"Keep the Peat Logs Burning" January Live Tasting

[Willie JJ]

Bladnoch Forum 25yo Caol Ila 53.2%: 12/10/83-18/10/2008

Nose: Another lovely nose. Fresh lemon juice to the fore this time beside lovely malty draff and salt spray. The smoke is there but its overwhelmed by the intensity of the citrus. Not that complex, but truly delightful.
Palate: Massiveley sugared lemon segments, with a gentle smoke emerging to warm the palate.
Finish: Salty, malty and citrus with little spikes of heat to pep up the finish.
Comment: Incredibly refreshing for a malt of this age, but this is my favourite age for Caol Ila. Great stuff.

[Willie JJ]

Hey Sean! Now we're getting some critical mass for a good tasting. What happened to Fscott?

Got another 25yo coming up

[pkt77242]

Hey Sean! Now we're getting some critical mass for a good tasting. What happened to Fscott?

Got another 25yo coming up

Hey Willie. I am just leaving the mall right now and I should have a dram in my hand in 30 minutes or so.

[Ganga]

Laphroaig 10, 43

glencairn
medium gold
Nose: undercooked brownies, briney, oily smoke mixed with grist, lemon rinds
Palate: salted fish, lemons, brownies, diesel oil
Finish: moderate, oily brownies, bitters

[Ganga]

Nice to see you Sean.

Love the 10 Phroaig.

[Willie JJ]

Bladnoch Forum 25yo Caol Ila 54.1%: 13/11/84-29/03/2010 Hogshead #5388

Nose: Suddenly I'm at breakfast. The arome of smoked bacon is everywhere along with singed toast. Must've cut myself slicing the lemon though, because there's iodine and elastoplast too.
Palate: Licked a lump of coal and then chewed a rasher of bacon and washed it down with lemon juice and a grilled scallop. Plenty of malt, salt and sugar too.
Finish: Too much salt to taste the bacon clearly, but its still delicious.
Comment: Yet another great 25yo Caol Ila.

[Willie JJ]

Hey Willie. I am just leaving the mall right now and I should have a dram in my hand in 30 minutes or so.

Drive carefully!

[Ganga]

Willie, I typically get vines of varying intensity in older CIs. Have these been missing in the Bladnoch bottlings?

[Willie JJ]

Hey C_I welcome to the party.

[Willie JJ]

Willie, I typically get vines of varying intensity in older CIs. Have these been missing in the Bladnoch bottlings?

Not noticed it. Can you be more specific?

[Ganga]

Hey, good to "see" you CI.

Well, it varies a little Willie. Ranges from green ivy to freshly cut mint.

[dramtastic]

Great CI notes Willie. One of my top 6 distilleries!

[Ganga]

Good morning Dram.

[johan brugge]

Here I go. First up is a Springbank 'Peat-Smoked' 1992-2009 46 % BBR.

Nose: Very direct, smoke and some peat. Then the typical scents of Campbelltown: slightly citrussy, minerals, some salt but it stays fresh. Very enjoyable.

Palate: Just the same as the nose, but everything is more pronounced. It's really good.

Finish: middle long with some smoke and after a few minutes a more or less dry feeling at the back of my tongue.

This is a very nice surprise!! And it's much better when you don't add water to it.

[Ganga]

Good evening Johan. Getting ready to pour an HP next.

[Willie JJ]

Hey Dramtastic! Good to see you

Hey, good to "see" you CI.

Well, it varies a little Willie. Ranges from green ivy to freshly cut mint.

Hmm, I'm not much of an ivy cutter, but yes I can relate to the odd minty note, although I'm often slow to pick up on those.

Need to find some more drams. Back shortly.

[Willie JJ]

Welcome Johan!

Brb.

[johan brugge]

Airigh Nam Beist L7 this time.

Nose: Sherry straight away, BBQ, smoke, peat, some flowers as well. Delicious!! No need for water!

Palate: Smokey, slightly peated and some sherry again. It's not an oily whisky, but rather silky. Some more pepper comes along as I keep the whisky on my tongue.

Finish: Warming, smokey with a tadd of sherry on the background. Peat again. It's like an angel **** down my throat.

[johan brugge]

Hello guys. Getting busy too?

[Ganga]

HP 30, 48.1

glencairn
dark amber
Nose: honey in beeswax, light smoke wafting in, caramel, orange cider, some maltiness
Palate: cinnamon sticks, caramel, squeezed orange juice, nutmeg, smoked fruits
Finish: long and spicey, some smoke and waxiness too

[dramtastic]

Good morning lads. This thread really took off while I slumbering and I'm really enjoying it. Still a bit early for me to pour a dram but willl be posting on the following a little later on.
Hakushu 12
HB Caol Ila 10 1996 46%
HB Lahproaig 10 1996 52.9%
Well that's for starters anyway.

[johan brugge]

This is a slightly older note about a Bruichladdich Micro Provenance 1992-2009 17yo.

Nose: Very nice. Peat, minerals and some wet hay, fruit.

Palate: Some malt flavours like you can find in a Lowland whisky. Some peat again with fruit, but more on the background this time. With a few drops of water it becomes much better. It's just wonderful now. More peat than on the nose. A bit more oily as well. Pleasantly complex.

Finish: Some pepper, peat, some smoke. After a while a some citrus flavours emerge but not a lot.

Again a very nice whisky!!

[Ganga]

Hm, I think I need to make another quick run to find some others to add in. Be right back.

[Willie JJ]

Ok I've found another 10 Caol Ilas. Not sure there's time to do them all tonight though.

[Ganga]

When has that stopped you Willie? I'm going to have a Clynelish next.

[Ganga]

Glenhaven Clynelish 12, 61%

glencairn
dark straw
Nose: smokey butterscotch, butter cream, straw hay, honey, alfalfa hay, chocolate powder
Palate: creamy, satin feel, honey over cottage cheese, smoked hard cheese (not sure which one)
Finish: LONG, creamy, honey, smokey

I finally have to make an additional comment. It doesn't feel anywhere near the proof.

[pkt77242]

I am back. Sorry it took so long but there was a loose dog in our neighberhood and I had to track down her owners. Mission accomplished. Now to find something to pour.

[Ganga]

Sean hasn't made it yet. Hope all is well. Maybe he's just spying on us. Maybe he can't find an open bottle.

Edit:
Man, that was quick.

Edit again:
Yes, this Clynelish is wonderful. It's like getting a young Brora from the end of the run.

[Willie JJ]

Bladnoch Forum 16yo Caol Ila 59%: 91-2007 Hogshead #3869

Nose: Smoked fish, salt spray and orange sherbet.
Palate: Citrus, coal smoke and hot spices.
Finish: Salt smoked meat.
Comment: A good fun Caol Ila.

[dramtastic]

That reminds me to add my '74 Clynelish to the tasting list

[Willie JJ]

Yes, this Clynelish is wonderful. It's like getting a young Brora from the end of the run.

Wow! That sounds great.

[pkt77242]

Caol Ila 25yo OB 1979/2005 58.4%

N: Moss, wet stone, brine, light smoke and some white fruit (maybe peaches and nectarines). A little peat and white pepper in the background.
P: A mossy type peatiness, with lots of brine, white pepper and some smoke. Salted peach. Maybe the slight taste of dill pickle in the background to go with some poblano pepper.
F: Long finish. Briney and the embers from a campfire. Also the poblano pepper, white pepper and moss.

A damn fine whisky. I really like Caol Ila, great whisky both young and old.

[Ganga]

Yes, this Clynelish is wonderful. It's like getting a young Brora from the end of the run.

Wow! That sounds great.

It really is good. Much more strongly peated than usual for a Clynelish. This is an 84 so it is supposed to be post Brora closing. There has been much debate over this. My opinion is that it came from some left over maltings for Brora.

[Ganga]

Caol Ila 25yo OB 1979/2005 58.4%

N: Moss, wet stone, brine, light smoke and some white fruit (maybe peaches and nectarines). A little peat and white pepper in the background.
P: A mossy type peatiness, with lots of brine, white pepper and some smoke. Salted peach. Maybe the slight taste of dill pickle in the background to go with some poblano pepper.
F: Long finish. Briney and the embers from a campfire. Also the poblano pepper, white pepper and moss.

A damn fine whisky. I really like Caol Ila, great whisky both young and old.

I always think of vines or ivy with the older CIs. Glad to see someone else finding something along those lines.

[johan brugge]

Caol Ila 25yo OB 1979/2005 58.4%

N: Moss, wet stone, brine, light smoke and some white fruit (maybe peaches and nectarines). A little peat and white pepper in the background.
P: A mossy type peatiness, with lots of brine, white pepper and some smoke. Salted peach. Maybe the slight taste of dill pickle in the background to go with some poblano pepper.
F: Long finish. Briney and the embers from a campfire. Also the poblano pepper, white pepper and moss.

A damn fine whisky. I really like Caol Ila, great whisky both young and old.

Now that is a very interesting note you wrote there, Sean. I've got a Caol Ila 1978 25yo 59.4 %. You made me very curious about this one.