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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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February 28, 2025
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The Port Charlotte Case, Half 7
We go on…
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Port Charlotte 13 yo 2007/2020 (60.5%, The Whisky Baron, recent Vosne-Romanée barrique, cask #003, 265 bottles) 
I’ve immense respect for The Whisky Baron, however on the danger of repeating myself, Vosne-Romanée is in Burgundy, and in Burgundy, they don’t use ‘barriques’, however ‘pièces’. It appears this was a full maturation within the Burgundy cask, very a lot within the Bruichladdich fashion (see Dramfool/Jim’s cask of Vosne-Romanée-ed PC we tried a number of days in the past). Color: pink copper. That checks out. Nostril: the Pinot Noir takes management instantly and doubtless gained’t let go. Tons of cherries, with touches of almonds, kirsch, and glue. With water: black cherries infused in whisky. Mouth (neat): that is actually good, it simply doesn’t really feel very ‘whisky’. Immensely vinous, however superbly so. Cherry liqueur and, fairly merely, younger pink Burgundy. Recognising it as Vosne-Romanée (not to mention a grand cru…) could be a stretch although. With water: unimaginable how this wildly unbelievable combine works, although you do want to like cherries… End: identical. Maraschino, rubber, kirsch, glue, oranges. Feedback: it’s not precisely a Romanée-Conti of Islay, however I discover it wonderful—and nearly really feel responsible for that. Then once more, I did examine in Burgundy. I did certainly.
SGP:755 – 89 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 14 yo 2004/2019 (53.4%, Dramfool, Feis Ile 2019, first fill sherry hogshead, 299 bottles) 
Color: darkish amber. Nostril: engine oil, fig leaves, Corinth raisins, blackberry jelly, potting soil, pipe tobacco, truffles, an outdated petrol lighter (GI’s Zippo) … That is fairly a dominant sherry on the nostril. With water: petrol and overripe oranges. Mouth (neat): a really stunning profile, with honey, Fanta, black truffle, rubber, raspberry jam, and fir honey. It’s nearly thick. With water: much more rubber and orange-flavoured ginger tonic. All in all, there’s nearly a contact of Aperol Spritz. End: pretty lengthy, on an nearly an identical profile. Aftertaste of ginger, honey, salt, and rubber. Feedback: amusing, this Glen Spritz. In any case, as soon as once more, the sherry type of ‘eats’ the peat.
SGP:565 – 86 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 10 yo 2001/2011 (57.8%, The Stillman’s, sherry hogshead, 317 bottles)
Right here we’re once more with our pricey Swiss neighbours. Delighted to style a 10-year-old from 2001, to remain nearer to the unique distillate… until the sherry is overwhelming, let’s see… Color: amber. Nostril: sure, it’s very sherry-driven, however nonetheless superbly carried out, with notes of smoked walnuts, recent concrete, freshly trimmed shrubs, and a touch of miso. With water: a number of spent matches and a bouquet of peonies. Mouth (neat): highly effective, on bitter oranges, intense honey, and nearly black figs. Very concentrated however superb. With water: sure, neglect the distillate, the cask was extra hyperactive than Elon M. End: lengthy and wealthy, on fig jam and manuka honey. Leather-based and tobacco within the aftertaste. Feedback: as soon as once more, the wine has tamed the peat, it’s fairly loopy.
SGP:655 – 87 factors. |
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Would it not be a attribute of Port Charlotte to be much less ‘resistant’ to wines than its closely peated counterparts?
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Port Charlotte 20 yo 2003/2023 (56.5%, Islay Sponge ‘IV’, refill hogshead, 241 bottles) 
Mr Sponge/Land’s PCs are notably sharp, it have to be mentioned. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: proper, we’re heading into acetic territory, with PX seco, bicycle patch glue, seawater, and above all, all kinds of shellfish. So, maybe due to a well-behaved hogshead, the entire is way extra maritime than most others, whether or not ex-bourbon, ex-wine, or ex-sherry. With water: south coast. No matter which means. Mouth (neat): completely excellent, with luxurious chillies alongside equally luxurious citrus, the entire additional enhanced by seawater and coal tar. With water: L*******n of the identical age, no much less. Nothing extra to say. End: lengthy, compact, magnificent. Smoked and candied lemons, then an aftertaste of peppered and salted honey. Feedback: unimaginable density, nearly summary. However was all of this intentional? An ineffable whisky that restores religion in humanity—it was about time I tasted it.
SGP:655 – 91 factors. |
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What folks neglect is that Bruichladdich was peated till the late Fifties, again when it was nonetheless owned by the DCL (pre-pre-Diageo). For instance, we tasted a 1958 from Cadenhead that had an SGP of **5. In a method, one might nearly say that Port Charlotte is the unique Bruichladdich. Properly, let’s neglect this pointless digression and transfer on to the following and final one for at the moment—however there shall be extra quickly…
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Port Charlotte 2004/2019 (51.6%, Malts of Scotland, bourbon barrel, cask #MoS19014, 267 bottles)
Malts of Scotland has already launched dozens of 2001s and 2002s, all superb, however that is the primary time we’re tasting a more moderen classic. Properly, comparatively talking. Color: gold. Nostril: the wooden is extra current this time, with pencil shavings, carbon paper, and hints of wasabi and ginger, however we’re not in full-on Ikea mode. Pretty notes of barely smoky marzipan, then clams and cockles, sea air, salsify, and a frivolously tarry peat, nearly discreet. With water: a briny aspect, like, we’re at a bit of fisherman’s harbour. Mouth (neat): fairly saline on the palate, like a mixture of mezcal and manzanilla, which, with two or three olives, would make an ideal ‘new-school’ martini, let’s be sincere. Strive it and inform me what you assume. With water: much more maritime, with tinned sardines in lemon and salted anchovies making an look. End: lengthy, lemony, peppery, and briny. Then ashes, although that is actually not a peat bomb. Feedback: frankly, I really like all these contradictions. One other prime PC.
SGP:566 – 89 factors. |
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