Live Tasting 7/4/08 - Independence

[Ganga]

I have tomorrow off and seeing as it's Independence Day my thoughts were to make a theme based around independence. Initial thoughts are towards independent bottlings and independent distilleries but feel free to expand the thought as it were.

Projected start time is 7 PM BST/11 AM PDT.

[Ganga]

It's not quite 11 and I've arrived. Contemplating and opening dram.

[TheTross]

I'll be with you shortly - just finishing off the last of the Glenfiddich samples.

Now then, I need to think which drams to have...

[Ganga]

Welcome Tross. I found my opener. Springbank 12, Hart Bros, Park Ave Liquors. Independence on so many levels.

N: very herbal, quite nice. some bits of sawdust, not quite cedar-almost a mixture of wood sawdust-oak and cedar? a touch of oranginess
P: really spicey (in part first dram of the day), orange chocolates, a bit of herbalness mixed with caramel.
F: mild, with bits of spices and herbs flitting about

Very yummy.

[Ganga]

That Springbank is very yummy, especially in my tummy.

Moving along. Glenfarclas 11, Traverso bottling.

[Ryguy]

Hello Hello, Happy 4th of July!!

[Ganga]

Happy 4th Ryan. See, I'm dramming.

[Ryguy]

Any suggestions, I see you're on Springbank, but I have none.......

[Ganga]

Glenfarclas? Family owned distillery.

[Ganga]

I know, I'll finish up this lovely dram and we can have the Binny's Laphroaig.

[Ryguy]

Ok I'm in...I'll go grab it.

[Ganga]

Ryan and I are chatting on http://www.spiritofislay.net/warehouse4/stillroom/ . We'll be posting whiskies here.

[Ryguy]

First dram of the day (well I had a few beers earlier after the parade, but those don't count)....

Laphroaig 7yo ( 59.4%, Signatory, Binny's Bottling, 2000/2007, Refill Butt Cask #3672, 186/621 )

Big peat on the nose, and a tad hot. Oily and rich, coats the palate well, with a load of peat, leaves an ash like taste in the finish (but in a tasty way). I like this Laphroaig.

[Ganga]

The Glenfarclas is wonderfully sweet. There are notes of cherry and tobacco today. Definitely a bottling.

[Ganga]

Laphroaig 7, 2000 from Binny's courtesy of Ryan.

[Ryguy]

Next up....Tullibardine 16yo ( 55.7%, SMWS, Cask #28.14, June-1990/Aug-2006 )

Lots of pepper and spice today, perhaps that Laphy has thrown me off a bit....

[TheTross]

Happy Independence Day to all the US folks!

First for the tasting from me:
Aberlour 11yo 1994/2005 (46%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #112)

[Ryguy]

What are you dramming Tross??
Aha, Aberlour, excellent choice!

[Ryguy]

Aultmore 11yo 1986 SMWS#73.4 57.9%

A small dram, which finishes off a sample from C57. Very nice stuff, and really enjoyable for such a hot day.

This has a very interesting minty aftertaste, in a really enticing way!

[Ganga]

Afternoon/evening again Tross.

Lap 7, Binny's.
N: toasted malt, touches of citrus
P: charcoal, burnt brownies (not hash), roasted malt
F: long with lots of brownies

[Ganga]

Next up a much lighter whisky. Knockando 24, 1980, Scotts.

N: citrus mixed into grist
P: grainy, unhusked derum wheat, light citrus in the background.

[Ryguy]

Cheers Tross, and ty for this sample! I figured now would be a nice time for me to break it out!!

St. Magdalene 23yo 1982/2006 (50%, DL Old Malt Cask, DL Ref 2918, 331 bottles)

N. Light nose, grassy and a tad floral.

P. Oooh, not what I'd expect based on the nose. Interesting and tasty with some malt and more of the grassy notes.

F. More of the grassy floral notes.

A nice dram indeed!

[TheTross]

Aberlour 11yo (46%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #112)

Nose: Fresh, with quite a bit of mint and malt. A touch peppery and herbal (basil?). Lots of vanilla, a little pastry and cereal and also some steamed/boiled green vegetables. Fragrant and a touch of lavender.

Palate: Vanilla and malt. Cereally. A touch spicy. Some citrus fruit.

Finish: Some mint and vanilla again.

This came from a single bourbon cask; no sherry in sight, so is a different take on Aberlour. I enjoy it, though I do think Aberlour benefits from the addition of sherry.

[Ryguy]

Another sample, many thanks to The Tross again!!

Linlithgow 23yo 1982/2006 (61.4%, DT Rarest of the Rare, Cask #2204, 282 bottles)

Now this has character!!! And it's got a completely different profile than the previous.

Some similarity on the nose, but this one is a bit more sweet. Wow, then the palate just explodes!! I'm not sure if it's just the higher ABV here or what, but this is just plain tasty!

[TheTross]

Aha, you're onto the St Maggies are you Ryan?

I'll join you with a Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (57.4%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #1872). Notes to follow!

[Ganga]

I really do like bourbon Aberlour and Macallan. As for Macallan I haven't cared for their vatting of bourbon/sherry that is the FO series. Glad you have a good Aberlour. Save some for the Live Tasting.

[Ryguy]

Aha, you're onto the St Maggies are you Ryan?

I'll join you with a Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (57.4%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #1872). Notes to follow!

WOW, that last one was just crazy!! Do you agree with me, is that 23yo DT just great, or is it me??

I'll join you, I happen to have a sample of the 25yo here!

[Ganga]

SMWS bottling, 9.35. Wonderful little Glen Grant number.

[Ryguy]

Another wonderful dram......

Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (57.4%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #1872)

Thanks again to The Tross!!

N. Nice and sweet, some floral notes and hints of cut grass.

P. Hmmmm, sweet and dry, some winey taste (like a dry red actually).

F. Dry on the finish, but very long and lasting.

[TheTross]

Linlithgow 25yo 1982/2007 (57.4%, Single Malts of Scotland, Cask #1872)

Nose: Fragrant. Some dust, soot and a little smoke. Grassy and earthy. Quite fruity. Leather and polish. Quite a lot of bourbon character.

Palate: Oily. Smoke again, becomes drying. Powerful and hot at full strength. Fruit and a little yeast. Grassy. Bourbon.

Finish: Sweet and minty. Bourbon-ish. Notes of home-brew beer!

[Ganga]

SMWS 33.66. 9 yo Ardbeg. Yum.

Having this with a grilled sirloin. Absolutely wonderful pairing. The Ardbeg emphasizes all the spices from the steak and provides a wonderful earthy bed for the steak to rest upon.

[TheTross]

WOW, that last one was just crazy!! Do you agree with me, is that 23yo DT just great, or is it me??

Nope, it's great alright! I really love the nose on that one, it's spellbinding!

[Ryguy]

This stuff is just doing it for me right now...so why stop I say.......

St. Magdalene 24yo 1982/2006 (58.3%, MM 'Mission Gold' series, Port finish, 446 bottles)

Nice one, definitely more of a sweeter profile overall, and you can't help but taste the port influence. A very good expression IMO.

[Ryguy]

WOW, that last one was just crazy!! Do you agree with me, is that 23yo DT just great, or is it me??

Nope, it's great alright! I really love the nose on that one, it's spellbinding!

Ok, because I'm not an expert on St. Maggie's, these are my first tastes, that DT bottling is my fav. so far!

[Ganga]

Moving along to a Whisky Galore Ardmore 15.

N: lemons followed by grist
P: very grainy, unhusked derum. light lemons with an earthy quality. A wisp of smoke.