Would not have guessed that this was a Port Ellen in a blind taste
Overwhelmingly sweet nose, the smoke/peatiness is almost not noticeable
The palate & finish runs too hot & spicy, with water the smokiness becomes more prominent but the spiciness remains, especially in the finish
Overpriced Ardbeg imo (~400eur)
Typical Ardbeg meaty smoky nose, slightly sweet
Surprisingly not as spicy/hot as I expected considering the age
Slightly oaky & overwhelming finish
A good balanced sherry dram at a respectable ABV, a rare OB Glenugie from the 80s
Typical rich sherry nose, dried fruits, raisins, plums, dates, slightly spicy towards the end
Dark chocolates, menthol, peppery, dark dried fruits, sweet, oranges, slightly creamy, thick palate, runs a bit hot & spicy towards the end With water the dark fruitiness & sweetness becomes more prominent, jammy & rich sherry
Long creamy finish
Superb nose for a 199x Ardbeg, maritime smoke, slightly salty
Typical Ardbeg palate, not excellent but definitely very good considering the price (~300£), meaty, smoky, slightly sweet & citrus, hint of vanilla
Slightly short finish, definitely the most disappointing part of this dram
A fascinating Springbank that’s almost 30 years old bottled at a respectable 48,2% from a somewhat normal mixture of Sherry Hogshead, Sherry Butt, Bourbon, and Rum Barrels. An above-average, slightly cask-driven & slightly heavy sherry influenced Springbank at ~150£ for a 20cl bottle (certainly on the cheaper end and affordable for Springbanks; at the original RRP of £110 it would be worth it imo)Definitely prefer this over the port casks or more rum influenced Springbanks as the character of the distillery still somewhat remains and is allowed to shine through the cask influence
Ripe tropical fruits, surprisingly maritime/salty, slightly peppery, honey, burnt sugars
Sweet, slightly smoky, maritime salty, funky, caramelized sugars
Medium finish, nothing too noteworthy except the slight spiciness (on the tongue) & bitterness/oakiness towards the end
Typical old sherry whisky, sweet, honey, dried fruits, raisins
Sweet, floral, peachy & fresher towards the end Mellow, gentle & easy to drink
Medium finish, fruity
Soapy
Mesmerizing elegantly peaty & sweet nose, vanilla, slightly creamy & citrusy, salty, dried fruits
Intense palate, subtle & gentle smokiness, peppery, then comes the sweetness
Medium finish, ripe bananas
An excellent Highland dram that, dare I say, can rival the Clynelish and Brora of the 1970s
Tropical fruits, honey, beeswax, citrus
Sweet, oily, very citrusy, oranges, spices/peppery, mineral, slightly salty & a hint of smoke towards the end. With water it gets more fruity and sweet but there’s a slight bitter aftertaste towards the end but only ever slightly
The only noticable off-note is the slight bitterness towards the end, with water the bitterness fades away
A really good balanced old vintage Speyside dram
Sweet fresh tropical fruits, vanilla, beeswax, honey, superb nose
Taste exactly like the nose, with a slightly more floral palate
Medium finish with no noticeable off notes
A disappointing Banff
Mineral, sweet fruits, gets floral and more fruity with water
Thin palate, definitely not I would expect from a 50% whisky
Bitter finish
Tasting sample photo
Floral, lychee, peaches, very light & fruity, definitely would not have thought that this was a Highland dram, but rather Lowlands or Irish instead
Sweet, fresh fruits, very floral
Bitter finish
A good Lowlands dram with no noticeable off-note (bitter/spicy). Does not change my view that Rosebank is very overpriced
Floral, fresh summer fruits, vanilla, slightly citrus, excellent nose
Lemons, fruity, balanced mixture of sweet & citrus, slightly nutty The palate is slightly thin considering the 48,2% ABV
Medium finish
A good single cask warmup budget typical Lowlands dram that will not burn through your wallet like the Rosebanks and some Bladnochs or Daftmills
Light, floral, fruity, fresh summer fruits, creamy
Very sweet & easy to drink, slightly spicy towards the end, nutty & creamy
Long bitter aftertaste
