Etikettarkiv: Recension

Japan, Nikka

Nikka Super Rare Old

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Japan
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Sample added to queue. Tasting notes pending.

See the queue here.

Additional information
This whisky was aged mainly in new american oak casks but a mix of rebuilt, recharred, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks are also used. The distillate comes from Miyagikyo and Yoichi. The content is said to be ~10 years old.

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Glenlivet, Speyside

Glenlivet 12 YO – Licensed Dram

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ABV: 48 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a mix of cinnamon, vanilla and nail polish remover all sitting in the center with an oakiness surrounding it from the get-go. Underneath lies a ripe fruitiness (mainly red apples) which comes through together with some honey and marzipan. It has a very dessert-like quality and the baking spices are very pronounced. With time in the glass it settles and reveals milk chocolate, toffee and red berries in the back. It becomes sweeter as well. This is a great nose. It’s not the most interesting experience, but delivers a nice solid character.

Mouth: It starts out with a spicyness around the edges. There’s not a lot of flavour coming through at first and it feels slightly spirity. When something finally appears, it’s a mix of oak, malt and vanilla. There’s also an anise note floating around. There’s a mild fruitiness but the whole feels a bit empty and lacks a lot of what the nose offers. It almost feels a bit hot and rushed. With time in the glass it does deliver a bit more of the flavours and mirrors the nose fairly well.

Finish: The spicyness spikes through the transition and when it settles it goes back to being quite empty on the palate. There’s a savory note in the back as well as a bitterness. There are toffee and fruit notes and lemon peel in the back. When the oak starts to take over there’s a perfumey layer attached to it. It’s a bit weird and hard to make sense of. The oakiness has a quite bitter character and without any nuttiness it really doesn’t deliver the best of notes. This is a decent whisky. It has a great nose and lacks a bit in taste. Time in the glass is of the essence.

Additional information
This is the second release from ”The Original Stories” series. It’s matured in a mix of first fill ex-bourbon barrels and first fill european ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 21 YO Château Lagrange French Oak Barriques

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ABV: 48.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet, peaty and fruity. At first there’s a tropical fruitiness in the background, a sweetness in the center and a slightly mineraly tobacco and leather peatiness up front. When it settles it becomes more homogenous and ripe red and black berries are added to the mix. It’s got a nice, dark character and the assorted bright fruits in the back create a nice contrast which still works well. Notes of salt, liquorice and dry soil floats around within and creates a quite complex character. This is an amazing nose with a lot of attention seeking things to discover.

Mouth: It starts out with a very round and sweet dark fruitiness up front. Underneath there are notes of tobacco, leather and campfire smoke which sits together with the brighter fruits and a dash of lemon. It’s very rich and even though it presents a lot of different sensations it still delivers a fantastic and well balanced character. Laid back notes of the age shines through with some dusty book shelves in the center. There’s still a mineraly side to it as well. The red wine notes travels outwards and makes the whole bigger as the seconds goes by.

Finish: The round and dark berry note increases in intensity through the transition together with the minerals and the salty note. It soon reverts to being a nice mix of the peat, the tropical fruits and the sweetness. It takes a good while before any of the flavours subside to give room for the oakiness. It’s a nice and competent oakiness. It feels fresh for its age. There are some hazelnuts coming through in the late finish with gives it a nice send-off. This is an amazing whisky with a character which creates a fantastic balance and richness throughout.

Additional information
This is the second limited release in a series of french oak expressions. The whisky was aged in french ex-red wine barriques for the entire aging period.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 15 YO – The Feis Ile Collection 2018

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ABV: 52.5 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and fruity. At first there’s a thick mix of dark raisins, overripe plums, tobacco and leather in the center and assorted tropical fruits in the background. There’s a peatiness spreading out towards the sides and the background and it delivers leather, campfire smoke and some minerality to the mix. There’s a nice balance between all the elements and nothing really takes the spotlight. This creates a whole which is greater than its parts, and all the parts are very good. There’s a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon floating around as well as a hint of vanilla and walnuts. This is a fantastic nose with a great cohesive profile.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild and dark center with dark chocolate and tobacco. After a few seconds a fruitiness with multiple layers start to come through on the outside. There’s the dark and sweet fruits and berries, yellow tropical fruits and some lemon. There’s also an elusive floral note floating around. There’s a chili spicyness which slowly builds up around the edges which gives it a nice power-up. The peatiness is in there, but even though it’s quite noticable it doesn’t feel protruding and just adds to the mix instead of taking over. It’s still has a leather, woodfire and minerals character. There’s a slight dustiness within as well.

Finish: The dark chocolate and the tobacco are first out once again. After a second or two the whole cycle repeats itself with the mixed fruits on the outside, the peatiness growing in all directions without taking over and the peatiness now seems to intertwine with the darker sherry notes. There’s a toffee note in the center and the floral note is still floating around somewhere within. When everything starts to reside the whole becomes a mix of dark chocolate, tropical fruits and oak. It’s a very mild oakiness which fits the journey nicely since the rest of the journey has been quite busy. This is a fantastic whisky with a lot to offer, both as just a nice dram and as an explorer’s experience.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in first fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks. 3000 bottles were released for Feis Ile 2018. The Bottle tried is No. 1280.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 10 YO – The Devil’s Casks Small Batch Release II

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ABV: 56.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and fruity. At first there’s a thick and dark layer with raisins, overripe plums, tobacco and dark syryp. There’s a mild menthol layer on top and underneath lies a fresher tropical fruitiness and a drop of lemon. When it settles a peatiness start to emerge from behind. It’s quite subdued and never really breaks through the thick sherry influence. It’s more of a side note which complements the main flavours. There’s a slight minerality to it and there’s a brine note coming through every now and then. This is a great nose which doesn’t change a lot, it just stays the same throughout the journey.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet dark layer in the middle and a quite noticable lemon sourness in the back. Soon the peatiness start to push through together with a tropical fruitiness around the edges. There are still raisins, plums and tobacco and a big bag of mixed dried fruits of all kinds. The balance between the peat, the sherry influence and the Bowmore house-style is amazing at this point. With time the menthol note becomes a spicyness which spreads out nicely over the palate. There’s an espresso bitterness coming through in the back as well.

Finish: The transition reveals some oak and some minerals before the dark fruits and the sweetness return. The peatiness is residing in the back together with the oakiness. With time the flavours switch places and the sherry notes make their way to the back and give room to both the oak and the peat. The tropical fruits and the lemon note return at this point and the middle part of the finish is a pure delight. When it starts to fade the coffee note returns and the oakiness takes over. It’s a nice enough oakiness but it’s not the best part of the otherwise lovely journey. This is a fantastic whisky. It’s not perfect as a whole, but offers so many great things throughout.

Additional information
This is the second release in the Devil’s Casks series. It’s aged in first fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Mackmyra, Sweden

Mackmyra Vinterglöd

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ABV: 46,1 %
Origin: Sweden
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is honey sweet with a fruity tang. There’s vanilla and oranges and a hint of cinnamon. There’s some notes of anise in the background together with notes of mulled wine. There’s also peppermint and sweet black liquorice. A hint of raspberries comes through after a while. It’s very aromatic and suits the winter season very well.

Mouth: It’s got a very fruity overlay, but the main core is the honey and vanilla. There’s anise and liquorice, but now those are attached to a thin note of ripe bananas. There’s cinnamon a-plenty and the fruitiness is packed with oranges and black grapes. The spicyness seems to be connected to the cinnamon and comes forward slowly. After a couple of seconds butterscotch arrives. The oak is there but acts like a backdrop and completing the scenery.

Finish: The spicyness just kind of floats over to the finish and the cinnamon and anise move up in front. Behind those a very pleasant oak starts to roll in. The mulled wine comes back and gives the finish a nice touch together with a pleasant butterscotch note. The distillate is noticable and it feels a bit young, but the perfumey flavours of everything else mask the youthness well. The raspberries comes through once again and bring some company in some tropical fruitiness and bananas before the oakiness makes a solo exit. This is spot on as a seasonal release.

Additional information
The ”Vinterglöd” (Winter Embers) is a seasonal release from Mackmyra. It’s finished in casks that previously held mulled wine and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry.

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Campbeltown, Hazelburn, Springbank

Hazelburn 10 YO – Rundlets & Kilderkins

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ABV: 46.8 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and very fruity. At first there’s a cinnamon and apple center with a vanilla and honey coating. It feels very dessert-like. There are malt and wood spices which sort of fills the gaps between the other flavours. With time in the glass the fruitiness evolves and the whole becomes more acidic and sour, which fits nicely as a contrast to the otherwise sweet character. It also becomes more oaky. This is a nice nose which has a nice journey throughout.

Mouth: It starts out with a small gap in flavour and then it becomes quite sour with vanilla and honey mixed in. It has a very nice rich texture with a slightly dusty coating. There’s a bitterness on the outside and together with the sourness it becomes a lemon peel note. There’s still cinnamon and now a heavy oakiness with a lot of spicyness attached to it arrives. A small fresh fruitiness comes through as attached to the oakiness but it’s undefinable. With time the lemon peel note becomes a bit too much.

Finish: The finish starts out with a one second dip in flavour before the lemon peel note completely takes over with the spicy oak sitting around the edges. There’s a slightly weird floral note in the back, otherwise it’s very sour and bitter. After a few seconds it slowly becomes more sweet with vanilla and honey. The late finish is all about a very fresh, aromatic and spicy oak. For those who are patient the oakiness turns very nutty. Still, it’s a bit too much in the end. This is a good whisky and it has a very interesting journey, but the quirky character becomes a bit unbearable.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2014. 12000 bottles were released. It’s aged in rundlets and kilderkins. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Kilkerran

Kilkerran 8 YO Cask Strength (2018)

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ABV: 56.5 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a thick vanilla and honey sweetness. Underneath, a young and vibrant distillate peaks through with a very noticable peatiness. When it settles there’s a mix of rye bread, malt and sweet liquorice added to the mix. In the background there’s a lemon note and a gritty complexity with hints of rubber and motor oil. It takes a while for a fruitiness to show up, and when it does, it has a mild and sweet apple character with a hint of tropical fruits. There’s a fresh menthol layer hovering above everything else. This is a great nose overall with a nice balance between the different components.

Mouth: It starts out with a lemon note in the back and a big vanilla sweetness in the center. It has a nice spicyness and it’s a powerful impact from the get-go, but it’s not attacking the palate. In the background it feels dirty and interesting and the gritty note from the nose carries over. The peatiness is coating the palate together with a fresh oakiness. After a few seconds the lemon note merges with the oakiness and creates a tropical fruitiness in the background. The vanilla sweetness evolves and sweet liquorice and honey are added to the mix.

Finish: The fresh lemon and tropical fruitiness surge through the transition and becomes the main attraction for a few seconds. The outside now consists of a chili spicyness, a mineral rich peat and a fresh oakiness. The oakiness moves inwards, slowly taking over the center part. The sweetness disappears and soon it’s just a fresh oakiness with coconut and sawdust mixed with the tropical fruits in the center, while the peat and spicyness stays at the edges of the palate. This is a great whisky. It’s the opposite of discreet and refined; It’s young, rowdy and it was aged in very active casks.

Additional information
The Kilkerran is made by the Glengyle distillery. This was aged in ex-Bourbon barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Mackmyra, Sweden

Mackmyra Stjärnrök

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ABV: 46.1 %
Origin: Sweden
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is acidic and peaty. At first there’s a sour sharpness and a peatiness with juniper and pine attached to it. After a few seconds a fruitiness is added to the sour note with unripe berries and green apples. It’s malty and there are notes of vanilla, but it main focal point is the mix of peat and sour fruits. When it starts to settle a more dense side arrives with tobacco and raisins, but it seems to lack some dept. A fresh oakiness is sitting out towards the edges. Overall it’s a nice and interesting nose but it doesn’t seem very cohesive. The flavours sit by themselves and refuse to interact with each other.

Mouth: It starts out with a sourness in the back and the peat and sweetness up front. In between the darker notes slowly increases in intensity and creates a wall of raisins, dark chocolate and tobacco. There’s also a smidge of sulfur within. The fruitiness in the back is still sour unripe berries and soon the oakiness starts to increase in volume starting from the same spot. When it finds its full potential the whole becomes unbalanced and a bit too oaky.

Finish: The finish begins with all the nice flavours finally merging and create a very nice experience for a short period of time before the oakiness once again steps in and makes it unbalanced. Fortunatly the oakiness is a nice one and it creates a very nice mix of vanilla and tropical fruits together with the unripe berries and the sweetness. A much needed spicyness do arrive late and gives it a nice power-up together with the peatiness which finally gets a place in the spotlight. This is a very good whisky with a lot to offer. It’s almost too busy and a lot of the flavours sit like islands on the palate.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in a mix of ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso, new american oak and cloudberry wine casks made from swedish oak. The smoke comes from using juniper instead of peat. It’s a 2021 seasonal release.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg 23 YO – Twenty Something (2017)

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ABV: 46.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and peat. At first there’s a cloud of mint and campfire smoke floating on top of a vanilla and dried fruits center. It’s a mineral rich peatiness with a coastal side to it as well. When it settles there’s a note of unscented lotion coming through in the center. The whole feels quite vibrant despite its age. With time in the glass everything seems to level out and it becomes a well-balanced nose. There are now notes of dark chocolate, raisins, figs, honey and leather floating around and the whole becomes quite complex. This is a great nose with a nice mix of new and old.

Mouth: It starts out with a lemon note in the back and a nice peppery spicyness around the edges. The mineral rich side of the peatiness grows quickly on the outside while the center part fills with sweet fruitiness with raisins, figs, honey, vanilla and old leather. It still feels quite fresh for its age but a slight veil of dustiness sits in between the sweetness and the peat. It’s quite complex and there are many small notes floating around. After a few seconds the coastal notes arrive and it becomes slightly salty which adds to the experience. (If it gets 10+ minutes in the glass there’s a fresher fruitiness arriving as well).

Finish: The transition is gentle and there’s no surges or spikes. The dried, dark fruitiness with raisins and figs are first out together with a now detectable oakiness. It’s connected to the vanilla and the unscented lotion note. The minty and mineral rich top layer is still floating around while the background fills with coastal notes, leather and dustiness side by side with a lemon sourness. With time in the glass there’s a fresher fruitiness added to the mix as well. The oakiness is dry and the late finish is a mix of oak and campfire smoke. This is a fantastic whisky and it’s an ever changing experience while time passes in the glass.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig 28 YO

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ABV: 44.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet fruits and mild peat. At first there’s a gentle campfire smoke floating on top of a sweet center which consists of vanilla, oak, honey and assorted dried fruits. Underneath there are notes of lemon and fresh herbs. There’s a coastal side to it with a whiff of salty ocean air. A smidge of iodine is detectable but the age really shows through, especially in the mellowing of the peatiness and the rowdy Laphroaig character. There’s also a mix of pipe tobacco and sweet liquorice found within the center part. The fruitiness grows darker with time in the glass. This is an amazing nose, both for exploration and just being a pleasant experience.

Mouth: It starts out very mild with a nice ripe, red berry fruitiness. After a second or two, the whole grows exponentially and delivers vanilla, mild smoke and a complex age note with dusty bookshelves and leather. Then it slightly shifts and delivers a fresh tropical fruitiness, lemon, liquorice and a small black coffee bitterness in the back. It really shows its age in taste and it has a very nice, yet mild, character. In the back there are notes of peat with a mix of tobacco, smoke and coastal notes. The iodine is gone and it comes through as very poised and distinguished through and through.

Finish: The dusty bookshelf note increases in intensity through the transition and a very mild black pepper spicyness gently rolls out over the palate. First out in the center part are the fruit notes. The darker ripe berries seem to have merged with the tropical fruitiness. Vanilla, coconut and oak are mixed in with the fruits and the first half of the finish is pure magic. There’s still a fresh lemon note in the back and the peatiness covers the outside of the palate. The complexity of the whole continues throughout but the finish feels a bit fresher and younger. When everything starts to fade the oakiness reveals itself and it’s a nice oakiness with a mix of oak spices, vanilla and coconut. It still has some old grey and old oak planks within though. In the late finish a chocolate note appears. This is a fantastic whisky which balances all the sensations and complexity throughout the experience.

Additional information
This limited release was aged in a mix of quarter casks and ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 12 months in sherry butts. It was released in 2018.

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High Coast, Sweden

High Coast Berg (Mountain)

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and fresh oak. At first there’s a thick lid of dark fruits covered in a brown sugar syryp. It’s sitting on top of a young, spirity distillate. There’s an immidiate oakiness covering the background. Up front there are cinnamon and mild spearmint notes. There’s a fresher green apple note coming through as well, but the whole thing feels top heavy and one-dimensional. With time a coffee note emerges in the center. This is a nice nose but corners are cut which is very much noticable.

Mouth: It starts out with a very dark fruitiness together with a coffee bitterness. There’s an immidiate oakiness, with is a bit too close for comfort. It still feels like all the flavours sits on top and there’s a lack of complexity underneath. With time it produces a chili spicyness and a hint of walnut. The brown sugar returns but it’s not as pronounced as on the nose. The freshness from the distillate is well hidden behind the oak and sherry.

Finish: The finish starts out with the dark sherry notes and the oak moving forwards in different layers without ever touching each other. It sort of feels like there’s a hole in the middle of it all. After a while that hole gets filled with some walnuts and coffee. In the late finish it’s just the oakiness by itself. It becomes too oaky and sort of off-putting in the end. This is a good whisky, but the corners cut to create this sherry-bomb has made it overoaked and top heavy.

Additional information
This single malt is part of the High Coast Origins series. It’s about 6 YO, first aged in american ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in a mix of first fill american oak PX-casks of various sizes. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Box, High Coast, Sweden

Sweden Rock 21 – Ny Amerikansk Ek (Box)

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Sweden
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and oaky. At first there’s a big hit from the charred oak with vanilla and a dry charcoal smokiness. Underneath lies a thin layer of red berries and a fresh sour lemon as well. It’s got an initial bourbon character which mellows out with time in the glass which gives more room for the distillate to shine through. After a while a thin butterscotch note emerges from the background. This is a decent nose but it feels a bit over-oaked which hides the nice flavours underneath.

Mouth: It starts out with a very prickly spicyness coming from the wood followed by the heavy oakiness. The charcoal is less noticable on the palate. It’s actually quite unpleasant at first. When it settles a bit there’s a lemon note in the back as well as a feint butterscotch note. The red berries do come through for those who wait long enough. The distillate comes through as a bit flat due to the low ABV, but the wood spices are already attacking the palate enough.

Finish: The finish starts out with a mix of ripe red berries and butterscotch coming through from the back as the wood spices take a much needed brake for a second or two. They return once again though and together with the wood obscures most of the flavours all the way through the finish. The charcoal returns in the late finish. This is a so and so whisky which is way too oaky and spicy. It feels unbalanced and leaves a lot of the nice flavours obscured by the heavy oakiness. This should do well as a base for longdrinks and cocktails though.

Additional information
This is a limited edition swedish whisky made by the Box Distillery and blended by Agitator whisky maker for the Sweden Rock festival. It’s aged for at least 5-6 years in a mix of heavily charred new oak casks and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

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Campbeltown, Glen Scotia

Glen Scotia Victoriana (Batch 001)

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ABV: 54.8 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is honey and ABV spiciness. At first, there’s a massive ”in-your-face” honey sweetness. On top of that floats a peppermint cloud and underneath there are notes of vanilla, black liquorice and just a small hint of peat. After a few seconds a middle layer consisting of red fruits with a hint of lemon starts to appear, but the honey sweetness remains the main focal point. When it settles the base starts to move towards a butterscotch flavour. This is pleasant but slightly too sweet on the nose.

Mouth: It starts out equivalent to the nose with a massive honey sweetness and a spiciness from the ABV. After a few seconds vanilla, black liquorice and butterscotch spread out creating a whole with a big impact. There’s a slight bitterness around the edges and a fruitiness on top and in the background. The oak comes through sort of as a background noise, which isn’t a bad thing.

Finish: The start of the finish is still very sweet but not as sweet as before. There’s some dusty old bookcases in the back and the black liquorice and vanilla is still in there. The fruitiness is hard to pinpoint since it sort of shifts through the layers. There’s most definitely a citrus side to it though. The oak sits in the back and it’s a dry, slightly bitter oakiness. It’s just a solid, nice oakiness without any specific add-ons. There’s black liquorice and a tiny peatiness when all else subsides. This is a nice whisky, and a dessert in a glass.

Additional information
This cask strength release is aged between 12-17 years in 70 % heavily charred ex-bourbon barrels, 30 % ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and then finished for 6 months in first fill ex-bourbon barrels. It consists of 10 % peated and 90 % unpeated malt. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour. This is batch 001, but there has been an earlier release 2015.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 23 YO 1989 – Port Cask Matured

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ABV: 50.8 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet fruits and mild peat. At first there’s a thick layer of sweet dark fruits with a top layer of nail polish remover. It feels a bit subdued at first and it takes time before everything starts to come through. There’s a mild peatiness with a mix of tobacco smoke, brine and a herbs out on the edges and with time in the glass there are notes of dark chocolate, lavender and some assorted nuts arriving in the center as well. There’s a lemon sourness in the back. This is a nice nose with a lot of small flavours swirling around.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of tobacco and dark, sweet and sticky fruits. There’s a slightly detectable soapy note in the back together with a mild lemon sourness. With time there’s a hint of vanilla coming through but the sweetness is mostly connected to the fruitiness. It feels quite complex overall with a mix of bitter, sour and sweet sensations. There’s a herbal side as well as a floral, with a lavender note still in there (connected to the soapy note). The peat is sitting around the edges and it’s connected to the whole by the tobacco note. Everything feels slightly dusty.

Finish: There’s a mild and pleasant peppery note which gives a nice power-up in the transition. After it settles the soapy lavender note once again becomes detectable. The fruitiness is brighter now with a mix of dried and tropical fruits as well as the lemon in the back. It still comes through as complex and notes of dark chocolate, walnuts, vanilla, herbs and lavender creates an interesting journey. The oakiness is a bit anonomous even after everything dies down. This is a very good whisky which feels a bit younger than its age. It’s an interesting journey throughout, but the soapy note brings it down a notch.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2013. It was aged in ex-port casks. It’s an unchillfiltered limited release.

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Campbeltown, Glen Scotia

Glen Scotia 10 YO – 2021 Campbeltown Malts Festival Limited Edition Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Finish

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ABV: 56,1 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and spicy. At first there’s a powerful mix of high ABV, vanilla, oak and kitchen spices. There’s also a liquorice root note as well as a subdued red berry fruitiness underneath. Everything seems to expand over time in the glass and it’s sort of hard to pinpoint individual notes specifically. After a while a gritty background noise and a round contrasting butterscotch note start to shine through. This is a very interesting and quite complex nose with a lot to offer for the explorer.

Mouth: It starts out with sour lemon coming through on the edges while the center part fills with ripe red berries, butterscotch and a chili spicyness. It takes a few seconds for the full effect of the spicyness. The oakiness, vanilla and the liquorice root are now covering the entire background of the palate. It’s quite salty and savory which gives it a nice array of sensations. There’s not much of a shift or development at this point.

Finish: The ABV spicyness flares up and hides most of the flavours. First out it the salty and savory notes in the back followed by the liquorice and oak. The ripe red berries are still in there but are somewhat lackluster. The finish is less sweet and is more focused on liquorice root, kitchen spices and herbs, now with a detectable cinnamon note somewhere within. The oakiness feels fresh and lacks a bit of character. This is a great whisky by all means but it’s really hard to break through the gnarly and hard exterior (It improves immensely with a few drops of water).

Additional information
This is a limited Campbeltown Malts festival release aged in first-fill ex-bourbon casks and then finished in first-fill ex-Bordeaux red wine casks. Lastly it was married together in refill casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 10 YO (2019 Release)

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is at first very fruity and spicy. There’s orange zest, peppermint, ripe red apples and vanilla together with the easy to recognize Springbank peatiness. The latter sits as a backbone with notes of rubber, tar and burning coal. This all comes together with some darker sherry notes, sweet liquorice and a whiff of milk chocolate.

Mouth: It’s salty, but the main focus is on the fruits. Oranges, lemons, ripe apples and now also some tropical fruits are added. It’s milder than on the nose and honey and vanilla cover the fruits. It has a very oily texture. The spicyness comes slowly and the oak and the peaty notes lurks in the background. There’s also a copper note detectable on the edges.

Finish: There’s a burst of peat smoke at first. When it settles it gets replaced with a complex array of fruitiness with a mix of darker fruits, red berries and fresh tropical fruits. There’s a salty note on top. The oak is savory and comes through together with the rubber and tar notes. The oakiness is very laid back and let’s the rest of the complexity shine. The finish is almost like a sangria, with red wine, spices and a lot of different fruits and berries.

Additional information
This whisky is distilled 2.5 times and it’s aged in a mix of 60 % american ex-bourbon oak barrels and 40 % european ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Ireland, Tullamore DEW

Tullamore DEW

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Ireland
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Sample added to queue. Tasting notes pending.

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Additional information
Tullamore D.E.W. is a triple distilled irish whiskey. It’s aged for 4-7 years in a combination of mostly american ex-bourbon barrels and some spanish ex-sherry casks.

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Glenlivet, Speyside

The Glenlivet 15 YO – The French Oak Reserve

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Sample in queue. Tasting notes pending.

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(Scribbles)

Nose: Soft sweet fruits, vanilla, dust, pleasant and rounded, feint smell of Apple juice.

Taste: Smooth, a bit dusty, some spices on the tip of the toungue, sweetness, dry oak.

Finish: Spices intensify, nice lasting dry oak flavour, hint of vanilla intertwined with the oak. A hint of apple comes and goes.

Additional information
The Glenlivet 15 YO is matured for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks and then finished for 3 years in new limousin french oak barrels.

Glenlivet, Speyside

Glenlivet 12 YO – Illicit Still

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ABV: 48 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and floral. At first there’s a thick layer of red apples, vanilla and marzipan. On top there’s a cloud of menthol and flowers. There’s a honey sweetness starting out in the back but then moves forward on the edges as time goes by in the glass. There’s a sweet liquorice note coming through as well. Overall it feels very rich and mild without any sharp or pointy edges. This is a fairly straight forward nose but it’s very pleasant and welcoming.

Mouth: It starts out with a lemon note in the back and a sweet maltiness up front. The fruity and floral elements are still in there but they are reduced and have left the spotlight. It’s a sweet and sour mix with a bitter tang in the back. It’s quite mild even though it presents a slight ABV spicyness after a few seconds. It’s just as sweet as on the nose and there’s nothing especially interesting happening at this point except for the sweetness moving forward a bit.

Finish: The honey sweetness flare up out on the edges before the center core starts to come through. Here the apples and the floral notes return as well as the maltiness. It’s still mild with a soft layer of menthol hovering above everything else. It stays consistant for quite a while before everything dies down and leave room for the oakiness. It’s a nice enough oak but it’s quite generic. In the tail end of the finish the marzipan note makes a quick revisit. This is a great whisky with a lot of nice flavours. It’s not a whisky to explore, it’s a whisky to enjoy.

Additional information
This is the first release from ”The Original Stories” series. It’s matured for in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels and european ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered.