Ben Nevis 10 year old

Information

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottling: Official
Age: 10
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 46%

Nose: The sherry is young and distinctive on this straight away. Overripe strawberries, but specifically ones which have maybe been squashed and there is a jammy, creamy note which is like Scottish pineapple tarts. I get a cereal like nuttiness which is like Kellog's Crunchie Nut Corn Flakes. There is also a liqueur-like sugary, syrup note which is like Amaretto. The minty notes coming through on the sherry alongside some oak give the impression of the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby - that is the Mint Julep - the sweet sugar notes accentuate some bourbon connotations, but also some burnt sugar as well which is partly the sulphur side of things along side match boxes and a touch of rubber.

Palate: Not as sweet as the nose lets on with more of a drying effect. There is a thinness in the mouth but strangely at the same time that I can feel the alcohol burn from the 46% . The sweetness comes along later as the nip starts to creep across the mouth before tailing off again. There is a latex like taste as well.

Finish: A pretty long finish with summer fruits, mint and spicy coriander. Rubber at the end.

Comments: I always tempt the sulphur with sherried drams, but it is acceptable in this and the 46% definitely knocks it up a step. Quite expensive for a 10 year old though which is the bad side.

Clynelish 1970s

Information

Distillery: Clynelish
Bottling: Gordon & MacPhail
Age: 12
Distilled: 1960s?
Bottled: 1970s?
Strength: 70 proof (40%)

This is a lovely old style Clynelish from when Gordon & MacPhail was the official licensed bottler. With the strength listed as proof rather than ABV I know it was bottled at the most recent the late 70s which would put distillation in at least the late 1960s. This is only the most recent, but it could be older. I will contact Gordon & MacPhail to see if they can supply any information.

For such a young age and a low alcohol percentage, this is a very oily and viscous spirit. Has it not been chill-filtered or is it just a heavier bodied spirit anyway?

Nose: This has a very citus nose with freshly squeezed orange juice and touches of tangerine in there as well. Lemon icing on sponge cake. The body of the spirit is reflected in the nose as well with a thick waxiness. Wavering around the background is a gentle and lovely sootyness.

Palate: This is as expected a very thick and oily spirit with lots of body. Suprisingly for only 40% it has a higher alcohol kick than I would expect, and more than I would get from any modern malts at 40%. I hazard a guess that the heavier body is allowing the spirit to stick to the palate a lot more than more watery spirits. Just a guess.

Finish: A very long finish that is spicy, dusty and sooty. Citric. Some soapy elements which have been noted in old miniatures by other people. Likely an effect of the fats breaking down to soap over time.

Comments: If I ever get a chance to buy a full bottle of this and I am sure they exist on some collectors dusty shelf somewhere, I shall purchase it.

132.1 Secret moonlit garden dram (Karuizawa 28 year old)

 

Information

Distillery: Karuizawa
Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 28
Distilled: 1984
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 59.9%.
Cask Code: 132.1 Secret moonlit garden dram

Cask Type: refil ex-sherry butt.

 

Sometimes good whisky is like Glasgow buses; you wait ages for one and then three come at once. The buses in question are not only three new distilleries for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, but three Japanese distilleries: Chichibu (130.1), Hanyu (131.1) and Karuizawa (132.1). The morning of the release in the November "big list" I was on the phone at 10am sharp with hopes of picking up the Chichibu and the Hanyu, but by the time I got through only the Chichibu and the Karuizawa were available but I hadn't really considered the Karuizawa as it is the high end of my price range and sherry casks can be russian roulette with me. I succumbed to the high pressure sales environment and grabbed both the Chichibu and the Karuizawa.

Nose: Eucalyptus and honey cough sweets, black Assam tea, dark roasted coffee beans. Sooty chimneys, dusty lofts and old books. Match boxes and burnt matches. Conifer trees and pine christmas trees. Lots of meaty savoury elements there as haggis and black pudding, soy sauce. Prunes and Raisins. Mint chocolate Viscount biscuits. With a little water it freshens up a little with Cherry Bakewell tarts full of cherry and almonds. Demerara sugar, mocha, Chelsea Whoppers, coal tar soap, chocolate covered brazil nuts, toffee. Rich, deep stewed chutneys and jams.

Palate: Black sports mixture sweets, bitter dark chocolate, chewy, and tarry. Chinese spare ribs in tangy sweet and sour sauce. Black currant jam.

Finish: Long, rich, woody, spicy, smoky, tarry and jammy. Very satisfying.

26.92 Hard glazed pretzel sticks (Clynelish 28 year old)

Information

Distillery: Clynelish
Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 28
Distilled: 1984
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 58.2%
Cask: Refill sherry butt.
Cask Code: 26.92 Hard glazed pretzel sticks

Nose: Very light and delicate. Tangerine is most prominent, but sharper like when you are peeling a tangerine and it squirts out in your eye. Melon and also the a woody earthy note like the melon seeds themselves. Tunnock's Caramel Logs - Chocolate, Caramel, Biscuit with a covering of desicated coconut. Some heather and hay. Marmalade on burnt toast. These are by no means strong notes as this is very closed on the nose and takes a lot of deep digging in the glass. The longer I hold the glass in my hand the more it very gradually opens up and becomes more tropical. More meaty and briny notes appear later on for me here. Salty bacon and sausages.

Palate: Salted fruits. Lemon. Spicy, Peppery with the bite of fresh Ginger. Salt & Vinegar crisps. Dry desicated coconut.

Finish: Fizzy lemonade alongside salty briny flavours. Spicy. More salt. Gentle oak and a little smouldering smoke.