Tastes

This is my first Bruichladdich Rock'ndaal, the 03.1, from this year's Feis Ile (2024), that i had the chance to taste at the distillery party. On the nose, i get the typical soap note that i usually get from Bruichladdich; Pineapple, tangerine. Lotion, white chocolate and crushed almonds. On the palate, it felt very "shampooy". Tangerine, oranges, nougat. Aftertaste is all about lotion, white chocolate, nougat and a ginger bomb. Overall, a fairly good expression, that suffers from the same problems i usually find on most core range "laddies": the soapy and shampoo notes. My score for it is a honest 89 over a 100.

I have declared that this Bowmore 19yo Feis ile 2024 edition is the finest Bourbon Cask Whisky i have had in at least 3 years. All the classic whisky flavors are here, but they are all spectacularly well crafted. On the nose: Coconut!; Rafaello from Ferrero Rocher. Coconut ice cream; There is a wonderful spiciness on the nose. Bowmore ahses, buttery coconut. It feels "playerote" which is a new spanish term i just invented to describe something that is the most "Beachy" ever. Wax and white chocolate. On the Palate it is a Coconut madness. Thick vanilla. Rum y raisins ice cream. Aftertaste is spicy. The typical smoke from Bowmore. Perfection. Roasted coffee. Overall, this was so close to be the perfect ex bourbon cask single malt. Actually my score for it is a super high 98 over a 100. Wonderful dram!

Let me tell you about one superb dram i had this year. The almighty Bowmore 25yo Anthology. I have seen this one go for a hefty prices at auctions, but i never imagine how amazing this was. I got the chance to taste it for a very decent price at Bowmore's Feis Ile 2024 day, (quite a nice party), where they had an "old & rare" bar. Bottled at 50.2%abv, the label is very lovely. On the nose, perfection. Fishmarket, an aroma that i can only describe as an oloroso sherry syrup. Glazed pork, Red fruit syrup. Cherries bathed in chocolate; Maraschino cherries, Coffee moka. Chocolate bar. On the palate, an incredible Salty oloroso sherry flavor; Tobacco y chocolate. Chocolate magnificence. Aftertaste has just one note: Smokey perfection. Long lasting, fantastic. Overall, this might be one of Bowmore's finest whiskies ever. Absolutely delicious, powerful, complex and elegant. I hope someday i can grab a full bottle, since this one truly blew my mind. Perfect score, 100 over 100. Sláinte.

I did not know who Frack Sauzée was. And that was actually rare for me, since i am a huge football fan and i tend to think of myself as a person who knows a lot of it and its history. I really bought this special limited edition bottle, because it was a GlenAllachie. And i say "it was", because there is not one drop left of it. Well, this is a limited expression that honours the french football player, Franck Sauzée, who seem to be a very popular defender/midfielder from Olympique Marseille and AS Monaco. Only 350 bottles were ever made, a rare release from Gleann Mor, and independent bottler, with a lovely 53.5%abv strength. On the nose, everything is amazing. Amazing toffee; amazing caramel, amazing hazelnut and an amazing christmas dark cake. Also a Coffee/capuccino and Old orange notes. On the palate, it follows the same rythm. Salted caramel, aniseed, toffee. Again, some amazing flavors. It is very tasty. Aftertaste is all about chocolate, hazelnut, coffee, cocoa. Definitively a "Crunch" chocolate tablet. Overall, this was a great offering, that was absolutely enjoyable. Nothing too complex or super powerful, just a tasty, sweet single malt. My score for it is 92 over a 100.

If you have never tasted one of the limited bottlings from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, i strongly recommend you to do so. This are all Cask Strenght single barrel expressions of different distilleries, specially selected for this Edinburgh Club. They aren't overly expensive and the best part, they have hilarious names with crazy descriptions. This one is called "Pancetta Roulette", an Allt-A-Bhaine bottling, that comes at 63.8%abv. one of only 242 ever made. On the nose, the first aroma i get is sparkling water. It actually smells like the thick grease from the Pancetta. Aniseed, cream custard and incense smoke. On the palate, it is very peaty. Pond, salt, gunpowder. Feels very "Bowmore-ish". Spectacular flavor. Lemon pie. Aftertaste is all about peat. Smokey incense, thick salt rocks, pancetta grease, Sulphuric & herbal decay. Overall this is for sure a dram that is intended solely for true peatheads; the phenolic flavors and aromas here are incredibly crazy and it offers exactly what it promises: a Greasy Pancetta. My score for this beauty, is a solid 96 over a 100.

North Stars spirits released a series of bottlings called the Tarot; showing some tarot cards on their labels. The 12yo expression called "The magician", was made of Grain and Malt Whiskies and bottled at 45.5%abv. On the nose, lovely marshmallows, vanilla. Chocolste marshmallows, toffee. On the palate, it starts with dulce de leche, almonds, hazelnut and grain whisky. Aftertaste follows the same rythm. Dulce de leche, chocolate, almonds. Dry crushed almonds. Overall, this is a very sweet and fairly enjoyable whisky. It is not something too memorable but not bad at all. 80 over a 100.

I really love Kilchoman, and i always regret nlt having more of their expressions. Well, this time i managed to get my hands on a 2023 fino sherry release, bottled at 50%abv. On the nose, i get pineapple, peaches, ashes. Spicy ashes; full cigarrette note. Pepper, fish. Very spicy. The palate can be described as cigarrette water. Acid, like farm fruits. Salty. After a first sip, i got peach halves dipped in syrup. Aftertaste was smokey and ashy. It is very spicy/ashy. Overall, a good offering, i expected a little more complexity at 50%abv, but it still manages to deliver some.interesting and clean notes. 87 over a 100.

In my latest visit to Strathisla Distillery, a place i truly love, i found an 11 year old distillery exclusive expression, that was a complete enigma for me. On the nose, lots of dried fruits. Almonds, nutmeg, hazelnut, floral. Very nutty. Vanilla & almonds. Nougat. The palate is mostly floral. Plant roots, wet roses, almonds. Aftertaste is grassy. A ginger explosion; recently cut grass. Overall this was a very enjoyable, a little straightforward whisky, that came at a nice 48%abv strength. My score for it is 88 over a 100.

In my latest visit to the marvelous Balmoral Hotel bar at Edinburgh, i found a beautiful and rare whisky "pokemon", a Royal Mile Whiskies expression of an Ardbeg 15yo single cask. One of only 614 bottles ever made, this had a 55%abv strength. Lovely label as well. On the nose, i got liquid paper, wet paint, humidity. Wasabi, acid oranges and a BBQ sauce with chimichurri. Oregano. On the palate it was stunning. Wet paint, moss, plastic, gunpowder. I can describe it as a violent dram. After some sips i got oranges, liquid paper and vanilla powder. Incredible smokey aftertaste. Cigarrette, fireworks, explosive gunpowder. Amazing power. Overall, this is a wonderfully strong dram, intended for crazy peatheads like yours truly. The power here is really something that i have not found before in most whiskies. A wonderful experience, my score for it is a honest 95 over a 100.

Wow. This is the review of a whisky thay really blew my mind, since i didn't expect anything and i got a lot from it. On the nose, pure smoke. Cigarrettes, wet ashtray. Chantilly cream, car tires. The palate is all about sweet Peat. Peaches & peat. Aftertaste actually feels like marihuana! Ashes, cigarrette, smoke. Smokingly good. Overall, it really was a fantastic peaty experience. I don't think i have had too many Caperdonichs before, but this profile was breathtaking. Super recommended. 96 over a 100.