16 December 2020

Whisky Tasting: Best of the Best 2020

 Another year, another best of the best. Admittedly tastings were a bit haphazard and disrupted for some reason, but we still got through a reasonable amount of whisky. 


Due to the reduced number of tastings we had two mystery drams for the tasting.

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% [Mystery]

  • N sweet, peat, salt, rubber, earthy, medicinal, aniseed, chlorine, pear drops
  • P peat, sweet, tasty, dry, ash, oily, hot, creosote
  • F long dry

9/10 I liked this a lot, although it came last with 8.1 on the night. 

Benriach Batch 16 Pedro Ximenez Butt #6924 56.2% 21.2.2005-2019 13yo

  • N sweet, tobacco, toffee, sherry, turkish delight
  • P warm honey, sweet, odd sick taste   
  • short, almost bitter finish
7/10 not grabbing me. disappointing for a benriach. Came 5th on the night 8.54.

Glendronach SC 25yo oloroso #1416 51.2% 23/3/1993-2019 [mystery]
  • N fried egg, sherry, marshmallow, dry, raisins, burnt caramel
  • warm, leather polish, aged smooth, dry, sherry, raisins, complex
  • F long, warm, complex
10/10 not a huge surprise I liked this :) it came 4th on the night, 8.70

Glendronach 23yo 1995 52.5% PX puncheon
  • N light, sherry, nectaries, fried egg
  •  sherry, xmas cake, not subtle, tannins, treacle
  • F medium
8/10 bit of a disappointment, in a qualified way, i don't think it had anywhere near the complexity of the previous dram. but everyone else liked it, 2nd 9.09

Amrut Greedy Angel 8yo 50% Chairman's Reserve unpeated Indian with peated scottish barley
  • N sweet, bourbon, citrus, linseed, latex, canvas
  • sweet, hint of bourbon, spiky, fighty, vigorous
  • F med - long
8.5/10 interesting, good etc, just over shadowed by some of the others in this tasting. came 6th 8.4

Smokehead High Voltage 22.01.2020 58%
  • N salt, rubber, bacon, peat iodine
  • P sweet, smoky, sherry, bacon   
  • F long, sweet
9/10 great dram, and great value for money. Came 3rd, 8.7.

Amrut Portonova Batch 22 62.1%
  • N caramel, sweet, old, complex, amazing, eggs, sulphur, candied oranges
  • honey, complex, aged, smooth leather 
  • superb, long
10/10 This was amazing. And not cheap. Came 1st 9.32

Great line-up, all whiskies i'd be happy to have in the cupboard. 
Slainte...

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