Undercover Malts

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

 

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