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| Hello, that is considered one of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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July 16, 2025
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A small sack of grains
We do that sometimes, style the few grains we have obtained over the previous weeks or months. Be aware that we’ll be staying in Scotland and avoiding column-distilled malts, which due to that develop into grains up there. Nevertheless, for those who distil grains in a pot nonetheless, they nonetheless received’t depend as single malts (ooh, S.). Let’s choose one at random…
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Girvan 33 yo 1991/2024 (46.0%, Cadenhead, Authentic Assortment, barrels) 
Color: gentle gold. Nostril: gentle and nice, on corn syrup, sweetshop treats, vanilla and coconut liqueur. Somewhat chamomile as effectively. Mouth: nonetheless gentle, sugary, all on sweets and extra coconut. A form of sugary English tea with an excellent deal an excessive amount of sugar. End: medium in size, no specific improvement. Candy and relatively slim. Feedback: no surprise it’s not very ‘malty’ in any respect (I do know what I am tryng to say), and irrespective of how onerous I strive, I shall by no means really handle to take pleasure in these ultra-light whiskies initially designed to tame malts and minimize prices. Except we encounter some stellar sherry casks, however we will see…
SGP:630 – 78 factors. |
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North British 32 yo 1991/2024 (46.6%, Whisky for Leiden, first fill bourbon, cask #264532, 185 bottles) 
In principle, it was corn. Color: white wine. Nostril: I discover this significantly better on the nostril, it’s much less candy and extra natural, with a way more restrained coconut and vanilla combo, together with pretty inexperienced teas and a contact of blond tobacco. Very nice at this stage. Mouth: it actually makes a distinction on the palate, with admittedly some notes which can be somewhat too sugary for me but in addition touches of gentian and wild carrot. Briefly, some rootiness, and that’s one thing we fairly take pleasure in. End: it will get sweeter however stays pretty below management. One simply shouldn’t linger too lengthy on the end, maybe by shortly reaching for a wee glass of water. Feedback: not dangerous in any respect, I believe.
SGP:540 – 83 factors. |
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Invergordon 18 yo 2006/2024 (62.3%, Wilson & Morgan, sherry, cask #446) 
Let’s be sincere, slipping an ex-sherry Invergordon right into a grain line-up is nearly unfair to the others. Color: darkish amber. Nostril: instantly high-grade outdated bourbon territory, with varnish and wooden glue, maple syrup, toffee, chocolate, chestnut cream and inexperienced walnut liqueur. With water: bouillons, cigars and leather-based! Mouth (neat): are we completely positive this isn’t Enmore in disguise? Although do thoughts the power… With water: aggressive in a relatively charming method, shortly turning ‘Japanese’, with umami, soy sauce and, to be sincere, MSG. Frankly, it’s fairly excessive, however we’re not right here to do embroidery (our warmest regards to embroiderers in all places). End: varnish returns, alongside chestnuts and walnuts. Feedback: high grain, and there actually isn’t that a lot of it about, no less than in my humble opinion. One barely even observed that the aftertaste was really a tad sugary.
SGP:661 – 88 factors. |
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Butterscotch & Vanilla & Toast & a Technology 30 yo (40%, Atom Manufacturers, blended grain, +/-2023)
Blimey, they actually went for it! I shall style this blended grain discreetly; I’d be far too frightened somebody would possibly see me… Color: gentle gold. Nostril: effectively, blow me, it’s not dangerous in any respect, with touches of sesame, hay, white chocolate stuffed with grated coconut, and sweet apples… Mouth: it’s gentle however not weak, that includes candy natural teas with rock sugar, nonetheless that white chocolate with coconut which may evoke childhood recollections for some, roasted peanuts rolled in sugar… All relatively nice. End: not lengthy however as comfortable as a sundown over a Greek island (actually?) A stunning little salty contact. Feedback: charming and really understated, virtually a no-lo whisky. Certainly, there are good ones!
SGP:330 – 84 factors. |
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Since we’re on the subject of blended grains…
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Compass Field ‘Hedonism 2024’ (43%, Compass Field, blended grain, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 7746 bottles) 
Massive effort on the label, very ‘Gustav Klimt’, with an honest finances clearly dedicated to the gilding. Color: straw. Nostril: I relatively like this, with vegetable oils, leaves, comfortable little resins, even a faint smoky contact, and above all, mercifully little of that deafening vanilla and coconut duo. Doesn’t really feel too weak at 43% vol. Mouth: effectively, it’s nonetheless grain, nevertheless it’s neither too hole, nor too mute, nor overly candy. A form of popcorn-in-the-haybarn with a squeeze of lemon, if such a factor existed. End: a bit brief, however the lemony aspect saves the day. Not dangerous. Feedback: does the warbling stay as much as the plumage? Maybe…
SGP:440 – 82 factors. |
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Strathclyde 20 yo (52.9%, James Eadie, Distilleries of Nice Britain & Eire, 1st and 2nd fill marsala hogsheads, 364 bottles)
Not like malt, grain is absolutely all concerning the cask, finish of debate… And we’re relatively satisfied, seems we had been in Marsala barely a month in the past, I’ll have instructed you earlier than. Sure certainly, that’s Sicily, southwest coast. Color: full gold. Nostril: very sensible certainly, the grain has drawn within the earthy fudgey tones of the marsala, even the faint fermentary edge and a whiff of fire-baked bread. With water: gentian! The place on earth did that come from? Mouth (neat): nonetheless recognisably grain, the feel stays somewhat comfortable, however there are unsweet raisins stepping in to assist. With water: and increase, the gentian returns to the rescue, extra discreetly than on the nostril. Gentian cordial (have you learnt Suze?) End: medium in size however nice, because of its earthy, rooty profile. Feedback: very wonderful grain, and a relatively uncommon one at that.
SGP:451 – 84 factors. |
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Girvan 9 yo 2015/2024 (59.3%, Single Cask Nation, 1st fill bourbon hogshead end, cask #193413, 280 bottles) 
Nice Scott, they dared bottle a 9-year-old Girvan! Both the home windows at Single Cask Nation HQ had been already spotless, or that is really superb… Color: gentle gold. Nostril: I’d wager it’s the latter, peanut oil and sunflower oil, with this unexpectedly fatty aspect, plus faint puffs of ink and light-weight natural teas. With water: correct popcorn and vanilla cream, then most of all, steel polish and motor oil. Hurrah! Mouth (neat): extremely entertaining, it relatively looks like swallowing a mixture of limoncello and nail varnish—not precisely really useful, thoughts you. With water: it will get even funnier, with some asparagus, comfortable cleaning soap, varnish and paraffin. End: gentler, however marked by almonds, pistachios, and nonetheless that vegetable oil. And hey, a little bit of pear on the aftertaste. Feedback: that is nice enjoyable whereas nonetheless managing to be a bit mental. Do keep in mind, that is 9-year-old Girvan we’re speaking about.
SGP:550 – 85 factors. |
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Strathclyde 34 yo 1989/2023 (51.1%, Cadenhead, Genuine Assortment, oloroso hogshead end, 366 bottles)
Color: amber. Nostril: not dangerous, the sherry does its job, with roasted peanuts, turrón, praline, a pack of blond cigarettes, honey, glacé cherries and raisins. With water: pu-ehr tea, earthy and virtually smoky, which is relatively good. Mouth (neat): chocolate, chicory, dried raisins, salted butter caramel. With water: it loses a little bit of stamina right here, a pity, maybe finest to not add water. Some coconut begins to point out, and on this specific context and solely on this context, coconut is the enemy IMHO. End: not very lengthy however moderately nice, aside from the aftertaste which leans somewhat too far towards stale tea. As regular, it lacks only a contact of texture. Feedback: began off very effectively. Save the water, it’s higher, and collectively, we’ll save the planet.
SGP:550 – 80 factors. |
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One final fast one, properly completed, hopefully…
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Port Dundas 24 yo 1999/2024 (51.8%, Whisky Age, hogshead, cask #711825, 247 bottles)
At all times these very good-looking labels, maybe just a bit too good-looking for plain outdated grain whisky. Alright then, I exaggerate. Color: white wine. Nostril: maintain on, one thing’s gone terribly mistaken, they have to’ve blended mezcal and nail varnish and bottled the end result. Wonderful nostril, however is that this actually mere grain whisky? I relatively doubt it. That mentioned, let’s not overlook Port Dundas was the seminal grain distillery. With water: simply superb milk chocolate. Mouth (neat): crème brûlée and polish, butter cream, orgeat, pistachio syrup, macadamia nuts… What kind of sorcery is that this? With water: no, skip the water, it falls aside somewhat on the palate. Finest forgotten… End: espresso storms in, mocha, all pairing fantastically with the crème brûlée. Feedback: one would possibly virtually name this the proper 5 o’clock whisky.
SGP:551 – 86 factors. |
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