Whisky Flights

[Ganga]

#3 Glenlivet 18 yo

Nose: cinnamon, papaya, wax, oranges, dough, vanillas,
Palate: cedar, cinnamon sticks (spices), orange cider, oak late palate/early finish, mashed tropical fruits
Finish: long, warming spices

[Ganga]

#4 Glenlivet 18 (freshly opened)

Nose: dough for cinnamon buns, dried coconut, cedar box-inside, dried pears and apples
Palate: Christmas cider, pineapples, pears, green apples, waxy mouth coating
Finish: long, green apples dipped in cinnamon and caramel

[pkt77242]

Rich, nice notes.
Your description of the 18 makes me want to get another bottle (though my last bottle was overly flowery and just ok).

[Ganga]

Second pass through the flight. This time I will use a large brandy glass.

#1

Nose: tropical fruits, honeydew, malt, wood glue, wax
Palate: waxed oak furniture, pineapples, dough, peaches, papaya, light coconut in brine
Finish: moderate, pineapple and barley

[Ganga]

#2

Nose: overripe pineapple boardering on fermented, vanilla, fresh oak shavings, Bartlett pears, cracked wheat
Palate: cinnamon coated red apples and pears, bananas, light oaky notes and vanillas
Finish: lingering with lots of fresh fruits

[Ganga]

#3

Nose: cinnamon buns freshly cooked, bees wax, vanilla, coconut, watermelon Hubba Bubba
Palate: pineapples, cinnamon, pears and apples, cedar, custard
Finish: long and lingering, cinnamon and various fruits

[Ganga]

#4

Nose: fresh fruits-apples, pears, pineapple, mixed wood shavings, dough, wax,
Palate: oak and cedar shavings, underripe pears, red apples, straw
Finish: long, underripe pineapples.

[hyperfuji]

great notes guys

[Ganga]

I'm back. Another flight! Dalmore tonight.

Dalmore 12, 1980s
Dalmore 12, 2000ish
Dalmore 12, 2008
Dalmore 12, 2009 (new bottling)
Dalmore Cigar Malt, original US release

Questions?

[Ganga]

Well since there are no questions, let us proceed.

The first up will be Dalmore 12 with the Silver Stagg label @ 43%. Yes, the one that shows up for much money on TWE.

Dalmore 12 Silver Stagg
Brand : Dalmore Expression : 12 yo
Nose : Malt, malt, malt. lightly herbal, some oak, some wood finishes Palate : BLACK LICORICE followed by cottoncandy, malt, little cocoa and vanilla Finish : long, black licorice and some sweetness Comment : - Colour : Reddish Amber Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : 1980s bottling. Bottle has been open for about 2.5 years.
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ganga]

What, not enough of a data point for you? Ok, let's put in one from circa 2000.

Dalmore 12
Brand : Dalmore Expression : Dalmore 12, Circa 200
Nose : some licorice, old oak, straws, malty Palate : malty, waxy, light anise, some honey Finish : moderate, licorice honey Comment : - Colour : dark gold Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : This is from about 2000
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ganga]

Where's the questions? Ok, we'll move along.

Dalmore 12, L8
Brand : Dalmore Expression : Dalmore 12, 2008
Nose : Loads of malt, some bit o' honey candy, dried herbs, light oakiness, nougat Palate : lots of straw, light anise/licorice, dried fruits Finish : moderate, light oakiness and herbs Comment : - Colour : medium dark gold Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : This is from 2008 (L8)
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ganga]

Oh, does this mean it is time for the new release 12 (yes, the higher sherry vatting)?

Dalmore 12, L9
Brand : Dalmore Expression : Dalmore 12, 2009
Nose : caramel, nougat, unripe oranges, oak, straw, waxy, vanilla, dried spices Palate : malty anise, nutty, straw, oak, chocolate/cocoa Finish : long, blood oranges, cinnamon cider Comment : - Colour : reddish gold, amber Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : This is an L9
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ganga]

Cigar Malt? Really? That's what you want? OK!

Dalmore Cigar Malt
Brand : Dalmore Expression : Cigar Malt
Nose : oranges, mashed cherries, cherry pipe tobacco, light matliness, vanilla, waxy, sandalwood Palate : tobacco pouch, orange rinds Finish : long, tobacco, oranges, cherries Comment : - Colour : Reddish Amber Score : 0
Age : NAS Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : Original US release
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ganga]

Don't sell the last one short. There is a lot going on in the palate. That's why I chose complex descriptors.

[pkt77242]

Oh, does this mean it is time for the new release 12 (yes, the higher sherry vatting)?

Dalmore 12, L9
Brand : Dalmore Expression : Dalmore 12, 2009
Nose : caramel, nougat, unripe oranges, oak, straw, waxy, vanilla, dried spices Palate : malty anise, nutty, straw, oak, chocolate/cocoa Finish : long, blood oranges, cinnamon cider Comment : - Colour : reddish gold, amber Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : Dalmore	Type : Single Malt Region : Highland Water : - Ice : - Glass : Ardbeg Noser Notes : This is an L9
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

Ganga, I believe you enjoyed this more that I did.

[Ganga]

I believe you are right. The extra sherry takes a little off the oakiness that the previous bottlings had.

[WhiskyHill]

Ganga, how many of these were S'tan's drams?

[Ganga]

Ganga, how many of these were S'tan's drams?

Two of the five. Cigar and 12 circa 2000.

[Ganga]

Glenfiddich flight tonight.

First off is the Glenfiddich 15 Solera 40%, LH4

Nose: glazing for bread, cooked bread dough, light cinnamon, acetone?
Palate: Straw, grist, doughy, apples-dried with cinnamon
Finish: short, fruity/doughy

[Ganga]

Glenfiddich 15, L32T. Bought late 2009.

Nose: Oaky, malty, cinnamon, slight waxiness
Palate: Bun dough rising on a warm prairie afternoon, loads of cinnamon and red apples
Finish: long, fruity, doughy, cinnaomon too

[Ganga]

#3 is the Duty Free 51% bottling from New Zealand circa 2008

Nose: Raisin bread, dried red apples
Palate: Dominated by spices and herbs (cinnamon the most prevalent), dried fruits (apple most prevalent)
Finish: long spiced bread fruits.

[Ganga]

Ok, next up, Special Reserve NAS. If memory serves this was discontinued some 5-7 years ago in favor of the 12.

Nose: sweet maltiness - more so than the others, crisp red apples
Palate: deep grains-malty (as in the malt for mixing into a beverage), old apples, cinnamon
Finish: moderate, apples and spices

[Ganga]

Went deep of the Fiddich 12, LJ6.

Nose: Fruit, wax, dough, grain/straw
Palate: cinnamon sprinkles on apples, grain and straw
Finish: moderate, malty and fruity

[Ganga]

# 6 is the Glenfiddich 12, L217, purchased late 2009

Nose: green apples, bed of grains, green fruits - oranges?
Palate: mashed green apples, green grains, straw, oranges - underripe?
Finish: moderate, fruity-apples, pears

Love this one. Not sure if the effect is the difference in time open, production time or just different period during production. This and the 51% are my favorites.

[pkt77242]

#3 is the Duty Free 51% bottling from New Zealand circa 2008

Nose: Raisin bread, dried red apples
Palate: Dominated by spices and herbs (cinnamon the most prevalent), dried fruits (apple most prevalent)
Finish: long spiced bread fruits.

That does sound good.

[Ganga]

Last night the club had a Highland Park tasting. Drams were the 12, 15 18, 25 and Scott's 1981-06. I was using a nosing glass that came with SMOS bottlings.

HP 12

Nose: honey, heather, light smoke, apricots
Palate: honey, nuts, caramel, light smokiness, oranges
Finish: long, sweet honey and heather

HP 15

Nose: heathery, malty, lemon, wood spices, leather
Palate: orange cider, leather, straw, bees wax mixed with honey
Finish: long, spiced grains

HP 18

Nose: dried heather hay, lemony wax, salted nuts
Palate: caramel covered nougat, dried oranges, cocoa, herbs
Finish: long, sweet and herbal

HP 25, 48.1

Nose: caramel covered blood oranges, old cinnamon sticks, vanillas, heather, nutmeg
Palate: waxy peat, iodine, decaying heather, lemons, loads of cinnamon, earthy
Finish: long, heather, earthy oak

HP 1981-06, Scott's, 50.6

Nose: citric, straw, fleshy fruits, earthy, smoke, wax-honey
Palate: waxy, lemon, oak, fennel
Finish: lingering, oaky honey
This one is not quite as good initially with water. However, some time greatly increases the enjoyability (very herbal). Also, the switch to the Riedel glass removed some of the alcohol influence.

[pkt77242]

HP 1981-06, Scott's, 50.6

Nose: citric, straw, fleshy fruits, earthy, smoke, wax-honey
Palate: waxy, lemon, oak, fennel
Finish: lingering, oaky honey
This one is not quite as good initially with water. However, some time greatly increases the enjoyability (very herbal). Also, the switch to the Riedel glass removed some of the alcohol influence.

Sounds like an enjoyable whisky flight, Ganga.
I really like this whisky, as I get a lot of heathery peat.

[Ganga]

Tonights flight is Bowmore.

First up the 17, paper label.

Nose: lavendar but kinda negative, light wood and smoke
Palate: lavendar perfume, wood smoke
Finish: long, not pleasing

Seems kinda artificial.

[Ganga]

Now the 17 painted label

Nose: lots of oaky smoke, slight lavender, light malty characteristics
Palate: earthy, oaky, smokey, floral
Finish: much more pleasing

[Ganga]

Bow 21 blended, painted label

Nose: floral is really light, lots of "dried oak", some smoke, wood glue
Palate: butterscotch candies, oak, dried florals
Finish: refined, relaxing.

Many thanks to Bryan for this. Yes, I had one of these many a year ago.

[Muskrat Portage]

I'm considering an A'Bunadh flight tomorrow night. Tonight I'm just a wee bit plowed under, if you get my drift.
Musky

[Gooner]

For Dominic's birthday we did a Laphroaig vertical tasting of 8 Laphroaigs, then had a huge curry. Let me note that Laphroaig goes very well with curry, especially if you have no taste buds left like me. This was a sequel to our vertical Ardbeg tasting (8 ardbegs, including very young-renaissance) we did when we launched the company and almost as much fun However the company does, the least we can say is we have fantastic shareholder meetings. We only review 6 below, mainly because thats the only notes I have but also because these 6 are in our tasting pack. Comments are mine, notes are Dominic's. Scores average of the four of us, and we mark relative harshly I think (we all loved all the whiskies!).

1. Signatory Laphroaig 2000 (46%). 8.2/10. They have done a series of young Laphroaigs, starting with a 7 year old, which was fantastic. This one is good, but maybe not as good. First thing you notice is the pale colour in comparison to the standard 10 year old. Second thing is the completely different taste profile and the big banana hit!
Nose: A big peat wave at first but with time the smoke clears to leave banana toffee, some floral notes, medicine cabinet.
Palate: The peat is immediately evident, dominating the first part of the taste, there's a chewy liquorice centre, a sweet and sour double whammy with some sweet pepper and some citrus.
Finish: Long and spicy, with peat

Laphroaig 10 year old (40%): 8/10. I drink this regularly, but in this company it does stand out a bit as the weakest link. They should bottle this at 48% like the rest.
Nose: Subdued and elusive, with some peat but apple peel and green salad in the mix.
Palate: Sherbety, with pontefract cakes and defined punch peat.
Surprisingly soft overall though.
Finish: Medium, with some soft toffee notes and peat

Quartercask (48%). 8.8/10. I think its fair to say we all preferred the QC to the 10. What was interesting was comparing QC to Triplewood
Nose: A grinderman nose: powerful, dusty, with green fruits, coal shed smoke, engine oil. All very intense.
Palate: Concentrated and intense industrial smoke, some aniseed, a trace of liquorice, Mouth-coating.
Finish: Sharp and savoury peat notes linger

Triplewood (48%) 8.6/10. This is QC+sherry, but on balance we prefered the QC! That wasnt true of us all, and it was pretty close, but for me the sherry didnt actually do it any favours.

Nose: Creamy and light on peat, with Thai spices, some sherry feistiness and some spiky spices.
Palate: Beach barbecue, lemon drizzled on char-grilled fish, unexpected fruity warmth. Complex but balanced between the sherry fruitiness and the savoury peat. Subtle, challenging and absorbing.
Finish: Rich smoky and fruity, and goes on forever.

Laphroaig 10 year old cask strength batch 002 (58.3%). 9.2/10. Now your talking. I just love this one. We had a small amount of batch 01 to compare, and it is fairly different
Nose: Tarred rope, phenol.
Palate: Seaweedy. Both salty and sweet. Tar-like.
Finish: Medicinal. Tar, phenol, peat, earth. A wonderfully complex whisky.

sorry, forgot to make notes for the batch 01, getting fairly sozzled at this point, dom was now launching into some music based anacdote, michelle was burning the curry and I was tucking into the whisky... This is what I wrote about the CS batch 002 "'I've come to the end of the bottle of this, I've compared it to batch 001 and the old cask strength and drank it with five other Laphroaigs, and I'm still a bit confused and conflicted. On the one hand, I think its fabulous. Against the others it stood out, its got a clean, sharp taste that is very appealing. On the other, when I've been sat at home drinking whisky, I've really enjoyed the first dram but have not at all enjoyed the second, and moved on to something else. There is a light, floral, sweet quality that sits strangely with the general laphroaig taste. "


Laphroaig 18 year old (48%). 9.5/10. For me (and the other 3 of us I think), this is up there with my all time affordable favorites Renaissance and Lagavulin 12 (gives you an idea of my taste preferences!). This was our clear favorite, followed by the CS.

Nose: Brine and sea spray. Greasy rope. Hot road tar in the rain.

Palate: Industrial steam engine. Red liquorice. Peppered steak cooked on a hickory barbecue. Big and brooding.

Finish: Long, with peat coating the mouth and liquorice and hickory lingering.

We also tried the 2010 festival bottling, but I've lost the notes! I think I preferred the 18 though.

so now to plug (hope thats allowed!) we are selling these 6 Laphroaigs as 6x50ml for £30+P&P.
http://www.thewhiskytastingclub.co.uk/laphroaigTasting.php

Next week, an English whisky flight, chapters 6,7,9&10

[Ganga]

Ok, Sean and I have a flight of Highland Parks that we will be going through tonight. The order is 12 Flask, 12 round shoulder, 12 slanty shoulder and the 30 yo round shoulders.

[pkt77242]

HP 12 flask style

N: Salted orange, biscuits and a little peat. I get a little brown sugar, marshmellow and walnut as well.
P: Big salted orange and citrus with a little peat. I get a little nuts and a hint of strawberry. A little of the biscuit as well but not as much as the nose.
F: medium short on salted citrus. Oranges and lemons plus others. A touch of brown sugar.

Very nice.