Tastes
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Braeval Batch 2 (That Boutique-y Whiskey Co.)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed June 16, 2018Not to many samples to go before my tour of the scottish distilleries is coming to a close...well this chapter anyhow..once the newer distilleries bear fruit further minor excursions will no doubt occur. I like Boutique-y Whiskey. There is however only so much they can do with some of these made for blend distillery offerings I guess. It's...ok. Mild vanilla, yadda yadda. Charitable 3. -
Not sure what's going on with this sample but my experience is polar opposite to PBM and others who rated highly. Either dud batch, air contaminated sample or dare I say forgery as this is even more average then the typical mid ranged overpriced japanese fare which is served up these days. There is very very little going on, pretty much ethanol and extremely vague hint of sweet wood. I know my palate isn't one for subtlety but unless there is some unbelievable delicate complexity that I'm missing its so bland its a 2.5 tops.
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Strathclyde 2005 11 Year Cask #11952 Old Particular (Douglas Laing)
Single Grain — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 15, 2018I used to travel a bit when I was younger, after a while I noticed that seven weeks on the road was the magic mark. After that the excitement died a bit and I started to feel a bit over it at times. I think I've hit that point now a bit as I virtually trudge through the Scottish distilleries and JAFGD fatigue creeps in. I got banana and toffee on the nose and the latter and cherry on the palate. It's turning into another red flag for me the Dr Pepper / cough syrup type thing (along with lemon and bitterness) and this has a bit of it going on. Seems a bit prevalent with the sherry grained whiskies. Now don't get me wrong its not badly crafted and balanced but straight away I'm thinking of the plain old vanilla Glen Spey I quaffed before and missing it. 3.25 and another distillery notched on my walking stick as I trudge further into the scottish mist... -
Glen Spey 12 Year Flora & Fauna
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed June 15, 2018 (edited January 16, 2022)Sometimes vanilla is boring and sometimes that's just what you want whether it be ice cream or whiskey. In this case, vanilla and honey specifically. Straight up nothing fancy. Not to much of the usual bitterness which plagues these cheaper offerings. $50USD and solid 3.5 to 3.75, rounding to 4 on VFM just because that's what plain vanilla deserves when you are in the mood for it. -
Allt-a-Bhainne 20 year 1995 Benchmark (Murray McDavid)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed June 14, 2018 (edited June 15, 2018)Another dram another distillery another independent bottler I haven't tried. Built 2 years b4 I inhabited the earth and wine finished by Murray McDavid it's an interesting dram. Bourban, berry, bit ethanolly..not the cheapest either. 3 I'll give it. -
43, 42 and now 25 year. First 'Darkness' bottling and....not really good. Finished in 50 litre PX barrels and not sure if it's the turbo charged finish but it seems quite sickly with a weird artificial glueyness. I prefer whiskey to wine these days but the two wine bottles we drank prior to this walked all over this. Cheap at under $80USD but not worth it. Not even going to finish. 2.5
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Glengoyne 21 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 8, 2018 (edited September 10, 2020)Cracked open this bottle for a tasting with mates. Up against green and yellow spot, caol ila moch and 25, talisker 18 & 57 north. For me a winner on the night with a deep rich Christmas cake, caramel spiced sherry flavour. 4.25 and that's just with the bottle recently opened. -
Blair Athol 12 Year Flora & Fauna
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 2, 2018 (edited June 8, 2018)Well it's an improvement over the sickly sweet Gosling Rum I just had. It's got a nice initial taste of viscous caramelized orange peel but I'm with Joe_C on this one the bitterness compromises the dram. 3.25 for me.
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