Description
Cask 78.63 Seriously big flavours (Mat of the Month)
We found on the neat nose apple, flavoured tobacco in a leather pouch and bramble liqueur poured over rum and raisin ice cream. On the palate we grabbed a handful of Bombay spice mix before we bit into a grilled, spiced lamb kebab. After the addition of water, we prepared crispy salt and pepper-shredded beef with oyster sauce, sesame oil and red wine vinegar. To taste, hazelnut chocolate spread on heavily burnt toast and dark bitter chocolate with sour cherries – seriously big flavours! Following six years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a second fill oloroso hogshead which previously matured whisky from Society distillery 125.
Cask 18.52 I challenge thee…to a duel!
At first we got initial notes of Jamaica ginger cake, cedarwood cigar boxes, liquorice, pipe tobacco and damp dunnage funkiness. We also found some sleek aromas of coconut husks, slightly salty old sherry vibes and fruit loaf. With water, the damp, earthy and mulch cellar notes were enhanced, along with further aromas of graphite oil, crushed walnuts and petrichor. The neat palate opened with big flavours of walnut wine, old furniture and leather – like being slapped in the chops with an old leather driving glove. With water we found dates in syrup, brown bread spread with treacle and more notes of tobacco laced with eucalyptus. Matured for 12 years in a bourbon hogshead, this was then transferred to a first fill Spanish oak oloroso sherry hogshead.
Cask RR3 The finesse of a fragrant furnace
A fine bouquet of fragrant flowers and scorched watermelon mingled with molten wax before it dripped onto tarry ropes. There were also iodine elements of seaweed scattered on a shellfish platter. The palate had fine finesse – juicy with charred pineapple, but devilishly moreish as butter melted over toasted coconut and just a nuance of eucalyptus converged with powdery coal tar. What could a dash of water do? Now wonderfully clean smoke engulfed the maritime familiarity of walks along the beach. Flowers were dotted about the sand dunes and herbal notes morphed into sweet phenols and antiseptic cream on peach skin.
Cask 19.74 Dessert mirage
A trip to the flower shop presented us with glorious roses, carnations and geraniums with the sweet scent of meringue combined with pistachios, honey and lemon juice on raspberries. Flavours arrived in a box of toasted oak and presented an intense explosion of guava, mango and banana sweets. A distinct change occurred when adding water. The floral notes had developed into fine Armagnac with delightfully waxy textures and orange notes before digestive biscuits crumbled amongst travel sweets. Hints of hazelnut now emerged alongside whipped cream as tropical fruit desserts drizzled in caramel sauce finished with pure opulence.
Cask 68.97 The joy of jostling flavours
We imagined preparing a hearty dish of turnip gratin in a creamy gruyere cheese sauce with smoky bacon. While in the oven bubbling and turning golden, we enjoyed a classic cola float and a slice of malt bread with raisins which we dipped into a peppercorn sauce. After the addition of water, sweet spices were released reminding us of gingerbread and cinnamon spekulatius next to plum sauce and dry-roasted peanuts. On the palate, beef olives with prosciutto and potato dumplings were washed down with a dandelion and burdock shandy. Following 11 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill American oak PX hogshead.
