20 Dec 2012
Nose: Apples, pears, sherbet.
Mouth and Finish: Honey. Estery pear drops. Smooth.
Very lively; only the smoothness gives away the age. A very good malt, this.
Monday 31 December 2012
Friday 14 December 2012
Lidl 18 year old "Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky" 40%
An 18 year old for less than £20? Also, at mistaken first glance, from the "Speyside" distillery— who do quite a nice 12 year old. So of course I bought it.
Only it's not actually from the Speyside distillery, just a Speyside distillery. The best guess I can find via google is that it's a Tamnavulin, but Lidl and the mysterious Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Company (W&M?) are not telling.
Nose: Restrained, soft honey.
Mouth: Very smooth. Vanilla and wood.
Finish: Very very smooth. Oak and cinnamon.
Given the complete lack of spiritiness or harsh notes, there could be a fair amount of even older stuff in there. It's certainly more refined and quite a lot nicer than some much older (and more expensive) single malts— though not the most complex dram out there.
Definitely worth snapping up, though.
Only it's not actually from the Speyside distillery, just a Speyside distillery. The best guess I can find via google is that it's a Tamnavulin, but Lidl and the mysterious Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Company (W&M?) are not telling.
Nose: Restrained, soft honey.
Mouth: Very smooth. Vanilla and wood.
Finish: Very very smooth. Oak and cinnamon.
Given the complete lack of spiritiness or harsh notes, there could be a fair amount of even older stuff in there. It's certainly more refined and quite a lot nicer than some much older (and more expensive) single malts— though not the most complex dram out there.
Definitely worth snapping up, though.
Saturday 8 December 2012
Bowmore 15 year old, Darkest. 43%
Nose: Sherry, salt and smoke.
Mouth: the same.
Finish: Warm, fruity, some salt.
Good. Not as punchy as the Feis Ile tasted at the same sitting (it's not a cask strength), but the same general idea.
Mouth: the same.
Finish: Warm, fruity, some salt.
Good. Not as punchy as the Feis Ile tasted at the same sitting (it's not a cask strength), but the same general idea.
Bowmore Tempest 10 year old, small batch 3. 55.6%
Nose: subdued vanilla, some smoke. A little underwhelming after the Feis Ile.
Mouth: Lively, zesty, a slight harshness. Salty.
Finish: Soft salt lingers in the back of the mouth. In a nice way.
Not bad at all. Seems like Bowmore whiskies are much more varied, and nicer, than I remember from before. "Before" mostly being a distillery tour and tasting 9 years ago.
Bowmore Feis Ile 2012 15 year old, 55.4%
The first offering at a recent Bowmore tasting.
Nose: Muscular. Sherry and fruit jostle with the smokiness.
Mouth: As above, but it starts to come together.
Finish: Warm, long, well balanced.
In the end, it pulls off the sherry/smoke integration rather well. Shame there isn't much/any of this left...
Nose: Muscular. Sherry and fruit jostle with the smokiness.
Mouth: As above, but it starts to come together.
Finish: Warm, long, well balanced.
In the end, it pulls off the sherry/smoke integration rather well. Shame there isn't much/any of this left...
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