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| Hello, that is one in all our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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March 3, 2025
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The Port Charlotte Case, Half 8
(and final, hurray!)
This little web site is de facto turning into portcharlottefun.com.
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Port Charlotte 8 yo 2008/2017 (57.6%, Maltbarn, Château Margaux cask, 169 bottles) 
The point out of a Château Margaux cask suggests this PC got here immediately from Bruichladdich. To be trustworthy, that’s just a little worrying (the truth that’s it’s Margaux, not that it got here straight from the Distillery), even when it’s from Maltbarn. Ch. Margaux is 75% cabernet sauvignon, the remaining merlot with a contact of cabernet franc. Color: mirabelle. Nostril: the wine cask sits prominently atop the distillate, someplace between blackcurrant bud and blood orange, with a contact of rubber and menthol as soon as once more. alternative to remind ourselves that these château casks produced from French oak aren’t as closely charred (or toasted, or burnt) as these crafted for the whisky commerce, that are additionally overwhelmingly American oak. With water: smoked brioche, pastis. Mouth (neat): a textbook Bruichladdich-style twin profile when wine casks are this concerned. A touch of cherry gin. With water: not dangerous in any respect, spherical, now somewhat silky. The crimson fruits stay current. End: lengthy, with nonetheless that interaction between peat and crimson fruits. Feedback: actually fairly good, much more than that, however the 2001 Maltbarns had been in a unique league, in my humble opinion.
SGP:655 – 84 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 14 yo 2004/2022 (59.7%, Relaxation & Be Grateful, LMDW Antipodes, sherry cask, cask #R08/258-13, 223 bottles) 
Color: very ripe apricot. Nostril: again to these bourbon-like sherry profiles, with varnish, stewed fruits, Jaffa desserts, then raisins and Earl Gray. Then increasingly liquorice and peat smoke. Then walnuts and a teriyaki notice. An outstanding nostril, in actual fact. With water: a spiced peach soup with honey and contemporary coriander. Star anise, Christmas biscuits (certainly, we’re terribly late for that) … Mouth (neat): large, with loads of tobacco, pepper, honey, and orange marmalade. A bit of bittersweet contact. With water: this mixture of vine peach jam with sultanas, liquorice, and burnt wooden is just good. End: lengthy, with espresso showing alongside chocolate stuffed with crimson fruit liqueur. Feedback: completely wonderful. Virtually like some type of crimson sherry (which, in fact, doesn’t formally exist, although certainly some younger Andalusian winemakers have to be crafting such a factor in secret).
SGP:666 – 88 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 12 yo 2008/2021 (59.9%, OB, Personal Cask, Åbrest habn, bourbon barrel, cask #3172, 206 bottles) 
Hurrah, a launch for Norway! Thanks, Steffen & Peter. Color: straw. Nostril: that pretty purity shines by way of, with vanilla, lemon liqueur, somewhat delicate peat, chalk, barley, almond milk, contemporary croissants, and apples… With water: damp earth and seaside sand emerge, together with uncooked wool (from Islay sheep, naturally). Mouth (neat): stunning lemony stress, with ashes and inexperienced apple. Fairly easy, however on this context, that appears like a energy. With water: wonderful, far saltier, with touches of white Jamaican rum and lime. Name it an Ileach mojito in the event you like. End: lengthy, exact, razor-sharp. Feedback: it solely grew extra fascinating, second by second.
SGP:656 – 90 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 15 yo 2001/2018 (58.3%, Dramfool, Islay Whisky Competition 2018, hogshead, cask #0847, 195 bottles) 
The 2019 version was somewhat nice, so let’s see what the earlier yr needed to supply. Color: white wine. Nostril: these rooty notes we love—gentian, contemporary turmeric, celery, carrot, radish… Then soot, watercress, and contemporary hay. Completely spot on and somewhat uncommon (which is not any contradiction in any respect, fairly the other). With water: hints of shoe polish, plasticine, and modelling clay. Mouth (neat): very highly effective, sharp, much more rooty and barely bitter, but additionally intensely lemony. Notes of cola. With water: peppery, very smoky, with a fino-like character blended with pine sap. Nonetheless fairly uncommon. End: lengthy, salty, with amaretti, ashes, lemon liqueur, and lingering celeriac. Feedback: it virtually feels as if one other peated Islay whisky had beforehand occupied this hogshead. Excellent, in any case.
SGP:466 – 87 factors. |
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Port Charlotte 14 yo 2003/2017 (60%, Whisky Dealer for Tjaerdalen, refill sherry, cask #857, 372 bottles)
This time we’re in Sweden. Color: white wine. Nostril: there’s one thing actually admirable a few refill sherry cask that is aware of how one can behave. Right here, its affect on the distillate is simply good, with nougat, desserts, and above all, honey-roasted peanuts with caramel. Hints of mint mustard—does that even exist? We’ll shortly see what water brings, in any other case, it’s a contact sturdy… With water: smoked almonds and lapsang souchong, a beautiful 5 o’clock. Mouth (neat): completely beautiful, ultra-salty and citrusy, with that razor-sharp edge—assume Uma Thurman in Kill Invoice. With water: sure, completely flawless. Excellent texture, good stress, but with a seductively wealthy mouthfeel. End: virtually just a little liqueur-like. Grapefruit liqueur with pepper, inexperienced olives, seawater, an oyster, and smoked tea. The aftertaste turns extra medicinal, camphory, and simply as pretty. Feedback: disgrace we’re eight years late to this one—and admittedly, we really feel a bit responsible about that.
SGP:566 – 90 factors. |
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Nicely, it appears like we have reached our aim of 40 Port Charlotte, however we nonetheless have a couple of left to style. So right here’s what I suggest: we’ll add yet another as a toast after which name it a day. Subsequent time we head to the suitable lung of Islay, we’ll attempt to have some Lochindaal, Rhinns, and Octomore. ‘Bye.
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Port Charlotte 10 yo 2001/2011 (61.5%, OB, Personal Bottling for Marc Segers, rum barrel, cask #253, 236 bottles)
Color: amber. Nostril: it virtually feels just like the rum cask has added an additional layer of uncooked depth to Port Charlotte, manifesting as flintstone and dried meat notes. Enhanced sorrel soup with wine, basalt, charred notes… Fairly an uncommon profile, although let’s not neglect the very excessive ABV. So… With water: comes throughout like a somewhat sulphury sherry, actually. Loads of gunpowder and black truffle. Mouth (neat): sure, very oddly sulphury, virtually burnt, bitter, with sturdy briny notes but in addition some very darkish toffee. I believe that’s the rum—maybe an outdated Guyanese one? With water: black espresso and bitter chocolate. End: lengthy, extra on meaty, spicy, and salty notes… A great deal of cumin within the aftertaste—are we certain this wasn’t genever somewhat than rum? Feedback: what I didn’t point out is that I truly take pleasure in these ultra-unusual types. Even when it’s onerous to attain, they do really feel like a little bit of a vacation.
SGP:576 – 86 factors. |
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A vacation that I would like now…
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