Tastes

It’s inspired by a mediaeval carving of a mermaid in the market cross area of Campbeltown itself, or ‘wee toon’ as it is known by locals. The striking illustration on the whisky’s packaging is by Joel Holtzman, an artist who has worked with Marvel and LucasFilm. But the fun doesn’t end there because there is a QR code which takes you to an animation and storybook that bring the mermaid herself to life. Nose: Sweet flavours of toffee, cinnamon and chocolate with fresh sea spray and orange peel. Palate: Thick and creamy with molasses, brazil nuts, more toffee and distinct salty character. Finish: Long and nutty with a sherried tang.

Adam Hannett, has selected casks that have previously held Oloroso and Amarone – with the distinct sweetness and nuttiness of this combination creating an exceptional single malt. Hailing from the renowned wine regions of Spain and Italy respectively, the spirit is then brought together in French oak, adding remarkable depth and complexity to the single malt. Octomore’s signature peak smoke notoriously pairs well with Oloroso sherry casks, with the influence of the wood adding a robust, savoury flavour to the final spirit. The oak from the Amarone casks also has a significant impact on the spirit, imparting rich, red fruit notes - giving structure and cohesion to the 14.2. BARLEY PROVENANCE: 100% Scottish grown Concerto barley MALTING: Super Heavily Peated DISTILLATION: Distilled in 2017 from the 2016 harvest AGE: 5 Aged Years MATURATION PROFILE: First fill Oloroso hogsheads (40%). First fill Amarone casks (16%). Second Fill Amarone casks (44%) PHENOL LEVEL: 128.9 parts per million (PPM) Tasting notes: Colour: Deep Amber Nose: Leather, prunes, red currents and malted barley come to the fore, followed by toasted oak and hints of cinnamon, green apple and black pepper. Waves of smoke and distinct red fruits follow, complemented with cereal notes of malt and porridge. The peat smoke is dry and brooding, with a hint of burnt heather and subtle pipe tobacco from the oak. Palate: The influence of the European oak is unmissable, with a touch of dryness balanced with the vibrancy of wood spices, smoked oak and roasted coffee. Barbeque sweetness and a crack of black pepper is complemented with rich fruit cake and dried fruits. A drop of water opens the smoke and fruity sweetness from the wine casks, bringing a beautiful balance as notes of apple and pear grow with the dram. Finish: Smoked malt, smouldering oak and sea salt settle on the finish as Octomore’s signature earthy smoke lingers.

Lochlea Distillery is a renowned Scottish distillery located in the picturesque countryside of Ayrshire. This is their inaugural Cask Strength expression, and is the first in a series of annual limited-edition bottlings. Each batch will be bottled straight from the casks without water, like trying samples from the warehouse itself! Master Blender John Campbell and the team at Lochlea have chosen a combination of 1st Fill Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks this time, and every year will show further progression of their whisky. This is a true undiluted and unfiltered window into Lochlea whisky. This release is presented all natural colour, with no chill filtration and is bottled at 60.1%ABV.

Noise: On the nose you initially get a malt and vanilla hit which is a bit reminiscent of a highland but as it opens up you start to pick up a subtle smoke coming through, which totally hits what you expect of a classic Campbeltown single malt. This one takes some time to open up but is well worth the wait. Pallet: A fruit sweetness of pears and green apple with some barley sugar sweets, as it developed I started to get some baking spice with some pepper heat coming through with underlying smoke, which is well balanced not overwhelming but definitely a part of the taste. Nicely done, for me a little thin on the mouth feel, but I like a full cask strength whisky, this is a really nice whisky at 46 ABV. Finish: Medium length with a nice spice, smoke finishing with a slight candy sweetness to it. Overall I really enjoyed this bottle and I spent serval enjoyable weeks with it, would I by another……. Yes absolutely, but for me and my taste I think I will be either giving the 16 YO a go or seeking out a cask strength version. A really good whisky, at not an unreasonable price and I would recommend it to anyone.

This 16 year old NADURRA pale golden in colour and long legs on the glass, was a bit of a strange one for me initially, cask strength (63.3% I think …… I might be slightly off the mark now as the bottle is now completed and dead so I can’t check) the initial hit of alcohol was brutal. However, give it some time in the glass to open up and you were treated to wonderful honey and butter scotch hints of vanilla and light tropical fruits which surprised me at how subtle they were given the sledgehammer of cask strength alcohol. The platelet was surprisingly refined and delicate with a complexity worthy of its 16 years in the cask. A good solid run of again, sublime and not over powering oak followed by the sweet honey and barely coming through along with some candied zesty fruits and I was getting custard cream biscuits (weirdly). The finish wasn’t long but was pleasant leaving lingering heat a bit pepper but mostly a sweet caramel….. wonderful really. I really enjoyed this bottle (I am a fan of the NADURRA anyway) but am definitely in the market for another of these.

I like Tomintoul for a whole variety of reasons, first one being is that as it says on its label it’s the gentle one - really smooth easy going without the fire and brimstone of others. Second is that a friend of mine’s Dad used to work in the Distillery and that’s how I came to try it, at a Burn’s Supper where ‘Al’ had been left to sort out the dram for the evening, being a good Scot he went for the course of least strain on the wallet and we were treated to the 16 YO core edition which was great. The single cask 2005 is a different beastie still that ultra smooth feeling but with big big alcohol at cask strength and this stays with it all the way through, I don’t actually mind this and it works here. Nose Pine needles and vanilla rice puddings with almonds or roasted peanut skin, it becomes fruitier with time. Subtle notes of nectarine and peaches, alongside lemon zest. Floral as well. Taste Quite creamy and some lovely sweet, tropical fruits. But the spiciness (chili heat)from the alcohol with vanilla and banana mush are much more present. Finally a whiff of menthol. Finish Lingering notes of aniseed, pine needles, white pepper and mango. Again, I was surprised by the alcohol hit from this but I have been looking forward opening this bottle up and will now be nursing it along nice and slow as it’s not the cheapest dram you can buy.

I'm lucky enough to have been blessed with a bottle of this magic russet colour liquid on the day of release from the distillery. Different in its colour to my bottle of Back Arts 6.1, which is sadly nearly done - this new edition is equally as special if not more so, as it's been made with Bruichladdich's rarest 1% of pre modern era whisky stocks coming from prior to the closure in 1994 "I don,t think we will see another Black Art like this one!" Nose – Simply stunning. Tropical fruit, coconut, tobacco, oak spices and toasted pine needles weave an intricate web of aromas. With a bit of time, this beautiful whisky opens up to waves of mango, honey-drizzled melon, warm orange zest, grilled pineapple and ripe summer strawberries. It’s mouth-wateringly succulent and fruity – the gentle oak offering coconut, ginger, buttery shortbread, vanilla custard and hints of tobacco. Palate – The viscosity and depth to this dram are out of this world; the oak notes of tobacco and brown sugar, chocolate and coconut provide the base for all those wonderful fruit combinations to shine. A drop of water and a second sip further explore the woven layers of this remarkable whisky. Finish – The succulent fruit sweetness lasts for an age on the palate, apricot, mango and baked banana, toasted sweet oak, honey and vanilla – you just don’t want it to end. For me; this is just about the perfect whiskey if there ever was such a thing - truly stunning!!!!

This is an absolute treat, it has some 33 and 25 Year old casked whisky which has been blended together and then left to macerate a little longer in Sherry butts. I don’t normally go for blends but this just popped out at me and I knew I had to have a bottle. It is fairly expensive for a blend but consider the age it feels like a bargain. I was not disappointed this is something special and am totally smitten. I think this will become hard to get quite quickly. Nose: Dried fruit soaked in sherry, red liquorice, cinnamon sticks and a hint of cherry brandy. Palate: Dark chocolate mousse, more raisins, cigar box, treacle tart and more festive spices. Finish: Jammy sultana, dates, chocolate cake, walnut and caramel.