Signatory Live Tasting Event, September 17-19, 2010

[Ganga]

And both 17 yos. I think we've done quite nicely getting a broad spectrum of whiskies in. Covered Campbeltown, Mull, Islay, Orkney, Speyside, Lowland, Highland.

[Holysinner]

I've just opened a Glen Ord and will open a Caperdonich next. As my first impression of a newly opened bottle rarely matches what I think on subsequent tastings, I'll try to revist these tomorrow or next week.

Signatory Vintage Glen Ord 1998. 8yo, 43%, hogshead
Dist: 20.02.1998, Bott: 30.05.2006, Cask #3439, Bottle # 231 of 419

Color: White wine
Nose: Hay, cut grass, malt. With water: pear and peach arrive
Palate: Apple cider, mint. After a few minutes in the glass, peaches in cream. With water: a bitterness appears toward the finish
Finish: Short, drying. White pepper, pine resin

Comment: Is young, tastes young. Rather green, the cask doesn't appear to have imparted much. Below average but nothing offensive here.

[Ganga]

Welcome HolySinner. Nice to see yet another different distillery, especially one you don't see many different bottlings of. Then again, I think we've missed many of the more familiar distilleries (Macallan the exception I think). I will join in with some whisky a little later.

[Holysinner]

Thanks Ganga! Some great notes here, I haven't made my way through all of them but a terrific assortment of distilleries I see. It was a fantastic idea of Johan's to go with one IB for a live tasting.

[Holysinner]

Signatory Vintage Caperdonich 1996. 12yo, 43%, hogshead
Dist: 16.05.1996, Bott: 13.08.2008, Cask # 82229, Bottle # 352 of 371

Color: White wine
Nose: Sweet malt, lemon juice. Salted oatmeal. Herbal (tarragon).
Palate: Sweet and sour (lemon) and salty. Unusual combination of flavors, quite savory.
Finish: Lemon hard candy.
Water brings out the salt on the nose, making it positively maritime - almost fishy - savory and herbal.

Comment: This I like, a jumble of interesting scents and flavors, not necessarily in balance but there's still more to discover here I'm sure.

[S_tan_De_mon]

S'tan reporting for duty tonight... I'm ready for some serious "study"...

[S_tan_De_mon]

Ganga, et al:

Ed K still hasn't received his registration OK from WM so he still can't log on tonight even. A real bummer. He had some great info on his new business venture, IMPEX, as well as Signatory news. Apparently no administrators work on weekends. Sounds like they're unionized.

[Ganga]

Sorry, I ended up having to do some stuff with the boys. I thought I would add one more interesting whisky to this tasting.

Glencraig

Glass: brandy
Color: dark gold
Nose: smoked grapefruit, fresh baked buns, stuffed mushrooms, sprinkle of mixed spices
Palate: earthy, roasted barley, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, pineapples, coconut in seawater
Finish: long, melted chocolate

[S_tan_De_mon]

Good evening, Ganga:

Tht's the Sig bottling, I assume...

[S_tan_De_mon]

Poured a wee dram of Isle of Skye 8 yr old. A great value blend with a nice Talisker peppery component, a sweet maltiness in the body with a peachy, apricot fruit character; warm and lasting white peppery finish. A real bargain! This is one of the lines that Ed Kohl is importing into the U.S. via his new enterprise, Impex.

[smn]

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.

Very interesting. I've got a sister cask for this one, #2304, 92/08 15yo, also Signatory. It's one of the those bottles that I really don't like neat at all, but which turns very very nice with some water applied. Looks like I have to visit it tonight for some comparison!

[mikeymad]

Glencraig

Should be this...

0910091842a.jpg

[Willie JJ]

Damn this was a really good tasting. I always seem to be away when they happen these days. Last weekend I was at the Glenisla Hotel in Kirkton of Glenisla and I couldn't even get a phone signal let alone internet. The only saving grace was the 34 malts behind the bar, although no Sig bottles. I really must try to be around for the next one.

[Willie JJ]

Yeah Nick that's what happened. I gave up whisky

[Ganga]

Yeah Nick that's what happened. I gave up whisky

I thought the whisky bottles were celebrating a liitle too strongly.

Willlie, feel free to put in some notes as you have some time.