Whew, that was one long break. Work was madness. And it's now been more than 2 weeks since Whisky Live. Oh how quickly time flies when you're preoccupied with meaningful stuff, like work. Yes.
Instead of giving tasting notes for everything I tried, I figured I should just put down a few of the highlights, partially because it's been too long and the quick notes I took during the event don't make much sense anymore. And partially because, well, it's really a lot of whiskies tried, but many that I probably don't find too memorable. In any case, here's the list of everything:
Bolded are the ones that left a good impression, italicised are the ones that left a bad impression. The rest were...well, normal.
1) Carsebridge 50 years, from the Sovereign series by Hunter Laing
2) Glendronach 12 Sauternes finish, 18 Allardice, Cask Strength batch 5
3) Amrut Fusion, Intermediate Sherry
4) Dalmore 15, 18, King Alexandre III
5) Gordon and Macphail Connoisseur's Choice Caol Ila (2004/2016)
6) Lost Distillery Co Lossit, Gerston, Auchnagie, Stratheden, Towiemore
7)Signatory Cambus 24 years, Tamdhu The Ten series 8 years
8) Benromach 15
9) Paul John Bold
10) Port Charlotte Scottish Barley
11) Glenrothes Vintage, 2001, 1998
12) Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry
13) Highwest Campfire blend
14) Auchentoshan 18 year, Old Particular by Douglas Laing
15) Talisker Port Ruighe
16) Oban Little Bay
17) Kilshoman Bourbon Single Cask for LMDW
18) Arbelour 12, 16
19) Glen Scotia Double Cask, Victoriana
32 Whiskies. my goodness.
So, some quick notes on the highlights.
Carsebridge 50 years, Sovereign, Hunter Laing
My goodness. This was bloody amazing. I think Hunter Laing's reps did not initially intend to open this bottle for tasting at the event. It was only opened at 8, and I just happened to walk past the Hunter Laing booth after the rep poured a wee bit for someone. The rep was trying to quickly put the bottle back on the display shelf behind him. Sensing the opportunity slip away, I asked for a taster, and the sales rep who poured the 50 year old glanced sheepishly at the ang moh beside him, and quietly poured a little bit of the Carsebridge 50 for me.
Smells really smooth. Vanilla, butterscotch, toffee, sweet. Rich. Really rich. Slightly sherried, I believe. On the palate, this is sweet vanilla, honey, very ripe apples, some citrus notes, and very very very smooth. This is seducing whisky. The wood hardly figures woodily, but you know that it's done an excellent, thorough job on the whisky. Some cinnammon spice, slightly coconuty. Finish was long, and the wood comes through, together with light spice, very slow, warming heat, and more toffee and butterscotch.
I used to not think very highly of grain whisky. But this just blew my brains out.
Glendronach Cask Strength batch 5
Fairly hot on alcohol, but really big on raisins. Dry raisins, rather than the rich juicy ones in the Allardice or Parliament. A little sweeter, on honey, and not as straightforwardly sherried, I think. Palate is nuttier and with more spice. The alcohol heat stays, and this translates to some pepper and continued heat on the finish. Having said that, some sherry juiciness stays on the palate for a long time. That was kinda cool.
I like this. The guy at the booth, who's a LMDW customer rather than a sales rep, was also really generous and allowed us to pour whiskies ourselves. Yum. He also said that the new owners of Glendronach might discontinue the Allardice, and the entire current core range, in fact. Boom. Time to hoard.
Amrut Intermediate Sherry
Rich sherry, with a hint of smoke. There's also some nice bourbon touches, like...coconut and toffee. This whisky is rich, thick, and sweet, weighs heavily on the palate, and is actually a little sticky. The spiciness lifts the whisky though, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and...chai (cultural appropriation blah blah blah)?!?!? But, on the whole, as my first foray into Indian whisky, this is pretty impressive.
Benromach 15
On the nose, this is sweet and frankly alluring. Rich sherry, backed by a thick maltiness. Some suggestion of other citrus fruits too. On the palate, the whisky stays richly sherried, but there's a touch of sulphur, smoke, toffee...mm. Good stuff, really. This is smooth with little hint of alcohol, though the spices do leave a light warmness. Very pleasant and good. Not out of this world, but a significant step up from the 10. Lingering smoke on the finish, sulphury and smoky, with continuing maltiness. Spice lingers on the finish, on light pepper and cinnamon, and something that reminds me of parsley.
The G&M rep was keen to impress upon us that this is old style Speyside, with a light smokiness that stays in the whiskies, as the Speysiders only stopped using peat to dry the malt more recently. Good stuff, this, too. And fairly priced. Yum yum.
Things that I didn't Like
Glen Scotia
Cambeltown's other distillery. Tried both the double cask, and the Victoriana. Both tasted a little soapy. Not quite my thing. And, the alcohol burn was too much man. Some citrus and pleasant touches of peat, but the soapiness was too much.
Lost Distillery Auchnagie, Stretheden
These were light and unmemorable. Nothing offensive, but...something off about the floral notes.
Dalmore KA3
This wasn't bad. Just really not quite worth the money. Six different casks, according to the pretty lady in high heels who stood for so long, she had stiff shoulders and an awkward gait. Poor soul. Any case, the Dalmore 15 was pleasant, the 18 was good with its 3 casks, but I felt that the six casks in the KA3 was just too much and messed up the original spirit. Too woody, and missing the usual Dalmore notes. Or maybe it was just too subtle.
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