"Keep the Peat Logs Burning" January Live Tasting

[Ganga]

While the glass may be empty, the aroma lingers on. I just can't get rid of this aroma yet.

[Willie JJ]

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.

Both of those bottlings are excellent in my opinion. They are two of the reasons why I love 25yo CI so much.

[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.

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.

Open it, Johan

[Ganga]

Open it, Johan

Which reminds me of my resolution. Finish it Sean!

[Willie JJ]

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.

I guess that's a possibility, but there was also less control over processes in those days. It's not impossible they got a delivery of peated malt and just used it rather than sending it back.

[Ganga]

Some good ol' Talisker 10

Nose: crushed green grains, honey, white pepper, basil, whisps of burning heather
Palate: orange blossom honey, fine white pepper, dash of jalapeno pickling juice, smoked and dried fruits
Finish: long, mild spices in a honey mix

[johan brugge]

Ledaig 8yo 2001 Heavily Peated Kintra Single Cask Collection ( this one).

Nose: Soft, wet moss, heath grass, peat. Delicious!! With some water: more smoke and ash, some burnt plastic(??) My wife really hates it.
Palate: Very direct, lots of peat, little smoke, prickly. Very nice balance though. With water: don't add water!!
Finish: Clean, salty, some peat. When water is added: more on smoke. Very very good!!

[Ganga]

I think you and I have more plausible explanations as some have suggested that it was mislabeled Brora cask.

Johan, thanks for the notice. I have found a few that absolutely fall apart with the addition of water. An OMC Bowmore turned to ash with any water added.

[johan brugge]

Open it, Johan

Not yet. It took me a very long time to track it down. I want to enjoy just looking at it for a while.

[pkt77242]

Talisker 25yo 2004 release 57.8%

N: Light sherry, cocoa, sweet peat, and some fresh ground black pepper. hints of red fruits, walnuts and leather.
P: Much peatier in the mouth than on the nose. Sweet peat and black pepper. A little melon, strawberry and walnuts. some smoke and polished oak.
F: Loads of black pepper, and smoke. Peat, cumin and a little fruit (the melons and strawberries). Medium long, also with hints of the leather and walnuts.

[pkt77242]

Ok, done a little head to head to head with 2 Caol Ilas of G&M.

1994/2005 58.2% G&M Cask Strenght (2 samples 1 "fresh" backup sample and 1 "old" of the bottom bit of the bottle) to see what time does with an open bottle.
And a 1996/2007 59% G&M Cask Strenght (MM Silver)

Nose:
Both 1994s are still pungent on the nose. The fresh one has a sweet (rubbery?) sherry tingle to it, bit more warmth with some waxyness with spices. The old one has more chlorine/old tcp, some lemon and vanilla sweetness, sherry is there but much more subdued.
1996 is a different beast, much less pungent and less on the sherry and bit sweeter(cherries/tropical) hint of mint?!, and probably showing more of the distillery.
Taste:
Fresh: big on sweet sherry and some musty warehouse in the background.
Old: much more pungent on the taste, and less on sherry, warehouse not as obvious.
1996: has a pungent start into sweetness, some hints of old wood and sherry.
Finish:
Fresh:Oily, sharp and long
Old:more coating, powdery and long
1996:turning hot then dry with ash

There is a relation between the fresh and the old, but in a blind tasting you would never guess they are from the same bottle. The hint of musty warehouse made me lower the rating for the 1994. As it is less present in the older sample, I would rate that higher. Without the off note to me, it would have reached 86 easily, as there is a great whisky underneath. But the 1996 wins of the 1994, off note or not.

1994 old:83
1994 fresh:82
1996:88

Nice notes. 1994 sounds yummy.

[Ganga]

Talisker 25yo 2004 release 57.8%

N: Light sherry, cocoa, sweet peat, and some fresh ground black pepper. hints of red fruits, walnuts and leather.
P: Much peatier in the mouth than on the nose. Sweet peat and black pepper. A little melon, strawberry and walnuts. some smoke and polished oak.
F: Loads of black pepper, and smoke. Peat, cumin and a little fruit (the melons and strawberries). Medium long, also with hints of the leather and walnuts.

I heart Tali 25. Reminds me of my past impressions of various Tali 25s.

[Ganga]

Laga 12, 2009

glencairn

Nose: peat log fire with tossed in lemon rinds, passion fruit, pears, vanilla extract, strawberry blossoms
Palate: oak bbq, plaintains and dried bananas, heating oil
Finish: long, late night seaside fire

[pkt77242]

Now onto 2 indie Bowmores

A.D. Rattray Bowmore 18yo 1991/2010 sherry cask 2075 53.5%

N: maple syrup, bacon, smoked ham, and some salt. light floral notes, cinnamon and some ash.
P: Maple syrup, bacon and salt. Still some of the floral notes and ash. Some cinnamon as well.
F: medium on ash, maple syrup and bacon fat. also a little floral note (lillies?) lingers.

An interesting Bowmore but not my favorite.

[Ganga]

So what is your favorite Bowmore?

Second question, what distilleries have we skipped so far?

[pkt77242]

Laga 12, 2009

glencairn

Nose: peat log fire with tossed in lemon rinds, passion fruit, pears, vanilla extract, strawberry blossoms
Palate: oak bbq, plaintains and dried bananas, heating oil
Finish: long, late night seaside fire

I think I am doing Laga's tomorrow. Probably some Ardbeg's later tonight but first another Bowmore.

[Willie JJ]

Bladnoch Forum 29yo Caol Ila 55.1%: 21/05/80-15/06/2009 Refill Sherry Hogshead #4939

Nose: Smokey strawberry jam and fresh peaches. And now spearmint
Palate: Rhubarb and seafood with salted seaweed dressing.
Finish: Salted lemon sherbet that sizzles on the tongue.
Comment: Sherry casked Caol Ila. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[pkt77242]

So what is your favorite Bowmore?

Second question, what distilleries have we skipped so far?

The Bowmore that I am about to pour (since I haven't had any of their older ones) and I think we have missed peat Bunna, and maybe Benriach? and Ardmore.

[pkt77242]

Bladnoch Forum 29yo Caol Ila 55.1%: 21/05/80-15/06/2009 Refill Sherry Hogshead #4939

Nose: Smokey strawberry jam and fresh peaches. And now spearmint
Palate: Rhubarb and seafood with salted seaweed dressing.
Finish: Salted lemon sherbet that sizzles on the tongue.
Comment: Sherry casked Caol Ila. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Willie that sounds amazing. I am jealous.

[johan brugge]

Laga 12, 2009

glencairn

Nose: peat log fire with tossed in lemon rinds, passion fruit, pears, vanilla extract, strawberry blossoms
Palate: oak bbq, plaintains and dried bananas, heating oil
Finish: long, late night seaside fire

Well, this is the first Laga I'm not very fond off. I think it's way too sweet and smokey.

Here is my favourite Bowmore. A Bowmore 19yo 1990 SV 46 %.

Nose: Fruit (peach, apricot), heather fragrance, salty, very little smoke.

Palate: Peat, pepper and green tea. Very very good.

Finish: Long, dry, salty, some pepper and again green tea.

My first flawless Bowmore and I love it.

[Ganga]

Don't recall any PE or Kilchoman either. I will do a peated Benriach later tonight. Why? Because I can...and enjoy it.

[pkt77242]

Don't recall any PE or Kilchoman either. I will do a peated Benriach later tonight. Why? Because I can...and enjoy it.

PlowedRiach?

I can brake out a Sig PE later if needed.

[pkt77242]

Don't recall any PE or Kilchoman either. I will do a peated Benriach later tonight. Why? Because I can...and enjoy it.

PlowedRiach?

I can brake out a Sig PE later if needed.

I might have a Kilchoman sample somewhere as well.

[Ganga]

Johan, I really like the smokey, bourbon characteristics of Laga 12. I only find small hints of sweetness in the tsunami of smoke and fire. But to each their own.

[dramtastic]

DL Double Barrel Bowmore/HP 46%
After about 20 minutes I note some spearmint.

Bladnoch Forum 29yo Caol Ila 55.1%: 21/05/80-15/06/2009 Refill Sherry Hogshead #4939
And now spearmint

I'm not surprised

[pkt77242]

Johan, I really like the smokey, bourbon characteristics of Laga 12. I only find small hints of sweetness in the tsunami of smoke and fire. But to each their own.

The 2009 is the sweetest Laga 12 I have had (2004, 2008, 2009, 2010) and it is because it has more vanilla then any other Laga 12 I have had. Loads of vanilla, smoke and peat.

[johan brugge]

I like my Laga 12 when it's maritime like the 2007.

[pkt77242]

Johan, I really like the smokey, bourbon characteristics of Laga 12. I only find small hints of sweetness in the tsunami of smoke and fire. But to each their own.

The 2009 is the sweetest Laga 12 I have had (2004, 2008, 2009, 2010) and it is because it has more vanilla then any other Laga 12 I have had. Loads of vanilla, smoke and peat.

and some lemon as well.

[dramtastic]

Laga 12, 2009

Well, this is the first Laga I'm not very fond off.

You asked me a while back JB if I prefered Laga 12 or CI Natural Cask Strength. My answer at the time was definitely the CI. Nothings changed.

[pkt77242]

A.D. Rattray Bowmore 17yo 1991/2009 sherry cask 2059 58.1%

N: big sherry, bacon, walnuts, smoke, peat, and figs. Some walnuts, strawberries, and leather. a hint of chocolate as well.
P: Big notes of sherry and bacon. Some smoke, peat, figs and walnuts. A little dark chocolate as well. Very rich.
F: Medium long on sherry and bacon. Smoked bacon. Also some chocolate and peat.

This is one hell of a whisky. Glad I have a back up bottle.

[Ganga]

Ardbeg 10, L9

glencairn
Nose: sweet earthy peat, melons, strawberries, diesel oil/fishing village
Palate: oily mouth feel, diesel, dieing embers of a beach fire, honey dew
Finish: long, oily yet sweet

[Ganga]

This is one hell of a whisky. Glad I have a back up bottle.

You mean you have a sealed bottle?

[johan brugge]

I'm off guys. It's nearly 2 AM over here. I'll come back tomorrow with some more notes.

[johan brugge]

You mean you have a sealed bottle?

Touche!!

[dramtastic]

A.D. Rattray Bowmore 17yo 1991/2009 sherry cask 2059 58.1%

N: big sherry, bacon, walnuts, smoke, peat, and figs. Some walnuts, strawberries, and leather. a hint of chocolate as well.
P: Big notes of sherry and bacon. Some smoke, peat, figs and walnuts. A little dark chocolate as well. Very rich.
F: Medium long on sherry and bacon. Smoked bacon. Also some chocolate and peat.

This is one hell of a whisky. Glad I have a back up bottle.

Now that sounds tasty Sean. Mmmmm bacon!