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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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February 25, 2025
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The Port Charlotte Case, Half 5
We supply on, all these Port Charlotte are nonetheless excellent…
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Port Charlotte 15 yo 2004/2019 (48.3%, Orcines, The Whisky Lodge, bourbon barrel, cask #864, 188 bottles) This comes from the distinguished organisers of the Lyon Whisky Pageant. It’s developing quickly, in March. Color: straw. Nostril: a really pure Port Charlotte, all about limestone, lemon, inexperienced apple, ashes, and bread dough. Elementary, in one of the best sense of the phrase. Mouth (neat): very vertical but comfortable, with clementines rising past a high-quality peat that leans extra in the direction of CI. Sichuan pepper, olives, a contact of gray pepper, and, after all, loads of ashes, all the time with a sure softness… End: fairly lengthy, very exact, extremely coherent, virtually refreshing. Some beautiful light bitterness within the aftertaste, virtually paying homage to amaro. Feedback: actually very lovely, however beware—exceptionally excessive drinkability. SGP:555 – 88 factors. |
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Let’s return to the other facet…
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Port Charlotte 8 yo 2009/2018 (64.2%, Suave Dodger Whisky Collective, Sauternes cask, cask #1063, 398 bottles) Color: deep gold. Nostril: an surprising bourbon-like facet, with varnish, then flambéed bananas and virtually medicinal alcohol during which coconut may need been macerated. A touch of brine appears to emerge within the background. Shocking! With water: it stays curiously comfortable and virtually evokes a Cuban rum. Significantly. Mouth (neat): kirsch and strawberry eau-de-vie straight from the nonetheless. Strawberry eau-de-vie is sort of one thing—don’t drink an excessive amount of with out water, even a few drops will scrub your oesophagus. With water: nicely, there we’ve it, the peated distillate comes charging in, however now accompanied by apricots and mirabelles coated in honey. End: lengthy, actually all about PC plus yellow fruit liqueurs and honey. Feedback: a really stunning mixture, really fairly Bruichladdich-like. Don’t even take into consideration consuming this with out water. SGP: 755 – 85 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 10 yo 2005/2015 (60.7%, Unusual Methods, for HNWS Taiwan, Madeira cask, cask #2005001572, 303 bottles) Unusual methods? We’re very keen… Color: gold. Nostril: that is fairly stunning, with that comfortable, virtually buttery, virtually pastry-like facet. Barely candy varnishes, for those who see what I imply, a mirabelle tart, a bag of bergamots from Nancy (town, not Mrs Reagan’s outdated stash), then lastly a fairly vegetal peat that lifts off gently, in a stunning approach. With water: very amusing medicinal notes, notably inhalation oils full of eucalyptus. An exquisite nostril. Mouth (neat): this will need to have been a really candy Madeira, most likely Malvasia. Honey, oranges, pepper, and a peat that isn’t overwhelmingly aggressive—but. With water: all the things balances out to perfection; I feel we’d have to mild just a few candles. Phew. Very oily texture as soon as lowered. End: very lengthy, with a peaty, peppery softness and an virtually Christmassy facet. Do our expensive Taiwanese mates know Beerawecka or Hützelbrot? Feedback: fairly the concoction—Unusual Methods certainly, but additionally Nice Methods. SGP:756 – 89 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 17 yo 2002/2020 (57.1%, WhiskySponge, 1st fill bourbon, 220 bottles) One of many first releases from Angus’s WhiskySponge—now that’s a collector’s piece! Color: white wine. Nostril: oh, gentian, celeriac, wild carrots, soot, leeks, a full ashtray, paraffin, lemon… Truthfully, I find it irresistible, Sponge or no Sponge. These very first vintages are among the many finest by way of complexity, really top-tier. With water: just a little mellowed however nonetheless lovely, if barely much less expressive. Paraffin. Mouth (neat): identical rooty profile, excessive gentian (we’re followers), a contact of candied sugar, ashes from numerous sources, clams, a little bit of butter, a little bit of black bread… Oysters are the one factor lacking now. With water: seawater, celeriac, lemons, inexperienced apples, cigar ashes. End: lengthy, fatty but exact. Roots, ashes, honey, and salt. Feedback: by Zeus, what a devilish bottle! And to suppose it took me 5 years to style it. SGP:666 – 91 factors. |
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These are pleasant bottles since you realise that you just don’t need to spend £2,000 £1,500 £1,000 on an outdated Ardbeg to attain a reasonably related stage.
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Since we’re on the subject of sponges…
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Port Charlotte 18 yo 2003/2021 (57.1%, WhiskySponge, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 197 bottles) This bottling energy of round 100° proof has the particularity of being drinkable with out water, if one actually insists—although we at WF wouldn’t advocate it. Color: gold. Nostril: extra compact, extra monolithic, additionally extra predictable than the 2002, with ashes, lemons, leather-based, pink and black pepper, limestone, and clay… That stated, there are additionally bergamots, and because the honorary president of the BASF (Bergamot Appreciation Society of France), I have to say I find it irresistible too. With water: not a lot improvement, it really turns a bit rougher. Maybe I wasn’t flawed about avoiding water. Mouth (neat): highly effective, lemony, a great deal of ashes, nonetheless a sooty facet but additionally… bergamots and a contact of hay jelly. With water: identical combo, roughly, just a bit extra peppery. End: lengthy and, surprisingly, now very near the 2002, even with all these roots and that pepper. Feedback: the 2002 was already extra tertiary, however this 2003 is true on its heels. Really splendid bottles. SGP:667 – 90 factors. |
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