My last consignment from this year’s 2018 TWE Whisky Show. This collection contains the loose ends I failed to take notes, photos or info for, or ‘stuff’ that wouldn’t sit elsewhere. Let’s start with a prime example.
Allt-a-bhainne SV ??%
- C: No notes, no picture, no bottle info. Did anyone try this Signatory bottling at the show? It was rather nice.
[Scores 86 points]
Some breaking news!
Compass Box Stranger & Stranger Un-released Un-Ob. ??%
WN reports that this will be a batch of 4802 bottles, bottled at 46%. The proposed label design is also shown.
strangerandstranger.com: Established in 1994, Stranger & Stranger is a packaging design & branding company specialising in alcoholic drinks. They label around a billion units a year, from the low-cost supermarket’s own label wine to the highest end premium spirits. See HERE for well-known examples from their portfolio.
Theoretically, this presentation may or may not comprise of:
- A 16yo Fino ‘style’ sherry malt that comes from a distillery that rhymes with ‘Winkhood’.
- A 20yo ‘Ben Helgin’, matured in a re-charred barrel.
- A 22yo ‘Menbossie’ matured in a re-charred HHD.
- So far it’s a malt blend, but here come Compass Box with their industry-irking tricks – yay! They added a 1%, 18 month old virgin oak grain spirit from an East coast grain distillery that rhymes with ‘Virgan’.
- C: Too busy gleaning all that info, I made no notes but found this [teaspoon non-whisky] blend, very decent indeed.
Scores 88 points
And now for something completely different.
Black Rok Non-alcoholic whisky 0.0%
Actually, this concept isn’t new. TWE posted news of Black Zero non-alcoholic whisky [and vodka], back in 2009. Black Rok is a water-based product aged in wood, designed to replicate the smell, more than the taste, of whisky. It’s been devised & promoted to be consumed with a mixer such as ginger beer. To save my palate, I tried it neat.
- N: It’s like an orangey wheat-beer with a lemonade & lime top.
- T: Mild, smokey & salty barley water [wort], with more orange confectionary.
- F: Smokey candy and barley.
- C: Let’s see how it takes off, this time around.
[Singleton of] Dufftown 12yo whisky-me.com 40% [5cl]
- N: Yeasty and a touch sulphury with notes of egg white & white bread.
- T: It’s a bit prickly, sharp and congested yet perfectly acceptable.
- F: A little butyric with some sourness.
- C: It’s not as bad as my notes read. The question is, is this whisky inspiring enough to make me sign up to the whisky-me.com subscription service? Sustainability-wise, they have delivered [link].
Scores 83 points
Springbank 1993 14yo Cask Owner’s Private ex-bourbon cask CS abv unknown
I failed to gather all the important bottle information, but I’m not sure there was any info on these two bottles at the time. Patrick from whisky-news says this is a 1993 14yo ex-bourbon bottling.
- N: A large, sweet farmy mineral profile.
- T: Same profile. Stretches out on the palate.
- F: With a mineral< fruity finish, a fine chew speaks of the same consistent action.
- C: Fabulous throughout.
Scores 91 points
Springbank 15yo Cask Owner’s Private [Fonseca] Port cask CS abv unknown whisky-news
- N: This isn’t your everyday port cask, it’s is 1970’s Fonseca cask. On the nose, there’s simply all-sorts.
- T: Again, lots here. A tawny-like sherry style shows through.
- F: The array of things continue, though some funny/odd notes linger.
- C: Though I much prefer the bourbon cask, this is also great.
Scores 88 points
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How about three Irish to finish
Teeling Brabazon [03/2017] Ob. Series 01 49.5% WB84.26[75] WF83
‘Sherry casks’ is what it says on the bottle.
- N: A super-accessible nose offers sticky toffee pudding with peanuts.
- T: Arrives with ease and settles in. A bitter trace helps balance the sweetness.
- F: Trickles on through.
- C: Amazingly tempered throughout. An unexpected delight.
Scores 86 points
Teeling 3yo [2014/15] Un-Ob. abv unknown
- [N]&T: Floods in with [red] berries and all-sorts. As much as I liked Method & Madness’s chestnut expression [blog], this stands unchallenged.
- F: Sweet-oily, clean yet rugged spirit with more chestnut action. Treacle tart concludes.
- C: We are told this batch will likely be incorporated into next year’s [2019], 10000 bottle, bi-annual Revival release. Shame, I’ve never tasted anything quite like it. Super, barely-legal, spirit.
Scores 88 points
Emerald Isles 1989 26yo Speciality cask #16244 59.2% WB90.67[26] WF91
- C: A wonderful example of Irish single malt. Compliments of Darren.
Scores 91 points
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