Tag: mortlach

Whisky 2019 – 109-123 Flora & Fauna Tasting

Diageo’s Flora and Fauna series was front and centre for The Elysian’s 3rd birthday! Strap in for 15 drams.

109 – Strathmill 12yo
Great nose of lemon curd slathered on shortbread, dried ginger, green cardamom, egg white. But it comes apart on the boring palate of unripe pear and olive oil. This finish is overly salty with hints of underripe stonefruit and some cream.

**

110 – Linkwood 12yo
Nose has some lovely green apple sorbet notes with creme fraiche, dry baking spices, dried apricots and vanilla bean. Transforms on the palate to ice cream and sun ripened slightly green apricots. The whole vanilla/cream thing continues to be melted ice cream on the finish.

***

111 – Glendullan 12yo
Simple but pleasant nose of caramel and was spicy like an uncooked apple crumble. Palate was quite neutral nothing really stood out but had a great mouthfeel. It was heavy and chewy. How is this a 4 star rating? The finish, long and deep! It was amazingly creamy and full of bitter almonds like marzipan and frangipane tart. For a simple whisky the finish lifts this to an excellent whisky.

****

112 – Dailuaine 16yo (Discontinued)
Nose was very elegant. It had lovely dried rose petals, dried stone fruit all sprinkled with brown sugar and a healthy dose of cream. Tastes of hay and coffee grounds leading into hand cream and dark chocolate. Indulgent finish of a chocolate and caramel cake.

****

113 – Rosebank 12yo (Closed Distillery)
Fruit medley nose with dried apples, tinned pineapple, young ginger. Some interesting whiffs of vanilla pod and curiously dry bones. The palate is grassy, with more orchard and stone fruits, some lovely hints of marshmallow and leather. Simple finish that grassy and salt.

***

114 – Blair Athol 12yo
Sherry influenced nose – wood varnish, caramel, snickers bars and a touch of rubber. The palate has sweet tea tannins and touches of flat coke. There is some nice fruit of dried peaches and muscat grapes. Beautiful white peach and salted butter finish.

****

115 – Auchroisk 10yo
Confusing nose of marischino cherries and marzipan, tomato paste, pears. The pear notes continue with pear tea cake with cream on the palate. Pears return on the finish with a salty and saline, pear juice lick.

***

116 – Inchgower 14yo
Promising nose of hand cream, baking spice and dry cocoa. Some grassy notes and a touch of apricot leather. The palate reminds of stewed apricots with cloves and pepper, unfortunately a saltiness interferes. Cream, baking spice and flat lemonade to finish.

***

117 – Mannochmore 12yo
Nose of glue, lemon, shortbread and slightly salty peanut shells. An initial floral palate moves to sweet tea and slight snickers bar. The finish continues slightly nutty and a lovely floral note.

***

118 – Glen Spey 12yo
The nose was really really interesting with a mixture of minerality and Portuguese tarts. The Portuguese tarts were just there when tasting as it was overwhelmed by dry spice and not much else. The finish was overly grassy.

**

119 – Mortlach 16yo (Discontinued)
Wonderfully complex nose of lemon zest, dried rose petals, apricots, caramel, butter, chocolate and dusty shelves, hay and sweet tea… so many layers. Palate with great stone fruit of dried apricots and green peaches and a surprising note of liquorice and fennel. Just falls a bit short on the finish slight stone fruit notes and salty.

****

120 – Pittyvaich 12yo (Closed Distillery)
Nose of dried orange zest, furniture varnish, woody, salted lemon zest, brown sugar and melted butter. Sherry sherry sherry! Palate of coffee, toffee, with a surprising mulch and woody note, dried cherries, wine grapes. Lovely finish of spent coffee filters and melted butter.

****

121 – Bladnoch 10yo (Discontinued)
Woooo!!! Bourbon nose! Mango, green apricots and pineapple, grassy, hand cream. Palate of salty roasted peanuts and dried mango. On the finish it moves really nicely into hay and cream. A solid dram.

***

122 – Glenlossie 10yo
Interesting nose of peanuts, fresh strawberries and green coconut. A cooling mouthfeel makes way for grassy, hay, bounty bar, tea tannin palate. Interesting and complex finish of mango seeds, salt and slight butter and some bitter notes of dark chocolate, grape seed.

***

123 – Benrinnes 15yo
Nose of manuka honey and aspirin and it becomes quite flinty and mineral with touches of caramel. Wonderfully umami palate with flavours of soy sauce and nori butter, Parmesan rind. Finish of coffee grains and more butter!

***

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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 – 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 – 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 – 6-12 G&M Tasting

6 – Gordon & Macphail Teaninich 2009/2017 8yo Refill Sherry Hogsheads 46%
Nose: apples, glue, box wood honey, soap, leather, sherry funk
Palate: roasted plums, Waldorf salad, bitter herbs
Finish: cream, dry Xmas spice, dashi

7 – Gordon & Macphail Tomatin 1997/2014 17yo Refill Bourbon Barrels 46%
Nose: vanilla cake, lemon butter, salt, peaches, fruit salad,
Palate: Great mouth feel, loads of fruit and melon (honeydew and rock)
Finish: Crushed ants, toasted almonds

8 – Gordon & Macphail Mortlach 15yo Refill Sherry Casks 43%
Nose: musk, green strawberries, soy sauce, hand cream
Palate: raisins, apple pie, sherry funk, white pepper, black beans
Finish: sherry, rubber

9 – Gordon & Macphail Ledaig “Hermitage Cask Finish” 2005/2017 12yo 45%
Nose: bacon, roasted carrots, medicinal, Cheetos, chlorine
Palate: intense apples, smoke, roasted capsicum, pencil shavings
Finish: Cheetos

10 – Gordon & Macphail Mannochmore Cask Strength 2006/2017 11yo Refill Sherry Butt 59.4%
Nose: lemon drizzle cake, menthol, rubber, soy, new sneakers,
Palate: dry, flinty, loads of fruits, honey, soy

Finish: sherry tannins, rubber, cream

11 – Gordon & Macphail Glenrothes Cask Strength 58.1% 2005/2017
Nose: honey, honey, honey, toasted coconut, coconut rough, crushed ants, grilled pineapple
Palate: honey, caramel, coconut, salted brown butter, loads of raisins and pastry with water
Finish: leather and dried tropical fruit, green mangos

12 – Gordon & Macphail Balblair for The Whisky Hoop refill bourbon 1996/2015 Cask 414 51.1%
Nose: chicos, milk chocolate, terry’s chocolate orange, candied lemon zest, meringue
Palate: pavlova, lemon zest, cream, honey, fruit cup
Finish: cream, heather

Whisky 2017 – 184-188

184 – Cadenhead Single Cask Mortlach 30 Years 1987 48.2%
Cream, cassia bark, honey dew melon, fresh cut grass. Hint of leather, cream, liquorice, apricots, star anise, straw, rock melon skin, baked apple with cream.

185 – Oak Barrel Ben Nevis 1997 for Sydney Whisky Fair
Honey, aspirin, boot polish, short bread, black beans. Honey, orange zest, boot polish, golden syrup, granita biscuits, leather, some pouch tobacco, tinned peaches.

186 – Limburg Dramclub Blended 2016 Club Bottling 6
Rose petals, metal, cocoa, apricots, tobacco, caramel, toast with butter, honey, old apples. Tea, rubber, clover, salt, band-aids, honey, peanuts, stewed apricots.

187 – Maltman Port Charlotte 13 Years 2002 Cask 238 bottled for Shinanoya
Caramel, funk, steel, menthol, lemon butter, egg custard, plasticine, mint. Green grass, ash, coal, fruit cup, brown sticks and leaf matter, grapes.

188 – Cadenhead Caol Ila 33 Years 50.2% 1983
Bananas, green apples, malty, glue, plastic and ash, ice-cream, apple snow, cream, slightly medicinal. Cream, fruit, sage, parsley, sea salt, slight hammy note, stewed apples.

Whisky 2017 – 92-99

Some crazy independents here – thanks to my buddies Kelvin and Yao at The Elysian Whisky Bar. The Bowmore and Tomatin were my picks. 

92 – Berry Brothers 1992 Dailuaine 22 for Shinanoya
Apricots, dried fruit, orange zest, vanilla cake, light Xmas spice. Creamy, grilled stone fruit, green grass, roasted shallots.


93 – Three Rivers Whisky Talk Fukuoka “The Statue” Bunnahabhain 22 Years
Vanilla cake, apricots, slight meaty, ice cream, cloves, handcream. Gentle, fruit cake, hazlenut oil, really nutty, buttery.

94 – Kingsbury Auchroisk 1991 Sherry Butt Cask 2555
Dry ginger, orange rind, leather, sarsaparilla, cloves, wood, salted peanuts, plastic. Hairspray, old butter, leather, beef broth, stewed apples, coffee grounds.


95 – Three Rivers Bowmore 1996 Hogshead Cask 960039
Wet cardboard, caramel, LPG, steak and kidney pie, pepper and honey. Green grass, loads of honey, leaves, hot volcanic rocks, cream, ash, green plums, kiwi fruits, gooseberry, pencils shavings, band-aids.


96 – Glenflorres 12 Years 1970/80s bottling
Warm short bread, eggy pudding, mango, orange zest, slight licorice, wood resin. Soap, lavender, lemon balm, air freshener, slight creamy finish… soooo freaking weird.


97 – Tomatin 8 Years Limburg Dramclub 2015 Club Bottling 5
Chocolate dipped bananas, white chocolate mouse, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cherry ripe. Sweet tomato paste, caramel, banana lollies, pepper candy (is that a thing), musk lollies, clove and quince jam. Huge amounts of vanilla cream and spice with water, old butter finish.

98 – Chieftain’s Mortlach 1997 19 Years, Cask 5245 for Drunken Master Bar
Chicos, powdered gravy, Terry’s chocolate orange, vanilla beans, roasted pumpkin, mushrooms and earth. Sarsaparilla, woody, tea and wine tannin, cream, rubber, dusty, dried cherries and old prunes.


99 – Kingsbury Laphroaig 2000 16 Years Cask 3621
Jersey caramel, bacon on a campfire, sweet autumn leaves, plastic. Bone, mulch, burnt bacon, clear sugars, lemon pith, stones in a fire, banana leaf, slight rubbery.

Whisky 2017 – 79-81

79 – The Warehouse Collection, Whisky Warehouse No. 8 Mortlach 1996, 18 Years Cask 4120S21
Marmalade, coffee, vanilla, leather, malty, tropical fruits. Musk, floral, honey, melted butter, crushed ants.

80 – Kavalan Solist Auld Alliance Cask S090608026A
Citrus zest, brown sugar creamed butter, white chocolate and ginger cookies, maple syrup. Huge butter, apple seeds, musk, lavender, orange blossom.

81 – The Whisky Agency Sherry Refill 8 Year Blend
Honey, dust, toast, gooseberry, toasted marshmallow, tinned pineapple, apricots. Honey, cream, pepper, dusty, baked bananas.

Whisky 2017 – 33-36

33 – Carn Mor “Celebration of the Cask” Clynelish 1989 Cask 5888
Initially young wood shavings, yoyo biscuits, clotted cream, jammy fruit, tinned pineapple, liquorice. Coffee, mangos, baked cheesecake, egg white, wine tannins(?).

34 – La Maison du Whisky Artist #6 Mortlach 15 Years
Musk, wood, perfume, cream, sweat, chicos, cocoa, white peaches. Sarsaparilla, vanilla, artichokes, cream, salty, marzipan, egg yolk.

35 – Kilchoman Original Cask Strength
Lime cordial, band aids, pool chlorine, cherry leaves. Rubber, BBQ meat, smoked paprika, latex, slight cream, ash.

36 – Cadenhead North British 24 Years 1989
Butter, glacé ginger, apple pie, cinnamon, fatty, crushed ants, grilled pineapple, ginger snaps. Chocolate, crushed ants, lemon pith, ice cream.

Whisky 2016 – 78-81

78 – SMWS 128.6 Rumbling, reverberating resonances (Penderyn)
Wood glue, turps, banana cream pie, Christmas pud. Huge caramel and banana, sweet and delicious, butter and honey.

79 – SMWS 76.125 Enticing sweetness and attractive wood (Mortlach)
Apricot jam, sponge cake, wood turps, salt and pepper. Rock melon, brown sugar, yoghurt, passionfruit vine, brandy butter, great tropical fruit.

80 – Gaiaflow Eigashima Sakura 2015
Wood, chocolate, cocoa, pepper. Honey to maple syrup, butter, pepper, clove, sarsaparilla, flight dusty note. Wonderful whisky.

81 – Yamazaki Whisky Shop WSO-005 2013 (Red Wine Cask)
Red apple, red wine tannins, maple wood, pastrami (?!?), chiffon cake, ginger. Apples crumble, clean and balanced, candle wax, cinnamon, cloves.