Early April Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 53.207                     $170 

Cod wrapped in Parma ham

Islay

The smell of sweet peat smoke greeted the Panel; aromas of singed heather and a fresh sea breeze mixing with battered sausages and grilled cod wrapped in Parma ham. In the taste we have moved inside a beach hut sheltering from the rain; lamp oils with sandalwood fragrance are being lit, some are smoking pipes with aromatic tobacco, others cigars. With water the aromas are back outside; the salty sea breeze and over the white embers of the barbeque, glazed honey and mustard sausages as well as king prawns are waiting to be eaten. The taste is now sweet, fried honey bananas, fruit kebabs and grilled pineapple skewers.

Drinking tip: At a beach party

Colour: Harvest moon

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 20 years

Date distilled: July 1993

Alcohol: 58.7%

Flavour profile: Peated

USA allocation: 180 bottles 

 

Cask No. 1.180                       $115

Bitter-sweet complexity

Speyside, Spey

The nose presented interesting layers – firstly in the undergrowth – wood sap, tree bark, laurel, meadowsweet and shrubberies (by the Spey?); then IKEA flat-pack wooden furniture; next some fruity notes (apricot jam, lemon drizzle cake) – and last, intense, deep sweetness (toffee, honeycomb, tablet, chocolate caramels, sugar-coated almonds). With water, pot-pourri and liquorice joined in the fun. The palate was bitter-sweet and complex – lemon sorbet, blackcurrant and waxy laurel against tinned pear, honey, fudge and chocolate – all under-pinned by a pleasant pepper, chilli and nutmeg heat. The reduced palate found perfumed wood, pineapple, fruit loaf, chocolate and ginger. Whisky from John and George.

Drinking tip: Not typical of the make – but curious and complex enough to be drinkable and enjoyable.

Colour: Pine gold

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date distilled: June 2002

Alcohol: 56.4%

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Cask No. 35.104                     $205

Just Add Water and Watch it Grow!

Speyside, Lossie

At full strength the aromas were fully concentrated. The panel encountered a mixture of stewed black tea, thick toffee sauce, and charred orange peel. Scent was equalled by flavour as almond covered Dundee Cake was washed down with Camp Coffee. The addition of water failed to dilute any intensity on the nose as orange and honey still lingered. However then additional notes of Tropical Fruit Mix, and first-aid kits. To taste the panel experienced the unusual but delicious mixture of chocolate cake and Hoisin Sauce. The mouth-feel was wax filling as the finish offered well-aged fruit cake.

Drinking tip: At a pheasant shoot

Colour: Fools Gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 26 years

Date Distilled: May 1987

Alcohol: 45.9%

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

USA allocation: 64 bottles

Cask No. 46.27                       $125

Italian chestnut cake

Speyside, Lossie

This dram had plenty to say on the nose neat therefore give it time and you will be rewarded. Comments were; almonds, roasted cashew nuts, warm leather in the sun, chocolate and pear cake, Marsala wine, beeswax and crispy deep-fried aubergine slices coated in honey. Great mouth-feel accompanied by a noticeable Vermouth kick with flavours of banana, coconut and dried apricot. Water brought out more nutty aromas; walnuts, hazelnuts and chestnuts made into that Italian cake ‘Torta di Castagne’. The taste not too sweet, a moist texture and the delicate taste of a Cadbury fruit and nut bar without the chocolate.

Drinking tip: With a bowl of quality mixed fruit and nuts

Colour: Sauternes sweet wine

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 12 years

Date distilled: May 2002

Alcohol: 60.5%

Flavour profile: Spicy & dry

USA allocation: 150 bottles

 

Cask No. 55.23                       $170  

Chow mein on a workbench

Speyside, Findhorn

Despite cut grass, herbal notes, citrus, pineapple and water-melon, we could not describe the nose as clean – an almost grubby fascination kept drawing us back – we found toasted oak and pistachios, nutmeg, ghee, an engineer’s workbench, burnt eucalyptus and chow mein noodles. The palate was concentrated and intense (‘an espresso of a dram’) fizzy, mouth-watering and impressively textured – with hits of anise and fennel seeds, plus oily, nutty, peppery elements; sweetness appeared as liquorice allsorts, white chocolate and agave syrup (especially with water) but savoury undertones, even salty, seaside suggestions and medicinal intimations made it a slightly challenging but satisfying experience.

Drinking tip: Whether you have been renovating an old motorcycle or performing brain surgery – job well done and you deserve a dram of this.

Colour: Vintage champagne

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 20 years

Date distilled: February 1994

Alcohol: 55.1%

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

USA allocation: 84 bottles

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