tasting 4 Linkwoods

Once again I'm postponing my Miltonduff tasting, but fear not, it'll be in soon enough. Linkwood is a distillery that many favour as a both affordable, available and very good whisky. I can surely agree with the first two, but I've had some problems with whisky from this distillery to be fair. Let's hope for a better voyage this time.
















Linkwood 6yo 2004-2011 40% Signatory Vintage cask#800011,800012

This one is called "Very Cloudy". I'll pour it, let's see. Btw, I didn't know of any 40% Signatory bottlings until this one. Going against the trends in the market? Or trying to make most benefit of a sub-par cask? Maybe a bit of both? It doesn't get very cloudy yet. Maybe with some water. Let's try it bare first. It smells sweet, potato starch, tamarind, orange zest, very nice. The taste is sweet, bitter, tonic water, wet hay, rotting grapes. This is not what I fancy in a malt whisky, but I can't really criticize SV for bottling this young and affordable as to a 22-somethingyo CS expensive whisky that probably would fool many into thinking it was a "special one". Oh yes, water makes it a bit cloudy but it never changes or improves the taste.

Light stuff, then bitter and weird, not to my liking: 3


Fall of Fryers 22yo 51.8% The Whisky Connoisseur cask#9457

I like these old miniatures from The Whisky Connoisseur, some hidden gems to be found. The series that really made me discover the malts of Dailuaine Distillery. This has a light copper tone. It smells honey and vanilla, quite creamy, butterscotch, butter, rich. The taste is rich, fruity, tropical fruits, melons, mango, pistachio, orange liqueur, rum, peppery. Some water added. Becomes more bitter, oily, fish sauce, smoked salmon, nice notes, but lacks a bit of power.

A bit boring, but still a good and reliable malt: 4


Linkwood 14yo 1979-1993 58.5% Cadenhead's

A heavily dark sherried whisky at young age. Perhaps a treat in amongst this slightly boring tasting so far. I hope so. The color is dark brown, I see these bottlings rarer and rarer these days. Expensive sherry casks? I think so! It smells cinnamon, red onions, bell peppers, honey, dry, coriander, raisins, bakery, tea, gasoline, grape juice, this is another class for sure, so far... The taste is sweet, sulphury, chillies, sun-dried tomatoes, intense and rich. Water added. Now it turns sweeter, strawberries, raspberry, orange zest, oaky, herbal, dry licorice.

A great dram, bottled at a perfect age: 8


Linkwood 10yo 1984-1995 59.7% Signatory Vintage cask#4035 btl.664/860

This one comes from a sherry butt. Not nearly as dark as the one from Cadenhead's, but color doesn't really matter, its all in the tasting, isn't it? The color is dark amber with a hint of pink(?). It smells sweet, caramel, toffee, fried bananas, rose water, caramelized onions, smooth and sweet. The taste is honey, peppery, black peppercorns, dried pork meat, bitter & grassy. With a couple drops of water added it turns lighter, sweeter, marshmallows and honey, kids cereals, too sweet for me.

Without water its a fine dram, with, it seems a bit too young: 4.5



Next tasting: Miltonduff Distillery

Tasting 4 Benriachs

Because I'm awaiting one more Miltonduff soon I'll have some Benriach instead. Benriach have had quite a renaissance the last years with peated versions and a bunch of single cask bottlings released. A new OB range has also contributed to a better reputation for Benriach Distillery. Two bottled in the mid-90's and two bottled more recently.
















Benriach 20yo 1991-2011 51.6% Malts of Scotland cask#32283

From a bourbon barrel, a 20yo, as you can see, this has a pretty low strength at CS even at this age. That's much due to the less tight oak structure in american oak than european. The color is light caramel, it smells peppery, gingerbread, peat, grassy, licorice, bitter, very nice, a malt that speaks loud. The taste is bitter and zesty, lime and tonic water. Unusual profile, very enjoyable, but rather short finish. With a small addition of water it becomes sweeter, oranges, grapefruit, honey, vanilla, herbs, onions, nectarine, peaches, chillies. A long oaky and peppery finish.

Great stuff, a potent whisky, but do add water: 8.5


Benriach 17yo 1993-2010 56.7% OB cask#7420

A single cask that's been finished in another cask. Finished in a Gaja Barolo hogshead. I'm not all about these wine finishings, but some have been great, some early batches of the Glenmorangie Nectar D'or were superb. The color is reddish brown. It smells peaty, dry red wine, tannins, cinnamon, lime peel, feta cheese, chillies, another powerful whisky. The taste is zesty, rich, sulphury, grassy, licorice, salmi, peppermint. With some water it becomes sweeter, onions, straw, green chillies, peppery, butter, grape seeds, drying, bitter, cigar, a decent sense of ashtray in this one.

I'm still not too sure about these red wine finishes: 6


Benriach 17yo 1978-1995 59.7% Cadenhead's

Another 17yo, but this time no finishings. Na a nice opportunity to try old school Benriach vs. a new "tampered" some might say, version. Golden honey color, some cask sediments as well. It smells peaty, strong, cinnamon, red bell peppers, peach tea, minty, vanilla, cloves, herbal. Very nice. The taste is all on paprika, vanilla and gun powder. Once again I'll add some water. Now it gets sweeter, more creamy, more cinnamon and even more vanilla. Great finish which lasts for abut 30 minutes, all on peppery, oaky, peaty and spicy notes.

Great stuff, though not refined in any way, savage whisky: 7


Benriach 11yo 1983-1993 60.6% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#5211,5212,5213

The youngster of the bunch at only 11yo. Golden color. I think single casks are often higher appreciated than these multiple cask CS bottlings from G&M. It smells kinda raw, orange zest, raw onions, grassy, melon, honey, pistachio, sawdust, a fierce whisky. The taste is creamy and thick, meringue, toffee, spiced cake, cinnamon, cupcakes, caramel, syrup, so sweet that its a bit of hard to find the beautiful peppery notes beyond that. Given time, beautiful notes of black pepper, pecan nuts, pistachio and orange zest comes forward.

Never underestimate an old G&M bottling: 8.5



Next tasting: Miltonduff Distillery

Tasting no less than 7 Inchgowers

I do not see this distillery to often, but this should be a treat considering there's quite a few oldies in this session.





















Inchgower 12yo 40% OB Arthur Bell & Sons

I don't think there are any standard OBs from Inchgower today, but there is a 14yo in the flora & fauna series. The color on this one is amber, colored with E's. It smells cinnamon and spices, gingerbread, oranges, white wine reduction, peppery, very nice one. The taste is perfumy, cinnamon, tobacco, ginger, drying, wheat, tonic, a lot of sherry notes going on here. Impressive for a 12yo OB, not many of those around these days, at least not at this strength.

A perfect introduction to Inchgower?: 6


Inchgower 28yo 1982-2010 50.7% Bladnoch Distillery Forum cask#6966

Amber hue on this one. It smells soft, wheat, boiled rice, esteragon, earthy, a much tamer version than the 12yo. The taste is sweet, floral, honey, red bell peppers, cinnamon, cigars, parsnip, sweet and delightful, could've been any light 10-12yo speysider. But then again, there are no off-notes, no spirity notes, no oaky notes even after 28 years in wood, so it's really letting the quality of the spirit speak up.

A nice and light oldie, to enjoy at any occasion: 6.5


Inchgower 26yo 1976-2002 49.9% Hart Brothers

Pale color on this one. It smells oaky, a lot of woof influence, spirity, raw, vinegar. Leaves a bit to be desired. The taste is gentle, grassy, winey, rhubarb, garlic, thyme, sour-herbal profile... Let's add some water. Now it turns more bitter, grassier, lesser of the good stuff though I must admit it was kinda scarce to begin with as well.

Tired wood?: 4


Inchgower 19yo 54.3% Master of Malt

Another very pale one. It smells rich, caramel, parsnip, cloves, dry tea, herbs, tea-shop, peaches, dried fruits, a small tea-monster. The taste is "apples and oranges" A bit of everything from the fruit world, not all blending in too well. Pears, mango, lemon, kiwi, apricot and more. However it comes of a bit weak, peppery with small hints of hay in the finish.

Sad, the nose promised so much more: 4


Inchgower 29yo 53.9% Master of Malt

Another one from the Master of Malt. I remember they priced this one very fairly. Too bad theis shop doesn't ship to Norway anymore. The color is light golden. It smells rich, deep fry, grits, fatty, licorice, cinnamon, wheat crackers, dry. Its not far from the prior two, but it is enhanced by a lot more concentrated aromas, which I quite like. The taste is thick and rich, creamy, sour cream, cinnamon, banana, marzipan, one of the best arrivals I've had. Then it turns lightand peppery. Bitter notes, austere, grassy, fuchsia fruit in the finish.

An arrival of perfection, then it went down from there on: 6.5


Inchgower 28yo 1982-2010 56.2% Berry Bros & Rudd cask#6968

BB&R is yet to disappoint me, bottling a lot of older casks to affordable prices (in comparison to many others on the market these days). Another light golden hue. Many old whiskies in this session, but not a dark one so far. Who said color matters? It smells of wheat, hay, orange zest, honey, apple vinegar. The taste is sour and bitter, a lot going on, lime juice, coffee beans, stearic, spicy, Wow!

If you like a strong one, I know I do: 7


Inchgower 12yo 59% James MacArthur's

I often finish my sessions with a young J.McA at very high strengthg. I see some again go from youngest to oldest. I think a high strength whisky will easily dominate a 40-43% no matter how old it is. Finishing with the most heavily peated on the other hand I completely agree with, peat leaves more taste than alcohol. Pale white wine color on this one. It smells spirity, rubber, burnt plastic, as raw as it gets. The taste is fat, butter, baked beans, oil, bacon, pesto The finish is bittersweet, long, herbal and peppery.

Contrary to others in this session, this finishes on a high note: 7



Next tasting: Miltonduff Distillery

Tasting 4 Cragganmores

Cragganmore is a very good whisky, but a bit hard to find a big variety of. I've managed to source some samples along with a Blackadder Raw Cask. This session makes for all in all 13 tasted Cragganmores for me, hopefully there will be some more. (I'm sorry for the crappy photo, but I'm now using a crappy old Canon while my Nikon is being repaired).


















Cragganmore 17yo 1988-2006 55.5% OB

Golden color on this one, no added E's. It smells old newspapers and garlic, strange. Sulphur, coriander, juniper, bonfire, unusual to say the least. I'm intrigued so far. The taste is thick and sweet, cinnamon, peppery, caramel, pineapple, musty. The finish is musty, peaty, mustard and red wine vinegar. A very good whisky from an active cask, but still a lot of distillery characteristics.

So thick it's almost like a syrup: 6.5


Cragganmore 29yo 1973-2003 52.5% OB

Again a nice golden hue. At this age you'd perhaps expect a darker whisky, but color more often than not tell nothing at all about the whisky. It smells grainy, musty, sweet, licorice, heather, wool, orange peel, another dirty whisky? The taste is austere, vanilla, grassy, honey, grainy, dried fruits, peat, onions, a lot going on in this one. The finish is peppery.

Expressive whisky, still a bit raw for its age: 6


Cragganmore 21yo 1989-2010 56% OB

This one is a bit more pale. It smells peppery, cut green apples, baking powder, mustard. Much lighter than the others in my opinion. The taste is sweet, bananas, vanilla, cream, the becomes very drying, sour leaves, yoghurt, dry white wine. The finish is peppery and long.

Doesn't live up to the standard set by the previous two: 4


Cragganmore 15yo 1989-2004 57.9% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#1970

Second in a row distilled in 1989, lets hope this one fares a bit better. The color is grey-ish golden. A lot of cask sediments. It smells rich, acidic, syrup, ginger, starch, onions, chili, nutty, burnt sugar, hay. The taste is warming, drying, peppery, chillies, in need of some water I think, it really numbs my palate. With a dash of added water it turns sweeter, green apples, almost cider-ish. Caramel, beetroot, onions, rose water, chestnuts, thyme. Cragganmore is a very variable whisky, but all of these has a lot going on.

Another BIG whisky from Cragganmore: 6.5



Next tasting: Inchgower Distillery

Tasting 7 OB Fettercairns

Yes, Fettercairn OBs from various times, and one that's actually an IB series by Whyte & MacKay, the Stillman's Dram, but since Whyte & MacKay owns Fettercairn Distillery I see it as an OB this time... Kind of like the S/V bottlings of Edradour. I've said a lot of things about Fettercairn before in this blog, so no need to do that again. A common nominator for all of these whiskies are that none are bottled at cask strength. I'll be tasting from right to left as you see them, ending with the Fior.



Old Fettercairn 8yo 40% OB for Importato Da Pilla S.P.A. Castelmaggiore

A bottling from the 70's. Rare stuff, but rare doesn't always mean good, although the prices these days might suggest so. Amber hue. It smells honey, peppery, quite intense perfume, butter, malty. The taste is peppery, honey, floral, creamy, gouda, wax, very rich for its young age and low strength. The finish is oaky, malty, peppery with hints of chewing tobacco and lavender.

A very nice whisky, complex and rich: 7.5


Old Fettercairn 8yo 43% OB for Liquorama S.A.S. Di R. Orlandi & Co. S. Donato Milanese

Another young oldie, probably from around the same time as the prior one. I do not know how the connection with Italian became, but I think the Italians discovered the pleasures of single malt a bit before the rest of europe. This whisky is just a tiny bit lighter in color, golden. It smells white wine, grapes, roasted nuts, chilies, feta, white paprika. The taste is sweet, light, creamy, milk chocolate, pistachio. Once again great stuff, great Old Fettercairn from times gone by. peppery and short finish.

The finish holds this one back just a bit: 7


Fettercairn 1824 12yo 40% OB

This was a short-lived whisky they made in the last half of last decade. I remember it was kind of ill received, and it wasn't my favourite, but the first batches were alright I think, 6-ish in my book. This is one of the last batches before most shops stopped selling it, but I fear not! The color is deep golden and adjusted to such. It smells malty and sort of spirity, perhaps some leeks and burnt oak. The taste is
sweet and bitter, beetroots, sweet potatoes, stewed onions, creamy. Nice. The aftertaste on the other hand is bitter and burnt.

Not bad, but it lacks much of the richness of the other two: 5.5


Old Fettercairn 10yo 40% OB

I think this is the 80's or early 90's Old Fettercairn, before they upped to 43%abv. I have not tried this one before against the 10yo 43% that became its successor. I'll have that one next. Light golden color. It smells sweet, maize, pesto, caramel, cinnamon, red bell peppers, green tea. The taste is light and peppery, soft whisky with a tiny peppery edge. Really light and a bit too mundane. The finish is drying and bitter.

This is one to start with, if not it will disintegrate, too weak: 3.5


Old Fettercairn 10yo 43% OB

The successor of the last on and the predecessor of the 12yo 1824. Let's see, but I think they had legitimate reasons when they launched the 1824 although it didn't fulfill their expectations, I believe. Enough politics, let's taste. It has a light golden color, also tampered by E's. It smells spirity and peppery, dry white wine, tonic. The taste is burnt and spicy, mostly burnt. This a one-dimensional whisky! The finish is just drying and spirity.

This is the worst Fettercairn I've ever had: 2


Fettercairn 1824 30yo 45% The Stillman's Dram Whyte & Mackay btl.001102

I don't think W&M bottles this series anymore, but when they did it was a nice alternative to their standard bottlings. Same color as the last two ones. It smells herbal, nettles, oregano, basil, thyme, orange zest, turmeric. The taste is very sour, grainy, oaky, a bit too much oak in this one for my palate. I think it needs some water. With 1 1/2 teaspoon added, to be precise, it gets more rounded, apple juice and cointreau are coming my way. Sweet as it gets, but a bit light for my liking. The finish is peppery and oaky without water, with water its minty and fresh, how is that possible?

It seems a bit tamed by the years in wood, I wish they bottled it at CS: 4.5


Fettercairn NAS 43% OB Fior

One of the things I find impressive about Fettercairn is that in the midst of the Cairdeas'es, Legends, A'bunadhs, Moch's, Traditional Cask's, and so on, all with No Age Statement, Fettercairn launches a series of 24yo, 30yo and 40yo. And this one. But remember, no stock in this whisky is younger than 12yo except the small share, about 5% I think, of peated whisky. But once again, its all in the tasting. This one has the color of red. They say there's a lot of sherried casks going into this whisky. It smells peppery, old books, orange juice, licorice, jägermeister, bitter and herbal. This one has a bit more going for it then the last ones. The taste is peaty, minty, oranges, coriander, a very sweet and light whisky. I have to say this is perhaps the perfect starter to a sushi, but for a whisky it lacks a bit.

The ultimate middle of the road, which isn't bad considering the price: 5



Next tasting: Cragganmore Distillery

Tasting 6 Bladnochs

Bladnoch is a dangerous whisky, easy to drink, and often just that vague that I get the feeling I need another taste just to make sure I've traced all the characters I can within the whisky. Here goes a series of 6 whiskies from 6 different bottlers, should cover most of Bladnoch's characteristics, and possibly then some.



Bladnoch 1991 50% James MacArthur's

Pale white wine color. Usually these bottles from James MacArthur's are bottles at cask strength or 43%abv (in rare cases). I commend J.McA for that policy, so I wonder why they decided to bottle this at 50%abv. It smells lemon, apples, tamarind, sour and fruity. Not much more on the nose. The taste is burnt, earthy, orange zest, tamarind again, cardboard, onions, a bit "dirty". With some added water it turns sweeter, more peppery, sweet korma, fried bell peppers. A lot more going on now. I'd say its more of an adventure when diluted, more astray from the beaten lowland path.

Easy to enjoy, easy to forget, light: 4


Bladnoch 22yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing

Light golden hueon this one from Douglas Laing. I usually enjoy Bladnoch but often find when tasting the distilleries thats been down for a while, Glen Keith, Glenglassaugh, Tamnavulin and such, some bottlings also helps show maybe why they closed down. Remember, the recent bottlings may derive a lot compared to what the distillery made back in the old days. This one smells of leather and tobacco, dried fruits, honey, very pleasant. The taste is rich, spicy, chillies, straw, sour grapes, ginger, starfruit, aniseeds, lime, basil leaves, carrot juice. A long stretch from the pleasant nose, still nice, but no coherence between nose and palate. With a dash of water it turns more peppery and honeyed, still sour with ginger notes. Again it improves a bit, not much, with water.

The nose alone brings this one up a notch: 5


Bladnoch 22yo 1990-2012 54.4% Malts of Scotland cask#12019

Another 22yo, another bourbon cask, but this time bottled at cask strength. Should usually make a difference. This one is from a barrel which is bigger than a hogshead. More time, less oaky notes usually. The color is golden. It smells peppery, honeyed, floral, elderflowers, syrup, distinct moscatel wine, shallots, nutty, perfumy, butter cream, enticing. The taste is heather, peppery, warming, coal, wool, rose pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, gentle and warming, a peculiar mix.

One to have alongside your cheese platter: 4.5


Bladnoch 15yo 55% OB

Bladnoch was not only a distillery for a while, but also an independent bottler with the Bladnoch Forum-series. It's been awhile since I saw any bottlings from them, but I hope their still in business. This one is from the "Spirit of the Lowlands"-series. I think Bladnoch did a smart move when naming a whisky so that it emphasizes on a whole region. Light golden hue. It smells thick, fresh bakery, oily, olive oil, cauliflower, fish oil, ginger, chutney, laurels, carrot juice, tomato sauce, kinda bland. The taste is creamy, toffee, herbal, parsley, majorian, leeks, basil, light toffee, camphor, cough drops.

This one is the be(a)st of the bunch so far: 6


Bladnoch 11yo 1985-1996 56.8% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#318,352,870,871

This one has the most color of the bunch, light orange/amber. It smells peppery, licorice, onions, campari, very bitter. I hope it tastes better. Bitter odors sometimes makes for great palates, Bowmore being one example of that in my opinion. The taste is very drying, fino? Bitter and drying, some stewed onions and grind coffee alongside nutmegin the finish. Besides some nice hints of garlic and nutmeg initially, this one is a letdown for me.

An extreme whisky, extremely bitter that is: 3.5


Bladnoch 13yo 1987-2000 59.3% Scott's Selection

I've had quite a few from SS, and with a couple more yet to be tasted. I like these smaller indies as they have nothing more than their quality to rely on. Whereas G&M, Cadenhead's and S/V are such well-established brands with a huge enough output that they can afford bottling a bad cask or two every now and again. Pale white wine color on this oneIt smells light, kirsch, strawberries, onions, wheat, spirity, new-make, a bit "un-finished" in my opinion. The taste is earthy, oak, smoky, nessel soup, grassy, ginger, straw, leather, dry. A lot of so-called un-desired notes going on here, but its still very good. With additional water it turns more bitter, with a tonic water taste.

A dirty, foul and almost rancid whisky that's too raw to dislike: 6



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery



Oh, and this was my 300th post on www.maltdiary.com, I think it was a nice way to celebrate that. Next time my favorite distillery.

Tasting 5 Tamdhus

Tamdhu was down for about half a year I think it was, back in 2009/2010, but its now back up and running with new owners Ian MacLeod's Distillers. A distillery that very often falls below the radar, let's see how this all CS-session will work out.





Tamdhu 25yo 50.1% Whisky-Doris

Whisky-Doris is a great indie bottler, that thrives more on quality than quantity. The color on this one is golden. It smells sweet, aniseed, bitter licorice, tea, hay, dried herbs. The taste is sweet and peppery, bitter, aniseeds, herbs, red onions, needs a bit of water to open up. Now it turns more bitter, tonic, tannic, grainy, drying, text-book fino-matured whisky.

Great stuff, but for those with an acquired taste: 6


Tamdhu 20yo 1990-2011 49.8% Malts of Scotland cask#8119

A sample from www.whiskysamples.eu. From a sherry butt. Color is deep golden/bronze. It smells sweet, honey, apricot jam, heather, mint leaves, butterscotch, a sweet treat. The taste is again honey, ginger, white rum, raisins, peppery, spirity. I do like it, but it seems to come from a tired cask, not much vitality left in this whisky.

Light, easy, sweet sherried malt: 6


Tamdhu 20yo 1988-2009 54.3% Krüger's Schloss Whisky for www.whiskyauction.com

Deep orange hue on this one, another sherried one? Doesn't have to be, there are really dark bourbon matured whiskies as well. It smells rich, peppery, honied, lemon, leeks, burnt oak. The taste is sweet, marzipan, bourbon, cream liqueur, balsamic vinaigrette, banana peel, mustard. With a touch of water it gets peppery, burnt, loses some of the sweetness and gets more bitter.

Without water: 7


Tamdhu 15yo 1989-2004 58.2% James MacArthur's Old Master's cask#8132

Time to try the high strength youngsters in this session. I must say that this series can seem a bit misleading as Old Master's is not a series of old whisky necessarily, but rather a series of whisky from old distilleries. The color is white wine. It smells peppery, vanilla, bitter, lemon, lime, white grapes. Interesting, a nose that don't give away too much. The taste is sweet, bananas, vanilla, oranges, honey, peppery, very straight-forward, but all with great flavors to show off. I like this a lot. Some blue cheese, cinnamon and tamarind in the background.

The best one in this session, a more revealed spirit: 7.5


Tamdhu 12yo 1994-2007 61.1% Enjoy Whisky cask#1998 btl.174/217

I did own a whole 75cl of this one, from which I grabbed this sample, but sad to say it didn't give me many pleasures. Hopefully, in company with other Tamdhus, it'll be able to shine a bit more. The label quoted "dark sherry", but it's far from a dark whisky. Dark golden at best. It smells burnt, citrus fruits, oranges, grapefruit, green apples, mint, spirity. The taste is sweet and sherried at first, mango chutney, honey, cinnamon, creamy, thick. Then goes into a more peppery and spirity style, probably due to the high strength. With some water added it turns sweeter, more bitter, fino style, extremely peppery and bitter, hard to detect other nuances. Again I would not put water in this one.

A glimmer of greatness on the nose and at first sip, the rest is just foul: 3.5



Next tasting: Bladnoch Distillery

Tasting 5 Ben Nevis

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













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

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

The sherry struggles making an influence on this one: 3.5


Ben Nevis 22yo 46% Cadenhead's

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

Another great one from Cadenhead's: 7.5


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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

Concentrated on a lot of nice bourbony notes: 8



Next tasting: Tamdhu Distillery

Tasting 5 (+1) MacDuffs

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











Macduff 12yo 40% Blend House of Macduff

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

Nice, clean and fun whisky: 4.5


Macduff 12yo 40% James MacArthur's

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

Another nice, clean and good fun: 4.5


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

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

A whisky with a lot of heat: 6.5


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

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

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


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

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

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


Macduff 19yo 55.7% Whisky-Doris

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

Creamy thick bitter-sweet sherried whisky: 8

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



Next tasting: Ben Nevis Distillery

One good Irish Stew

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

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

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

Tasting 4 Braes of Glenlivets

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













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

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

The perfect starter whisky: 6


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

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

Sub-standard Braes of Glenlivet I think: 3


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

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

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


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

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

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



Next tasting: Macduff Distillery

Tasting 4 Benromach's + a meddling Cameronbridge

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














Benromach 17yo 1981-1998 40% OB Centenary Bottling

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

A starter whisky: 4


Benromach 21yo 43% OB

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

Adding water did help a bit in this one: 4.5


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

Still a very good grain whisky: 6.5


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

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

If diluted (1point), if neat: 5.5


Benromach 18yo 1976-1995 65% Cadenhead's

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

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



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet Distillery

tasting 5 Deanstons

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



Deanston NAS 40% OB

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

No off-notes, just remarkably mundane: 3


Deanston 12yo 40% OB

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

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


Deanston 12yo 46.3% OB

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

More fruity this time around: 4.5


Deanston 21yo 53.5% Cadenhead's

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

An amazing Deanston, my first one I think: 8


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

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

Another great Deanston: 7



Next tasting: Benromach Distillery

A small mixed session

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



Cardhu 12yo 40% OB

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

When neat: 7



Next tasting: Deanston Distillery

Tasting 6 Mortlachs

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



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

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

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


Mortlach 15yo 57% Gordon & Macphail Eagle label

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

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



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



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

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

Great Mortlach, yet a very typical one: 7.5


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

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

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


Mortlach 20yo 1978-1998 62.2% OB Rare Malts

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

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


Mortlach 8yo 62.4% The Whisky Connoisseur

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

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



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet Distillery

Tasting 5 Balmenachs

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



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

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

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


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

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

8!: 8


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

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

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


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

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

Great bourbonized scotch: 9


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

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

Thick, sweet and creamy: 9



Next tasting: Braes of Glenlivet/Braeval Distillery

The In-law's choice, Balvenie Distillery

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



Balvenie 10yo 40% OB Founders Reserve

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

A very good Balvenie, affordable good whisky!: 6


Balvenie 17yo 43% OB Madeira Reserve

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

I did like the Rum Reserve much better: 3


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

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

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


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

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

Powerful Balvenie, peat/pepper?: 7.5



Next tasting: Balmenach Distillery

The brother's choice, Strathisla Distillery

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



Strathisla NAS 1980 40% OB by G&M

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

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


Strathisla NAS 1982 40% OB by G&M

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

Easy, light and drinkable: 5.5


Strathisla 25yo 43% Gordon & Macphail's

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

One for the sherry-lovers: 6



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

The misses choice, Glen Spey Distillery

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

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

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



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

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

A summers day dram: 4.5


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

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

A young whisky that lets the wood shine: 7


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

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

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



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

The friends choice, Linkwood Distillery

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



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

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

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


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

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

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


Linkwood 16yo 55.8% Cadenhead's

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

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


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

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

Old style, bitter and brutal: 3


Next tasting: Speyside Distillery chosen at random by Girlfriend

Tasting 2 blends

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



The Whisky of 1990 NAS 40% W&M blend

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

A crappy whisky: 2.5


Whyte & MacKay 21yo 43% Blend

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

A good mixture: 4.5



Next tasting: You make the guess!

Tasting 4 Tullibardines

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


Tullibardine NAS 40% OB

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

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


Tullibardine 19yo 1988-2007 46% OB

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

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


Tullibardine 15yo 1989-2005 49.8% Hart Brothers

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

Apple Bonanza: 6.5


Tullibardine 20yo 57% The Golden Cask

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

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



Next tasting: A mixed session

Tasting 4 Arrans

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


Arrans NAS 43% OB White label, bronze letters.

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

A savage spirit with a great future: 5


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

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

Blend territory, not a good one: 3


Arran NAS 51.4% OB 15th Anniversary Bottling

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

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


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

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

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



Next tasting: Linkwood Distillery

Comparing 4 closed distilleries 1by1

I will try these 4 whiskies later on alongside some peers from same origin, but right now I'd like to try some whiskies that are from lesser estimated, of general view, closed distilleries. That meaning no Port Ellens, Glenlochys, Broras, Banffs or any of that kind. These 4 distilleries are forgotten after their seize of extinction, but maybe they'll grasp a post humous revival in coming years, who knows?



Millburn 25yo 1981-2006 46% MacKillop's Choice cask#355

Maybe I've had one or two good Millburns before, but there seems to be a considerable gap between each winner. But what I will say is that however one might call it, this was a whisky that never got a real chance as a single malt as there never where any official bottlings released. This one comes from a sherry wood, and reads bottling #201. The color is light amber. It smells raw onions, caramel, cauliflower, raw fish, barnyard, outdoors, wet gravel, I like it thus far. The taste is sweet and drying, concentrated sweets, banana liqueur, fruit gums, too sweet for me. A splash of water brings out more fruitiness, strawberries, mango, shallots, parsley, an unlikely mix.

Doubt this would be bottled if it came from a "living" distillery: 3


North Port NAS 1982-? 43% Private Cellar, Forbes & Ross

I think Private Cellar is the G&M's "Connoisseurs Choice" of Scott's Selection, which would usually mean an inferior selection to that bottles at cask strength, which the G&M Cask-series is. But I, and many others, seem to have found gold even in the CC-series, so here we go. The color is dark golden. It smells peppery, cinnamon, red onions, paprika, chili, ginger, orange marmalade, peppery, sulphur. A very reliable and shy sherry expression. I mean, you know it's sherried, but it doesn't scream it. The taste is round, apples, syrup, honey, cream sherry, a lot of good stuff going on. But while its just as good as it gets, one might get distracted by the light tastes. It's a kind whisky!

A gentle one, but extremely good, have alongside some dark chocolate: 8


Littlemill 17yo 1992-1009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#3028

On little, or no closed distilleries has the reputation been as disputed as witb Littlemill. It seems some of its post-humous bottlings have been received with celebrations. I did try the 12yo a while back, and it was not a winner in my book, but perhaps this one might make me understand the recent demand for this whisky. The color is golden. It smells peppery, herbal, grassiness, onions, ginger, lowland style. The taste is sweet, caramel, juicy, plums, honey, onions again, cream liqueur, brittle, cream caramel, a very sweet dram. The aftertaste is peppery and sharp.

A very good lowlander, much appreciated: 6.5


Lochside 18yo 1981-2000 46% Murray McDavid cask#9639

A highlander with quite a potential, one of the most longed-after closed distilleries today, but in the shadows of Port Ellen and Glenlochy and others. Personally I believe Lochside is the one to get before its all gone. And MM knows how to pick'em. The color is orange. It smells light, perfumy, straw, crispy, earthy aromas. The taste is ever so light, vanilla, fruity, green grapes, cooked onions, grassy, a very light whisky, yet disturbing every picture of a whisky drinker being something other that a vodka drinker.

Light and extremely good: 6.5



Next tasting: Arran Distillery

Tasting 4 Macduffs

Macduff is a young distillery established as recent as 1963. It is also known by the name Glen Deveron, which is a river nearby the distillery. Personally I think Macduff is a better name for a modern single malt whisky. Time to discover a bit more of this malt.



Glen Deveron 12yo 40% OB

A bottling from the 80's. The color is dark golden, adjusted with caramel. It smells spirity, oak, wool, burnt rubber, not pleasant. The taste is light, floral, linseed oil, grainy, rubber, apple vinegar, straws. With a bit of water added it turns sweeter, fruit gums, marshmallows, potato starch. A weird whisky that leaves no finish, not particularly enjoyable and gone within seconds.

One to get drunk off, if that's desired: 3


Macduff 20yo 1978-1999 43% Malt Whisky Association cask#5041 btl.99/394

A "Millennium Bottling" this one is called. Amber orange color. It smells burnt, honey, dried red paprika, a sherried one? The taste is sweet cinnamon, slightly drying, floral, maple syrup, sweet onions, roasted bell peppers. The finish is mild and infused with lots of herbs, thyme, coriander, leeks, cream, swiss cheese, a very interesting whisky. And a very good alternative if you wanna discover this malt I think.

For a 43%, plenty of character: 6


Macduff 30yo 43% Vom Fass

Little information on this one to be honest. A whisky this age usually carries some vintage, cask numbers, type or whatever. The Singapore Whisky Blog suggests its from a sherry cask. I have no idea, but I'll stick to that so far. The color is amber orange. It smells caramel, cinnamon, honey, white wine, gingerbread, sweet dough, salsa, garlic, expressive stuff. It tastes burnt, white pepper, grassy, not as goos as I hoped after the nice nose. The finish is short and peppery. Maybe a bit of water will help it out. Now it tastes vanilla, licorice, drying.

Think I need a magnifier to find some of its true flavors: 4


Macduff 10yo 2000-2010 56.5% Exclusive Malts for the Bonding Dram cask#3525

From a sherry butt. I remember a great sherried Macduff from Whisky Doris I had a couple months back. Let's hope this one follows up. Dark red hue. It smells sherried, oloroso, honey, cinnamon, nutty, creamy caramel, dark chocolate. This is sherried young whisky as it should be. The taste is not that sherried, reminds me more of tawny port and dark roast coffee. Along with some dark berries and licorice sweetness. Textbook sweet sherried whisky. The finish is sweet and minty, eucalyptus and dark berries.

Perfect work from the wood: 8