What Wee Dram Are You Enjoying Now? - Fall/Winter 2014

[garbanzobean]

Had a Great King Street Glasgow Blend. The nose didn't do it for me today, but it tasted excellent.

[El Vino]

Got to try me some Yamazaki 12 last night,first impression..slight peat,but not a lot, taste was really good, (I'm not that big on Scotch,like the taste but the heavy peaty nose puts me off) this Yamazaki 12 was a good blend between bourbon and scotch. I may end up buying a bottle sometime.

Good luck funding it. None to be found in these parts.

[Jazz Nut]

Just opened a Springbank 12yo Cask Strength at 53.1% abv. What a great spirit. I have gone through many versions of this, most specifically about 3 bottles of the 50.3% abv. version.

[R-Savage]

Having a balvenie 12 doublewood in my new glass

[The Boozer]

Caol Ila 18 year. Rich, lush oily. Simply outstanding would be an understatement.

[R-Savage]

Having my second Balvenie 12 DW. I am really loving this stuff. I may just go for thirds. :drinking: :yum:

[tuntime]

I opened a Clynelish 1995 from Whisky-Fassle. Never quite know what you're going to get with single cask releases. I'm pleased with this one. On the palate a tartness is framed by a big creamy, waxy body - fairly complex. A testament to the pleasures of refill bourbon, where the qualities of the spirit shine through in their marriage with the wood.

[GaryT]

Opened a Berry's 20yr Longmorn CS/UCF. I think I had delusions of some exceptional Longmorn's I'd had the pleasure to sample in the last year, and this doesn't remind me of any of those - but hoping it will grow on me with more air time. A bit more astringent and oaky than I had hoped for, but a pleasant dram.

[BigRich]

Opened a Berry's 20yr Longmorn CS/UCF. I think I had delusions of some exceptional Longmorn's I'd had the pleasure to sample in the last year, and this doesn't remind me of any of those - but hoping it will grow on me with more air time. A bit more astringent and oaky than I had hoped for, but a pleasant dram.

If we are thinking of the same Longmorns they were all refill sherry casks and from the looks of the Berry's Longmorns available around here they all look like bourbon wood to me.

[GaryT]

If we are thinking of the same Longmorns they were all refill sherry casks and from the looks of the Berry's Longmorns available around here they all look like bourbon wood to me.

Edited March 8, 2015 by darylld911

[garbanzobean]

A buddy and I spent some quality time with the Battlehill Bladnoch 22 and some brandy snifters this weekend. This really was a great blind "price is right" purchase. The bottle has morphed quite a bit since opening, and in the snifters opens up and rains tropical fruit. Lots of twizzlers and overripe pineapple, too. Finishes with some Talisker-esque white pepper. Best part is, my friend picked about the same stuff out without even knowing what he was drinking, let alone what I thought about it, so we either drink together too much or I'm not totally crazy.

Two final thoughts: I'm completely in love that tropical fruit profile you can get from older whisky, and I would be willing to experiment with some more Battlehill releases (the 46% ones anyway) now. I don't think this bottle is super representative of Bladnoch's house style, but it is really good.

[zillah]

Visiting an old bottle of Balvenie Carribean Cask. I think it has lost its muster.

[t44tq]

A buddy and I spent some quality time with the Battlehill Bladnoch 22 and some brandy snifters this weekend. This really was a great blind "price is right" purchase. The bottle has morphed quite a bit since opening, and in the snifters opens up and rains tropical fruit. Lots of twizzlers and overripe pineapple, too. Finishes with some Talisker-esque white pepper. Best part is, my friend picked about the same stuff out without even knowing what he was drinking, let alone what I thought about it, so we either drink together too much or I'm not totally crazy.

Two final thoughts: I'm completely in love that tropical fruit profile you can get from older whisky, and I would be willing to experiment with some more Battlehill releases (the 46% ones anyway) now. I don't think this bottle is super representative of Bladnoch's house style, but it is really good.

[t44tq]

Had some Glen Garioch 12 last night- I'm very surprised to read that this is a combination of bourbon and sherry casks- it tastes like it was bourbon barrels only. Very honey-like, reminds me a lot of Dalwhinnie 15. I'm glad I tried it, I wonder if it is representative of Glen Garioch as a distillery.

Just killed a bottle of Dalmore 12, finally. That strong maltiness of the Dalmore was interesting, combined with the sherry finish. When I bought the bottle, I did not know that it was caramel colored. I like Dalmore, but I find it a bit lacking in complexity. The Glendronach 15 revival really hits the spot for a sherry cask scotch for me.

[garbanzobean]

I decided to put that Bruichladdich 1973 up for the time being. I'll break it out again later in the year. Before I did that, I decided to conduct some research. Did a SBS with tasting sized pours of it in glencairn and snifter. Both were left to sit out for around 30 minutes, as is generally advisable with older whiskies. The results: Snifter Bruichladdich 1973 smelled harsh and tasted very muted and watery. In glencairn . . . pretty much as described in previous tasting notes. So perhaps I need to amend my hypothesis about older whiskies being better in snifter . . . At any rate, continuing the experiment by opening a couple of other whiskies up tonight. Glenfarclas 105 (age stated) and Talisker 10. GF105 in case I really like the 10 yr age stated version and want to acquire another bottle or two, and Talisker cuz . . . Talisker. Wanted a peated whisky. Haven't had this one in quite a while. In fact, the last time I had it was at a bar, and I'm fairly certain they gave me laphroaig 10 instead, but enjoyed it enough not to complain (they were the same price anyway). Almost reached for the DE that I got on sale instead, but figured I'd go with the basic 10 first.

[garbanzobean]

Round Two of extreme glass comparos goes to . . . it's a tie. At cask strength, the snifter wins. Diluted to approximately drinking proof, glencairn. Either way, the GF105 is tasty stuff. Just my kind of sherry bomb. Much drier than abunadh. Dried red fruits (particularly raisins) abounds, but there's some seriously tasty licorice and dark cocoa notes there too. Heavy on the licorice. Tasty stuff. Dry too, not too sweet. Some interesting phenolic notes at the end. I've read this about GF, though I'm fairly certain it's unpeated. On to round three . . .

Edited March 15, 2015 by garbanzobean

[garbanzobean]

Round three goes to . . . Glencairn I guess. This is interesting. So tonight I've tried a 30+ year old cask strength but nearing 40% single malt, a 10 year old cask strength sherried malt, and a 10 year old peated whisky. Looks like the glencairn generally works well in these three circumstances. Yet I have had older, higher ABV whiskies that have been far better from a snifter, as well as several older bourbons and some rather dense ryes, including HW MWND. FWIW, Lagavulin DE was tastier out of a snifter, too.

Time for more tests . . .

[garbanzobean]

After sitting on it a bit, I think there is space for Glenfarclas 105 and Aberlour A'bunadh in any sherried whisky fan's cabinet. The 105 is much much drier and nuttier with some creamy notes that are developing nicely, whereas A'bunadh leans more toward the lush and fruity. It'd be hard to pick a favorite after only a couple tries of the GF, but I think I'm going to come to love that one. Makes me think I should go ahead and try GF21.

Also, Talisker 10 was kind of harshing my buzz a bit last night. There was a gasoline off note I don't remember smelling or tasting in earlier samplings. Hopefully it'll calm down with some air. Makes me wish I'd bunkered more than a single bottle of Talisker 18 @ $84, though.

[ChainWhip]

I'm completely in love that tropical fruit profile you can get from older whisky

One word: Littlemill

[garbanzobean]

One word: Littlemill

I've got a bottle of the BBR 22 CS from TW put away. Any particular recommendations for IBs I should be looking into?

[ChainWhip]

I've got a bottle of the BBR 22 CS from TW put away. Any particular recommendations for IBs I should be looking into?

Maltbarn - I missed out on the last one and I have a feeling it was right up my alley:

http://www.whiskynotes.be/2014/littlemill/littlemill-1990-maltbarn/

A few of the crab label ones were good too - forget the IB name of that one now...

Edit: Archives

Edited March 16, 2015 by ChainWhip

[garbanzobean]

Maltbarn - I missed out on the last one and I have a feeling it was right up my alley:

http://www.whiskynotes.be/2014/littlemill/littlemill-1990-maltbarn/

A few of the crab label ones were good too - forget the IB name of that one now...

Edit: Archives

[t44tq]

Lagavulin 16 last night.

I hated the stuff before, but I kind of like it now. The problem to me is that it tastes very light, the way JW Black tastes light.

Is that remedied with the 12 yr cask strength? Otherwise, it's a shame that it's bottled at 43%.

[tanstaafl2]

Lagavulin 16 last night.

I hated the stuff before, but I kind of like it now. The problem to me is that it tastes very light, the way JW Black tastes light.

Is that remedied with the 12 yr cask strength? Otherwise, it's a shame that it's bottled at 43%.

[t44tq]

Thanks, I guess I'll have to pony up for the 12.