Mezcal / Tequila Night: Beyond the Shot Glass

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes it is good to shake things up! Whilst the vast majority of our explorations are focused on whiskies – particularly single malts – it’s clear there has been a shift in the spirits world towards an interest in tequila and mezcal.

Tequila and mezcal are often misunderstood — reduced to salt, lime, smoke, or bravado — in reality, they are expressive terroir-driven spirits. Made from agave that can take seven to twenty-five years to mature, these spirits reflect place, climate, soil, and choice.

For seasoned spirits lovers, tequila and mezcal reward slow attention: the difference between roasted and steamed agave, the subtle or stronger influence of oak, the role of fermentation, and the quiet power of alcohol strength.

Our tasting explored a curated range of modern icons and traditional benchmarks — from softly smoky, approachable mezcals to single-estate tequilas that showcase agave in its purest form. Whether you’re here to dissect terroir or simply to understand why one sip tastes wildly different from the next, this is an invitation to slow down, explore thoughtfully, and taste with curiosity.

Part 1: Intro to TEQUILA

Part 2: Tour of MEZCAL

Part 3: Tapatío TEQUILA Duo

Nice to contrast and compare the light “resting” in oak with an extra-aged expression.

What separates good agave spirits from great ones is choice. The choice of agave, how it’s cooked, and whether it’s rested or aged, all leave their mark in the glass. A 38% traditional reposado can feel just as expressive as a 45% mezcal, depending on balance and structure.

For the experienced taster, these bottles reveal layers: mineral notes shaped by soil, smoke that whispers, not roars, oak that supports rather than dominates. With such an experience, there is no doubt that tequila and mezcal are not party tricks, but spirits meant to be savored.

The best way to approach them is without expectation. Try them neat. Add a few drops of water. Revisit them over time. Let your palate adjust, and your preferences evolve. Because once you start tasting agave spirits with attention, there’s no going back to the shot glass — only forward, one considered sip at a time.

PS. For convenience, we did indeed try our wee 10ml tasting pours in shot glasses

PPS. Most bottles in this tasting range from about £35 to £95 in the UK, with aged expressions and craft mezcals tending toward the higher end.

Interested in catching more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Tequila Part 3: Tapatío Reposado and Extra Añejo

Posted on by
Reply

Full disclosure – I’m not a traditional tequila fan. I’m more apt to have whiskies finished in tequila barrels rather than tequila itself! Or perhaps in a tasty paloma cocktail. However, there is no mistaking the incredible rise in interest in craft tequila – hence my excitement for our evening focused on small sips of a remarkable range of spirits!

After exploring an Introduction to Tequila with a trio from Milagro, Ocho, and Casamigos, and then a tour of Mezcal with a quintet from Ojo de Dios, Casamigos, The Lost Explorer, and two expressions from Ilegal, we closed our evening with a duo from Tapatío – the one tequila brand on my spirits radar thanks to their Tapatío Extra Añejo expression!

Tapatío is produced at La Alteña Distillery in the highlands of Jalisco. Still family-owned and overseen by master distiller Carlos Camarena, La Alteña is known for its commitment to old-world methods: slow-cooked agave in stone ovens, extraction using a traditional tahona, open fermentation, and distillation in small copper pot stills.

There are no shortcuts —no industrial efficiencies, no flavor manipulation—just mature Blue Weber agave speaking unadorned or transformed with oak and time.

Welcome to the final part of a fascinating evening with:

So… what did we think?

Tapatío Reposado Tequila 38%

Tapatío Reposado represents a more traditional, old-school tequila style. Lower in alcohol but rich in character, it emphasizes cooked agave and restrained oak.

  • Nose: A lovely, inviting aroma of fruits, toasted oak, and sweet caramel
  • Palate: Green capsium, earthy agave
  • Finish: Dry, fresh, and medium length
  • Tasting Tip: A favorite among tequila purists — sip neat at room temperature

It was described as incredibly approachable – almost “airy”. A lovely example of what just a bit of time “resting” in oak can do.

Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila 40%

The Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Añejo is matured for around four years. A combination of casks is used, including French oak and American oak, resulting in a remarkable experience.

  • Nose: Cedar, lightly herbal, some tumeric, vanilla, nuanced
  • Palate: Stevia sweetener, dark chocolate, malty, rolls around the tongue with loads of balance and complexity
  • Finish: Light pepper, wood influence lingers

I began our evening sipping this expression in a Glencairn glass – just to check it was still worthy after being open for several years. Thankfully, it not only stood the test of time, it also closed our evening with something mature, complex, and enjoyable – particularly with a cigar!

Just like when I first sampled this tequila, there was no question that it gained tremendously from the years resting in oak. Whilst still clearly having agave as its origins, it morphed into a whisky-adjacent spirit in a rather wonderful way.

Tasting the Tapatío Reposado alongside the Extra Añejo was a great opportunity to experience how time in barrel transforms the same spirit: from agave-forward structure to layered richness and depth. Truly a treat!

Curious about what else we explored? Check out:

Part 1: Intro to TEQUILA

Part 2: Tour of MEZCAL

Interested in catching more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Mezcal Part 2: Ojo de Dios, Casamingos, Ilegal, The Lost Explorer

Posted on by
1

After a crash course in tequila, we moved on to the second part: a tour of mezcal.

Mezcal is a traditional Mexican spirit distilled from roasted agave. Unlike tequila, which is made exclusively from Blue Weber agave and primarily in Jalisco, mezcal can be produced from dozens of agave varieties—most commonly Espadín—across several Mexican states, with Oaxaca at its heart.

What defines mezcal is its method. Agave hearts (piñas) are typically roasted in underground earthen pits, crushed, naturally fermented, and distilled in small batches. This process creates mezcal’s signature smoky, earthy character—though the level of smoke can range from subtle to intense depending on technique and producer.

Mezcal is broadly categorized by aging:

  • Joven (or Blanco): Unaged, showcasing pure agave and smoke
  • Reposado: Rested in oak, adding softness and spice
  • Añejo: Aged longer, offering richness and depth

Mezcal is best understood not as a single style, but as a category defined by region, technique, and tradition.

To help understand the different styles, we explored a Mezcal quintet of:

  • Ojo de Dios Joven Mezcal 45% £38
  • Casamigos Mezcal 40% ~£70
  • Ilegal Mezcal Reposado 40% ~£60
  • The Lost Explorer Mezcal (Espadín) 40% ~£60
  • Ilegal Mezcal Añejo (Special Edition) 40% ~£95

So what did we think?

Ojo de Dios Joven Mezcal 45%

Ojo de Dios Joven Mezcal offers a bolder, higher-proof expression from Espadín agave in Oaxaca. Despite its strength, it is quite balanced, combining earthy smoke with spice and cheese.

  • Nose: It greeted us with Pillsbury dough, then roasted pineapple, sweet grass smoke, and dried spice
  • Palate: Wow! So unique! It started as smoked ham, then settled on smoked cheese, joined by mocha and cinnamon, almost resinous
  • Finish: Dry

We set this one aside and came back to it repeatedly. There was something distinctly compelling about this mezcal. And though it became more and more ashy the more time it spent in the glass, the smoked cheese remained consistent!

Casamigos Mezcal (Joven) 40%

Casamigos Joven Mezcal is crafted from 100% Espadín agave grown in Oaxaca, Mexico, using traditional earthen pit roasting that lends gentle smokiness without overpowering the agave. Designed to be approachable yet authentic, it’s widely regarded as an excellent “gateway” mezcal for both curious newcomers and seasoned drinkers seeking balance over intensity.

  • Nose: Initially a bit herbal, then revealed lots of coffee, chocolate, dried fruit, even watermelon and apple, rather than citrus
  • Palate: Soft smoke, black pepper, roasted agave
  • Finish: Clean, light, and quite “green”, with a slight hint of smoke initially, yet by the 2nd sip closed on an ashy note

Sip neat first, give it time to open and reveal its ashy dry sweetness.

Ilegal Mezcal Reposado 40%

Ilegal Reposado Mezcal is made from 100% Espadín agave in Oaxaca and rested for approximately six months in oak barrels, softening the mezcal’s natural smokiness while introducing subtle sweetness and spice. This expression bridges traditional mezcal and aged spirits, appealing particularly to whisky and rum drinkers.

  • Nose: For us, despite the colour, we thought first of moonshine! Then grapes, followed by a bit of burnt caramel
  • Palate: A bit rough, bitter clove, a touch of wood, ash, orange peel
  • Finish: Limited and ashy

I gotta be honest, this didn’t work for us. I even scribbled in my notes that it was more of an “angry cask” than a gentle resting in oak.

The Lost Explorer Mezcal (Espadín) 8 Year 42%

The Lost Explorer Espadín Mezcal aims to highlight the natural sweetness of agave with restrained smoke. Produced in Oaxaca with sustainability at its core, it purports to offer a refined, elegant interpretation of mezcal. What we found was anything but this!

  • Nose: It began with a promising orchard fruit aroma with green apples, fresh herbs, and light smoke, then quickly shifted into wet coconut coir, vegetable compost – a polite way of saying rotting fruits and vegetables
  • Palate: Earthy, green zucchini
  • Finish: Thankfully limited

There was quite a strong negative reaction to this one. Once zucchini was mentioned, we just couldn’t shake it as the prominent flavour!

Our host openly admitted being lured by the age and curiosity. However, discovering a dud is just part of the spirits tasting journey.

Ilegal Mezcal Añejo (Special Edition) 40% 025/900, Lot 189

Aged for approximately one year in oak, Ilegal Añejo showcases a richer, more contemplative side of mezcal.

  • Nose: Very ripe red apples, maple syrup, dried fruits
  • Palate: Dark chocolate, roasted agave, toasted oak
  • Finish: Smoky-sweet closing on cinnamon spice

What a contrast from the Reposado! This was definitely a mezcal for the whisky fans – one person even compared it to sipping Jameson! We thought it could be nice to sip with just one ice cube. A treat to try!

It was a terrific range, with a range of reactions. Overall, The Lost Explorer had the most detractors, whisky lovers tended to favour the Ilegal Añejo, and the Ojo de Dios was clearly distinctive with its smoked cheese aroma and flavour!

Next up? Our 3rd and final part features a duo from Tapatío:

Interested in catching more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Tequila Part 1: Milagro, Ocho, Casamigos

Posted on by
Reply

Our new year began with a departure from our usual whiskies to delve into an entirely different spirit – and exploration of tequila and mezcal!

We began our evening with a trio of Tequilas:

  • Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila 40% ~£22
  • Ocho Single Estate (2014) Tequila 40% ~£55
  • Casamigos Reposado Tequila 40% ~£57

For those not familiar, tequila is a protected Mexican spirit made exclusively from Blue Weber agave, distilled primarily in Jalisco and surrounding regions. While often associated with cocktails and shots, high-quality tequila is a nuanced sipping spirit, shaped by agave maturity, regional terroir, and production choices.

Unlike mezcal, tequila agave is typically steamed in brick ovens or autoclaves, rather than roasted, resulting in a cleaner, sweeter agave profile with less smoke. From unaged Blanco expressions that showcase pure agave character, to Reposado and Añejo styles gently influenced by oak, tequila offers a spectrum of flavor driven by balance rather than intensity.

At its best, tequila reflects patience, precision, and respect for raw material — a spirit best appreciated slowly, with attention to structure, texture, and finish.

So what did we think?

Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila 40%

Leyenda del Milagro Silver is an unaged Blanco tequila that highlights the pure character of Blue Weber agave. Crisp, vibrant, and expressive, it serves as an excellent reference point for understanding agave-driven flavor without oak influence.

  • Nose: Fresh floral aromas greeted us, agave, grapefruit, and herbal notes
  • Palate: Lime, white pepper, clean agave, minerals too
  • Finish: Crisp, dry, refreshing

It was a terrific starting point and Ideal as a baseline tequila in our tasting flight. I could see why they suggest it makes a great Margherita, with its fresh, fun, floral, and flavourful character!

Tequila Ocho Single Estate 2014 40%

Tequila Ocho’s single-estate, vintage approach treats tequila much like fine wine, emphasizing terroir and harvest variation. The 2014 release reflects its specific estate through expressive agave, minerality, and balance.

  • Nose: Cooked agave, citrus oil, pomelo, fresh cut grass, mineral notes
  • Palate: Like sipping a fruit salad – including tinned pineapples! It had an earthy agave, subtle spice of cloves, even a bit woody
  • Finish: Long, dry, mineral-driven, perhaps a puff of wood smoke?

If the Milagro Silver was floral, the Ocho was fruity on the nose! For a few folks, this was a clear winner. For others, the contrast between the delightful fruity fresh aromas vs the fruit joined by metallic and mineral elements on the palate was a bit too contradictory. For me, this is one to sip slowly and revisit — giving the tequila time to evolve in the glass.

Casamigos Reposado Tequila 40%

Casamigos Reposado Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave and aged for approximately seven months in oak, resulting in a smooth, approachable profile that emphasizes sweetness and balance over intensity.

  • Nose: Caramel, pistachio paste, chocolate-covered rummy raisins, baked agave, ripe dates
  • Palate: Like chocolate mocha liqueur! Lots of vanilla extract, dried fruit, mild oak spice
  • Finish: Soft, mellow, gently sweet

With a light golden colour, it was clear we had progressed to a different style of Tequila with the Reposado. I could imagine just sipping this neat – like dessert in a glass!

Not being familiar with tequila, I found the reaction to Casamingo interesting as it was considered a bit “down market”, yet I thought it more than held its own!

Ready for our next part? Tune in soon for our focus on Mezcal with:

  • Ojo de Dios Joven Mezcal 45%
  • Casamigos Mezcal 40%
  • Ilegal Mezcal Reposado 40%
  • The Lost Explorer Mezcal (Espadín) 40%
  • Ilegal Mezcal Añejo (Special Edition) 40%

Interested in catching more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

2025 Whisky Show – Tamdhu Flight

Posted on by
Reply

Tamdhu is one of those distilleries I simply assumed would have a chance to explore, but somehow never managed. Day 2 of our 2025 London Whisky Show was finally my chance to have a proper introduction! My tasting companion insisted we make the stop – sharing how he’s become a real fan, and it was high time I gave this Speyside distillery some attention.

We focused on the core range, doing a vertical flight by age!

  • Tamdhu 12 year (~2025) 43% – 2025 Whisky Show £50
  • Tamdhu 15 year (~2025) 46% – 2025 Whisky Show £100
  • Tamdhu 18 year (~2025) 46.8% – 2025 Whisky Show £120
  • Tamdhu 21 year (2025) 47.5% – 2025 Whisky Show £295

Our approach was a simple sniff, swish, and spit with just a light mini-pour – enough to get an impression, not enough to have any major consequences!

Tamdhu 12 year (~2025) 43%

  • Nose – Loads of sherry! Cinnamon, raisins, vanilla
  • Palate – Nice, easy-going, spice, malty with oak too
  • Finish – Sweet with a spice kick

It was a great start to our Tamdhu flight.

Tamdhu 15 year (~2025) 46%

  • Nose – Rich yet rounded, ripe red fruits, berries, a hint of chocolate, raisins, dried fruits too
  • Palate – Nice mouthfeel, oily, juicy, fruity, silky…. in short, it was delicious!
  • Finish – Dry

With American Oak & European Oak ex-Sherry casks, this was a solid sherry expression.

Tamdhu 18 year (~2025) 46.8%

  • Nose – Intense, dark, dried fruits – plums, dates, cherries
  • Palate – Juicy fruits, dark chocolate – think black forest cake!
  • Finish – A bit dry

Like the 15 year, this Tamdhu 18 year old was matured in both American and European oak, just with a higher ratio of European oak. Clear sherry stamp – dense, complex and full-flavoured.

Tamdhu 21 year (2025) 47.5%

  • Nose – Bright Seville marmalade, kumquat, jammy
  • Palate – A hint of spice and sweet. It reminded me of warm oats with stewed apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar
  • Finish – Lots of tannins, woody, and slightly bitter

This was clearly the most mature of the expressions and well worth trying if you have an opportunity!

Prior to this flight, my only experience was the Tamdhu 11 year. This flight reinforced the impression of a solid sherry style – well done! I could see why my tasting companion is such a Tamdhu fan.

Interested in catching more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Whisky Lady – October til December 2025

Posted on by
Reply

This quarter, I was criss-crossing the globe between Canada, the UK, Germany, Abu Dhabi, and India. However, after a long time, I was more at home in Mumbai than anywhere else and was able to rejoin my wonderful whisky clubs – The Whisky Ladies of Mumbai and the Bombay Malt & Cigar Club! I can’t tell you what a privilege it is to enjoy good company over exploring a few new drams.

This quarter got off to a bang with a trip to London for the 2025 Whisky Show in October!

Several of the above links will be updated later in 2026 – understandable as we tasted over 100 whiskies and I’m taking my time to research more before sharing our light impressions.

The day I landed in Mumbai was perfectly timed to join an evening with the Bombay Malt & Cigar (BMC) club, this time with our partners! It was my turn to host the whiskies. I put together a slightly random selection – broadly based around a theme of “Hard to get“! In other words, only available via auction, nearly sold out… in one case, only 63 bottles were produced! What did we sample?

This was followed by another BMC evening late October featuring a Nc’Nean vertical – what fun!

We even managed to fit in a 3rd BMC evening in December! This time, we joined an evening hosted by Glen Grant at the Bombay Breach Candy Club.

Whilst the ladies took a break in October for Diwali, they were back on November 1st for a round of celebratory drams!

Whilst I missed the Whisky Ladies early December session as I was in Germany, one event I really look forward to annually is bringing the ladies and gentlemen together! This year, I put together a line-up of what I called “Bold & Beautiful” Chorlton expressions.

As for Germany? It was so fabulous to be back in my home away from home. I perused Christmas Markets, had a weekend getaway in the mountains, and naturally also a night of drams with the Nuremberg Whisky Explorers! We used it as an opportunity to revisit a few past favourites and open a special bottle!

I also caught up with a few previous quarter tasing experiences:

Thanks to a trip to Canada, I had a lovely weekend getaway in a cabin on a lake – naturally accompanied by a wee whisky tasting from That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s 2018 Advent Calendar – carefully selected to explore blends!

There you have it – quite the active quarter!

Curious to know more? Check out a few more summaries:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Chorlton – Faemussach 21 year 56%

Posted on by
Reply
One of the true joys of whisky tasting groups is the thrill of unveiling a bottle that’s anything but ordinary—something bold, maybe even a little controversial, guaranteed to ignite lively debate! This Faemussach, bottled by Chorlton, did exactly that. Whilst the distillery is likely BenRiach, the specifics of the cask (or casks) and its 21-year maturation remained a mystery.
With only 313 bottles in existence, unless you already bought this bottle or can track it down via an online auction, you’ll simply have to settle for experiencing vicariously through our impressions!

Faemussach 21 year (2020 / 2022) 56% 313 bottles

  • Nose – It began quite “fresh” – fresh mint, a hint of solventy-sweet glue-like aromas, a bit of rubber, then lemon dishwashing soap. As it opened, it became even sweeter – think juicy raisins, shifting into sweet jasmine flowers, Chinese white tea, more flowers like rajnighanda (tuberose), chrysanthemum, khus, vanilla pod… Every once and a while, out popped smoke, fish oil, and even socks!
  • Palate – What a contrast from the nose! Whilst at first there was a teasing gulkand (sweet rose petal preserve), we also found it quite umami with shitake mushrooms, bitter leaves – more accurately betel leaf – with its fresh, peppery and bitter taste. We also discovered malt extract, hints of smoky peat, resin, and milan supari, cloves and cardamom
  • Finish – Quite pronounced – strong, bitter then sweet paan
  • Water – Whilst it initially brought out even more of the wood character, it also highlighted sweet maple bacon, aniseed, mint, sultana raisins, and oranges
  • Revisit – We set it aside and returned to find it quite smoky, much more so than when initially poured!

This was the most divisive dram of the night! It was bold with diverse elements co-existing – from fresh to umami, sweet to peat, floral perfumes to fish oil. It was very dynamic, and many of our flavour references were specifically Indian, often having no easily translatable equivalent. For example, the best description of the aroma was khus – with its distinctive green, earthy smell.

I expect this will be a whisky that needs time… perhaps some deliberate oxidation. It was simply too active with the first opening and could do with a revisit in a few weeks or more!

What did David (the man behind Chorlton!) have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

So, first up we have Faemussach 21-year-old. This is peated single malt from an undisclosed distillery, which I’m told (although I can’t prove anything!) was Benriach. The slight air of mystery also extends to the cask. The colour suggests sherry, but it could be an unusually active bourbon cask. A few people have tried this now and opinions have been divided.

On the nose I find smouldering charcoal in a cast-iron stove, autumn leaves, mango chutney and orange jelly. Little Gem biscuits (do they still exist?), vanilla pods, leather, green walnuts and banana skins. It really is this shifting mixture of earthy/smoky and sweet/fruity, with “dark” notes of black cardamom, Pontefract cake and lapsang souchong in the background.

The palate is pretty massive, with a wave of fruit (orange, mango, sultanas) and earthy peat (much more resinous and phenolic than outright smoky), then wine cellars and a stroll down the spice aisle (liquorice root, anise, cloves, cassia) and some thick vanilla cream. The finish is really incredibly long, with scorched honey, malt extract and smouldering oily peat.

Adding water makes everything cleaner, a touch more citrussy, and adds some menthol and tar in the finish. It’s also noticeable how much fruitier this gets with time and air. Drams from my now-mostly-empty sample bottle are really different from the first few. Fascinating stuff!

This hogshead (I can say that much safely!) produced 313 bottles at a cask strength of 56.0% and they are available for £105 each.

I would agree with David – there is a real interplay between different elements and our Whisky Ladies with Bombay Malt & Cigar gents were equally divided on this one!

I purchased the Faemussach directly from Chorlton in May 2022, then another via a European distributor.

It closed our special Bold and Beautiful Chorlton quartet with:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Chorlton – Caol Ila 11 year 60.4%

Posted on by
Reply

These days, I rarely buy peaty whiskies, so when I do, it is a carefully considered decision! Caol Ila is just one of those Islay distilleries that reliably delivers. Known for its balanced approach to peat and sweet, often with light salty sea spray, I knew when Chorlton released this expression in 2022, we just had to try it!

It patiently waited more than 2 1/2 years to join a special evening in Mumbai with the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents!

Here is what we found…

Caol Ila 11 year (7/10/2010 – Mar 2022) 60.4% (281 bottles)

  • Nose – Oh yes! That wonderful, sweet bacon! Meaty with smoky sweet maple notes. Fresh sea breeze… then it shifted from the ocean to the orchard with candy apple – specifically a Macintosh red apple! Then hickory and pine nuts, from sweet grass to walnut. Delicious!
  • Palate – Fresh cut grass, mint, then chives…. Hay and a bit of havaan kund. The 2nd sip began with ashy sandalwood, cedar sauna, steam from water on hot stone! There was a lovely buttery mouthfeel, more delicious bacon, salty and sweet with a chasing of smoke!
  • Finish – Green garlic or leek, long and strong, slowly fading into cinnamon and ginger!
  • Water – Brought out walnut oil, peanut brittle, salty olives
  • Revisit – After setting aside for some time, we went back to the glass – that fabulous maple drizzled bacon was back – yeah!

A classic Caol Ila at its very best! At the same time, it was also such fun! For many, this was the preferred dram of the evening!

What did the man behind Chorlton (David) have to say? The following is an extract from his email..

And lastly we have an 11-year-old Caol Ila. This is another surprisingly active hogshead like last year’s 12yo release, but goes off in a much different direction.

So, on the nose: camphor, wood smoke, green apple sweets, oysters and smoked mussels, plus a light waft of something medicinal. The longer it breathes the sweeter and fruitier it gets, with smoky cherries and red fruits, plus a bit of cough syrup.

The palate has a combo of ashy smoke and sweet fruitiness that’s quite lipsmacking (if this was a SMWS release I’d call it “Tutti-frutti Bonfire”). The development is long, with tarry smoke, coastal salt and olives alongside the fruit. Adding water makes everything feel a bit more “classical” Caol Ila: clean, coastal (crab and seaweed), slightly herbal, lemony.

I purchased this in June 2022 from Whisky.base for EUR 89 plus shipping.

This Caol Ila was part of a special Bold and Beautiful Chorlton quartet – bringing the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents together with:

Curious to explore more? We’ve had some delightful experiences with Caol Ila over the years!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Chorlton – Speyside 13 year 64.6%

Posted on by
Reply

We were off to a rollicking good start with our Chorlton “Bold and Beautiful” evening featuring four cask strength whiskies! After the Blair Athol 12 year, our attention shifted firmly in the Speyside region with what is likely from The Glenrothes distillery.

Speyside 13 year (June 2008 / Nov 2021) 64.6%

  • Nose – First whiff was surprisingly mellow, quite subdued and shy, then began to open up with mawa cake, buttery, cherry in brandy, then a hint of leather, shoe polish, quite fermented and yeasty, shifting further into orange, sour plums (umeshu), becoming more vegetal, rubbharb, pumpkin and nutmeg, cayenne then maple syrup sweet, butterscotch, persimmon
  • Palate – Initially, incredibly sweet, also quite oily and peppery, then shifted to a slightly sour gooseberry (amla) flavour. Coming back for the second sip, and wow! It really is something – bold with loads of flavour, dense, wonderful mouthfeel, round and rewarding! Like a hot, buttery, cinnamon roll combined with rich, intense mulled wine, steeped in sweet spices and dark fruits.
  • Finish – A pepper close joined by the distinctive taste of Big Red cinnamon chewing gum, sweet with spice
  • Water – We had a mixed response here – some thought it augmented the dram – revealing juniper, more orange, whereas others thought it made it more vegetal with brussels sprouts!

Overall, this was a complex, sometimes contradictory whisky. Yet the more we sipped, the more I enjoyed it. And I am looking forward to revisiting on a quite cool evening where all I do is settle down with just this whisky.

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

This is sherry-matured single malt from Glenrothes distillery.

You almost get two whiskies for one here. Neat this is rich and intense, with chocolate, peanut brittle, dried figs, jaffa cake and a thickly-textured mouthfeel. Adding water brings a zesty fruitiness into the foreground (orange cake, grapefruit jam, apple pie), with the richer caramel and nutty notes returning in the finish. It’s great fun to play around and find your own perfect balance!

This whisky was distilled on the 19th June 2008, and matured in a second-fill sherry butt until being bottled in November 2021. It produced 368 bottles at a cask strength of 64.6% and they were sold for £76.50 each. I purchased this directly from Chorlton in December 2021.

Our “Bold and Beautiful” Chorlton quartet also included:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Chorlton – Blair Athol 12 year 54.9%

Posted on by
Reply

When planning our Chorlton Bold & Beautiful whisky evening, I knew that Blair Athol would make the cut. Whilst often underestimated, there are many reasons why Blair Athol has been around since 1798 – known for a rich, robust, nutty, and full-bodied character. Most expressions will have some maturation in sherry casks, however there are a few – like this one – which was matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon cask.

It was first up for our quartet…

Blair Athol 12 year (2022) 54.9% 290 Bottles ~Eur 79

  • Nose – Sugar on toast, scrambled eggs, waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup, vanilla custard, caramel, gulkand – a sweet preserve of rose petals, then a little orange zest….  it shifted into green pepper, becoming more vegetal, a few folks even found gerkin – pickle juice, red earth after it rains, leaves, mustier over time
  • Palate – Initially came on full force, lots of tannins, raisins and rum, very dry, became plummier and nuttier on the next sip, marzipan joined by gingerbread, even a hint of lemon sherbert!
  • Finish – Dry, long and tasty, more of that capsicum, then a delightful teasing ginger
  • Water – Worth trying with a generous amount of water – whilst it loses some of the complexity, it amps up the sweetness and fruits, with the overall impression of ginger tea

It began like breakfast, then shifted into savoury, herbal, a hint sour, and autumnal dessert! One taster remarked how it reminded them of samahan – a herbal, gingery tea one often has to help with a cold.

We set it aside, and discovered a lovely combination of dessert and sour plums, blackberry leaf team… with even more time in the glass, it took on more toffee, becoming super sweet with toffee, with substance too from tobacco leaf, a bit woody, ending with a dry finish. Overall, it was delicious and well worth exploring!

As for Chorlton tasting notes? Here’s what was shared when this whisky was launched in 2022:

…we have a 12-year-old Blair Athol from a first-fill bourbon hogshead. This whisky actually has more colour on it than the sherry and marsala ones above, and fits in with the recent-ish Orkney 15 and Caol Ila 12 bottlings in terms of slightly aberrant bourbon casks!

So, on the nose I find toffee pennies, fruit jellies, hay bales and shoe polish. Also rum baba, various dried fruits and peels, and orange sponge cake. It’s even cakier with added water, and softer too, with some marzipan and even a nibble of Fondant Fancy.

The palate is really big and nutty (walnut liqueur? is that even a thing?), with dark plum jam, marmalade, tea-soaked raisins and maple syrup. Some anise-y herbal liqueur notes develop, and there’s a distinctly mineralic, even salty, finish. With water everything feels cleaner, with lots of stone fruit popping up.

A lovely dram this, with some stout Highlands spirit standing up nicely to the active cask, and even soaring above it when water is added. It’s been quite a hit with people who’ve had a preview.

Whilst released by Chorlton in December 2022, I waited until it became available via WhiskyBase – only purchasing it in July 2023 for Eur 79 + tax + shipping.

It then patiently waited for the right opportunity to join a special Bold and Beautiful Chorlton quartet – bringing the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents together with:

Plus we enjoyed a bonus with a revisit of a few bottles opened previously:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on: