July 2011 - Independent bottlings

[Ganga]

July seems to have a bunch of independence days. So why not go for independent bottlings for the Month of July. Please join in with your favorite independent bottlings (and yes, if you have something like a Murray McDavid rum bottling go for it).

[johan brugge]

Any date in particular? Anyway, count me in. We're having our 'National Holiday' on July 21st and the French are having theirs on July 14th. You've got your on the 4th, so we'll have some busy days then.

[dramtastic]

Well I have a Murray McDavid Rioja Cask Longmorn so I'll kick off the tasting

Notes:
Pretty sh*thouse

[johan brugge]

Always straight to the point, huh, DT?

[Ganga]

Well I have a Murray McDavid Rioja Cask Longmorn so I'll kick off the tasting

Notes:
Pretty sh*thouse

Is it the brick version...?

[pkt77242]

I have lots of bottles to add to this tasting.
A couple of AD Rattray (I think 5)
a few Scott's Selections (3 or 4)
2 or so G&M
1 or 2 Signatory
and a Kirkland Signature Bourbon.

I may have more but the list is just what I can think of right now.

I will probably do the KS Bourbon later tonight.

[MacDeffe]

Upcoming blog, but it's here first


Clynelish 12yo Norse Cask 1995 57.3%

Nose : Sweet dried fruit, spices, plum juice
Palate : Somewhat dry spicy edge to the sherry sweetness
Finish : long with a very spicy touch emerging after 10-15 seconds then vanilla. Great
Rating ***** (4/5)
Comment : Another nice pure heavily sherried whisky, with no sulphur flaws, and with an extended complexity making this just more than sherry but also Clynelish

[Ganga]

It's good to see some notes up already as we didn't really discuss this much. I'll be chipping in several as well. Probably one or two today, 15 or so by the end of the month.

[pkt77242]

Kirkland Signature Small Batch Bourbon 51.5%

N: Big corn and vanilla. Underneath that some mint, hints of rye, and some corn husk. The rye and mint get stronger after a minute or two. A touch of orange and pecans.
P: Vanilla, corn and rye. More rye than I remember. A little mint and pecans. A touch of pipe flavor.
F: Medium length on rye spices, corn and a touch of vanilla. A little mint as well.

A nice bourbon and very reasonably priced at $20 for a 1L bottle.

[Ganga]

Geez, I really need to get back to this. I should have taken notes on the Sig CI 15 that I had last weekend. It reminded me more of the younger cask strength stuff with some big peatiness but no real "green" notes.

[Ganga]

As previously threatened, I'm back.

G&M Dallas Dhu 12, 40%

Nose: tangerine spritzed over freshly baked bread, very light cinnamon and herbs, waxy
Palate: parafin, cinnamon dough
Finish: actually quite long, still waxy but the cinnamon keeps strengthening.

[Ganga]

I'm having a repour of this before the bottle is gone..... What I noticed is that there is much more straw in this now.

[pkt77242]

Ganga, will you be on tonight? I should be on after little man goes to bed so around 7ish.

[Ganga]

I should be but it might be a little bit later than 7. I've a few independents I would like to add.

[pkt77242]

I should be but it might be a little bit later than 7. I've a few independents I would like to add.

Sounds like a plan. I have three pulled out for tonight.

[pkt77242]

Signatory Rosebank 1990 15yo 56.6%

N: Lemon yogurt, with some alcohol burn, vanilla, peaches and a touch of oak. More lemon.
P: Big lemon, vanilla, and oak. Some ginger and white pepper.
F: Medium short on lemon peel, vanilla and ginger.

A very nice Rosebank. The bottle is getting low so it might be time to finish.

[Ganga]

Sig Highland 7

Nose: smells like my hands after making dough for the pizza (really), lemon Pledge, oak furniture
Palate: astringent oak, lemon rinds, over baked bread (to the point it gets hard but doesn't burn
Finish: lots of astringency with lemons

[pkt77242]

Duncan Taylor Old Pulteney 1989 18yo 56.4%

N: Salted tropical fruit (pineapples, mango and papaya). Lots of salt. Some malt and oak. rather closed eve the tropical fruit is slightly muted.
P: Big salted mango. A little papaya, malt and some vanilla. Hints of oak shavings and salted fish.
F: Rather long on salted mango, vanilla, malt and more salt. Almost a touch bitter at the end.

Very good but extremely salty. If you don't like salt please avoid. If you like salt run out and buy a case.

[Ganga]

Bladnoch forum bottling
Glen Grant 27, Cask 20291

Nose: dried mangos, mushrooms, pineapples, waxy notes, dough
Palate: soft cinnamon stick notes, button mushrooms-sauteed, cinnamon bread, raisins
Finish: long, elegant. Everything from the palate just goes on and on.

The first year I had this, I thought it was decent whisky. Now I think it is very good whisky.

[Ganga]

G&M
Speymalt 9, 1993

Nose: cinnabons, little waxiness, very underripe oranges
Palate: huge cinnamon notes, sauteed baby bellas, overripe Valencia oranges
Finish: big, Christmassy

[pkt77242]

Cadenhead Clynelish 15yo 63%

N: Salt, malt and some apples. Some wood smoke and spices. Embers from a fire.
P: Big salt, apples, pears, wax and some tropical fruits. Lots of wax. faint wood smoke and oak.
F: Medium long on salt, wax and pears. the wood smoke shows up lightly at first but grows stronger and hangs around with the salt.

Damn good.

[Ganga]

Blackadder

Arran, cask 96/039

Nose: kinda reminds me of the Powers NAS, new makish apples and berries, slight touch of grist
Palate: vanilla pudding, cinnamon dust, black berries
Finish: light, berries in whipped cream

[Ganga]

Cadenhead Clynelish 15yo 63%

N: Salt, malt and some apples. Some wood smoke and spices. Embers from a fire.
P: Big salt, apples, pears, wax and some tropical fruits. Lots of wax. faint wood smoke and oak.
F: Medium long on salt, wax and pears. the wood smoke shows up lightly at first but grows stronger and hangs around with the salt.

Damn good.

I had a very mediocre Clynelish a few weeks ago. It tasted more like a vatting of a peated whisky and an unpeated, very doughy whisky. They seemed to be fighting each other to say "I'm better".

[pkt77242]

Bladnoch forum bottling
Glen Grant 27, Cask 20291

Nose: dried mangos, mushrooms, pineapples, waxy notes, dough
Palate: soft cinnamon stick notes, button mushrooms-sauteed, cinnamon bread, raisins
Finish: long, elegant. Everything from the palate just goes on and on.

The first year I had this, I thought it was decent whisky. Now I think it is very good whisky.

Sounds like a very interesting whisky. How does the Mushrooms mix witht the cinnamon and tropcial fruit?

[Ganga]

Cadenhead

Glenallachie 11, 1989

Nose: lemon bread, little bit of black pepper (fine), honey drizzle
Palate: home baked bread with honey butter, late summer grass, some barnyard characteristics
Finish: long, hot, grassy

[Ganga]

Bladnoch forum bottling
Glen Grant 27, Cask 20291

Nose: dried mangos, mushrooms, pineapples, waxy notes, dough
Palate: soft cinnamon stick notes, button mushrooms-sauteed, cinnamon bread, raisins
Finish: long, elegant. Everything from the palate just goes on and on.

The first year I had this, I thought it was decent whisky. Now I think it is very good whisky.

Sounds like a very interesting whisky. How does the Mushrooms mix witht the cinnamon and tropcial fruit?

This one used to express it more as sweet and pungeant like chinese food. Now the elements are more distinct. Think about putting together a kabob.

[Ganga]

Cadenheads
Benrinnes 12, 1988

Nose: bread (double does of yeast) in the oven, cinnamon toast (different part of the glass), wood polish, lemon
Palate: Woof (very strong), lemon lick, ground grain
Finish: long and hot

water does nothing for the nose, neither negative nor positive. Water mellows the palate and finish and adds a little pepper but that is about it. More drinkable with water.

[pkt77242]

AD Rattray Balblair 1990 16yo sherry cask 62.4%

N: lemon yogurt with a strawberry drizzle. Some vanilla, walnuts and apples.
P: Very simlar to the nose with lemon, strawberry, vanilla, and nuts (in particular walnuts). A touch of malt and oak.
F: Medium on strawberries, malt and lemon. Also a touch of nuts. Very good

[Ganga]

Signatory

Scapa 9, 1990

Nose: herb bread, light pepper, citrus
Palate: mixed dried herbs, sea air, light spiciness, doughy
Finish: moderate, crushed nuts and herbs

[Ganga]

AD Rattray Balblair 1990 16yo sherry cask 62.4%

N: lemon yogurt with a strawberry drizzle. Some vanilla, walnuts and apples.
P: Very simlar to the nose with lemon, strawberry, vanilla, and nuts (in particular walnuts). A touch of malt and oak.
F: Medium on strawberries, malt and lemon. Also a touch of nuts. Very good

Not sure about the strawberries (seems so Bogartish) but the rest sounds like a whisky I'd love.

[Ganga]

Vintage Malt Whisky Company

Finlaggan OR

Nose: lemon, tar, bonfire, charred bread, a sweetness kinda like cotton candy (spun sugar) with no flavoring or coloring
Palate: The dying embers of a beach bonfire, seaweed, briney, iodine
Finish: more of the palate

If I guessed, I'd say very young CI.

[pkt77242]

Vintage Malt Whisky Company

Finlaggan OR

Nose: lemon, tar, bonfire, charred bread, a sweetness kinda like cotton candy (spun sugar) with no flavoring or coloring
Palate: The dying embers of a beach bonfire, seaweed, briney, iodine
Finish: more of the palate

If I guessed, I'd say very young CI.

Sounds good

[Ganga]

ADR

Cragganmore 17 for Bevmo

Nose: hawaiian bread, lemon spritz, dash of ground pepper, all spice, certain oiliness (cooking?), dried coconut
Palate: pound cake, cinnamon and black pepper combo, tropical fruits, straw
Finish: lots of spiciness and tropical fruits that go on and on and on

[pkt77242]

ADR

Cragganmore 17 for Bevmo

Nose: hawaiian bread, lemon spritz, dash of ground pepper, all spice, certain oiliness (cooking?), dried coconut
Palate: pound cake, cinnamon and black pepper combo, tropical fruits, straw
Finish: lots of spiciness and tropical fruits that go on and on and on

You are making me jealous. A couple of different AD Rattray's for Bevmo made it over here but not the Cragganmore.

[pkt77242]

Blackadder

Arran, cask 96/039

Nose: kinda reminds me of the Powers NAS, new makish apples and berries, slight touch of grist
Palate: vanilla pudding, cinnamon dust, black berries
Finish: light, berries in whipped cream

Is this a sherry cask?