Tastes

Nikka whiskey from the barrel (barrel strenght) 5.4.2024 pub Glass: aromatic whiskey glass Color: yellow gold Nose: sherry and port wine notes, brown sugar/syrup sweetness, ash Palate: sweetness is not as present, ash, driftwood and dryness on the tongue, some excessive alcohol before adding Water. Water cut some sweet notes from the scent as well as most of the excessive burn and revealed some saltiness and floral aspects of the taste Finish: not very long. Some ashiness and driftwood continue to dominate Quality product, but not my personal favourite, 2,25

Glass: Classic Glencairn Colour: red amber Nose: syrup and sweetness, slight smoke, bananas, dates Palate: pepper and chili hit very distinctly in this expression. Very pleasant spicy burn that expands to ashiness and slightly oily mouthfeel. Finish: smokiness for a medium time. 3.75/4

Oban distillers edition 1980 Glass: small cognac glass Colour: red amber with a small greenish halo Nose: sherry and alcohol fumes resembling nail polish Palate: oak and nutty flavors, strong pepper and leather, sawdust dryness. Finish: palate continues for a short to medium finish while the burn subsides slowly. Nothing spectacular, but a pleasant dram 3,75/4

Talisker 25 Year old 2017 Glass: small cognac glass Colour: golden amber Nose. Sweet sherry and plumes. Syrup. Palate: pepper, oak, Pleasant smoky burn. Some lighter citrus notes and Finish: smooth, oily. Oak notes and pleasant smoky burn continues for a while. 4,75/5

Not the headline but a rare society release: Hazelburn 11 years old society release 2019 54,2%, newly opened on world whiskey day (16.5) 2020 Glass Clencairn Color: light yellow golden, almost greenish hue Nose: pepper, sweetness, hay or moss. Adding water produces herbal / grass notes as well Palate: very distinctive mineral and medicinal notes, chili burn on the tongue from the high alcohol content. Water tames it a bit. Finish: medicinal with tree bark, not very long A decent dram, and a rare bottle. Not my favorite, though 2,5/5

Writers’ Tears Cask Strength 2019 Glass: Glencairn (for Irish whiskey, sorry) Colour: full golden amber shine Nose: sweet banana and toffee. Brown syrup. Palate: first impression is the inevitable sharpness from the 53 %, but not overpowered by the alcohol. Very spicy and metallic initially, but adding just a few drops of water opens the dram to greater heights bringing complexity and oak into the mix. Mouthfeel is not very oily or greasy, but some buttery notes on the tongue are clearly present. Finish: mineral and buttery mouthfeel continues longer than taste 4/5

27.3.2020 newly opened modern bottle of Writer’s Tears copper pot, NAS blended Irish whiskey. Glass: Pisararengas Iittala Color: bright gold N: ripe banana and other sweet fruit, whiff of nail polish, pleasant flowers, P: wet driftwood without bark, some bandaid and butterscotch. Very pleasant velvety mouthfeel, not very greasy. F: subtle, medium length and fruity aftertaste. One of my favorite Irish whiskeys so far: easily palated and very pleasant overall. Only gripe might be the inevitable lack of character this pleasantness means. 4/5

Talisker distiller’s edition. D:2008, B:2018 21.3.2020 newly opened bottle Glass: Glencairn Color: deep amber, red gold Nose: Amoroso Sherry, prunes, brown sugar, salmon skin, raisins, sweet smokiness Palate: gentle pepper and chili burn, sherry, alcohol vapors of the neck of the bottle, salt, leather, peat and turf. Time smoothed the burn and more honeyed butterscotch notes begin to open Finish: not overwhelming for long, fiery burn subsides into a tasty memory of the dram and a salty, very subtle taste on the tongue. Overall a very good dram 4,00

20.2.2020 Modern bottle, just opened Glass: Glencairn Color: golden amber Nose: Classic. Warm smoke, sweet mead and honey, flowers Palate: coal, bandaids, sharp alcohol and evaporating nail polish, could be the neck. Finish: smouldering embers, coal and black pepper

Color: orange gold Nose: sugar cane, sweet sherry, oak, caramel Taste: spices, black pepper and honey, leather, wormwood bitterness and some alcohol. Overall very pleasant. Finish: sharpish peppery burn, not too long, some oil on tongue Glass: Iittala Pisararengas / Sarpaneva