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 2016 – 47-50

47 – Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom bottling 2007
Musk lollies, leather, glue, honey, maple syrup, sarsaparilla and chocolate. Short, hot and angry, wood, maple, cream, butter, marshmallows.

48 – Berry’s Laphroaig 1997 Cask 48
Oil paints, autumn leaves, salty caramels, plasticine. Honey, smoke, bitter caramels, sweet mint and basil, cream and leaves.

49 – Lagavulin 18 Feis Ile 2016 Bottling Bottle:5916 (American Oak Hogsheads & Bodega Sherry Butts)
Fresh, zesty, red apples, butter cake, autumn leaves, just the right amount of oiliness. Apples, autumn leaves, saltiness, cream, paint. Really well balanced.

50 – SMWS 72.47 Burnt Spotted Dick (Miltonduff)
Cottee’s caramel ice cream sauce, glue and orange zest, candy apples, formic acid, pina colada, pineapple upside down cake, vanilla essence, white pepper, creme caramel, slight Rosemary. Juicy grilled pineapple, toasted coconut, vanilla pudding, pain aux raisins, slight sweet rubbery notes.

Whisky 2015 – 61-63

61 – SMWS 116.20 Fascinating complexity and finesse (Yoichi)
Some real funk to it, young pine, model glue, chocolate mousse, vanilla, citrus and lemon rind. Like I’ve been smoking pastrami and opened the smoker, pepper, understand shiitake from the tasting notes. Very complex.

62 – lagavulin distillers edition 2012
Seaweed, salt, sugar syrup, slight gooseberry. Easy drinking, integrated peat, rain at the seaside and young green twigs.

63 – Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Chibi Daru 2014 2227/6200
Beautiful clear vanilla, crushed ants, chocolate mousse, apricot, egg whites, salt. Apricots, cream, cigars, toasted grains, intense and such a beautiful fruit sweetness.