Tag: highland park

Whisky 2020 – 19-24

19 – Glen Elgin 1995 by The Whisky Agency 23 years 48.2%

Nose is beautifully waxy and full of tropical fruits, river stones, marshmallow and green apricots. It is beautifully elegant.

Palate is initially sweet and pure and cheeky like raspberry lollies. Green grass, green mangos, cream which leads to riper mango flavours.

Finish is creamy and loooooong. Slight hints of salt, minerals and fruit.

****^

20 – Highland Park 2003, 14 years bottled for Duty Zero cask 6138

Nose is richly peated and sherried; like a beautiful smoked ham dipped in toffee. Walking through an orchard in autumn.

Loads of minerality on the palate, honey, toffee pecans and green sticks.

The finish is a lovely mix of charcoal and marshmallow

****

21 – Balblair 1990 by Kingsbury 23 years refill sherry cask 10116 52.9%

Nose honey, mandarin, leather, cloves, peanut shells. Very restrained.

Palate is powerful and eye opening. Honey and reserved citrus – like a citrus gel. Toffee and burnt caramel and apricots.

Finish waxy and gentle citrus.

****^

22 – Springbank 1991 by the whisky agency 27 years 46.4%

Nose is beautifully waxy and shows loads of fruit including apples, bananas and apricots. There is caramel and slight spice – some Springbank funk and old whisky smell.

The palate is rich and deep. Old apples, fruity, old and funky, waxy and pristine. Honey and super nutty. Wow there is some interplay between the elements.

But wow this finish is just nuts. It lasts for ever with mango and wax. Old whisky, candles and apples, dusty draws. It is elegant and pristine – the warmth of a smile from a girl in a summer dress.

*****

23 – SMWS 80.10 “Champagne and Roses” Glen Spey 11 years 55.8%

Nose is honey and floral, slightly nutty and toasted, pine resin

Palate is quite dry and hot … super biscuity, loads of shortbread. I understand why “roses” is in the title as it is slightly floral and rose hips.

Finish is green sticks, salt and slight cream

**^

24 – SMWS 9.167 “Part of the furniture” Glen Grant 23 years

I’m digging the nose apricots, hand cream and sticky date pud, maple walnuts

Palate is straightforward coffee, green grass, cream, green mango

Finish of chalk and tropical fruit

***

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Whisky 2019 – 102-107, Blackadder and Firkin Tasting

102 – Blackadder Raw Cask Aultmore 2006 11yo, 57.6% Cask #307142

Nose starts tropical with strong dried pineapple and mango skin, sweet honey, raw pastry, salted lemons

Palate of milky sweet tea. It’s malty with tropical and stone fruit. A hint of flinty minerality.

Finish is a simple salty butter.

****

103 – Firkin Whisky Co Firkin 49 Tullibardine 2011 8yo Oloroso Amontillado Casks, 48.9%

The nose was nutty, clear stone fruit, lemon sip, milk chocolate.

Palate had a lovely iced coffee note. Followed by heather, flinty, Brazil nuts and a touch a salty citrus.

Finish of cold salted butter, kopiko (coffee) lollies.

***

104 – Firkin Whisky Co Firkin Ten Royal Brackla 2008 10yo Madeira Cask, 48.9%

Nose: Rose heads, peach ice tea, my mum’s Madeira cake (yes I’m serious)

Palate: great mouthfeel, light tropical, nutty,

Finish: long finish, liquorice, flourless orange cake

****

105 – Blackadder Raw Cask The Old Man Of Hoy 2005 12yo 2018 Batch 1 Single Orcadian Malt, 60.7%

Nose was rubbery and chocolate which makes me think HP. Has very good seaweed and maritime elements.

On the palate it is heavy, honey and charcoal dominant. Pleasant sweet rubbery notes.

The finish becomes flinty and minerally and heavy with wet stones.

****

106 – Firkin Whisky Co Firkin Islay Caol Ila 2012 7yo Marsala Cask, 48.9%

Nose super maritime, gluey, dark chocolate, sweet lemons, corn chips

Palate has a gorgeous mouth feel, really flinty, stones and campfire

Finish of band-aids, dusty, toasted almonds and campfire

****

107 – Blackadder Raw Cask Smoking Islay Blended Malt 2019, 60.2%

Nose of glue and honey, chlorine,

Palate smokey, autumn leaves, pool water

Finish glue, salt and sea water, burnt leaves

**

Whisky 2019 – 22-24

22 – Benrinnes 1997 Berry Brothers & Rudd 18 years Cask 817
Nose: roses, cream, peaches, lemon butter, spicy

Palate: green grass, salty butter, toasted almonds, peaches

Finish: cream, cold salted butter

***

23 – Aberlour 13 Oloroso Cask Hand Filled 57.4%
Nose: woody, vanillin, baking spices, toasted almonds, milk chocolate, peaches, apricots, prunes, cake dough

Palate: woody, spices, cream, dried peaches, butter

Finish: peaches, salted butter, plum jam

****

24 – Highland Park 2003 Single Cask Series Sherry Puncheon 1306
Nose: coffee, medicinal, caramel, vanilla, orange zest, roasted chestnuts

Palate: rubber, campfire, grapes, raisins, coffee, rocks, terry’s chocolate orange

Finish: campfire, leather, old butter, old apples, ashy

****

Whisky 2018 – 173-176

173 – Springbank by Best Dram 15 Years 2000 42.9%
Nose – maple syrup, pancakes, ice cream, dates, slightly medicinal, waxy
Palate – wonderful springbank, birthday cake candles, Xmas cake, tobacco, old leather couch, old orange peel, tea tannins, dried shiitake, cocoa
Finish – luscious cream, woody funk

174 – Bowmore by Laing & Co “Old Malt Cask” 20th Anniversary 22 Years 1996 50%
Nose – raw dough, yeast, candied orange orange rind, apricots, caramel
Palate – minerals, loads of stone fruit, slight ashy, creamy, sea salt, tobacco
Finish – warm cream, salt, shaving cream

175 – The Oceans Macallan and Highland Park 2004 12 years old Sherry Butt Cask 0000010
Nose – Cherries, cloves, rubber, leather, mint slice biscuits
Palate – woody, cream, mint, dry spices, kiwi fruit
Finish – old apples, boot polish, leather

176 – Clynelish 18 by Kinko 1997 52.6%
Nose – wax, stone fruit, clear sugar, bright ozone, chocolate cake
Palate – apricots, gooseberries, cream, tobacco, bright and friendly, rock melon, caramel
Finish – gentle caramel, almonds, wax, old apples

Whisky 2018 – 164-162 – Whisky Agency 10th Anniversary Tasting

164 – Ben Nevis 1996 21yo Hogshead, 50.3%
Nose – lemon, citrus, cake mix, marzipan, orange fizz,
Palate – cream, salt, vines, bitter caramel
Finish – cream, sea salt, toffee

165 – The Perfect Dram Irish Whiskey 1989 28yo Barrel, 49.9%
Nose – leather, wooden boxes, rosemary, snickers bar
Palate – sun dried peaches, almond shells, salted butter, passion fruit
Finish – cream, butter, brown sugar, dried apricots

166 – Speyside Region 1979 38yo Barrel, 43.4%
Nose – caramels, stonefruit, glue, old paper, red apple skins, peach melba, orange jelly
Palate – sweat, sulphur, toffee, Xmas spice, juicy
Finish – cream, fruit syrup

167 – Speyside Region 1973 44yo Butt, 48.6%*
Nose – cream, glue, match heads, grilled peaches, mint, caramel, crystallized violets
Palate – apple crumble, ice cream, dried apricots, cold salted butter, mango ice, condensed milk
Finish – cream, cream, toffee apple, woody, fruit mince pie

168 – Highland Park 1999 18yo Hogshead, 51.7%
Nose – honey, salt, boiled oranges, green bananas
Palate – chalky, fire place, brown sugar, shortbread, salt, bitter caramel
Finish – match heads, rubber,

169 – Bruichladdich Heavily Peated (Port Charlotte) 2003 14yo Sherry, 52.9%
Nose – honey, smoked sweet paprika, melted butter, cheese and bacon Cheetos
Palate – pepper, smoked beef fat, rotten eggs, bruised apples
Finish – rock in a fire, chalk, medicinal

170 – Springbank 1996 21yo Hogshead, 50.3%
Nose – green peanuts, roses, roast chicken, caramels, apricot jam, cream, eggy pudding
Palate – cream, medicinal, Xmas minced fruit, salted butter, cloves, honeydew
Finish – matchsticks, brine, bruised apples

171 – Springbank Peated Type (Longrow) 1996 21yo Hogshead, 50.9%*
Nose – peanut butter icecream, glue, fresh dough, pepper, poached pear, chicken skin
Palate – smoked chicken, apricots, salt, nori, flowers in the country
Finish – brine, chicken skin, slight medicinal

172 – Irish Single Malt 28 Years “Black Irish” 42.4%
Nose – flat coke, cream, tropical fruit, woody, maple syrup on French toast
Palate – Maraschino cherries, liquorice, super dried out peaches, oden eggs
Finish – cream, loads of dried stone fruit and spice

Whisky 2018 – 152-159, The Drunken Master Whisky Bar, Kaohsiung

So when in Kaohsiung, where do you go? The Drunken Master Whisky Bar of course. One of the world’s great whisky bars and responsible for many incredible bottlings. I started out on some Ben Nevis and then the awesome Kuo made some recommendations for me. Great stuff!

The Clynelish and the Cragganmore were exceptional. And the old 1970s springbank was still lively and fresh.

152 – Ben Nevis by The Whisky Agency 1998 lightly peated 16 years 50.2%
Nose – lemon delicious, cake, apricots, raw dough
Palate – apricots, cake, green vines, cream, Xmas spice
Finish – cream, green almonds

153 – Ben Nevis Signatory 1991, 24 Years Cask 3833 54.7%
Nose – honey, maple syrup, orange cake, almond kernels
Palate – honey, cream, scorched almonds, rum baba,
Finish – cream, water, wax

154 – Ben Nevis Signatory 1991, 22 Years Cask 2382
Nose – coconut, green vines, caramel, honey, apricots, golden syrup
Palate – green peanuts, slightly peated
Finish – old leather, tobacco, cream

155 – Cragganmore 27 years 1989 World Bar Tour*
Nose – apples, cream, lemon balm, stone fruits, new leather shoes, peanuts
Palate – apples, licorice bullets, wax, butter, salt
Finish – wonderful length, salt, butter, wood and perfume

156 – Drunken Master 1980 Blend 35 years (Highland Park, Macallan, Tamdhu)
Nose – Old leather couches, bruised apples, honey, cream, peanut brittle
Palate – Old whisky, cream, arrowroot biscuits, honey joys
Finish – Old wood, Old sherry, Old cream, Old… makes me nostalgic.

157 – The Whisky Agency Clynelish 1996 bottled 2014 Refill Butt*
Nose – raspberry, cherry wood, leather, oak, spice
Palate – cake, cake, cake, cherries, prunes, raisins, perfume, cherry ripe
Finish – cherry cake with cream, tobacco, honey, Xmas spice

158 – Mortlach 1997 by Chieftains for Drunken Master Cask 5241
Nose – honey, dried peaches, terrarium,
Palate – warm spice, plums, prunes, honey, dark chocolate
Finish – honey, salt, wood, cream

159 – Springbank 8 1970s Japanese market ref. 5176
Nose – Old apples, wax, dough, yeasty bread
Palate – wax, apples, cream, old whisky, honey on bread
Finish – apricots, wax, burnt matches

Whisky 2018 – 38-43, North Star Tasting

38 – North Star Cambus 1983 24yo Single Grain, PX Sherry Barrel, 52.7%
Nose – glue, wood, sherry funk, wheat, cherries, rum and raisins
Palate – cream, mushroom gravy, toffee, honey
Finish – cream, iced coffee, grapes

39 – North Star Benrinnes 10yo, Bourbon Hogshead / Sherry Barrel Finish, 49.1%
Nose – banana paddle pops, fruit leather, roses, metallic, green rockmelon
Palate – honey dumplings, tropical fruits, great mouthfeel, yeast, chocolate
Finish – coal, cake mix

40 – North Star Glen Moray 2007 9yo, Bourbon Hogshead, 57.7%
Nose – banana lollies, tropical fruit, glue
Palate – hazelnuts, banana pies, brown bread
Finish – cream, salt, tea tannins

41 – North Star Orkney 17yo, Bourbon Hogshead / PX Sherry Finish, 55.2%
Nose – rubber, dust, soy sauce, maple
Palate – rubber, apples, Cheetos, milk
Finish – burning rubber, old whisky

42 – North Star Bruichladdich 15yo, Bourbon Hogshead / French Oak Finish, 57.1%
Nose – rich woody stewed fruit, chlorine, butter, maple, dried anchovies
Palate – medicinal, red fruits, brown banana, honey, coconut rough
Finish – weak soy sauce, tea tannins

43 – North Star Islay Malt 12yo, Bourbon Hogshead, 52.3%
Nose – pork, sweat, tropical fruit, bananas, leaves, white cheese mould
Palate – coal, pepper, pepper, smoked fish, medicinal, oil paints
Finish – salt, oily fish, sugar syrup

Whisky 2017 – 204-210, Cadenhead Tasting

Unfortunately since returning from Japan I have been waylaid with influenza… I wasnt sure how my palate would go at this tasting but with these absolute stompers from Cadenhead, it certainly woke up!!

204 – Cadenhead Small batch Cragganmore 1993 22YO 56.3%
Lemon balm, cookies, mint lollies, apricot delight, vanilla essence, cherry syrup, ice cream, really fruity. Cake out of the oven, salt, passionfruit vine, roasted shallots, a touch or grilled stone fruit, juniper.

205 – Cadenhead Single Cask Highland Park 1996 20YO 50.6%
Passionfruit jelly, passiona, apple sauce, raspberry lollies, apples. Waxy, beautiful length with pancakes, prunes, fruit leather, instant coffee grounds, slight rubbery note, honey.

206 – Cadenhead Auchroisk Sherry Butts 1989 24YO 57.5% *
Huge sherry, rubber, sulphur, chalk, cloves, dark chocolate, oatmeal stout, menthol, apples. Huge sherry and then an amazing savory note, cooked down mushrooms, soy sauce and butter, some really beautiful caramel sweetness to begin with, toasted nori.

207 – Cadenhead Small Batch 175th Anniversary Blair Athol 1988 28YO 53.6%
Leather, cloves, wood chips and gum leaves, apricots, rocks, slight waxy note, hazelnuts. Cashew nut butter, loads of tropical fruit, lantana, creamed honey, whipped cream, apricots, loads of chocolate with water.

208 – Cadenhead Single Cask Teaninich 1983 32YO 47.5%
Peanut butter, ice cream, dusty, caramel sauce, rose hip jam, brown butter, chicos, wax. Wax, dust, chocolate, leather, herbaceous, tropical fruits, slight butter.

209 – Whisky Agency and Three Rivers Glen Moray 1994 re-charred Hogshead 54.8%
Maple syrup, raspberries, turps, wood glue, Bourbon like, crushed ants, pound cake. Vanilla, raspberry jam, green bananas, huge vanilla finish – would think Bourbon, crushed ants. (Was this a mislabeled Bourbon?)

210 – The Oceans Whisk-e Westport (Glenmorangie) 1997, 18 Years Cask 1500071
Vanilla, gravox, sarsaparilla, pancakes, maple syrup. Vanilla, bacon and maple syrup, golden syrup, aspirin, raspberries, perfume, soap, coffee, leather, sarsaparilla.

Whisky 2017 – 176-177 – The Gresham, Brisbane

Back in Brisbane again – back to The Gresham. 

176 – SMWS 4.226 (Highland Park) Smoked Plum Lemonade
Could smell it as it was poured, sour cherries, prunes, lemonade(!), caramelised meat – like a roast lamb, paprika, milk, mandarin pudding. Grassy, milk duds, coal, caramels, rubber, brown sugar, preserved lemons, honey comb, golden syrup.

177 – William Cadenhead 7 year old Islay whisky (undisclosed Kildaton Distillery) 57.1%
Really herby, olive brine, like a dirty martini, lpg, biscuits, sponge cake, chlorine. Short bread, orange zest, coal, burnt plastic, kelp, nori.

Whisky 2016 – 84-89 (Puni Whisky Tasting)

84 – Puni Nova First Edition 54% DISTILLERY ONLY RELEASE
Malt, cream, cold butter, salt, stewed apricot, toasted hazelnuts. Great mouth feel, poach pears and their liquid, salt, bit bitter on the finish

85 – Puni Alba First Edition 54% DISTILLERY ONLY RELEASE
Wood and tequila, pine, salt, slightly medicinal, over ripe apple, brandy snaps. Medicinal, cream and salty… not much else.

86 – Puni Nova Batch 1 43%
Fruit lollies, bananas, malt, malt bread, lemon balm, pear nectar. Slight malt, salty, loads of cream. Not much to it.

87 – Puni Alba Batch 1 43%
Smells like new make, malty and heady, wood, egg white, salty, dry sherry, Chinese cooking wine. Slightly green, herbaceous, slight smoke, green capsicum, pepper.

88 – Silver Seal Highland Park 28 Year Aida
Stewed apples, deep spices, all spice, pine, geraniums, spearmint. Cream, salt, tobacco, chocolate and apricot. The length is crazy on this thing… minutes after still getting stewed fruit.

89 – Spencer Collings & Co – The Founders Reserve
Brown sugar, dark toffee, honey comb, sarsaparilla, marshmallow, vanilla. Honey, toffee, caramel, dark malt cake. Stunning heavy whisky.