Another year, another Best of the Best. Although this year we managed a reasonable number of tastings without Covid being a dick, and the format was changed to have the top rated whiskies of the year, rather than just the winner of each tasting.
Usual crew assembled at the Basin reserve, which seems to be turning into a preferred whisky tasting venue for Regional Wines - which is great, more room, less temp fluctuations :)
Glenlossie 15yo 58.2% Signatory 2006
- N: sweet, cloves, apple, violets, vanilla, tannins, perfume
- P: apple, melons, sweet, long, truffles, bourbon
- F: long, sweet
8.5/10 for me, really liked this one (it came 7th overall 8.35, originally 8.71 in Sept).
Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD/02.22 58.7% NC2 sherry/bourbon
- N: sweet, salt, peat, bubblegum, banana
- P: apple, peppery, salt, ash
- F: med-long, hot
9/10 definitely liking where Ardnamurchan are heading at the moment, all of the recent ones we've had have been good (and there's a few in my cupboard now). Came 8th (8.26, was 8.61 in Oct).
Glendronach Cask Strength Batch10 58.6%
- N: sherry, old, subtle, leather, xmas cake, cognac
- P: very quick, hint of honey
- short, boring
7/10. It's not a bad whisky, but just not much happening for a cask strength, weird. Came 3rd 8.89 (8.68 in Sept).
Edradour Straight from the Cask 2011 58.5%
- N: sherry, sulphur, sweet, subtle, aged, lightish
- P: warm, honey, xmas cake, lovely
- F: smooth, long
8/10 came second (9.13, originally 9.23 in Sept). annoyingly it sold out before I could grab it (or the Ibisco) when they eventually reached NZ. oh well.
Mystery : Cotswolds
- N: sweet, citrus, nutmeg, bananas, fruit salad/melons
- P: warm, bourbon, honey, salt, pepper
- F: medium, peppery, warming
9/10 this was all very nice. I don't seem to have written down which Cotswolds it was, but I've had a couple this year and both were very good, there's a bottle of one of them sitting around here ...
Glendronach Parliament 21yo 48% oloroso/PX 2020.06.15
- N: lemonade, spritzic, sweet, apricots
- P: lemon, bourbon, sherry, decr alc., yeasty
- F: medium, warm honey
8/10 hey it's a Glendronach, you can be pretty sure it'll be drinkable. Possibly slightly overrated (aside from the gold/brown) at the moment, but still very good. Came 5th with 8.72 (was 8.81 in Aug)
Laphroaig 25yo 52% NC2 cask strength 2018 ex bourbon
- N: yum, salt, bacon, iodine, bring, complex, medicinal, strong, aged
- P: salt, bacon, iodine, strong
- F: long and complex
10/10 (I did give it 9.5/10 originally). Something magical happens to aged Laphroaig, it becomes very veyr drinkable. I'm not alone in this as it came 1st with 9.43 (was 9.13 in Aug)
Talisker 15yo 2019 57.3% Special Release
- N: salt, sweet, medicinal, light, aged, peaty, apricots
- P: citrus, ash, peppery, cloves, salt
- F: peppery, long
8/10 I keep wanting to like Talisker more than I actually do. But this one is good, came 4th with 8.86 (8.88 in Aug).
so there you go, pretty reasonable lineup of drams, bit of beer, a haggis,
Slainte, B
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