Whisky Tasting : Mysteries of Malt

 A completely blind tasting at Regional, I like these. We get given nothing, a few random, generally misleading, questions and the booze. That's it. I've filled in the whisky names for the notes, because I'm not that mean...

Glenrothes 48/8% Whisky Makers Cut, no colour 1st fill sherry

• N: sweet, muscavado, caramel, chocolate, sherry, petrol, vanilla, violets
• P: bourbon, dry, mcintosh egg lollies, salt, chocolate, honey
• F: long and hot, slight peppery?

7.5/10 Tasty dram this one, nothing stunning, but certainly very drinkable. It came 4th= with 8.02 overall.

Jura 21 44% 105a colour added

• N: weak, light, water, hint sherry?, vinegar
• P: light, sweet, spearmint
• F: short

5/10. This was a real disappointment, nothing much happening anywhere.  It came last with 7.17

Meikletoir 5yo Glenallachie peated 48% PX & oloroso

• N: medicinal, bacon, oily, iodine, sweet
• P: smooth, peppery, iodine, complex, salt, sweet
• F: long and very tasty

8.5/10 Yep this was excellent, I know, another good Glenallachie? Whoda thunk it. Came 3rd, 8.17. There maybe a bottle heading my way...

Kilchoman PX matured 2023 50%

• N: light, mushrooms, earthy, ashes, musty
• P: gherkins, ash, dry, sour
• F: med-long, peppery, sour

7/10 Looking at my scoring, I couldn't quite decide on it, ranged from 6-7 with a lot of crossing out. Somethings not quite right with this one. Came 6th with 7.38

Amrut Spectrum 50% Oct 2021

• N: muscavado, caramel, chocolate, awesome, sulphur, raisins
• P: chocolate, cake, leather aged, sticky, parmesan cheese
• F: medium and complex

9/10 a sherry monster that delivers. It's not cheap, but it is very good, those Spectrum finishes all seem to be excellent. Came first with 8.61

Ardnamurchan Rum finish NC2 55%

• N: salt, coastal, marshmallows, subtle, light, sweet lollies, citrus
• P: citrus, spritzic, parma violets
• F: short-med and salt

7/10 Interesting without being outstanding. Possibly a bit sweet for me, which maybe the Rum finish coming through. Came 4th = 8.02

Glen Scotia 54.1% 12yo unpeated NC2 Palo Cortado Finish

• N: wood, creamy, brown sugar, hazelnuts, sherry notes
• P: sweet, brown sugar, complex, incr alco
• F: med-long and peppery

8.5/10 I liked this, interesting whisky that seemed pretty well integrated. It came 2nd, 8.5. 

Thanks to John we also learnt what a Palo Cortado sherry is, briefly it's a sherry being aged under flor to become a fino or amontillado, but for reasons it loses the flor and ages as an oloroso.

Fun tasting, our group made a few guesses as to who made the whiskies, that didn't go well. But I went ok on the answers to Daniel's misleading questions :)

Slainte!