Tastes

I believe this may be the palest dram ive ever seen, this must be what most 12 year olds really look like without added coloring... non chill-filtered and near cask strength to boot, perfect craft presentation! The nose erupts with sweet charcoal, cherry-cola BBQ pulled pork, toasted seaweed and fresh sawn split-rail fencing (a different milieu entirely)... Without added water the palate shows alarmingly sweet and intense with a rush of winter spices. Tempered down closer to 40%: stewed apples and clove. The finish applauds with fresh pine and it's resin, smoked citrus, even prickles of cracked black peppercorn, but toasted malt runs furthest. Surprisingly syncopated to the standard 16 year bottling! Honor due for the sample, as usual, to our psychotherapeutic Pranay (AKA: PB&J Minnesota Honey-badger). Dry glass: freshly turned earth.

Another 200ml bottle shared by my old friend living in Japan, designed for the native market, with almost no English on the label. Nose: Delicate, tart kiwi (tell-tale mizunara oak), sweet Dijon mustard, gingerbread with a seam of lemon zest throughout. Sadly lacks the rosewater note I recall from the 12 year bottling. Palate: Zesty, baking spices arrive first, transitions through vanilla to a floral soapiness. Finish: Full and bittersweet, hint of pickled ginger with a distant light waft of charcoal lingering longest. To my memory, not as enjoyable as the 12, but still seething with quality... Dry glass: hemp rope.

An old friend living in Japan shared a tiny 200ml bottle with me, produced for the native market, with almost no English on the label! Nose: a little hot at first, light charcoal, dark toffee, traces of shoe polish and sautéed mushrooms. Palate: sharp, grilled apples and pears, nutty, hints of floral soapiness. Finish: full and tart, rich oak, a little brilliant and unexpected pistachio note lingers longest! Pleasantly surprised, reminds me of a Highland Park or Benromach (although not quite as deep, smooth or balanced). Wish I'd the chance to try their aged bottlings... Dry Glass: sweet pistachio!

Bonus points: noticed it clearly states 'Natural Color' on the label! After a respectful amount of time to open in the glass, sweet vanilla and earthy wild honey rise to the occasion, followed closely by beloved petrichor and lemon zest. Once on the palate it's all sweet malt chocolate and powerful oak spices. The finish is long, mild bittering menthol, with baked lemon zest lingering longest. A balanced, easy drinking, old-world implicative sort of dram. Dry glass: banana pudding.

Nose: musty in a not entirely pleasant way. Some cream soda vanilla, stewed apples, even spiced cider. Palate: dangerously smooth, oak spices, plums, old fashioned dry ginger ale. Finish: Longer than expected, But also woodier and quite bitter. I preferred this without water, which only seemed to dull its positive attributes. Mostly uninspiring. Dry glass: sweet lightly toasted white bread.

Surprisingly found for sale already in Pennsylvania. Perhaps there is (a small) advantage to state-run liquor monopolies... First impressions: Dark honey-gold color, with haze from the scotch mist increasing the honey impression. However, I seriously doubt this is it's natural color (at least it's non-chill filtered). Nose: Initially powerful cocoa, leading spicy oak and trailing dark cherry. This combination unmistakably conjures boozy chocolate-covered cherries! Underneath lurk (not entirely welcome) hints of agave nectar and tequila (tell-tale young spirit). Palate: Syrupy mouthfeel, sweet and spicy, but fairly hot... Sharp orange zest appears while bourbon-like vanilla gathers on the tongue. Finish is relatively quick, and quite drying. It may just be my fervid idealist opinion, but I'd be more forgiving of this dram's shortcomings had it been natural color with an age statement (even just 3 years!), but it's fetching enough to hold the attention. Dry glass: chocolate syrup.

Whoa, an almost Talisker doppelgänger! A touch of water's Scotch mist reveals omission of chill-filtration. Very sunny yellow-gold color, hopefully without added color. Extra points: 46% abv. The nose opens with a pall of rich woody smoke hanging over Mossy coastal forest. Baked apples, stewed pears and apricot notes peek out. Full, oily mouthfeel on the palate, sweet and malty with orange marmalade, apricot preserves and a pleasant floral soapiness that accumulates. Finish is very long, starting with a rush of clove and spicy ginger before retreating into smoldering oak. Salutations due to our hellacious Pranay for the sample! I'll be seeking a fifth... Dry glass: sweet buttery malt.

A sight for sore eyes. Non chill-filtered, natural color and 46% ABV. The only thing I could ask for is an age statement, but it's the least important omission. Pale gold and even slightly green in appearance, forms a beautiful Scotch mist with added water. Nose is of an older, almost forgotten world: powerful woody peat-smoke, fragrant apples and citrus, some bracing salt air and hints of earthy cedar and bergamot. Palate is simple but rich, zesty and slowly bittering. Finish starts with a spicy wash of bitter ginger before a smoother wake of earthy mushroom. I've had this bottle lurking in the back of my reserve for over 3 years, so glad I finally resolved to break it's seal this season. Springbank distillery has earned my attention! Dry glass: smoked malt cocoa.

What else can be enumerated about HP18 that hasn't previously been thoroughly expounded? I set this fifth as a target near the end of my journey, only for it to illuminate that I'm still well in the beginning. Nose projects amiable Sherry, distant sea air, old leather, gentle woodsy smoke and petrichor (I'm in love already). Fresh palate, yet gentle and rich. A Hint of pleasant soapiness on arrival, then vanilla, sticky toffee and a discernible umami note. Recalls the memory of my dear grandmother's Baked apples (Nothing but cored, halved, a splash of apple juice and a scant dusting of cinnamon, warmed just to shriveling and browning at the edges...) The finish is long, with smooth light smoke flowing from oak through salted caramel. Simply put; a weathered old soul at the richest part of its life, sitting outside by a beautiful fire, beneath the stars, perfectly content with the world and itself. Dry glass: simple clean malted barley.

Rich figgy nose. Petrichor, dark malt and caramel. Deep madagascar vanilla. Milder on the palate, bready challah, exotic spices accumulate and intensify before the long bittersweet finish. A gentle, warming (non-peat) smokiness builds in the back of the throat. Easily appreciable, eminently satisfying. Thanks as usual to the extemporaneous Pranay for the sample! Dry glass: dry malt.