Description
Cask 5.112 Sweet serenity and teasing musk (Sweet, fruity and mellow)
The nose combined a sweet serenity (honey, fudge, honeycomb bars) with an aromatic rhapsody of hothouse flowers, eucalyptus, pine needles and tobacco, plus a sharper shaft of sherbet fountains, lemongrass and rhubarb. The palate was sweetly tropical, with soothing spice – playful, yet mature at the same time – butterscotch, stone fruits, sandalwood and a finish of gingerbread, dark chocolate and tobacco strands. The reduced nose gave us marzipan, honey menthol throat sweets and teasing musky floral incense smoke. The palate still had a broad spectrum, from light and breezy (lime juice, perfume, cherries in syrup) to spicy Christmas sweets and exotic wood.
Cask 60.31 Sweetly modern (Spicy & sweet)
First nosing indicated a richly sweet profile full of butterscotch, highland toffee and milk chocolate buttons. Beyond that we also got a touch of violet liqueur, porridge sweetened with Strawberry jam and also orange peel. Some water revealed manuka honey, sweet rice pudding with nutmeg, boiled citrus sweets, manilla envelope and menthol tobacco. Neat, the palate displayed plenty more gooey sweetness, with banana bread, dark chocolate, cloves, cardamom pastries and barley sugars. Reduction brought a mellow and easy mouthfeel, along with pink peppercorn fruitiness, dried flowers, baked apples with custard and a splash of lemonade.
Cask 26.208 Supper sipper (Spicy and dry)
The panel got the initial impression of sugar in a coal scuttle from this neat nose. We also noted heather sprigs, myrtle, dried white flowers and vase water, plus lots of earth, mulch and fresh air. We also noted some cluttered beach pebbles, canvas and freshly muddled green herbs. Reduction brought notes of peanut brittle, lemon thyme, white stone fruits and crushed grass. In the mouth initially we got drying chalky vibes, then plum eau de vie, light aniseed notes, eucalyptus oils and some fruitier touches of lychee, quince and kumquat. With water it became gentler and more floral – some light green tea with lemon slices, citronella wax, barley water, oatcakes and yellow plums.
Cask 41.160 Toronto pronto (Deep, rich and dried fruits)
A bright, deep red henna colour greeted the Panel, and the nose was dark, rich, sweet and most unusual. One Panellist described it as salt sprinkled over the top of a hot, soft pretzel. Others mentioned cinder toffee, candied walnuts and peanut brittle bars. On the palate, we found salted caramel, roasted peanuts and umami-like miso soup with a touch of Spanish oxtail soup. After reduction we had more of the same, along with even more intense gooey brownies, chocolate-coated raisins and balsamic-glazed ham. The taste was simply sensational – sweet and dry but at the same time with the subtle herbal bitterness found in a cocktail called Toronto. Following nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill muscat rivesaltes barrique.
Cask 53.439 Saline smoky samphire (Peated)
We were hit by the assertive, saline, smoky scent of buttered samphire, sea purslane and salted smoked limes next to a strong whiff of peat fire-grilled citrus and herb red snappers. On the palate we created a new cocktail and named it “smoky sour diesel” with ingredients of fresh lemon juice, ginger syrup, angostura bitters and, of course, smoky whisky. Unbelievably moreish! Following the addition of a few drops of water, we found smoked ham-wrapped melon balls, barbecued pineapple rings and leeks with an oyster emulsion. To taste, peppercorn sauce over a chargrilled steak and in the finish sweet and smoky peanut brittle prepared with a teaspoon of adobo sauce.
