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| Hello, that is considered one of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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August 30, 2024
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Just some extra New Cats
Some, like Ardnamurchan or Daftmill, will more and more be the main focus of particular classes on WF, which is fully regular. Others nonetheless produce comparatively few completely different expressions, so we’ll hold them on this barely odd class of ‘New Cats’, should you’re in settlement.
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Isle of Harris ‘The Hearach’ (46%, OB, batch 15, 2024) 
The Hearach has turned fairly a couple of heads on the Edinburgh Whisky Fringe. Are you able to imagine it, we’re already on batch #15! You may argue these might be fairly small batches, however in any case, we completely adored the primary one (WF 86). Color: white wine. Nostril: I completely love this smoky aroma entwined with mashed turnips, slag, ashes, apple juice, contemporary concrete, barley, rye beer, and aubergine… There’s actually so much happening on this glass. Mouth: vigorous, taut, with a touch of Ben N. paraffin, adopted by lemon, chalk, inexperienced apple, salty smoke (if that’s even a factor), yeast, and mustard… Actually a malt with a method all its personal. End: fairly lengthy and sophisticated, with that faint contact of cologne and polish you generally discover in Ben N. and Spring B. Feedback: goodness, it appears Batch 16 is already out! We’ll by no means sustain, but it surely’s singular, and it’s pleasant
SGP:462 – 87 factors. |
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Kingsbarns ‘Coaltown’ (46%, OB, 2024) 
An in-cask mix of Kingsbarn and a contact of peater from stated cask. I’m not against this kind of factor so long as they’re upfront about it, as they’re right here. It’s a special story when it’s accomplished with out a lot as a point out, making an attempt to cross off a distillery’s malt as peated when it isn’t—much less superb, should you ask me. Sadly, there are many examples round us. Color: white wine. Nostril: it’s fairly good, contemporary, and cheerful, with pear, apple, nail varnish, and cigarette smoke. You can even throw in some whelks should you like. Mouth: sure, it’s good, nothing to complain about. I even assume it might be an ideal substitute for gin in sure cocktails, although I’m no cocktail skilled. End: lengthy, with lemon, apple, and ash. Feedback: one can’t assist however surprise if there aren’t some barrel brokers or overzealous coopers who ‘season’ casks particularly for this sort of flavouring, utilizing very younger peated whiskies, very similar to the bodegas do with sherry in Jerez, for instance. That stated, it’s actually fairly good—although I’ll keep on with my Kingsbarns ‘Bell Rock Cask Power’ (WF 86), thanks.
SGP:454 – 80 factors. |
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Lochlea ‘Sowing Version Third Crop’ (46%, OB, 1st fill bourbon, 2024) 
A correct property whisky, utilizing its personal crop and fortunately no unusual casks which have been too closely ‘borrowed’—that’s a aid. Our favorite Lochlea to this point has been the impeccable 5 yo from 2018 (WF 85). Color: white wine. Nostril: pure chalk, mud, slate, and inexperienced apple, with tiny touches of pineapple and mango. Not what you’d usually anticipate from a primary fill bourbon, however I feel that’s a optimistic right here. A beautiful, contemporary, and vigorous nostril. Mouth: rather more affect from the contemporary oak, however nonetheless very a lot in fruity territory, particularly with unique fruits like papaya. There’s a good bit of honey and liqueur as effectively, alongside that ever-present moist chalky be aware. End: pretty lengthy, nearly candy, with hints of pear liqueur. Feedback: the feel is sort of oily, and the fruits actually come ahead on the palate, giving it a slight Irish character. I actually do like this one. The primary fill’s impression was rather more pronounced on the palate than on the nostril.
SGP:641 – 84 factors. |
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Holyrood ‘New Make Japanese Sake Yeast’ (60%, OB, spirit drink, World Whisky Day 2022)
We’d beforehand loved different new makes from Holyrood, together with the ‘Bub’, and maybe had set our expectations a bit too excessive for his or her ‘Arrival’. Endurance can be required, however within the meantime, let’s take pleasure in this new make for… World Whisky Day? What’s that about? Color: white. Nostril: very a lot a brand new make, however the fruits are delicate, with notes of sorb, jujube, and wild strawberries (peat?). A couple of touches of apricot liqueur. With water: I’d swear there’s a sake-like be aware right here. Some pears as effectively. Mouth (neat): a fruity, smoky, fermentative, and liqueur-like punch, with wild strawberries making a reappearance. With water: even higher, transferring extra in the direction of candied citrus, and there’s additionally a contact of Comté or summer time Gruyère, very fruity. End: beautiful, lengthy, smoky, and citrusy. Feedback: the beauty of new make is that you could add loads of water with out the chance of bringing out the wooden and its tannins. I promise. It’s an absolute deal with and really, excellent.
SGP:632 – 86 factors. |
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Glasgow 1770 6 yo ‘Tokaji Cask End Batch 02’ (54.8%, OB, 2024) 
Ah, Tokaji… we strategy it with the identical warning because the bubonic plague. Not in our wine glasses, after all, however in our whisky. That stated, that is an unpeated model, so it ought to conflict a lot much less, not like these Laphroaigs completed in Tokaji 20 years in the past that despatched you straight to the emergency room with little hope of return. Color: gold. Nostril: it’s nonetheless not straightforward, with notes of earth and mildew blended with gunpowder, buttercream, vanillin, and roasted pineapple. With water: like a field of spent matches. Mouth (neat): ultra-sweet, ultra-liqueur-like. Tangerinecello, Williams pear liqueur, and sugar cane syrup. And pepper, too. With water: it will get a bit higher. The extra water you add, the extra it turns into tolerable. End: lengthy, very candy. Feedback: this isn’t the whisky’s fault in any respect; it’s the Tokaji casks. They need to by no means, ever depart Hungary. Love different expressions of Glasgow Distillery.
SGP:743 – 59 factors. |
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Glasgow 1770 2018/2024 (62%, OB, Kirsch Import, virgin oak + oloroso, cask #18/1192, 318 bottles)
Color: purple amber. Nostril: campfire smoke, V8 exhaust fumes, charcoal smoke, bitter chocolate, cigar bins, espresso, and concrete. We’re prepared for this. With water: beautiful leather-based (what we used to name Russian leather-based) and horse saddle. Mouth (neat): monstrous, and we adore it. Candied ginger, burnt fir wooden, eucalyptus, ashes, candied lemon, and liquorice wooden. Jägermeister is baby’s play compared. With water: ah, right here comes the oloroso, bringing marmalade and megatons of candied fruits of all kinds. Virtually on the sting of moscatel, or a minimum of, ‘cream’. End: very lengthy, tauter, with extra concentrate on candied citrus, and that bitter chocolate all the time lingering within the background. The peat seals the deal. Feedback: I’m actually keen on this massive beast that buries the ‘Tokaji’ as soon as and for all. Phew.
SGP:654 – 86 factors. |
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Effectively, we stated we would do ‘pure Ardnamurchan’ classes to any extent further, however we didn’t make any guarantees, and on this case of self-assessment by Adelphi/Ardnamurchan, we don’t wish to wait too lengthy.
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Ardnamurchan 10 yo 2014/2024 (56.8%, OB, 1st fill bourbon barrel, for Whisky Fringe 2024, cask #10, 252 bottles) 
It’s good that Whiskyfun Inc. simply invested in a 32-inch pc display, purely to learn Adelphi’s labels. Anyway, I reckon the oldsters at Adelphi didn’t have a lot hassle getting maintain of an excellent cask from Ardnamurchan (that was a bit weak, S.). Color: straw. Nostril: what else we love about Ardnamurchan? It’s that Japanese contact. For those who’d stated Chichibu or Shizuoka ex-bourbon, I’d have nodded and stated ‘completely’. White beer, chalk, wort, kerosene, mashed potatoes (50% potatoes, 50% butter, 50% olive oil). I do know. With water: it’s all about that mash now, and what a stunning mash it’s! Mouth (neat): it’s so good (sing it in French, c’est si bon). Porridge, licking stones, gravel, inexperienced apples, white beer, tiny apples and plums… With water: a fruity, yeasty affair, with peach compote, blended prunes, superb beers, and particularly these marvellous yeasts, truffles, and breads… End: the identical however drier, extra vegetal. But nonetheless fermentary. Feedback: nothing so as to add.
SGP:462 – 90 factors. |
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