Sherry Xmas to One and All

[pkt77242]

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2011 No Age Statement 48%
Nose: Dry sherry, oak, raisins, dark cherry chocolate, figs, Arnott's mint slice biscuits, leather, blackberry jam, bran, ginger.
Palate: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, figs, brazil nuts, leather, a mix of dark jams, mint, dry sherry, bran, oak. Nicely punchy.
Finish: Medium length. An excellent balance of sweet and dry flavours.
General comment: I've had the 2009 and this is a few points better. A superbly crafted whisky.
Rating: 90/100

That sounds damn yummy but I bet it is out of my price range.

[pkt77242]

Macallan 18 1991

N: Rich sherry, of figs, raisins, oranges, walnuts, almonds and some chocolate. Also a little oak but in the very background. The chocolate grows the longer you smell it.
P: Chocolate covered raisins, figs, and more chocolate. Some roasted nuts, chocolate covered almonds, malt and a little oak.
F: Medium on raisins, figs, and chocolate. Some orange and roaasted nuts. A little salt. As the finish lingers a pile of oak slivers show up drying it out and bringing some bitterness.

[pkt77242]

Macallan 18 1991

N: Rich sherry, of figs, raisins, oranges, walnuts, almonds and some chocolate. Also a little oak but in the very background. The chocolate grows the longer you smell it.
P: Chocolate covered raisins, figs, and more chocolate. Some roasted nuts, chocolate covered almonds, malt and a little oak.
F: Medium on raisins, figs, and chocolate. Some orange and roaasted nuts. A little salt. As the finish lingers a pile of oak slivers show up drying it out and bringing some bitterness.

I forgot to say that this is one damn good Macallan 18

[dramtastic]

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2011 No Age Statement 48%
Nose: Dry sherry, oak, raisins, dark cherry chocolate, figs, Arnott's mint slice biscuits, leather, blackberry jam, bran, ginger.
Palate: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, figs, brazil nuts, leather, a mix of dark jams, mint, dry sherry, bran, oak. Nicely punchy.
Finish: Medium length. An excellent balance of sweet and dry flavours.
General comment: I've had the 2009 and this is a few points better. A superbly crafted whisky.
Rating: 90/100

That sounds damn yummy but I bet it is out of my price range.

$100-115 bucks

[pkt77242]

Glenlivet 21yo Archive

N: Strawberries, malt, cooked apples with vanilla and a fair amount of oak. A touch of nutmeg and peaches.
P: Strawberries, the cooked apples with vanilla and a big does of oak. Nutmeg and some oatmeal.
F: Medium on polished oak, wood shavings, and the cooked apples in vanilla. Maybe a hint of nutmeg and strawberries.

[pkt77242]

Glenfarclas 21yo

N: Oak, light sherry, and some vanilla. Lots of pencial shavings and sawdust. Hints of raisins and wood spices
P: Starts on raisins and light sherry, then hits the vanilla with some oak and wood spices.
F: Medium short on raisins and vanilla. Then the oak hits, and becomes rather dry. A little creme brulee sneaks in.

Very good and not as overoaked as the nose makes you think it would be.

[pkt77242]

G+M Longmorn 30yo

N: Big polished oak, red fruits, christmas cake and some pumpkin bread. Some wood spices as well.
P: Pretty much the same. Polished oak, christmas cake and some pumpkin bread. A touch of wood spices as well.
F: Medium starting on polished oak and christmas cake. Then the red fruit jumps in and lastly the wood spices really come to the front at the very end and dry it out.

A very good whisky. I could sip this all night long (as well as smell it).

[Ganga]

The Glenfarclas 11 for Traversos, 46%

Nose: very sweet sherry...cherries jubilee, liquid caramel, applie pie with cinnamon and red apples
Palate: huge cinnamon, cherries dipped in caramel, touch of sauteed button mushrooms
Finish: continuation of the palate and it just lingers there.

This is just beautiful. I would suggest it is among the best young sherry matured whiskies.

[pkt77242]

AD Rattray Royal Lochnagar 1996 14yo sherry cask

N: Hard butterscotch candy, some floral notes, hints of vanilla, and raisins. The barest hint of prunes.
P: Big hard butterscotch candy, and hints of floral notes. Some light raisins, cooking spices and vanilla.
F: Medium long on butterscotch, some carnations and oak. Slightly bitter

Very good.

[pkt77242]

Scott's Selection Glen Grant 1977 26yo sherry wood

N: Cherry and Raisins. Hints of oranges with cinnamon, oak and some wood spices.
P: Cherry and oranges covered in cinnamon and brown sugar, with a side of raisins and a dash of vanilla. Hints of wood spices start to show up.
F: Medium long on oranges and cherry with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Then some oak that drys it out shows up.

A very good example of an aged sherried whisky.

[Ganga]

Springbank 12, 54.6

Nose: cinnamon, walnuts, figs and raisins, some greenery
Palate: hazelnuts, cinnamon, mixed greens with mushrooms, light mintiness, apples
Finish: big, sherried nuttiness with the mint dancing around

I know I'm a little off tonight but this is still very good.

[pkt77242]

AD Rattray Balblair 1990 16yo sherry cask.

N: Lemon yogurt with a touch of raisin. Hints of vanilla and oak. Lots of alcohol.
P: Lemon yogurt. A little raisin with some oak. Also a touch of powdered sugar and vanilla.
F: Medium on the lemon yogurt with vanilla and oak.

I like this whisky and will try it another night with water as the 60%+ abv makes it rather simple.

[pkt77242]

Aberlour A'bunadh batch 29

N: Cherry and rubber tires. Hints of cinnamon and brown sugar.
P: Cherry and rubber. Cinnamon and brown sugar. Some raisin and strawberry.
F: Long on cherry and rubber. Just a hint of cinnamon and brown sugar. A touch of oak and raisin.

Will try again with some water another night as the 60.1% abv makes it one dimensional.

[dramtastic]

Springbank 12, 54.6

Nose: cinnamon, walnuts, figs and raisins, some greenery
Palate: hazelnuts, cinnamon, mixed greens with mushrooms, light mintiness, apples
Finish: big, sherried nuttiness with the mint dancing around

I know I'm a little off tonight but this is still very good.

Yes very good, but a big call calling this one sherried. Not sure how you missed the coconut as well twin.

[Ganga]

Coconut was smothered under all the sherry elements. And yes, I do owe you folks some more before the end of the month. Wait.... ...there's only a few days left. Let me go grab some stuff.

[Ganga]

Aberlour a'bunadh batch 11...end of bottle.

large brandy

Nose: Wow this is still hot. I know the last finger has been sitting in this bottle for around 2 years so don't be fooled by the "once it's down to 1/3" line. Caramel nougat and milky way fluff, tangerines, mushrooms, dried herbs and spices, cinnamon
Palate: sweet and pungeant, mushrooms, cinnamon sticks, oranges
Finish: long, underripe oranges with just a touch of cinnamon and mushrooms

[Ganga]

Added some water

Nose: lots of oranges, rinds too, little bit of grapefruit at the top of the glass, green bananas, green wood, bready
Palate: cinnamon bread, dried orange peels
Finish: rather short considering, oranges and cinnamon

[Ganga]

Onto Batch 12 and the end of this bottle.

Nose: big caramel, cinnamon bread, light pepper
Palate: lots of caramel, light rubber notes, dried herbs, cinnamon, citrus
Finish: big and long, lots of caramel with some herbs and cinnamon

This has simplified with time but is still very tasty.

[Ganga]

with some water

Nose: sawdust, cinnamon, caramel, oranges, doughy
Palate: cinnamon and caramel, orange rinds
Finish: still pretty robust, lots of caramel with a dusting of cinnamon

This is better. I didn't get quite as much water as with the 11 so proof is still up there.

[Ganga]

Sample from a buddy. He picked this up at the distillery.

Aberlour 17, 1994, cask strength

Nose: cherry syrup, caramel, tangerine rinds, cinnamon dough
Palate: dried basil, cherry syrup, dry caramel, cinnamon
Finish: long but light, dried cherries

I like this one but it was better when he first poured it for me.

[Ganga]

One last whisky

HP 12, slanty shoulder from the 90s

Nose: oranges, leather, wood shavings, bread
Palate: cinnamon, old leather, stewed oranges, shoe polish, whispy smoke, heather honey
Finish: surprising long, with smoke and honey

This is a very nice HP 12. Feels a little bit older than 12 too.