Category Archives: Whisky General

Mumbai Malty Memory Mini-Lane… Part 1

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Years ago, I “cherry picked” special or unique whiskies from our tasting sessions to bottle up a mini. The idea was to have a bit remaining as a reference point to compare and contrast with other tasting experiences. However it didn’t take long to run out of empty 50 ml miniature bottles to store these samples. So whilst I stopped gathering “new” samples, the “old” ones sat neglected as one, two, three… five years passed!

Then on my most recent trip home, I pulled out one of my all-time favourites – Lochside (1981/2005) 43% G&MP. Remarkably it wasn’t a disaster!

Inspired by this, I pulled out all the old minis, dusted them off and dumped a few which obviously were bad. Who knew whisky could get clumpy, stain the insides of a glass bottle? Eeek!?

Experienced at revising past samples (aka operation clean house!), my tasting companions knew to have our spit bowl ready, primed to have a few awful ones amongst hopefully a few gems!

Overall it was tremendous fun and the minis hadn’t faired to badly. What did we try?

Curious how today vs yesterday compared? Skim below for our current impressions and check out the old post for what we found before!

I thought to ease us into our malty memories evening with a friendly Irish dram. I also just so happened to have two 30 ml samples set aside so more than enough for us to kick-off our evening with the same whisky.

Back in 2016 a couple gents from Hyde were in India scouting out the market, they hinted at possible plans for their own distillery. We met in a popular bar restaurant in Mumbai and spent an enjoyable evening.

Not long after their trip, they sent a gift from Ireland. Those were the days when it was still possible to send samples to India and get them through customs! Hyde still selects and blends Irish whisky, however any thoughts of setting up their own distillery are indefinitely on hold.

Don’t be duped by the deceptive pic photo bombed by our feline.. it was a full sized bottle.

Did it survive the test of time? Oh my! It did – if anything it was even better than we remembered!

We were greeted by lemons and cantaloups on the nose, green and black peppercorns – initially sharp then mellowed into a long finish with a warm heat. Quite a tasty appetizer!

We then continued with a tale of two mature Linkwoods:

What fun! Same distillery, similar years, different strength, year and Indi bottler… with some clear similarities and differences. Here are my notes for the 25 year:

  • Nose – Initially shy and subtle, calvados, stewed apples, then apple cider, generous honey, apple sauce with cinnamon – do I sense an “apple” theme here??
  • Palate – More spice than anticipated from the aromas, some tobacco leaf, slightly bitter and musty but still quite tasty
  • Finish – Long, really “sits” there and keeps you company

We also used different tasting glasses too – I finally tried my Glencairn “copita” vs our normal Glencairn glass (sorry no pic!). How did the experience compare?

  • Copita Nosing glass – Nose was sweeter, palate rounder and more balanced
  • Standard Glencairn glass – Initially enabled the aromas to come out more – with greater clarity and distinctiveness to each element, spicier on the palate

Those trying the cask strength found it much “sharper” however still displayed its character.

Diving further into the “vintage” stash, we next tackled what remained of a 35 year old from a very special evening with “Dream Drams” – those rare, aged and very unique whiskies one typically cannot afford and do not get the opportunity to try.

So how did our mini fare?

  • Nose – Pear, orange peel, hazelnuts, lightly floral, toast with butter and marmalade, vanilla, oak, hint of salt
  • Palate – Absolutely fabulous on the palate – orange chocolate, lovely mouth feel with that dash of salt just adding to the enjoyment
  • Finish – Long, lovely with a bit of beeswax, salt and don’t laugh – marmite

Wow! Incredible how much of the character remained – even after sitting in a mini for 4+ years. I checked out my old notes – it clearly did better with a bit of oxidation in the full bottle and even kept its ‘lustre’ when transferred into a mini. Yum!

Time to switch gears into something completely different!

From October 2016, we explored a rather interesting range of American drams. One lady purchased a ‘beer whisky’ which was remarkable for its unique character. She was absolutely delighted to spot the mini in the mix, having thought would never have a chance to try it again!

What did we discover in our revisit?

  • Aroma – From stout to sweet, pinesol to
  • Palate – Bittersweet, cloves, wintermint and yes – “beer-y”

It truly is a different kind of dram – most enjoyable as a kind of “hybrid” between a good beer and whisky. Far from “traditional” whisky it is worth checking out!

Whilst we sipped our beer whisky, our peaty lady opted for:

Her pronouncement? The mini had successfully survived being stored for years – yeah!

The Ileach came from a most enjoyable “Islay Iterations” evening dominated by Lagavulin and Laphroaig – including indie bottles like this one.

We thought Ghosted Reserve 21 year, No 2 42.8% would make a nice next step, however it didn’t stand the test of time… and practically “ghosted” us!

All we found was a bit of coconut oil and lemon on the nose, betel nut on the palate and not much else. Innocuous and a bit insipid. Pity. However we weren’t surprised that a couple languished after a few years.

1st strike…

One lady thought to give the Inchmurrin Madeira mini a go… Alas, what was once “OK” was – Nope! This one was abandoned and later dumped.

That made it ‘2 strikes’!

We decided to close our evening on what we hoped would be a ‘sure thing!’. This remarkable 21 year old Laphroaig was enjoyed over several evenings, years apart so I was relatively confident that the remaining mini would still be worth

It is both a Laphroaig at its best and a nod to an earlier avatar…. a more refined style which created an absolute stunner!

  • Nose – Fruity, lightly floral, fresh and green yet peaty too with that delightful ‘bacon’ we enjoy mixed with sweetness and a hint of salt
  • Palate – Delicious! Smooth as silk, elegant… we simply savoured and enjoyed

A marvellous malt and a worthy way to close an evening cracking open and revisiting past tastings together.

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Unexpected tasting trio – Kamet, James Eadie, Enlightenment

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During my last week in India, I had a special whisky reunion where I had expected to be the host sharing the whiskies – those opened recently or a wander down malty memory lane with some minis.

Instead, my fellow whisky traveller surprised us by bringing not one, not two but three unique whiskies. The first we tried knowing it was a new Indian single malt, the other two followed our original format – tasting blind.

Tasting notes will come in due course, however it truly was such a wonderful reminder of our monthly gatherings… which started a decade ago! Most of the original group have moved to different locales – Singapore, Delhi, Goa or for me, Germany. However the spirit of camaraderie and keen interest in exploring the  world of whisky remains.

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Whisky Lady – August 2021

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Ahhh…… home sweet home!!! After a series of European adventures, it was such a delight to be home in India for month! Which yes… also included a tasting or two or three!

With our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents, we took a more ‘traditional’ Scottish bent with:

Keeping the Glentauchers and Balblair aside for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai, it was joined by:

What to say about a GBP 400 dram? No doubt well crafted, but is it really worth the hype? Check out our tasting notes and decide…

Shifting gears completely, back in July, our Euro Whisky Ladies explored the Welsh Penderyn distillery‘s Dragon Range with notes published in August:

  • Myth (ex-Bourbon) 41% – A happy, lively summery dram, engaging on the nose, lovely on the palate… an easy enjoyable sipper
  • Legend (ex-Madeira) 41% – Surprisingly our least favourite of the trio… whereas we’ve enjoyed the Madeira cask Penderyn in the past… pity
  • Celt (Peat) 43% – Apples and vanilla aromas, buttery, smokey, well rounded whisky

As we reflected on this horizontal flight, we appreciated that each had apples and vanilla on the nose and a nice bitterness on the palate which gave character. It was interesting to taste a trio like this together and we loved that they came in 200ml bottles (given our limited quantity consumption!). That shared, Penderyn remains quite affordable in the whisky world and worth picking up.

We also appreciate this is a distillery with a trio of women core to their success – with an all women distilling team – Laura Davies (Distillery Manager), Aista Jukneviciute (blender), Bethan Morgans (apprentice distiller)! We have kept a bit aside to revisit once the other set makes its way to Mumbai with plans to have a call with the distillery to learn more!

I’m still catching up on all my various travel notes, however shared our first distillery visit in Sweden – to the lovely isle of Hven / Veen – home to Spirit of Hven. One of these days I will get around to sharing further details of the distillery tour experience however in the interim, here is what we tasted from Spirit of Hven:

By contrast with Penderyn, the most memorable aspect of the distillery tour was being “mansplained” throughout! Sad but true, women as whisky appreciators remain perceived as a minority or oddity despite significant evidence of highly capable women in the industry, as consumers and commentators around the world.

Next we headed to Gavle, to visit Mackmyra Distillery. Again, I will share more insights about our tour experience later, however immediately posted thoughts about our fascinating two-part tasting starting with a trio from their “Elegant” style aka without peat:

Before you get too excited about the whiskies…. be forewarned that “Reserve” means you need to own the cask! Using smaller casks, Mackmyra seems to be doing a brisk business in Sweden selling casks to consumers.

Our journey through their “Elegant” expressions was followed by their “Smoky” trio with peat aka Rök:

Whilst the expressions clearly reflected the depth and range, we overall continue to find the clean “Scandi” character using mostly Swedish oak, only local peat and a ‘freshness’ influenced by juniper… our experience reconfirmed our enjoyment of what this distillery produces.

August was a prodigious month of malty posts! Joining my Swedish travels was insights into my Parisian June jaunt where we met up with Maison Benjamin Kuentz and sampled together:

I’ve updated the notes for Aux Particles Vines as I just received further details on the 1st Edition casks – really appreciate the craft and curiosity in bringing out creative fully “French” experiences and expressions.

Not such a bad range of whisky tastings and travels! With a couple weeks leave home in India, I finally had time to catch up on writing posts too!

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

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Classic Birthday Drams

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It was a tale of two tasting groups… our marvellous Bombay Malt & Cigar gents and our fabulous Whisky Ladies. Once upon a time we would combine annually – alternating who would host the whiskies. Our last gathering was in January 2020 before the scourge of COVID ravaged our world.

However it has been impossible or rather imprudent to think of having such a gathering even as Mumbai enjoys a wee breath of respite between waves. So instead, I suggested two small separate gatherings, sharing some of the same drams.

For both, I decided to take a ‘traditional’ Scottish bent…

With our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents, we explored:

Then came the 2nd part with the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai… for it I had set aside another gift to join the Glentauchers and Balbair, leaving the Glenrothes behind for our host:

Given August was also when we started the Whisky Ladies, there was another reason to celebrate our 6th anniversary – how quickly time flies! Not with our usual format of each bringing whatever enjoyable open bottle lies at home for a merry exchange. And no group photo either as we kept in our socially distanced seating.

For those ladies who wished to join but were on the waitlist, a third evening was arranged – a month later – with samples brought back to Europe for two ladies there joined by a couple in Mumbai… because why not?

So there you have it – after a long time – evenings of celebrations with classic Scottish drams.

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Whisky Lady – July 2021

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My European adventures continued – this time to Scandi country starting on the west coast hopping over to Hven – practically touching Denmark then up to the capital Stockholm on to Gavle with Mackmyra distillery.

What a time to go to Sweden! It was such a fabulous couple of days and well worth the inconveniences of traveling in COVID times.

First up was jaunt from Gothenburg to Laholm to Veen to visit Spirit of Hven where we took a distillery tour and tasted:

Then we popped over to Stockholm and from there to Gavle for a tour of Mackmyra distillery and tasting of:

I managed to catch up on some tasting notes from my June Paris trip… which began with sharing a few drams with our Euro Whisky Ladies:

Then continued with Maison Benjamin Kuentz where we sampled:

(Tasting notes shared in August!)

However I finally got around to sharing tasting notes about a sextet from German distillery St Kilian. The original plan was to go to the distillery in November 2020 – COVID dropped that idea! Then samples were sent to those who were SUPPOSED to be there. Mine didn’t quite make it in time for the online tasting. It then took me MANY months to crack them open with friends – an interesting experience which ranged from promising to a bit perplexing. I then took even more months to try and track down via two folks I knew received the same samples for more insights. As many months had elapsed with both doing such regular tastings that the details were lost. So I hope I can be forgiven for sharing minimal insights… I’m still curious enough to want to explore more – just not the peated drams!

My month closed with a wee Penderyn virtual tasting and a flight home to Mumbai!

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

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Whisky Lady – June 2021

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Confession time – with Europe cautiously opening up again I simply couldn’t resist hopping on a train to Paris for a week!

A highlight of the trip was meeting Benjamin Kuentz, the man behind Maison Benjamin Kuentz that has enthralled us with his creations. As one Whisky Lady had hunted down the 1st edition of Aux Particules Vines, our focus was on that series joined by samples of the 4th and 5th editions. After our tasting, we were connected with a Parisian distributor who had the 3rd edition however so far the 2nd edition remains elusive!

We also avidly discussed our impression of the 2nd edition of Aveux Gourmands compared with the original – which we found more pronounced in the buttery salted caramel.

I took advantage of this trip to bring gifts of my much beloved Chorlton bottles and other samples for us to enjoy together. One evening we sat down together to try:

Before joining our Whisky Ladies in Europe, we held a virtual session exploring the quintet generously sent by the folks at The Belgian Owl.

  • Trying the spirit with Origine provided interesting insights into the underlying qualities
  • Their flagship Identité at only 3 years is friendly with delicious aromas
  • For us, the 3-year single cask Passion was the only disappointment, coming across as a bit unbalanced and ‘not quite there’ the way Identite nailed it… and curiously lacking “passion”
  • When we first tried the 4-year Evolution, we loved how it was a clear step forward from Identite, building on what we appreciated with the added maturity really augmenting the experience on the palate in particular
  • And with Intense? Remarkable! At 72.7% we thought it would be too intense – not at all!

Curious to know more? Check out a few other ’round-up’ summaries:

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Whisky Lady – May 2021

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April bled into May as COVID ravaged India. No distraction can counter how senseless and devastating the situation is… family, friends, neighbours… there are no words.

So rather than event attempt to say more, will acknowledge this ongoing human tragedy and send condolences to all directly and indirectly impacted anywhere in the world.

Shifting gears, what did we try this month? Our Whisky Ladies in Europe thought it time to crack open the quintet generously sent by the folks at The Belgian Owl. Tasting notes to come soon…

I also dug into my personal tasting notes “archive”, bringing to light a remarkable tasting evening held last september in London with Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange. As we tried 10 whiskies – yup 10! – I shared a few observations in three parts:

In Germany, I confessed to augmenting my wee whisky collection with a few Gordon and MacPhail bottles as it is no longer possible to obtain directly from the UK.

Thanks also to the intrepid persistency of a fellow Canadian in Nurnberg, she managed to track down in Vancouver a Shelter Point Artisinal Single Malt from 2020, bringing it back to Germany. Hooray!! I was so touched with her effort and kindness, bringing a wee taste of Canada to my European home.

In the meantime in France, one of our fabulous Euro Chapter Whisky Ladies went to meet Benjamin Kuentz, the man behind Maison Benjamin Kuentz that has enthralled us with his creations. She hunted down at La Maison du Whisky in Paris some earlier editions of Le Guip, Aux Particles Vines, augmented by an eagerly anticipated new edition of Aveux Gourmands. Something for an upcoming tasting!

We also have waiting in the wings another box set of minis from The Whisky Warehouse No. 8… because it is always good to have something to look forward to – particularly in these continued strange COVID times.

Curious to know more? Check out a few other ’round-up’ summaries:

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 2

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An evening with the co-founder of The Whisky Exchange – Sukhinder Singh – is truly memorable. And naturally, in additional to a fabulous meal, walking and talking with family and friends, the evening also included Whisky!

Our tasting took place at their warehouse, in an exceptional board room surrounded wall to wall with exceptional and unique whiskies. Sukhinder selected an array of different styles, vintages, cask types to explore a diverse array of interesting drams The Whisky Exchange is helping bring to our palates.

We were also introduced to a new tasting glass – 1920s professional whisky blenders – designed to concentrate aromas and flavours.

After starting with a Glen Elgin, Glenburgie and Undisclosed 45 year blend, we moved on to three quite contrasting whiskies. I will fully admit to taking scant notes, focused more on enjoying the experience! So please consider what follows more a ‘teaser’ than true tasting notes…

Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu On The Way (2019) Cask 2089 51.5% Bottle 8543 of 11000

We shifted gears completed and left behind Scotland to explore the far east.

I’ve had some interesting experiences with Chichibu – particularly a young French Oak  cask strength expression that I brought back from a trip to Tokyo many years ago.

This one did not disappoint – fruity on the nose – particularly banana, pineapple – it also had a pronounced coconut quality. And dare I say thyme? Or something with quite a honeyed herbal dimension. We also enjoyed the nice spice on the palate – still fruity with enough other things going on to make it interesting.

Interested in reading more? Check out the TWE blog.

Glentauchers 22 year (23 July 1997 / 29 Aug 2019) Bourbon Cask No 4163 46.6% (Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky / Signatory Vintage 20th Anniversary for The Whisky Exchange) 125 Bottles

Next up was a Glentauchers ex-bourbon cask. This one was quite herbaceous, malty, a bit hot, fall leaves…

Alas I could not find this exactly bottle however there is a Signatory of a similar vintage available for GBP 135.

Ben Nevis 23 year  (21 Oct 1996 / 1 Nov 2019) Sherry Butt Cask No 1479 52.7% (Highlands Single Malts of Scotland) 405 Bottles

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Ben Nevis fan, however I’m always game to explore!

This one was bursting with character on the nose and quite savoury, tangy with sweet oil on the palate. Certainly a dram of substance.

What do the folks over at TWE have to say?

A 1996 Ben Nevis single malt from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, matured in a single hogshead for more than two decades before being bottled in November 2019 as part of its Single Malts of Scotland series. Aromas of grapefruit, orange marmalade, caramel and beeswax fill the nose, with earthy, dusty undertones. The palate offers notes of fresh oak, eucalyptus, tangy citrus and tropical fruits.

What else did we try in our special evening with Sukhinder Singh? A whopping 10 whiskies! Check them out from the links below:

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An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 1

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It almost seems like a dream now… Some nine months ago I was in London and we were so fortunate to have an opportunity to enjoy an evening with Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange. Much like our last evening a few years ago on our way back from Canada, time spent with this guru of spirits is always a treat.

What did Sukhinder share that fine evening? An interesting assortment of The Whisky Exchange specials…

Glen Elgin 12 year (2007/2020) 4 casks 48% (Speyside Single Malt of Scotland – Reserve Cask Parcel No 3, Elixir Distillers), GPB 62

We started with what Sukhinder called a nice “session” dram… something to whet our appetites for coming goodies.

We found this Speyside fruity and floral on the nose, fresh, sweet… On the palate it was light, with cereals and hay… a simple, spring like easy drinking dram.

What a superb way to start!

What do they say?

A small-batch Glen Elgin single malt from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, distilled in 2007 and matured in four hogsheads for 12 years before being bottled as part of the third parcel of its Reserve Cask series. Aromas of apple cider, warm custard, figs, grapefruit, rosemary-seasoned sweet potatoes and maple-glazed pecans fill the nose. The palate offers notes of cardamom, clementine, vanilla cream, sticky toffee pudding and strawberry coulis that linger in the finish.

Glenburgie 21 year (8 Oct 1998/19 Dec 2019) Hogshead Cask No 90887, 59.4% (Speyside Single Malt of Scotland) 298 bottles

We then moved on to a bright Glenburgie. I will admit that I am quite a Glenburgie fan – I love its elegance, often finding summer peaches with joyful aromas and on the palate? Yum!

Back when Downton Abbey was airing and yes – I will admit to indulging in watching it like a guilty pleasure – I once quipped with the lads at The Whisky Exchange that Glenburgie is for me the “Downton Abbey” of whiskies.

Clearly I have esteemed company as Sukhinder shared how he finds it often under estimated.

Alas the exact cask we sample no longer is available, however I had my eye on this one for GPB 120… and then… oh yeah… Brexit made it impossible to send to Germany… sigh…

So I contented myself with acquiring a 21 year Gordon and MacPhail distillery label edition. After all, what’s a lass gonna do when having a hankering for a fine summery dram?

Speyside Blended 45 year (1973/2019) Sherry Cask 45.1% 549 Bottles, GBP 399

Next up was a wonder. A rare aged treat with a “mere” 45 years to its credit.

And the aromas and taste? Wow! Fruity, rich without being heavy, clear sherry stamp both in aroma and palate. Simply delicious!

What a beautiful autumnal dram, the kind of mature, classic, complex whisky you imagine slowly sipping and savouring while sitting in a leather armchair of an old family library, full of dusty books, a thick carpet, relaxing in warmth from the fireplace.

Shhhh….. we understand it is nearly completely Glenfarclas with a touch of another Speyside distillery to bottle undisclosed as a “blend”.

What do they say?

Released at Whisky Show 2019 as part of our Magic of the Cask series, this 1973 Speyside blended malt has been matured in a single sherry butt for 45 years, before being bottled in 2019. Aromas of brown sugar and fruitcake open on the nose, followed by brown bread with butter, maraschino cherries, raisins, cinnamon-baked apples, dried mango and rich, earthy aromas. The palate offers notes of toasted oak, baked apples, sultanas, bitter char, soft spice and light fruitcake.

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An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 3

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The last set we sampled with Sukhinder Singh were decidedly peaty from Highland to Islay and back to the Highlands.

It was a fitting close to an evening of remarkable drams – showcasing bottles having a special connection with the company started over 20 years ago by two brothers which lead to The Whisky Exchange and its many supporting and complementary brands and enterprises.

Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 9 year (June 2010 / July 2019) Single Cask 2493 55.3% (TWE) 1 of 121 Bottles

Loch Lomond’s Highland distillery plays around with different labels – from Croftnegea to Inchmoan to Inchmurrin. This particular bottle was bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange in 2019.

What did we think?

  • Nose – A distinctly autumnal dram, leafy supported by fruits
  • Palate – A curious mix of bitter and sweet, fruity too

What more do we know? Only the TWE tasting notes:

Soft aromas of ripe apricots, plum, quince and vanilla fill the nose. The palate offers notes of banana, mango, honey and peach cobbler that lingers in the finish.

You won’t find a full bottle of this so easily, however last check you could still get a sample for GBP 5.45.

Port Askaig 12 year (Spring 2020) 45.8% 

This wasn’t my first brush with Port Askaig – I first was introduced to an interesting trio at Whisky Live Singapore in 2017. I knew Port Askaig was a special ‘project’ of Sukhinder and his brother, creating a distinctive brand as a precursor for the ultimate dream of setting up a new distillery in Islay.

What about this particular edition? It greeted us with a lovely peaty aromas, cinamon toffee sweet on the palate. Quite enjoyable.

What do the folks at The Whisky Exchange have to say?

The 2020 Spring Edition of Port Askaig 12 Year Old has been made with 18 ex-bourbon hogsheads from both 2006 and 2007, creating a perfect balance between sweetness and smoke. The palate offers notes of lemon sherbet, peach, sooty smoke and toffee, with hints of barbecued lemons and fresh mint lingering in the finish.

When we sampled it, this whisky was available at The Whisky Exchange for GBP 65.95.

Between the Port Askaig and the last whisky, we snuck in a quick nip from Elements of Islay – a special series dedicated to exploring different distilleries from Islay. Launched in 2006, each distillery has a “code”, however beyond that, there is no indication of age or vintage to prevent any distraction from discovering the flavour. So you could be sipping a young five year old or a 30 year old.

Which one did we try? Peat & Sweet 55.2%… which we found it was distinctly “khatta meetha” (sour and sweet) with juicy berries and of course peat! And yet completely balanced in the different elements.

Ballechin Heavily Peated 15 year (1 April 2019 / 2 May 2003) Sherry Cask No 204, 55% TWE 20th Anniversary 482 Bottles

Ballechin is another name for Edradour in the Highlands – representing the “peaty” line. We  closed with a whisky that was clearly a “two for one” deal! It was an incredibly robust sherry on the aromas and full fledged peat on the palate – truly flavour packed and intense.

After sampling so many whiskies, I will admit to not jotting down any further tasting notes, however when I read what Billy Abbott shared, it “rang” true! Unfortunately if you are tempted to track it down, it is no longer available except on whisky auction sites!

What did the folks at TWE have to say?

Made in 2003 at Edradour distillery, this 15-year-old Ballechin single malt has been matured in a single refill sherry butt, before being bottled in April 2019 to celebrate The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary. A heavily-peated Highland whisky, it has rich aromas of dark chocolate, treacle, earthy peat smoke and roasted coffee beans. The palate offers notes of sugared almonds, cocoa, coffee, peat and soft fruits, before a lingering, smoky finish.

Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

  • NOSE – Dried cherries, plump raisins and rich, leathery notes lead. Smokiness sits at the centre, a mixture of charred oak, coal and thick, savoury peat smoke, with a touch of singed roast beef. Fruit builds, with more cherries and raisins joined by mixed peel and wood-roasted apples. Bandage and sticking-plaster medicinal notes sneak out through the gaps in the dense aromas, with a touch of bittersweet, grown-up chocolate brownie to follow.

  • PALATE – Rich and thick, with chocolate sauce and cherry jam interleaved with layers of rich earth and leather. Burnt raisins sit at the core surrounded by tingling menthol and aniseed notes, all balanced by raisin jam and black liquorice sweetness.
  • FINISH – Tar and leather are joined by blackcurrant jam, dark mint-chocolate chips and cherry jam spread thickly on black bread.
  • COMMENT – A beast of a dram, with waves of sherry oak teeteringly balanced against Edradour’s intensely peated spirit.

So there you have it! Quite an exceptional array of whiskies – ranging in character from delicate and nuanced to robust and lively! Truly a special evening…

What else did we explore that night with Sukhinder Singh?

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