July 2018 – grey whisky

Whisky 2018 – 120-125, Archives Tasting

120 – Archives “Saddleback Clownfish” Glen Grant 1990/2015 25yo, Bourbon Hogshead #15230, 56.6%
Nose – plastic, grain, wax, bananas, clove, pineapple, milk chocolate
Palate – wax, cream, salted butter, passion fruit vine, chocolate milk, citrus pith, orange zest
Finish – cream, tobacco, salt

121 – Archives “Swallowtail Seaperch” Aultmore 2007/2015 8yo, Sherry Butt #900016, 67.4%
Nose – chocolate, carob, salted butter, dried apricots, orange zest
Palate – cream, old chocolate, shaving cream, dry Xmas spices, woody, dried rose petals, hand cream
Finish – formic acid, cream, salt, old pennies

122 – Archives “Three-Spot Cardinalfish” Blended Malt from 3 Speyside Distilleries 2001 13yo, Sherry Butt #117, 44.7%
Nose – raspberries, sulfur, old apples, orange zest, glacé lemon, wax, brown sugar, chlorine
Palate – pencil shavings, cream, dried pineapple, old coffee, old leather
Finish – white pepper, salt, cream

123 – Archives “Cheeklined Wrasse” Heaven Hill 2009/2017 8yo, Barrel #152716, 63.5%
Nose – Reef Oil, toasted coconut, banana, lemon curd, freshly cut kiwi fruit
Palate – formic acid, pencil shavings, cherry jam, hot jam donuts
Finish – super melted butter, old lipstick, cream

124 – Archives “Spotfin Butterflyfish” Ledaig 2008//2015 7yo, Sherry Butt #700701, 50.6%
Nose – honey, salt, paprika, ham, corn chips, kelp, dark plums, rosemary
Palate – rocks, pencil shavings, coals, paper ash, Vaseline, cheese and bacon Cheetos
Finish – salt, minerals

125 – Archives “Common Sunfish” Kildalton (Lagavulin) 2007/2014 7yo, Hogshead #9396, 54.4%
Nose – leaves and lollies, prune juice, mangos, lemon, caramel lollies, ham, milk powder
Palate – rocks, soap, salt, butter, olive brine, glue
Finish – salty kelpy rocks.

Whisky 2018 – 115-119

115 – Bruichladdich 8 Years Maltbarn 2009 Lafite Cask
Nose – Honey, chlorine, salt, lemon balm, raspberry lollies
Palate – honey, lemon zest, sulphur, waxy vanilla pods
Finish – salt and a lick a peat, brown sugar, honey on crumpets

116 – Cadenhead blend bottled for Whisky and Alement 56.5%
Nose – apricots, bitter chocolate, leather, tobacco box
Palate – honey, salt, butter, marshmallow,
Finish – vanilla cream and salty butter

117 – Glenrothes 2006 by Wilson and Morgan casks 6160-61-62
Nose – leather, flinty, manuka honey
Palate – honey, prunes, salty butter, Xmas cake,
Finish – slight rubbery note, prune, dates, sulfur

118 – Glendronach 1995 for the Whisky Exchange PX Cask 4028 55.4%
Nose – plum jam, marshmallow, toasted hazelnuts, stewed apricots
Palate – sarsaparilla, cream, woody, light honey and butter
Finish – red wine tannins, woody

119 – Konigsmann Whisky Mortlach 1997 Cask 10092 Bourbon Cask 2015
Nose – tobacco, cream, kiwi fruit, weak green pepper and cream
Palate – eating tobacco, salt, cream, smoke(?), cream, rock melon
Finish – drying white wine tannins, malt cake, chewy

Whisky 2018 – 112-114

112 – Edradour 2006 for the Whisky Exchange Oloroso Sherry Cask 391 58.5%
Nose – malty, dried raspberries, custard, scalded milk, purple sweet potatoes
Palate – dark chocolate peanut brittle, raspberries, vanilla, pastries
Finish – vanilla, salt, caramel

113 – SMWS 7.197 (Longmorn) Mature beyond its years Sherry butt 59.8%
Nose – sarsaparilla, fruit leather, stewed apricots, honey, maple syrup
Palate – pastry, vanilla, prunes, pancakes with maple syrup and butter
Finish – woody and vanillic, salted butter, tannins

114 – Bunnahabhain 1980 by Silver Seal bottled 2014 cask 84*
Nose – Apple snow, wax, white Christmas balls, chi latte
Palate – white chocolate, wax, roasted parsnip, roasted pear, cloves
Finish – cream for days, earl grey tea

Whisky 2018 – 105-111 – Shinanoya Tasting

Massive Shinanoya whisky tasting thanks to the Elysian in Melbourne. Some real cracking drams, the Coopers Choice wasn’t on the tasting, just felt like an extra.

105 – DOUGLAS LAING OP CRAIGELLACHIE 1995 SHERRY BUTT 20YO 700ml 59%
Nose – rubber, chocolate, mint, dust, honey, red wine cask
Palate – brown sugar, roasted almonds, hay, sherry, dark caramel, musk, caramelized apples
Finish – musk, brown sugar, cream

106 – DUNCAN TAYLOR DIMENSIONS LAPHROAIG 1997 HOGSHEAD – 18YO 700ml 52.8%
Nose – ham and pineapple pizza, custard, oysters, barnyard
Palate – leaves, nuts, green sticks, honey, butter, roasted garlic
Finish – medicinal, glue, salt

107 – GLENDRONACH 1995 PX SHERRY PUNCHEON #4029- 20YO 700ml 55.2%
Nose – heavy brown sugar, dried apricots and peaches, old butter, green pepper, tobacco
Palate – caramel fudge, brown sugar, musk sticks, manuka honey, salt
Finish – melted butter and caramel sauce

108 – HUNTER LAING OMC BOWMORE 2001 REFILL HOGSHEAD – 13YO 700ml 57.3%
Nose – honey, old leaves, glue, yeasty dough, rosemary crackers, lemon pith
Palate – tropical fruit, kiwi fruit, ash, medicinal, minerals
Finish – heather, salty, burnt matches

109 – BERRY BROS RETRO LABEL CLYNELISH 1997 HOGSHEAD – 17YO 700ml 47.1%
Nose – honey, aspirin, mandarin zest, passion fruit jelly, granita biscuits, waxy
Palate – fruity, waxy, red frogs, apricots, pear juice, chicos, peaches, honey
Finish – grapefruit pith, salt, slight smoked ham

110 – KILCHOMAN 2009-2015 OLOROSO SHERRY BUTT FOR SHIMAJI PEN – 5YO 700ml 59.9
Nose – corn chips, smoked fish, barn yard, pickled onions, honey, dusty, lemon zest
Palate – honey, great mouth feel, ashy, pepper, sushi rice, blown out candle
Finish – old apples, pencil shavings, chlorine, melted cheese

111 – The Coopers Choice 1995 Benrinnes port finished 18 years cask 9547
Nose – cream, tropical fruit, toast and honey, wax, apples, raspberries, rock melon
Palate – waxy, chewy, fennel, cream, apricots, egg whites
Finish – salt, cream, old apples, slight woody,