Ok, this is another chunk of reviews that I should have done way earlier. Now, let me put these to bed.
Content
1)Ardmore 2006/2018 12YO 'Fighting Fish' 52.1% (IB, Jack Wieber Whisky World
bottle for Monnier Trading AG)
Matured in a signle bourbon cask, with an outturn of 186 bottles at the natural cask strength of 52.1%. Ardmore has been one of the recent distilleries that I'm trying to appreciate.
Nose: Yogurt mixed with meaty peat smoke, salted veggies and sea breeze; rather young and 'raw' on the nose, much like a new make spirit. Badly constructed.
Mouth: Sweet, salted veggies and brine. There are planet's stems and ashy peat in the mouth. A rather overly simple 12 years.
Finish: Salty persists.
A simple 12 year, mouth is better than the nose, but it's below average. Luckily I only had half a dram- that's my honest thought after the sip.
Nice scale: 76/100
2)Benrinnes 2010/2018 8YO 53% (IB, Asta Morris bottle for The Mash Tun Tokyo)
Mature for 8 Years in a single sherry cask, outturn of 150 bottles with a natural cask strength at 53%.
Nose: Polish oil sort of sherry, nuts, hints of brown sugar. Leathery notes mixing with floral expressions.
Mouth: Round and sweet, the oiliness can be felt; together with some oak spice to it. Simple sweet sherry in the mouth.
Finish: Peppery.
Ok for 8 years, can drink and doesn't give me a frown. For the young whiskies, I always thought- is it really the right time to bottle? As I have seen more and more IB bottlings that are below 9 years in recent periods/years.
Nice scale: 80/100
3)Burnside 1991/2017 26YO 'Minono Kuniyoro Waterfall Label 諸国瀧廻り' 50.2% (IB, Hideo Yamaoka)
When making Burnside; 99% Balevnie & 1% Glenfiddich. Just kidding, it is ONLY a 'teaspoon' of Glenfiddich that wouldn't affect the flavour of the beautiful cask from Balevnie nor save the inferior cask as well. Probably a bourbon cask, outturn of 125 bottles at a natural cask strength of 50.2%.
Nose: Dried grass with watered-down honey & vanilla, overly simple for this.
Mouth: Sweet, hay and oaky. It is old, boring & mean.
Finish: Short.
It wouldn't be something that I would go for.
Nice scale: 78/100
4) Braes of Glenlivet 1997/20023 16YO Small Batch 46% (IB, Cadenhead)
Distillate in 1997 and aged for 16 years in a bourbon hogshead, bottling at an ABV of 46%.
It has changed it's name to Braeval, to avoid confusion with the forever famous Glenlivet.
Nose: Chewying gun, light fruity notes with sweet vanilla. And there are grapes too.
Mouth: Bland when it enters the mouth. Round and oily. There are hays, and sunflower seeds in the mouth. The experience is a vintage/old whisky, yes it tastes kinda out, slowly rolling out its flavours. Light sweetness, grapes and floral notes.
Finish: Roasted Sunflower seeds, it is short.
I enjoyed the experience, the lighter side of the Speyside!
Nice scale: 83/100
5)Glengoyne 1996/2016 20YO 59.3% (IB, Douglas Laing bottle for 10 Year The Nectar)
Child of Highland with bit of lowlands' blood running through the distillery; sitted on the border of Highland Line and was officially classified under the highland region but you still find some of the lowland's expression in the liquid. Aged in a refill hogshead and bottled at a cask strength of 59.3% with an outturn of 193 bottles.
Nose: Sugar syrup, sticky on the nose. Loaf of freshly baked bread with malts. Orange peels and the grassy expression is here. Interestingly there is a hint of saltiness to it.
Mouth: Round, candy sweetness and creams. Vanilla, floral, honey and mellow in the mouth.
Finish: Sweet, sugar and hints of spice.
Sweet sugar loaf of bread sticks. Interesting alternatives that you can have in the sherry world of Glengoyne sitting
Nice scale: 85/100
6)Glentaucher 2014/2021 7YO 51.7% (IB, Michiel Wigman)
Another Speysider that has been forgotten by many, but not me. The liquid can be found in Ballatines Blends. So if you are looking for Glentuachers, IB will be the direction you should be looking to. Distillated in 2014, aged for 7 years and the cask type wasn't stated. Bottling at an ABV of 51.7% with an outturn of 140 bottles.
Nose: Candied sweet sherry, smokiness. Think sugar syrup. A little stinkiness in it with a slight alcohol sharpness. There are some greens in it too (Floral & leaves).
Mouth: Figs, plastic sherry and dried fruit. In the mouth, it is not as exciting as the nose.
Finish: Nil.
Young, hard for me to find another reason to take another sip.
Nice scale: 75/100
7) Glen Grant Whisky Sponge NO.42 1995/2021 26YO 50.6% (IB, WhiskySponge)
Distilled in 1995 and aged for 26 years in a single first-fill bourbon barrel and bottled at a cask strength of 50.6% with an outturn of 328 bottles.
Nose: Sweet and fruity, there chewing gum notes (like after you chew until the flavour is gone). Then the green apple and floral notes appear.
Mouth: The main theme revolves around <Fruits>, the body is light and there are some dry grass and floral expressions. Cream and nuts.
Finish: Chewing gum...With no flavours.
Fruity and fresh, 26YO? He still has fuels in the tank! Not a 26-year-old that gets too much of the cask. And I like interesting flavours, like this.
Nice scale: 84/100
8) SMWs An enticement of sweet oak 21.27 1971/2012 39YO 46.7% (IB, SMWS)
The distillery is.......Glen....lassaugh!
Distilled in 1971 and aged for a good 39 years in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead, bottled from a single cask at the cask strength of 46.7% with a turnout of 246 bottles.
Nose: The prunes, grapes and oranges. There is an old furniture note too.
Mouth: Soft and prune. Light, thin and oak.
Finish: Short.
There is not much to comment on as there isn't many things to comment on.
Overly simple and doesn't taste like a 39YO whisky, to be honest.
Nice scale: 78/100
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Woohoo, finally I have clear off the owings!
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