Tastes

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual 10th Birthday Whisky Tasting, 4th June 2021). Nose: Sweet, fruit (berries), children’s sweets, lemon, furniture polish Palate: Sherry, citrus, orchard fruit (Granny Smith apples), caramel. Fizzy on the palate. Finish: Medium short finish. Citrus, orange and apple. Oak on the aftertaste. This is a tasty whisky. There’s an intensity that you don’t often get from Glengoyne. Retains the gentleness you expect from their spirit, but nicely layered. Came sixth out of the six drams, with 2% (1 vote) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 64% (30 votes) of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual 10th Birthday Whisky Tasting, 4th June 2021). Nose: Coconut, hairspray, acetone Palate: Intense, tropical fruit, oak, cinder toffee Finish: Medium finish, tropical fruit, herbal, oak, nutty 1 of 110 bottles Uncomplicated, drying on the finish, slightly oaky throughout. This is an excellent grain whisky. Nicely intense and well chosen for the GSC 10th birthday. Came second out of the six drams, with 21% (10 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 87% (41 votes) of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

Nose: Sweet. Smoke, bacon, sweet BBQ, salted caramel. There’s a slight hint of baby sick! Palate: Oily, salt/brine, metallic, charred wood, smoke Finish: Long finish, sulphur matches, fireworks, BBQ meat, metallic and salty. This is better than many of the Loch Lomond whiskies, but there’s a sweaty/BO note that is rather off putting! Croftengea is the heavily peated single malt produced by Loch Lomond Distillery. Distilled: March 2006 Bottled: 2016 Single refill butt 1 of 725 bottles

Nose: Smoke, mineral. Slightly metallic Palate: Sweet. Waxy, dirty/earthy. Orchard fruit/ pears. Sherbet. Finish: Medium finish. Zingy sherbet, but still sweet and slightly earthy. Warming. Zingy, smoky, sweet orchard fruit and earthy is a weird combination of flavours - but it works and makes for a delicious dram! Cask: 614 Distilled: May 1997 Bottled: May 2015 1 of 305 bottles

Nose: Hairspray/acetone, jam, gorse bush Palate: Sweet. Tropical fruit, fruit jam, salt, vanilla, ginger, chocolate Finish: Medium long finish. Ginger, leather, tobacco. This whisky has a bright taste upfront but a much darker finish. It feels a little like it has spent too long in the barrel. It’s 17 years has dulled the profile into less interesting layers. Not a bad whisky, ‘though. Batch 3 1 of 206 bottles

Nose: Spicy, berries/fruit, thyme, beeswax Palate: Sweet, oak, vanilla, spices, dried fruit/dates, caramelised sugar, sherry, woody/nutty Finish: Medium long finish. Raisins & sultanas. PX sherry & oak. Quite dark flavours on the palate, with dates and burned sugar notes. A lovely, tasty dram. Distilled: November 2005 Bottled: February 2018 Matured for 12 years in a sherry puncheon 1 of 377 bottles

Nose: Sweet, icing sugar, gristy Palate: Light, artificial sweetness, nutty, summer berries - raspberries Finish: Medium short, gristy, sweet berries. Nutty on the aftertaste. An uncomplicated, light, summer dram. There are plenty of layers to keep you interested. Easy to drink and a little old fashioned feeling. Distilled: 2005 Bottled: 2014 Matured in a single refill hogshead 1 of 359 bottles.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Glen Scotia Whisky Tasting, 27 May 2021. Hosted by GSC, with Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, as guest speaker). Nose: Light oak, salt/saline, damp earth/smoke, baking spices, light orchard fruit notes. Spicy and a little ‘hot’ on the nose. Palate: Strong oak, vanilla, orchard fruit (red apple), caramel, salt/saline, coffee Finish: Oily, medium long finish. Spices - ginger & clove. Strong oak and vanilla pod. Soft oils. 12 months finish in 1st fill bourbon Good hints of Campbeltown funk on the nose. Less so on the palate, but not to its detriment. This is an outstanding coastal dram - flavourful, layered and elegant. A well thought out, well crafted, spicy and fruity dram. Came first out of the six drams, with 42% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 100% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Glen Scotia Whisky Tasting, 27 May 2021. Hosted by GSC, with Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, as guest speaker). Nose: Fudge, caramel, red fruit/berries, floral, candied sweets. Palate: Waxy. Very sweet! Citrus/orange zest, summer fruit/berries/strawberries, dark chocolate, orange sherbet. Spices (black pepper/ginger/chillies). Hints of salinity. Finish: Oily/waxy long finish. Toasted oak, spicy and a little drying. Souring on the aftertaste. Unpeated Distilled 2009-2011 Matured in 1st fill bourbon casks Vatted and finished for 5 months in 1st fill Médoc Bordeaux casks This is a sherbetty, red-fruity dram. There’s a lot of spice which gives some lovely layers. It’s quite an ‘in your face’ dram. Nice! Came joint third out of the six drams, with 17% (4 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 88% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Glen Scotia Whisky Tasting, 27 May 2021. Hosted by GSC, with Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, as guest speaker). Nose: Honey, toffee caramel, dried fruit (sultanas/apricots). Wisps of salt. Palate: Lemon/citrus, dried fruit, Marsala wine, caramel, black tea. Quite a strong oak/vanilla note. Finish: Long, oily finish. Ginger, salt, gristy, sherry, sultanas/raisins. A hint of menthol on the aftertaste. This is a lovely salted and honeyed, toffee caramel dram. Delicious. Came joint third out of the six drams, with 17% (4 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 92% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.