Field Briefs: Bonus Dramming around Scotland
Whisky Details: Wolfburn Sauternes
Nose: Buttery and bready— like a sourdough covered with orange marmalade and Manuka honey, funky sauternes cask with new shoes and rubber soles.
Palate: Medium to light-bodied, mild and funky, toasted bread and orange marmalade, ginger stem, honey, new shoes, leather, a touch of sulfur and rubber, arare rice crackers and a kiss of salty shoyu.
Finish: Medium-length with orange, rice crackers, and a kiss of rubber.
Score: 6 (77)
Mental Image: Sneaker Collection Sommelier
Narrative & Notes: The sauternes cask was firmly in control of this unpeated Wolfburn— a heady cask affair with just an undercurrent of malt and salt. The flavor profile had limited depth, but it was loud and funky with plenty of unusual notes bubbling behind more typical sauternes orange. It may not have been a complex beast, but there were moments of contrast and evolution that kept the whisky interesting and fun to return to. I wished the body were thicker and the finish longer, the lightness of the palate held it back some, especially considering the aromatic pungency. Overall, a fun whisky— almost a bit Springbank-esque at times and nothing like any Wolfburn I have tried before.
Whisky Details: Longmorn 24 Year (1999), Gleann Mór Cask 800249
Nose: All the creams! Buttercream, vanilla, birthday cake frosting, cupcakes, pears and sugar cookies, apple sauce, peppery and spirited at times— lively.
Palate: Medium-bodied, the creaminess carried over with vanilla and green grape hard candies, hints of guava candies, peppery and spirited at times, more citrus oils toward the end with aniseed and dark brown sugar, gradually maltier with buttery pastry.
Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with brown sugar buns and orchard fruit.
Score: 6 (78)
Mental Image: Birthday Dessert Overload
Narrative & Notes: I cannot recall encountering another creamy and intense Longmorn; this was a cream bomb through and through with plenty of orchard fruits and refined sugars. It was not entirely unlike some of the early 2000s Longmorn (SMWS 7.264 came to mind right away), which I find to have more limited flavor depth than some of the 90s products— they never seem to hit the same highs, but also never fall into the same lows. By and large I find them sweeter and simpler, much as I did with this one. I was surprised at how spirited and lively the whisky felt after nearly two and half decades in the cask. Overall, I love a good Longmorn, but this was a bit sweet and clean for my taste.
Whisky Details: Clynelish 12 Year (1989), Adelphi Cask 3280
Nose: Big and sherried with tons of dried fruit and an undercurrent of motor oil, fruits in dark sugary syrup, preserved plums, gingerbread and molasses, kaya jam, more raisins with time.
Palate: Medium-bodied and syrupy, youthful and spirited, mouth coating, caramelized brown sugar and butter with flambéed bananas, fruit syrups and coconut jam, raisins, hints of salty shoyu, motor oil.
Finish: Long and drying with dried fruits— plums and raisins.
Score: 7+ (85)
Mental Image: Car Pool to Candy Shop Conversion Kit
Narrative & Notes: The cask was so loud, I could not hear the malt— this could have been anything, as the Clynelish character was blown out by the sherry cask. This sort of big cask-driven sherry bomb, is not typically to my taste, but if the cask hits the right notes, even I can be a fan. This came pretty close as hints of dirtier and more savory elements lingered around the edges of concentrated fruity sugars. I thought this had wonderful depth and a lovely evolution as the fruits became more concentrated, with a more natural sweetness than the caramel and refined sugars that dominate some sherry maturations and finishes. Overall, heady stuff— the cask took the spotlight and it was hard to discern any Clynelish character, but I thought it turned out well in this instance.
