Dailuaine 16 Year Flora & Fauna

Yeah, I know. Announcing I’m tasting a Dailuaine is about as sexy and enticing as watching a kid play chess. No, wait...I take that back. I played chess in high school...more like wagered money over it. Never lost a game. Had a few people watching. Granted...no one in the audience of approximately 5 kids resembled anyone like Jessica Chaistain or Priyanka Chopra. But, I’ll take it. Anyway, this isn’t half bad. Fruity backbone. Orange oil. A hint of smoke. A lot of waxy touches. Almost elegant. Like a Bishop’s Gambit disabling a Queen. I bet this one is thinking “when I grow up, I want to be like Dalmore. I wish I had a stag picture on my bottle.”

Versailles! Home of that tyrant and PR king Louis 14th. Top ratings to the Hotel bar for its selection of whiskey given it is French Cognac and Brandy territory! Ummm I like an underdog whats with Marcus rating this at 82? Deserves higher given its good value for money! Damn Brexit I say to the bartender an Asian lady who knows her stuff! NOSE: Apple Apple Apple crisp, I get the morning dew malarkey as well, gentle, nice on a hot day like this; PALATE: waxy, though not as waxy as how do you spell it Craigellechie, intensely spicy I mean Madras! Full bodied, sour apples, a hint of smoke, old wine gums; FINISH: medium to long leaving strong hints of stewed fruit, a little hint of bitter chocolate and then it’s done! A much under-rated and less well known brand but sitting here just minutes from a building that is Pre-trump but sickeningly Trumpian in philosophy which turns my stomach (the man not the building) this dram saves the day and reminds me that quality lies in the integrity with which you build your image and brand! Vive le Revilucion! Vive le France!

Nose: Sherry, dried fruits, aromatic pine resin, heavy vegetal notes, caramel toffee. Old fragrant oak furniture and cedar cigar boxes. Malty and nutty aromas. There's a trace of sulphur as well, but it works in the context. With water the nose lightens and gains more woody aromas [the dry glass is sherry and aromatic cedarwood]. Palate: Sweet arrival, a heavy sherry-based entry turning rapidly spicy. A heavy, viscous texture that focuses squarely on malt. Burnt sugar, oak tannins, milk chocolate, coffee and pine resin (but sweet). Christmas cake. Water melds everything together and brings out a mild minty note, which is very pleasant. Finish: Medium/long. Nutty, woody and sweet/sour malt. On the one hand this whisky could be accused of being a ham-fisted as it uncompromisingly lays on heavy aromas and flavours. Subtle, this ain't. On the other, it can be celebrated for it's no-holds-barred exuberance and body and it is a very satisfying dram to curl up with on a cold evening. In some ways it's like the whisky that Dalmore could be if it tried harder. It could rival some Glendronach expressions and it's a bit like a younger, less monstrous brother of Glenfarclas 105. It's also easy to see why Diagio values this distillery - the whisky provides brawn and depth of palate to balance the light aromas of their other house malts when used as core components in Johnnie Walker blends. One of the better malts in the Flora & Fauna series (and increasingly difficult to find now). It's not a sophisticated dram, it's a bruiser and a good one that is equally enjoyable neat or with water. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

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.