A small comeback on this site, with two malts from my favorite distillery alongside some other light malts and a blend that really shouldn't be in this session at all. I could throw in a Jim Beam too, just to take any possible sense away from this session. Lets do that!
Jim Beam NAS 40% for Weinbrennerei Scharlachberg
A square miniature. I'm not a big fan of this brand, but have had some alright ones that were bottled some decades ago. The color is nutty orange with a bright hue. It smells sweet, burnt sugar, prunes, honey, female perfume aromas and hints of cheap sweet rum. The taste is burnt, burnt molasses, grainy, some clay and more burnt sugar to finish it all of. Its perfectly drinkable, and I bet its one hell of a base for many mixed drinks, but on its own, it falls flat.
Industrial stuff: 2.5
Passport Scotch NAS 40% Blend
A cheap scottish blend that I believe contains a portion of Strathisla, but that could very well be wrong. This is one thats in very little demand, but rather pushed out in huge quantities to satisfy the masses in countries where other options are fewer. I've read somewhere that its a popular whisky in Africa. The color is adjusted with caramel, and has a golden hue. It smells quite heavy on apples, apple vinegar and hard cider. Touch of lemon as well, and a clear spirity antiseptic sting. The taste is sweet on vanilla and cinnamon buns, some tea notes and stale cranberries. A weird one, and just as the Jim Beam, probably not intended for those who are concerned with flavors much. The finish is short and adds nothing new to the experience.
I could just as well had a Vodka, but its pretty clean: 3
Singleton of Dufftown Tailfire NAS 40% OB
I miss the old Dufftowns the indies had some years ago. Time to try the contemporary. The name "Tailfire" makes me think this ones gonna have a bit of a burnt aftertaste, but the unnecessary information on the label calls for "vibrant, fruity, fresh". This one is said to have a big portion of european oak matured whisky in the mix. The color is bright orange, obviously adjusted with caramel. It smells of some dark berries and licorice, blueberry liqueur and leather, strange and different from other Dufftowns I've had, but then again, Dufftown doesn't really have that clear a profile, does it? The taste has hints of medium dry sherry, some yoghurt, sour juices, leather, cinnamon, sprat fat, coriander seeds. It has an old style that is very rare to find among all the current NAS-bottlings around, I'm pleasantly surprised. The finish is sweet and spicy, some chilli and corn syrup. A small burning sensation as well.
A good and contemponary NAS: 6.5
Tormore 14yo 2015 43% OB batch#A1509
Just as with Dufftown, I think Tormore is a whisky that is not much sought after, but has qualities which surpasses its general reputation. Since its owned by pernod-richard, its usually found in french supermarkets at very reasonable prices. The color is amber/golden-brown, with that E150 shine. It smells sweet and dry, hay and spun sugar, mint and vanilla sweetness, huge basil and minty notes, almost more of a herbal spirit than a malty one. The taste is quite drying, grassy, leather, old books, shelfdust and so on. Adding some water. Now it becomes more flinty, minty, clay, dry licorice, anise candy. It's a strange one for me, the flavors are good, its rustic and powerful, but really does not remind me of any sort of malt whisky I've ever had before. The finish is a bit rubbery and rather short.
Swell whisky, an everyday dram with a kick: 7
Fettercairn 13yo 1991-2004 50% Old Malt Cask Advance Sample Douglas Laing cask#1327
On the label it states that it has been approved for release, so there should be some of it in the Old Malt Cask range somewhere. From a refill hogshead. The color is light, hay, natural, which is a good thing. It smells vanilla, yeast, malty, wheat, a lot of "Fettercairn" here, close to the distillery's previous OB style, back when the 10yo and 12yo's were put out. The taste is rich on lavender, pungent acridity, vanilla, hummus, oyster juice, a kind of thick layer of flavors and also, probably due to it not being chill-filtered, it gives the perception of a richer and thicker consistency. Adding some water. Now it turns more peppery, more vanilla, less fettercairn in some ways. Avoid adding water please. The finish is light and peppery.
The thickness and concentrated aromas reminds me of earlier glorious Fettercairns: 7.5
Fettercairn 11yo 2003-2014 54% OB cask#3392
A sherry matured one from casks previously owned by the Gonzalez Byass bodega. Its sold at the distillery, and Ive got my sample in an exchange. If I'm not mistaken its natural colored, but the cask has given it a reddish brown hue. It smells oregano, tobacco, cinnamon, chillies, red onions, brick dust, sweat (yes, that is a smell). It obviously carries a lot of juices from the cask, but the Fettercairn isn't all lost here. The taste is very powerful, peppery, plum spirit, honey, chillies, bell peppers, sweet chilli sauce, pecan nuts, cinnamon, leather. This is not far from a winner in my book, perhaps a small drop of water will elevate i further. With water it turns into a perfect bittersweet sauce. Worchestershire sauce, balsamico, chestnut honey, leather, meaty, roastbeef, turpentine, oil, flinty, dark chocolate, cocoa. Impressive to say the least. The finish is long and spicy.
Fettercairn at its best: 9
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