Tastes

I don't really know about all these latest distiller changes. Looks different but doesn't really make things easier, in fact some things are now harder. Your reviews used to display at the top of ratings when you viewed them, now they don't. Also it doesn't display if you have already tasted something when you look at something. As a consequence you really can't find out if you've even rated it before easily at all. Luckily I have my google sheet tasting notes otherwise given all the Colonels out there I thought I might have put it against the wrong one or tasted a different variant. And you can't edit reviews. All quite confusing and unnecessary...all I want is half or quarter star ratings. Anyway rant over :-). I think I've drunken this at least 3 or 4 times now. A 3.5 and 3.75 are the ratings and the later is a fair score. It's richer and more vibrant than the Weller 12 but I prefer the former...it was plainer but more earthy and honest. This has a tiny bit of that sweet cherry thing going on I despise but still a nice quality drop 3.75 it is. Not worth the $120USD in my opinion.

Whilst I'm committed to my whiskey tasting a Tuesday night tasting of several mostly cask strength bourbons before an early work flight was over and above my commitment level. So I did what any sane person would do and ordered take away. So commences a mini tour - Beasts of Bourban from Buffalo whilst watching the final episode of Westworld series 2. Nice drop. Rye, spice, oak, nutmeg. Quite rich, earthy and tannic. Initially I thought at $90USD here in nz its not really all that but it definitely grows on you and definitely a solid 4. It would be interesting to work through a bottle.

The first single malt distillery in sweden, distilling since 1999 and output only going to single malts. I usually don't comment on the nose but wow; my wife thought Baileys or Amarula, and she's right along with cotton candy cherry butterscotch on the palate. Nice drop indeed. The more I get into it the sweet cherry dr pepper cough syrup gets a bit over powering but still definitely a 3.75 at least.

This one is the ghost of xmas past. Yes a remnant of my epic scottish distillery tour, one I mistakenly ordered two samples from. A step down from the other. Not a lot going on, vague ethanolly vanilla sweetness. 2.25

30 years less and at least 2 stars lower. I tried the 1973 40 year which was a lovely drop not that long ago. Wind forward 30 or so years and the result is a lot less palatable. I wouldn't go as low as a 1 as for me that is pure undrinkable crap which this isn't but there is very little going on. Very faint honey/vanilla and alcohol. 1.75 and down the sink it goes. There are somethings you should never reuse too many times - condoms and whiskey casks are great examples. This dram has violated the later example very badly.

Wooho I'm done (for now). Yes that's right folks, four score and roughly 1 year or whenever ago I embarked on my virtual whiskey pilgrimage. Inspired by such pioneers as PBM, LeeE, GP, Telex, Scott E and others who were on a collective quest to sample all of Scotlands active distilleries I ploughed my way through 100+ open and closed distilleries (sometimes repeatedly). I took the Ben Saunders route vs the team Amundsen effort and unlike Ben made it! (Ok I'm not for one moment comparing my experience to crossing the entire Antarctic solo but hey I love to stretch a good analogy :-)). Now technically I constrained myself to those open in the last millennium as most of the young whippersnappers open in the last decade and a bit you can't get and yes Speyside I need to tick you off one day as I thought you weren't even a distillery (seriously who names a distillery after the region?) but I'm planting my flag claiming the glory and one day (later this year) I'll pick up my walking stick again and pick off the few new available distilleries + Speyside in a single night. Anyhow I think it's fitting I end on a Flora & Fauna offering as it sums up the spirit of my adventure well. A simple standard offering from a distillery...the type I mostly tried to aim for. Lovely biscuity caramel nose and palate, cherry (in a good way), sherry and much more going on. A bit thin on the finish but still at least a 4 maybe 4.25 given its perfect balance and one of the top F&F offerings out there.

Urgh...here we go again. I was not a fan of the 18 year old and so the meme around "the key to happiness being low expectations....lower... nope even lower...ah there you go..." sadly doesn't even hold true here. If you like musty bitter acetone this distillery is right up your alley. I usually like funky whiskey but I found my limit with this distillery. Its foul but it ticks some peoples boxes. Even worse I drank it as I thought I had to too complete my tour and then as soon as I tasted it realised I'd been through this pain before, looked up my notes and found the 18. It goes by the name Loch Lomond or Inchmurrin or sometimes both... that's my excuse anyhow. Even worse I see I have a 12 year sample gleefully waiting to make me want to puke...but it's organic so it MUST be good. To quote George Bush "Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on me again," or words to that effect. I will not be fooled a third time....but I'll probably suffer the experience to post a review so others have fair warning cos that's the type of nice guy I am :-). 1.75 because you have to celebrate a 21st even if its shite.

Ditto to Joe C's comments. I'd say nothing spectacular though. There are definitely better F&F bottlings out there like the linkwood I had yesterday. 3.25.

Is this a good drop? Is the national animal of Scotland a unicorn? The answers are hell no and amazingly yes. Ok it's not terrible but the only thing sadder than a mothballed distillery is a mothballed distillery came back to life for little purpose. I see the 21 year wasn't outstanding either. Think Chivas Regal of which this is a component and you sum up this one's character. Weak, flacid and not a lot going. Still like a blend it's not offensive, no burn or imbalance. 3...just.

I'm with Joe C on this one. Another great F&F offering. I really enjoy this range as I feel the distillers craft the bottlings in a way that usually represents the distillery well unlike a lot of the IB's. There was almost white wine like nose flavours, reisling perhaps. On the palate lovely viscous honey, and sweet butterscotch. I think the trick to these offerings as you really need to let them sit and open up a bit with time and or a few drops of water. It progressively got better and the bitterness faded into the background. Solid 4 I'll give it.