Signatory Live Tasting Event, September 17-19, 2010

[mikeymad]

Tamnavulin 24yo 1978 ( 55.1%, Signatory, 11.3.78-1.31.03 cask 8066 119/252)

This was one of the D&M bottles I use to get as a part of their whisky club... All my tasting will be with a standard glencairn glass.

The color is very light - must be a bourbon cask not much darker than the pale yellow label on the Sig bottle itself. On first nosing, there are several things that dance out of the glass right away. A touch of lemon citrus, very light vanilla, cinnamon spice with some white pepper as well. A little more time nosing there is a sweetness that comes out almost like a simple syrup. Right off the bat the first taste livens up the palate. Plantains and a rich spiciness. It is interesting on the second tasting - it is kind of like a stew, rich-spicy-with almost a gravy with it all. The citrus and the cinnamon comes back on the finish which is not long, but a good medium to stretch from one sip to the next... A touch of water opens up each flavor a bit, but you could taste that is was a little watered down even though it was probably only taken to 52%...

I enjoy this dram... It is not one that I would turn to every time, but it takes you on a nice journey...

Cheers,

[S_tan_De_mon]

Just saw a note from Ed Kohl. He's waiting for the administrators to approve his registration. It doesn't appear that he'll be able to join the chat tonight.... sad...

[mikeymad]

Another old one to follow:

Clynelish 29yo 1974 ( 55.6%, Signatory, 2.18.74-8.1.03 cask 2571)

0924091835b.jpg

let's have a bit...

[mikeymad]

Sorry to hear S'tan

[pkt77242]

Just saw a note from Ed Kohl. He's waiting for the administrators to approve his registration. It doesn't appear that he'll be able to join the chat tonight.... sad...

That sucks.

Come join us over on SOI chat

[Ganga]

Is there maybe a way we can leave some questions for him to respond to once he's approved? If he gets admin approval, maybe we can invite him in for tomorrow evening. He should also be able to view the thread.

[S_tan_De_mon]

That looks like a great Clynelish, Mikey. Just poured a dram of Isle of Skye 8 yr as a change of pace...

[Ganga]

Hey, an identified whisky.

Scapa 9, 43%
D: 17.9.90
B: 29.5.00
Cask 3999
Bottle 66/332

Color: bright gold
Nose: herbal, iodine/seaweed, briney, green bananas (not plantains), apples, butter?, oh and now some glazed bread
Palate: strong herbal tea, banana cream pie, green apples
Finish: long but mild, herbal like rosemary with some apple pie

[S_tan_De_mon]

In my note as a reply to Ed's note, I suggested he check to see if he's gotten administrator approval. Otherwise, I asked him to join us tomorrow night...

[S_tan_De_mon]

Does anyone remember how long it takes to get clearance from the administrators?

[mikeymad]

Does anyone remember how long it takes to get clearance from the administrators?

I didn't think that there was a waiting period... but I guess that was before attacks..

Will have to see..

[S_tan_De_mon]

Attacks? Are wine drinkers trying to sabotage this site?

[Ganga]

I would suggest that it depends on when the adminstrators check in. It's early am now so.... All depends on whether they check in over the weekend.

[Ganga]

No Marty. A former denizen got drunk one night and went on a spamming rampage.

[S_tan_De_mon]

That's my take on it, Ganga. That's what I told to Ed...

[Ganga]

Macallan 12, 43%
D:22.12.88
B: 29.5.01
Cask 13935
Bottle 234/660

Color: Amber
Nose: soft caramel chews, creamy, leather finishes, warm applie pie
Palate: soft sulfur component that works well, cherry pie with the sugar on top, stewed oranges
Finish: lingering cinnamon/orange cider

[pkt77242]

Signatory CS Ben Nevis 16yo 54.6% 7/3/1992-8/15/2008 sherry butt 2309 bottle 327 of 550.

N: Big notes of licorice. Some raisins, walnuts and cranberry, strawberry and cherry.
P: Heavy sherry. Very similar to the nose with licorice, raisins and cherries. A note of smoke, and some cooking spices. Cooked strawberries.
F: Medium short. starting nicely on spices and raisins, but fades a little too quickly.

A very good whisky with a slightly disappointing finish.

[mikeymad]

Clynelish 29yo 1974 ( 55.6%, Signatory, 2.18.74-8.1.03 cask 2571)

Another D&M release from years ago. The color in the glass is just a lovely liquid gold. You can tell right away that this has spent a bit of time in wood. Woody notes on the nose are the center of just about everything that you fine. It takes a little bit to find other notes other than wood, bark, sap.... but the vanilla notes start to come out, which turns into a nice vanilla cake (freshed baked). All complemented by the cereal notes... Man I like the taste of this beverage.. the notes does not really prepare you to how big this is on the palate. A great combination of light spice, rich citrus, and wood notes, backed my a nice powerful burn from the %, gets right to the taste buds and takes over for a it.. and I like it. Second taste builds on the first really nicely builds the spices up and complements the rest of the flavors really well. The finish is really mid palate, which is really interesting considering the age (should finish back in the palate more). It is pretty long, but not super long. It is pretty much the woody notes that were on the nose that come back and sit in your mouth, with a touch of the sweetness from the citrus.

I was not sure this beverage was holding up over time from the nose.. But oh when you taste it.. yep it is all there and more...

PS - Added a touch of water.. the nose comes alive much more opens all up and wood blends together more. Tasting it everything is softened up a little bit, but all still nice.

I give it a

[mikeymad]

Signatory CS Ben Nevis 16yo 54.6% 7/3/1992-8/15/2008 sherry butt 2309 bottle 327 of 550.

I have #347...

I tried this at a tasting from Traverso's, where Ed Kohl was hosting. I really liked it at the time.. (I bought it)... Mine is still sealed.. Will look forward to trying it again. Hope that it does not leave me a little short.. I don't remember it being a short finish.. but it could have been the sequencing of the evening... Like your notes..

[pkt77242]

Signatory CS Ben Nevis 16yo 54.6% 7/3/1992-8/15/2008 sherry butt 2309 bottle 327 of 550.

I have #347...

I tried this at a tasting from Traverso's, where Ed Kohl was hosting. I really liked it at the time.. (I bought it)... Mine is still sealed.. Will look forward to trying it again. Hope that it does not leave me a little short.. I don't remember it being a short finish.. but it could have been the sequencing of the evening... Like your notes..

Mikey, I though the finish was longer when I first opened mine but it seems to have shortened up as I am now down to about 1/3.

[S_tan_De_mon]

You guys are really putting up some scrumptious tasting notes tonight...

[Ganga]

Mortlach 9 coming S'tan.

[pkt77242]

Clynelish 29yo 1974 ( 55.6%, Signatory, 2.18.74-8.1.03 cask 2571)

Another D&M release from years ago. The color in the glass is just a lovely liquid gold. You can tell right away that this has spent a bit of time in wood. Woody notes on the nose are the center of just about everything that you fine. It takes a little bit to find other notes other than wood, bark, sap.... but the vanilla notes start to come out, which turns into a nice vanilla cake (freshed baked). All complemented by the cereal notes... Man I like the taste of this beverage.. the notes does not really prepare you to how big this is on the palate. A great combination of light spice, rich citrus, and wood notes, backed my a nice powerful burn from the %, gets right to the taste buds and takes over for a it.. and I like it. Second taste builds on the first really nicely builds the spices up and complements the rest of the flavors really well. The finish is really mid palate, which is really interesting considering the age (should finish back in the palate more). It is pretty long, but not super long. It is pretty much the woody notes that were on the nose that come back and sit in your mouth, with a touch of the sweetness from the citrus.

I was not sure this beverage was holding up over time from the nose.. But oh when you taste it.. yep it is all there and more...

PS - Added a touch of water.. the nose comes alive much more opens all up and wood blends together more. Tasting it everything is softened up a little bit, but all still nice.

I give it a

Mikey that sounds like one hell of a beverage.

[mikeymad]

A newer bottle this time... - from Binny's

Linkwood 17yo 1990 ( 55.5%, Signatory, Binny's D-26/11/90 B-05/08/08 Cask 9724 108/232 hogshead )

DSC_0052.JPG

- I like that Clyn S'tan...

Next pour

[S_tan_De_mon]

I suspect that I'd really like that Clynelish too!

[Ganga]

Mortlach 9, 43%

Sherry Cask
D: 26.5.88
B: 9.97
Cask 2622
Bottle /580

Color: light amber
Nose: orange blossoms, honey, leather factory, cinnamon toast, creamy
Palate: chewy rubber with burning alcohol fuel-think race track, cherry jam, orange marmalade, grape jelly
Finish: long and sweet, very much sweet fruit oriented

[Ganga]

S'tan, my one question for Ed is whether he knows if the undeclared highlands (or other regions for that matter) were always from the same distillery or if they varied based on availability.

Questions from osfx: How many vattings of Hogs Head have been bottled?

[S_tan_De_mon]

Good question, Ganga. Hopefully, he'll be able to log on tomorrow. Are you going to be online during the day? We can ask him whenever he is able to get on...

[Ganga]

Go for broke I say. Let's open one up.

Benrinnes 11, 59.3

Hogshead
D: 25.11.97
B: 21.8.09
Cask 93
Bottle 113/267

Color: dark gold
Nose: vanilla, rising bread dough, wheat field at harvest, incense
Palate: steamed cauliflower, freshly crushed mint, peanut brittle, candied almonds, butterscotch hard candies
Finish: long, light, refreshing. Lots of different things going on but really bringing each element of the palate back.

I shall return with a watered down version.

[Ganga]

I can maybe return mid-afternoon. Busy at least until 1 PM.

[mikeymad]

Linkwood 17yo 1990 ( 55.5%, Signatory, Binny's D-26/11/90 B-05/08/08 Cask 9724 108/232 hogshead )

Breaking away from the D&M bottles this was a 'hand picked cask' from Binny's Sig collection (which they have a lot).. At cask strength of course.

This one looks pretty in the glass, as the nice reddish amber color catches the light very nicely. Layers and layers are there on the first nosing.. hmmm The bottle say's hogshead, but maybe a hogshead made from and ex-sherry cask.. The nose has so much sweetness and citrus that I just don't seem to get out of the ex-bourbon. Cooked Cherries with all the syrup is right there with the floral of heather mixed in. Very pleasant candy smell. Playing around with the glass can pick up some grass notes. The first taste really brings out the sweet nature on the palate. The cherries are still there, and it brings along a lot of spice, kind of all over the mouth (hard to identify a spice). Second try comes up with a little spice cake (xmas) and some brandy flavors coming in. The beverage sticks around a bit on the finish with the spice and cake lingering on for a long time. Making the next sip a little bit better. I like that trick. At full strength it can burn yo a little bit, With a touch of water the nose goes much more grassy and the palate becomes unorganized and looses a bit of spice (note to self - stick to CS)...

Glad to have this Link...

[mikeymad]

Going to drop off... Notes takes a lot of work.. Will try to add additional notes later...

Cheers,

[S_tan_De_mon]

Lucy just returned... I've got to pay some attention to her now...

[Ganga]

Trying the Benrinnes watered down to around 50%.

Nose has vegetables but not really that identifiable. They are cooked though. Loads of sugary goodness and some light cooking spices.

Palate is more vegetal. Some waxiness has come in too.

Either way gets a from me.

[Ganga]

Yup. Most Littlemills seem to have a lot of negatives and very little positives. Be interesting to see the collector's market on these in 10 to 15 years.

Also have found it very interesting that we haven't repeated a distillery yet.