Scotch Malt Whisky Society 4.248
$177.99
EMANATING PETRICHOR
This 13 year old from the Highland Islands comes in at 58.2% after maturing in a refill hogshead.
Flavour profile: Lightly peated.
Outturn: 301 bottles.
Panel's tasting note: "We were greeted with comforting scents of subtle peat, damp grains and petrichor. A walk around the farm on a drizzly and misty day. There was also a hint of seafood (fruits de mer). The taste was sweet and floral (heather and hard candy), the smoky element was now herbal and one panellist was reminded of old fashioned cough medicine.
A few drops of water transported us to Orkney. We were in a farmyard kitchen roasting carrots in honey, then breathing in sea air during a walk along the coast. A more rounded mouthfeel with water, with sweet cereal coming to the fore."
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 16.39
$212.99
SWEETNESS AND SPICE - LACED WITH MYSTERY
This 18 year old from the Highlands spent 17 years in a port pipe before being transferred into a 2nd fill high-toast/medium-char European oak puncheon, and comes in at 55.2%.
Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits.
Outturn: 672 bottles.
Panel's tasting note: "The dark, brooding nose has chocolate and marmalade cake, dark cherries, cinder toffee, orange Muscat wine and bramble liqueur; maybe some leather. The palate finds earthy, fruity flavours - fruitcake, damson jam, orange peel, cinnamon toast and cough syrup. The reduced nose gradually surrenders its secrets with spiced plums, orange Aero, sandalwood, mango stone, espresso, Peshawari naan and cherry Halls.
The reduced palate is like a metaphor for living - "sweetness and spice laced with mystery" - petits fours, moist ginger cake, Grand Marnier and tiramisu. After 17 years in a port pipe we re-racked this into a 2nd fill, high-toast/medium-char puncheon (made from European oak)."
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 58.33
$107.24
SWEET AND JUICY - DRY FINISH
This 11 year old Speysider was matured in a refill hogshead and comes in at 59.6%.
Flavour profile: Sweet, fruity & mellow.
Outturn: 267 bottles.
Panel's tasting note: "The nose had a subtle dryness (‘like a shoe-shine stand’ someone said) but it was mainly sweet and fruity – butter shortbread, creamy vanilla, Rice Krispie squares, marshmallow, marzipan and chocolate orange creams. A similar pattern on the taste – juicy orange marmalade, sherbet and brown sugar, with the dryness coming out in the finish – black tea, leather, spiced nuts and oak.
With water the nose became more delicate – caramel, toffee, coconut, orchard fruits and lemon puff biscuits; hints of canvas and varnished wood. The palate became more perfumed – damson crumble, pineapple sprinkled with salt and chili and an interesting ginger and orange combination."
Cooper's Choice Dufftown 2008
$94.49
A single cask of Dufftown whisky, finished in a Sherry cask before bottling at 56%.
Glenfarclas Family Cask 1984 Winter 2015
$7,499.99
No, your eyes do not deceive you. This is the correct price for the Glenfarclas 1984, matured in a 4th Fill Hogshead cask, bottled at 47.1% in 2015. Glenfarclas has very little whisky left from 1984, this is one of the last casks, and the price is the price!
Cadenhead Small Batch Tomatin 10 Year
$109.99
Cadenhead Small Batch Knockdhu 9 Year
$97.99
Knockdhu is known as AnCnoc on official bottles. This Cadenhead Knockdhu was distilled in 2010 and aged in hogsheads before bing bottled at a batch strength of 56.2% ABV.
Cadenhead Small Batch Ord 13 Year
$121.99
This Cadenhead small batch bottling of Glen Ord was aged for 13 years, first in hogsheads and finished in ex Madeira casks for nearly 2 years before being bottled at 53.3%.
Springbank Hazelburn 14 Year Single Cask
$119.99
Bottled by Gold Medal Marketing exclusively for Alberta, the 14 year old triple distilled Springbank (aka Hazelburn), was filled in to a Fresh Rum Barrel in August 2005 and bottled in November 2019 at 52.6%. 186 Bottles
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: bread and butter pudding, crème caramel and fruits: citrus, melons and tropical fruits; cookie dough, almond paste, and a gentle warm sea breeze.
Palate: big, round, malty and toasty; starts honeyed with juicy malt and barley sugars; as it mellows it moves more in the direction of the soft decadent desserts found on the nose; floral with citrus fruits, melons and some tropical notes to boot.
Finish: light and fresh but long and toasty; decadent, fruity and malty.
Comment: I used to think of rum finishes and maturations as being a gimmick, after all how much character can a rum cask impart on a spirit after it has been used for both Bourbon and Rum… but as I matured in my whisky ways I have come to appreciate that a tired old cask such as this leaves room for the spirit character to shine through, and that is definitely the case here; though, it must be said, this is a lot more creamy and decadent than I would have thought; lovely stuff.