France and storing it in some caves traditionally used to mature cognac/brandy. So its not really a Glen Garioch, but the mentioning of Meldrum House on the label strongly suggests its origin. And its not even a whisky, as scotch whisky must've been matured for at least 3 years in Scotland. This spirit was, according to information by seller, matured for three years in very humid and moist conditions. Therefore it has caught a bit of a hazy appearance. One small practical issue is, as you can see, the cork. The bottle is designed for screw caps, but they've used a cardboard cork instead, without a top, so if you haven't got a spare alternative cork lying around, keeping this spirit intact will be a hard task. Lets try this bastard!


Couvreur's Clearach 3yo 43% Michel Couvreur

I must add that this was matured in a sherry cask. The color is hazy light cinnamon/honey. It smells buttery, nougat, dark chocolate, charcoal, orange zest, white wine, wheat beer. The taste is peppery, rich, starchy, potato starch, flinty, raw onions, undeniably a spirit from Glen Garioch. I've gotta commend MC for thinking out of the box with this one. I've got another one that was matured in a very dry and cool cognac cave from same bottler, but that's due for another tasting later on. The finish is sweet and peppery.

(Non-whisky character): 7



Next tasting: Glen Garioch

Loch Lomond 5yo 2000-2006 46% OB Dá Mhile Single Grain

Loch Lomond is one of the few distilleries producing both grain and malt whisky. This is however, the first ever single grain I've tried from them. 46%abv is good news, I think they usually bottle at 40%abv. This is one of 6500 bottles(!). No chill-filtering, no colouring... nice! But is that enough to make for a decent 5yo grain-whisky? The color is straw/pale. It smells rice vinegar, wheat, leather, vanilla, floral, watercress, marzipan, white wine, mint. The taste is very sweet, vanilla candy, minty, fresh and floral, grassy notes, a bit of honey and stewed onions. The finish is light, some dry apple cider and floral notes. This is an easy-drinking aperitif grain with good flavors and no heavy notes.

Pleasant: 6



Next tasting: Glen Garioch

Tasting 2 Port Charlotte for Norway

Daracha is a norwegian importer of foreign spirits, and they've succeeded in getting two casks of Port Charlotte bottled for them. Creds! Time to taste those two.


Port Charlotte 10yo 2002-2012 %? OB for Daracha cask#1168

This one was kept in a bourbon hogshead for 10 years, should be a well refined peatster. These PC's are sure coming a bit of age these days, perhaps its time for them to really blossom? The color on this one is amber orange. It smells peat, spirity, honey, leather, caramel, burn sugar, licorice, minty, ashes, smoke, vanilla, sulphur, rubbery, salty. What a start! The taste is intens, peppery, peaty, smoky, cigar notes, butter, green chillies, ginger. This is a taste-bomb, and you gotta love it a bit rough, a whisky that really rocks!

I wish I had a cask, let alone a bottle of this: 9


Port Charlotte 10yo 2002-2012 60% Adelphi for Daracha cask#1162

One from a sherry hogshead. Peat and sherry oak often give varied results, but when the match is right the result can be the best of the best. How funny, the bourbon casked one in this session was deep amber, while the sherried one is merely golden. I guess Ralfy was right all along. It smells honey, buttery, sage, leaves, onions, grassy shrimps and crab meat, coastal, but in a weird fashion. I can't go much further on the nose, but its one you gotta try! The taste is sweet, vanilla, licorice, peppermint, sage, black olives, burnt rubber, glue, rich and creamy, but this intense bitterness almost kills it off. I guess the bitter and peaty notes kinda works in a very strange way.

Another one you gotta try: 7.5



Next tasting: Loch Lomond (grain)

Tasting one young Bruichladdich

Many peated youngsters are flying out of Bruichladdichs warehouses these days, but how does a regular low-peated Bruichladdich compare at similar age?



Bruichladdich 7yo 55% OB Isle of the Blessed for Whisky & Dreams (www.whiskyanddreams.de)

This one was matured in a bourbon cask before being finished in sherry wood. I don't believe this is bottled at cask strength. But it could also be from some leaking wood. The color is amber orange. It smells dry, sulphur, rubbery, cinnamon, oranges, waxy, leather, earthy, moulded cheese, peat. The taste is peppery, earthy, spicy cinnamon, chillies, burnt notes, very powerful. The finish is peppery, sweet chili sauce, honey, apple vinegar, sweet white wine. Also vanilla, pear juice, root vegetables, red wine vinegar, sweet and spicy. Lets add some water. Now it turns more spirity, more rubber, less heat and less sweetness. I believe water just ruined an otherwise good whisky.

Use your time with this one, its not an easy whisky: 7.5



Next tasting: Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte)

Fettercairn 22yo 1990-2013 51.5% Malts of Scotland cask#13004

Finally, I think Malts of Scotland are the only big IB that don't ever bottled any Fettercairns, or, Berry Bros & Rudd also, but I think its nice that they eventually bottles some, as its been a while since any premier series have had a Fettercairn. This one comes from a bourbon hogshead. I have tried many 1989's from Fettercairn, but never from 1990. The color is hazy golden. It smells vanilla, oregano, spicy, nutty aroma, pistachio, sweet vanilla toffees. The taste is sweet, floral, honey, oranges, grapefruit, lemon, sweet, cough drops, eucalyptus, honey, vanilla, green apples, intense peppermint, not typical Fettercairn but still a very good one. The finish is peppery, ginger, lime, bittersweet, oaky. Adding water. Just a bit zestier and sweeter now. I wondered why MoS would choose a bourbon hogshead with all the great sherried Fettercairns around, and this is far from what their range usually holds.

Utterly awkward Fettercairn, I guess its a love/hate malt, I love it: 8



Next tasting: Bruichladdich Distillery

Talisker NAS 45.8% OB Storm

A new Talisker, NAS version this time, but that seems to be the trend these days. Its called "Storm", which is a great name for a Talisker methinks. There are just a few distilleries in Scotland that could pull off such a name. Though both colorant and chill-filtering, I hope that Talisker haven't compromised on more than the age with this one. Mind you, the Talisker 10 is a great dram, and not in any way a lesser whisky than the 18yo. The color is deep golden. It smells coastal, ashes, saltwater, smoked herring, raw onions, balsamic vinegar, peat, spirity, waxy. The taste is sweet, honey, red onions, peppery, smoky, not as rounded or balanced as the 10yo, but some sweet grassy notes, stewed onions, vanilla, creamy. I must confirm that as one of a few distilleries Talisker have managed to create a NAS-bottling that's of similar quality to its AS-bottlings(new word point!). The finish is peppery, and thats about it.

Another unique Talisker: 7



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Tasting one Ledaig (Tobermory)

As I'm sure you all know, Ledaig is the peated version produced at Tobermory distillery, and as much heavily peated whisky these days, this as well was bottled at a very young age.



Ledaig 7yo 2004-2012 60.4% A.D. Rattray cask#900161

The label says that this bottling is "part". That means, as I read it, that just a part of the cask has been bottled, or that the bottler shared the cask with another company. This one comes from a sherry butt. The color is deep amber. It smells peaty, leather, honey, spicy, mustard, nutty, peppery, ashes, toasted bread, burnt, cigars, dark chocolate. Pretty superb, another kinda peat than the Islay peat character, more earthy and rich. The taste is sweet, peppery, burnt, bitter, peppery, lime, lime zest, extremely bitter, vinegar, dry white wine, a real nice whisky for those that like them young and fragrant. The finish is long, peaty and peppery. This gentle Ledaig seems to have lost some of its coastal character, but its still a damn good dram.

At this age it's good, in 5 more years I think it'd have been superb: 7.5



Next tasting: Talisker Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Port Ellen

Port Ellen was founded back in 1825, and ran fluently with a bunch of different owners until it was mothballed by John Dewar & Sons back in 1929. Thereafter it was closed for nearly 4 decades. In 1967 Port Ellen started distilling again. But only for about 16 years. In 1983 it was mothballed by DLC (Diageo), as a result of them wanting to let Lagavulin be its main Islay distillery, keeping Caol Ila running as a workhorse to make malt for blending purposes. Port Ellen have since been used as a malting plant for the other Islay distilleries, only Bruichladdich and Kilcoman, maybe Bunnahabhain?, if I'm correct, are malting part of their own barley till this date. Since the distillery closing, the public have found a new love for this malt and the prices are sky-rocketing as we speak. Thankfully I have purchased, traded and gathered near to 40 PE's for these sessions. This should make for some interesting tastings of whiskies the world may never see again.


Port Ellen 19yo 1976-1996 43% Hart Brothers

Not that many Port Ellens under 20yo out there anymore. I'm glad I was able to fetch a few from some sample sellers a couple of years ago. The color on this one is golden. It smells peppery, peaty, raw, black pepper, raw onions, thyme, grassy, leather, fish sauce, salty. Not very coastal, or Islay-coastal that is. Reminds me more of Ledaig or Longrow. The taste is sweet, vanilla, sugary, pear cider, peat, black pepper, clean and sweet peat character. The finish is peaty, herbal, drying, peppery, sea salt and sour apples.

Clean and fresh Port Ellen: 8


Port Ellen 22yo 1980-2002 46% Silver Seal Special Reserve

Another "young" PE, at least by the standard of todays bottlings. The color is golden. It smells peaty, licorice, seaweed, grassy, onions, smoked salmon, smoky, salty, grainy, fish eggs. The taste is peppery, peaty, bitter oranges, limes, banana peel, raw onions. I rarely add water to bourbon matured peated whiskies, an won1t in this case either. The reason for that is the cask must be extremely active to make good use of the water as peat and water usually develops negatively when combined, in my opinion.

Bitter-fruity PE, a bit strange, but I don't mind: 7.5


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2008 46% High Spirits

Last low strength PE before I'll head into an impressive streak of Old Bothwell PEs. The color is light golden. It smells herbal, buttery, peaty, ashes, coal, vanilla, honey, chili, smoke, gasoline. Herbal and peat are the dominating notes in this one. The taste is sweet, toffee, butter, caramel, peat, a mellow and sweet Islayer. The finish is peppery and peaty with some lingering vanilla sweetness. A bit harsh, but in this case I'm quite happy with a rough ending, as it contrasts the rather weak palate.

Sweet light PE, atypical: 6.5


Port Ellen 29yo 1979-2009 53.9% Old Bothwell cask#7089

Time for 5 Old Bothwells in a row. Should be some great ones in this bunch, lets taste. The color is golden. It smells vanilla, banana, pineapple, dried cinnamon, peppery, peaty, smoky, raw onions, ashes, lime. It gives the perception of a young Islaye, maybe a bourbon-matured Laphroaig or Ardbeg. The taste is vanilla, clay, peat, ashes, dry cider, dry white wine, sour apples. Adding water. Now it turns more bitter, bitter grapes, apple core, gingery, seems time have tamed most of the coastal and peaty notes that perhaps once was in this spirit. The finish is leathery, drying, bitter-fruity.

Dry fruits and vanilla, little peat: 6


Port Ellen 26yo 1979-2006 54% Old Bothwell cask#7094

Another bourbon casked Old Bothwell Port Ellen distilled in 1979, lets hope this one is a bit more coastal than cask#7089. The color is lightgolden. It smells peppery, peaty, black pepper, cigar smoke, leather, ashes, fish stock, salt water, raw onions, bitter, herbal, lemon. The taste is peaty, peppery, chillies, dry white wine. Another bitter one, I believe some water is needed here. Now it turns more peaty, ashes, burnt oak, peppery, smoked ham, black roquefort, salt crystals, cigar smoke. The finish is earthy, biitter and oaky, a bit of a campbeltown finish.

To be fair, its a Port Ellen well below par: 4.5


Port Ellen 26yo 1983-2009 54.9% Old Bothwell cask#220

When a bottler suddenly bottles a vast array of whiskies from a closed distillery its easy to say they're surfing a hype, and that any leftovers from this distillery will be bottled if available. Lets hope thats not the case with Old Bothwell. The color is golden. It smells peat, grease, grassy, dandelions, floral, oaky, vanilla, white grapes, raw onions, lime, soapy, salmi, cured/smoked ham. The taste is vanilla, peat, peppery, spearmint,black pepper, minty, dry white wine. The best from Old Bothwell, classic PE. The finish is peppery, citron, watermelon, white pears, fino sherry, great whisky.

Superb, smoky and fruity: 8


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2009 55.7% Old Bothwell cask#2473

A couple of 1982s to finish this session. I'll enjoy these parts of the legacy from one of the lost treasures of Scotland as well as I can. The color is golden amber. It smells buttery, salty, sherried, creamy, cinnamon, cigar smoke, leather, rich, vanilla, dark chocolate, great stuff! The taste is sweet, honey, cinnamon, buttery, peaty, ginger, It seems this comes from a superb sherry cask. The finish is peaty, herbal, oaky, sulphur, bitters, genever, orange zest. What a whisky!

Some say sherry and peat son't go together, I beg the differ: 9


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2009 56.4% Old Bothwell cask#2845

The final one, and the strongest of the Bothwell bunch. I must admit I wish for another sherried dram now. The color is amber. It smells peppery, peaty, licorice, herbal, sulphur, honey, spearmint, ginger, vanilla, grassy, floral. Another herbal/floral malt it seems. The taste is vanilla, heather, floral, oaky, burnt, grapefruit, grape soda, tonic water, ginger. The finish is peppery, peaty, leather, gasoline, grassy, peat smoke, burnt grease.

A good PE, just a bit weird, and not coastal at all: 7


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2007 56.1% Berry Bros cask#2850

Ending this sitting with a whisky from an IB that rarely fails to impress me. The color is white wine. It smells light, plum syrup, pear juice, onions, vanilla, licorice, hay, rubbery, wheat beer, certainly very different than most other Port Ellens I've tried. The taste is vanilla, peppery, peaty, tongue numbing, kinda raw, some pastry and wheaty notes. This seems no more than 10yo at most. Raw, spirity and unfinished whisky. Lets add some water. Now it turns more grassy, herbal, bitter, lowland style. The finish is soft, peppery, rubbery, spirity, one to avoid if possible.

Grassy, vegetal and herbal notes: 3


Port Ellen 26yo 1982-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#5398


#Second sitting. If there is one IB that have released a lot of old Port Ellen casks in the past years, it must be Douglas Laing. What an investment that must have been. The color is golden. It smells peaty, leather, cinnamon, honey, licorice, hay, sea salt, smoked salmon, cod liver, oyster sauceseashell stock, boiled white wine, ashes, peat. The taste is peaty, peppery, ginger and lemon. Heavy bitter lemon notes. Time to add some water here. Now it turns sweeter, earthy, peaty, ashes, salted butter, grilled duck skin, stewed onions, leather. The finish is long, bitter and peaty.

A Port Ellen with quite some kick and flair, not for beginners: 8


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2008 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#4112

A sample from a large butt, holding enough whisky for no less than 589 bottles. Refill wood. The color is light golden. It smells sweet, caramel, licorice, honey, buttery, ashes, peat smoke, paint thinner, glue, salty, waxy, smoked beef. The taste dry, peaty, peppery, ginger, tonic water, grape soda, genever bitter. Pretty raw despite its age, but remember, the bigger the cask the more time it needs to impact the spirit, usually. The finish is bitter, wormwood, grape fruit, as bitter as it gets. Time for some water. Now it turns more sour, rubbery, envelope glue, peppery.

a semi-foul cask in my opinion: 4


Port Ellen 25yo 1983-2008 52.5% Golden Cask cask#136

There aren't that many Golden Cask bottlings readily available out there, and my experiences with it are very small. But I know the producer of the series is The House of MacDuff. The color is amber. It smells phenolic, peat, cinnamon, basil, oregano, leather, thyme, sulphur, gasoline, onions, salty butter, fish sauce, fantastic sherried Islay style with lots of herbal notes. The taste is dark chocolate, coffee beans, leather, lemon peel, honey, cod liver, straw, white pepper, oaky, cinnamon, bittersweet dry sherry, tannins, superb style. The finish is cinnamon, peaty and salty. How superb a mix of sherry and peat. One usually dominates the other, but not in this one.

Total harmony in a glass: 9.5


Port Ellen 27yo 1983-2010 54.8% Douglas of Drumlanrig/Pe3 Elements of Islay cask#6724

A shared cask, bottle by Douglas Laing for the Douglas of Drumlanrig-series, which usually carries 46%abv strength. The other part went into the 3rd edition of Port Ellen from Specialty Drink, called Pe3. The color is golden. It smells waxy, peppery, oaky, vanilla, creamy, stewed onions, herbal, stilton, earthy, green tea, raw onions, neither coastal nor peaty. So maybe not as many elements of Islay as one might believe from the title. It seems more herbal and earthy. The taste is bitter and peppery, herbal, ginger, dry licorice, earthy, a decent malt, but little thrills. Lets add some water. Now it turns more caramel, sweet wine, honey, mead, vanilla, very mild and gentle for a Port Ellen. The finish is peppery, vanilla, a slight Laphroaig resemblance here, mellowed peat and honey.

Sweet and light PE: 6


Pe5 NAS 57.9% Elements of Islay, Speciality Drinks

I don't know why they insist on bottling these pre 1984-distillations with no age statements, but lets not get caught up in that. I believe this is the most recent PE from Speciality Drinks. I wish they'd leave a bit more information on their labels. perhaps they are restrained from doing so if they buy cask shares from other owners IBs. The color is amber. It smells peaty, olives, syrup, waxy, rubbery, soapy, raw onions, grassy, caramel, steamed milk, vanilla. The taste is sweet, creamy, vanilla, peaty, smoky, ashes, green peppers, heather. The finish is peppery, rubbery, leather, with some weak peaty notes.

I must admit I'm not too fond of these Pe Elements from Specialty drinks: 5


Port Ellen 24yo 1982-2007 59.6% The Whisky Fair

This one comes from a sherry butt. Those casks often lose alcohol strength at a slower pace than the more modern hogshead casks. The color is white wine. It smells of peat, smoke, ashes, coastal, sea air, vanilla, licorice, pistachio, wasabi, a sweet and peppery Port Ellen that reminds me a bit of some Caol Ilas. The taste is sweet, marzipan, black pepper, spearmint, onions, leeks, vanilla, shallots, cottage cheese, lavender. The finish is pistachio, onions, spicy, eucalyptus, grainy.

High strength, medium quality: 4


Port Ellen 26yo 1982-2008 60.4% Dewar Rattray cask#2466

This one was matured in a single sherry cask, but I don't know what size. I imagine a butt. Again a very high strength for its age, it could be an octave as well. The color is light golden. It smells rubbery, peppery, chillies, strong tea, lavender, grease, wasabi, a rather hot one. The taste is dry, peppery, vanilla, spicy cinnamon, heather, burnt, leather, shoe polish, bitter. Lets add some water. Now it turns more fruity, apples, gingerbread, soft peat smoke, almonds, rye biscuits, leather, creamy. The finish is peppery and sweet, vanilla and honey.

Another Port Ellen below par in this sitting: 3.5


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2010 62.6% The Whisky Agency

This one comes from an ex-bourbon cask, and shows that none of my prior theories about strength and cask types are necessarily waterproof. Substantial strength after 27 years on oak. The color is pale amber. It smells peaty, ashes, earthy, leather, ginger, vanilla, honey, stewed onions, bananas, sweet white wine, a really sweet and fresh PE. The taste is dry, peppery, peaty, vanilla, syrup, lemon peel, pistachio, really light and easy whisky. Let's add some water. Now it turns heathery, aniseed, vanilla, honey, stewed onions, creamy, a rich, but far from interesting one. The finish is sweet, coffee beans and brittle.

My guess is that this could easily mature for 10 more years: 5


Port Ellen 18yo 1982-2001 43% McGibbons Provenance Winter

Another series by Douglas Laing, starting this sitting with a lot of sherried ones. This particular bottling is rumored to contradict much from most other Port Ellens due to its heavy oloroso influence. Lets discover! The color is hazel brown. It smells sweet, red wine, salty, honey, leather, cinnamon, oranges, red paprika, buttery, leather. A decent one so far, but no peat or smoke. Maybe its just because of the low strength. The taste is sweet, syrup, maltiness, mango, ginger, honey, vanilla, peat. A sweet and very shy one. The finish is short and peppery.

The least coastal PE I've ever had: 5


Port Ellen 26yo 1983-2009 51.4% Reffeirschildt Romantic Rhine Collection

This one comes from a refill sherry octave, which is a huge cask that often needs quite some years to fully impact the whisky. The color is light brown/dark amber. It smells peaty, herbal and peppery, rubbery, salty, malt vinegar, cedar wood, cinnamon, ginger, green peppers, chili, drying, pretty delicate and spicy one. The taste is dry, bitter, herbal, salty licorice, very strong, lets add some water. Now it becomesmore honeyed, vanilla, cinnamon, oaky, cedar wood, leather, stewed onions, mashed carrots, another PE thats overdriven by the sherried oak? Its a perfectly good dram, but if this cask held a lighter speyside spirit for 26 years, it'd be an instant winner, I believe. The finish is burnt, tannic, honey and spicy cinnamon.

A good whisky, but two worlds collide a bit here: 6


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 56% Thosop BVBA

A couple of years ago, it seemed IB bottlings of Port Ellen came and went like men at the red light district. Now however, any new PE seems to have about the equal price a gram as silver. Foreign IB's like Thosop also had their share of bottlings. The color on this is golden amber. It smells peaty, grassy, heather, raw onions, tarry, iodine, coastal, salty, fresh herbs, nestles, cauliflower, broccoli. The taste is sweet, vanilla and caramel, cinnamon, butter, malty. A palate with little impact, a tad tired. The finish is salty, coastal, peaty. More PE character now. Lets add some water. Now it turns peppery, green notes, herbal, grassy, peaty, honey, vanilla, sweet sherry, tannins, oranges, a rich and full-on PE from some active oak.

Pleasant and light Port Ellen, introduction malt?: 7


Port Ellen 27yo 1983-2010 56% Malts of Scotland cask#66

This one comes from a refill sherry butt. Malts of Scotland has bottled a couple Port Ellens, usually very good stuff. The color is pale yellow. It smells peat, caramel, honey, leather, peppery, toffee, vanilla pudding, caramel sauce, a bit of a dessert malt. The taste is peppery, rubbery, pine wood, perfumy, oaky, dark chocolate. Very concentrated. Adding water. Now it turns buttery, sweeter, vanilla, resinous, camphor, slick and smooth malt whisky, too much oak character? The finish is thick, concentrated, perfumy.

For sherry lovers, but not my cup of Port Ellen: 5


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 57.5% Whiskysite/QVID

This one comes from a sherry puncheon, lets hope it lets the Port Ellen profile shine through a bit more than the #66 did. The color is golden. It smells oranges, orange peel, grassy, leather, raw onions, herbal, coastal, salty, thyme, oily, butter, white pepper, ginger. The taste is vanilla, white pepper, ashes, strong, eucalyptus, minty, drying, this one needs some water to open up I think. It seems a bit restrained. Now it turns sweeter, butterscotch, peppery, peaty, olive oil, feta cheese, ginger. The finish is bitter and peppery.

Mediocre malt, reminds me of some inferior Caol Ilas: 4


Port Ellen 24yo 1982-2007 58.2% Dewar Rattray cask#2463

Finally one from a fresh sherry cask, apart from the McGibbon's Provenance of course. The color is brown. It smells peaty, sulphur, honey, iodine, rubber, cinnamon, heather, ashes, butter, dried herbs, coca cola, phenols, dried paprika. The taste is peaty, cinnamon, spicy, heather, hay, chillies, clay, leather, ashes, honey, brilliant sherry notes, but where is the PE in all of this? No coastal character. Lets add some water. Now it becomes more honeyed, sweeter, more ashes, cigar smoke, caramel, orange zest, honey melon, kiwi. The finish is licorice, herbal, spicy, citric, bitter.

PE and sherry, I'm still not a big fan: 5


Port Ellen 29yo 1982-2012 58.6% Malts of Scotland cask#12017

In the past three whiskies I've enjoyed whisky from both sherry butt and sherry octave, which makes it time for one from a sherry hogshead. The color is golden amber. It smells cinnamon, leather, honey, oloroso sherry, bacon, barbecue sauce, peaty, cigar smoke, grilled tomatoes, sweet vinegar, ashes, stout, porter ale. The taste is honey, dried fruits, drying, leather, sweet cinnamon, stewed onions, cranberries, dry sherry, peaty, blood oranges, dried beef, oaky. The finish is peppery, ginger, herbal, mustard, ashes. Time to add some water. Now it turns more honeyed, creamy, custard, brine, peaty.

I think its the best sherried one thus far: 8


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 61.3% Wilson & Morgan cask#2347

This one comes from a refill butt, which makes me assume we're talking about european oak and previous sherry content, but I could be wrong in that assumption. Seriously high strength at this age. The color is golden amber. It smells peaty, ashes, peppery, smoky, ginger, oaky, burnt, coastal, leather, salty, tannic. The taste is bitter, pisang liqueur, vanilla, ashes, peppery, chillies, salty. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more herbal, parsley, minty, grassy, chives, the peat and sherried notes disappearsonce water is added. It becomes more enjoyable, but less complex.

Rough at first, dies like fire when waters added: 4.5


Port Ellen 19yo 1971-1991 40% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Starting this sitting with a real oldie. The color is shiny golden, E's? Yes, I suspect so. It smells peaty, waxy, spirity, honey, roasted almonds, barbecue smoke, peppery, tannins, red wine, quite rich and spicy. Very good one! The taste is sweet, marzipan, caramel, sweet white wine, cinnamon, sauternes, honey, peaty, peppery. The finish is peaty, tannic, sweet wine, malt syrup, honey. This is actually a quite grand sherried Port Ellen, I'll add some water even though its certainly not needed here. With water it turns lighter, more vanilla, custard, cinnamon, creamy, delightful!

Port Ellen Distillery, what a loss!: 8.5


Port Ellen 29yo 1978-2007 55.3% OB 8th Release

I've scrambled together some OB's, lets have them now, in descending historical order (wow!). The color is amber. It smells minty, peaty, spearmint, smoke, ashes, cinnamon, sweet, honey, caramel, brittle, aniseed. The taste is malty, plums, cinnamon, ashes, phenolic, sulphur, drying, honey, sweet porter, one of the finer PE's I've had so far. The finish is peaty, peppery, sulphury, drying, ashes, caramel, a really sweet PE. I must say that this is no representative of how Port Ellen whisky used to be, but its sure a good one anyhow.

Dry sweet caramel with peat in the background: 8


Port Ellen 27yo 1978-2006 54.2% OB 6th Release

Same vintage as the 8th release, but bottled two years prior, but at lower strength, I hope this whisky will be a bit more coastal? It smells peaty, peppery, coastal, salty, lacquer, cinnamon, oranges, leather, ashes, salt water, smoked haddock, fried pork rind, bacon. The taste is sweet, vanilla, lemon, sour citric, burnt, peppery, celp, lime, iodine. This is much more PE in my opinion, coastal and peaty. The finish is short and peppery. This whisky sure has a great nose an palate, I wonder how it just drops dead on the finish. A bit strange that, but all in all a pretty great Port Ellen.

Its more typical PE, but I'd prefer the 8yo: 7.5


Port Ellen 25yo 1979-2005 57.4% OB 5th Release

I just now realize that I've put another whisky into the photo, the Pe5 from Speciality Drinks, but fear not, I have the 5th release and just put it into my tulip glass. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, herbal, garlic, burnt oak, cedar wood, peppery, wasabi, salmi, ashes, butter, salty, salty licorice, sea salt, smoked salmon, fried rice. The taste is peppery, salty, licorice, varnish, camomile, ashes, leather, seaweed, iodine, metallic. The finish is waxy, petrol, ashes, peaty, peppery, rich and sulphury. This is perhaps the best PE I've ever had.

Supreme PE, Laphroaig and Springbank meets Glenrothes: 9.5


Port Ellen 24yo 1979-2003 57.3% OB 3rd Release

I hope this is as good as the 5th release, and it could well be. Remember, as posthumous OB's are put out, they need to be good to begin with to create the hype they're hoping for. I believe the most recent OB PE is very overpriced anyway you look at it, but because they've established a name now, they can do so. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, red wine, caramel, dark chocolate, cocoa, rubbery, waxy, stearic, cranberries, dark berries, ashes. The taste is sweet, peppery, caramel, aniseed, butter, ashes, vanilla, dried oranges, dried fruits, peaches, pears, plums, dark grapes. The finish is waxy, petrol, honey, sour apples, ginger, butter cream, salty, ashes, peppery. Lets add some water. Now it turns lighter, caramel, oily, butter, fresh thyme, herbal, ashes, butterscotch, vanilla, honey. The finish is bitter, sulphury, onions, caramel, white wine.

An amazingly complex whisky, not for beginners: 8


Port Ellen 19yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing

So this could latest be bottled in 2002, due to the distillery closing in 1983, which means its had some time in the bottle. That often has a good effect on the whisky. A bit like wine often further develops in a bottle. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, cinnamon, latex, ashes, sweet, honey, dried onions, ginger, iodine, coastal, sea salt, briny, camphor. The taste is very peppery, peaty honey notes, bitter sherry, apple juice and caramel, a bit of everything in this one. The finish is peppery and long. Adding water. I becomes more herbal, licorice, onions, spring onions, parsley, grassy, a fine development, but little reminds me of a peaty Islayer.

An Islayer with a bit of lowlander: 8.5


Port Ellen 28yo 1983-2011 58.9% Malts of Scotland cask#11011

From a bourbon hogshead, a tight one indeed, usually these american casks reduces the whisky's strength more than this after 28 years. The color is light golden. It smells vanilla, peaty, spirity, peppery, hay, raw onions, heather. The taste is vanilla, honey, peaty, drying, ashes, marshmallow, citric, lemon, oranges, grapefruit. The finish is peaty, salty, iodine, sulphury, citric bitterness, lemon rind. Time to add some water. Now it turns very mild, vanilla, honey, toffee, yoghurt, some peat in the aftertaste, but water tamed this lion in an instance. Its still got some class, its just a bit less segregated from other "good" whiskies. Loses a bit of its sting.

A very natural Port Ellen, I don't think you will find many of them around anymore: 8


Port Ellen 25yo 51% The Golden Cask

These days this even seems a fairly young Port Ellen, but I have some real youngsters after this. The color is light golden. It smells peaty, linseed oil, hay, vanilla, creamy, yeasty, licorice, white wine, herbal, oregano, ashes, salty, smoked mackerel. The taste is peppery, coastal, sea salt, fish eggs, smoked salmon, latex, salty water, ashes, grainy, feints, heather. some retrained vanilla notes. This is flawless Port Ellen, but not as peaty as many of the others. The finish is sweet, nutty and kinda short, small peppery notes. Delightful, far from intense in any way. Lets add some water. Now it turns more honeyed, peppery, wasabi, more peaty, burnt oak, cigar smoke, more PE now.

Some might say it excels with water, some might beg the differ, are you a peat fan?: 7.5


Port Ellen 14yo 1977-1991 59.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2017

Hurray, a young single cask Port Ellen. I'll just skip all the sentimentality in this one and get right to the notes, if not would've been a long one I'm afraid. The color is dark golden, and with small cask sediments. The nose is spicy, peppery, peat, sulphur, ashes, tannic, bonfire, caramel, dark chocolate, toasted bread, black roquefort. Peat and sweet sherry from A to Z. It actually smells rich and thick, normally I don't find that on the nose. The taste is peppery, strong dark chocolate, spicy cinnamon, drying, orange zest, cigar smoke, sawdust, ginger, waxy, honey. I'd say this might be from a bourbon cask, but if so, its perhaps one of the most complex I've ever tried from such wood. The finish is burnt, smoky, salty, a real ashtray, burnt tires, a galore of peat and spicy cinnamon. I won't add water here, its just too god on its own, I'm saving the last 3cl of this for a very special day, at around 3rd October when I'll becomes a dad for the first time. I think such an occasion should be celebrated with something like this.

Perhaps the most peaty complex PE I've ever had: 10


Port Ellen 16yo 1978-1993 61.8% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2694,2695

I do not dare hope for the same magic as I found in the 1977, but you never know with this series from G&M, especially older youngsters, its a shame they don't put as much effort into it as before, it seems. The color is dark golden. It smells leather, honey, onions, cinnamon, ashes, grainy, salty licorice, wheat, hay, peppery, seaweed, sea salt, rotting fish, diesel, herbal, moss, ashes. The taste is honeyed, spirity, caramel, sugary, peaty, wax, sea salt, iodine, leather, perfumy, chewing tobacco, herbal, rice wine, vinegar. The taste is peaty, dry, peppery, licorice, vanilla, onions, waxy, chillies, this one could use some water. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more bitter, herbal liqueur, still kinda raw. The finish is peaty, peppery, floral, nestles, ginger, wax, raw onions, lentils, black beans.

A lot of wax, herbs and perfume: 5.5


Port Ellen 14yo 1980-1995 64.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#5088,5089,5091,5092,5093

A multi-cask bottling, but many of those have shown to be just as great as single casks, in my opinion. And what a strength! The color is light golden. It smells extremely burnt, phenolic and peaty. More phenolic than peaty, but the combination is extreme here. Some grainy notes, floral, spirity. The taste is drying, peaty, ashes, cigar smoke, candle wax, sugary, plum spirit. Kinda sweet enticing, but needs some water as its mostly strong spirity notes. Water added. Now it turns more peaty, rubbery, smoky, intense smoke, like when puffing the end of a cigar, honey, timothy, coal fire. An intense dram, which I'm suspecting would've been fantastic at around 18yo. The finish is peaty, drying, citric, lime, lemon. Interesting, but surely a bit raw and unfinished.

I think this bottling might have been a hunt for sensation: 5




Port Ellen Distillery then



Port Ellen Maltings now



Next tasting: Peated Tobermory/Ledaig