35.95 Invigorating and Stimulating (Glen Moray 18 year old, 1994)

Information

Distillery: Glen Moray

Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Age: 18

Distilled: 1994

Bottled: 2013

Strength: 58.9%

Cask: First fill toasted ex-bourbon hogshead.

Cask Code: 35.95 Invigorating and Stimulating

 

This one I picked up recommendation by another society member, and the reason it took my interest is that it specifically mentioned it was from a first fill toasted hogshead (ex-bourbon) and my take on this is that the cask has been freshly toasted just before filling. I am not sure how much this is done for malt whisky as the oak flavours can heavily swamp out the malt which is basically a very delicate spirit compared to some of the other big hitting spirits out there. The colour immediately says that this cask been active. Who will win, the malt or the wood?

 

Nose: Hot out the bottle, the first thing which comes to mind is bourbon; sweet and woody. Burnt toffee, caramel and vanilla aplenty. Take that toffee and cover it with chocolate and you get Riesen sweets. Ground espresso, and a definate nuttyness like hazelnuts and chestnuts. Fresh cigars, pledge furniture polish. A definate smokyness which is like burning newspapers on a bonfire, while eating smokey bacon on toast - and this is not a peaty smokyness but something that comes from the toasting of the wood. Little aniseed and liquorice. Not masses of fruit coming through, and any delicate esters im not picking up at all. The fruit I am getting is darker like cherry, red grapes, berrys and some dried fruit, figs and raisins.

 

Palate: Dry and slightly salty, with a bitterness which is good in the way of coffee, and dark chocolate. Oak a plenty. Very little sweetness in the mouth at all.

 

Finish: Long and oaky with cigars, clove and pepper, a touch of liquorice, and a toasted nut tail.

 

The malt is close to being lost here, but it is there if you take your time with it. This is by no means an easy drinker in the sense that it has so much to open up if you don't just want a punch of wood. It is busy and complex and will reward your time.

Balblair 83 (cask 1252) - World of Whiskies exclusive

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Bottling (World of Whiskies exclusive)
Age: 30
Distilled: 1983
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 54.1%
Cask: ex-bourbon

If I said I wasn't excited about this it would be a complete lie. I have known about this on the radar for a wee while: Single cask 1252 Balblair matured in a single ex-bourbon cask for 30 years and then hand picked by WOW staff at Glasgow Airport, to be bottled and sold exclusively to World of Whiskies @ World Duty Free (Travel Retail). After 30 years of silently maturing this cask only yielded 162 bottles so that is about 15 bottles per WOW outlet if split evenly.

Nose: It's a Balblair alright. Mango, Grapefruit, Pineapple and Papaya riding that tropical wave I know so well. Unlike younger balblairs which are full of fresh estery youthfulness, the fruits in here are deeper and richer, and reduced down into a thick syrupy sauce. Syrupy sweet Pineapple Cubes and Cola Cubes from the sweet shop. The extra time in the wood has paid off with all those lovely notes coming from the oak with a big hit of warm spiced, iced gingerbread loaf. A touch of banana bread in there as well. Loads of sweet toffee, caramel and chocolate like Toffee Poppet sweets (formerly Toffets).

Palate: Chewing on that gingerbread fresh out the oven. Warming, honeyed, spiced. Very rich and the fruits are rich, ripened and reduced again. The tangy sweet zing from the Cola Cubes. Melting caramel and chocolate, with a strong but balanced oak coming in.

Finish: Long with the rich mature oak character, toffee and spices.

Comments: What a lovely old Balblair. This spirit has plenty of mature, rich character but stays with a youthful and fiery friend on the journey. If you love Balblair you shouldn't need to be convinced.

Glen Garioch 1997 vintage (Travel Retail Exclusive)

Information

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottling: Distillery Bottling (Travel Retail exclusive)
Age: 15
Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 56.7%
Cask: 1st and 2nd fill ex-bourbon

Whenever I get, or get to open a new Glen Garioch I get excited it is my second favourite distillery after Balblair. Coincidently (or not?) both distilleries were subject to a modernisation of tired old packaging, and started releasing "vintages" rather than fixed ages (although Glen Garioch do a 12 year old)which while still characteristic of that distillery, is also characteristic of a certain year. While the vintages list the year, they don't specifically mention an age does that mean it is technically a NAS (no-age-statement) whisky, meaning that 1997 does not need to be the youngest malt in the vatting? That is a question I'll need to find an answer to.

Nose: Immediately a big fruity, estery exposion. Very typical of Glen Garioch to me with a big pear dominance, followed with apple, and banana, with plenty of lesser fruity notes of strawberry and citrus. The combination of fruits are very sweet and candied and the overwhelming memory triggered is of Jelly Tot sweets. Other fruity sweets such as Irn Bru bars and Fruit Salad are also present. Some other sweet but richer things like Chocolate Honeycomb, and the creamy, biscuitness of Nestle White Chocoloate Crunch bars. Plenty of other malty, biscuity notes like shortbread. There is vanilla in there as well, but blends in well with the fruity sweet notes. Lighter floral and heather notes as well.




Palate: Big fruits. Those Jelly Tots are back, and accentuated by the fiz from the high alcohol strength. Hold this in the mouth and let it dilute and mellow, the mouth-watering fruit sweetness comes through like Jolly Ranchers and it gets very chewy, waxy and oily. Creamy biscuitness from the crunch bars as it melts in the mouth with a distinct nuttyness. This also has a very rum-like feel in the mouth.

Finish: Very long, and spicy finish. Vanilla and the crisp sharpness of Coriander seeds. Rum & Raisin fudge, with a touch of citrus.

Comments: A very tasty, and complex construction from Morrison-Bowmore's master blender Rachel Barrie. In many ways this is superior to some of the Glen Garioch single cask releases as there is the higher strength which definately appeals to me, and it carries the character of the distillery and the year, but has the benefit of being constructed through multiple casks to give it more complexity than just a single cask alone. The only drawback of this wee dram is that it is only available through Travel Retail (Duty free to you and me), and I picked this up in Glasgow airport for less than £50. You won't get a single cask for this price. Pick this up if you get the chance or know someone else passing through a airport which stocks it.

1.173 "A fascinating waltz" (Glenfarclas 1993, 19 years old)

Information

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 19
Distilled: 1993
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 55.2%
Cask: ex-bourbon, refill hogshead.
Cask Code: 1.173 A fascinating waltz

Nose: Big fruit hit but a more candied sugary fruit particularly Haribo goldbears, Lemon sherbets and Pineapple Cubes. Bird's eye custard over chocolate pudding. Chocolate Raisins.

Palate: Juicy and sharp, like biting into a grapefruit. The lemon sherbets fizzing on the tounge and then Barr's Limeade.

Finish: Long finish with grapefruit sharpness mellowing into a freshly cut grass and dark chocolate and then pepper and oak.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Tasting

 

Tonight I will be tasting 6 drams from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

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64.41 (Mannochmore 24 year old)

Nose

Malted milk biscuits. Lime zest, a little vegetative like young agricole rum. Rose water and a little fresh green pine. A little bonfire smoke drifting between everything, burnt out embers.

Palate

Light in the mouth, crisp without being harsh, a little spice. Biscuity with some light citrus.

Finish

Biscuity with a medium lime citrus finish.

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1.166 (Glenfarclas 25 year old)

Nose

Very sweet Strawberry bon bons, & strawberry tarts. Chocolate chip Cookies. praline.

Palate

Dryer than the nose initially but then developing a lengthening sweetness. Nutty like ferrero rocher.

Finish

Long, and candied sweet finish.

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1.148 (Glenfarclas 15 year old)

Nose

Freshly cut timber reminiscent Woodwork class. Honey with Nectarine. Cooked Pears with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate

Big and spicy in the mouth. Tinned pears with a chocolate sauce. Sweet Jalapeno peppers.

Finish

A little drying but Long, sweet & spicy melting into a little liquorice & mint.

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39.88 (Linkwood 22 year old)

Nose

Very open on the nose. Baked bananas with a caramel sauce. Raspberry & pineapple mascarpone. Bubblegum. Glazed Cherries. Lots of vanilla and chocolate.

Palate

Smooth and easy in the mouth, with banana sweetnees rolling around with some pecan nuts and vanilla. Orange Marmalade on granary toast

Finish

Spicier on the finish than in the mouth, fades to roasted nuts and oak.

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27.98 (Springbank 12 year old)

Nose

Smoke from a wood burning stove on the nose initially, but melting away into some smoked scallops. Malted barley, wheat and barn hay. Salted cheese.

Palate

Briney, with some emerging fruits. The smoke making itself present again but not imposingly. A tooth brush has accidently picked up some soap with the mint. Chewy and oily with a drying brightness.

Finish

Big assertive and long finish with some soot and ash. Fruit with some coconut. Freshly sliced ginger.

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3.194 (Bowmore 14 year old)

Nose

King Rib supper (Scotish Chip Shop Delicacy), sweet barbecue sauce. Some hospital corridor but quickly giving way to dark dess ert fruits. Christmas cake and mince pies. Cloves and mulled wine.

Palate

Medicinal but sweet. Pork sausages and barbecue sauce. Flat coke.

Finish

Finishes only slightly on the barbecue note, with much more in chocolate and dried fruits but with a big fizzy kick. Long aniseed aftertaste.

Glen Garioch 1990 vintage

Information

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottling: Distillery Own (batch 34)
Age: 19
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2009
Strength: 54.6%
Cask: ex-bourbon and ex-sherry cask.

Nose

Smoke. Butterscotch sweets.

Palate

Oily and teeth coating. Some Smoke and a little Earthy. Heather

Finish

That little blast of smoke again, followed by dry oak and spice. Medium length finish.

Comments

One of the more peated Glen Garioch expressions. I really like this vintage.

Old Pulteney 1990 22yo (Cadenhead's)

Information

Bottling: Cadenhead's
Age: 22
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 55.2%
Cask: Bourbon Barrel

Nose

Orange Marmalade, Sea Salt, Cloves, Toffee, Ginger & Praline

Palate

Fruit, orange again. Salty Brine, Fizzy Cola Bottles,

Finish

Exceedinly long, salty, spicy.

Comments

This is exceedingly good. Well balanced and knows what it is trying to say.

Glengoyne - The Distillery Cask (cask 2717)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling (Distillery Only)
Age: 15
Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.2%
Cask: 1st fill Bourbon Barrel

Nose

Bright fresh fruit with cream. Pear drop and fruit salad sweets. A little red wine. Digging deeper some very distant wood, Pencil shavings.

Palate

Green Apple, Liquorice and Fennel Spice.

Finish

Long and teeth coating. Aniseed and Fennel.

Comments

Picked this up while driving past the distillery. Within the shop they always have a hand picked barrel to directly fill your own bottle. A little on the steep side for the age, but for the distillery it is relatively rare in the sense that they do not often release much outwith their core range to the general public.

GlenDronach 1993 19yo (cask 487)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 19
Distilled: 1993
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.2%
Cask: Oloroso Sherry Butt
Water: No

Having tried some of the previous GlenDronach expressions this is the first time I have

Nose

Sulphur straight unfortunately away but blending into stewed fruits. Salt & Vinegar crisps made with cider vinegar. Raspberry Jam on Brown Toast.

Palate

Melting bitter dark chocolate on the tongue, oily mouthfeel with a touch of ginger.

Finish

Oily coating, nutty.

Comments

This is a bottle I have approached a few times with varying results. One of the main changes is the perceived sulpher aromas. Sometimes these I can only just pick up on, but other times it is overwhelming and not unlike rotten eggs, but tonight is the former as I write these notes. This definately deserved some time in the glass before approaching and some of the sulphur seems to die away.

Glen Garioch 1995 Vintage

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 17
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 55.3%
Cask: 1st fill Bourbon Barrel

This is one of my favourite malts just now, and I am infact about to move onto my third bottle of it. Cask strength and from 1st fill bourbon barrells.

Nose

An initial floral wave of the typical heathery notes which are almost standard in a Glen Garioch to me. Some orange citrus, but sweet in something more like Terry's Chocolate Orange. Freshly sliced pears with vanilla ice cream. Waves of Coconut and tropical fruit coming through.

Palate

Heather and floral up front. Buttery and Honeyed. Coconut again but dryer an less sweet like desiccated coconut.

Finish

Long and satisfying finish. Spicy, Coconut and Chocolate lingers on with just a tiny touch of smoke.

Comments
Glen Garioch is unique in its style but these vintage bottlings have all sorts of unique character between them. This is in my opinion a really great dram at a really great price but limited they are, and they won't last forever.

Glen Garioch 18yo (Cadenhead 1991/2010)

Information

Bottling: Cadenhead
Age: 18
Distilled: 1991
Bottled: 2010
Strength: 50.3%
Cask: Bourbon Hogshead

Nose

Glazed Cherries, tinned fruit salad and cream. A faint whiff of smoke giving to a little liquorice.

Palate

Slightly thin and underwhelming body. Tart citric fruit with a little oak and heather.

Finish

Medium dry finish with a heathery note that lingers on.

Comments

Not one of the best Glen Garioch's I have tried but definately in the Glen Garioch style. One of the lesser peated expressions. Only a touch of smoke detected.

Balblair 1990 (cask 1463)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 22
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.1%
Cask: American oak (Previously containing Islay malt)

This is a limited 1990 vintage single cask Balblair released to members of "The Gathering Place" community on the Balblair website. The whisky was matured in an ex-Islay cask; by all account an Ardbeg no less. Bottled at cask strength of 54.1% which is a rare thing from Balblair so I had to snap this up.

 

Nose

 

Buttery Toast with fruit jam. Pineapple Cube sweets, syrupy sweet like Irn Bru or Red Kola drinks. Something like acrylic paint, or a vinyl music record. Some Vanilla cream fudge. Some spice element like Cinnamon and Clove.
 

Taste

 

The fruit dominating here, but with the Pinapple Cubes turning into something more earthy, more like unripe banana and leaves. Dryer than the nose lets on.

 

Finish

 

Long, dry and oaky. Strong stewed black tea. Slightly Earthy. Not detecting any smoke or peat at any point. Certainly an earthiness but not any peaty notes as suggested
 

Comments

Balblair Single Cask and Cask Strength. Enough said. Heaven