I’ve a cracking bunch to share with you today.
Orkney Islands 2002/2018 15yo BBR cask #2 56.6% WB88[3]
[From a first-fill sherry butt].
- N: Distillate-driven with smokey and butyric wafts.
- T: More youthful distillate action with notes on oak cakes and a touch of ash.
- F: A light milky raisin-y chew.
- C: Super candid HP.
Scores 86 points
Speyside Region 1973/2017 43yo TWA for TWE [568 bts] 47.4% WB92.33[11]
- N: The whisky fairies have been around with their magic sparkle dust. Wowee!
- T: The palate makes a galant attempt at keeping up with the nose.
- F: A fresh & ashy ‘old & rare’ finish.
- C: It’s still early on day one, but this is very possibly the whisky of the show, certainly one of them. I’ll revisit it later. Some are saying [bourbon-matured] Glenfarclas, but further investigations say not.
[Provisionally scores 91 points].
TAKE 2:
Since I was gone [2 days ago], the label & contents have been scrutinised a bit more. TWA’s label is frankly, rather lazy – the antithesis of crystal decanters sealed with unicorn tears. There are some question too regarding the legality of what’s on the label. It states ‘distilled at Speyside region’ [wha?], and ‘Speyside Region Malt Scotch Whisky’, whilst it’s officially now a blended malt. “Macallan, Tamdhu?”, ponders Billy. Finally, I was told this was in fact bottled in 2018 not 2017.
- C: Either way, it’s delicious juice. Scores 90 points today, so:
91 points overall.
TBWC Speyside 50yo [2018] Batch #1 [btl #395/604] 48.6% [50cl] WB91.67[48]
- N: We are in serious tincture territory. This one deserves time.
- T: Dusty fruits and bitter herbal tinctures, hugely heathery with some bitter soot.
- F: It’s fairly woody but has done very well given its long journey in oak. It comes through a bitter wave to finish fabulously tobacco-dry.
- C: It’s hard to pin down given festival constrictions, but it’s another cracker.
Scores 90 points
Speyside’s Finest 1967/2018 50yo DL XOP cask #12418 [307 bts] 52.5% WB0
There’s little confusion over this one. It’s a single malt from Glenfarclas.
- N: Consolidated nutty bung notes.
- T: Rich and richer – dark rich. It doesn’t hang around however.
- F: Dunnage barley, richly bourbon matured. Moves deep, dark and bitter with dusty fungal. Lingers and lingers,…
- C: With thanks to Rabbi Danny for the token and recommending I get to try this.
Scores 91 points
.
END
.