Tastes

(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: Buttered toast, honey, oak, vanilla, citrus Palate: Sweet fruit/berries, chocolate cherries, juicy/jammy fruit. Hints of charred oak Finish: Dark chocolate, thick jam, kirsch cherries, dusty smoke/ash, ginger Warming, jammy and lightly charred. A kick of alcohol on the nose, but quickly mellowing into jam and chocolate on the palate. This has become a real favourite everyday whisky for me. It’s one I keep restocking every time I finish a bottle. Delicious! Finished for 12 months in 30% PX butts, 70% refill bourbon. Came second out of the six drams, with 21% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 100% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky. This got my vote for favourite of the tasting.

(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: Fruit (apricot), salt/brine, marzipan/almonds, children’s sweets (strawberry caramel) Palate: Sweet vanilla, forest fruit, orange/citrus, salt/brine, spices (black pepper) Finish: Medium/long sweet finish, tobacco, leather, a little citrus, muddy/earthy/damp although dries on the aftertaste There’s the Campbeltown funk, moist and salty, but with a load of sweet forest fruit throughout. Refill bourbon hogsheads, American oak 5% peated Short Oloroso finish This is a whisky I tend to buy regularly both for myself and as gifts for whisky loving friends. It’s a great dram, and generally really good value, too. Came 5th out of the six drams, with 4% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 75% 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: Sweet fruit - green apple, salty, zingy Palate: Salted fudge & vanilla, Very sweet and fruity. Apple and caramel. Almost tastes like a brandy. Finish: Long finish. Sweet and oily, with oak, leather and tobacco. Hints of seaside salinity. Matured in 1st fill bourbon Finished for 9 months in PX butts This is a lovely, easy drinking dram. Sweet & fruity, with plenty of layers to keep it interesting throughout. Nice. Came last out of the six drams, with 0% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 79% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

Nose: Berries, children’s sweets, strawberry, vanilla, acetone, herbal Palate: Nutty, wood (oak), fruit (berries & orchard fruit) Finish: More woodiness, sweet, berries. A little hairspray/acetone on the aftertaste This is a very soft and gentle dram. It’s fruity and woody throughout. There are wisps of peat, but you have to hunt for them. Nice. I’m so glad this is a nice, easy drinking dram. My folks used to rent a holiday home not far from Ardnamurchan when I was growing up, we spent all summer there for over a decade of my childhood, so I really felt invested. I tried the first release when it came out and, it was OK but not special. I had the chance of getting it through a ballot, but passed on it because it just didn’t do it for me (I don’t flip bottles - I drink them!) This is a good whisky, not just for nostalgia, it’s a very tasty, gentle dram.

Nose: Maple syrup, sherry, smoke, Demerara sugar, Madeira cake Palate: Sherry, maple syrup, butter, blackcurrant jam, barley/gristy Finish: Coffee, chilli, cocoa/chocolate, chocolate raisins, vanilla sweetness A delicious, unctuous and syrupy dram. Very warming, sweet and fruity. Plenty of layers to keep it interesting throughout. #WWD

Nose: Grass, hay, icing sugar, fudge Palate: Spicy, coffee, cocoa beans, boiled sweets, fudge Finish: Medium short finish. Sweet and a little spice. Uncomplicated, gentle and a little watery. Not a lot going on with this whisky. A little too gentle for my taste. Drinkable but, ultimately, a little bit dull. #WWD

Nose: Light, summer berries, oak, hairspray, acetone, furniture polish Palate: Children’s sweets, tannic, red wine. Very sweet, caramel, plums, cranberries, citrus, butter Finish: Zingy, black pepper, lemon zest. A little firey. Summery, zingy and zesty. Very fresh tasting. There’s a little sourness, but it is quite pleasant for it! #WWD

Nose: Toffee, apple, summer berries, menthol, floral Palate: Barley, oak, vanilla, toffee, cloves, ginger Finish: Medium finish, spices, cloves and ginger This is a simple, old-fashioned, spirit forward dram. Quite spicy, but easy to drink. #WWD

Nose: Sweet, raisins, dried fruit, hay Palate: Toffee, sweet, barley sugar, blackcurrant, wisps of smoke, gristy malt Finish: Medium short finish. Orange peel, light smoke, honey. Lightly sour sweetness on the aftertaste. This is a gentle, clean and fresh dram. Easy to drink. Not a standout dram, but a pleasant sipper. #WWD

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Whisky Tasting, 07 May 2021). Nose: Sweet smoke, ash. Green and a little grassy. Hints of salt and a little soap Palate: Light smoke/ash, peat, very sweet, liquorice, seaweed/salt. Medicinal and herbal. Finish: Medium finish. Caramelised sugar, hay, wood smoke. Bizarrely light for all its smoke. This is a fantastic peaty dram. Spirit forward but sweet, salty and coastal. Possibly the best Caol Ila I’ve had. This is a great peaty and smoky dram. However, I couldn’t drink much of it, so I had a real problem in scoring. I think this is the best dram of the tasting for one dram, but I’d like to have more of the North Star Spirits Supersonic Mach 4 even though it’s not as good! This is a great dram, ‘though. Came second out of the six drams, with 43% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 93% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.