Tastes

Nose: A really beautiful smoky nose. One of the best I've encountered. Also a scent of muted brine - not a breeze but the scent of the beach as the tide is just ebbing. Some warm rich cereal maltiness to provide body, some mild citrus and berry fruits, an oily vegetal aroma (pine? freshly felled oak?). A wonderful performance - smoke, malt and fruit play a trio in a seaside pavilion by a forest. Palate: A sweet and spicy arrival that rises to within just a fraction below hot. Full but gentle smokiness, toffee, star anise, a little black pepper, apples, sweet lemon zest, and a seaside brininess. Finish: Long, with mild chilli or pepper and some sweetness. A little citrus and a sweet spiciness reminiscent of pastis in the aftertaste. Perfectly balanced at 50%abv, this whisky is wonderful neat but it can take a little water for a softer presentation that is frankly even more enjoyable, and highly recommended. Don't drown it, just a dash is all that is needed. This enhances the smokiness on the nose and melds the other aromas together quite wonderfully. It also brings out a previously shy honey note that moves to centre stage, like an unexpected guest soloist. On the palate, water works a similar transformation, uncovering a sweet citrus flavour from the lemon zest and merging the spicy notes. Also a new smoky and slightly oily component arises from seemingly nowhere. The mouthfeel and whole presentation is raised a notch, and the finale gains a softer honey-like sweetness. This is a thoroughly enjoyable whisky - highly recommended and the best new thing I've tasted in a while. In my opinion Port Charlotte expressions are more nuanced than Octomore and represent better value at half the price (although Octomore still commands the high ground as far as intensity goes). Probably hard to find now, except via auction. "Outstanding" : 90/100 (5 stars)

Nose: A robust smoky nose that is more about charcoal or campfire embers than billowing wood-smoke. Peaty notes follow the smoky introduction, and then a gust of iodine and ozone laced sea air. Bracing and crisp. As it rests and opens some faint bacon or ham aromas are identifiable and there is citrus oil carried on that ocean breeze. Later, a gentle oiliness appears. When neat the nose is mineral and enlivening. I didn't get any fruity or floral aspect until I added water, which opens and softens the nose a good deal and allows some peaty waxiness to emerge. Palate: A bold arrival, crisp dry aromatic smoke and quite a lot of tasty sea salt - almost like bacalhau that hasn't quite been soaked out. Hot root ginger and peppery lemon, which flourishes in the development and together with the background salt creates an almost astringent spiciness around the tongue. Adding water transforms the palate by muting the salt and drawing out considerable sweetness and more peat. Little waves of smoke keep returning as it develops. Finish: Long, warm, with salt, pepper and lemon zest spiciness eventually turning to sweetness. Smoke is the last actor left on the stage - almost like the flavour of a mild cigar smoked an hour previously. (This whisky makes me remember smoking Montecristos and drinking tequila at Xpu Ha beach on a clear moonlit Christmas Eve, 20 years ago. Thank you Ledaig). A generally unknown and under-rated whisky, there are a lot of similarities between it and several of the younger Islay single malts, and there is a hint of Longrow about it as well. Its spiritual, if not geographic, home is somewhere midway between Tobermory and Campbeltown. I've come to like this whisky a lot, but I'd be very curious to taste it at cask strength. Recommended for smoky whisky fans, particularly if you like them unsherried. It's delicious neat, but it can take a little water if you like a softer experience. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)

Nose: A clean, elegant combination of thin honey, malt, faint brine, light heather smoke and fine energetic oak. Herbacious, grassy notes against an enticing oily backdrop. Nosing this is like walking through a peaceful fragrant meadow on a warm spring day, and then entering a cool, perfectly managed dunnage. Heaven must be like that. Palate: An excellent delivery that leads into a sweet and satisfying development. From faint, almost shy initial floral honey tones an authoritative palate emerges on waves of increasing spiciness that never become too intense. Subtle fruitiness (notably sweet orange), the barest hint of peat, a little hard toffee, suggestions of vanilla, preserved peaches, sherry, mild coffee. Full and rich, but never heavy. Finish: A long, lingering spicy sweetness that echoes away on waves, leaving you desirous of more. Profound simplicity - a great whisky. Its outstanding characteristic is how integrated it all is - so much so that to new whisky drinkers it might even seem uninteresting. I do think, however that the official score here is far too generous. “Excellent” : 89/100 (4.75 stars)

Nose: Sawdust, with an underpinning dusky hint - sandalwood sawdust. A carpet of autumn leaves. Brine and gymnasium sweat (!) Warm earthy sweet spices (cinnamon, aniseed, cardamom, liquorice) and hops. A little tarry smoke, but not much trace of the "profound peat". A very interesting nose that develops some intriguing oily (almost buttery) vegetal notes as it opens. Palate: Gorgeous, smooth honeyed arrival and ... ah ha! .. there's the peat, lurking as a foundation that you almost overlook until it rises to try and overtake the honey ... but meets its match. More herbal than fruity - thyme and lemongrass, mustard cress, sage and rocket (aka arugula). Grassy and fresh in perfect balance with the honey, and with an overall oilyness that contributes very good texture and mouthfeel. Finish: Long and gently lingering, it seamlessly follows the delivery and fades away on sweet and salt vegetal notes, with the honey and peat that have been there throughout the performance echoing into the distance. Lovely. Sweet honey and fragrant dry herbal components are combined very well here in a most accomplished pairing that waltzes over a ground of perfect peat. To be honest I was not expecting much, having been pretty disappointed by the 10 year expression last year, however this is in a totally different league. Congratulations, Jura distillery, on producing an interesting and individual dram that is also quite delicious. This is indeed heavily peated, but absolutely not a "peat monster". Adding a drop of water highlights the sweet side, but I'd recommend taking it neat - so smooth, you'd never guess for a second that this is 46%. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)

Nose: An immediate sooty, lemon/orange punch that takes no prisoners. Not harsh, but uncompromising. Wet sand and mud - the smells of a seaside field on a squally day with an oily, citrus tinged smoke to windward. A lot of brine and peaty aromas. This particular expression is not soft - it's rather angular and brisk like a blustery, chill morning. How invigorating! With water the nose opens up beautifully, but don't overdo it and soften it too much - just a few drops is all it needs to relax. Palate: A briny and spicy dark jaffa cake and chocolate arrival with bitter citrus fruits, green olives, dried muscat grapes, ash and smoke. The development brings out sweetness all through the palate whilst the salty umami foundation perseveres. With water the sweet character is intensified, but so is the spiciness, all in perfect balance. Cloves and a touch of cinnamon in the background and the texture is excellent. Finish: Long. Lemon peel and smoky, earthy, phenolic characteristics slowly dying away, like the embers of a beach-side barbecue the morning after. With water the sweetness and smoke are both intensified. The best Loch Gorm yet, in my opinion. There are features of something from all the previous expressions, but in balance. This would be one to collect, if one did such things ... nah, just enjoy it. I've rated this one just one percentage point lower than the current Sanaig. In the past I've generally found Kilchoman whiskies to be too young and undisciplined to be really enjoyable but this is changing, and has been for a while now. This and Sanaig are the high points for me now, but I bet in the next year or two we'll be hearing great things about the whole range. I predict 12-14 years will be the magic maturation time for this distillate. Recommended. "Excellent" : 88/100 (4.5 stars)

Nose: Initially tight and narrow but with time in the glass it starts to open up. A little bit of vanilla but the main notes I detected were oak sawdust and a variety of sugars. In the background there is the familiar clear sooty aroma I sense on almost all single grain whiskies, like charcoal briquettes. If I try real hard I can sort of get the "bacon in maple syrup" mentioned in the official notes here, but only just. The sweet aromas are more just different types of sugar for me. Some oily aromas emerge over time. Palate: Gentle, smooth arrival that morphs seamlessly into a pleasantly sweet development. White grape skins, barley sugar, oak flavours (but no tannin to speak of) and brown sugar. The texture is like thinned syrup and there is a mild fruity note. Finish: A moderately long finish that fades away pleasantly on the brown sugar flavours. The dry glass is almost entirely the sooty charcoal aroma, which is from the distillate. Everything more aromatic came from the casks and evaporates away. I was surprised how moreish this whisky was and how much I enjoyed it. At the price it is reasonable value and a valid alternative to an inexpensive blended malt or blended scotch but it cannot compete against even an average single malt. The big competition to it is of course Compass Box Hedonism. For $10 or so more that offers a more forward nose, a bigger palate, better oak ... pretty much more of everything. However in its defense Cameron Brig does have a certain quiet, simple charm and it’s a fine mixer. Tasted from a purchased sample. I'd happily buy a bottle some time but I'm not hurrying out tomorrow to do so. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)

Nose: A complex and aromatic nose featuring a full, sweet malted cereal character and an aroma as of fresh clear sea air blowing over wet sand. There are some very satisfying oily fruity/floral notes as well (lychee, green grape, gooseberry) and a light floral scent like a herbal potpurri wafting from a distance. Some honeyish notes, like the smell of beeswax candles, which become stronger as it rests in the glass. Mustard and fresh-cut mint as well, and a long way in the distance there is just the faintest suggestion of smoke. Astonishingly, with all that going on the nose remains fresh and invigorating whilst simultaneously being oily and rich at the foundation. Palate: Elegantly warm, spicy and slightly dry arrival with honeydew melon, unripe canteloupe, green apples and sultanas - mouthwatering. Sweet malty and cidery flavours begin to emerge after a moment accompanied by white pepper and a little freshly chopped stem ginger. Together with some oak notes this brings out a little tannic bitterness to balance the sweetness. The whole melange then softens gradually in the development towards a flavourful, waxy finale. Finish: Medium long and slightly lower-key, but with a very satisfactory combination of oily/dry breakfast tea, sweet & sour spicy oak with barley sugar, and finally coconut flakes marinating in brine and seaweed. The only real fault is a tendency of the waxy-tannic aspect to drift a fraction too far into sourness. Add water - a dash helps it to open this up. There are some passing similarities to Old Pulteney but I wouldn't call this an everyday dram. It is a very interesting and characterful whisky where the nose, palate and finish, whilst closely related and seamlessly transitioned, are all quite distinct. There is a delightful combination of marine, oily and mineral characteristics but they are in different combinations and show different facets throughout the experience. A wonderful nose and palate, and a good finish which is just fractionally less impressive. When tasted in isolation it is tempting to rate this very high at 88 or 89, but when you taste it against independent Clynelish bottlings you see where there are some flat and ordinary aspects. Some whiskies are a symphony - this is Thelonious Monk. Angular, unique, playful, challenging and even inspiring, and certainly never less than beautiful. "Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)

Nose: A rich, earthy and oily smokiness that is bold and assertive but not sharp. A satisfying feast of spicy stewed fruit and bacon cooked over a driftwood campfire on a windswept beach with thunderheads brooding on the horizon. The dry glass is smoke, but not Islay smoke - more heathery and gentle. Palate: Perfectly sweetly astringent (now *that's* a trick to pull off!), iodine, and stewed fruit flavours peeking from behind the couch in anticipation of pouncing. Not complex, but deep and rewarding with a firm but subtle underlying oakiness. Finish: Long, smoky, salty and altogether divine. I could drink this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I very much enjoy Talisker expressions, especially the 10 and 18 year, but this adds a confident, mature smokiness to the normal distillery character. Not long ago I described Bowmore Tempest as a roaring typhoon, but this is an altogether more different, introspective type of storm. Pour a dram of this and settle back in front of the fire to watch the rain lash the windows. 4 stars without hesitation. Don't hurry this one - savour every drop. ADDENDUM - The official Distiller tasting notes are right on target, but a score of 84 is too stingy. Talisker Skye was given 85 for heaven’s sake and this is way better. Higher 80s, at least, around the same as Storm. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)

Scotland, September 2017. (distillery tasting, from notes scribbled on a coaster). I did not find out which year's release of the Distiller's Edition this was. Nose: Similar to the 14 year expression but larger, richer and smoother. Wisps of hefty but subtle smoke thread around and there is a more mellow fruitiness. Palate: Again, similar to the 14 year but with greater caramel and malt, which gives it a creamy mouthfeel. Some fragrant herbal notes, almost floral. Hazelnuts and peanuts. Finish: Medium, with cereal and faint smoke. Adding water reveals spice notes that are otherwise very much in the background and brings out the smoke and salt. A good single malt that is very much the 14 year dialed up a couple of notches in every respect. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Scotland, September 2017. (distillery tasting, notes scribbled on a coaster!) Nose: A lighter and more interesting nose than the Oban 14 year or Distillers Edition expressions – almost floral with apricots, peaches and honey plus a hint of brine in the background. Palate: Fruity ginger with light tannic spices, softened by orange and berry flavours. Very drinkable but there is a bit of caramel that almost takes things in a syrupy direction … but not quite. Finish: Longer finish than the 14 year, dry and with a touch of spice. Adding water emphasizes the spicy character on both the nose and palate. All in all a nicely balanced whisky and generally superior to the 14 year old. I agree with the "official" tasting notes, but not with the rating - 91 seems too high. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)