My first Whisky Squad event was preceded with a trip in the day to Honest Jon’s Record Shop followed by an early dinner at Sanxia Renjia Chinese Restaurant which incidentally, becomes a Karaoke bar at night. Loaded with vinyl and noodles, i entered the hot and busy King & Queen pub in Foley Street and climbed the stairs where a plethora of ‘leftover’ bottles awaited attendees. Whisky Squad’s 136th event was a combination social gathering/whisky clear-out with proceeds going to various charities & good causes. In-between the mingling, i managed to sample a few whiskies and jot down a few notes.
Clynelish 2003/2014 10yo SMWS 26.96 [233 bts] 61.4% WB0
- N: Funky sherry and a complex pudding sweetness
- T: Fabulous Clynelish profile, sweet definitely moving herbal-sweet.
- F: The richness continues.
- C: Yeah, that’s ‘the dogs’ and for such a young one too. That’s the way to start my first Whisky Squad.
Scores 87 points
[Tobermory] Ledaig 1974/1992 Ob. 43% WB85[23] WM81[4]
- N: This particular bottle is past its best but still, it whispers lemony, sour putty and soft white grain bread.
- T: With a subdued light-sour speyside style, it’s sour yet sugary at times with lemony, soily peat throughout.
- F: Still it holds on in there with a slight sour cream at the death.
- C: Still fabulous despite being very tired, mainly flattened from oxidisation but one that still retains a robust softness.
Scores 87 points
Rugenbrau 2005/2009 3yo Swiss Highland Single malt ‘Ice label’ single cask #5046? [86/999 bts] 59.1% WB73[1]
- N: I’m guessing this is from a virgin first fill sherry cask. Notes of ginger putty.
- T: Very Strathclyde grain-like though less sweet but with plenty of varnish.
- F: Fading finish but then a surprise reprise.
- C: Interesting stuff, very tasty, very Strathclyde sherry-cask grain like indeed [Link].
Scores 83 points
Mackmyra Special 06 ‘Summer meadow’ [2011] [stock #MS-006] 46.8% WB80.50[12]
N: Dry dense dark plasticine coated fruit notes, pot still Irish pears, satsumas in water, mild sweetened crumble and some yeastiness.- T: Same as the nose. Do I detect some sherry in the bourbon mix? Young yet not juvenile
- F: Probably hasn’t suffered too much from oxidation, and actually may have improved it some more by softening the body and promoting the mouth feel whilst maintaining vibrancy.
- C Different from the Bruks that i know the best from Mackmyra but i think this is great. Quite like Green Spot [Chateau Leoville Barton]
which i had besides to compare, but didn’t take notes on this time.
Scores 84 points
Glenmorangie ‘Milsean’ NAS Ob. [30000 bts] 46% WB84.85[159] WF81
- N: More similarities to Green Spot with a little rubber, putty and candy.
- T: Starts sweet before developing more on a savoury>sour putty trail.
- F: Much mash, oaky mash with an all too familiar bourbon vanilla finish.
- C: A honey-less Glenmorangie [indicative of the 10yo] that concentrates more on a woody-grainy bourbon mash. I find it rather good if a little plain.
Scores 83 points
Bunnahabhain Bn4 ‘Elements of islay’ 2012 SMS 54.5% WB81.67[23]
- N: Fusty notes of mushroom and moss with some funk & decay (compost). There’s a heap of peat stacked on top of smoked buffalo wings squirted with BBQ sauce.
- T: [no notes made]
- F: Burnt vegetal sweetcorn. The char appears to bring blue cheese.
- C: Too much char for me. This is indicative of Bunna all over, so near then yet so far.
Scores 82 points
Benriach 1999/2014 PX cask #10285 [380 bts] 54.1% WB86.13[26]
- N: Competently presented nose, Clynelish like as in sweet sugar compote>malty=vegetal – with peppery ginger and woody, sherried fruits.
- T: Very rich and beautiful neat. Lots of sherry and decent maturation here whilst youthfulness is maintained. The sherry is met with compacted complex bourbon sugars also.
- F: Sweet ash and deep complex vegetal before finishing on more simple vanilla.
- C: One of the best so far, also the most intact after a while in the bottle at low level. Here’s an example of sherry cask promoting the whisky, whilst the whisky isn’t bad either.
Scores 88 points
Kilkerran ’Work in progress’ 6th release 2014 bourbon wood [9000 bts] 46% WB86.19[270]
- N: Notes of bourbon cask led mushrooms, rich herbals and vibrant Weetabix
- T: clean, smoky-ish barley with good form, body and mouthfeel.
- F: There are vanilla notes translated in a creamy milky way. Delicious no less
- C: So very like the Kilkerran 12yo that was released only weeks ago albeit with less smoke. Loses a few points for less complexity.
Scores 87 points
[Canadian] Masterson’s 10yo Straight Rye 90 proof 45% WB0 WM90[1]
- N: [US} bourbon like, lush yet soft with fruity Christmas cake=pudding
- T: Bourbon like again yet something else, ah it’s rye – drinking blind is a game changer is it not? Develops on fruity grain.
- F: Finishes clear and clean.
- C: Very nice, i find it faultless.
Scores 84 points
Last orders at the Whisky squad bar [forgot to get a snap].
Laphroaig 18yo [2015] 48% WB88[466] WF84 [WM]86[3]
- N: Soft yet deep putty<peat. It’s so refreshing to nose aged peat malt over the swathes of young smokers crashing onto the market these days. It’s like the difference between virgin and second fill for casks, i.e. significant. That age [18 years+], softens the phenols and can allow a deeper, more complex alchemy to ensue.
- T: Soft, fruity, vegetal, squidgy yumminess.
- F: A sweet>bitter=sour finish with wisps of a mechanics tool cupboard.
- C: Ideal final dram, probably the best of the night. Loved the softness despite the ample [even generous] 48% abv.
Scores 88 points
Whisky Squad’s Xmas session is on December 15th at the Salt Bar LINK.
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