Malty's very own "Whisky for One"

[Malt-Teaser]

Here in Germany there is an amazing New Year's Eve tradition which is to watch an old Freddy Frinton sketch called 'Dinner for One'. The punchline which the Germans have taken to heart and which makes it entirely suitable for NYE is "Same procedure as every year". Nothing ever changes .......

Anyway, in case any of you wondered why I chose this title for my own tasting notes thread, it was partly a play on "dinner for one" but angled towards whisky and the fact that I often sit here sampling a dram all alone in my study cum whisky den.

If you don't mind I will re-establish this here and make a home for my own often unique style of tasting notes.

Also, in case you should wonder, I don't believe in giving numeric scores to whiskies. I will offer notes, I will say whether I like a dram, I will even say whether I would buy more, but I will not score one against another.

This makes no sense to me as I have no hope of sampling every dram ever bottled and, as scores are purely comparative, I feel unable to do this.

[Malt-Teaser]

Alloa 40y single grain. Hart Bro's, cask 30295, bottle 36 of 204, July 1964-Feb 2005, 42.5%
Nose: The luxury of honey and butterscotch with a hint of apricots, peaches and cream. Overlayed on this is a delicate promise of something just very slightly spicy.

Palate: If I follow Richard Paterson's rule, the first sip of any whisky should be kept in the mouth one second for each year of the whisky's age. OK, back in 40 seconds with a report ................... Mmmmmm, my first impression was that after the nose, I expected a luxuriously thick, fruity syrup with lots of honey. The texture was rather normal, not syrupy at all. It took something like 10 seconds for the flavours to emerge and the first one was of a slightly sweet, perhaps butterscotch likeness. After the twenty second mark, the spiciness began to grow and overpowered the sweetness. But this was certainly not unpleasant. This spiciness spread from the middle of the tongue to the extremeties and brought with it the flavour of peaches and ice cream - a wonderful experience. From 30-40 seconds this peaches and ice cream flavour dominated and the spiciness receded to the background.

More Nose: Whilst I have been typing, the whisky has stood on my desk and I have decided to nose once more. It now retains the peachy fruitiness, but also offers aromas of wheat and cereal alongside. In fact, there is almost an aroma of a bowl of something between Special K and Weetabix, but not quite porridge. Please don't be put off here, these aromas are a delight and nothing like as bad as they sound from my description!

Palate again: So here we go with sip no. 2 ..... Once again, the build-up of flavours is slow. This is not a whisky which immediately hits you, it creeps up gently and then explodes into a fruity, spicy life. The peaches and cream were there again. So was the gentle spiciness which took a few seconds to emerge, this time on the back of the tongue. On the third sip, the butterscotch started to emerge with the spiciness. In fact, although there is no taste of ginger, it reminds me of a ginger-style tingle as opposed to a chilli-style one.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste, including the after-tingle is long and pleasant on both the front tip and back of the tongue. This is more a butterscotch than peaches and cream flavour which I suppose suits the idea of butterscotch.

Overall impression: Wonderfully smooth, just a like a single grain should be. Lots of nice fruit with peaches and apricots, but also a slightly spicy butterscotch element which dominates the aftertaste. This is a thoroughly pleasant dram and I can't help thinking about what kind of blend I could design with this as the base, if only I had the skills of a remarkable few in the trade. I could envisage mixing this with some Glenlivet Nadurra CS and maybe the 18y as both also have lots of summer fruit flavours. For balance I may include something like Benrinnes or Blair Atholl and if I could get the quantities right, I am sure it would be a winner! As a second thought, Ardbeg 30y would also be a great partner to this Alloa if anyone wanted to create something totally sublime!

With water: Oh dear, just 3 drops of water in about 1cl of whisky was too much. The palate was weakened but the aftertaste improved and lengthened - strange, I have never encountered this before.
**

[Malt-Teaser]

Caol Ila 25y, Natural cask Strength, bottle No. 510, 58.4%
I love Caol Ila, especially CS versions so I am really looking forward to trying this one.

Nose: Here is the first surprise. No trace of the typical smoke and peat of 'normal' CI's, just a faint smell of an island dockyard combined with a barrel load of freshly delivered barley. This really does smell of fresh barley, just like you see on distillery tours.

Palate: Raw power, perhaps too much so. For me, it needs water ......

With water: 8 Drops in about 1cl;
Back to the nose: That's better! Now we have the typical CI smoke, more wood-smoke than peat, although there is a little peat in the background.
And the palate again: Strange, this really is difficult. The nose was much improved with the 8 drops of water, but the palate was weakend just a little too much. I added a dribble more whisky and then I had about the right mixture. This is now a wonderfully smooth, but very powerful Caol Ila. It has lall the 'right' attributes of smoke, a little peat and a great 'Scottish jetty' feeling. I'm trying again, this time almost 2cl & 5 drops of water: Yes! Smoke, a little peat and lots of Scottish sea air. The texture is smooth and velvety, which is much more refined than the CI's I have tried up to date. Perhaps this is what the extra years do for it. If so, then I wholeheartedly approve. This is definitely no juvenile, it is a refined and fully mature adult in the prime of life.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is long with peat and plenty of tingle factor on the front and middle of the tongue.
Overall impression: My first and over-riding impression of this whisky is one of smooth elegance, in a peaty and smoky kind of way. It is a very refined and mature adult, but not for the faint-hearted. It needs water, but getting the right amount and balance correct is far from easy. When you do get it right, you have an excellent whisky, perhaps even a great. But get it wrong and you have something very ordinary at best. My tip: Persevere until you succeed, it's well worth it!

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Aultmore 12y OB, 40%

Nose: I was about to comment on liquorice, but it isn't quite that. Further nosing attempts sense a herbiness which is akin to the pre- packaged herb selection I often use in cooking called "French herbs" plus maybe a little sage. This is rather a faint impression, but that is exactly what I sense.

Palate: This whisky has stood for a while in my study which is kept on the cool side, therefore, the whisky is just a little too cool. It is now being hand warmed to a more normal room temperature. However, that first cool sip started slowly and then burst into a refreshingly spicy herbal liquorice assortment. Hand warming: As it sits gently warming in my hand the herbal influence of the nose increaes slightly, although the spicy explosion on the palate decreases when slightly warmer.

Overall impression: As I mentioned, this whisky starts slowly, but the aftertaste is long and strong, almost like a delayed reaction. I am now wondering if 40% is enough, I think this would be a much more enjoyable dram at 43-46%, maybe even as an OMC at 50%. This is a quite pleasant dram, but not one which could enter the hall of fame as a great. I would be interested in finding a food match for this at one of my gourmet evenings. Perhaps alongside a spicy Italian first course, or maybe even with a mild Penne Arabbiata.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Dallas Dhu, 23y, 1978, G&M "Rare Cask Selection", 46%. Distilled 21.2.1978, bottled 2.8.2001, cask 344, No. 109 of 844 bottles

Nose: In complete comparison to the very pale colour, the nose is extremely strong and powerful. It offers a little malt, some liquorice and quite a dose of aniseed.

Palate: This is initially much more gentle than the nose suggests. It is smooth and very gentle. No real trace of aniseed - thank goodness. But there is some malt, just a little liquorice and something quite floral.

Overall impression: This one is difficult, it is a lovely dram with strong flavours, but I struggle to identify them individually. It's definitely an after-dinner dram as it is so strong and would overpower any food eaten afterwards or alongside it.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Milton Duff Glenlivet, 1980's bottling

Nose: There's some malt, but also something much more complex, it's fresh, in a herby kind of way. Almost mint-like without being minty and more flowery than fruity.

Palate: The first sip is gentle malt. But upon swallowing it comes back with an explosion of spicy flavours, a delayed reaction! This explosion hits the front of the tongue, which I find rather strange, very pleasant, but very different as it seems to totally miss the back of the tongue. The actual flavour is very much a re-inforcement of the nose. No fruit, but malty and quite floral, although I can't identify individual flowers in there. If anything, there is a slight hint of violet.

Overall impression: A lovely dram, one which I would love to find a secret stash of and keep for personal drinking. I expected little from this one, especially as I acquired it at an excellent price a few years ago. What I get from it is a magnificent surprise and yes, I will look out for more and buy them if they are not too expensive now.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Rosebank "Unblended", 15y, Zenith, rare clear glass bottle, 50%

Nose: Is there a slight hint of peat in this Rosebank? Surely not! Then what is that very slight smokiness / peatiness on the nose? There is definitely some Scottish heather and moorland in this glass. Once again not exactly fruity, but then my experience of Rosebanks is usually floral.

Palate: Wow, at 50% this is quite strong for a Rosebank and it certainly hits the palate with some force. The over-riding first taste is one of violets, perhaps even those strange little sweets from my childhood called "Parma Violets". Even on a second taste, that violet floweriness just spreads across the palate and gently warms the mouth. Have I ever tasted a whisky which warms in this particular way? I really don't think so, I certainly can't remember one.

With 3 drops of water: The nose has evened out a little, it's no longer so powerful, the flavours are more complex too. The violet is still there, but it is now accompanied by many more floral notes. That Scottish moorland is certainly still evident, as is the heather basking in Autumnal sunshine, but there is more, much more .... A little drop more water creates a spiciness which wasn't present earlier .... but now ...... unfortunately, that's the end of my sample. Oh boy, this is a glorious dram and I wish I had more. In fact I have, I have a whole series of these old Rosebanks in my personal collection ....... But no matter how good they are, they are remaining sealed!

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Springbank, 30y, Milroy, 50%, distilled mid-1960's

Nose: I find some fruit here. A fruit cocktail perhaps containing apple, pear and peach. It even makes me think of another childhood sweet. Those little fruity chews which used to cost a penny (that's a real, old penny, not one of those later decimal thingies) for 10 sweets. They had a kind of creamy peachy flavour, quite like this nose. I also sense a very slight hint of aniseed in there, for the second night running.

Palate: My initial response is that this is much creamier in texture than I expected. It is exceptionally smooth and not at all harsh. That creaminess on the nose translates into the taste - thankfully.

Three drops of water: really open the nose and make for a more spicy floral experience. Perhaps including a dash of freshness too. But unfortunately, the flavour of this whisky is really weakened by the drops. The creaminess is still there in flavour, but not so much in texture. It has also gained a little more spiciness which causes a prolonged tongue tickle, on the front of the tongue long after the whisky is gone. Some may prefer it this way, but I don't think I do. As I have previously mentioned, I am not a big Springbank fan, but this is most certainly the best Springbank I have ever tasted - by a very large margin! But preferably, without the water for me.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Macallan 18y, 1979, old classic label, 43%

Nose: Sherry, old oak, prunes and cardomom seeds with a very slight hint of molasses thrown in.

Palate: My first impression was molasses! How unusual! There are dark fruity in there, also some very aged dark oak giving a long, very long, flavour. But my over-riding feeling is still one of very dark old rum, in a gentle kind of way. Is this whisky or a rather pleasant, very old dark rum? I am so astonished at this. It is most certainly not what I expected. I thought I would experience lovely old sherry and oak, in a luxuriously whisky kind of way. Instead, I am experiencing the aged flavours of a delightful old rum! I know that many people have a scale, or table for these 18y Macallans. Judging them against one another and stating which they believe to be the best. I really wonder how this one compares with others?

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Glen keith, 1967, 21y,

Nose: This is so intense, the Adelphi glass is working wonders compared to the Bugatti, Signatory or even the Glencairn. The nose is extremely complex with a mixture of fruit and wild flowers. I really struggle to identify individual components, maybe some apricot, slight marzipan, a little gentle toffee, or is it butterscotch? There are also some alpine herbs and flowers in there amongst the Scottish moss and heather. The more I nose, the more I now begin to find an extra dimension which is almost medicinal. Not in a Laphroaig kind of way, but slightly more gentle. Oh boy, I could sit here nosing this for a day or two, this is so good! Perhaps the only thing in my experience which has come close to this was a wonderful Rosebank some years ago.

Palate: The first sip concentrates the herbs on the front of the tongue whilst making the sides of the tongue and inner cheeks water with delight. The initial flavour is a herby one with slight spice in an almond / marzipan kind of way. This is smooth, very smooth and offers lots of palatable luxury which almost spreads into a cream toffee flavour over time. My second taste offers much more of the martzipan and toffee flavours and no herbs at all. In fact, the more I think about this, the more I think of nuts! Amazing, the flavours are intense and concentrate almost exclusively on the front and middle of the tongue, leaving the back almost completely clear.

Finish: Long, very long and very pleasant with plenty of nutty and toffee flavours. This does have a strong taste, but in an extremely kind and gentle way. Just 2 drops of water turn the nose into something else. The herbiness has completely gone and is replaced by slightly medicinal hazelnuts in a bed of fresh straw. With the 2 drops of water, the flavour has changed in a way that I would never have expected. In my experience, which I know is rather limited, water usually opens the whisky into a more spicy dram, this is exactly the opposite. It has become even more smooth and creamy, losing some of the potency of the nuttiness.

Overall Impression: This is a true great. I would have to say it is one of the best 5 or 6 whiskies I have ever tried. OK, so my own experience is limited, but I can recognise a great when I try it and this is one of them. Do I prefer it with the drops of water, maybe I do. But either way, I want more of this and I feel I just may be disappointed as if I find any, it may be just too expensive for my pocket. It's a good job I have another sample to come back to later.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Old Elgin, 15y, G&M, 43%

Nose: In some ways this is very slightly reminiscent of one of my Christmas drams. I am back in my dream country house, sitting in the study after a good dinner enjoying the ambience of a library of old oak shelves and lots of old books, enjoyed from the position of deep- buttoned luxurious leather furniture. This is that old oak, well looked-after with years of polishing. It is also dark fruits (currants, raisins, prunes ...), but without a strong sherry influence.

Palate: The currants, prunes and oak are evident on the palate. This warms your soul on a dark winter day, but fades quite quickly. It is also a little drier than I expected, but not in an unpleasant kind of way. This is defintiely rich and on the second sip a little creamier and not so dry. But it is definitely an after-dinner malt. I could envisage this as being enjoyed after a rather strong and heavy dinner. Maybe after a wild boar steak, or deer in a rich sauce. You would not enjoy this after a gentle chicken breast in a creamy sauce! This may also be enjoyed from a hip flask on the top of a Scottish mountain in Winter. Maybe you have just spent hours conquering one of the Munroes, enjoyed a veal or other game butty from your lunchbox and are now looking for a dram to warm the cockles of your heart before the descent. This would be that dram! Ooops , there I go pairing food and whisky again. OK, if you must, sample this one with a piece of traditional Christmas cake which is covered with a slice of strong, dry and crumbly cheese.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Bunnahabhain, Hart Bro's, 1967, 35y, casks 3323 & 3231, 40.5%

Nose: My first impression here is that this is much darker than I expected! I am used to Bunnies being rather pale, this one looks like an old Glenfarclas! The nose is also much less maritime than I am used to from bunnies. Those 35 years have really left their mark on this dram! For the third time this week I am left describing the nose of a whisky as having slight hints of liquorice and aniseed. Not at all a typical Bunny!

Palate: Very unusual and unexpected. I really expected a big explosion here. What I received was gentle and almost weak. The flavour corresponds to the nose, slight liquorice and aniseed, but not much else. It is creamy and in a funny way rich, but at the same time, weak in comparison to my expectations from the nose. Some whiskies have a powerful aftertaste, hitting you more than they did in the initial taste. this one is long, but not powerful. That initial flavour stays for a long time, but doesn't get any stronger, it just, well ....., kind of lingers around for a long time.

Overall impression: I am glad I had the opportunity to try this, but I suspect it is quite an expensive dram and to be honest, one which I will not go out of my way to find again. I like Bunnahabhain, but I doubt whether I would pay the price to sample this one again. It is good, but not THAT good.

I have just realised that the Bunny was 40.5%. If this were an OMC (or similar) at 50% or maybe a little more, then I expect it would have the power I expected from the colour and nose. In that case, it may have been much better than it was.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

The Cask of Yamazaki, heavily peated, 1998-2007, 62%

Nose: Wallop! Wow! Bloody 'ell and bloomin' 'eck, pick me back up off the floor!
That bloody hammer just smacked me in the face. This is smoke like I never experienced before in a whisky. I have posted elsewhere about the difference between peat and smoke. With smoke being wood-smoke. Well, this one is heavily peated, but the nose offers me lots of charred wood. Not so peaty on the nose, but very heavily burned wood. A third and fourth nosing are starting to get even more powerful with burnt rubber. Did a corvette or Bugatti suddenly scream through my study leaving four inches depth of burnt rubber across my desk, it certainly smells like it. This has more "in your face" power than any other whisky I have ever nosed.

Palate: My goodness, if that was only the nose, just what is my mouth about to experience? A final nosing before my first taste confirms what I suspected, this gets even more powerful as it sits in the glass! Just a tiny sip ....... ohhhhhh bloody 'ell! (As a Tyke might exclaim) The nose was smoke, burnt wood, smoke, burnt rubber and a little more smoke. The so-called missing peat has just exploded in my mouth. The initial sip started very smoothly. There was smoke, but it was rich and smooth. The peace was soon shattered as this dram rapidly exploded into a volcano of peat which sent spasms of pleasure throughout my soul. If you don't like peat - forget this one. If you don't like powerful whisky - forget this one. If you don't like smoke - forget this one. If you DO like any of the above - just try to find this one and don't worry about the price. It WILL be worth it!

Overall impression: I think I have just been smacked in the mouth, had all my taste buds blown away and been left in state of total shock. If I gave you this blind I am sure you would argue between it being a rather strange Ardbeg and a very rare Lagavulin. No, this is bloody Japanese and has more "in your face"-ness than anything I have ever tried. Buy one and try it for yourself. You can't go through life without ever having tried this!

After a few minutes: Finally, I am adding a little water to try and tame that hammer. Three drops and has the nose been tamed? No chance. It's even stronger. As for the flavour - no way. This has opened up into an even more smoky finish which is almost inexplicable.

Three more drops ...... Need I tell you that this does not seem to have been tamed yet. OK, it is 60%, but there isn't much left in my glass and it smells like there is half a bottle in there. As for the palate, it is now a mere hammer instead of what we call a lump hammer in England. My goodness, I have just been totally blown away. It is not very often that I am lost for words. certainly when it comes to whisky. I may have limited experience and sometimes struggle for comparisons, but lost for words? Never. Until now!!! When I pick myself up from the floor of my study and recover enough to become coherent again, I shall start my search for a bottle of this stuff and if it is anything like affordable, I shall buy some as I need to experiment further with this one. So, until I report that I have found some and bought it, I can only report the following to you: It is bloody awful. DO NOT be tempted to buy any. If you see any for sale, tell me and I shall do you all a favour by removong it from the public domain without you having to spend your hard- earned pennies on it. Oh my goodness, stick with your beloved Islay monsters and do not be tempted to experiment with this. You will never be the same again!

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Back in April I was given three samples to taste blind. Unfortunately, those who brought the samples haven't been back as yet and I do hope they are OK. Anyway, for the record, here are my notes on the drams and I hope one day to be able to say exactly what they were.

Sample 1:

Colour: Very pale yellow

Nose: This has quite a powerful nose for one so pale. Very floral with a slight background of malt and almost a touch of sea air. At this stage, my first impression reminds me slightly of Dallas Dhu or perhaps even an Old Pulteney with the sea air, but OP's are not usually so strong on the nose. The floral notes are very strong and intense, almost like a flower bed of Hyacinth perfuming the air after a day of strong sunshine.

Palate: Wow, strong stuff, but really quite sweet in the beginning. The sweetness hits the front of the tongue with an all-out assault and then fades slowly into hints of liquorice. I seem to recall being told that these are all CS, which doesn't surprise me by the way that hit my palate. From the whiskies I have tried before, I still say Dallas Dhu is the nearest to this one, although in some ways, the IB Bladnoch I have in The Arc has some of these same attributes, albeit not so strongly as it isn't CS.

With water: The nose has lost many of the floral notes in favour of the liquorice. This is still sweet, but the finish is now much longer and is remaining on both the immediate front and back of the tongue with a lingering spiciness.

Verdict: My thoughts of Old Pulteney have faded, this is too floral and packs too big a punch for an OP. I have to stand by my idea of Dallas Dhu or Bladnoch as these are the only two whiskies I am reminded of when I drink this one. Do I like this one? It is rather different, very pleasant, but different. Yes, I like it but it isn't one which I would drink casually, day in, day out. It has a special taste and I think I would have to be in the mood for this one. I also suspect it would be a great companion to a food dish in one of my "Gourmet evenings". What would I pair it with? Probably a spicy starter or a "piquant" main course including pasta.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Sample 2:

Colour: Also very plae, but slightly brighter yellow than the first one.

Nose: Not so floral, slightly more medicinal and certainly more acidic on the nose, or do I mean pungent? Mmmmmm, on the third and fourth nosing I am getting distinct hints of roasted almonds and it smells very much like those almond stands in the cold Christmas markets over here! Once again this nose has a lot of power, but it is more one-dimensional than the first sample. Which means much less complex in aromas.

Palate: Sweet (again), but very rich and extremely smooth. The rich smoothness sits almost forever on the front of the tongue and doesn't move as the whisky slides easily down the throat. The hints of nuts (almonds) are still in evidence on the palate, but there isn't much else other than the smooth sweetness.

With water: The aroma has turned more pungent and really attacks the nose. It has also developed a slight saltiness which wasn't there before. The palate has also totally changed. No longer richly smooth, it now assaults the tongue with a massive spiciness and saltiness. This now has some Old Pulteney attributes, but again I would say it is a little too powerful for an OP. Bladnoch comes to mind again. Could this be the 6yr Bourbon matured version? I have one but haven't tried it yet so I can't say for certain and I'm not opening it now just to test. Again I do not believe this to be a Speyside malt. Maybe Lowland or Island, perhaps Highland, but I would be surpised with this colour.

Verdict: Again I like this and it is a little more of an 'every day' malt than the first sample. This was delightful with water, but I think I preferred it even more without. Although the first was better with 4 drops of water.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Sample 3:

Colour: This is the most colourful of the three, but it is still pale compared to most whiskies!

Nose: I seem to want to describe this nose as heavy. Defintiely not sweet and with lots of dough. My goodness, I am back in my Grandma's house when she is making bread. The dough hasn't yet been put into the oven, but it has risen and is about to have the tea-towel removed before placing it into the oven. What a memory. I haven't thought of this scene for some 35-40 years, but this dram just brought it back to me.

Palate: This one leaves the front of the tongue alone in favour of the middle to back. Yes, it has some dough, it also has something herbal which I can't quite identify, alongside a little Juniper. The juniper reminds me of Penderyn, but this one isn't quite so distinct as my previous Penderyn experience. Although I wouldn't be too surprised if this were a slightly older, sherry-cask Penderyn.

With water: This is much more lively with water. Much more spicy, but less distinct in flavour. The finish is now much longer and includes the front of the tongue. I definitely prefer this one without the water. But that's just my palate and preference.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Summary
My favourite is the second, but then I find it hard to choose between the first and third. The only thing I can think of for the third is possibly a sherry cask Penderyn, whereas the first two could be any one of a few different things. As for ages, I get the impression that the second is the oldest and the first the youngest. Whereas I feel the third is a sherry cask, I have the impression that the first two are bourbon casks. But then what do I know, I am probably way off the mark here.
When I am finally told what these are, I will report back and let you all have a giggle at how wrong I probably am.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Ardbeg 1991, Murray McDavid, 46%

Colour: Very pale, almost like water.

Nose: Not what I expected. Lots of quayside and Scottish docks, but where is the peat wallop?

Palate: This is almost like a cross between Laphroaig and Ardbeg. The peat is definitely held back by the sea and beach. This is very maritime and a most unusual, but very pleasant experience. This doesn't pack that typical Ardbeg peaty punch. It is more subdued. When drinking this I am standing in a Scottish harbour with fishing boats all around, bringing home their catches. If someone hadn't already claimed the name, I would almost call this fishky!

Overall impression: The flavour is unusual for an Ardbeg, but very distinctive. But the finish is quite short. If you want to try a rather different Ardbeg, then this is certainly one to go for.
**

[Malt-Teaser]

Macallan 12y Elegancia: A reasonable, sherry cask Macallan at a good price, 30GBP in duty free from a friend who travelled recently.

Nose: Dark fruits - raisins, a hint of plum, sherry, oak and even very slightly nutty.

Palate: No surprises, just as you would expect with those dark fruits and a mixture of sherry and oak. If anything, the 'feel' of this in the mouth is a little thin, but the flavour is all there. Not a very long finish, but slightly tingly on the middle of the tongue for a couple of seconds.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Clynelish, 1971, 32y, 54.2% Cask 2704

Nose: Very floral with hints of liquoroce and malt

Palate: Deliciously smooth with an immediate nuttily fruity tingle. This is extremely intense and you can tell it's CS at over 50%! The rich flavours of nut and fruit (apricot / peach) last almost forever on the front middle of the tongue.

With water: The nose had gained a little vanilla. The flavours are the same, but fiercely more intense.

Verdict:I love this whisky!!!

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Rosebank, Signatory, Vintage 1989 (20.4.89-10.97)

Nose: Wonderful perfume, just how a good Rosebank should be.

Palate: Defintiely light and strong minty flavours Sorry, I really shouldn't have eaten that mint, but it was an hour before! I did get some delightful Scottish floral notes and I will re-visit this one later, mintless.


Now Mintless:

Rosebank, Signatory Vintage 1989; 20.4.89 - 10.97 Casks 894 & 896

Nose: Perfume and only very slightly medicinal herbs. Really quite fresh.

Palate: I didn't write the strength on my little sample label, but I don't remember this being a CS, although it initially tastes rather strong. It has that spicy burn of a CS, it's pretty smooth and not very long. The flavours include an enduring maltiness over something slightly floral but still quite fresh. There is almost some juniper in there too. No, on the third tasting this no longer comes across as being overly strong, probably around 43% or 46%. That freshness does linger on the tongue and it is indeed almost slightly minty. The flavours are now definitely reminding me of a small herb garden, but to be honest, I can't exactly place which individual herbs.

Overall impression: A good fresh dram, ideal for a warm evening in the garden with friends.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Highland Park, Adelphi, 12y (or was it 14y) 60.9%

Nose: Scottish moors, heather and a little faint smoke.

Palate: At 60.9% this is extremely strong and the alcohol slightly overwhelms. There are some lovely smoky notes over heather, but I quickly added water ...

With water: Delightfully smooth, a wonderful HP with heather, smoke and just a hint of treacle toffee.

Overall impression: I love this HP, especially with the water added.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Royal Brackla an IB from "The Companion", 25y 46%

Nose: Lots of light herbs, slightly dry and faint hints of liquorice. On further nosing I am getting just a trace of straw, as stored in a barn.

Palate: This one is initially slow. Most of the flavours burst through the aftertaste and are not so evident in the initial taste. At first it seemed quite insignificant, but only for a couple of seconds before the explosion hit. Those herbal & floral notes are splendid and are mostly concentrated on the back, not the front of the tongue. The aftertaste sits purely on the back of the tongue and is one of delicate liquorice. Further tastes help concentrate the same flavours with that intial floral herbiness followed swiftly by a full, but not too fierce assault of liquorice on the back of the tongue, also making the extreme sides of the mouth water.

Overall impression: This is a good whisky, very good, but quite unusual in the experience it gives. The flavours are very delicate in a powerful kind of way. Initial floral and herb notes turn quickly into a more prominent liquorice which lingers for some time. I really like this one, not just for the flavours, but for the very different overall experience it gives.

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Port Ellen, 2nd Release, Bottle No. 1141, 59.35%

Glass: Adelphi / Spiegelau

Nose: Linseed, Scottish sea air, grass and straw

Palate: Very smooth and surprisingly sweet, but lots of burn from all that alcohol. The aftertaste is very herbal. Let's try with a little water now.....

With water: (4 drops in 2cl) The sea air and straw are enhanced on the nose. Deliciously smooth on the tongue and tingling the front and rear of the tongue simultaneously, whilst leaving the middle alone! Lovely herbal flavours whilst slightly oily and wonderfully smooth with the sweetness remaining, albeit not quite so prominent now.
3 Further drops of water: A little smokiness is starting to develop amongst that straw. For a fleeting second I had a slight taste of one of those liquorice allsorts which comprises liquorice wrapped in a coconut tyre.

Overall Impression: This is an excellent dram and one which shall return to in a few days time. Probably experimenting with a little more water as this time around, it improved both times when I added a few drops. Lovely!!!

**

[Malt-Teaser]

Arran Cream Sherry, 54.3%, Bottle No. 714 of 800

Nose: Very difficult. Perhaps a creamy cognac with a little sherry and overtones of malt all wrapped in a Christmas pudding.

Palate: Oh yes, the cream is there. As is the sherry. One of my first instincts was to say that I made the comment about Christmas pudding on the nose, but without any trace of custard. Funnily enough, this is so creamy I am very tempted to say that the custard is on the palate. Strange, I always associate vanilla notes with bourbon casks. But this is creamily sweet and almost gives the feeling of custard in texture and flavour. Somewhere in there is a nice whisky too Every Arran I have tasted has been very different. This is no exception.

With water: The custard and extreme cream has gone, leaving the cognac and whisky, with sherry elements. The finish is long and very reminiscent of cognac.

Overall impression: Another success from Arran, but for me, preferably without the water, even though it's just over 54%. I think I'll have another.

I would just like to add that on the second time round, without water, there's a lovely almond / gentle marzipan flavour in the aftertaste. I really do like this one. Just one Arran I tried some time ago was quite dry and not overly pleasant, this is a good sherry finish dram.

**