Tastes

Continuing my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their Sherry cask that was bottled at 57.4% ABV. The nose is starts with a mix of musty grapes, dehydrated mangos, light sulfur and wet hay then cocoa powder dusted prunes and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by golden raisins, sour lemon candy and dehydrated apricots that transitions to light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits before quickly veering towards a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to a mix of musty grapes, canned pineapple and wet cardboard then cocoa powder dusted prunes, espresso grounds and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by golden raisins, honey crisp apples and gooseberries that transitions to light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The finish is short with light tropical fruits, cocoa powder dusted prunes, black pepper spice and moderately bitter black tea. Well damn, this one didn’t turn out too well for my palate. The nose is mildly offensive with the sherry dominating with sour musty fruits that allows for some of those tropical Cotswolds fruits to occasionally shine through before quickly fading to bitter oak which carries over to the palate with a moderate bitter spice before thankfully finishing short with a light fruitiness that is quickly overtaken by sour fruits and bitter spices. This is like that weird Aunt or Uncle that seems out of place in the family, who decides to tell mildly offensive jokes all while burping and farting at the dinner table stating “Better out than in!” after each burp or fart and talks about how deodorant is unnatural. It’s a sour and sulphuric dinner that thankfully ends quicker than expected and you’re grateful that Aunt or Uncle lives far away and only tends to grace the family with their presence once a year. It’s an oddball in the amazing Cotswolds lineup and one I’ll be avoiding in the future.

Continuing my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their single malt that aged in quarter casks that had previously held peated whisky and was bottled at 59.6% ABV. The nose is starts with a mix of grilled octopus, plantain chips, mango sorbet and vanilla creme brûlée then tangy barbecue slathered smoked shrimp, light sea side rocky minerality, and dark chocolate covered espresso beans followed by sautéed apples, lemon zest and charred pineapple rings that transitions to light baking spices and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits before a mix of grilled octopus, bananas foster, fresh mango slices and vanilla seeds then Cajun spiced smoked shrimp, light sea side rocky minerality, and dark chocolate covered espresso beans followed by sautéed apples, candied lemon peel and charred pineapple rings that transitions to light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with caramelized mangoes, papaya, honeycomb, grilled octopus, black pepper, light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea. Wow, this is an impressive dram that the peated quarter casks have imparted a subtle smoke with light grilled seafood that coalesces with those Cotswolds tropical fruits along with light sea side rocky minerality and earthy spices into a beautifully composed balanced dram that suffers from a slight bitterness on the palate and finish. At the price of around $80+, I think this is a stunning dram that is another absolute bargain by Cotswolds that would be a great addition to any peat head's collection.

Continuing my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their Bourbon cask that was bottled at 59.1% ABV. The nose is starts with powdered sugar dusted fried bananas, caramelized mangos, and vanilla creme brûlée then milk chocolate covered espresso beans, pipe tobacco and toasted coconut followed by sautéed apples, dehydrated apricots and candied orange peel that transitions to light baking spices and mild toasted oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits, powdered sugar dusted fried bananas, dehydrated mangos, and vanilla Angel food cake then a spicy mocha, freshly lit pipe tobacco and toasted coconut followed by sautéed apples, mandarin oranges and morello cherry jam that transitions to light baking spices, black pepper and mild toasted oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with creamy tropical fruits, morello cherry jam, dark chocolate covered coconut, black pepper, light baking spices and mildly bitter black tea. Another great dram from Cotswolds that those tropical fruits are dominant with creamy sweets but underscored by the bourbon cask that has added light earthy notes along with traditional bourbon citrus fruits that has a mild bitter spice that detracts from the experience but otherwise is well-balanced and drinks far easier than the proof suggests.

Continuing my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their Founder’s Choice that was bottled at 60.1% ABV. The nose is bold and rich starting with powdered sugar dusted strawberries, caramelized mangos, and leather then blond roast espresso, pipe tobacco and toasted coconut followed by raspberry pie, dehydrated apricots and grilled pineapple rings that transitions to baking spices and polished cedar furniture with high ethanol burn. The taste is a dense and oily mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits, sautéed strawberries and leather then a spicy blonde roast mocha, freshly lit pipe tobacco and coconut macaroon followed by freeze dried raspberries, apricots and lemon lime candy that transitions to baking spices, black pepper and polished cedar furniture with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with raspberry pie, dehydrated apricots, creamy tropical fruits, honeysuckle, spicy blonde roast mocha, black pepper, baking spices and polished cedar furniture. This is simply wonderful that the higher proof has intensified those typical Cotswolds flavors while avoiding the high spice that I found on their Reserve and drinks far older than I expected with some polished oak notes. At 60.1%, the proof is evident throughout the experience and I wouldn't advise this to anyone that isn't used to drinking higher proof spirits as it might be too hot, but for anyone that's beat their palate down and acclimated to those higher proof drams, this would likely be a fantastic one to buy a dram or bottle of. At the price of around $80+, I think this is an absolute bargain in today's market that can compete with some of the best spirits out there without needing to break the bank account.

To continue my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their Reserve that was bottled at 63.5% ABV. The nose is bold and rich starting with powdered sugar dusted strawberries, caramelized mangos, and vanilla pound cake then blond roast espresso, honeysuckle and toasted almonds followed by raspberry coulis, dehydrated apricots and lemon lime candy that transitions to light baking spices and mild toasted oak with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits, strawberries pie and vanilla pound cake then a mild spice that slowly fades to blond roast espresso, honeycomb and dark chocolate covered toasted almonds followed by raspberry jam, dehydrated apricots and lemon lime candy that transitions to baking spices, black pepper and mild toasted oak with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with freeze dried raspberries, apricots, tropical fruits, honeysuckle, blonde espresso, black pepper, light baking spices and toasted oak. This is a bigger and bolder version of their lower proof single malt that the flavors flow in the same trajectory with creamy citrus, light red berries and light earthiness that the higher proof has helped intensify those flavors, but has also added a moderate spice to the palate and finish. I’m normally a fan of anything bottled at a higher proof, but for this one, I think I actually prefer the softer and subtler 46% ABV version that has less spice and works better for my palate.

To start off my Cotswolds series, I have a sample of their 2014 Odyssey Barley that was bottled at 46% ABV. The nose is light and subtle but with time the notes emerge starting with powdered sugar dusted strawberries, caramelized peaches, and Angel food cake then blond roast espresso, honeycomb and toasted almonds followed by raspberry coulis, dehydrated apricots and lemon zest that transitions to light baking spices and mild toasted oak with low ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits, powdered sugar dusted strawberries and Angel food cake then blond roast espresso, honeysuckle and chocolate covered toasted almonds followed by raspberry jam, dehydrated apricots and lemon zest that transitions to light baking spices, black pepper and mild toasted oak with low ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dehydrated raspberries, pineapple, tropical fruits, honeysuckle, blonde espresso, light baking spices and toasted oak. I really like what Cotswolds has put together with this soft, subtle and incredibly well balanced dram that combines creamy citrus with light red berries and light earthiness that I think most would really enjoy and is reasonably priced at around $60+.

After reading @cascode and @DrRHCMadden thoughts on some of the offerings by Loch Lomond, I decided to finally get around to opening up the Loch Lomond 30-year sample that’s been sitting around in my cabinets for far too long. The nose starts with a mix of mildly sour gooseberries, vanilla custard, wet hay and dusty old leather-bound books then cocoa powder dusted prunes, flinty minerality and espresso followed by musty grapes, sour apple candy and pineapple that transitions to ginger, cardamom, sassafras and lacquered old oak furniture with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting with creamy sweet tropical fruits, charred hay bales and dusty old leather-bound books then a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to vanilla crème brûlée, cocoa nibs, prunes, flinty minerality and espresso followed by musty grapes, caramelized peaches and salted mango that transitions to ginger, cardamom, sassafras, anise and mildly bitter black tea with low ethanol burn. The finish is long with black pepper, cocoa nibs, prunes, orange custard, mangos, ginger, cloves, dusty leather-bound books and lacquered old oak. Well, this was a surprise that the nose seemed worrisome as it leaned on the mildly sour side but the taste was a wonderful tropical fruit and old polished oak mixture that suffered from a moderate bitter and sour spice before finishing long with a balance of sweet and sour fruits, mild earthy spices and old polished oak that lingers for minutes after each sip. This was my first Loch Lomond and it was an absolute stunner that really came together well after 30+ years of aging, but with a price tag of $600+, I’m perfectly happy with just a sample as there are plenty of options I like better for much less.

The nose starts a mix of fronds of dill, butterscotch pudding, raspberry coulis and slightly broken in catcher’s mitt then freshly baked pumpernickel bread, pipe tobacco and dark chocolate covered espresso beans followed by freeze dried strawberries, cherry pie filling and sautéed apples that transitions to ginger, cloves, fennel, black pepper and mildly bitter oak with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting sweet red berries and butterscotch pudding that quickly veers towards a high bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to a spicy mocha and burnt caraway seeds then sour cherries, strawberries and lemon peel that transitions to ginger, dill, black pepper and moderately bitter oak with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with burnt caraway seeds, strawberry pie, butterscotch candy, pipe tobacco, cocoa nibs, dill and mildly bitter oak. After @PBMichiganWolverine reviewed this, I decided to dive in and the nose seemed simply wonderful with those rye notes being prominent but underscored by sweet caramel, cooked red berries and light earthy notes that lures you in for a taste that starts promising with creamy red berries and butterscotch but quickly becomes overwhelmingly bitter and sour that remains until the finish that is mildly bitter with a mix of rye, cooked red berries and light earthy notes. At the cost of $200, this was unfortunately underwhelming and doesn't justify its premium price but I’m really grateful that @PBMichiganWolverine was generous enough to send me a sample to taste.