Balblair 1992 (cask 3025)

 

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Only Exclusive
Age: 21
Distilled: 1992
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 57.2%
Cask: ex-bourbon (2nd fill I think)

Nose

The usual balblair mango coming through for me, but it would be interesting to know if I would get mango on a blind taste. Some sharp fruit like freshly cut red apple but easing off to soft dairy fudge ice cream, loaded with vanilla, honey and a little soft almond.

Taste

Coats the mouth easily and is hot and fizzy due to the high alcohol strength but it is a plus to me and really smacks the flavours into you and requires restraint to slowly work through the dram. Eases off in the mouth with fruit, coconut, vanilla and milk chocolate.

Finish

Not much fruit on the finish. More toasted oak, malted biscuits, and dry desicated coconut.

Comments

Fantastic dram. Again Balblair at cask strength is just utterly delicious.

Balblair 1978

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 30
Distilled: 1978
Bottled: 2008
Strength: 46%
Cask: ex-bourbon

Nose

Sweet Nectarine & Pineapple. Dark Chocolate, Toffee & Raisins. Cloves. A very light distant smoke.

Taste

Round and fruity in the mouth, dryer than the nose lets on but still some sweetness there. A little polished oak, some vanilla and a touch of heather.

Finish

Oak but a little more restrained, a little desert spice and a very small touch of peat.

Comments

A very lovely dram, but very restrained, and a very easy sipper; too easy. Would love to have tried something of this age at a higher strength.

Balblair 1990 (cask 1466)

 

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Own Bottling (master of malt exclusive)
Age: 23
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 50.4%
Cask: Ex Islay

Balblair 90 (cask 1466)

Nose

I need to discuss the peat elements up front, and what comes through on the initial nose is smoked pork but leaning towards the saltier, dried, cured direction rather than freshly roasted. Not being a big Islay connoisseur definate hints of Hospital Corridor, but not in a bad way and reminding me more of a spicy clove note than antiseptic.
Mango always comes through for me on Balblairs, but new is a sharp tang of something like apple juice. A tropical note of coconut and sea breeze lingers at the back, with a little vanilla spiced creamy toffee.

Palate

The peat comes to the palate first in an earthy, autumnal way. A little of the coconut and fruit comes through once the mouth gets used to the peat.

Finish

Bright and fruity at first, fading to bonfire smoke and burning tyres. Woody with a little cereal note like wheat.

Mortlach 24 year old (Adelphi)

Information

Distillery: Mortlach
Bottling: Adelphi
Age: 24
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 55.3%
Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead.

Nose

Christmas Sherry Trifle. Coconut and chocolate Bounty Bars. Raisins and a little mint.

Palate

Rich, sweet and fruity. Coconut and Raisins back again.

Finish

Long and drying.

Comments

Having tried some of the more "meaty" Mortlach expressions, this is definately more suited to my palate. Fruit, chocolate, coconut. Very very tasty. I bought this bottle to celebrate the birth of my daughter Emelia and sadly it is nearly all gone. Luckily I have stored 100ml away for me to share with her when she is older. :)

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.

Glen Garioch 12 year old

Information

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottling: Distillery Own
Age: 12
Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2009
Strength: 48%
Cask: Marriage of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry cask.

This is Glen Garioch's first "age statement" malt which was distilled after reopening in 1997.

Nose

Dark Chocolate, Heather, slight motor oil. Wine gum sweets and vanilla emerging.

Palate

Buttered toast. Heather.

Finish

Sweet, fruity and nutty finish but relatively short.

Comments

I look forward to the distillery releasing some older expressions from after the 1997 reopening.

Longrow Rundlets and Kilderkins 11yo

Information

Distillery: Longrow (Springbank)
Bottling: Distillery Own
Age: 11
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 51.7%
Cask: Rundlets & Kilderkins.

This Rundlets & Kilderkins is unique in that the malt is matured in small casks called Rundlets & Kilderkins. The smaller casks meaning more wood is contact with the spirit and quicker maturation and more flavour. As the casks were smaller, they were often used in the smuggling trade in which was Campbeltown a stronghold.

Nose

First nose comes the smoke like a wood burning stove. After I get through the peat comes a lot of sweetness in the form of treacle, Toffee apples, and Maple Syrup.

Palate

Chewy Toffee and melting chocolate. Spicy.

Finish

Bitter sweet treacle, dark roasted coffee and vanilla. Rich and warming.

Comments

I normally find peated malts hard to deal with but this is really delicious when I get past the initial smoke. The other aromas the flavours really shine through.