Whisky Archives - Page 20 of 28

Category: Whisky

Irish
Whisky

Midleton Dair Ghaelach Knockrath Forest Tree 6 56.6%

Nose: Tomato vines, barq’s root beer candy, buttermilk , pickling spices, starved sourdough starter and orange marmalade, subtle dill herb, fresh basil and almond pesto butter / pan seared gnocchi. A very prominent oak haymaker.

Palate: Very bright and wood is super intense bringing loads of burning heat. A mouth drying astringency. If you can get past it, touches of chocolate, and a vanilla / cracked black peppercorn ice cream. I’ve got chili peppers drying on my windowsill and am days away from crumbling them into a paste. I hope they mature into something with this concentrated punch

Rating: 4 (Ryan) 5 (Shane) / 10 – Maybe better to have used tree 6 for a campfire, it was rather rude. But, as Ryan, says, it probably had a rough childhood and we shouldn’t judge it just based upon abrasive behavior during one night on a pub crawl.

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 2007 12 Year 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask #900510 64.3% for Signatory Cask Strength Collection

Nose: Chicken satay peanut sauce, peanut brittle. FRESHLY CRACKED DENTAL DAM. We sure he logged this right? Smells like a madeira. So savory. Rosemary. Mince and apple pie. Curried apples. Golden raisins. Lebanese rice pilaf with dried cranberries and almonds. Wet hay and clovers.

Palate: Usually when the palate matches the nose, that is a plus. But noooope. Nope nope nope. This goes onto the cheap street food that keeps you up all night and industrial rubber spectrum. Then it shifts into a kinda pleasing apple pie vibe. But it doesn’t save it.

Rating: 4 / 10 – Friends don’t let friends drink this alone. Hold my hand Ryan. This juice is for savages. The dry sherry vibe is so darn overwhelming.

Tasting Note

Glenallachie-Glenlivet 1970s 12 Year 43%

Nose: A summer alpine meadow. Honeycomb and chamomile. Waxy and polish. Sugar pea vines in bloom.

Palate: A subtle entrance that blossoms with time. White tea, orange peel and a spoonful of honey. Rose hips with a gentle non-cloying sweetness. A pimm’s cup.

Rating: 6 (Shane) 7 (Ryan) / 10 – this should be served in a garden cafe. With little cakes and cucumber sandwiches. The perfect summer bottle.

Tasting Note

Glengoyne 1972 31 Year Cask #2970 56%

Nose: Mace and flash fried sage leaves. Walnuts, apple butter, Nasturtiums on a bitter salad with a mix of rocket and arugula. Ripe green grapes, with a hint of acidity. Light pickling spices/herbs, and meringue. If this had Grosperrin on the label, I wouldn’t bat an eye.

Palate: Grosperrin, is that you? This continues to drink like a cognac!? Wood is quite present but balances out pretty well with the rest of the palate. Sweet grape paired with a light Indian spice funk. Grapefruit peel. Honeydew. Cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. Pue’r and hints of leather. This is so lovely. I’m Waxxxy and I know it.

Rating: 6 (Ryan) 8 (Shane) / 10 – What are the odds Kay fucked up and gave us a 1972 cognac? But then again, there is a style of whisky from the 70s that crosses the stream. Ryan finds it just a bit too woody/astringent, but I love the pairing with the fruit.

Tasting Note

Glengoyne 1972 25 Year 57.8%

Nose: Violets and honeysuckle. Sphagnum moss and orchids. Orange sweetened dried cranberries. Rich deep scone vibe, with a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream and a couple ripe strawberries. And a mint leaf for garnish. Sugar cookie batter. Slights hints of fresh celery.

Palate: The palate is an exact match to the nose, which is absolutely delightful. The wood is strong but perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the sherry integration. Fatty texture. Reminds me of the first fat washed apple cider I had. Honey and warm brown sugars. Hazelnut. Shane gets anise seed but Ryan leans toward shashito pepper. A splash of raspberry. This drinks insanely smooth, and yet, minutes later, there is a big mouth tingle on the finish

Rating: 9 / 10 – This is the closest thing to whisky “dessert” I think I’ve had without having sugar shock. A level of elegance I wasn’t ready for, but have to kneel and shout… we are not worthy. Feels like I should have dressed up. Good thing Ryan wore his thong. I totally get why people chase after these older Glengoynes.

Tasting Note

Shane

Friends of Laphroaig Warehouse 1 Càirdeas Bourbon Cask 52.2% 2022

Nose: White pepper, lemon pith, crushed red chili peppers

Palate: Sesame oil, slightly salty and green bell pepper. I smoked a cigar at a wedding yesterday and can still taste the tingle on my mouth.

Rating: 5 / 10 – I bet the peat lovers will trip on this, but I prefer bbq over ciggie. It lacks depth for me but I’m sure others will call it elegant.

Tasting Note

Shane

Lochindaal 11 Yr Brand Ambassador Cask 62.3% for Dramfool

Nose: Cinnamon honey sticks, tangerine white tea, soft peppermint candy. I used to climb on the giant hay bales at the farm next to my grandparents, as they dried.Touch of steel cut oats.

Palate: Cloves and peppermint oil. homemade roasted & dried seaweed snack. Jasmine green tea.

Rating: 8 / 10 – I just love this profile. BBQ full forward. Bit more herbal than some but well within my tolerance level.

Tasting Note

Shane

Octomore 2021 10Y Distillery Exclusive 56.3%

Nose: Cinnamon smore with white chocolate, well used hiking boots after walking on volcanic landscape (lanzarote red moon dust), monk fruit sweetener, touch of brullee

Palate: Slightly medicinal and something green. Julie bought xylitol mango gum claiming it’s healthy. Salted anise. If they smoked a california raisin.

Rating: 7 / 10 – Pretty darn yum.

Tasting Note

Irish
Whisky

Shane

Cooley 2003 CWC 52.7%

Nose: Super light celeriac, banana bread, cake frosting, baking powder, anise seed, allspice, zucchini, cedar decking.

Palate: What a roller coaster ride of a palate, sweet on the fore palate and then whoooooaaaaaaoooooo sour then bitter the woody into over steeped tea and greens. Sour grass and unsweetened limaide. Chewing on grapefruit peel.

Rating: 5 / 10 – It’s like a sour patch kid. It’s barely drinkable, but attracts me with the call of a neurotic adventure junky. It’s just fun, but can hardly imagine reaching for this often, if ever.

Tasting Note

Springbank 100 Proof 10 year bottled 2008 57%

Nose: Classic profile mmm, cinnamon dunnage warehouse, swamp grass and reeds, brackish river water, ocean spray, slightly dirty / funky. Buttery bandaids, sidewalk n ozone.

Palate: Oyster, seaweed salad, cedar box, clove and cinnamon toothpick, broccolini, and peach ring candy. Camphor. Tastes like bandaids with that weird texture of dental mold paste. The ones where they ask for cinnamon or bubblegum but as you are gagging it doesn’t really matter.

Rating: 5 (Ryan) 6 (Shane) / 10

Tasting Note

Longrow 17 Year 2002 Fresh Sherry Hogshead 49.4%

Nose: Fresh leather, menthol, subtle lychee

Palate: Strong menthol, chicory coffee, dark chocolate covered espresso bean, and dandelion greens. Medical tape and gauze. Very woody, mouthfeel is tannic. A sulfur vibe I need to revisit once my sinuses are 100%

Rating: 4 (Ryan) 5 (Shane) / 10 – yup… sulfur. Ouch.

Tasting Note

Shane

Longmorn 15 Year core line from 1980s 43%

Nose: Geranium and green apple.

Palate: Cinnamon apple sauce, sugar icing.

Rating: 6 / 10 – freaking lovely. Really enjoyable but only has one dimension.

Tasting Note

Shane

Longmorn 15 Year core line from early 2000s 45%

Nose: Dry grass, eucalyptus, green apple.

Palate: Green mango, green pear, lychee, touch of salinity

Rating: 6 / 10 – beautifully fruity easy drinking, clearly has caramel coloring

Tasting Note

Shane

Longmorn 2007 17 Year 43.5% for Bartels Rawlings International Ltd (BRI)

Nose: Dandelion, lime leaves, lychee, green apple jolly rancher

Palate: Green apple jolly rancher, on old stale juicy fruit gum, white pepper, wax paper

Rating: 5 / 10 – while the nose isn’t a stunner, it gets better as it rests. The palate is pleasant but mild. Cask strength even at 43.5%.

Tasting Note

Imperial 19 Year 1995 #50165 / #50166 52.2% for Signatory Vintage

Nose: Spongecake with grand marnier sprinkled on, tangerine flan, sawdust, waxiness.

Palate: Wax paper, tangerine taffy, julie’s aunt’s orange rolls, white tea where you left the paper label in, orange flan

Rating: 8 (Shane) 9 (Ryan) / 10 – Be excellent to each other – Party on, dudes! So-crates – “The only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing”. Ted: “That’s us, dude.”