Banff 34yo 1975-2010 44.1% A. D. Rattray Cask Collection cask#3354

Can you believe it?!! Another fragile-corked oldie, I'll vote for any political party that proposes rubber corks to the whisky industry at next election. The color on this one is deep brown/auburn. It smells sweet, lemon liqueur, caramelized onions, butternut squash, dried herbs, figs, sage, mould, dust, quite a modest 34yo. Perhaps it needs some water, lets try it neat first. The taste is burnt, sandalwood, nectarine, wax, peat, leather, sawdust, charcoal, at first a bit nervous, then comes on like a bomb on the palate. It's strangely salty'n'sour as well, tarry cream? With water it becomes sweeter, more stearic, waxy, grenadine, caramel, banana, hops, barley grain, toffee. I must admit, I have no idea how much the problems with the cork really have affected this whisky, but to me, it seems much less vague than I usually find a whisky at this age. That being said, with enough time, just time, no water, it becomes a little special something with them tarry cream notes...

Tarry cream? Yes, I've not really tasted all my references: 7.5



Next tasting: Highland Park

Glenugie 32yo 1977-2010 58.6% Signatory Vintage cask#1 btl.257/670

This is a sherry finished Glenugie, one of those distilleries with too few casks left after mothballing, so there's far too little to go around these days. The cask#1 is the sherry butt in which I guess 3 or 4 hogsheads were finished for 90 months. Yes, 90 months is excactly 7 years and 6 months. If I did my math correct... All in all quite a long finish. Yeah, yeah, less numbers, more tasting notes. Color is dark golden/amber. It smells waxy, leather, honey, dark chocolate, nougat, malty, a bit spirity, as I'd imagine with this strength, vinegar and plum liqueur. The taste is quite on the bitter side, some rubber, phenols, gasoline, glue, starch, raw ginger, crayons, soap. An extreme one, lets try it with some water. Now it turns more rounder, some cotton notes, vodka premium, mashed/mushed veggies, mushroom broth, peppery, salmi, green peppers, grassy, floral, concentrated malty vinegar notes. Oh yes, after a while of breathing there's sawdust, orange marmalade, beetroot liqueur, cointreau, a bit unpleasantly sweet.

I know Glenugie can be superb, but this doesn't nearly enrich my evening: 4.5



Next tasting: Banff Distillery

Rosebank 16yo 1991-2008 57.9% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2104,2105,2106,2107

This Rosebank was all matured in refill bourbon barrels, that, and at a considerable young age for a Rosebank, could make for a whisky with much of the distillate character left. Rosebank seems to be closed for good, but there were some rumours about Arran, I think it was, opening it again, but then as a brewery, I've gotta read up on how that went. The color is golden. It smells vanilla, caramel, honey, butterscotch, walnuts, nutella, popcorn, waxy, one can hardly feel the strength in this one. But its far from bland, just no off-notes. The taste is salty, licorice, salmi, peppery, floral, herbs, salt and herbs are big in this one. I now discover more of the strength, and I believe a bit of water could open this whisky a bit more to the palate. But it's not shy of excellence bare, either. Now it turns sweeter, perfume, butter, vanilla, marshmallows, coffee cream, kiwis, honey, perhaps a bit more lowland-style, but there sure was life left in those casks. The finish is long, honey lozenges, dry white wine, white peppercorns.

Sad such great whiskies from closed distilleries, but would we otherwise have found them?: 8



Next tasting: Glenugie Distillery

Laphroaig 18yo 1990-2008 55.6% Berry Bros & Rudd cask#2248

I got this one one for a very fair price at around 55 quid about a year ago, in a whisky shop in Herning, Denmark. So I guess its been sitting on their shelves for a while..? But damn, show me anywhere you get an 18yo CS SC Laphroaig at this price, fantastic! The color is white wine. It smells peat smoke, cinnamon, earl grey tea, lemon lozenges, vanilla, chlorine, acrid, bitter apple juice, iodine, medicinal, dry licorice, guava paste, malt. The taste is very sweet, vanilla, meringue, honey, sweet white wine, ashes, basil leaves, chili, cinnamon, oysters, white wine vinegar. The finish is all on medicinal peaty notes, quite intense. I'll add some water. Now it turns more Islay-ish, salty, charcoal, gunpowder, lime zest. Hardcore laphroaigness now, more complex when bare. It's a bit strange how they've spelled "Scots Whisky"...

I'd say this one belongs up there with the best bourbon-matured Laphroaigs: 8.5



Next tasting: Rosebank Distillery

Ardbeg 18yo 1990-2008 46% OB Airigh Nam Beist

The label doesn't state 18yo, which means it could be 17yo actually, for the rigid ones of you. Here we go then, I remember this was my second ever bottle of Ardbeg that I purchased. Back then I got it for 60€. Oh, how prices are sky-rocketing. In 1990 Ardbeg only produced spirit two months a year, so I think there can't be many 1990-vintages around? The color is acacia honey. It smells damp, musty, chlorophyll, sweet sherry, tobacco, coffee beans, vanilla, whipped cream, sugar, hints of peat smoke. The taste is caramel, peat, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, butterscotch, praline, milk chocolate, I can hardly recognize the distillate in this one. The finish is peppery, some peat and sherry. It's a fine dram, but knowing this is an Ardbeg sort of ruins a bit of the joy. One can't have an Ardbeg without expecting a bit more of coastal or peaty notes.

Unexpected Ardbeg: 7



Next tasting: Laphroaig Distillery