Whiskey Now 2023, let’s see what the editor drank!
I am very happy to participate in Whiskey Now on March 19th. It is the first time in my life to participate in such a whiskey party. It is very fun.
Unsurprisingly, it had an unfortunate start. I made an appointment with a friend to go from Chai Wan to Tai Wo Hau at 2pm, only to realize that I had forgotten to bring my admission ticket. With the help of my family, I arrived an hour and a half late.
I don’t have the habit of checking in. Anyway, the environment is the ball room of the hotel, and there are many people on site and it’s just noisy. I was a little uncomfortable at first, after all, I am an otaku, but after a few drinks I got into it.
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Springbank 15yo old version
It must have been bottled about thirty years ago.
Soft barley, bread, etc., not complex, and the wine structure is not as strong and thick as it is now, but it wins with delicateness.
The modern 10yo may still be more fruity, but this old 15yo also shows the delicate charm of the old wine.
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1988 Blended Malt SPHERIC SPIRITS (Bottled: 2022)
One barrel was reserved at the Ben Nevis distillery and was intended to be used to blend the Dew of Ben Nevis Blended Whiskey Blended Malt. Of course, it contains Ben Nevis original wine, which has become very popular in recent years and is now the owner of the barrel.
Light cream, light honey, floral aroma, light-colored fruits such as white grapes, pears, peaches, grapefruit, delicate fruit aroma, good waxy feel, the wooden barrel seems a bit weak, the white oak taste and fruit aroma are a good match, yes , but I always want a little more power to support the body of the wine, and the low alcohol content may also be a reason.
Overall it's sweet and delicious.
(I always feel that wood has a bit of glue smell)
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Cragganmore 10yo Cask Strength Diageo Special Releases 2004
2004 was almost twenty years ago. This bottle must have been cheap back then.
Love Cragganmore so gave it a try. Remember malt, butter, toast. The taste is firmer than the previous one, but of course there is no light and delicate fruity aroma. It only has the taste of orange and sweet malt. The active wood barrel and high alcohol content make the wine more powerful. (Although it feels like the bottle has been opened for a long time)
It is obviously a different style from the previous model 1988, each has its own merits.
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Coleburn 1979 Rare Malt
It was bottled in October 2000 and a friend ordered a sip.
When I drank it, I didn't think it was close to 60%. The malt and floral aromas were very charming, and the fruity aroma was rich. At the same time, it was oily but not greasy. It was very smooth and drinkable and very balanced, but it seemed to have lost a little strength over the years.
High quality.
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Linkwood 1989 Signatory Vintage Cask Strength (Bottled: 2005)
Bottled eighteen years ago.
Linkwood around 1900 may be a godsend.
But this bottle doesn't have it, it just has a good melon and fruit aroma, which is quite crisp, fresh and sweet, with green pear, white grape, honeydew melon and a little light flower seed oil.
This is definitely sweet and delicious.
It's similar to some Linkwoods who are thirty years old now, but this one is young and has lively fun.
Then I found out it was a sherry barrel, and it was Butt. What happened?
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Littlemill Cadenhead Single Cask 28yo
I only took a picture of the front, so I had to check the information online. It should be 1991, bottled in 2019, Hong Kong Whiskies & More third anniversary cask.
I posted a blog on Kingsbarns a few days ago, talking about Lowland Style. I just want to ask if the existing Lowland factory can achieve this kind of taste?
Like green apple juice, a lot of green fruit is like the Linkwood above, but with a little more refreshing green apple acidity. It's a lovely, not weirdly sour taste.
There is another emphasis on clean body, pure fruit, malt, grass, olive oil.
Very interesting and drinkable. This is a cute bottle that you won’t get tired of drinking and will keep refilling.
This is Lowland, it doesn't have to be sour, at least it has to be clean.
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Glenury Royal 1975 Signatory Vintage (Bottled: 2002)
This drink is delicious, better than the Coleburn above. It is greasy, the flowers and fruits are more powerful, and the taste is full of yellow fruits. Very balanced, detailed and comfortable.
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Glenglassaugh 1986 20yo Jack Wieber's Old Train (Bottled: 2006)
Glenglassaugh's current wines are not vintage, so the quality of the wine has not yet had time to accumulate and be revealed. How will the old Glenglassaugh behave?
In fact, the wine body is very average, just a glass of heavy sherry cask Driven stuff.
A very strong barrel, rich sherry with dried dates and raisins. The taste is very rough and dry, with skin, tannins and a slightly bitter taste. A bit leathery, but not strong on sulfur.
It’s just a glass of rich sherry. It won’t score highly because it’s too sherry, but there probably aren’t many barrels like this left nowadays.
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Caol Ila 1976 Signatory Vintage (Bottled: 2002)
This one is only $180.
The aroma is a lot of salty, bacon, barley, olive oil, not much peat. Lots of saltiness on the palate, salty olives, barley, hay, grease, a little bit of smoke. Finish of olive, wheat, a little smoke.
Very delicious, 1976! It is a pity that I did not find Caol Ila who was a few years earlier or a few years later.
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Springbank 2009 Private Bottle (Bottled: 2009)
It’s less than 10 years old, but it’s a Fresh Sherry.
This is also a very strong sherry, with a stronger body than the Glenglassaugh above. It also has a lot of dried raisins, and even plums and plums. A little more sulfur, a little stronger, and more woody.
It is always said that there is some residual sherry in this Fresh Sherry barrel. I think they deliberately leave a little to mix it in.
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Caol Ila 2006 Gommone Whiskey Shop
In 2015, my friend’s bag was sold with an empty wallet, so there was no support.
I rarely drink 2006 Caol Ila, so seeing the light color of the wine is a good sign.
Sure enough, it's salty, malty, porridge, and then a bit of lemon. The taste is seawater, oyster, smoked, charcoal-like medium peat, a little lemon, a little wood pepper.
This is the drink that tastes good, clean, clear and balanced salty peat barley, with a medium body and overall comfort.
No extra sweetness, barrels, flowers and fruits, don’t make it so bloated.
I remember many people asking why Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Ledaig 10yo have such low scores on whiskeyfun...
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Talisker 1993 Hart Brothers (Bottled: 2011)
27yo, $600 for a 15ml cup is definitely not what I would pay.
A well-balanced sherry barrel with raisins, leather, coffee, etc. but not dry, with a full mouthfeel and a little pepper.
It's good, but I always felt it wasn't salty enough for a Talisker. Is it because of the Caol Ila I had last time?
Or were you already drunk at the time?
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Highland Park 1968 Hart Brothers (Bottled: ~1995)
27 years old, which means it was bottled around 1995, around the time the editor was born.
Whiskyfun 93 points.
It’s a very round, balanced, sherry cask that’s just right in every aspect. Sweet dried fruits and licorice candy, hazelnut and other nut butters, the wine is firm and can be savored without any obvious shortcomings.
43% can also perform like this.
It has a really old-fashioned feel.
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Glen Elgin 1984 Jack Wieber's Old Train (Bottled: 2012)
This is only $100 for 15ml.
A lot of cream, oil, honey, wax, yellow flowers and fruits, balanced, soft and delicious. It can probably be copied from the modern Glen Elgin 1995 Tasting Note, but it is softer.
Very good wine from ten years ago.
My friend's glass of Clynelish 1996 was also delicious, a little better than this Elgin, greasier and fatter, but I didn't take a photo.
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Ardbeg 1991 Montgomerie's (Bottled: 2001)
Clean, more olive, salty and wheat, a little less peat than the usual impression of Ardbeg, softer, more grains and yellow fruits. Overall, Ardbeg is smooth and easy to drink.
It's my fault that I was expecting something stronger.
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Springbank 1995 Sansobar Spirits Shop' Selection (Bottled: 2020)
Port bucket.
Lots of dark fruit, sweet, dried fruit, leather, coffee, sweet spice, the body is still there, but the barrel flavor overpowers a lot of it.
I can understand why some people like this, it is indeed quite good, but the Port barrel still doesn't suit me very well.
I will drink a glass occasionally, just like Port wine, white Port may be more attractive. Are there any white port barrels?
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Glen Moray 1989 Berry Bros & Rudd (Bottled: 2018)
Japan's Shinano House selects barrels.
Glen Moray is of course very fruity, but the interesting thing about this one is that it is not greasy, but has a refreshing powdered sugar sweetness. Fruits such as grapefruit and orange are not soft, but a bit hard and have a prominent fruity sweetness, with obvious woody spices. , a little spicy.
A perfect balance to the many cups of fatty stuff that came before.
Fun and delicious.
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Secret Highland 42yo That Boutique-y Whiskey Company
Lots of pollen, honey, cream, ripe yellow fruit, perfectly rounded, not fat, not pungent, pure rouge and juice.
Gentle and beautiful.
'Secret' is Tomatin, they say. But isn’t Tomatin’s label at TBWC just a bunch of tomatoes?
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Finally, there are two items that are not impressive.
Longmorn 15yo OB Old Bottling
It should be drank between Coleburn, Cragganmore and Glenury Royal. It has been overshadowed and there is nothing that can be done about it.
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Glen Elgin 14yo
Bottling only for winery employees.
Did I drink this? No impression doesn't mean it's bad, right? It’s just that I haven’t had a bad Elgin that day.
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In summary, it was a very happy day. I couldn’t drink a lot of wine because I had no money or because I didn’t have the capacity to drink.
Regret should be drinking heavy peat, that bottle of White Rioja Glengoyne, that bottle of very old Glenlivet and that bottle of very old Glenrothes.
Have a Bowmore if you have spare money.
Can only look forward to next time.
Start saving money!