Cask No. 27.110                             $315

Horse harnesses and mescal ‘worms’

Campbeltown

The neat nose was certainly varied – old books and cigar boxes in a study, horse harnesses, mescal ‘worms’, a greengrocers shop and various savoury notes (smoked ribs, sausages, roast beef, onion chutney, salt and pepper cashews). Water improved it, finding the good spices from the excellent cask oak – cinnamon, anise, cumin, tobacco, treacle toffee and liquorice allsorts. The palate was rich with pleasant wood influence – black bun, incense smoke, barbecue embers, five-spice seasoning on pork crackling, mixed nuts and new leather. Water brought out the sweetness of Demerara, dark honey and teriyaki – bringing wonderful balance to this intriguing and unusual dram.

Drinking tip: Late evening, with a friend and a cigar, maybe after a curry.

Colour: Jacobean oak

Cask: First-fill Sherry hogshead

Age: 22 years

Date distilled: December 1992

Alcohol: 52.6%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

*President’s Choice*

Cask No. 2.93                         $130

Sweet day dreams

Speyside, Spey

On the nose neat we found ourselves in a greenhouse with overwintered geraniums and tomato vines. We were sitting in a Rattan armchair eating honey apple cake and drinking hot Ribena when a lady stepped in wearing Fuzzy Peach perfume oil. Immediately the scene changed; intense, thrilling, prickly, sweet and juicy heat on the tongue whilst shaking Apricot Anise Collins using carbonated water and stirring lightly. Now the aromas became much more herbal and we were miraculously transported to an alpine chalet enjoying après-ski, drinking Jagertee and eating a Rachel sandwich using pastrami, Swiss cheese and coleslaw on rye bread.

Drinking tip: Day dreaming in a hammock

Colour: Ready Brek Golden SyrupCask: Refill barrel

Age: 13 years

Date distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 60.3%

USA allocation: 96 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & dry

Cask No. 39.99                       $185 

Springtime in Andalucía

Speyside, Lossie

‘What a nose’ and ‘I could smell this all day’ were just two remarks before we noted aromas of toasted malt loaf with melted butter, freshly made peanut brittle, brandy snaps, raisins, sultanas and chocolate liqueur over apple and custard crumble – pure decadence. The taste is classic monkey bread oozing with warm caramel and cinnamon, chopped walnuts, raisins and brown sugar. With the addition of water the nose is still rich and complex with a distinct whiff of a salty sea breeze just like a Manzanilla Pasada Sherry. The taste is fresh, sweet and salty; Brazil nuts, toffee, red liquorice and a never ending finish of a well-made Arugula salad with honey-drizzled peaches.

Drinking tip: When you have time to let your mind wander

Colour: Amontillado VORS

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 23 years

Date distilled: April 1990

Alcohol: 58.9%

USA allocation: 114 bottles

Flavour profile: Deep, rich and dried fruits

Cask No. 42.16                               $100

“What it says on the tin”

Highland, Island

Be prepared, this one put our olfactory system on alert. Damp newspaper, earthy muddy doormat, yellow dyed smoked haddock, antiseptic, blue cheese, salt and vinegar chipsticks and creosote – you could probably paint your fence with it! The taste was a combination of Edward Scissorhands shed and Sweeney Todd’s Victorian barber shop; rusty nails and bolts, hedge shears, old cow leather strop and a cut throat razor. Water changed the nose to oily tarry ropes, ramshackled lobster pods and old yellow polyurethane safety wellies. On the palate, it still takes your breath away, either exchanging a hot drive belt or forging a horse shoe.

Drinking tip: Instead of Absinthe

Colour: Blade of a chainsaw

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 9 years

Date distilled: November 2005

Alcohol: 59.6%

USA allocation: 60 bottles

Flavour profile: Oily & coastal

Cask No. 53.218                             $135

Philadelphia cigar ‘perfection’

Islay

We all sunk into a big leather arm chair next to an open peat smoke fire eating smoky, salty bacon frazzles with air-cured herbal sausages smoked over beech wood.  The taste was warm, thick and mouth-coating just like freshly made American-style pancakes with bacon and maple syrup whilst having a satisfied grin on our faces as we opened a vintage Phillies Perfecto cigar box. Water reminded us of the dinner before; slow roasted chicken with lemon, rosemary and thyme accompanied by salvia sauce over mashed potato. In the taste grounded black pepper, sweet liquorice as well as caramelised bananas in toffee sauce.

Drinking tip: Be careful when adding water

Colour: Pale gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: March 2000

Alcohol: 64.4%

USA allocation: 102 bottles

Flavour profile: Lightly peated

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