Category Archives: Grain

BMC Trip to South Africa – Boplaas, Drayman’s, Three Ships  

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A few years ago, we had a fabulous family wedding in South Africa. It was a magical and memorable moment. More recently in Germany, friends and I joined an evening organised by Hawelti featuring 8 whiskies from Africa!

So when I learned our focus for our Bombay Malt & Cigar evening for September 2025 was South Africa – the concept fell on fertile ground.

Just click on the links below for full tasting notes!

You would think this should be enough, right? Nope! Our whisky host knew these drams could be dicey, so to cover all bases, added another two favourites – call it a theme of Sweet (almost!) 16!

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BMC Trip to South Africa – Boplaas 6 year Grain 43%

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Grains are tricky! They are less expensive to produce than single malts and form the backbone of blends. However, often grains – especially younger ones – struggle to stand on their own.

Boplaas is a family-owned wine and spirit producer, located in Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo region of South Africa. The Net family began their operations in 1989 with brandy, before moving into wines and now grain whisky. Their grain of choice is yellow maize, matured in ex-bourbon casks before finishing in their own tawny port casks.

Believe it or not, this was not my first introduction to Boplaas grain from South Africa! Earlier in the year, Hawelti introduced me to their 5 year old expression. I was curious to see what one more year could do and the reaction of our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents during our September 2025 tasting of South African drams!

Boplaas 6 year Grain 43%

  • Nose – No mistaking this is a grain! It was sweet, a bit funky, had some pencil shavings, some cloves, a hint of fruits
  • Palate – Light, easy-going and innocuous, clean and super sweet, a touch sharp, mild oak
  • Finish – Also very sweet

Let’s be honest, we weren’t expecting anything complex. However, I’ve had far worse young grains! Whilst not something I would run out to buy more of, it was worth sampling.

What do the folks at Boplaas have to say?

Our history of distilling fine pot still brandy dates back to 1880, with the first order of casks was sent to Cape Town harbour by ox-wagon for delivery to London. After the repeal of distilling licenses in the early 1920’s, Boplaas’ copper pot still lay dormant for almost 70 years until it was fired up again in 1989. Five years later, in 1994, Boplaas released the very first estate brandy: the Boplaas 5 Year Old Pot Still Estate Brandy. Due to dry warm summers, cold winters and general low humidity, the environment is ideal for the maturation of brandy and whisky, resulting in a far more concentrated spirit.

  • Nose: This is a whisky for savouring. The multi-layered nose shows a fruitcake nose tinged with winter spices, most notably cloves and cardamom, and highlights of cocoa bean, desiccated figs, rich apricots and raisins.
  • Tasting Notes: Tawny character blooms on the palate – it’s bold, rounded and viscous, with a pleasant balance of yellow-fruit sweetness and oak spice that lingers.

Not sure we found all the elements they describe, however, it was overall quite a pleasant start to our evening exploring whiskies from South Africa.

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Macbeth’s First Ghost (Cambus 31) and Bloody Sergeant (Blair Athol 10)!

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At London’s Whisky Show 2023, we were introduced to Elixir’s  Macbeth series. That year we selected for our “Dream Drams” a pair of Thanes – Lady MacDuff (Linkwood 31) and Menthieth (BenRiach 31 year).

This year, we were drawn to the Ghost and Household range: First Ghost (Cambus 31) and Bloody Sergeant (Blair Athol 10). This was partly because these whiskies did not require “Dream Dram” tokens!

What did we think in our sniff and swish?

We began with the grain from the closed Lowland distillery Cambus… With 650 bottles from a refill bourbon, we anticipated something light… 

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

The Ghosts: Cambus 31-year Single Grain “First Ghost” 43.2% (Lowland) GBP 301

  • Nose – Soft, and sweet, with a hint of tart lemon or limes, warms in the glass to reveal vanilla
  • Palate – Delicious! Light bourbon vanilla ice cream, with a hint of fruit  
  • Finish – Quite subtle

This whisky clearly fell into the “day dram” category – uncomplicated, light, and easy to sip.

What do they have to say?

The first ghostly apparition in the Macbeth series is portrayed by an elegant, mature single grain from the long-deceased Cambus distillery. More than three decades resting in oak has left this old Lowlander with an ethereal profile of green fruits, vanilla cream, coconut milk and a hint of sweet anise. An excellent choice of casks by whisky makers Elixir Distillers really brings this portentous figure to life… So to speak.

This bottling is the first of six whiskies representing The Ghosts in this series inspired by The Tragedy of Macbeth. Each bottling features specially commissioned artwork by famed illustrator Sir Quentin Blake.

Nice! And another reminder that Cambus produced some lovely grains once upon a time! Whilst I’ve had a few mixed experiences, this one reminded me of the lovely 24 year from Signatory that I bought from Singapore’s Whisky Live 2017.

Up next was a shift in gears from light to dark with xx

The Households: Blair Athol 10 year “Bloody Sergeant” 51.8% (Highland) GBP 95

  • Nose – Quite a hit of dry fruits, peppery spice… needs time to open
  • Palate – Sweet, rich with loads of dark fruits, spice
  • Finish – Has a kick
  • Water – We thought perhaps to tone it down with water in hopes it would reveal more elements. It certainly helped round out the palate however it also lost some of its character too 

Whilst the Cambus was soft and inviting, the Blair Athol was punchy and bold! This is entirely in keeping with Blair Athol’s character – some love its brash approach whereas for others it is simply a bit “too much”. 

What do they have to say?

An excellent addition to Livingstone’s ground-breaking Macbeth series. The Bloody Sergeant – who recounts Macbeth’s heroic deeds to King Duncan in the Play’s first act – had to be embodied by a rugged Highlander and this Blair Athol does the job perfectly. Matured in a combination of bourbon hogsheads and red wine casks, this is a richly texture dram packed with fruit and complex tannins. Expect blackberries and baking spices on the nose before a weighty palate of toffee and malt with a pickle of gunpowder in the finish.

This bottling is one of 10 characterful whiskies chosen to represent The Household of Macbeth. Each expression in this collectable series features character insights from whisky writer Dave Broom and specially commissioned illustrations by Sir Quentin Blake.

Both are different yet interesting. I hope we can continue to explore more from the Macbeth series in the future! 

From Macbeth Act One, there were… 

  • The Leads: Glen Grant 56 year “Old King Duncan” 48.2% (Speyside) GBP 10,000
  • The Ghosts: Cambus 31-year Single Grain “First Ghost” 43.2% (Lowland) GBP 301 – Sampled in 2024
  • The Witches: Ardbeg 19 year “First Witch” 51.7% (Islay) GBP 550 
  • The Murderers: Ledaig 18 year “First Murderer” 50.5% (Island) GBP 220 

The Thanes:

The Households:

  • Ardmore 12 year “Seyton” 52.5% (Highland) GBP 100
  • Blair Athol 10 year “Bloody Sergeant” 51.8% (Highland) GBP 95 – Sampled in 2024

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The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – Allt á Bhainne, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Dundalk Dew

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For a whisky explorer, small 20 ml bottles are a perfect way to try! Enter the Whisky Warehouse No 8 quartet – a mix of different drams that made its way from Nuremberg to Winnipeg… and then waited for more than a year for just the right evening in October 2024!

We decided to try the drams in the following order…. Some were “Yes please”, some were “Not for me”. Overall it was good fun to split between the three of us!

  • Ireland – Dundalk Dew 9 year (2009) Single Grain  58,7 %
  • Speyside –  Craigellachie 12 year (2007) 50 %
  • Speyside – Allt á Bhainne 11 year (2008) 61,5%
  • Speyside – Benrinnes 23 year (1997) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite 55.9%

We naturally started with the Irish grain, anticipating it would be a nice way to ease into our tasting set.

Dundalk Dew 9 year (June 2009 – Sep 2018) Single Grain, Bourbon Barrel Cask No W8118  58,7 %. 126 Bottles

  • Nose – Curious… it began a bit musty, then florals, some cereals, honey, opening further into cream and vanilla
  • Palate – Had a strength of character with no harshness, surprisingly balanced, uncomplicated yet imminently sippable, some bitter tart crisp apples
  • Finish – Not much but then not much was expected either

For a young grain, it was quite remarkable. There was a fresh summery quality – a nice warm weather dram where the appealing aromas follow through with a pleasant palate.

Rather a nice way to begin our evening!

We carried on with the Craigellachie – opting for a touch of sherry at a lower ABV over the Allt á Bhainne at 61.5%!

Craigellachie 12 year (Oct 2007 – Dec 2019) Olorosso Sherry Hogshead Cask No W8 900680 50,5%. 279 Bottles

  • Nose – Sour mash, apple sauce, toffee, over-ripe peaches, eases into red striped caramel hard candy
  • Palate – Bland… a bit blah actually with just generic fruit
  • Finish – Limited

Without water, it wasn’t much. The sour mash and over-ripe fruit aromas were almost overwhelming. However with water? It was a different dram entirely!

  • Nose – Is that toast and butter? Slathered in marmalade
  • Palate – Smooth honeyed sweetness
  • Finish – Lingers

As we contemplated our glasses, it was hard to think this was the same whisky! The more time in the glass, the warmer and more enjoyable it became.

Next up was another Speyside – this time from Allt á Bhainne – I believe the first I’ve tried from their distillery. Interestingly, it has a Canadian connect –  founded in 1975 by Seagrams, passing to Pernard Ricard, assigned to its Chivas Regal division, largely used in blends with a period of even mothballed for a couple of years before being re-activated in 2005.

Allt á Bhainne 11 year (Aug 2008 – Jan 2020) Garrison Bourbon Cask No W8 120815 61,5%. 72 bottles

  • Nose – Ah! Now we are talking! We were greeted by orchard fruits – crisp green apples and pears, then it shifted into chocolate and fruit – think a high-end orange peel and dark chocolate. Yum! The more it opened, the more enticing it became – strawberry and cream
  • Palate – Quite a bit of spice – not so surprising at 61.5%! Warm
  • Finish – Sweet spices of cloves and cinnamon
  • Water – Do try. Whilst it dampens the nose, it does wonders for the palate. Whilst it still has a prickle of spice, it is now more like Christmas pudding with a warm whisky sauce than hot spice!

This one really grew on us… I wasn’t sure what to expect but this dram had promise.

Last up we went to an older Benrinnes. Now I must admit, I’ve had some mixed experiences with this distillery.

Benrinnes 23 year (Oct 1997 – July 2021) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite Cask No W8 5721 55.9%. 84 Bottles.

  • Nose – Woah? Is that peat? Yup! A clean dry wood smoke – unmistakable and completely unexpected. Think apple wood chips smoldering. Also hay bales, roasted hazelnut.
  • Palate – Start well then changes, catching one at the back of the throat, unbalanced
  • Finish – More smoke
  • Water – Like the others – water is recommended. It makes it a bit more approachable

I was prepared for a great or disappointing experience. However, I was not prepared for peat. Which is a good reminder to keep an open mind and be ready to be surprised!

What about prior explorations from Whisky Warehouse No. 8? Over the last couple of years, we’ve sampled a few – with the Glencadam 8 being exceptional! Here is a short summary:

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Canada’s Shelter Point – “The Forbidden” 6 year (2021) Batch #2 47% 

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When we embarked on our Shelter Point flight, we thought the best approach would be to start with the standard as a calibration dram, then progress from grain to triple grain (blend), followed by this single malt before closing with the smoke expression.

In retrospect, we should have followed the grain with “The Forbidden”. Why? Two reasons – we didn’t initially catch this was also a grain – more precisely wheat whisky. Plus, whilst the Triple Grain was only 43%, it was bursting with character. Hence, we needed a bit of a palate cleanser before this subtle more nuanced expression – even though it had a higher ABV at 47%. Spoiler alert, for several this was the “runner up” of the evening – well worth trying!

Shelter Point “The Forbidden” 6 year Wheat Whisky (2021) Batch #2 47%

  • Colour  – Bright gold
  • Nose – Very pleasant and inviting, grassy with lots of cereals, some sea breeze with sea salt, a bit musty it then opened up to some lovely sweet warm caramel or honeyed elements
  • Palate – Very interesting and really rather nice! There was a lovely honeyed sweetness, well-rounded with a minty herbal quality too. Beneath all the sweetness and light was a touch of black pepper and that earthy element – just this time tempered to be just a hint. It also had some ground coffee beans, some cocoa beans too, and sea salt. Yum.
  • Finish – Dry, long and lingers… sliding from sweet into bitter and even a bit tart

Whilst we found it a bit hard to pinpoint exactly what part we likely best and why, we concluded this was by far the most approachable Shelter Point from our quintet flight. If you had just one Shelter Point to sip whilst unwinding, this would be a good choice.

One of our tasters remarked how much it differed from Bourbon – whilst it had the sweet caramel, somehow it differed from the typical oak, caramel, and vanilla – in a good way.

What do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

The Forbidden Batch 2 “The whisky no one knew they needed”

Shelter Point’s second Single Malt Wheat Whisky release has finally arrived. This whisky is the third different grain whisky that we have bottled. Named after our local landmark “Forbidden Plateau”, this small mountain and our whisky are similar as both shrouded in mystery. By using Wheat as the base this whisky is truly unique and unlike anything we have ever produced. This whisky was double distilled and aged in exclusively in American oak ex bourbon barrels for 6 and a half years.

Tasting Notes:

The Forbidden whisky is sweet and medicinal on the nose. The palate is full of caramel and vanilla and slightly spicy note. The satisfying finish is a delicious combination of a slight peppery note and vanilla.

Shelter Point The Forbidden Whisky Facts:

  • Still: Custom-designed copper still
  • Base: Malted Wheat (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 2x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 47% Alc.Vol
  • Bottle Size: 750ml and 375 ml

I missed “The Forbidden” 1st Batch, so when the 2nd batch became available in 2021 – even though the price had jumped to CND 45 plus taxes, I immediately grabbed one! Back then, there were several releases with the wonderfully convenient 375 ml size and the kind folks at Shelter Point let me buy online and keep with them until I had enough for them to send from BC to my folks in Manitoba. I later brought it to Germany, to open in Nurnberg in June 2024.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Cambus 29 year 52% “The Whisky Trail Retro”

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We kicked off our special “Swansong” evening celebrating whiskies that once were with a closed lowland grain distillery – Cambus. This particular cask was bottled by Elixir (aka Sukhinder Singh’s company) and was inspired by my recent experience at Paris Whisky Live with their Cambus 29 (part of Atom Brand’s Darkness range). It was a lovely nuanced fruity expression that drew one in… so I thought this might be a marvelous way to begin our journey. 

So what did we think? To start, there is the amusing “retro” label that harkens back to days gone by when Super Mario Brothers video arcade games were all the craze… a wee bit earlier than when this whisky was “born” aka 1990! This more playful approach to whisky labels was most famously done by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, but now can be found popping up in various forms all over.

However, what matters most is the liquid the bottle contains…

Cambus 29 year (1990 / 2020) ex Bourbon Cask No. 93596 52% 

  • Nose – Spirited at first, fluctuating between hay and grass, then lightly floral, an aromatic chemical, one found a bit of match-head sulfur, the sweetness of honeydew melon, then back to acetone
  • Palate – Sharp, sweet, resinous, dark shriveled Indian grape with seeds, bitter almond or hazelnut
  • Finish – For a grain, has quite a finish
  • Water – Brings out a nice nuttiness on the palate

We set it aside to sample the other two whiskies and on the return, found that the grain had softened, particularly on the palate. One even described it as having a bit of marmite added to the other elements!

What do the folks at Elixir have to say?

A 1990 Cambus single grain whisky from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, matured for 29 years in a single hogshead before being bottled in June 2020 as part of its Whisky Trail Video Games series. Aromas of fresh grass, buttery biscuits, lemon, white chocolate and oak spice fill the nose. The palate offers notes of candy apples, hazelnuts, crystalised pineapple, milk chocolate-covered honeycomb and fragrant chamomile tea.

Whilst we didn’t find all of the elements described, it was interesting… just not sure it was worth the Eur 140 price tag! (purchased this from WhiskyFass in November 2022).

We tried it together in early January 2023 in Mumbai in an evening exploring “Swansong” drams:

Curious about other tasting experiences with Cambus? Check out the following…

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Swansong – Cambus 29 year, Glenburgie 21 year, Tullabardine 29 year

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Most would be familiar with the term “Swansong” which is the final performance of what was hopefully an illustrious career! This was the theme of a very special whisky-tasting evening early January 2023 in Mumbai – all liquid that marked the “end” of a distillery or that particular “avatar” of the distillery. To make it even more interesting, all were also from “indie” bottlers – from well-established, large-scale to newer, very small-scale.

What did I pick for this carefully curated evening?

Cambus 29 year (1990 / 2020) ex Bourbon Cask No. 93596 52% (Elixir, The Whisky Trail Retro) Lowland

The most obvious example is Cambus distillery. This grain distillery had a mixed history of highs and lows, closing in 1993 with the distillery completely demolished to eventually make way for Diageo’s cooperage.

From Elixir (aka Sukhinder Singh’s continued ventures), the bottle I picked is from their “Whisky Trail Retro” series with fun “Mario gameboy” style labels. Already sold out in the UK, I managed to snag this bottle in Europe for EUR 140 (+tax/shipping). Here I must admit that I was inspired by the remarkable Cambus 29 year tasted at Paris Whisky Live.

Glenburgie 21 year 43% (Gordon & Macphail Distillery Labels) Speyside

Glenburgie is still producing whisky, however, this particular bottle came from before production stopped in 2000, with the distillery being completely rebuilt in 2003/04. Making this spirit from a previous “avatar” of the distillery. My experience with Glenburgies from this period is very positive – summery drams with warm peaches, elegant and classy.

Here I selected a bottle from Gordon & Macphail who do more than “bottle”, they also have a hand in the casks used to mature the whisky. In this case, they also have the “right” to use the distillery label. I purchased this bottle in early 2021 for Eur 110 (+tax/shipping) and have been impatiently waiting for the right opportunity to open! 

Tullabardine 29 year 47.5% (Chorlton) Highland

Last, but certainly not least! I chose to close with a whisky from Tuillabardine distillery. Again you could argue “But hey, they are still producing whisky!” And you would be (partly) correct… however the distillery was completely “mothballed” back in 1995 and wasn’t re-opened for production until 2003. 

My choice for bottler was clear – the very creative Chorlton indie bottler with his eye-catching medieval labels and consistently quality drams. This bottle was acquired in Europe for EUR 200 (+tax/shipping), certainly steeper than my usual choice, but simply couldn’t resist!

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Darkness Sherry – Mortlach, Blair Athol, Cambus

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At Paris Whisky Live 2022, the VIP section had an area dedicated to Atom Brands – best known for That Boutique-y Whisky Company which was celebrating its 10th anniversary! However, they also featured their Darkness range of intensely sherried whiskies.

Is it OK if I confess to being a bit confused about their new “Darkness” range? After all, That Boutique-y already has their well-known Whiskies, Gin, and now also rum… so why not build a twist on this? Nope! True to form, they don’t do the predictable.. instead created a completely new brand for intensely sherry whiskies – both limited edition vintage and then another line which are matured for only 8 years.

As they explain, their approach for their Limited Editions is:

Finished in Octave Casks that may have held any type of sherry wine, our Head of Whisky explores specific finishes (Oloroso, Palo Cortado, Pedro Ximenez, Moscatel or Manzanilla) chosen for their ability to enhance individual distillery characteristics.

These are unrepeatable releases that have each undertaken Darkness’ signature liquid transformation in tiny octave sherry casks.

As always, what matters most is what is in the glass! On offer in Paris was:

  • Mortlach 20 year 49% (Darkness) EUR 171 for 500ml
  • Blair Athol 18 year 49.4% (Darkness) EUR 105 for 500ml
  • Cambus 29 year 45.7% (Darkness) EUR 145 for 500ml

As it was just a sniff and swish, please forgive the light impressions… however enough to hope there will be future opportunities to explore further!

So… where did I begin? With the Mortlach naturally!

Mortlach 20 year 49%

  • Nose – A burst of flavours! Loads of sweet dry fruits, chocolate
  • Palate – Amazingly rich. Gorgeous and delicious – nothing shy about this Mortlach!
  • Finish – Resinous and rewarding, mocha

If this Mortlach was any indication, calling this an “intense” range was spot on! Stunning and well worth exploring. A mighty and most enjoyable Mortlach malt.

I then moved on to the Blair Athol….

Blair Athol 18 year 49.4%

  • Nose – Oh my! Also quite the sherry bomb! Strong sherry elements – dark fruits, nutty
  • Palate – Yum! Superb. Figs and nuts, like an indulgent chocolate bar
  • Finish – Fruity, caramel

A clear stamp of Olorosso sherry! And frankly, simply delicious.

And last but certainly not least, an aged grain from the closed Cambus distillery.

Cambus 29 year 45.7%

  • Nose – Initially quite shy, then opened up to a lovely fruit basket
  • Palate – Complex, creamy, subtly sweet
  • Finish – Soft finish

After the incredibly robust Mortlach and Blair Athol, it was quite a shift to this Cambus. However, once my senses adjusted to something softer and gentler, could appreciate the lovely nuanced character.

What an interesting trio! Whilst I miss the fun That Boutique-y Whisky Company labels can appreciate the quality of the liquid in the Darkness bottles!

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London Whisky Show – Colourful Watt Whiskies

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Back in June, I caught in Cape Town, South Africa a rather unpleasant version of COVID. It not only knocked me flat for weeks, it also robbed me of my olfactory senses – a complete disaster for a whisky aficionado!

I’ve often described the experience as akin to seeing only in shades of grey instead of a burst of brilliant rainbow colours. Gradually over the months, some sense of smell has returned but it remains muted compared to the previous clarity – where I could usually easily discern distinct elements, today it can be trickier and I often know there is something more a layer deeper that I just can’t quite penetrate or surface enough to describe. Frustrating indeed… but I’m at least grateful some sense has returned!

This brings me back to colours – in a recent impromptu tasting in Germany, I shared that when first exploring different types of whiskies, one idea is to consider what colour one would associate with that particular whisky profile? This is a great technique to start processing more creative impressions – Does it remind you of a hot and fiery red? A verdant cool green? Or more seaside in style, bringing hints of blue to the fore? What about sunshine yellow?

I’ve seen some “colour coding” before – most recently Gordon & Macphail’s discovery series uses green for ex-bourbon casks, purple for ex-sherry, and grey for peaty drams. However what if the colour wasn’t according to such strict logic?

Enter Watt Whisky – a new independent bottler started by a husband / wife duo Mark and Kate Watt in Campbeltown. As Kate shared, they both came from the industry and decided to set-up their own range with a view to bringing interesting affordable whiskies to the world. The colour approach comes from her husband’s synaesthesia, where he literally smells colours!

We were tipped off that the Paul John was worth checking out, so this was the 1st we sampled.

Intrigued by Kate’s story of how they began their independent bottler journey in challenging times (2019 then….COVID!) with this being their 1st big whisky event, we continued on to the Dunbarton 21 year followed by the Belair Athol 13 year.

We were highly tempted to continue, however, this was getting into the later stage of our whisky wanderings where you know you need to become highly selected else every impression will simply blur together, losing its magic of discovery!

Well worth exploring more another time… enjoy our quick impressions from a small sniff, swish tasting at The Whisky Show London 2022!

Paul John 4 year (2016 / June 2021) 57.1% (Watt Whisky) 1 of 279 bottles

  • Nose – So incredibly tropical – taking the normal PJ tropical fruits and ramping them up several degrees
  • Palate – Intense spice, a bit of a flavour bomb, tropical fruit bowl, chocolate
  • Finish – Ahh… there is that spice shifting into bitter
  • Water – Yes, please!

It was great trying Paul John‘s character as selected by Kate & Mark Watt. What do they have to say:

Fully matured in an underground warehouse in Goa. Tropical fruits, spices, cloves & plums.

We shifted from India back to Scotland with a discontinued Lowland distillery – Dumbarton is a Lowland grain distillery, which also housed Inverleven and Lomond malt distilleries. Previously used primarily in Ballentine’s blends, the distillery closed in 2002 and is now demolished.

Dumbarton 21 year (2000 / June 2022) 57.1% (Watt Whisky) 222 bottles

    • Nose – It started off quietly, gently unfurling, caramel, light smoke
    • Palate – Clearly a grain, what was a light peat influence on the nose became a full-fledged smoke bomb…. frankly more like sipping an ashtray
    • Finish – Closed on more smoke

Wow! I don’t know what exactly I expected. One normally thinks of Lowland grains as being either gentle or harsh alcohol. I think this may be the 1st that I’ve tried which was finished in an ex-Caol Ila Hogshead,

What do the Watt Whisky folks have to say:

Finished for 9 months in an ex-Islay cask. Light, dry smoke, butterscotch, syrupy, ashy and medicinal.

We then moved on to the Highlands with the Blair Athol 13 year (2008 / Sep 2022) 56.7% (Watt Whisky) 301 bottles.

    • Nose – Nice! Extra berry, jammy
    • Palate – Well rounded
    • Finish – Dry and peppery

What a brilliant contrast to Dumbarton! Kate shared it was matured in a Hogshead and then finished in an ex-Red wine cask.

What do the Watt Whisky folks have to say:

Rested in a red wine barrique for 16 months. Strawberries, jelly sweets and cured meats.

This pair – Dumbarton and Blair Athol – had the same coloured labels and yet could not be more different in character! Fascinating.

What fun being introduced to another interesting independent bottler. Wishing Kate & Mark the very best with their venture!

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London Whisky Show – TBWC’s Fabulous Invergordon 44 year Grain 47.6%

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I think we could be called ‘frequent flyers’ of That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s stand at the London Whisky Show. which meant we made it into being offered a ‘nip’ from Dave’s hip flask… Over the two whisky festivals, he had kept aside some extra special grains from:

  • Port Dundas 8 year old
  • North British 26 year old
  • Invergordon 44 year old
  • Cameronbridge 39 year old

We were fortunate to try an Invergordon grain – wow!!! Until this point, I had only tried Invergordon once before – a 28 year from Douglas Laing’s Old Particular series which was a bit of a mixed experience.

However, TBWC did not disappoint!

Invergordon 44 year (Aug 2018) Batch 18 47.6%, 305 bottles RRP £142.95

  • Nose – A curiosity box! Toasted coconut, roasted hazelnuts, then cream… reminding one of a frothy milky caramel coffee concoction!
  • Palate – Liquid gold! Complex, balanced, the complete package! Again… I was reminded of an indulgently sweet dessert or maybe even a Mars bar!
  • Finish – Soft yet firmly remains, long and lasting

We were completely smitten! It was such a beautiful, elegant whisky and such a remarkable to have an opportunity to try a slice of history.

What do the folks over at TBWC have to say?

We love tasty single grain whisky, which is why we were more than happy to bottle even more from the Invergordon Distillery in the Highlands! For a short while, there was a malt whisky distillery in the same complex as Invergordon, but these days Invergordon produces top quality single grain which ages in the cask very well indeed. Invergordon used to be home to some beautiful Coffey stills, so we thought we’d include a technical diagram of a Coffey still on the label of our Invergordon. A very technical, scientific and completely accurate diagram. Sort of. Look, “Coffee” sounds a lot like “Coffey”, ok?

Tasting notes

  • Nose: At first there’s warming cinnamon, hazelnut and burnt caramel, followed by hints of milky coffee.
  • Palate: A thick mouthfeel with nutty praline and wintery spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
  • Finish: The creamier flavours disappear to reveal a crisp and fresh finish with citrus and peppery flavours lingering.

Would we agree? Definitely!

And with that, our remarkable “select” journey through TBWC offerings at The Whisky Show in London, 2022 was done! With a HUGE thank you to @BoutiqueyDave both for this beauty and also for helping us explore under his guidance:

TBWC European whiskies:

TBWC Scottish drams, including two beautiful blends:

And even tried Christian Drouin’s 21 year Calvados!

Which meant we managed to work our way through 10 of the 21 bottles on offering (plus this bonus!), skipping those I had tried the previous weekend in Paris… wow!!!

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