24 November 2021

Whisky Tasting : Best of the Best

 Best of the best whisky tasting, it's been an unusual year with a limited number of tastings, compounded by a limited selection of whisky coming into the country. 

So for the tasting we had 7 whiskies, and a welcome dram (Adelphi blend)



Macallan 15yo 43% [March winner]

  • N: aniseed, fruit, earthy, oak, marmalade, sweet caramelised sugar
  • P: egg and cream lollies, sweet, dry, lemon, short, watery
  • F: short-med, not spicy
7/10. I didn't think much of the Macallan's at the tasting, and this was adequate at best. Came 8th (even the intro dram beat it) on 7.58

GlenAllachie 10yo Batch #4 02/09/20 56.1%

  • N: parma violets, sweet, banana, candied cherries
  • P: warm, honey, lovely mouthfeel, cough medicine, incr. alc., sweet
  • F: med-long
9/10 I loved it at the tasting, and loved it at BotB. Came 2= with 8.82

Mystery: Benromach Port Pipe 26yo d.1992 49.3%
  • N: musty, ozone, damp, peat, iodine, sweet, aged?
  • P: warm honey, stops quickly, brine
  • F: short
6/10 very disappointing whisky, boring and flavour fell away very quickly. 6th, 7.72

Bunnahabhain 18yo 46.3%
  • N: caramel, burnt sugar, sweet, rubber, salty, sulphur
  • P: nothing, watery, salty, bland
  • F: nothing but hint of sulphur
5/10 very disappointing. 5th, 8.22

Lagavulin 12yo Special Release 2019 refill USA cask strength 
  • N: peaty, iodine, bacon, salt, rubber, campfire, oak, dry
  • P: sweet, supporating wound, medicinal, complex, lemon
  • F: long, bacon, warm
9/10 Fantastic whisky. Came 4th with 8.34

Caol Ila Signatory 10yo 2010 60.3%
  • N: bacon, iodine, peat, burnt red wine, sweet, rubber, sulphur
  • P: strong salt, bacon, sweet smoke, honey, sherry
  • F: long, bg
8/10 nice whisky. came 1st with 9.24

Longrow Red 10yo 52.5%i
  • N: salt, sweet, caramel, toffee, banana, hokey pokey
  • P: delicate, honey, lemon, sweet, oily, salt
  • F: med-long, tasty
8/10 nice whisky, came 2= 8.82

Overall, not great. And I think that reflects the lack of whiskies that are making it to NZ at the moment. You'd expect for a BotB that the lowest rating would be an 8. Not the case here, although if you are going to have a Macallan tasting we learnt that will increase cost of a tasting without increasing quality of the whisky...

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