To celebrate 50 years of making whisky, Tomintoul released this special edition comprising whiskies made in 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2005. A very special treat to be able to try this. Bottled at 50% ABV. Straw gold in colour, it coats the glass as you swirl it. Nose: Mango and almonds, a little pineapple. Nutmeg. Fresh ginger. Let it stand for a while and you get sweet flapjack and a little leather. Palate: Ginger and pepper with a honey…
Tomatin has been on my wishlist for a good while but never had the chance to try any. So here goes. This was a limited edition release in 2016. Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barriques. Bottled at 46% ABV. First of all, this has a really enticing rose gold colour to it from the wine. All the colour is completely natural and nothing has been added. Nose: Sultanas and marzipan, honey sweetness, cinnamon. It’s a bit obvious, but a real aroma…
Part of the Douglas Laing range of remarkable regional malts. This is a blend of whiskies from the Lowland region. Bottled at 46.2% ABV. Non chill filtered, and no evidence of colouring addition. An incredibly light coloured dram. Nose: Fresh cut hay, rhubarb, lemongrass, all slathered in a light coating of vanilla ice cream. Palate: Werther’s Originals, summer fruit compote, quite oily. It crescendos into a spicy climax of summer flavours. A veritable romp in a hay barn. Finish: You’re…
The Frontier Spirit. I bought this bourbon because it was on a good offer, and I wanted to get something interesting for the Christmas cake feeding. Naturally I will be drinking the leftovers, so it goes without saying I should add notes here. Bottled at 45% ABV. A deep gold colour that hints at copious amounts of caramel. Nose: Bags of vanilla. citrus zest – grapefruit and orange. Some brown sugar. Hints of marzipan. Background of that smell/sensation when you…
“To ‘e’ or not to ‘e’, that is the question…” – William Shakespeare, “Dramlet”, 1602. It’s time for the second Dram Team box, and this time it’s Worldwide Whiskies! The quote above comes directly from the welcome letter. I’m a sucker for whisky based humour! This box is a veritable whistlestop tour of whisky from around the world. First of all we head across the water to the USA with Michter’s US*1 Small Batch. Canada next, with Canadian Club Sherry…
I’ve had this bottle sitting in my office in Dublin for months but only just got around to tasting it properly. It’s a blend with a high malt content and finished in Rum casks. Bottled at 46% ABV. Straw gold in colour Nose: Fresh cut grass, lots of sweet marzipan, hints of aniseed, digestive biscuits, basmati rice as it opens up! Palate: Quite spicy, and then suddenly smooth and sweet with golden syrup laced oats, orange zest, the grassy notes…
Cask strength edition of the very popular Irish whiskey. I’m not sure exactly which bottling I had as it was in a pub in Ireland – Searsons. It’s bottled at around 58% ABV though, so not to be sniffed at. Pardon the pun. Nose: Figs and raisins right away followed by Granny’s very good home made flapjack. Plenty of sweet golden syrup. Treacle pudding with cream. Palate: Huge spice hit which fades to a very sweet golden syrup tang. Slight…
A blended malt with whiskies matured in all sorts of casks, such as bourbon, sherry, madeira, port. 40% ABV Nose: Shreddies and smoky bacon. Palate: Quite thin and watery, vanilla and light oak, some spearmint. Lacking depth for me. Quite underwhelmed by this one I have to say.
Aged in bourbon casks. 40% ABV Nose: Vanilla and oak feature heavily. They are joined by All Bran with lashings of salted caramel. Palate: Very smooth, slightly oily mouth feel. Lime mixed with vanilla. Quite mellow with gentle peppery spice and some salt. Finish: Lingering gentle spice and a citrus zing.