Tastes

Dramfest '18. I was commenting to LeeE and GP whilst the festival was amazing it wasn't a VIP spectacular but then adding reviews I thought I did get to try 16, 17, 20 and 25 year Laphroaigs and similar calibre for other distilleries at just over $1 a pop! I saw another Adelphi dram I missed out on tasting going for $40 a dram in a whiskey bar I frequent so I definately got my moneys worth! This dram was a typically great Adelphi drop and one of 560 bottles. Not in the same league as the 16 2000 Hunter Laing however. 3.75.

Dramfest '18. Beautiful. Better than the official Laphroaig 15 yr. $200USD and worth it. I'll round down slighty to 4.25 due to lack of VFM as every bottle I've purchased even the 18 year has been considerably less $. Still one of my top handful of drams in the festival.

Lovely dram. All the hallmarks of first fill wrt the honey, vanilla, caramel and oak. Runs hot even with liberal water but holds flavour well. Solid 4 for me.

Ah Macallan what are you doing to me. Once the whipping boy for over priced average drams (IMHO of the number I've tried) the last drop amber (for the price) was nice and reasonable and now this. Orange peel, toffee, honey, caramel, rich dark dry fruits and more on the nose and then onto the palate. At only $100 this is def VFM. It still has that hint of bitterness or astringency another reviewer mentioned which I get with Macallan a lot and a few drops of water weirdly made it worse but still great dram. I see ScotchHarding also noticed it and coined it bitter orange peel or maybe a combination of black and green pepper type thing he also mentioned. Weirdly I like bitter as I had a blood red grapefruit before hand but not in my whiskey. I started higher but in the end settled to a solid 4 or maybe even a 3.75 as it's really bugging me now I reckon.

Vanilla ashy peat. Even with a few drops of water the alcohol still muffles the flavour a bit. Although i didn't realise the sample I tasted was cask strength until I read up more about the whiskey. Doesn't have the richness of other Islays. Preferred the Loch Gorm 2015.

2.75. Average dram which was devoid of flavour.

Dramfest '18. Mild for abv. Vanilla, def grows on you. 3.5 and at over $200 USD a 3. Much better bourbans for cheaper price.