August 2018 – grey whisky

Whisky 2018 – 134-138

134 – SMWS 27.112 (Springbank) A broadside cannon barrage 1996, 21 Years*
Nose – heady, chocolaty, rum soaked biscuits, tiramisu, caps
Palate – warm honey, gunpowder, old Christmas cake, bruised apples, chocolate dipped apricots, butterscotch, roasted peanuts
Finish – salted fish, soy sauce

135 – Ben Nevis 12 Heavily Peated by Hidden Spirits Cask BN618
Nose – honey, caramel, cherry medicine, sugar syrup, fruit cake,
Palate – fruitcake, maraschino, flinty rocks, green vines, banana leaf, slight ash
Finish – pinot tannin, salt, gravel,

136 – Ben Nevis 20 by Highlander Inn Cask 97 55.9%
Nose – raisins, muscat, sweetened earl grey tea
Palate – toasted pound cake, honey, apricots, tea tannins, dried figs, cherry ripe
Finish – old apples and fruit leather

137 – Mortlach 1988 by Wilson & Morgan, bottled 1997 46%
Nose – leather, apricots, honey, cedar, smells more like bourbon cask
Palate – vanilla, cream, boozy, kiwi fruit, dusty, rockmelon, stewed plums
Finish – bruised apples, salt

138 – SMWS 107.13 (Glenallichie) Andalusian gazpacho 9 Years 65%
Nose – plums, gazpacho, caramel, honey, chocolate milk,
Palate – milk duds, rubber, hot, caramel, stewed plums, almond brittle
Finish – green vines and salt.

Whisky 2018 – 131-132

131 – Rest & Be Thankful Octomore 2009, Tempranillo Cask #2009004314 65.7%
Nose – Bacon, cherry ripe, leaf mulch, coconut, honey comb, wax, plastic
Palate – chewy, cherry ripe, bacon, ashy stones rolled in honey, sucking on a burning branch
Finish – mint, toasted coconut, leather, thyme, vanilla, burnt hazelnuts

132 – Macallan 2003 Exceptional Single Cask 2017/ESB-8841/03 60.8%*
Nose – wood, vanilla, real strawberry jam, hay, egg whites, pepper, orange jubes, milk chocolate and grilled pineapple, brown sugar, licorice and tar, raisins.
Palate – milky cocoa, leather, cream, super heavy, cloves, cinnamon, sea spray, roasted peanuts
Finish – salted dark chocolate, really intense raisins, super long, terry’s chocolate orange

Whisky 2018 – 126-130, Suntory Essence Tasting

126 – Yamazaki Distillery Exclusive Bottling #258568, 40% (American oak puncheon)
Nose – honey, boiled sweets, green cordial, raw almonds, grape vines
Palate – cream, salt, vines, coffee lollies
Finish – brandy snaps, underripe apples

127 – Hakushu Distillery Exclusive Bottling, 43%
Nose – banana lollies, pine, vanilla, mangos,
Palate – apples, cream, old pineapple, cream
Finish – vines

128 – Essence of Suntory Chita Distillery Grain 2001/2018 4 Years Wine Cask Finish, 49% (corn)*
Nose – raspberry lollies, woody butter, peanut butter, citrus, balsa wood, cream, vanilla, Terry’s chocolate orange
Palate – crushed ants, wine tannins, vanillla, melted butter, milk chocolate
Finish – huge vanilla cream, raspberry leaf, raspberry lollies

129 – Essence of Suntory Hakushu Rye Type 2014/2018, 57%*
Nose – chocobanana paddlepops, berries, jubes, caramel, an old lamington
Palate – pu er tea, raspberry lollies, dirt, minerals, dry ginger, ginseng, coconut gelato
Finish – salt, dusty, my mum’s terrarium, raw chocolate

130 – Essence of Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Peated Malt 2005/2018, 49%
Nose – paprika, smoked ham, lemon curd, band aids, onsen eggs, toast with butter, charred leek
Palate – dusty, pencil shavings, cream, old apples, citrus pith
Finish – cream, medicinal, oily, smoked oily fish