Whisky: Deanston 9 Year SMWS 79.6 “Rough and jumble”
Country/Region: Scotland/Highland
ABV: 60.8%
Cask: Rough and jumble
Age: 9 Year (Distilled 2 April 2012)
Nose: Bright, citrusy, and fruity. Lemon peel and citrus juice opened the sinuses as buttery floral sugars wafted out of the glass. A mellow creaminess carried hints of pepper and the caramelized bottom of a pineapple upside down cake.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a bright citrus fruit and spice. A prickly spirit tickled the palate as a mellow floral sweetness faded to creamy spice. Fresh ginger and peppercorns led to pine with lemon coasting in at the end. The back palate was a tropical citrus feast with oranges, tangerines, and hints of coconut lingering through to the finish.
Finish: Lingering dry citrus and floral sugars.
Whisky: Longmorn 17 Year SMWS 7.269 “Luscious, silky and sensuous”
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 55.5%
Cask: Second Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
Age: 17 Year (Distilled 11 Feb. 2004)
Nose: Fruity, herbal, and earthy. Bubble gum and the syrupy juice at the bottom of a peach cup offered up a delightful bounty of fruity childhood flavors. Almond extract, dried apricots, and vanilla ice cream gave away to an herbal undercurrent with rising notes of menthol and an earthy petrichor.
Palate: Medium-bodied and oily with spice, fruit, and tobacco notes. Tingling spice and bright fruit brought to mind mango chutney with cayenne pepper, or dried ancho chili-infused berry jam. Butter at times, a creaminess carried forward under the fruity notes while white pepper and herbal tobacco appeared on the finish with a touch of honey.
Finish: Lingering notes of dried fruit and chalk.
Whisky: Glenburgie 14 Year SMWS 71.79 “Adventurously awesome”
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 58.7%
Cask: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
Age: 14 Years (Distilled 20 Sept. 2006)
Nose: Bursting with fruit: cherries and strawberry with milk chocolate. A striking herbalness joined in with fresh rosemary (or maybe the sticky sap/oils) and menthol. Mint and chocolate put mint chocolate chip ice cream firmly in mind with hints of cream, vanilla, mentos, limestone water/chalkiness, and snakefruit in the background.
Palate: Robust and juicy with cream, fruit, and spice. Strawberry cream cheese appeared on center stage as rosemary and herbal notes came from stage left. Strawberries and stick plum cake on the mid palate before a drying chili spice appeared at the end. Notes of Mexican chocolate— chilis, cinnamon, and dark cocoa. Minerality lingered through the finish.
Finish: Limestone water and fruits.
Whisky: Teaninich 13 Year SMWS 59.65 “Red oak”
Country/Region: Scotland/Highland
ABV: 55.7%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon (10Y), First Fill Red Wine Barrique (3Y)
Age: 13 Years (Distilled 26 Feb. 2008)
Nose: Candy, cream, and salt. Saltwater taffy to chew while hiking over sand dunes and through waving dried sea grass. Mineral and salty undercurrents from a shoreline breeze while searching for a place to enjoy creamy malty notes of cheese cake or clotted cream and scones. Stewed stone fruits brought to mind a sticky pot of something stashed away for a seaside picnic.
Palate: Medium-bodied with fruit, tobacco, and chocolate. Stewed fruits rolled across the palate with a chocolatey undercurrent and hints of salted macadamia nuts. Green leaf tobacco appeared with hints of a sulfur funks— somewhere between the funk of freshly shelled macadamia nuts and struck matches. One taster remarked it was the flavor of roadwork and fresh asphalt that teased the palate behind blackberries and a chocolatey fruit punch.
Finish: Lingering notes of hot asphalt in the sun and plum preserves.
Whisky: Strathmill 11 Year SMWS 100.29 “Misbehaving in a country house”
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 57.2%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon (8Y), First Fill Oloroso (3Y)
Age: 11 Year (Distilled 25 March 2010)
Nose: Chocolate, fruit, and salt. Milk chocolate, milk duds, and red vines promised a night out at the movies with hints of sea salt caramel and crème brûlée. The salt transitioned toward a sweet cooling sea breeze with hints of spoiled wild fruits— strawberry guava and papayas by the trail side.
Palate: Medium-bodied and oily with notes of chocolate and fruit. Tootsie rolls dominated conversation at our tasting with candied chocolate and a nice waxiness that gradually opened to fruit and pink strawberry lemonade tootsie rolls. Ruby chocolate came to mind with instant hot chocolate and the vague hint of a campfire. A few drops of water radically altered the experience— suddenly the palate was dominated by passionfruit and tinned pineapple with a hint of oaky spice.
Finish: Lingering notes of chocolate— or with water, tinned pineapple.
Whisky: Glenturret 10 Year SMWS 16.60 “Entering uncharted paths”
Country/Region: Scotland/Highland
ABV: 56.9%
Cask: Rechar Hogshead
Age: 10 Years (Distilled 25 Nov. 2010)
Nose: Meat, campfire, and malt. Smoked bacon and smoked vanilla dueled in the vapors while salty shoyu and sweet maple syrup hugged in the background. Malty whole grain waffles and melted butter came to mind with a rich campfire smoke in the morning. Breakfast broke with notes of doused coals, iron, and a slight horse funk.
Palate: Meaty.
Finish: Salty-Meaty.
