Summertime in Deutschland – how glorious! A highlight this year was kicking off a new Whisky Tasting Group – based in Nurnberg! We started in July and then met again in August and September – wow! I also managed to FINALLY catch up on writing up tasting notes from previous travels and whisky events – fun! What can I say? While others go for holidays on the beach, I settle down with my laptop and scribbles to craft chronicles of tasting adventures!

We kicked off with a Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

• Green (ex-bourbon): Aultmore 10 year 43%  – A great place to start, lovely summery dram with enough “oomph!” to be interesting!
• Purple (ex-sherry): Miltonduff 10 year 43% – A beautifully balanced sherry expression
• Purple (ex-sherry): Glenrothes 11 year 43% – Bold, direct, and clearly sherry!
• Grey (peat): Caol Ila 13 year 43% – Nuanced sweet peat

With a bonus calibration dram of Glen Grant – The Major’s Reserve! What a brilliant idea to consistently begin each session with an amiable dram to prime the senses for whiskies to come.

We followed this with a Glenmorangie Vertical – exploring the impact of different cask finishes on a delightful “base” whisky.

• 10 year “The Original‘ 40% – Great reminder that this is one elegant dram!
• 12 year “The Lasanta” Sherry Finish 43% – Juicy sherry sweetness
• 14 year “Quinta Ruban” Port Finish 46% – Take your time with this one
• Nectar D’Or Sauternes Finish 46% – Mixed fruit meets caramel pie

We had another bonus this time too – contrasting the Quinta Ruban with Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition (2005/2018) Double Matured (Port Finish) 40%. 

This was followed by a focus on sherry bombs! We went big and bold with:

• Glenfarclas (2009 / 2021) 46% (Whisky.de Clubflasche) – A solid performer
• Aberlour 16 year 43% – A most satisfying and balanced sherry dram
• Benromach (2010) Cask Strength, 1st Fill Sherry Batch 1, 58.5% – Takes a bit to open up
• Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 077 (22 March 2023) 60.8% – So fabulous! Really enjoyed this batch – delicious! 

During my June trip to Canada, I had fun with a tasting set from Germany’s St Kilian with a friend.  

1. St Kilian Signature Edition ‘Thirteen‘ (2016/18/19 – 2022) 53.9% – Not tried so that it could be experienced together with its deconstructed set!
2. St Kilian Grave Digger Berry Metal 40% (Liqueur) – Saved to bring to Canada… described as an incredibly potent berry wow! (with a “kick”) 

Summertime also provided an opportunity to crack open a few miniatures like:

• GlenAllachie 13 year (2005/2019) Cask 901062, 65.1% (Lady of the Glen)
• Glen Spey 11 Year 1997 (cask 12952) 51.1% (Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular)
• Nc’Nean Single Scottish Malt Batch 7, 46%
• The English Company Gulliver’s 47 Single English Malt 47%
• Tipperary 8 year Red Wine Cask Finish, Cask RC00117, 59.5%
• Bunnahabhain 10 year 2008 (cask 12663) 48% (Clan Denny, Douglas Laing)
• Staoisha 5 year (Oct 2013 / April 2019) Cask 940, 59.3% (The Single Cask)

This was joined by recollecting an unexpected yet very special tasting evening  – where I could share my enthusiasm for exploring whiskies with dear colleagues who have become friends over the years of close collaboration. 

This experience inspired me to get back into “minis”. And whilst I haven’t yet cracked it open yet, I have ready and waiting for the next “round” of mini explorations not one but TWO new Whisky Calendars – the 2022 (on sale!) and the 2023!

It took a while, but I finally finished notes from Paris Whisky Live with the Lagg Masterclass and Arlett Whiskies from France. 

Phew! This quarter was SUCH a full round-up!

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

• Whisky Lady – April to June 2023
• Whisky Lady – January to March 2023
• Whisky Lady – October to December 2022
• Whisky Lady – July to September 2022

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