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