August 2011 Live Tasting - Pre 1980 Distillates

[dramtastic]

2013?

[Ganga]

Vat 69 Gold

Color: medium gold
Nose: old straw, old oranges, old oak and wax, antiseptic
Palate: bees wax and under ripe oranges, old grains
Finish: slightly "alcoholic", oranges and grain

[pkt77242]

taking a quick break to eat a 22oz ribeye and drink a beer.

Your life is hard

2013 will certainly be hard on him. He may have no memory of the first half of it.

I think you mean 2012. The baby is due December of this year.

[Willie JJ]

2013?

Eh?

[Willie JJ]

Welcome by the way

[Ganga]

I think you mean 2012. The baby is due December of this year.

Whatever. You expect me to be able to think before the drink?

[Willie JJ]

2013?

Eh?

Oh I see it has all become clear.

[dramtastic]

Well we all know Sean comes from alien stock so maybe a 2 year gestation is normal for his kind.

[Ganga]

The Dew of Kilkerran

Color: medium gold
Nose: oranges and orange blossoms, little caramel, dry grass, little bit estery
Palate: peeled oranges that sat out for a day, slightly bitter caramel, waxy
Finish: not really

[Ganga]

How long before you participate Dram? You've gotta be able to add at least one to the mix.

[Willie JJ]

Sticking with 1970

Dallas Dhu 1970 G&M Connoisseurs Choice 40% Old Brown Label

Nose: Delightfully floral with orange sherbetty notes. Oloroso is evident and its driving the aroma. Plenty of dried fruit and cake.
Palate: Sweet spiced oranges with plenty of oak. The floral spirit is a bit subdued by this mighty cask.
Finish: Long drying sweet spices that keep returning wave after wave. Really mouthwatering.
Comment: Not really a typical Dallas Dhu, it's mainly about the excellent cask. It really works for me.

[dramtastic]

How long before you participate Dram? You've gotta be able to add at least one to the mix.

Fathers Day here, so heading off for a family bbq breakfast in about 30 mins, won't be back home for another 4-5 hours.
And yeh I have one......

[Ganga]

Royal Ages De Luxe Quality Blend

Color: orange-amber
Nose: orange groves in springtime, orange blossom honey
Palate: smokey bees wax, old oak furniture
Finish: mellow, smokey and waxy

[Ganga]

Sticking with 1970

Dallas Dhu 1970 G&M Connoisseurs Choice 40% Old Brown Label

Nose: Delightfully floral with orange sherbetty notes. Oloroso is evident and its driving the aroma. Plenty of dried fruit and cake.
Palate: Sweet spiced oranges with plenty of oak. The floral spirit is a bit subdued by this mighty cask.
Finish: Long drying sweet spices that keep returning wave after wave. Really mouthwatering.
Comment: Not really a typical Dallas Dhu, it's mainly about the excellent cask. It really works for me.

That is just mouthwatering. My experience is similar to you with those older Conn Choice bottlings. Only a few that seemed to be on the downside.

[pkt77242]

Talisker 25yo 2004 release, so that make it distille din 1979 or earlier. 57.8%

N: Old leather and mint, with sherry sweetness, salt, pepper and some come chili pepper.
P: Very similar to the nose. Slightly syrupy sherry, salt, pepper, melons, with a dusting of mint and chili powder.
F: Long finiish, on fresh crushed black pepper, melons, salt and a mint, chili pepper combo. A little old leather has shown back up as well.

An amazing whisky.

[pkt77242]

Sticking with 1970

Dallas Dhu 1970 G&M Connoisseurs Choice 40% Old Brown Label

Nose: Delightfully floral with orange sherbetty notes. Oloroso is evident and its driving the aroma. Plenty of dried fruit and cake.
Palate: Sweet spiced oranges with plenty of oak. The floral spirit is a bit subdued by this mighty cask.
Finish: Long drying sweet spices that keep returning wave after wave. Really mouthwatering.
Comment: Not really a typical Dallas Dhu, it's mainly about the excellent cask. It really works for me.

Me likey

[Willie JJ]

My experience is similar to you with those older Conn Choice bottlings. Only a few that seemed to be on the downside.

Yes that Dallas Dhu was a lot better. Not used to getting so many poor ones.

[Ganga]

White Horse Blend, NAS

Color: medium gold
Nose: fresh baked bread soaked in honey, sweet grassiness
Palate: peat smoke, roasted vegetables (think shish kabob), little bit salty and iodine
Finish: big smokey earthy finish

[pkt77242]

White Horse Blend, NAS

Color: medium gold
Nose: fresh baked bread soaked in honey, sweet grassiness
Palate: peat smoke, roasted vegetables (think shish kabob), little bit salty and iodine
Finish: big smokey earthy finish

sounds pretty good for an entry level blend.

[Ganga]

White Horse Blend, NAS

Color: medium gold
Nose: fresh baked bread soaked in honey, sweet grassiness
Palate: peat smoke, roasted vegetables (think shish kabob), little bit salty and iodine
Finish: big smokey earthy finish

sounds pretty good for an entry level blend.

It's probably the quality of the peated whisky used in the blend. I've been told the older White Horse blends included Lagavulin.

[Ganga]

Haig & Haig Blend

Color: medium dark straw
Nose: lemon blossoms, old thrashed straw, green oak
Palate: burning straw, oak coals, deep fried barley balls
Finish: BIG. Lots of smoke, some diesel oil

[Willie JJ]

I've been told the older White Horse blends included Lagavulin.

No doubt about that. Probably until fairly recently I would have thought

[Ganga]

House of Lords 8 Blend

Color: orange gold
Nose: whisps of smoke wafting through barley, slight orange notes, waxy
Palate: orange blossom honeycomb, whispy smokiness, cracked pepper, light cinnamon
Finish: bold honeycomb with a touch of smoke

[Ganga]

I've been told the older White Horse blends included Lagavulin.

No doubt about that. Probably until fairly recently I would have thought

I've heard a few things. One, the old Laga was the White Horse that then switched to Port Ellen maltings. Then the base switched to CI. Not sure how much of it is true but it certainly seems to be better than the more recent White Horse blends.

[pkt77242]

Scott's Selection Glenlivet 1977/2004 53.1%

N: Grassy and herbal. Some light smoke in the background. hints of pears as well.
P: Very grassy and herbal. Still has the light smoke and pears but now adds some mint.
F: Medium on a grassy peat, pears with vanilla and mint. Slight bitter herbal notes as well.

A very nice and different Glenlivet. The most peaty I have ever had.

[Willie JJ]

Another contrast:

Dallas Dhu 1971 G&M Connoisseurs Choice 40% Old Brown Label

Nose: Lots of old wood notes: wet blankets, must and dust. The floral DD spirit peeks through but it's well hidden. A bit sour and gingery.
Palate: Woody and bitter. Massively oaky. The spirit has no chance.
Finish: Spice and cigar boxes. It's all sandalwood and pencils.
Comment: This was left far too long in the cask.

[Ganga]

I'm intrigued by the finish but the rest is a "pass".

[johan brugge]

Glentauchers 35yo 1973 TWA.

Nose: Very soft, very sweet with lots of fresh fruit. A little bit of varnish and beeswax but nothing negative. It becomes a little sour after a while. With water: ripe bananas.

Palate: again lots of fresh sweet fruit. It's a terribly soft whisky with a firm body. It's almost oily-like. It goes down very easily, even at 50% vol. With water: peppery, but the rest stays the same. I actually liked it better without water.

Finish: long and sweet.

I let this one 'breath' for at least 30 minutes and it became much better.

[Willie JJ]

I'm intrigued by the finish but the rest is a "pass".

DD is just too delicate to stand that kind of treatment imo

[Willie JJ]

Evening Johan

[Ganga]

Dimple Pinch 12 (yes 12, not 15)

Color: reddish gold
Nose: lemon bread, dying oak fire, honeycomb
Palate: orange blossoms, clover honey, smoke from the campfire
Finish: subtle waxy smoke

[johan brugge]

Hi Willie. It's been a while already, huh?

[Ganga]

I have a soft spot for Glentauchers. Each I've had has been fun but they are few and far between here.

[Ganga]

And now some bourbons.

Hill & Hill Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Color: red oak
Nose: light minty character over a bed of nuts, maple syrup, vanilla extract, bananas
Palate: minty cocoa, vanilla, maple wood
Finish: much the same, but the vanill and maple starts to overpower any minty notes

[pkt77242]

Old Malt Cask Probably Speysides Finest (Glenfarclas) 1965 43yo sherry cask 50%

N: Stewed fruits, gingerbread, slight sherry and some pencil shavings. Malt and a touch of honey. Leather.
P: Starts on the stewed red fruits and gingerbread. Slowly works towards pencil shavings, malt, and vanilla. A fair amount of oak. Some cooking spice make their way in as well.
F: Medium long on pencil shavings, cooked red fruits, and vanilla. Slight raisin flavor and honey. Kind of like licking brand new leather.

A very nice dram.