Description
Whisky Baba (Blended Malt)
On the neat nose we poured golden syrup and honey on to wheat biscuit breakfast cereal. Some indulged in chocolate-coated marzipan and slices of rich madeira cake, while others baked a golden syrup sponge that was heavy on orange peel and dried papaya. The taste was an explosion of rum-soaked pineapples while the French oak contributed spices such as anise and cinnamon. A satisfying toasty oak note evolved into vanilla pods, mace, nutmeg, orange oil and mango. With a splash of water we could smell a bowl of sugar-coated puffed rice, varnish and resinous oak, ginger cake, orange zest and barley sugars. There were deep notes of dunnage warehouse, apple cubes, and hints of buttery rancio topped off with desiccated coconut. The palate was now silky and mouthcoating, with tangerines and dark chocolate, and a whisky baba pudding. Melon and mango were drizzled with floral honey, and we ate chocolate orange cake mix straight from the bowl.
Cask 19.75 Truly a bobby-dazzler (Sweet, fruity & mellow)
A very inviting nose as we imagined being offered tropical fruits out of a handmade woven palm leaf bowl next to the delicate scent of tea leaves, light tobacco and glacier mint boiled sweets. On the palate, a slice of sour plum brown butter upside down cake before we had a fruit smoothie made with pineapple, banana and orange juice. A drop of water and it was as though we could see, from the beach, a rainbow over the Caribbean Ocean while we drank a Woo woo cocktail of vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice fresh lime and maybe a tiny umbrella too – truly a bobby-dazzler.
Cask 64.131 A bit too French for its own good! (Spicy & Sweet)
A lovely and highly inviting nose full of nectars, young sweet wines and flower honeys. Green fruit syrups, sandalwood, apple chutney and French fancies. Easy going and pleasurable we agreed. With water we got agave syrup, wintergreen, shoe polish and limoncello with a scattering of cloves. The neat palate opened with a slick richness of polished leather before evolving towards sultanas, camphor, honey roast parsnips with herbs and bitter orange marmalade. Reduction brought brioche, candied citrus peels, bergamot oil and lime curd. A big slice of Dundee cake awaited us in the aftertaste. Matured for 13 years in a bourbon hogshead before transfer to a 2nd fill Sauternes barrique.
Cask 4.334 Hillwalker’s delight (Lightly peated)
A comforting welcome of chocolate coins on a Christmas tree and hillside heather greeted us as we sipped hot chocolate laden with smoky whisky sitting in a worn leather armchair. Heather was joined by lavender on the palate with nutty aromas merging with baked apples and coal dust. Adding water brought peaty notes to the fore, alongside dried coconut, coriander and cardamom. Creamy flavours of pink peppercorn sauce now coated stewed mango and melon while violets blessed the sweet finish. At 8 years of age, we combined selected casks from the same distillery. We then returned the single malt into a variety of different casks to develop further. This is one of those casks.
Cask 16.84 Linctus-glazed lamb (Peated)
Sweet aromas of macaroons, burnt ginger biscuits and salted caramel merged with red liquorice, chocolate fudge cake and buttered toast, while light honey coated burnt heather. The flavours were bold and robust as applewood smoke washed over antiseptic-glazed lamb, roasted with rosemary and almonds, and served with kale fried in ghee, scorched limes and hot smoked mackerel. Adding water brought an earthier and more herbal demeanour with tarragon, rosemary and thyme on oysters, scallops and crab, accompanied by aniseed liqueur and cough syrup-cooked lamb shanks. Liquorice returned with pink peppercorns and burnt coconut husk before oak sawdust, chimney soot and dried herbs combined on the finish. Four years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before being transferred to a toasted ex-peated whisky hogshead that had previously been filled with whisky 66.124.
