B-sides: Another half dozen

Blair Athol 1995/2018 23yo HL OMC Sherry butt #15030 [684 bts] 50% WB85[4] Blog87

• N: It’s not the subtlest, but we are all good so far.
• T: Confectionary notes [from the sherry butt], and ice-cream [red] syrup toppings.
• F: Fruity, waxy, syrup-y treacle, Leon’s pine nut vegan wrap stuffing and heaps of char.
• C: I just realised I had this at the Fringe, scoring it 87. It’s fair to say my descriptions matched up fairly well, though not so much score-wise. Today I found it tasted a little kooky but that could easy have been my palate on the day.

Scores 84 points

 

Benrinnes 1991/2018 26yo Elixir SMoS cask #509 [165 bts] 49.2% tOMoH8/10

• N: A soft-prickly, rubbery sherry nose.
• T: A rubbery sweetness.
• F&C: Short rubbery sherry. You get the picture. It’s also very enjoyable.

Scores 85 points

 

 

Braeval 1989/2018 29yo Elixir SMoS [158 bts] 55.4% WB84[1] tOMoH7/10

• N: A strong, salty/coastal & yeasty number with malty lemonade and a light meaty touch.
• T: Prickly at first before turning to carbolic silky barley and more of that light meatiness.
• F: Vanilla oaky tannins.
• C: In an age of efficiency & consistency, there is now rarely a duffer, yet seldom a cracker. This is one of many, very fair, middling expressions.

Scores 85 points

 

Ben Nevis 1972 19yo Ob. Fort William Limited 58% WB90.13[10] [WF]91

• N: A smoky>tomato-ey and <meaty nose, presented at full power!
• T: Sweet sherried sugars at first, turning more bitter as it works its way through.
• F: Fades slowly.
• C: The main issue is that it doesn’t seem to take to water, so for its best side, 58% it is.

Scores 88 points

 

Bowmore 1996/2018 22yo Hidden Spirits/La Maison du Whisky bourbon cask #BW9618 [274 bts] 53.6% WB91.30[25] tOMoH8/10

Established in 2013, Hidden Spirits [SW] sees owner Andrea Ferrari turning his hobby into a business. Appropriately he’s brought some fine stuff to TWE show. Bowmore is one of Andrea’s loves. He had also owned a cask from 1989 but hadn’t taken to it. This one from 1996 proved far more to his liking.

• C: This is very similar to a bourbon-matured Cadenhead Bowmore [WB], I’m currently working my way through. With fruits & violets, we’ve a solid Bowmore bottled at cask strength.

Scores 88 points

 

Bruichladdich 1990/2015 25yo Private Cellar cask #2064 41.6% WB0

I used to love Bruichladdich, then it all got a bit popular or something – I don’t honestly remember.

• N: Fabulous, fusty, bung and floral.
• T: Follows up with a fusty juicy delivery and then a desirable bone-dryness.
• F: Ticks over and purrs splendidly.
• C: This is top-hole.

Scores 91 points

 

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