Today's dram:
Old Rhosdhu 24yo 1979/2004 (46%, Murray McDavid, Mission III, 290/498b.)
Still feeling this one is the best in Mission III, I wonder why MMCD didn't put this one into competition? A lowland star!
Today's dram:
Old Rhosdhu 24yo 1979/2004 (46%, Murray McDavid, Mission III, 290/498b.)
Still feeling this one is the best in Mission III, I wonder why MMCD didn't put this one into competition? A lowland star!
Very hot today! Had some white wine this afternoon. Still feel hot.! All Scotch on the rocks!
Today's drams:
1.) Springbank 10yo (46%,OB, new bottle)
2.) Port Ellen 23yo 1978/2001 (62.2%, Provenance summer/summer, Select by John Milroy)
3.) Brora 24yo 1977/2001 (56.1%, Rare Malt)
Today's Drams:
1.) Clynelish 20yo 1983/2004 (46%, MMCD, 498b., Mission III)
2.) Brora 24yo 1977/2001 (56.1%, Rare Malt)
Finished my last drop of the MMCD Clynelish.
This bottle just won several IWSC and ISC awards. It seems MMCD has quite some Clynelish casks. I wondered why I didn't taste any when I was there.
The Springbank Cuvee 1965&1993/2004 (46%, Murray McDavid, Marriage of Fresh Sherry 1965 and Bourbon 1993, Cask#MM0406, 736/1224b.)
Received two bottles today. Can't wait to taste it. The label indicate it was the last award winning 1965 bottling. As far as I remember, I gave that one a 91 high score. Will the Jim's magic appear again in this marriage bottleing?
Quite dark color, almost golden brown. I heard that it contains the last cask of 1965 MMCD had. Thus a reasonable guess the ratial is 1:3.
Nose is quite sweet, sherry influence. Clear Maltiness , Citrus Fruit. A little bit Chacolate. Adding water bring out more fruitiness.
Taste: Smooth, Oil, Short, Fruity.
Springbank 10yo (46%, OB, New bottle)
Color: Light Yellow. Very fruity, very sweet, not honey style, more like, suger. Even a little bit like Balvenie 10yo. Taste smooth but strong. Generally speaking still a very good malt. Score 85.
Note: Not exactly the same as I remember. But to be honestly. Last 10yo OB I had was still a tall bottle. But I didn't write down the taisting note that time.
Samples provides from Bird and Stephen. Thanks!
Springbank 10yo 100proof (57%, bottled in 2004)
Color: Golden. Fresh Maltiness, At the first impression, very sweet and maltiness. Orangy like malt. Young, robust, stong. Front toung. Very young. not even feel like 10yo, even younger. Sneaky, stange, should not have caremel. but really very similar. Adding water feel more orange, sneaky as usual. Score. 80.
Spingbank 12yo Bourbon Wood 1991/2004 (58.5%, OB, 1796b. Hogshead/Barrel)
This is a very stange wood expression. My friends asked me, what is Bourbon finish? Hogshead/Barrel speaks all. But what if Barrel/Barrel????? I can only say this is something to cheat you. Rum and Port means something, Sherry and Bourbon not really. But to tell the truth, I still bought two bottles. Only because I am not really satisfied by recently OB bottles. I think wood expressions should performs better. As expected, about the same alc.% as the 100 proof, this one is much better. Clear nosing but layer comes out. a little bit Hather, stange. Smooth, oil, young, but a very nice signature Springbank. Score: 86.
Attendants: Kingfisher, Brian, Stephen
Two Springbank samples from Michiel Wigman. Thanks! Michiel.
Three blinds from Kingfisher.
Springbank 30yo Limited Edition (46%, OB)
Color: Dark Brown. Heavy Sherried. Very sweet even has a little bit caremal fell. Chocolate, Smoke, Light Fruit, Orange. Silky Smooth, takes a while to come back to fill the mouth. Though heavy sherried, balanced quite well. Adding water brings out more fruit. But personally I like drink straight. Score 90. (S: 93, B:90)
Business trip to Kaoshiang City. Southern Taiwan. Have some wild party with my good friend Sean. Sean will fly to USA for the MBA study later this month.
Aberlour NAS A'Bunadh Batch 10 (59.8%, OB)
Opened this bottle at a noisy cracy pub. Lot's people smoking. Not sure I got it right. Very dark color, Heavily sherried. Not exactly as I remembered, though the one I had was a batch 7. Lot's of Plum, Chocolate, Sweet(Sugar), Adding water definitely performs better. Furity, a little bit Flowerish. Score: 80.
Note: It was too hot and smoky. I need ice!!!!
Brora 20yo 1981/2001 (43%, Signatory, Cask#577, 180/403b.)
I actually have several Brora bottles in hand, but I never decided when to open a new bottle. For me, it depend on the mood. After a somewhat disappointing Port Wood tasting event. I decided to let myself have some advanture.
Color: Light Yellow. Very light color. The very first impression is somewhat Islay/Islands style, even just by nosing. Complex, Deep. Thick. Bring back throat very warming hot. Clear peat, sulfer, fruity. Adding water turns weak. brings out more Iodine. Though still smooth. I think 43% is already minimum. A value but nice dram. Score 86.
Note: I think I gave it a somewhat higher score because of the dispointing prior tasting. Later tasting lowered a little bit to 84.
A little bit dispointing! It proofed that you can't put all port wood together. Disgusting!
Glenmorangie NAS Madeira Finish (43, OB) Score: 81
Glenmorangie NAS Port Finish (43%, OB) Score: 74
Cragganmore 13yo 197/2001 (40%, OB, Distellers Edition, Port Cask, Re#CggD-6552) Score: 82
Clenfiddich 21 Havana Reserve (40%, OB) Score: 86
Drumguish NAS (40%, OB, >2001)
Sample from my friend Stephen. Quite simple nose, a hint fo speyside at the first impression. Malty, Nutty, Sweet, Finish short, even a little bit bitter. Taste better than nose. Not my style. I guess should be at around 8yo. Score 70.
Glenury Royal 30yo 1973/2003 (50.7%, Blackadder Raw Cask, Cask#6861)
Taste again! Lovely nose. A clear winner! Confirmed my score at Blackadder Tasting Event. I was not drunk. Score: 90.