Whisky: Blair Athol

First Regional Wines tasting of the year, Blair Athol isn't usually seen as a single malt as most of their product is destined for blending (ding dong!). therefore, aside from the rare distillery only releases, you'll only find Blair Athol single malts from independent bottlers. Which is what we've got here ...

Blackadder Raw Cask 13yo NC2 51.7% 10.7.2009-12.2022 Hogshead 304826

N: floral, sweet, citrus, spicy, mahogany

P: fruit salad, prickly, sweet, rosemary

F: long and hot

7.5/10 I liked this, the spicyness possibly overpowered the interesting fruit salad flavours, suggesting it may have needed a few more years in cask? Overall, typically good Blackadder bottling, 3rd 8.12

Single Malts of Scotland 47.1% #40245 2.8.2006-24.4.2025 NC2 18yo PX Sherry Hogshead

N: sweet, older, grassy, bourbon?, prickly, metallic

P: sweet, tangy, creamy, vanilla, light, vanilla, fruit salad

F: spicy, medium

6/10 not a lot going on (contrary to the description!) it all felt kind of flat to me 6th, 7.56

James Eadie NC2 55.3% #307364 17.11.2009-2024 14yo re-charred hogshead

N: light, sweet, butterscotch, caramel, creme brulee, salt, vanilla

P: creamy, vanilla, sweet, salty

F: salty, dry on finish, med-long

7.5/10 Our tasting last year for the JE bottles wasn't a favourite, but this bottling was ok, interesting but still quite spiky on the finish. Came last (7th) 7.31

Adelphi 13yo 2011-2024 1st fill bourbon barrel 56.6% 305328

N: prickly, brandy butter, parmesan, savoury

P: pear, apples

F: spicy, increasing heat, but quite short finish

8/10 I liked this, another good Adelphi, the palate was particularly nice. Came 5th 7.58

Signatory 13yo NC2 30.9.2011-23.5.2025 1st fill Ruby Port hogshead 57.5%

N: banana, tobacco, sweet, tannins, peach tea, meths, malt vinegar

P: raspberries,

F: long, hot, big

8/10 Good dram, and interesting the port finish, 4th (8.11)

BBR 14yo 2009 Hogshead PX Finish 55.6%

N: sherry, sweet, roses, chocolate, molasses

P: metallic, cloying

F: astringent, short

6/10 Did not like this, not very interesting and again seemed a bit young. Came 2nd (8.26)

Mystery [Glengoyne 59.5% Cask Strength 12yo].

N: peat ?, light, sweet

P: bourbon (hints), sweet

F: spicy, medium

5.5/10 oddly low for a Glengoyne for me, but I felt this was a very one dimensional bottling.  Came 1st (8.53)

Overall, interesting without being great. There is a house style, which is light, floral with fruit salad in the palate. But the spirit does seem to pick up cask flavour very easily. 

Beers of 2025 : the Liver and Alec

 In the ongoing series of how much have Alec and I drunk, here's the 2025 summary. For those wanting context, 2024 is here. 

For the first time, I'm now below Alec in absolute numbers of booze consumed. Damn he's a lush. He's also now well ahead of me in unique beers and badges. Life is terrible.

Looking at 2024 - 2025, it appears I only drank about 300 beers, Alec bless his damaged liver, hit around 700. that's beerfests for ya.

our top beers are still reasonably similarm, but are continuing to diverge over the years. Obviously it's because i'm not there to lead him on the straight and narrow. Mine has the Craftwork, unsurprisingly. 

Last.FM 2025 notes

 There isn't much new in this post, but it is a summary of the 2025 listening stats, thanks to last.fm sending me a summary of that sort of thing.

Regular readers will already know 2025 was my biggest year, per track numbers, since last.fm and I cuddled up in 2006. 

 

top artists? predictable. Top album, I see there are a number of compilations in there from Moochin' About, one of my favourite labels. Top track, no surprise there either. It does turn up on most of their live albums ...

I had a feeling I hadn't listened to as much new music last year and the stats support that. But the ones it calls out are great, that Steve Rothery/Bioscope is brilliant. and new Steve Wilson is most enjoyable.

apparently i didn't love many tracks last year, but i did listen to a fuck load of music each day. 

there ya go, next up in post land, comparison on the Alec and Bruce damage their liver expedition.

Casual Dram #20 : Dec 2025

 Last Casual Dram for 2025, which seemed reason enough to turn up.  Always an enjoyable session, and Mean Doses is an excellent venue for a relaxed tasting.

SMWS 2.138 Glenlivet 'Raisin Toffee Jam' 16 yo 55.0% 1st fill ex-oloroso sherry butt

• N- xmas cake, dry, manuka honey, hint of salt, burnt sugar, caramel
• P- warm, honey, sherry
• F-long, very very long.

9/10. Probably not a surprise that I liked this. 

Glenfarclas 'Family Cask' 2009 15yo #1117 61.5% Sherry Butt

• N- sweet, marshmallow, floral, hint of mint, perfume
• P- dry, sherry, spicy, banana, ?citrus, 
• F-hot, long, pepper, 

8.5/10 tastier than most Glenfarclas' drams. maybe they ain't too bad :)

Mystery Whisky

• N-hint smoke, bourbon, light
• P-light, no flavour, pepper grows on palate.
• F-short

6/10 not a lot going on, and I didn't pay attention to what it was either.

Benromach 'Dramfest' 2025 #626 2014 59.8% 1st fill sherry hogshead

• N-salt, bacon, medicinal, sherry
• P- salty, incr pepper, sherry
• F- grows in heat

7/10 not amazing, but not bad. 

Caol Ila 'Adelphi' 2014 10yo #326024 55.4% 1st fill oloroso sherry hogshead

• N- suppurating wound, coasstal, rose water, chocolate
• P-sherry, medicinal, complex, salty, coastal
• F-long complex and very tasty

9/10 hey its a sherry caol ila of course I liked it. Actually there's a bottle of it in my cabinet 

me

Last.FM #8 the Final Data

 I know the surprise reveal has already happened, that yes I did hit my 20,000 tracks target. The only remaining question is what number did I end up with, and did I hit the unexpectedly high 25,000 ?

Total for the year : 24,208 tracks

Average number of tracks per day: 66.51

No, I didn't make the 25,000, I did some quick analysis in the middle of Dec to work out how many tracks per day I needed, and it was high. By the last week of Dec it was ridiculously high:

How did this compare with other years of last.fm scrobbling? Quite well it turns out, the most tracks I've ever listened to:

I don't think I'll be as single minded this year, it was a fun and interesting exercise. I do feel that I was sometimes selecting tracks/albums with lots of short tracks (eg jazz film soundtracks, or funk compilations) but then again, I do listen to them a lot anyway. Avoiding bollocks like Transatlantic with their long windy tracks was a good plan, and probably helped sanity as well.

Next up in the posts, a more detailed exploration of my listening in last.fm for 2025, a whisky tasting and a review of the untappd year in competition with Alec.

me 

Last.FM #7

 I'm sure you're all avid readers and don't need reminding, however:

>

* Target for the year was to hit the 20,000 individual track plays for the year, to which end I'd set up a spreadsheet to analyse how things were going, what my current run rate was, and what I had as a required run rate. My aim was to try and hit 20,000 by end of October as that gave me a couple of months if I needed them. Also, 2000 tracks a month was a nice round number. 

<

So how are things going at the end of Nov? As you know, I achieved the 20,000 tracks in late October, track numbers have reduced in absolute numbers, but I did hit 22033 at the end of Nov. 

And this update is brought to your by M.Ward 'Transfiguration of Vincent' 

b

Last.Fm #6

 number 6? my, who would have thought I'd follow through on a series!

>

* Target for the year was to hit the 20,000 individual track plays for the year, to which end I'd set up a spreadsheet to analyse how things were going, what my current run rate was, and what I had as a required run rate. My aim was to try and hit 20,000 by end of October as that gave me a couple of months if I needed them. Also, 2000 tracks a month was a nice round number. 

<

Well the good news is that I've hit the years target of 20,000. This auspicious moment happened on the 25th of October, and involved Marillion. Just to keep it, you know, predictable. 

As of today (220pm on the 30th Oct) I'm sitting 20320, so everything is continuing on. No rest for the tuning. Or something. 

me

Whisky Tasting: Speyside v The Isles

 Yup, another month, another tasting. Although I did miss this (Sept) month. 

Bunnahabhain 12yo nc2 463%

• N: lemon, spritzic, apples, pear, sweet, oak, vanilla, musty, marmalade, light wood, acetate
• P: apple, liquorice, pear, sticky sap, sweet, fructose
• F: balanced, long, Spicy, hot

8/10. Liked this one, usual consistency you expect from Bunnahabhain. It came 5th, but that was with 8.15 so, y'know, it's good.

Glenallachie 12yo46%

• N: sherry, xmas cake, peach, sweet, light smoke, parma violets, strudal, plums
• P: xmas cake, wood, sherry, coffee, sulphur, cream
• F: med-long, hot

7/10 nice enough but not great. I feel I've got a bottle of this somehwere... came 7th with 7.79

The Boutique-y Whisky Company 9yo Secret Distillery 2008 60.5% (poss Glenfarclas)

• N; sherry dry incr alco, juicy, salt n pepper chips, big
• P: sherry, liquorice, huge, PX finish
• F: huge, long, spicy

9/10 very nice dram, everyone else thought so too as it came 1st with 9.0

Blackadder 19yo Old Man of Hoy 2005-2024 59% Raw PX Cask (Orkney)

• N: dry, incr alc, raisins, savoury, smoke (hint), peaches, liquorice, honey, 
• P: blackberries, hot, glue
• F: spicy, med-long, v dry

8/10 I really wanted to like this more than I did, felt it didn't really deliver on the nose. Bit one dimensional for me. Came 2nd 8.71

Benriach Peated Batch 2 Cask Strength 60%

• N: peat, ash, bourbon, dry, wet grass, turps, tannins
• P: peat, ash, bacon, dry
• F: hot, long, spicy

8.5/10 Liked this, be interested if they would do a sherry/bourbon mix of peated *cough* solstice *cough* did well over all, 3rd 8.38

Mystery: Benromach Cask Strength Batch 3 60.6%

• N: light, treacle, bourbon, sultanas, coffee, berries
• P: treacle, dried apricots, bacon, oregano, olives, pizza
• F: mediu, white pepper, spicy, hot

8/10 interesting, and different, but nothing to make me buy it. 4th 8.29

Ledaig LMDW 2007 10yo Peaty Artist #9 60.8% (Mull)

• N: lemon, chocolate, spicy chilli, bourbon
• P: peaty, smokey, ash
• F: med-long

7/10, good (as ledaig's are) but nothing amazing. Came 6th 8.11

Interesting tasting, all were good/great whiskies, and it was interesting how the two 46%'s held up against the big boys, and it might be the reason John put them on first :) 

Last.fm update #5

 #5 ! 

>

* Target for the year was to hit the 20,000 individual track plays for the year, to which end I'd set up a spreadsheet to analyse how things were going, what my current run rate was, and what I had as a required run rate. My aim was to try and hit 20,000 by end of October as that gave me a couple of months if I needed them. Also, 2000 tracks a month was a nice round number. 

<

By the end of August, things continued to look good. Target was 16,000 and I was on 16403. Admittedly my daily run rate has dropped slightly, it's now down to the high 67s, but the required run rate (note this is worked out to 31 Dec) is under 30 tracks per day. Everything is good !

What a bloody hero. 

Currently listening to Jane's Addiction (Nothing's Shocking) as I am totally over forecast and allocations for projects. Sure we might have a small issue (cough billions) of disparity between the two, but I blame other regions. Mine is not too bad. Honest.

Anyway, I have cake tonight. So that helps.

Whisky Tasting : New Malts

 Regional, Whisky tasting, the cabal. These things all feel right together.

the July tasting was all about new malts. Or at least, new ones to Regional. 

I do wonder why I put the pictures up, even I'd admit they all look the same :)

Glen Ord Signatory 100 proof 11yo 57.1%

N: ash, lemon, spritzic, banana, bourbon, young, sweet, marshmallows, pears, vanilla, coconut

P: apple, sparkly, lemon, prickly sour, metallic,

F: not great, sour, long, hot

6.5/10 Not a fan, the sour notes were not engaging and the nose promised a lot more than the palate delivered.

Came 7th with 6.69

Blackadder Sherry Snake 57.3%

N: apricot, chocolate, currents, leather, creamy, lovely, sherry, fruity, demerra sugar

P: chocolate, complex, spicy, bitter, sherry, burnt caramel, dry

F: spicy, bitter, short, no complexity

7/10 slightly more interesting than the Glen Ord, but nothing to make me go 'wow', which I guess for Blackadder, is a wow moment.

6th with 7.59

Glenfarclas 105 16yr 60%

N: apple, fruity sultanas, run, apricot, copper, coffee, bananas, dry, chilli, engine oil

P: lmeon, spritzic, dry, fruity, incr alc, hot

F: med-long, hot, spicy

8/10 Like most people, I've got a soft spot for the 105, it's been a bit hit and miss recently, but this one is more hit.

4th with 7.94

GlenAllachie 2009 14yo 58.4%

N: sweet lemon, reduced stock, spicy olive oil, old xmas cake, butterscotch

P: lemon, oily, sweet, cardamon, peppermint, dry

F: med-long, dry

7.5/10 I like it, but I sort of thought it was a bit simple? maybe? dunno. A quaffable dram, but not one of hte top GlenAllachie's. 

5th with 7.74

Mystery: Whisky Cellar Blended Malt S.W. 8yo 'Sweet Smokey Robusto' 52.5%

N: sherry, smoke, peat, chocolate, tobacco, smoked salmon, sulphur, tannins

P: smokey, sherry, smk salmon, ash, chocolate, sweet, lovely balance

F: med long

9/10 This I liked, a lot. Also crazy cheap (for what it is) so a bottle is now in my cupboard. Came 1st with 8.41 so I wasn't the only one who liked it.

Caol ila Signatory 100 proof 9yo 57.1%

N: peat, sweet, rubber, sugar, smokey, solvent, sulphur, iodine, beef tea (yeah thanks Richard), smokey

P: rubber, dry, sweet, smoke

F: med ash

8/10 It's a Caol Ila, it's good. Only reason I didn't buy a bottle is I've got *a few* like this already. Came 3rd 8.2

Kilchoman Whisky Galore Exclusive Marsala Cask Finish #18/882 57.6%

N: fruit salad, bourbon, hint peat, solvent, wet dirt, potpurri, chlorine?

P: chocolate, smooth, complex

F: med-long, hot spicy

7/10 eh I liked it, but not loved it. Came 2nd with 8.38 so my views maybe wrong 

Whisky was drunk. We had views. And I bought a bottle. Everything seems to be going to plan.