Scotch Report: Malt Masters

This months tasting looked at what Malt Masters bring into New Zealand. So without further ado...

Bowmore 18yo 43% My God, it's not a cask strength! That made picking it quite easy ! Nose: linament; salty bacon; caramel. Palate: caramel, rum?, sweet dark chocolate orange; Finish: chilli (yeah really!); ash; dry, short-med. 7.5-8/10

Macallan-Glenlivet Cadenheads 16yo 1989-Sept06 53.3% bourbon hogshead 282 bottles Nose: muscatel, sweet, cognac? apple. Palate: warm delicate, muscatels; Finish: spicy, ash, pepper smooth, medium finish 7/10

Springbank 16yo 8y refill bourbon 8y fresh rum June91-Aug07 54.2% 5100 bottles The first of the Springbanks, very sweet, vanilla, chocolate, rum notes; Palate: soft, evolves in mouth, smokey, hint of soap; Finish: salty, tang, very light, medium length 7/10

Springbank 12yo bourbon/rum 1989-April02 54.6% 5700 bottles Nose: vanilla, rum, very sweet, parmesan cheese!; Palate: salty, lovely!; Finish: warm, earthy, long-huge 8-9/10

Springbank 10yo 100 proof 57% Nose: leather, old, edradour-ish; paint; Palate: tasty, smooth, meaty; finihs: ash, toffee, rum, long 9/10

Longrow 7yo 5.5y refill bourbon 1.5y fresh Gaja Barolo Oct00-Jan08 55.8% 12170 bottles Nose: salt, bacon, smokey; Palate: sweet, salty, smokey; Finish: salami, very smokey, med-long 6/10

Arran 57.7% bottled 14.9.06 130 of 487 Napoleon Cognac finish from A.Hardy Nose: sweet, white choc, soap, marshmellows, strong! Palate: cough syrup, paint?; Finish: apple, grand marnier, almond icing, med-long finish 8-9/10

So an interesting selection of whisky's. I've never had that many Springbanks (they make the Longrow too) , but am very partial to my SMWS (or wotever order it is) Springbank. The 10yo was the standout for me. Very full bodied and very tasty - since I'd flogged off a couple of unopened bottles I'd been given over the years, it made this one nice and cheap (speaking of which, if any reader wants a bottle of Glenmorangie 10yo cheap, let me know). 

The Bowmore was disappointing, I've had others and really enjoyed them - and want someone to buy me the 42yo Black Bowmore so I can try that ... but the worst, by far, was the Longrow. Is this indicative of their style? 

All up, good tasting of stuff I hadn't really had before. But it's beginning to confirm to me that I don't the Macallan. 

Love, B.