bourbon – grey whisky

Whisky 2020 – 40-44

Tasting with social distancing and isolation is a bit difficult. Things have certainly slowed down. Thankfully some whisky bars have been sending samples.

40 – SMWS 63.49 (Glentauchers) In the dark of the abyss

Nose is intensely vanilla, with delightful citrus rind. Some caramelised figs and hazelnuts, toasted marshmallow and musk.

Palate is very sherried. Very woody and a slight sulfur note. Dry cooking spices, vanilla cream, dried apricots and dates.

Finish rubber, wood char, toasted nuts, brown sugar and praline

****

41 – Four Roses Single Barrel – Warehouse KE Barrel 64.3E

Nose vanilla cream, cracked pepper, cardamom, crushed ants, raspberry and raspberry leaf, pink marshmallow and orange zest. A lovely backbone of shoe polish and spice.

Palate vanilla cream, buttery, nutty, some slight rubbery notes, mashed strawberries, Christmas biscuits.

Finish melted butter for days and fresh wood shavings.

****

42 – Benrinnes 1995/2019 23yo by Drunken Master & The Elysian Hogshead #9080, 48.5%

Nose of lemon, malt, honey and wax. That real “old whisky” waxy smell with slight tropical fruits.

Palate sweet like kiwi fruit and dusty mangos. Hay and boot polish. Finally some lovely liquorice and pepperiness.

As the palate fades a bolt of vanilla cream and aniseed that lingers

****^

43 – Glen Elgin 1995/2019 23yo by Drunken Master & The Elysian, Hogshead #3271, 51%

Tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, whipped cream and chewy meringue. Getting a slight medicinal sense?!

Great palate weight. A strange mix of floral, roses, chocolate bullets and black cats. Feels like an old whisky

Finish leather bound books, cream and potpourri

***

44 – Caol Ila 2006/2019 12yo by Drunken Master & The Elysian, Hogshead #311572, 57%

Medicinal honey. Aspirin! Salty and mineral. Pink lady apples and fairy floss.

Palate is autumn leaves, seaweed and forgotten oyster shells. Caramel and cream.

Finish is sea spray, autumn leaves and cream.

(As an aside we had a piece of white chocolate at the end and wow! Islay and white chocolate… who knew! Try it!)

****

Whisky 2018 – 195-197, Kings County Distillery, Brooklyn

Had a great time touring the Kings County Distillery. Evan our tour guide was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I really love what they are doing on such a small scale. On to the whiskey… hit and miss! You’ll see I have included a “?” on 196 this means it was disappointing, which is extremely odd considering that the Barrel Strength was one of the best I’ve had all year.

195 – Empire Rye Kings County Distillery 51%
Nose – apricots, tobacco, cream, salted butter, honey
Palate – grilled peaches, cream, dry leaves, butter
Finish – cream, raisins, dusty

196 – Bottled in Bond Kings County Distillery ?
Nose – apricots, leather, spice, maple syrup, grilled peach
Palate – cream, stone fruit, butter, wood, peanut butter, burnt sausage and prawn, boot polish
Finish – cream, bitter arugula

197 – Barrel Strength Batch 10 64.1% Kings County Distillery*
Nose – chocolate, raisins, prunes, apricots, flat coke, sour cream, woody, dried apricots
Palate – chocolate, prune, hot, liquorice, cream, stewed apricots and caramel
Finish – muted finish, slight saline, soy, brown butter

Whisky 2018 – 193-194 – Citizen Public House, Boston

193 – Whistle Pig Straight Rye 10 years single barrel for Citizen Public House 59.4%*
Nose – prunes, figs, toffee, grape juice, stewed rhubarb, dark chocolate
Palate – vanilla ice cream, figs, prunes, great integrated spice, cherries, loads of cream, tomato paste
Finish – cream, rhubarb, custard, red liquorice

194 – Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon for Citizen Public House
Nose – peach ice tea, vanilla, caramel, Chicos, milk chocolate, maple syrup, raspberry leaf
Palate – peaches, cream, brandy snaps, grape vine, cream, coffee, toffee, orange zest
Finish – cream, chlorine and Xmas spices

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 – 62-68, Michter’s Tasting

62 – Michter’s US*1 Straight Rye
Nose – coffee, rubber, vanilla, stone fruit, wood shavings, rhubarb
Palate – spicy, salty, vanilla
Finish – salt, cream

63 – Michter’s US*1 Bourbon
Nose – grilled pineapple, egg whites, meringue Palate – a bit light, butter, fruit, vanilla, caramel
Finish – vanilla, grape vines

64 – Michter’s US*1 American Whisky
Nose – dusty, chocolate, apricots, vanilla
Palate – chocolate, cocoa truffles, maraschino cherries, steeped apricots, brown sugar in cream
Finish – flinty, vanilla cream,

65 – Michter’s US*1 Sour Mash
Nose – egg whites, honey, maple, vanilla, juicy stone fruit
Palate – pop corn, dried apricots, vanilla, cream, salted crisps
Finish – stone fruit, cream

66 – Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon
Nose – dusty, melon, green stone fruit, fruit leather, hazelnuts
Palate – honey, toffee, caramel dipped apricots
Finish – vanilla, cream, dusty

67 – Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye
Nose – honey on toast, butter, maple syrup, marshmallow, German Christmas biscuits, crushed ants, vanilla, cured meats
Palate – vanilla, spicy, fruit, dried fruits
Finish – cream, apples, toasty, vanilla

68 – Michter’s 10 Year Rye
Nose – vanilla, toffee, honey, dusty
Palate – vanilla, dried ginger, cream, orange zest, soy
Finish – vanilla cream, rock melon

Whisky 2018 – 55-61, The Gresham Brisbane

Lots and lots … and lots of bourbon.

55 – Weller Wheated Bourbon 12 45%
Nose – caramel, dust, formic acid, burning plastic (not in a bad way), spice biscuits, milk chocolate
Palate – pastry, cherries, cinnamon, peaches, ice coffee
Finish – cream, vanilla

56 – Weller Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 53.5%
Nose – deep sweat tea, woody, caramel, vanilla, grilled pineapple
Palate – salted caramel fudge, melted butter, tea tannins, watermelon juice, caramel popcorn
Finish – cream, vanilla, passion fruit vines, melted butter, salt,

57 – Dry Fly Washington Wheat Whiskey
Nose – lemon barley lollies, malted vanilla milkshake, banana bread, vanilla cake mix,
Palate – grains, bread and butter pudding with maple syrup, caramel,
Finish – cream, vanilla, burnt toffee

58 – Maker’s 46
Nose – peanut brittle, leather, red wine in an empty glass, terry’s chocolate orange, instant coffee grounds, raspberries
Palate – popcorn, butter, cream, salt, maraschino cherries, chili chocolate
Finish – buttered and popcorn, popcorn and more popcorn, watermelon, butter cream

59 – Elmer T Lee Sour Mash Bourbon
Nose – Honey, violet crumbles, cream and vanilla,
Palate – maraschino cherries, cream, honey, grilled apricots, yeast
Finish – vanilla cream, caramel pop corn, melted butter

60 – Eagle Rare aged 10 Years
Nose – Ice coffee, raspberries, slight maple syrup, orange zest
Palate – pineapple, salt bush, caramel, orange blossoms
Finish – creme caramel, vanilla, juicy stone fruit

61 – Stagg Jr 65.85%
Nose – apricots, sea water, caramel, toffee, peanut brittle, apricot crumble with loads of mascarpone
Palate – vanilla, stone fruits, excellent mouth feel, caramel, rocks, flint
Finish – liquorice, salt, caramel, cocoa, butter cream, vanilla

Whisky 2018 – 17-19 – The Gresham, Brisbane

17 – SMWS B4.2 Intense woody spice and perfumed sweetness
Nose: rhum baba, vanilla, honey, candy lemon, salted liquorice, quite floral, wood glue
Palate: caramel, slightly bitter (not in a bad way), tomato sauce
Finish: caramel, green herbs

18 – William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon 67.3%
Nose: brandy snaps, musk, intense tomato paste, crushed ants, vanilla cream, roses
Palate: wow wonderful sweetness as soon as it hits the tongue, chips and gravy, marshmallow, loads of berries, cinnamon
Finish: cream, vanilla, strawberry jam

19 – Old Rip Van Winkle 10, 107 Proof
Nose: apricot, chocolate, marshmallow, vanilla, stone fruits, flapjacks with golden syrup
Palate: caramel, wine tannin, raspberry leaf, massive stone fruits
Finish: huge vanilla, cream, juicy, toasted coconut

Whisky 2017 – 130-135 – Balvenie Tasting

Huge tasting on at the Elysian. Alex Moores from Dark Valley brought back some very good hand drawn single cask bottles from Balvenie. Alex and I shared a few other drams afterwards.

130 – Balvenie 13yo ex-bourbon barrel matured, cask #2022, 61.7%
Ice cream on warm pine apple pudding, red apple skin, choc-banana muffins. Super huge raspberry, choc-banana muffins, loads of vanilla cream, gooseberry, leather, dried apple.

131 – Balvenie 14yo ex-bourbon barrel matured, cask #13330, 53.2%
Fruit tingles, lemon and coconut cake, vanilla cream, strawberry jam. Great mouth feel, short bread, toasted coconut, strawberries, loads of cream, wood shavings, green herbs.

132 – Balvenie 14yo ex-sherry butt matured, cask #2378, 62.7%
Roasted corn cobs, treacle, crushed cloves, roasted almonds, peanut brittle, marshmallow, Earl grey tea cream. Woody, beef jus, rubber, peanut brittle, caramel taken too far, hazelnuts, Musk sticks, mushroom pate, tea tannins.

133 – The Whisky Find and The Mash Tun Craigellachie 1990 Cask 5401
Candle wax, soft gooey French cheese, dried apple, rock melon skin, caramel, fruit sherbet bombs, lemon butter. Bees wax, coconut, rock melon, coffee, strawberries, flowers, nasturtiums, caramels, salt.

134 – The Whisky Agency 2003 13 Years JD for Bistro Inn, The Elysian Whisky Bar and Drunken Master Bar
Butter soaked toast, crushed ants, tomatoes, rhubarb and whipped cream. Butter, cultured butter, cream, formic acid, cinnamon toast, dusty, raw almonds.

135 – The Arran 21st Anniversary Edition – Ex-Olorosso Cask
Cream, metallic apricots, toffee, chocolate, pouch tobacco, peanut brittle, hazelnut paste. Tobacco, apricots, green grass, cream, tinned pineapple, hazelnut butter.

Whisky – 58-62 – Kilkerran Tasting

I don’t know what was going on with my palate last night. Really didn’t enjoy these Kilkerran when I have previously – the felt very underpowered. I was under an air-conditioner which cooled my glasses significantly and may have not allowed the whisky to shine.

I’ve had Work In Progress 1, 3 and 5 before so they aren’t in my count for the year, but I thought it was interesting to show the progression.

WIP 1 Kilkerran
Pineapples, wild fresh mint, glue, salt and pepper, arrowroot, rosemary. Cream, salty, malt cake, slight leather.

WIP 3 Kilkerran
Apple tree ash, fruitier, glue, hand cream, pencil shavings, wild herbs, pineapple. Light palate, cream, tobacco, peaches.

WIP 5 Kilkerran Bourbon Wood
Hand cream, ash, leafy, brown sugar, hand cream, maple syrup, slight peach. Butter, peanuts, salty, burn toast, slight cream and vanilla, leafy.

58 – WIP 6 Kilkerran Sherry Cask
Glue, flint, leather, salt, egg white, pencil shavings, hand cream, Sherry fino. Salty, leafy, gasoline, dry leaves, slight cocoa.

59 – WIP 7 Bourbon Cask Strength
Toasted coconut, lemon zest, glue, pencil shavings, hot ashes, bruised strawberries, eggy chocolate pudding. Toothpaste, preserved lemons, leafy, pencil shavings.

60 – Kilkerran 12
Egg white, Xmas pudding, lemon zest, tropical fruit, tobacco, herbaceous, sea salt, soap, apricots, oysters. Bananas, tropical fruit, olive oil, brown sugar, pencil shavings, leafy.

61 – Cooper’s Choice Ledaig 1998 Cask 0035
Hay, soy sauce, Xmas cake, burning plastic. Barnyard, burning plastic, rubber, sulfur, jersey caramel. Weird but pleased I’ve tried it.

62 – Noah’s Mill Bourbon
Bananas, ice cream with my mum’s chocolate sauce. Bananas, brown sugar caramel, salt, pretty simple.

Whisky 2015 – 22-25

Last night’s drinking.

22 – Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15
Cordial, pink musk, vanilla, marshmallows and buttery popcorn. Formic acid, light rubber, vanilla, honey.

23 – Signatory Fettercairn 1996
Grains toasted in butter, a touch of caramel and banana. Cucumber, a little smoke.

24 – Signatory Miltonduff 1995
Rock melon, slight kiwi and chocolate. Instant hit of cocoa, some spring onion, greenery, hay and dry grass. Normally I react poorly to this onion taste but I like it in this.

25 – The Whisky Exchange Edeadour 2006 oloroso sherry cask
Rubber, coffee, maple syrup, milk chocolate and caramel, slightly salty and dusty note. Vanilla, cola, oysters. Delicious.