Tasting Notes
LAPHROAIG QUARTER CASKLaphroaig ‘Quarter Cask’ (48%, OB, double cask)
Delicately peated, on ripe apples, kiwi, pine smoke. Some notes of fresh butter. Superb nose. The mouth starts on liquorice roots, gentian roots, with a refined peat. Not a monster in any way, yet it’s very satisfying. Some great notes of ripe strawberries, topped with a lot of white pepper.
GLENKINCHIE 12 YEAR OLD
Nose: Very aromatic and flowery overall, like breathing in a country garden. Noticeable vanilla, cut flowers and beneath these, a clean, toasty note. Becomes increasingly sweet and creamy, with a lightly aromatic edge and fresh citrus, which all brings to mind lemon cheesecake. Water makes it still more creamy and scented.
Body: Light, smooth.
Palate: A sweet, soft start, like crème anglaise, soon becoming flowery again. A really smooth delivery, especially after adding a drop of water. The mid-palate is crisp and then the flavour settles into a tightly focused bundle of butter-icing, lemon cheesecake and freesias.
Finish: Herbal and drying slightly, as if it were pot-pourri.
TOMINTOUL 10 YEAR OLD
Nose Intense and sharp. Slightly spirity. Leafy. Fern. Cherry trifle. White pepper.
Palate Enveloping and warm. Velvety. Cream fudge. A lot of spices. Nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper.
Finish Long-lasting. Warm. Gently vanishing with almonds and nuts.
Comment Quite a muscular Speysider.
BENRIACH 12 YEAR OLD
The colour is mid-amber, with hints of gold. On the nose it there is honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood overtones. The taste is rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey and vanilla with hints of ream, spice and chocolate.
MILFORD NZ 10 YEAR OLD
Nose Dry and malty/oaty (accentuated with water). Light vanilla, crème caramel, some dried apricot.
Palate Herbal tea with some citrus notes and nutmeg. A little too light with water.
Finish Dry, slight wood.
Comment Well-made, light and clean. Good balance.
GLENGOYNE "PROVENANCE" 10 YEAR OLD
Nose opens fresh with macerated oranges and barley sugar and develops to a freshly baked cookie quality.
Palate is elegant with a creamy vanilla sweetness.
FInish is light and pleasant and runs to a drier character.
SMWS 44.76 MYSTERY MALT (Craigellachie 10 year old 60% proof)
the nose seemed to promise sweetness; toffee, fudge, butterscotch, milk chocolate, Demerara and banana fritters in syrup. It also had buttered toast and an earthy fruitiness, like summer strawberries dangling over straw. The palate, not quite so ultra-sweet; offered cinder toffee, green bananas, liquorice allsorts, polished wood and a chilli pepper heat that numbed and tingled. The reduced nose took a spin towards woody spice (Victory V’s, clove, nutmeg) before returning to caramel sauce and chocolate. The reduced palate was now sweet and spicy, with clove rock and sherry flavours. The distillery was built by Alexander Edward and Peter Mackie.
Date Distilled: August 1999 Colour: Toffee gold Age: 10 years Cask Type: Refill butt, ex-sherry.
GLENMORANGIE 10 YEAR OLDNose The scent of citrus and ripening peaches is softened by the aroma of vanilla.
Palate First, vanilla is detected on the tongue before it ripples along the palate bringing a burst of flowery fruitiness.
Finish About a minute after tasting, you are left with a clean and salving aftertaste with hints of orange and peach
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DEVONSHIRE HOUSE MANAGEMENT CLUB - DINNER AND TALK 27/1/11 - NEW CLUB, PRINCES STREET, EDINBURGH
NOTES ON THE NIGHT.................
Glenkinchie 1995 Distillers Edition (43%)
Nose: A lot of sherry added to the 'standard' character. After a while, the sherry moves to the background and hints of honey and melon emerge.
Palate : Sherry, but very soft. Hint of orange and chocolate, warming and mellow.
Finish: Smooth and quite nice actually. In this case, the double wood treatment pays off.
This version is considerably better than the standard 10yo version. Very nice with Maltesers!
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WEST LOTHIAN GOLF CLUB WHISKY TASTING - FEB 2011
HIGHLAND
OLD PULTENEY 12
Nose: An oily burst of apricot, pear, green banana and peach at the initial nosing. Soft undertones of seaweed and brine follow, rounded off by cane sugar, watered-down butterscotch and honeycomb. An aromatic, flowery effect overall. Soft and pleasing fruitiness combined with honeydew melon and faint grassy notes.
Palate: Citrus notes dominate the palate (notably orange and grapefruit zest), with lemon and honey shining through the oiliness. Butterscotch follows from the nose. Very light and aromatic again, with hints of vanilla icing, and confectioner’s sugar. Mouth feel is very coating and omnipresent – hits every part of the mouth and tongue. An easy-drinking malt that offers a surprisingly complex array of flavour.
Finish: Sea air with a faint touch of smoke. Warming and fruity with a touch of spice. Surprisingly long and coating throughout!
AN CNOC 12
Nose: Soft, very aromatic with a hint of honey and lemon in the foreground.
Colour: Amber with a slight yellow hue.
Taste: Sweet to start with an appetising fruitiness and a long smooth finish.
SPEYSIDE
KNOCKANDO 12
Appearance: Pale amber.
Nose: Fruity-floral with a hint of blackcurrant. Some ash, then a trace of damp linen. Water brings up cereal notes and meaty aromas. Develops towards scorched paper.
Body: Light
Palate: Light mouthfeel, pleasantly sweet, central palate. Drying lightly with a trace of acidity.
Finish: Relatively short. Clean and easy to drink.
BENRIACH 12
The colour is mid-amber, with hints of gold. On the nose it there is honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood overtones. The taste is rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey and vanilla with hints of ream, spice and chocolate.
ISLAY
BUNNAHABHAIN 12
Nose: offers a fresh and aromatic experience with a subtle whiff of smoke floating through the air.
Palette: starts with a light fruit and nut appeal that leads to a spectacular malty sweetness
Finish: beautifully rich full-bodied, lingering experience.
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DM HALL - CHARTERED SURVEYORS - CORPORATE EVENT - THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2011
TASTING NOTES
LAPHROAIG - QUARTER CASK - 48% abv.
Nose: Delicately peated, on ripe apples, kiwi, pine smoke. Some notes of fresh butter.
Palate: The mouth starts on liquorice roots, gentian roots, with a refined peat.
Finish: Not a monster in any way, yet it’s very satisfying. Some great notes of ripe strawberries, topped with a lot of white pepper.
Overall: A superb example of an Islay classic.
LINKWOOD 11 YEAR OLD (DUNCAN TAYLOR NC2 RANGE) - 2011 - 46% abv.
Nose: Creamy, brown sugar. Brown bread with soft exotic fruit notes, with time gooseberries emerge with hints of rhubarb and pancake mix.
Palate: Custard, blueberry muffins and green bananas. Quite a bit of white chocolate and subtle ginger.
Finish: Ground almonds, pears and concentrated apple juice.
Comment: Juicy fruits with a nutty edge.
(Tasting Notes by Duncan Taylor & Co. Ltd.)
MORTLACH 16 YEAR OLD (FLORA AND FAUNA RANGE) - 43% abv.
Nose: Flowery. A suggestion of peppermint. Black chocolate? Mint crisp?
Palate: Memorable for its challenging complexity and subtlety. Flavours beautifully combined. A touch of sherry. Dances on the tongue.
Finish: Smooth, dry smokiness. Very long.
Overall: A great malt that is enigmatic.
My favourite malt of all !!!!!!
BLACK BULL 12 year old DELUXE BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY - 50% abv. (50% Malt , 50% Grain)
Nose: Honeycomb, buttered brown bread, cashew nuts, some mossy, grassy notes and quite oily.
Palate: Olive bread, then heavier fruity notes, plums, raisins – maybe grapefruit and a brief encounter with soft smoke. With time more syrupy citrus notes emerge along with a little bitter chocolate orange.
Finish: Growing sweetness in the finish, a touch nutty.
Overall: A truly outstanding whisky and winner of numerous awards.
LINLITHGOW GOLF CLUB TASTING - FRIDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2011
BLACK BULL 12 year old DELUXE BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY - 50% abv. (50% Malt , 50% Grain)
Nose: Honeycomb, buttered brown bread, cashew nuts, some mossy, grassy notes and quite oily.
Palate: Olive bread, then heavier fruity notes, plums, raisins – maybe grapefruit and a brief encounter with soft smoke. With time more syrupy citrus notes emerge along with a little bitter chocolate orange.
Finish: Growing sweetness in the finish, a touch nutty.
Overall: A truly outstanding whisky and winner of numerous awards.
LINKWOOD 11 YEAR OLD (DUNCAN TAYLOR NC2 RANGE) - 2011 - 46% abv.
Nose: Creamy, brown sugar. Brown bread with soft exotic fruit notes, with time gooseberries emerge with hints of rhubarb and pancake mix.
Palate: Custard, blueberry muffins and green bananas. Quite a bit of white chocolate and subtle ginger.
Finish: Ground almonds, pears and concentrated apple juice.
Comment: Juicy fruits with a nutty edge.
(Tasting Notes by Duncan Taylor & Co. Ltd.)
BUNNAHABHAIN 12 (new recipe at 46.3% abv)
Nose: offers a fresh and aromatic experience with a subtle whiff of smoke floating through the air.
Palette: starts with a light fruit and nut appeal that leads to a spectacular malty sweetness
Finish: beautifully rich full-bodied, lingering experience.
A very good whisky indeed and a favourite of mine.
GLENMORANGIE 10 YEAR OLD "THE ORIGINAL" (40% abv)
Nose: The scent of citrus and ripening peaches is softened by the aroma of vanilla.
Palate: First, vanilla is detected on the tongue before it ripples along the palate bringing a burst of flowery fruitiness.
Finish: About a minute after tasting, you are left with a clean and salving aftertaste with hints of orange and peach and hazelnut perhaps?
AULD REEKIE 10 YEAR OLD (46% abv)
Nose: Initial peat smoke and creamy fruits. Lime marmalade and gingerbread. Salty and medicinal notes.
Palette: Explosion of peat smoke,ash and coastal flavours held together with a silky smooth honeyed sweetness.
Finish: Long and luscious! Mouth coating and dry ashiness offset by juicy fruits and ginger spice.
A mix of Islay malts with one dominant force!!!!!
GLENBURGIE 10 YEAR OLD (Gordon and MacPhail bottling) (40%abv)
Nose: Fresh and fruity, withtoasted malt and a mildly herbal note.
Palette: Soft fruits and mild oak and a lovely sweetness with a dry finish.
Finish: Subetly drying with a touch of ginger and a soft pleasing mouth feel
A great evening with a prize draw winning first prize of a bottle of "Staightfromthecask" Mortlach 18 year old......see online sales section to order this very limited edition of only 71 bottles.
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LINKLATERS BURNS AND WHISKY EVENING JANUARY 2012 - CELLAR GASCON, LONDON
Alan delivered and managed a "Whisky and Robert Burns" evening with sampling of five exceptional whiskies and recitation of Burns. The evening was a private corporate function for Linklaters LLP and their invited guests. The Address to the Haggis was an interesting part of the evening along with the matching of some amazing food and quality malts.
The whiskies of the evening were:
McKinlay's Highland Malt 12 years (Shakleton Replica) by Richard Paterson and his team at Whyte and MacKay. Incredible story and whisky.
Talisker 10 year old matched with Haggis
Mortlach 18 year old - Straight From The Cask first bottling at 55.3% volume.......amazing was the feedback!
Bruichladdich - "Smoky Pavlova" from a Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling at 60%+ abv ! Matched with smoked fish canape......This whisky was only six years old and superb!
Old Pulteney 12 year old......from a winning Distillery.
We also had a bottle of Robert Burns, Isle of Arran Malt, World Federation - 1st bottling as a prize for the best "noser" of the evening.
A wonderful evening indeed.
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