Whisky Ladies SMWS Duo: 10.284 “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” and 44.128 “Fit for an Emperor”

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As the temperature rises, the temptation to escape to somewhere cooler grows… So how lucky were we to have a Whisky Ladies weekend getaway to Satara Mahabaleshwar! Our most amazing hostess spoiled us with brilliant meals, experiences, and more.

Her A, B, C whisky theme was inspired! However, when her hubby pulled out a duo from the previous year that I missed – how could I resist?

Last year featured a trio of SMWS;

  • SMWS 10.284 Bunnahabhain “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” 11 year (17 Oct 2013) 1st fill American Oak PX hogshead and 2nd fill oloroso hogshead (Islay) 59.1% (Two to One range)
  • SMWS 44.128 Craigellachie “Fit for an Emperor” 17 years (d. 25 April 2006) 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead (Speyside) 58.2%
  • SMWS 73.173 Aultmore “Malt and Tonic” 13 year 55.2% – The other ladies tried this in 2024. Alas, it was no longer available as I suspect this would have been up my preferred profile

Whilst I missed the experience with the ladies, I sat down to consider the two on offer! Interestingly, the first was part of SMWS’s new “Two for One” range. What is it all about? Here’s how the folks at SMWS describe it:

Two to One is the combination of two casks of single malt from the same distillery that are married before bottling. Each one of the Two to One bottlings demonstrates the Whisky Team’s skills in experimentation, flavour creation and innovation, with the whisky in each bottle coming from a different maturation journey through a range of cask types to create something unique and delicious.

What did I find?

SMWS 10.284 “Ginger Rollmop Sushi Phantasmagoria” 11 year (17 Oct 2013) 1st fill American Oak PX hogshead and 2nd fill oloroso hogshead (Islay) 59.1% (Two to One range)

  • Nose – What fun! Ginger is very much there, together with peat. Sweet too – like teriyaki salmon bake, joined by a lovely seaweed and seabreeze, then quite mineral, roasted sesame and dry wood sauna
  • Palate – Peaty cinnamon burst, lots of ginger too, yet has some umami also, smoked almonds, unique and engaging
  • Finish – Lovely lingering, truly quite fabulous
  • Water – Is it possible? Even better! The delicious aromas and savoury palate simply kept rewarding

What a whisky! I absolutely loved this one. It was distinct, different, and delightful. I’m not always a Bunnahabhain fan, but this one was spot on. Perhaps it was the Oloroso sherry or something else in their “Two for One” approach, but this just worked.

As for the inventive SMWS official tasting notes? Here you go!

Treacle scone topped with hot-smoked salmon: that was the first impression of the Panel! This quickly evolved to include raw ginger cake batter, sauna wood, smoked almonds and shellfish broiled with seaweed. Water brought pickled sushi ginger, smoked sea salt and a sharp, mineral edge, plus lots of Asian vibes such as soy sauce, eel sushi, bonito flakes and wasabi. The neat palate detonated with wakame, balsamic, smoked prawns, ginger biscuits, barbecue-charred plums and seared beef. Water made it really fantastic, with brined herring, toasted sesame and a lovely, drying waxiness. The starting point for this small batch was two bourbon hogsheads of single malt Scotch whisky. They were each transferred to new casks at five years old. One cask was a first fill American oak PX hogshead, while the other was a second fill oloroso hogshead. The casks were then married together before bottling.

The notes absolutely rang true. Yes to the Asian vibes and even the balsamic. It was not your typical whisky, which is exactly what made it so interesting!

Next up was a rather fancifully named whisky – “Fit for an Emperor” harkens something rich, indulgent, a bit over the top. What did I find?

SMWS 44.128 Craigellachie “Fit for an Emperor” 17 years (d. 25 April 2006) 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead (Speyside) 58.2%

  • Nose – Curious – it had spice, toast, roasted meats, something a bit off or peculiar
  • Palate – Leather, strangely flat and a bit unbalanced
  • Finish – There…. but nothing that really stood out

It was a bit disappointing. Not a bad dram, however, after the remarkable Bunnahabhain, the Craigellachie just didn’t even come close.

SMWS Official Tasting notes for this expression:

We Panellists came face to face with a powerful nose featuring olives with chilli and black pepper, roasted chestnuts and crispy-skinned chicken. The taste was even more powerful; a wasabi spiciness tickling our noses, with tannins to the fore, as we licked a charred stave. Water rode to the rescue, releasing a warming scent of sunshine on leather, a smoking jacket in a humidor and granola bars with fruits and nuts. And what a change on the palate as we enjoyed a kaiserschmarrn: caramelised fluffy shredded pancakes with rum-soaked raisins, sprinkled with icing sugar and served with apple sauce and raspberry compote. Following 13 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.

And there you have it! Totally worth taking a wee taste – one was brilliant, the other not – however that is all part of the experience!

Curious about other Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) tasting experiences? Read on….

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Duncan Taylor – The Octave: Glentauchers 17 year 54.3%

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The concept behind Duncan Taylor’s The Octave collection is simple. Take something that is already good, transfer it into smaller Octave casks, mature it for more time. The aim? Amp up the aromas and flavours through a higher whisky to wood contact, triggering a bolder, more intense version.

So what did we find with this Glentaucheers?

Glentauchers 17 Year Old (8 May 2008 / 25 Aug 2025) Sherry cask 8546097 54.3% (Duncan Taylor – The Octave) ~90 GBP

  • Nose – How delightful! Cake, salty caramel, lots of rich fruity base notes, heavy mocha, ripe dark cherries, chocolate, and cream like a black forest cake, more coffee, toffee – delicious!
  • Palate – Very full, loads going on. There is an intensity with dark fruits, chocolate, old wood, malty, luscious fruits, and over-ripe nectarines. The dusting of pepper just adds another element – like a rich chilli chocolate ice cream
  • Finish – A big finish, treacle sweet
  • Water – Wow! Intense exotic fruits, durian to peach, then warmed pineapple

What a delight! We absolutely adored this expression. The extra “oomph!” from the Octave cask finish added complexity in a big, bold, beautiful way. Whilst we have no idea what it was like before the re-casking, here is what the folks at Duncan Taylor have to say :

Before Octivation

Apple strudel, creamy, raisins, custard creams, gooseberries.

After Octivation

Sherry, chocolate cake, spiced red fruits, clotted cream, white pepper.

What a complete treat! Curious about other Glentauchers experiences? Check out:

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Weave Your Own Whisky Blend – Woven Carissa + Jetu

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What if a whisky blend were made just for you? That was the concept behind Woven’s lab at the London’s 2024 Whisky Show!

I suppose that technically we were supposed to knock it back on-site… However, my tasting companion and I dropped our minis into my pouch to enjoy another time. Who knew they would wait until February 2026 in Mumbai?

First up, we decided to sip the “Jetu” blend….

  • Nose – We discovered a delightful spring-like dram, with fresh hay, a delightful lemon sherbert to start, joined by a moist vanilla sponge cake with lemon cream sauce, subtle and sweet… joined by warm strawberries and rose sherbert. In short, on the nose it was a delightful summery dessert dram.
  • Palate – Exceedingly agreeable, balanced, with a nice mouthfeel. Sweet? Yes. And yet it also had something more substantial, anchoring the experience.
  • Finish – Subtle, light, sweet pepper

Lovely!! After such a delightful dram, we then moved on to the “Carissa” blend….

  • Nose – Lemon shortcake, sweet and fun, it had a joyful, summery character
  • Palate – Yummy! It was very sociable, fruity, playful, with a great mouthfeel
  • Finish – Long and strong, carrying through the sweet

Both were exactly on point, and the only disappointment came when the last drops were done. Now, if only we knew what the closest standard Woven blend, we would have run out and bought bottles immediately!

What a brilliant momento from such a creative blending team – bravo Woven!

What about other Woven experiences?

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Thai Trio – Prakaan Select Cask, Double Cask + Peated

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Thailand holds a special place for my partner and I. It was where we took our first trip together, cementing a relationship that became a commitment. At the time, I certainly had a penchant for exploring whiskies, and we even spent a few days staying with friends who shared that curiosity. However, it was inconceivable that Thailand would be producing its own whisky?!

Fast forward many years to the June 2025 global launch of Prakaan with its trio “Tribuna Series” with

  1. Prakaan Select Cask 43% – ex bourbon cask
  2. Prakaan Double Cask 43% – ex bourbon and ex sherry cask
  3. Prakaan Peated Malt 43%

Prakaan shared that Tribura in Thai means the three layers of a fortified wall, built to defend the Kingdom of Thailand. These three make up their inaugural global releases.

So what did we think?

We began with the Select Cask, identified as matured in ex-Bourbon casks.

Prakaan Select Cask 43%

  • Nose – It began with a heavy, almost artificial caramel, some varnish or nail polish, then baby puke, some rough wood edges… then it began to shift from a chemist’s lab to a compost! Vegetal, increasingly sticky sweet, like a mixed fruit candy with no discernible specific fruit, think Tuti Fruiti ice cream, then some lime zest, dry balsa wood
  • Palate – Peppery and harsh initially – quite young and hard to glean much else
  • Finish – Nothing beyond a bit bitter
  • Water – Really needs it! Water helps tone down the harshness and boosts the resin

This expression needed both time in the glass and generous dollops of water. However, let’s face it – overall, it was young, a bit brash, and not terribly interesting.

Here is what they have to say :

PRAKAAN SELECT CASK single whisky is the epitome of our house style. It is rich and smooth with tropical fruits, honey, vanilla, and hints of lemon peel.

  • Nose – Soft tropical fruits and zesty citrus defined beautifully against lush honey sweetness, creamy vanilla, and comforting undertones of lemon cake.
  • Palate – Round sweetness of caramelised pineapple slices and chewy toffee, complemented with the rich perfume of freshly-ground spices and hints of candied lemon peel.
  • Finish – Mature and long-lasting with ripe fruitiness.

I’m afraid we wouldn’t agree with the marketing spin. Even with it mellowed somewhat with water and time in the glass, we didn’t find most of the elements described.

Prakaan Double Cask 43%

  • Nose – Much shyer compared with the Select Cask. Also had lots of fruits like peach and dark berries, there was a perfume-like quality, some vanilla, mixed fruit sherbert, then settled into tinned pineapple
  • Palate – Initially spicy, fruity, raisins, and caramel
  • Finish – Loads of spice, a touch bitter
  • Water – With water and time, it mellowed considerably, becoming more and more approachable and enjoyable

What a difference! The sherry cask took it from harsh to spice, baby puke to tinned pineapple… It was spirity and spirited initially, nicely opening up.

Here’s what they have to say:

  • Nose – Ripe tropical fruit smothered in layers of melting dessert chocolate and vanilla. Raisins and candied citrus peels follow, balancing this vibrant and decadent composition.
  • Palate – Rich and delicious. Pineapples in syrup and ripe mangoes underlined by elegant oaky vanilla and dark sweetness of warm toffee.
  • Finish – Full-bodied and smooth with oaky and leathery tones contrasted by a light touch of grated orange zest.

We didn’t get so much of the chocolate, however, the pineapple was spot on! Whilst I wouldn’t describe it as elegant, it was a more than decent early offering for a new distillery.

After two un-peated expressions, we were curious to see what Prakaan could do with some peat…

Prakaan Peated Malt 43%

  • Nose – Peat – the gentle, smoky, sweet kind. Though the whisky was a touch astringent, it was warming with a dark chocolate, vanilla sweetness, topped with a hint of salt
  • Palate – Roasted coffee, lots of tobacco, and an almost mocha element
  • Finish – Bitter and dry at first, then a nice smoky, slightly briney close
  • Water – Again, we would suggest adding it!

There was no mistaking the peat here. Using peated barley from Scotland, the different elements worked here. It continued to mellow in the glass – with the smoky finish particularly appealing over time.

Here is what they have to say about their peated expression:

  • Nose – Fresh tropical fruits complemented by a layer of soft wood smoke, evocative of a fire on the beach. Spices and rich vanilla sauce in the background bring elegance to this delicious bouquet.
  • Palate – Sweet and textured. Smoke comes to the fore but keeps its gentle, round quality. Caramel and runny honey follow with citrus and pineapple shining through.
  • Finish – Warming and long, the finish descends slowly from bright fruitiness to sweet smoke.
For the most part, we would agree. For several, this was the hit of the trio, though the Double Cask was interesting too. Alas, the Select Cask just didn’t measure up for us. And that is ok – the whole purpose of tasting groups like ours is to collectively explore more together than we would ever venture to try on our own!

Naturally, this trio was followed by a delightful homemade Thai curry! All in all, it was a good evening and well worth sampling!

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Whisky Ladies ABCs – Ardnahoe, Benromach, Creag Isle

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Our Whisky Ladies sessions are curated by our members. The theme, the order, everything is up to our monthly host. The only “rule” is to make every effort to avoid repeats! It could be a vertical progression from one distillery, a regional or country theme, something more fanciful or practical, tying the whiskies together.

For our (hopefully!) annual weekend retreat, our host took a delightfully simple approach – the alphabet! And selected whiskies starting with A, B, and C!

  • A = Ardnahoe “Infinite Loch” Islay Single Malt 50% £55
  • B = Benromach 15-year 43% £73
  • C = Creag Isle 10-year Island Malt 42.2% (Hunter Laing) ~£50

It was a counterintuitive tasting order. Normally, we begin with the milder drams, progressing to bolder, more powerful flavours and finishing with peat. We took the opposite approach here – and it worked wonderfully!

A is for Ardnahoe 

I was first introduced to their whisky range in 2024 at the London Whisky Show. Backed by Hunter Laing, Ardnahoe became Islay’s 9th distillery in 2016 with distillation starting in 2018.

Ardnahoe “Infinite Loch” Islay Single Malt 50%

  • Aroma – Loads of peat! Leather and bacon, fruity – particularly baked pineapple, spicy, marmalade with generous orange peel… Spiced pears, cinnamon, star anise, menthol
  • Palate – Super peppery at first, also very active – full of smoke, yet also quite fruity and summery, the mint was joined by fresh cucumber, then shifted into a gentle milk chocolate
  • Finish – Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, burnt sweet spices

As we swirled the whisky in our glasses, we inhaled the sweet, smoky aromas, joined by sea salt too. It grew on us more and more – a sipping dram to settle down with for a desultory evening.

In front of us was an indulgent cheeseboard with bitter marmalade jam and apple-gin jelly. We found a sharp cheese with bitter marmalade jam made a brilliant contrasting pairing with the Ardnahoe, enhancing the whisky’s sweetness. Superb!

Their official tasting notes share:

Ardnahoe Infinite Loch has been matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, and is bottled with no artificial colouring and no chill-filtration.

Sea-spray, Islay peat and dark chocolate on the nose. Menthol, fresh fruits and bonfire notes on the palate lead into a smoky, zesty finish.

Would we agree? Yes indeed!

B is for Benromach

Up next was a familiar standard – the Benromach 15 year!

Benromach 15 year 43%

  • Aroma – Sweet molasses, dark milk chocolate, honey, raisins, Christmas plum cakes, ginger, pine, sweetened fruits, opening up a bourbon vanilla candle, then clove-stuck orange, salted caramel, spiced rum, mint
  • Palate – Spiced rum ball, warming, creamy, full-bodied yet smooth, malty, cocoa, coffee mocha… as it opened further in the glass – chocolate-covered salty caramels or malty salted peanuts, a touch of toast, a hint of gentle peat perhaps?
  • Finish – Slightly bitter, fruitcake

When we set it aside, it continued to mellow in the glass. The Benromach was the most classic dram of the evening, one for the traditionalists vs those in the mood for something more experimental or peatier.

C is for Creag Isle

I wasn’t familiar with Creag Isle… turns out it is a private independent label from the Hunter Laing stable. Whilst they typically focus on Islay whiskies (rumoured to often be from Caol Ila), the particular expression we tried was specifically identified as an “Island” single malt – which technically isn’t an official Scottish whisky region – with no further details!

Creag Isle 10 year Island Malt 42.2% (Hunter Laing)

  • Nose – How interesting! A distinctly Indian garam masala, coastal salt, and sand, dried fish, slowly sweetening over time
  • Palate – Funky yet interesting. It initially had an almost fizzy quality. There was peat behind the bitter. Curiously approachable for something so distinctive. At the same time, there was a delicate and light touch too. Quite different – yet it worked!
  • Finish – Very sweet finish, cinnamon smoke close… over time took on a bitter walnut quality too

One person shared that this dram was like kissing someone who had been puffing away on a cigar! As strange as our initial impressions may seem on reading them now, it was surprisingly compelling, drawing us back to continue to sniff, swish, and appreciate.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s Whisky Ladies of Mumbai retreat!

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Battle of the Blends – 18 years Timourous Beastie vs Rock Oyster

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It was a quiet Sunday late afternoon before Mumbai’s Mahindra Blues Festival. My tasting companion and I were interested in just a light taste or two before we caught the evening’s entertainment.

I thought it would be fun to try side by side a couple of Douglas Laing blends – both 18 year years, both limited edition expressions.

My tasting companion was skeptical – he wasn’t so impressed with the NAS options. So what did we think of the 18 year olds?

Timorous Beastie 18 year Blended Malt 46.8%

  • Nose – Big! Lots of cereals with hay and barley. A sweet lemon curd, honey, settling into lemon pie with a hint of white pepper, vanilla, caramel biscuits
  • Palate – Spicy, yet balances out, red macintosh applies, which then shifts into strawberries and cream
  • Finish – A touch bitter
  • Water – Wonderful! brought out a Tutti Fruitti sweetness with a chocolaty close

The Timorous Beastie is a limited edition malt made with Highland whiskies with the youngest 18 years.

Next up, we shifted to the Islands….

Rock Oyster 18 year Blended Malt 46.8%

  • Nose – It began with a lovely lemon sherbert, joined by a saline, mineral, heavier undertones – like a heavy rye sourdough, then sweet capsicum, candied lemon rind, vanilla ice cream
  • Palate – Vegitative peat, miineralic, lovely mouthfeel
  • Finish – A proper finish, long and strong – like a Highland Park 18 year – sweet peat with subtle saline
  • Revisit – After some time, we revisited the whisky and found it had shifted into cotton candy with a lovely minerality, having both depth and character

Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster Island blended malt from the islands – Arran, Jura, Islay and Orkney.

These miniatures were shared by the fabulous Whisky Flu – his blog is a must-read for spirits – often going deep into the process of making malty (or other) magic!

Related blends from Douglas Laing previously sampled:

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Whisky Lady – January til March 2026

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This quarter started with a sunny, warm New Year in India, then plunged into the frigid cold of a Winnipeg winter, some in-between in Germany, closing back in Mumbai’s palm trees and sea breeze!

Whisky-wise it was a mix of catching a couple of tasting sessions, a few miniature evenings, and even branching out into other spirits!

A new favourite bottler is The Heart Cut. Whilst we picked out a few interesting whiskies to try next year in a special session, we couldn’t wait and picked up a quartet of Pocket Pours!:

Our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai met each month consistently, and I was lucky to join twice!

The Bombay Malt & Cigar Club had three sessions:

PART 1: INTRO TO TEQUILA

PART 2: TOUR OF MEZCAL

PART 3: TAPATÍO TEQUILA DUO

Curious to know more? Check out more quarterly summaries:

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Gimmick or Gold? Gold Bar Whiskey 41%

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After an enjoyable evening over T’s European Travels drams, another bottle was brought out. It was a conversation piece – given as a gift from a San Francisco friend.

While the gold bar bottle is hard to miss, what about this American whiskey? Distilled from three grains (88% corn, 9% rye, 3% barley), finished in former Napa Valley wine barrels. In our case – Cognac casks with toasted oak staves. In other words – with high liquid to wood contact to extract more intense flavours fast.

Gold Bar Whiskey Blend #273 41% (82 Proof) Bottle 151370 ~USD 50

  • Nose – Smells like Valentines Day – milk chocolate and roses
  • Palate – Like the kind of waxy artificial chocolate one gets in the US
  • Finish – Nothing much

It was largely dismissed, however, after a sip or two, quiet mummerings of “not bad” could be heard.

Their official tasting notes describe it as;

Gentle body with notes of honey, fruit and subtle spice. Highly versatile and a true crowd-pleaser, delicious served neat or in cocktails.

Gimmick or not, it is always fun to try something novel.

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Mixed Malts (Part 2)

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Our Bombay Malt & Cigar evening began with a pair of Lowland grains from North British and Strathclyde. However, we were keen to dive into a mix of malts:

  • Whitlaw 15 Year Batch #1 49.7% (possibly Highland Park) ~£83
  • Glendullan 16 Year Batch #3 48.8% ~£83
  • Speyside #4 24 Year Batch #1 47.8% ~£80
  • Tomatin 36 Year Batch #5 46.8% ~£252

Our tasting went from Islands to Highlands to Speyside too – a nice mix of malts in wee packages!

There are industry “open secrets” – like Whitlaw is code for Highland Park.

Whitlaw 15 year Batch #1 49.7% 979 bottles

  • Nose – It began quite yheasty – almost into the baby puke territory! Then some sweet spices, a hint of iodine, light salene, sea breeze, old citrus wood polish, fresh peeled mosambi (sweet lime), a hint of nuts and baked fruit pie
  • Palate – Well-rounded with a lovely interplay between sweet spices of cinnamon and cardamom with smoke, then honey, contrasting with Brittany’s salted butter
  • Finish – Peppery, sweet, long-lasting peat – frankly, it was incredibly long and lingering!

There was an island seaside quality to this dram that mixed and mingled with dessert. The peat was barely discernible on the nose (aside from the iodine), more like a smoke accent on the palate, then clearly came through in the finish.

Overall, we found this was quite a respectable dram.

Next up was Glendullan – a Speyside brand better known as The Singleton in North America. The distillery style is often described as “fresh” or grassy with a lighter, crisp profile. What did we find?

Glendullan 16 Year Batch #3 48.8% 469 bottles

  • Nose – Loads of fermented fruits, caramel, vanilla, a herbal hint too?
  • Palate – Sugar syrup, dates, a little bit of sweet spices too
  • Finish – Star anise

Whilst not unpleasant, there was nothing that really stood out here. One could call it delicate or nuanced, yet with the overall line-up, it paled in comparison.

From one Speyside to another, we geared up for the next in our malty quartet. For most, this was the “hit” of the evening that totally rewarded! Why?

Speyside #4 24 Year Batch #1 47.8% 3,549 bottles

  • Nose – Well, hello sherry! We were plunged into an old forest, aged wood, sweet persimmon, candy floss, and custard apples, roasted almonds, pureed fruit compote and cream
  • Palate – Wonderful! Spice and wood, brilliant balance, wonderful mouthfeel – a pleasure just rolling it around!
  • Finish – Long and thick

Don’t get me wrong – I like a good ex-bourbon cask. However, there is just something about a classic sherry that gets us. And to have it be both beautiful and a proper, mature dram? We were enchanted!

What do the chats at TBWC have to say?

  • N: Honeyed oak and baking spices. Lots of cereal notes with fresh juicy apple and a subtle caramel aroma.
  • P: The apple really comes through on the palate, followed by warming spices, honeysuckle, a nutty oiliness and more of those cereal notes.

Now, if only we had sampled this back when the bottle was available. At ~£80 it was a brilliant buy!

From Speyside, we moved to the Highlands with the oldest expression of the evening – a venerable 36 years from Tomatin distillery.

Tomatin 36 Year Batch #5 46.8% 878 bottles

  • Nose – Heady – almost headache-inducing – then drops quickly into something much more accessible. Caramel, mystery fruits (more on the tropical side than citrus or orchard), floral, with a funk behind it all
  • Palate – Huge hit of sweet, spice beneath the sweet, resinous, more fruit, firm influence of long oak aging
  • Finish – Spicier than anticipated at first – cinnamon, star anise soaked in sugar, long yet light

Overall, it was a brilliant progression – from aged grains to a mix of malts. My one change would be to begin with the Glendullan, then progress to the Tomatin, Whitlaw, and close with the Speyside.

And if you just haven’t had enough Whisky calendar mini experiences? Explore with us!

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Aged Grains (Part 1)

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Sometimes all you need is a little bit!

A year or so ago, not one but two That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendars were purchased – for the express purpose of evenings when there are only 3-4 of us tasting. Rather than opening a full 700 ml bottle, our merry Bombay Malt & Cigar lads would turn to these minis!

I missed most of these evenings – some were apparently fabulous, one a bit “meh”, yet overall I’m a huge fan of exploring through such small 30 ml samples!

We began with a pair of grains:

  1. North British 30 Year Batch #6 50.1% ~GBP 70

  2. Strathclyde 31 Year Batch #4 45% ~GBP 70

Then moved on to a mix of malts (in Part 2):

Let’s start with the grains, shall we?

We began our grain journey in the Lowlands – more specifically, Edinburgh’s North British distillery.

North British 30 Year Batch #6 50.1%

  • Nose – Very floral – think white flowers mixed with gulabi (rose). Then warmed into a buttery, flaky pastry, joined by marzipan, with a hint of citrus too!
  • Palate – Caramel or toffee, a decent mouthfeel, mostly sugar water, yet with a hint of something slightly bitter with a kick
  • Finish – Sweet
  • Water – Helps

Yowza! Going from 0% to 50+% alcohol was a shock – a reminder that starting with a calibration dram really makes a difference! This is why adding water to this grain helped improve our experience.

As the minis were from last year’s calendar, the expressions are no longer available on TBWC website, so sharing here what the chaps at Master of Malt had to say

  • Nose – Banana foam sweets, tablet fudge and dried fruit, with Christmas cake spice and a hint of lime peel.
  • Palate – Creamy vanilla, yellow fruit and cinnamon, with touches of horseradish underneath.
  • Finish – Orange chocolate and a hint of nutmeg.

Whilst we didn’t find everything the chaps did, the horseradish was not a bad way to describe the bitter kick peaking underneath the sweet!

We then moved on to the next Lowlands grain with Strathclyde – considered Glasgow’s most successful grain distillery and the backbone of Ballantine’s.

Strathclyde 31 Year Batch 4 45% 

  • Nose – Much more vegetative than the North British, fresh green grass and moist moss, sweet, hard, fruity candies
  • Palate – A lovely citrusy sweetness – reminiscent of lemon drop candies, a light honey drizzle, some gentle cereals
  • Finish – Quite nice, closing with a hint of bitterness and pepper
  • Revisit – Softly sweet, interesting, and overall quite lovely

This would be the kind of grain one shouldn’t dismiss – give it some time in the glass, some careful contemplation, and it will gently reward. Of the two grains, the Strathclyde was for us the clear winner!

Again, let’s see what the chaps at Master of Malt have to say 

  • Nose – Initially super light and tropical, with lots of pineapple and banana, a hint of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey develops with a flint-y mineral backdrop.
  • Palate – Somewhat oily, with more floral honey, cereal notes, drying oak spice and hints of candied citrus peel alongside vanilla pod.
  • Finish – A creamy finish of banana milkshake, with lingering notes of white pepper spice and butterscotch sweetness.

Curious about other Strathclyde experiences?

Up next in our That Boutque-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar:

  • Whitlaw 15 Year Batch #1 49.7%
  • Glendullan 16 Year Batch #3 48.8%
  • Speyside #4 24 Year Batch #1 47.8% 
  • Tomatin 36 Year Batch #5 46.8%

As for other calendar mini experiences? Just check out:

You can find even more Whisky bits ‘n bobs on: