September 2015 – grey whisky

Whisky 2015 – 127-131

Some good drams in this set. Really enjoyed the lot.

127 – Benriach 12 Sherry Cask
Passion fruit, raisins, pancake batter, cream, vanilla. Green herbs, salt, cream, passion fruit.

128 – Signatory Highland Park 1999 Bourbon Barrel single cask
Citrus curd, biscuit crust, milk chocolate, violets, cola, bananas. Cola, gasoline, vanilla cream

129 – Wemyss 2002 Glengellachie “Dark Treacle Fondant”
Huge raw honey, golden syrup, tomato paste, toffee, glue. Rubber, coffee trifle and vanilla.

130 – Wemyss 1995 Mortlach “Stem Ginger Preserve”
Ginger, wood polish, bananas, plasticine, sweat (not in a bad way). Green rockmelon, ginger, syrup, ginseng, vanilla, cloves.

131 – Bunnahabhain Toiteach
Christmas cake, pepper, salt, instant coffee and seaweed. Seaweed, walnuts, lick of smoke, bitter orange seeds.

Whisky 2015 – 123-126 (Back in Oz)

123 – Douglas of Drumlanrig Ben Nevis 18
Pine resin, dark chocolate, banana cake mix, hazelnuts, orange zest. Orange rind is really strong, dried figs, pepper and a hint of vanilla cream.

124 – The Arran Malt Port Cask
My mums strawberry jam on picklets, instant coffee, formic acid, wood resin, star anise. Some thyme and banoffee pie, salt and pepper.

125 – The Arran Malt Amarone Cask
Orange pastels, strawberry jam, banana cake, fruit cup cordial, juicy fruit. Vanilla cream and gentle summer fruits and berries, salted cultured butter, dry ginger.

126 – SMWS 66.66 Ginger makes Fred smile (Ardmore)
Burnt butter, bacon grease, BBQ meats, dried and green figs, dates and gassy cream. Campfire, dates, dried fig, watermelon(?). Not a peat guy but this was good.

Whisky 2015 – 117-122 (The Mash Tun, Meguro, Tokyo)

I had two great nights at The Mash Tun in Meguro, Tokyo. It’s a short walk from Meguro station and by Tokyo standards easy to find.

The Mash Tun has the largest collection of Cadenhead bottlings I’ve seen, maybe close to 40. While many of the locals (in fact now that I think about it all of them) were tucking into Cadenhead, I was there for the Japanese stuff you just can not get in Australia.

117 – Ichiro’s Malt – Whisky Talk 2015
Typical Japanese creaminess, cocoa, autumn leaves, salt, slight gassy note, angry dust. Tastes like it smells. Which is unusual. The peat is really subtle. I can taste this in my throat.

118 – Blackadder and Ichiro’s malt 5 year
Chestnut honey, flour, floral, ginger, egg white, clove and cola. Honey and cola. Really delicious. The sweetness is complex like brown/black sugar.

119 – Karuizawa TIBS 2012
Rubber, apricots, chocolate, maple syrup. Rubber, vanilla, pepper, sulfur, clove, salt, maple syrup.

120 – Fuji Gotemba Single Grain Blender’s Choice 2014 029/500
Bananas, coconut, formic acid, some acetone, apricots with ice cream. Butter, crushed ants, vanilla, tropical fruits, toasted hazelnuts.

121 – Ichiro’s malt 2015 Tokyo International Bar Show Cask 2360
Wow just wow – favourite for the year!! Banana, ice cream, malty bread with butter, tomato paste, fruit tingles, slight vino cotto, CHICOS. Yeast, brown bread, vanilla, banana bread, prunes, plums, grapes.

122 – Hanyu King and 6 of Spades Cask 123 (Grappa Cask)
Slight woody pine notes, vanilla, roses, dried strawberries, chocolate and a bit medicinal. Peppery and spicy, instant coffee, a touch of vanilla, strawberries in a day old chocolate cake, length that lasts forever.

Whisky 2015 – 113-116

113 – SMWS 123.9 The Big Fat Tipsy Wedding (Glengoyne)
Chocolate, menthol, pine needles, dates, maraschino cherries, pink marshmallow, cinnamon ice cream. Spicy, cola, star anise, nutmeg and eggnog.

114 – Blackadder 1991 Glencadam
Prunes, marzipan, vanilla pudding, slight plastic note, light cinnamon and chocolate mousse. Orange marmalade, salt, herbs, citrus, glacé cherries. Slightly bitter finish that isn’t quite right but gives way to marzipan.

115 – Glenfarclas 103 Proof 15 Years
Liquid paper, peach schnapps, chocolate pudding, pain aux raisin. Big fruitcake, stone fruit and raisins. Nice.

116 – Glendronach Tawny Port Finish 18 Years
Chocolate, cucumber, Brazil nuts, Mexican hot chocolate, dates, overripe banana. Sweet and elegant – slightly rubbery, chocolate and cake spice. Had a refreshing finish, almost like an iced tea with some salt and pepper.