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Dramblers Tasting #16
John Hill • 8 November 2021
2021: A Speyside Odysey
Tasting Date: 26th October 2021
A sojourn on the river Spey, visiting a handful of distilleries to taste their wares.
The first foray into Speyside was this rather tasty little number from Glenrothes. A brilliant nose, bursting with maple pecan pastries, cherry biscuits and more sweet nuts set the scene nicely. Some dry madeira cake with brown sugar caramel and cinder toffee followed, lots of sweet baked goodies. Touches of nutty oil, breezes of fragrant polish, and the merest sprinkling of salted chocolate to finish. Delicious.
Macallan: A Night on Earth, 40%
We moved on to another tantalising nose - coffee crema, light honey, peaches and butterscotch. Definitely Speyside. This one went down really easily, with a slightly less full body than the promising nose suggested, but a pleasant mouthful nonetheless. Sliced almonds, toffee crumbs and freshly chopped firewood rounded it off with a somewhat sharp finish.
Craigellachie Whiskybroker, 8 years old, 54.3%
The nose on #3 was dirtier, funkier, spicier and nuttier. A bunch of sherried hazelnuts, crushed up then wrapped in waxed paper and sprinkled in allspice. Cracking dram here, layers of strong flavours belying it’s age of a mere 8 years old. Bacon and biscuit, strong wood, black pepper and plenty more. Great stuff, and an absolute bargain!
Glenallachie Cask Strength Batch 6, 10 years old, 57.8%
This was a lovely sticky fruity number. Stewed red fruits with a spot of crumble on top, laced with dried cranberries perhaps. A touch of lime juice acidity cut through, and stopped this from being an all-out wine and sherry bomb. Some sweetly burnt toffee apple pudding wrapped things up at the end, and there was a nicely drawn-out finish. Another cracker.
Tormore 105.30 SMWS Easy Peasy Farmy Squeezy, 28 years old, 46.5%
Our odyssey along the River Spey came to a close with this visit to Tormore. Not quite your classic Speyside, this had more of a walk through the forest than along the river. Slightly floral, citrus blossom, creamy lavender and coconut, grounded in crumbly earth almost made for a lemon meringue pie. The age was evident on the palate, with sticky, oily fruit, like cordial or unsweetened syrup on top of buttered sourdough toast. Maybe a crystal or two of sea salt, but maybe that’s just too far. An interesting and unusual dram, balancing out some of the other offerings nicely, and a perfect way to bring proceedings to an end.
A beautiful journey through this most varied of regions. Usual thanks to John!
... something old and interesting Tasting Date: Monday 23rd December 2024 This was: 40 year old Blended Scotch Whisky 1984 from the Thompson Bros, 40.4% A blend of unknown origin, of at least 40 years old and having been marrying for the last 26, this is believed to have a high proportion of Bowmore in it. Nose: A citrusy nose greets you with hints of old lemons and a touch of sweet cream. There's a delightful presence of raisins and a subtle aroma of cream soda. The scent is fruity with a whisper of parma violets and turkish delight, creating a unique bouquet. Palate: The first sip reveals a sweet, light peat that dances on the tongue. The whisky is stone fruit laden, with flavors of ripe peaches and apricots. A liquorice note adds depth, while a chalky texture provides an intriguing mouthfeel. The fruity essence continues, complemented by a pebbly minerality that evokes the sensation of peat smoke at the beach. Finish: The finish is old and lingering, with the citrusy zest of old lemons making a final appearance. The aftertaste is smooth, with lingering notes of sweet cream and a faint echo of parma violets. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat then rattled through CoPilot for convenience, as a half-cocked attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... something old and bejewelled Tasting Date: Sunday 22nd December 2024 This was: Glen Keith 30 years old - 1985 Speyside, 41.9% The final 3 drams of Dramvent are always a melange of merriment. This one delivered. A crackingly complex nose, ripe green fruit and a healthy dose of oranges. Creamy and waxy -tempered with white pepper spice too. The palate was more chocolate orange, with honeyed nutmeg, and aged oak. Like wandering through a deserted wooden-floorboarded department store after hours at Christmas time. Excellent. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a lovely laddie Tasting Date: Saturday 21st December 2024 This was: Bruichladdich 19 Private Cask, 19 years old, 2004, Bourbon Hogshead, 55.1% Tonight's dram offered a delightful insight into a Private Cask bottling from Bruichladdich. Tonnes of nougaty sweetness, marzipan nuttiness and coconut floral notes. Plenty smoke too, with coastal whispers. A really pleasing tunnelling effect going on here, like a pipeline of Islay goodness, headed straight to the fun parts of the tastebuds. Always special to taste these private casks - they're not around for long, and definitely worth the effort to find! Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a peaty pinot Tasting Date: Tuesday 17th December 2024 This was: Longrow Red 7 years old - Pinot Noir. Campbelltown, OB, 57.1% We reach the final weekend of Dramvent 2024 with a superb offering from the good people at Longrow. Buckets of sweet smoke on the nose, with some dirty rubbery mineral goodness keeping it real. Like a rain-spattered fresh tarmac coastal path. Loads of red fruit from the wine cask, strawberries at first, giving way to dark cherry and blackcurrant. A gorgeous return to the peat fire on the finish, not overly lingering, just sticky enough to leave a very pleasing appetite for more. Smashing. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a retro number Tasting Date: Thursday 19th December 2024 This was: Glenlivet 12 (1980s) 12 Year old, Speyside, OB We tip past the midway point on Dramvent 2024 with a lovely little nostalgic blast back to the 80s. And how different to current day Glenlivet 12! None of the clean, vanilla-infused sweet pears, all of the depth of a sticky, dried fruit complexity. Really interesting mix of profiles; dark wooden leather benches, outside a spice market, next door to a coconut and peach stall. As with most bottles from this vintage, the cask s were more variable, so the result are usually less predictable and (therefore) more fun. Fascinating to taste what the 12-year old market wanted 40 years ago. Delicious. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a guessing game Tasting Date: Wednesday 18th December 2024 This was: Tomatin 14 Peated 2009. Gleann Mor, 55.4% A Midweek Dramvent Dram can be a tricky one to place. Perhaps sensing this, a challenge was thrown to Dramventers. Name the distillery, and win a dram. Many tried. One was successful! Well done Kevin! Rich dark honey aplenty on the nose, wafts of damp wood and salted earth. Really rich and chewy palate, smoky forest fires and dark cherries. Very slightly charred pastry, swirls of buttery richness, like an Aberdeen Rowie, drizzled with dark honey, enjoyed on the beach, having wandered patiently through Kirkhill Forest. A lot of refinement in this dram, really well composed, a big favourite so far. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... lemonwood flowers Tasting Date: Tuesday 17th December 2024 This was: Strathclyde 31, Master of Malt Tonight's dram was a perfumed drop of lovely. A nose full of light stone fruit and freshly shaved wood. Good whack of floral blossom too, and a healthy swirl suggested plenty time in the cask. The palate was full of dried lemons, a touch of herb, and salted crackers. A squeeze of vanilla pod kept it all just sweet enough, echoes of coffee chain spices following in the finish. Very nice indeed. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a well-named drop Tasting Date: Monday 16th December 2024 This was: Isle of Skye 8 (1990s). Ian McLeod 8 years old, 46% The Isle of Skye 8 Year Old from Ian McLeod is like a fleeting breath of coastal mist, delicate and evocative. The nose offers salty sea air, honeycomb, vanilla, and a trace of caramelized fruit, with a gentle peat smoke lingering like the memory of a storm long passed. On the palate, it’s smooth and oily, balancing toffee sweetness with citrus zest, dried fruit, and a whisper of pepper, all underpinned by soft, earthy peat. The finish is like the final echo of a distant tide, leaving a lingering smokiness and a dry, oaky sweetness that fades into a hint of vanilla and spice. It’s a whisky that captures the soul of Skye with quiet elegance, a liquid homage to the island’s rugged beauty. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and in case it wasn't obvious, Chat GPT. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun. If you're interested, the prompts were; 'write a whisky tasting note for Isle of Skye 8 (1990s). Ian McLeod 8 years old, 46%', then 'Do the same but in the style of dramblersanonymous.co.uk', then 'condense it all into 2 paragraphs, with at least one pretentious metaphor'
... a Familiar Highland Feeling Tasting Date: Sunday 15th December 2024 This was: Blair Athol 2004, 13 years old, OB, 46% Tonight's dram was warm, inviting, and beautifully seasonal. Plenty dark honey and dried fruits on the nose, with just the slightest swirl of cinnamon chasing the fruit gently into the night. It opened up nicely on the palate, gorgeous mouthfeel of caramel and honey drizzled nuts. Some depth to the palate too - like a Christmas cake-filled Mince Pie, dusted with brown sugar. Lovely, lingering, pleasingly sticky finish. A moreish Highland Gem. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
... a custard slice Tasting Date: Saturday 14th December 2024 This was: Speyside 28 years old Sherry Butt. Whiskybroker, 51% The second dram of the season was sweetness and spicy desserts. Plenty ice cream and candy notes up front, cherries and apricots providing enough juice to balance out the creamy swirls of custard. Just the mildest touch of peppery heat, like a spicy version of a pastel de nata, with nuts and more matured, boozy stoned fruit from the sherry butt influence. Letting it breathe, or dribbling a drop of water, opened it up nicely, and the sherry became clearer, although never straying far from that beautiful bread-and-butter pudding that provided the body. Really tasty stuff, punchily complex and highly enjoyable. Tasting notes: gathered from input to chat, and an attempt at a pooled summary. Tasted blind, It's all a bit of fun.
