Whisky: Mystery Tasting

Next up from the Regional Wines tasting, Mystery Whisky. Where we get eight (yes, 8) whiskies with no info and have to taste them.

Because it'd be stupid to write it up that way, I'm naming them.

Old Particular Craigellachie The Elements 2006 12yo 54.3%
N: fruit salad, apples, light, floral, grass, vanilla, creme brulee
P: rough, apples, lemonade
F: long, hot

9/10  I liked this, reminded me of the Glengoyne cask finish (12yo).

Signatory Clynelish 1995 22yo 56.3%
N: astringent, hint of smoke, complex
P: light, sweet, tasty, fruity, bourbon, lemon, date bar
F: long, chewy

8.5/10 Have I mentioned I like Clynelish....

Benromach 2008 Batch#1 Cask Strength 57.9%
N: peat, sherry, asphalt, bacon, ozone, complex, aged
P: bacon spicy paprika, peat
F: long, hot, oily

9/10 my notes say 'great balance'. This is ridiculously good value (NZD $127.99).

Glen Garioch 17yo Renaissance 3rd Chapter 50.8%
N: apple, tangy fruits, light, cut grass, burnt sugar
P: fruit, quite bland
F: short

5/10. Nothing there, bland / boring. (and definitely not worth the NZD $240!)

Dalmore King Alexander III 46%
N: fruits/apples, complex, pavlova, light, phenols?
P: apples, simple, soapy
F: light, short
5/10 notes again say boring (this one was NZD $400)

Benromach 2010 Peat Smoke Sherry Cask Matured 59.9%
N: lipstick, artificial flower (that comment has all the hallmarks of a Richard comment...), not great, sweet, dirty boots
P: phenol, salt, long throat clearer, ashtray
F: big long, tangy

8/10 I thought this was quite bunnabhain like. In a good way.

Ballechin Straight from the Cask ex Sherry 61%
N: phenol, salt, bacon, cauterised washed, lovely,
P: smoke, bacon,
F: dry, long

9.5/10 comments of 'fuck yeah', this was great. to this point the Ballechin's I've had (they're the peated version of Edradour) have been very crap. This wasn't.

Blend: Glenfarclas 105 + Pedro Ximenez Lausto 1:9
N: sweet, figs, sherry, PX, dark choc, sulphur
P: sweet, massive, very strong, syrupy, dates, orange, cognac?
F: long, hot

6.5/10 Basically, the bastards made their own blend. Some loved it, me, not so much. But adding a bit of water gave it 7.5/10 and released a far creamy flavour.

We had a bunch of questions, I got 8/16 (top was 12/16).

Fun !!

me x