K, another friend of mine, has brought some bottles from China, bottled by two Chinese Independent bottlers, for me to try.
Table of Contents:
1)Balblair 1997 26YO 44.8% (IB, Malt Universe)
Distilled in 1997, aged in a single barrel (#168) for 26 years and bottled at a cask strength of 44.8% with an outturn of 168 Bottles.
Nose: Bubble Gum, vanilla, citrus and malts. The nose is light and delicate. There are notes of brown sugar in the background.
Mouth: Some creamy expressions. Light and bitter. This doesn't taste like a high-aged whisky, it tastes younger than it has stated. Just like how I was trying to go to the cyber cafe when I was only 16. It is smooth but bland at the same time, the body of the liquid is 'mean', not welcoming. Light tea and orange notes.
Finish: Bubble gum and bitter.
Nice scale: 73/100
There are so many areas or this cask can do better; bland, bubble gum and no way this tastes like an 89-point whisky on whiskybase. You just don't pull enough flavours from the cask or someone forgets to cork back the cask for a good few years.
2) An Orkney 2007 15YO 55.9% (IB, Malt Universe)
Distilled in 2007 at An Orkney (HP) distillery, aged in a single Hogshead cask (#6) for 15 years, bottling at a cask strength of 55.9% with an outturn of 320 bottles.
Nose: Damn! Someone is sweating in the room, the other flavours is suppressed by the wood, hard to get more on the first nose. Vanilla is there, and I feel I'm sitting in a sauna room. There is also an expression of a newly baked loaf of soft bread.
Mouth: Rather light, sweet highland ashy peats. It is super simple in the mouth.
Finish: Oak spice.
Nice scale: 70/100
The experience is very quick for this.
3) Secret Orkney 2013 9YO (IB, The Whisky Firm)
Distilled in 2013 at An Orkney (HP) distillery, aged in a single First-Fill Sherry Butt for 9 years, bottling at a cask strength of 58.4% with an outturn of 180 bottles.
Nose: Candy-like sweetness, brown sugar, nuts and smokey. Woods and light chocolate feelings.
Mouth: Sweet, still light. Figs and soil peat with light peppery notes.
Finish: Figs and light bitter notes.
Nice scale: 73/100
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