Tastes

Like a new recruit to the Night’s Watch, this whisky evolves over time from a timid nervous boy into something more formidable. By which I mean the flavors are a little muted at first, but get more pronounced with time in glass. There’s a lightly sherried nose, a rich fruity palate and a finish that is savory, nutty and tangy, with a drop of honey at the end. A satisfying dram for cold nights guarding the wall, or just watching other people do it on TV.

Picked this up at The Whisky Exchange today on the back of the recent raves here and the initial tasting did not disappoint. Delicious nutty, jammy sherry flavors. Reminds me of nothing less than the 1980s Macallan 10 sample I shared with @PBMichiganWolverine a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t get any of the sulphur referenced by some people, so perhaps that was a characteristic of the 2017 batch that hasn’t carried over to the new stock. I will return to this bottle in coming days and see what other flavors I can tease out.

The nose on this new release from Compass Box is just bonkers: peach and lychee with an occasional hint of cheese ... possibly gruyere. No sign of these flavors on the syrupy palate, which is toast, ginger spice and dark orange chocolate. That spice is a little too dominant at first, but steps back a bit after a few sips. Nothing strange about another Compass Box delight, though the price is a bit cheeky, even allowing for the beautiful bottle.

When I last tasted this a couple of years ago I found it unfocussed and unimpressive. Tasted again tonight at a bar it proved more satisfying, but I still wouldn't say that this heavily sherried style is one I'm overtly fond of.

This was the big disappointment of my Adelphi tasting last week. A collective groan went up from the room as people recoiled from the hugely sulphuric nose. I don’t mind a bit of sulphur, but this one was close to diabolical. Hard to rate under the circumstances — I didn’t have much patience for it after so many outstanding drams throughout the evening — but I certainly would be happy to give it another go.

Chocolate, raisins, damp soil and mulch mark the nose of this independently bottled Mortlach, a beguiling combination that keeps revealing new textures. The palate is equally complex: prunes, black tea, a little spice, caramel. The finish is long and gentle, with a hint of cocoa powder. I found the flavors on the 15-year-old from G&M disappointed muted, but its older sibling turns their volume up a couple of notches and mixes them with perfect balance. One of those whiskies that leaves me with a spring in my step.

Tasted blind, I might have mistaken the oily texture and syrupy sweetness for a Tawny Port, were it not for an an undertone of nutmeg, especially on the long finish. The spices balance the brown sugar flavors, making for a satisfying dessert dram or nightcap that would pair well with a robe and slippers.

The strength on this bottle is impressive given the age, yet it was surprisingly easy to drink neat. My notes from the Adelphi event were getting a bit sketchy by the time we got around to this, the 8th drink of the evening, but the nose was “rich and fruity” and the palate “orange.” Regardless, I know I enjoyed it enough to say it’s yet another Adelphi bottle that I would be happy to add to my collection.

I loved the one drink I had of the discontinued Longmorn 15, so was looking forward to trying this one at a recent evening of Adelphi tastings. It turned out to be the highlight of the event. The nose is icing sugar, the palate hazelnut ice-cream with a spicy finish. Pricey at around $225 but tempting.