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| Hello, that is one among our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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Might 29, 2024
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A really massive bag of latest cats from bonnie Scotland
Certainly, I believe it is time to as soon as once more savour some new kittens from Scotland
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Eden Mill ‘Bourbon Cask’ (46%, OB, 2023) 
Right here we’re in St Andrews, within the Lowlands. The times when solely Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan have been representing this area are lengthy gone. This whisky has been totally matured in bourbon casks. To this point, we had solely tasted one expression from Eden Mill. Color: white wine. Nostril: nice and lightweight, with notes of custard, eggnog, gooseberry, and honeysuckle. There’s additionally a number of apple (golden), with a touch of lily of the valley and acacia honey. It is mild, simple, pleasurable, and reasonably not too easy. Good for this summer season. There is a very slight metallic contact (aluminium) and a few tapioca. Mouth: it is good, possibly not immensely distinctive, however nice. Bread, barley, beer, lemon, apple, and vanilla fudge. Maybe a bit for the locavores, like some craft beers which are nothing particular however are native and “simply pretty much as good because the others.” End: a bit brief. Apple tart, vanilla, inexperienced tea. Extra of a natural aftertaste. Feedback: nothing to complain about, it is reasonably sincere and easy. A pity they’ve opted for NAS.
SGP:451 – 81 factors. |
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A little bit of double-checking cannot damage…
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Eden Mill ‘The Guard Bridge’ (46%, OB, blended malt, 2023) 
Oops, this can be a blended malt from Eden Mill that mixes Eden Mill and different malts. To be sincere, the label does not attribute it to the distillery, so this is not a brand new case of ‘Cardhu Pure Malt’. Anyway, I imagine the Scots have discovered their lesson by now. So, let’s have a style… Color: white wine. Nostril: extra substance and depth, however that is most likely to be anticipated. Chalk, sourdough, contemporary brioche, then blooming wildflowers and canned peaches. Mouth: extra vibrant, brisker, fruitier, with these ripe and canned peaches once more, then honey and maple syrup, agave syrup ‘loud and clear’, some juicy little sultanas… This 46% ABV at all times works so effectively, whatever the distillate model. End: medium size, honeyed, with lemon shortbread. Is there such a factor as lemon shortbread? Feedback: there is a slight trace of younger Glenmorangie in its pure state. I discover it actually good.
SGP:551 – 83 factors. |
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We keep a bit within the Lowlands…
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Annandale 2019/2024 (61%, OB, Non-public Cask for Hermann Brothers, Woodford Reserve double cask, cask #1179, 256 bottles) 
We have now already tasted some glorious Annandale and we do not thoughts such a cask so long as it does not flip right into a vanilla and ginger bomb. Color: gold. Nostril: one other instance of a malt with very pronounced and considerably trendy wooden affect, nevertheless it works very effectively, leaning in direction of candy spices, roasted banana, darkish nougat, pancake syrup, cinnamon cake… All this at over 60% ABV. With water: the dough comes by means of, with a touch of truffle. White truffle from Piedmont, not black. The most costly! Mouth (neat): very creamy, nearly oily, candy, trendy, very spicy, with loads of smoked bacon and lemon balm. It’s totally concentrated; I am unsure if I ought to like it, however I need to admit I reasonably do. A superb contact within the ‘rising’ of this cask. With water: identical, only a bit gentler, with a couple of drops of the compulsory limoncello that we preserve mentioning. By the way in which, the place’s the Ferrari, pricey Limoncello Producers Affiliation? End: comparable, with a beautiful size. It finishes contemporary and really fruity. Feedback: completely trendy and superb. A younger malt that defies nostalgia.
SGP:652 – 87 factors. |
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Finglassie (Inchdairnie) 7 yo 2017/2024 (57.7%, James Eadie, refill oloroso quarter cask end, cask #374469, 127 bottles)
You might be proper, after a stint in 1 / 4 cask of oloroso, not a lot of the unique character of the distillate ought to stay, however I’d say that the important thing phrase right here is ‘refill’. They usually do know what they’re doing… Color: pale gold. Nostril: it’s each smooth and medicinal, nearly paying homage to a mix of younger Laphroaig and Bruichladdich, as an example a 1/3 – 2/3 ratio. Camphor, bandages, liniments, then peaches and melons. I did not discover as a lot smoke within the earlier Finglassie by James Eadie. With water: comparable impressions. Mouth (neat): identical sentiments. It is glorious, with a beautiful physique. Coastal citrus fruits, smoked with peat. The feel is just not far off from the Annandale’s. With water: the smoke recedes, and the candied citrus fruits take centre stage. Grapefruit, citron, candy mint, contemporary coriander. End: nonetheless pretty much as good, this time it is the Indian and Indonesian spices that dominate. Satay sauce within the aftertaste, which we love. Feedback: The oloroso was fairly discreet – we instructed you, did not we?
SGP:653 – 87 factors. |
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Isle of Raasay ‘Dùn Cana First Version’ (52%, OB, 2023)
A mix of peated and unpeated Raasay, first matured in American rye then completed in PX and oloroso quarter casks. The place have we already seen that final half? I bear in mind we have had an outstanding ‘Peated Ex-Rye’ final yr (WF 88). Color: gold. Nostril: it seems juicy, with notes of very, very ripe mirabelles, freshly distilled kirsch, baker’s yeast, and artisanal amber beer. General, it is reasonably yeasty and fermentative. The peat appears fairly discreet. With water: not a lot totally different. It is like wood-fired pizza dough (doused with whisky, ha). Mouth (neat): fairly uncommon. It looks like ale aged in peated whisky casks, as you generally encounter. Then there’s loads of curry, caraway, ras-el-hanout, pepper… And at all times these very, very ripe mirabelles. Mainly, you would distil them right away, when you catch my drift. With water: the rye cask stays in management. The peat wavers a bit, coming and going. End: reasonably lengthy, nonetheless on ferments, beer, and mirabelles which have seen higher days. Some chocolate from the casks within the aftertaste. Feedback: an excellent Raasay, however maybe not my favorite. I desire extra purity, extra singularity, if you’ll. Right here, it feels a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.
SGP:653 – 83 factors. |
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Ardnahoe ‘Feis Ile 2024’ (59.4%, OB) 
I believe it is Ardnahoe Day right now at Feis Ile! So, we have a good time this from afar, as now we have the particular launch in hand. Color: chardonnay. OK, maybe a not too pale white wine. Nostril: it appears gently peated and reasonably smooth, however let’s be cautious, as water can change issues considerably, as we effectively know. Recent bark, twigs, celery, and gentian, with a touch of wasabi or horseradish, and a contact of sea water… With water: the peated malted barley comes by means of first, adopted by crushed and moist slate, then a fluid, maritime peat, with fairly a little bit of ash. Mouth (neat): pure lemony and earthy peat. That is what you get at this excessive energy. Each wealthy and vertical, one may even dare to check it to a grand chardonnay. Although we’re not fairly on the stage of an ideal classic Meursault… With water: very basic, extra mentholated, with touches of inexperienced chartreuse, past the lemon and oysters. End: lengthy, contemporary, nearly refreshing. Feedback: the refreshing facet is, in fact, a lure, so beware, let’s all beware, it goes down very simply as soon as decreased to, say, 50% ABV. What I additionally discover extraordinarily intelligent is providing such a pure and pure model for Feis Ile, whereas fairly a couple of different distilleries have ventured, for a few years now, into bizarre casks. As an example it is on par with the Inaugural Launch, although we’re not ready to check as we have drunk all we had of the latter. It wasn’t a double magnum, relaxation assured. It would even be a bit higher nonetheless, brisker, extra vibrant…
SGP:567 – 89 factors. |
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A most likely very totally different model now…
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Dalmunach 6 yo 2013/2022 (56.4%, North Star Spirits, ruby Port barrel end, 285 bottles)
Ruby Port, put it… Then again, who can exactly describe the distinctive model of Dalmunach’s distillate? Color: crushed outdated strawberry. Sorry, I could not give you anything. Nostril: sure, strawberry tart, strawberry wine, PX, malmsey… As an example it is fairly totally different. With water: contemporary cement, chalk, outdated damp wooden, mosses… Mouth (neat): this is not whisky anymore, nevertheless it works. Strawberry liqueur fortified with marc de Bourgogne, rouge-cassis (purple wine with blackcurrant syrup), then a great deal of dried figs and Smyrna raisins. All that is actually not very Portuguese, nevertheless it’s positively not Scottish both. With water: identical, we have left the whisky universe, however the result’s actually good. Lengthy dwell strawberry jam! End: lengthy and on strawberry muffins drizzled with honey. No, there is no such thing as a such factor as strawberry honey. Feedback: the form of good bottle it is best to take with a pinch of salt, or in Champagne. So, who might clarify the ‘distillery character’ of Dalmunach to me?
SGP:741 – 84 factors. |
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Ardnamurchan AD/CK.371-30/07/15 (59.2%, OB, bourbon barrel, 2020, 5cl)
I believe they did this wee bottling through the Covid pandemic. Now that we’re sure now we have no (seen) after-effects, we are able to style it… Color: very pale white wine. Nostril: varnish, acetone, inexperienced apples, charcoal, barley syrup, porridge, and petrol. It is all occurring rapidly. With water: bandages, chalk, and contemporary rubber. Mouth (neat): superb, tense, earthy, with lime zest. It offers your palate a little bit of a scrub, however that is seemingly simply an impression. At the very least, I hope so. With water: melon rind on the forefront, then inexperienced pepper and particularly cough syrup. I discover a number of eucalyptus in it. End: lengthy, nonetheless on varnish, inexperienced pepper, smoke, and that disinfectant notice (however in fact, Covid time whisky). Feedback: most likely a bit tough, however maybe that was essential to battle the nasty virus. To be sincere, there is a slight trace of hand sanitizer, nevertheless it’s nonetheless Ardnamurchan, and we love Ardnamurchan. As for the names of their cuvées, I do surprise how fans with out not less than a PhD handle to decipher them.
SGP:565 – 85 factors. |
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Dornoch 5 yo 2018/2022 (60.53%, OB, 1st fill bourbon octave, cask #5, 77 bottles)
We all know the place, the brothers, their setting, the dad and mom, the pets and all the pieces else… Truthfully, we don’t know how they’ve managed to supply whiskies like these. Color: gold. Nostril: unimaginable pine resin, mint, nutmeg, rye bread, and lemon blended to perfection. What’s these things? With water: a number of damp wooden after a heavy, wild downpour. Loads of little herbs, leaves, mushrooms, bark, mosses… Mouth (neat): as soon as once more, I discover an American contact on this juice; it should be the casks they’ve used. Oh, we’re not speaking about Maker’s Mark, we’re speaking about Westland and some others. It is good. With water: a little bit of ginger liqueur, ginseng, candied oranges… End: lengthy, with wooden essences nevertheless it’s by no means turning into ‘woody’. Feedback: and it is one of many first casks, is not it? I take my hat off to them, as soon as once more.
SGP:561 – 88 factors. |
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Dornoch 5 yo 2017/2023 (58.2%, OB, 1st fill bourbon octave, cask #33, 88 bottles)
Color: gold. Nostril: it is a lot purer, easy, and Scottish, and albeit, it jogs my memory of Daftmill. I concern I could by no means have the ability to wander across the Dornoch space once more any more. With water: a bit extra marked by the cask, with candy ginger, cinnamon cake, and candy woodruff… That is the factor with octaves, all the pieces is magnified. Mouth (neat): magnificent lemony stress. It is slender but wealthy, all whereas being ultra-precise. If this implies something to you, it is like a Pouilly-Fumé from Dagueneau’s nice vintages. Actually. With water: it turns into much more a deal with. Lemon meringue pie with grated zest. Scrumptious. End: lengthy however spicier. Maybe only a tiny a tad too spicy for me. Feedback: solely the marginally marked wooden prevents me from going to 90. Dura Lex, sed Lex, however this can be a very good little Dornoch, in any case.
SGP:651 – 89 factors. |
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How about we attempt to discover a 90, what do you say?
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Dornoch 4 yo 2019/2024 (58.6%, OB for Limburg, bourbon octaves, cask #180, 103 bottles)
I suppose that is two octaves. Color: gold. Nostril: it’s a lot much less expansive than the others, despite the fact that there’s summer season Comté cheese mixed with bananas and dried pineapples. This tacky notice is kind of distinctive, within the sense that it’s uncommon. Relaxation assured, we’re very removed from gymnasium socks, a rugby locker room, or Trump’s bed room. With water: much more cheese. Caraway Gouda, truffle Brie. Mouth (neat): distinctive. White pepper, pink pepper, cardamom, rose petal jelly, paprika, sesame oil, blood oranges, Manzanilla. Unfiltered Manzanilla, in fact. They’ve a knack with these octaves; why does not it work fairly as effectively elsewhere? With water: it is nearly like Vosges fir bud liqueur. End: identical. Feedback: fairly chic, nevertheless it’s a notch too deviant to achieve 90. Shut, however no cigar.
SGP:572 – 89 factors. |
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Dornoch 4 yo 2018/2022 (57.9%, OB, bourbon, cask #129, 75 bottles)
Color: pale gold. Nostril: this one is really pure. Recent sawdust, pure vanilla, peaches, melons, quince… all the pieces is pure this time. With water: it is the identical. Sawdust, vanilla, even a touch of grated coconut. You may suppose you have been in a large Diageo or Pernod warehouse, that is how ‘un-Dornoch’ this nostril is, ultimately. Mouth (neat): no, wait, there’s a number of pine resin, vegetal tar, cloves, freshly floor pepper… It does not seem to be a easy barrel, does it? Or was it purchased at IKEA in Inverness? (Do they even have an IKEA in Inverness?) With water: the spices, the resins, and the conifer woods take over utterly. End: lengthy however actually targeted on pine, pine needles, and the liqueurs created from them… Feedback: nostril and palate amazingly dissimilar. Superb, however there are higher ones (no we did not overthink that final half).
SGP:471 – 84 factors. |
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Effectively, which means we should proceed our quest for a 90…
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Dornoch 4 yo 2020/2024 (54.3%, OB, for Dornoch Fort Resort, ex-Koval cask, cask #207, 178 bottles)
It is not Koval bourbon, it is Koval 4-grains. Would not that embody millet? Color: white wine. Nostril: effectively sure, it really works, with pretty vanilla, muesli and porridge, peaches, apricots and tinned pears, then a slight maritime contact, saline, or reasonably like pickle brine and garlic. It’s totally amusing and considerably Provençal. With water: a number of porridge. Mouth (neat): pronounced woodiness, Koval being essentially a really younger whiskey. This implies the ex-Koval casks stay very energetic, in principle. Right here, you’ll be able to really feel it. With water: I get the impression that the cask has considerably neutralised the beautiful Dornoch distillate. Inexperienced bananas, plantain, polenta, vanillin, porridge… End: medium size. Barley, beer, vanilla, oak, tobacco, chocolate within the aftertaste. Feedback: blimey, and firecrackers!
SGP:551 – 85 factors. |
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Dornoch 5 yo 2019/2024 (63.1%, OB, for Chichibu Matsuri, cask #136) 
Ground malted natural Marris Otter, second fill Koval rye and spent native brewers yeast. Color: pale gold. Nostril: you’ll be able to inform instantly when it really works. Right here, it really works. Lemon, bread dough, contemporary croissants, Szechuan pepper. The sensation is kind of good at this stage. With water: it is a razor-sharp blade. It is like an ideal white Bordeaux from a barely cool classic. Admittedly, there aren’t a lot of these chilly vintages left, maybe 2024? Let’s pray collectively… It is value noting that in principle, the Scots need not care a lot about vintages, since they’ll import barley from wherever on this planet – except they’re a part of the brand new wave of own-estate distilleries or solely use native grain, that’s. Crikey, I’d have to rehire a couple of bodyguards… Mouth (neat): 90 factors, simply. Lemon, smoke, white asparagus, gentian, manzanilla, sea water, white pepper. With water: bingo. Extremely-precise, like a real Swiss watch work. It is only a tad candy, however that is superb. End: certainly candy, however nonetheless extremely exact. Blind, we might have stated it is a type of new genuine craft Japanese whiskies. Chichibu-y certainly. Feedback: joking apart, we have discovered a 90, so we are able to finish this seemingly infinite tasting session with peace of thoughts.
SGP:662 – 90 factors. |
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Wait! We nonetheless haven’t got an actual slot for Kininvie, which we nonetheless considerably take into account a brand new distillery. Sure, it is foolish, however since there’s so little of it…
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Aldunie 25 yo 1997/2023 (54.5%, WhiskyFacile, Black Cat sequence, blended malt, bourbon barrel, 171 bottles)
Aldunie is the commerce title for William Grant’s Kininvie when it’s supposedly teaspooned, however since completely nobody is aware of Kininvie (besides a couple of mad fans such as you and me), this is unnecessary in any way. Or am I lacking one thing? Color: gold. Nostril: pretty, contemporary, considerably within the model of its cousin, Balvenie’s Burnside. Vanilla, oak shavings, a little bit of grated coconut, quince tart, touches of patchouli and rose petals… Not unhealthy in any respect. With water: contemporary oak, sesame, nice nougat… Mouth (neat): reasonably superb, agency, with wooden spices, plums, but additionally loads of vanilla and coconut. Granted, you need to like vanilla and coconut. With water: softer, nearly syrupy. Considerable honey and cane syrup. End: medium size, oak, a contact of tobacco, tea with milk as our pricey English associates drink it, and honey… Feedback: not many edges and asperities on this well-aged Kininvie, however the stage stays excessive. It was some reasonably superb filler for reasonably superb outdated blends, was it not?
SGP:641 – 85 factors. |
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We’ll cease right here! Bravo Ardnahoe and bravo Dornoch! Effectively achieved to all of the others!
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