North African spice market

Cask No. 73.40
Highlands, Speyside (Isla)

Amid comments of ‘this is a quietly confident whisky’ that ‘has quality’ this wowed the Panel. With so much going on the Panel felt that this was more about the journey: we were transported to the hot house at the Botanics with ‘mad, vibrant tropical flowers’. With warm and comforting notes on the palate it was still ‘positively lively’. Water brought everything together making it extremely well balanced; this time we were in a North African spice market while to taste it was ‘an experience’ with a delicate perfumed quality, still fresh for its age. Means ‘Bug Burn’ in Gaelic.

Drinking tip: This deserves a third and fourth dram

Colour: Autumn sunset
Cask: Second-fill sherry butt
Age: 28 years
Date distilled: April 1982
Alcohol: 53.2%

$170

Sweet and savoury

Cask No. 33.105
Islay, South Shore

Runny honey, Golden Syrup, Lindt chocolate and toffee inched forward but a meaty note – uncooked cured smoked gammon and heather soap soon showed up. On the palate scorched heather, green tea, ginger nuts, witch hazel, fresh mint and eucalyptus make an appearance. And to round everything off burnt caramelised honey that had been blackened from a gammon joint. Banana cake, desiccated coconut, Murray Mints, flying saucers, cola bubblegum and macaroon bars were just some of the aromas after water, while to taste it turned meaty – gammon steaks with blackened pineapple, bacon crisps, salty heather and overripe bananas. It draws its water from Loch Uigeadail.

Drinking tip: To contemplate over as a curiosity

Colour: Cheap gold
Cask: First-fill barrel
Age: 9 years
Date distilled: October 2001
Alcohol: 57.5%

$90

Ticklish and dreamy

Cask No. 35.49
Highlands, Speyside (Lossie)

This intriguing sample tickled our noses, its ginger and nutmeg spices dancing with aromas of marmalade, barley sugar, raisins, coconut, honey buns, toffee and chocolate brownie. The palate also tickled, with toffee, dark chocolate, orange oil, prunes and apricots balancing shredded tobacco and leather. The reduced nose had lime flowers, apple brandy and honeysuckle, then Christmas associations of mulled wine spices and unshelled nuts. The reduced palate, initially sweetly satisfying (toffee, honey, cherry and chocolate) went on to develop deeper leather and tobacco notes; then a mouth-drying, dreamy, lingering finish. The distillery is near Bilbohall hospital (previously Elgin Pauper Lunatic Asylum).

Drinking tip: After dinner with coffee, or to evoke the spirit of Christmas

Colour: Amber light reflected in hazel eyes
Cask: Refill ex Chardonnay barrique
Age: 10 years
Date distilled: May 2000
Alcohol: 59.5%

$90

Pass the Flapjacks

Cask No. 50.42
Lowlands, Borders

Immediate sweet, apple scents – some said Granny Smith, some Coxes, some dried– backed by All-Bran and a clean laundry scent. A mellow aroma, slightly nose-drying. At full strength, the taste was sweet and spicy, then dry overall, with nougat and cheese rind in the aftertaste. With water the aroma immediately became more buttery – condensed milk, Elmlea cream substitute and baking lard – then oaty biscuits, all resolving into flapjacks. The texture is smooth and the first taste is of sweet white chocolate, then it dries out with more flapjacks, spicy oatcakes and a typically short finish. From our most southerly distillery.

Drinking tip: Teatime after a windy walk

Colour: Full gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 18 years
Date distilled: October 1992
Alcohol: 56.9%

$130

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