Category Archives: Whisky Type

The Whisky Exchange Exclusives at London’s Whisky Show 2023

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The Whisky Exchange are the folks behind London’s Whisky Show 2023. So how could we wander out the doors without sampling at least a pair of whiskies bottled exclusively for them? It would be sacrilege, right?

However what to pick from a plethora of options? We decided to contrast young with old, unfamiliar with familiar, affordable with aspirational!

Let’s start with the newbie… Dalmunach from Speyside. Dalmun whaat you may say? You can be forgiven for not instantly recognizing this new distillery founded by Chivas Brothers (aka Pernod Ricard). Built in 2014 by the River Spey on the site of the demolished Imperial Distillery, it is not even 10 years old! Which, as we know, in Scottish whisky terms is barely a toddler! Interestingly, Douglas Cruickshank led this build, and, having previously worked at the Imperial Distillery, tried to preserve some elements of Imperial’s design features. How that translates into the whisky experience is yet to be fully understood.

Dalmunach 6 year old “The Wulver Edition” 60% for ~GBP60

So what about this young upstart dram? I’ve got “yum” written all over! Peaches and cream, mocha and butter biscuits, some orchard perfume on the nose. And for the palate? More depth than expected, a nice nuttiness accompanies the fruits – now more like apple sauce than fresh crunchy apples plucked from a tree. It finishes with a dusting of sweet cinnamon spice. Dee-lish!

What more do we know about this particular bottling? It was matured in American oak barrels and is The Whisky Exchange’s 1st edition Dalmunach. As they put it, the label was inspired by the Wulver:

a fearsome yet benevolent figure said to fish along the shorelands of the Shetland Isles.

Though it was just a small sniff and swish, I will keep my eye out for more opportunities to explore Dalmunach expression further!

And the other end of the spectrum? We knew what to expect with Glenfarclas.

Glenfarclas 25 year “The London Edition” (2023) 50.5% GBP 300

The aroma was a lovely dry sherry, quite nutty, joined by vanilla cream on top of a warm pumpkin pie. On the palate, it was full and robust – some oak joining the Christmas pudding. There was also some salted caramel, and found it both buttery and jammy. It had a darker finish with a hint of coffee bitterness. What a fabulous reminder of why we are rather partial to Glenfarclas!

Here is what the folks at TWE have to say:

Made at Glenfarclas distillery and matured in oloroso sherry casks for a quarter of a century before being bottled to celebrate The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary. Aromas of meadow flowers, baked apples, barley sugar and buttery brioche fill the nose, developing into earthy coffee and sweet raisins. The palate opens with notes of fruit cake, salted caramel and rich oak, developing buttery pastry, raisins and fruity espresso flavours and dry waxiness.

This bottle features a specially-created label, designed by our creative director Raj Chavda to pay tribute to London’s vibrant hospitality industry.

What fun! I made a mental note to try to get to The Whisky Exchange exclusives earlier in the day next year… though closing with choice options like we did in 2023 also worked!

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Aberlour without sherry? Could it be true?!

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“How many drams do you have still in you?”

That was how we were greeted when we reached one of the whisky stands late in the day at  London’s Whisky Show 2023, It was a legitimate question. There is a point where whiskies and impressions begin to blur, and appreciation of the one becomes challenging in the cacophony of the many.

However, the temptation to keep exploring was strong and I am so glad that we did not miss the Aberlour stand. I was recently reminded of how enjoyable their Sherry Bomb A’Bunadh is, so was rather intrigued by their new line of ex-bourbon casks – with no sherry in sight!

We were in excellent hands as Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank guided us through a lovely pair which led to a 3rd option too!

Aberlour A’bunadh Alba ex Bourbon Batch 7 58.9%

Much as I enjoy a good sherry-matured whisky, my heart falls for a brilliant ex-bourbon! The A’bunadh Alba was fruity, honeyed, a touch of vanilla on the nose – basically the kind of nuanced sweet that gets me every time. On the palate, I found pineapple – bringing a bit of zip and zing! It was nicely rounded and closed with a sweet slightly peppery finish. My last scribble? “Super fab!” So… clearly I enjoyed this one!

What do the folks at Aberlour have to say?

Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh Alba is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. Abunadh Alba is matured in ex American Oak resulting in an aroma of ripe red apples, along with honey, vanilla and a hit of cinnamon. Abunadh Alba is bottled at cask strength resulting in a sweet whisky with a creamy texture.

Aberlour 18 year Sherry Cask Finish Batch 1 48%

Then from ex-bourbon, we shifted back into the traditional Aberlour territory of sherry. Here I found plums, toffee, and all the lovely sherry elements of dried fruits, berries, and sweet spices. On the palate, the dried fruits carried through – particularly dried figs, more toffee, and sweet Christmasy spices – especially cinnamon, can also see the oak influence. I’ll be honest, I wish I had more time and quantity to slow down with this one. Here my closing note was “Comfort food!”

I tried to find out more on their website, however, it doesn’t seem that the 2023 expression has further details published yet. We understand it began with American and European oak casks and then it was finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. 

Aberlour Casg Annamh 48%

My immediate reaction was – what a wonderful classic sherry Speyside whisky! It simply had the perfect balance between all the expected elements. I particularly enjoyed the liquorice – which I had found in either the ex-bourbon or mature 18-year-old just experienced.

As my notes stopped at this point, I thought to see what more the good folks at Aberlour have to say about this new expression? 

Translating as ‘Rare Cask’ in Gaelic, Casg Annamh is created from a limited number of carefully selected casks. These Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks/butts have a significant influence on the non-chill filtered liquid and perfectly complement Aberlour’s distillate flavour, bringing sweet and rich notes. Casg Annamh is a distinctively rich Single Malt providing adventurous malt lovers with the ideal introduction to Sherry cask matured whiskies.

  • Nose – Rich and sweet with fruity notes of tangy orange, glazed cherries, raisins and a hint of ginger. 
  • Palate – Sweet and fruity flavours of apple and cinnamon crumble and ripe peaches balanced with spicy notes of liquorice and cloves.
  • Finish – Long and rich. Fruity with a touch of dry spice.

It retails in the UK for a very reasonable GBP 65.

What a treat to spend a bit of time with Graeme and be introduced to three lovely whiskies. Thank you London Whisky Show 2023!!

Are we Aberlour fans? Yes! Over the years we have enjoyed :

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” with The Organic, Caol Ila + Ardcore

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Winnipeg’s The Cabinet whisky-tasting group literally has a special cabinet in which the club’s whisky bottles are locked when not in session.

This particularly wintery evening in November was focused on exploring “Alternative Islay” expressions – one new bottle for all of us, the balance opened. Which I augmented with a couple more!

What kicked off the theme was a distinctive Bruichladdich – part of their Organic line with very specific terroir – declaring the barley comes from Mid Coul Farms, Dalcross, Inverness. This wasn’t my first flirtation with The Organic. The last was nearly a decade ago, also featuring barley from Mid Coul Farms – previously Coulmor Mains of Tullibardine Farms.

Bruichladdich’s The Organic 2010 8 year 50% 

  • Nose – Citrus, some yogurt – actually lemon yogurt, some fresh hay shifting to cereals then bread, was that tinned pineapple too?
  • Palate – Fruity but also initially a bit sharp, and peppery, then it mellows out and grows on you… what was yogurt on the nose became cream on the palate with the citrus joined by apple sauce. Yet there was also something a bit oaky, lightly malty, and a bit of salty fudge
  • Finish – Didn’t stand out
  • Water – Why yes, don’t mind if I do! It rounds it out quite nicely, softening any remaining sharpness

It was a good place to begin… Nothing complicated or intense, it was just a pleasant way to ease into Islay. It was unpeated, matured in American oak casts, and – call it the influence of the name – had quite an “agricultural” feel. At least that’s my impression and I’m sticking with it!

From there we moved on to two Chorlton bottles – an Ardmore and Staoisha – these beauties deserved their own posts! (hint click on the links). But now, on to the next…

North Star’s Caol Ila 12 year (2006) 54.6%

I then brought out the third whisky I brought with me – just a small 100 ml that remained from this lovely North Star single cask Caol Ila at cask strength.

It was fitting for the theme as it was Caol Ila yet definitely not your standard “Original Bottling”. I’m not even going to attempt proper tasting notes. You can check out my earlier experience here.

What I can share, is that oxidation did a rather nice job polishing off any rough edges. What remained was a silky smooth liquid, soft and mellow, with some lovely nuances. I could definitely find the boiled sweets its indie bottler Ian describes, much more than heavy peat. And yet the peat was there too – just subtle.

Lovely lip-smacking stuff!

Here is where I openly admit, once upon a time, I was a punk rock chick. Yup. The spiky hair, creative shaved patterns, the clothes, and all that. Hey, it was the 80s! So anything truly punk is legitimately familiar territory. Which is why when something comes along claiming to be edgy and anti-establishment but is instead, well, insipid… Sigh…

For something so hyped up, it was surprisingly gentle – much more so than a core expression. My notes were embarrassingly scant.

Ardbeg’s Ardcore “Punktured” (2022) 46% – A revisit for the Cabinet lads, new for me!

  • Nose – Sour, some toast?
  • Palate – Sweet, rather benign or innocuous, a bare hint of smoke, maybe some milk chocolate or malt?
  • Finish – Cinnamon

Don’t get me wrong. If I was tasting it blind and didn’t know it was Ardbeg, I would find it quite pleasant. My guess would be it was 40% (not 46%) and whilst there was light peat, it was the sweet and sour that came through more.

However, this was Ardbeg – known for its bold expressions. And the most shocking aspect? It was purchased for around CAD 250? Oh my!

What else did we try in our “Alt Islay” evening in Winnipeg?

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Chorlton – Staoisha 8 year 59.9%

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I will openly admit I have a mixed relationship with peat. In the heat of India, I tend to shy away from peaty drams, preferring something lighter and more in keeping with the summery warm climate. Whereas in the cool of a Nurnberg fall or Winnipeg winter, a dash of peat can just hit the spot… or not!

This particular dram – the Staoisha 8 year (2021) 59.9% – was sampled with different companions and also solo, in three different places. Showing context can be everything!

1. Germany’s Schottland Forum Whisky Weekend Getaway

  • Nose – Red delicious apple skins, sweet grass, some maritime elements
  • Palate – Dry and ashy, yet not overpowering
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns

My tasting companion was not impressed. I was a bit more open however agreed that next to the dizzying array of fine drams sampled over the weekend, this one did not shine.

2. A quiet evening in Nurnberg, Germany just me, myself, and I

What a difference a different environment makes! I brought this home and splashed a little in a glass one cool rainy Nurnberg evening.

  • Nose – Buttery banana bread – like straight from the oven then slathered in butter, joined by some salty maritime breeze
  • Palate – Very dry, smokey with initially some sharpness, then mellows into the glass with a briney almost minerally element, underneath grew a hint of mocha
  • Finish – Still ashy, yet sweetens
  • Water – Oh yum! Yes, this makes all the difference! Softens the peat, and amps up the sweetness…starts with some citrus joining the nose, the ash subdued, the fires banked, and now there is a lovely cinnamon finish too!

Would this be my “go to” dram? No. But I could see how those who enjoy different peaty styles could gravitate towards it.

3. A wintery white evening in Winnipeg, Canada with The Cabinet lads

Was I a bit trepidacious in bringing this offering? Certainly.  Whilst I knew these gents enjoy coastal styles and peat, one simply never knows what will be considered a “hit” and what will be considered a “miss.”

  • Nose – Banana, or more precisely banana bread, quite coastal, as it opened, the smoke gave way to sea breeze and sweeter fruitier elements. Then after some time, I found salted roasted peanuts. Yum.
  • Palate – Ashy? Yes. Dry? Yes, that too. But also so much more. There is full flavoured reward with every sip.
  • Finish – Mmmmm a lovely cinnamon close
  • Water – Take your pick! I prefer it with, others without. Either works!

After the remarkable Ardmore 12 year old, I even more feared this Staoisha would pale by comparison. Nope. It more than held its own. Brilliant! It was even the pick of the evening for one Cabinet lad. Which made bringing the wee 200ml sample bottle worth it!

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

And next we have an 8-year-old Staoisha – this is peated spirit distilled at Bunnahabhain on Islay, and matured in a first-fill barrel.

On pouring you get such a distinct aroma of banana bread (albeit peat-smoked banana bread…), it’s really quite something! As it settles in the glass that recedes into the background, leaving a clean, coastal smokiness: pine smoke, herbs, sea air and a touch of vanilla from the cask. Fruitiness develops too, with lemon sweets and a tinned pineapple cube. Just the one.

The palate is bigger and smokier than the nose: ashy peat, barbecue smoke, salt & pepper, and maybe a kipper. Just the one. There’s very definite sweetness too, and quite a creamy mouthfeel. It develops on almond paste and lemon cream, before a long, smoky finish with little bits of tangerine fruitiness. With water it’s lime-clean, fruity and smoky – perfect!

Lovely spirit, this. It even reminded me of the recent Lochindaal in a few places which is no bad thing. I’m happy to have some younger stock for future years, and I hope at least some is being put into refill wood for the long haul so we’ll all have something to entertain us in our dotage!

Whilst this was from his December 2021 releases, I missed being able to purchase directly from David. So was delighted in June 2022 when it finally became available in Europe from Whisky.base (NL) for EUR 79 plus shipping and tax.

Here are a few more from La Nouvelle Vague series:

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Chorlton – Ardmore 12 year 60.7%

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After years, I was back in my hometown of Winnipeg for my birthday. Unless I’m mistaken it would have been 21 years since I last celebrated in Canada – a fine whisky age!

Which brings me to this particular Chorlton… Knowing that I would be joining The Cabinet for an evening of whiskies the day after my birthday, I decided to bring two whiskies this time. One for the coastal peaty lads (Staoisha) and one just because it piqued my curiosity.

And naturally, as there were no rules about only bringing closed bottles, I decided to open this the night before and share with my Aunt and Uncle who have their own whisky-tasting group in Fort Francis, together with friends who enjoy a good dram or two. It was a marvelously malty and merry way to celebrate together after years!

And why did this particularly Ardmore grab my attention? It was matured in a refill barrique that (so David was told) originally held sherry. And turned out to be a bit leaky… leading to a concentrated combination of sherry and peat. Over the years, I’ve had a few Ardmores, mostly from independent bottlers, and find they range from gentle balanced peat to more powerful stuff!

I didn’t take tasting notes on my birthday but recall most of the reactions tended towards “tasty stuff!” And quite a serious dent was made in the bottle… sorry lads!

Ardmore 12 year (2022) 60.7% 196 Bottles

  • Nose – Mmmmm… a lovely dark coffee aroma, some leather… later joined by smoked meats and maple. Yum! Definitely a “sniffing” dram – one where the warm sweet peat aromas always rewarded
  • Palate – Quite dry at first, it rolled around the palate with rich flavours, pepper and peat, more smoked meat and sweet chocolate, gorgeous, rich, and rewarding
  • Finish – Lingers
  • Water – Oh lovely stuff, rounds out

For some, it was perfect “as is” with the intense elements needing no dilution. For others, a splash of water opened it up, bringing out the fruity side, softening and rounding the approach.

For me, the peat was a bit “peek-a-boo” in character. At times it was quite pronounced – particularly on the palate. And then wait a bit to find that sweet led the way with only a hint of peat.

Put simply – this Ardmore was simply delicious! It was one indulgent dram. Best enjoyed slowly, take a sip, savour the aromas in the glass, and chat some more before returning to the glass. I probably could have spent the entire evening just with this one!

Most importantly, I was so happy to be able to share this Chorlton in Winnipeg!

And what does David have to say?

The nose is a balance of sweet, savoury and smoky. Honey-roast ham, sweet tobacco, hazelnut nougat and maybe a hint of a wee kipper. In the background there are touches of dark chocolate and coffee, and some slightly waxy and medicinal bits and bobs (coal tar, for sure). Adding water makes everything softer, with this almost bubblegum fruitiness popping up, something that I’ve found in a few Ardmores (possible it’s just me!).

The palate is more peaty than you’d expect from the nose, with a thick mouthfeel. Salt and pepper at first, then honey on salted-buttered toast, smoked rye, dark chocolate and orange, and liquorice root.

Really characterful stuff, this, with the cask adding just enough richness and sweetness to round everything off nicely. Annoyingly we only got 196 bottles from this cask at 60.7%, but they’re still available here for a reasonable £69.50 each.

And no David, you were not alone in finding the bubble gum fruitiness with water!

Whilst released by Chorlton as part of David’s La Nouvelle Vague in December 2022, I waited until it became available via WhiskyBase in Europe. Which meant I purchased it in July 2023 for Eur 73 plus tax + shipping. In my books – this is quite reasonable for such a rare and interesting whisky!

What about other Ardmore experiences?

And here are a few more Chorlton La Nouvelle Vague series:

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” Evening

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Winnipeg is where I grew up. It is also where I was first introduced to whisky. So it is fitting that in my wintery November trip home, I took some time out to enjoy a dram or two with Winnipeg whisky aficionados – aka having a small guest appearance at The Cabinet.

Whilst the lads normally sample 3 to 4 whiskies, I kind of derailed that plan by bringing three! I also disrupted the theme by bringing a lightly peated Highland into the mix of Islays – however, the Ardmore was just too special and simply had to be shared!

What did we try?

Waiting in the wings was an open Laphroig, however, we were clearly not up for the challenge of a 6th whisky! Which is a good thing – as moderation in malts is best.

Over the course of two hours, we made our way through the five whiskies and cheese, giant grapes, and taco chips. The conversation flowed with tales of travel adventures, film, and fiction, and as the whisky glasses clinked, time slipped away in the sheer enjoyment of a good dram or two with fellow appreciators.

And just like that, our wintery Winnipeg evening over whisky was over. Thanks again for the hospitality!

PS – Check out The Cabinet‘s take on our evening together here: Alt Islay. Thanks again gents!

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Glen Grant 5 year old (1975) – a remarkable “old” whisky with a “young” vintage

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The Glen Grant is a Speyside distillery that produces two ends of the spectrum: mass-market affordable and accessible expressions like The Major’s Reserve (recently sampled as a calibration dram) to exceptionally rare and exclusive releases such as the 70-year-old “Devotion” tribute to Queen Elisabeth II, with only seven bottles in the world!

Even more remarkable, their Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm, has worked 62 years in the Scotch whisky industry! He shares:

“Our younger [expressions] have a nice surprise. They are a voyage of discovery. But the older ones are more soft, gentle, and sophisticated. And I think that’s the same with people. As you get older, you get softer, more fragile, more delicate, I suppose. Spirits are the very same.”

I had the great fortune to try a couple on the very mature side – a 60 year and  64 year. Yet euqally have heard remarkable things about some of the “young” in vintage yet “old” in age expressions.

This is why I had my eye on a special Italian release Glen Grant 5-year-old from the 1970s at London’s The Whisky Show for my Dream Dram token! Alas, it turned out it was not available, so imagine my amazement and delight to discover a bottle at a special Schottland Forum weekend getaway – wow!

There was only a little remaining, so I took only the smallest of splashes so others could also experience something so rare! What did I find?

Glen Grant 5 year (1975) 40% (Italian release)

  • Colour – Pale straw
  • Nose – A fresh, clean aroma, a hint of lemons, elegant with light notes of heather and honey. Young? Of course! Yet has a lovely warm quality with vanilla and something a bit nutty and creamy too after the 1st sip
  • Palate – Oh wow! Very waxy, with some apples and herbal elements, something almost a touch “off”, and yet also smooth, reminded me a bit of cider
  • Finish – A hint bitter, quite short

The aromas were vintage yet fresh, really quite entrancing. I could have spent time just nosing and nosing! However, the palate wasn’t quite to the same caliber. Given it was a mere five years maturing in oak casks – from nearly 50 years ago – I think we can cut it some slack! I was tempted to pour another splash to explore further… however restrained myself and moved on to the next dram.

Naturally, for something so rare, you can only find it in auctions and specialty dealers. I have no idea how much it could be – however, spotted a 2014 auction for Eur 200. Given that was nearly 10 years ago and prices for rare whisky have sky-rocketed, I am even more grateful for the opportunity to experience it.

For such a giant in the whisky industry, I’ve only sampled a few Glen Grant over the years with:

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – New Core Range

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No Whisky Show is truly complete without the dynamic duo of Dave Worthington & Sam Simmonds. That Boutique-y Whisky Co is just a “must go”! 

At London’s 2023 Whisky Show, you could spend the entire day at their wee stall! This year, they introduced their new core range along with three different features:

  • Land of Oz
  • American
  • Cinema expressions

We somehow managed to stick with just a partial sampling of the Core Range, Oz, and Cinema… however that took rather a large amount of restraint!

Starting with the World Whisky Blend (fabulous and affordable!), the good folks at Atom Brands aka That Boutique-y Whisky Co, decided it was time to have something a bit more regular and dependable for fans. Shifting from 500ml bottles of unique expressions with sometimes only 100+ bottles in existence where you could “blink” and they are gone, their new core range can be found in “industry standard” 700ml bottles, all at a traditional strength of 45.8% in batches of approx 1,000 liters, with the intention of being much more accessible.

Naturally, there had to be something a bit cheeky about the approach with Emily Chappell’s labels! With a nod to traditional scotch whisky which often featured deer… in this case, the age of the deer was linked to the age of the dram… except of course for the Canadian whisky, it simply had to be a moose! Dave also shared the bottle colours are meant to reflect the northern lights too. 

Which was exactly where we began, the good Canuck that I am! 

Canadian Corn 8 year 45.8% (GBP 38)

Big bold and sweet aromas, caramel toffee sweetness, nutty, and more! And on the palate? Even more of that dramatic desert with some cracking ginger spice. Yet even with all the big bold aromas and flavours, it was in harmony and not overwhelming. A fun, fabulous sweet treat with a punch.

What more do we know? It was matured in 100% Oloroso casks. As for official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Fruity muffins, buttery oak, opening up into sherried goodness: raisins, prunes, dates, drizzles of runny toffee and toasted nuts.
  • Taste – Big, bold, and fruity! Toffee ripple ice cream, wafer, and popcorn join toasted almonds and cooked peach, white cracks of black pepper nestle in the depths.

Where did we go next? We then shifted to the oldest offering in this new core range – the 30-year-old blended grain!

Blended Grain 30 year 45.8% GBP 75

As bold and youthful as the Canadian corn was, we shifted to a genteel dame with the blended grain. On the nose, it was a friendly ‘breakfast dram’ with delicious buttery pastries, honey, and a hint of marmalade, some cream with vanilla. Then on the palate? Soft, even creamier, and far too easy to drink. This one was dangerous in its deceptively easy style. Yum!

What more do we know? It is a blend of refill casks of ex-Bourbon hogsheads and ex-Sherry octaves. As for tasting notes?

  • Nose – Honeycomb, red grapes, immensely buttery biscuits or shortbread, waxy orange peel, polished oak and a touch of floral spring breeze.
  • Palate –  Thick, textured with rich butterscotch, freshly baked cookies with still-soft chocolate chunks, hints of cedar and white pepper in the finish.

Next up was the Speyside….

Speyside 12 year 45.8% GBP 45

If the Canadian was big and bold, the Grain genteel and intoxicating, the Speyside was a sherry delight with substance!

On the nose, we found crunchy chocolate caramel with roasted nuts, some fruity sweetness too, and a puff of smoke. It had real substance on the palate – this was no lightweight! Warm and full of classic sherry dark fruits combined with a hint of salt. Far too drinkable too!

What more do we know? It is a combination of all-new Oloroso casks.. with the official tasting notes:

  • Nose – Caramelised nuts and chocolate mousse, flamed orange peel, cinnamon, earthy density, punchy cassia, and smoky oak.
  • Taste – Fruity, chewy and spicy. Tangy cranberry, salty jerky, oily walnuts, an absolute belter of a Speyside whisky. Complex and quaffable.

We held off on checking out the Highland 18 year and Islay 8 year. I’m sure they are equally worth checking out. Our overall conclusion for the trio we tried is that each is, in its distinctive way, simply too easy to drink. Which I supposed is exactly what they were aiming for with this more accessible range – bravo!

What next? Well… join me as we dive into a selection from Australia!

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Dream Dram – Adelphi’s Miltonduff 40 year old 50.4%

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We were on the quest for a “Dream Dram” at London’s Whisky Show 2023… which meant we simply had to prioritize getting to the folks from Adelphi. 

Folks who know me well, know that I have a soft spot for several independent bottlers. I appreciate the hard work that goes into creating a whisky, yet equally appreciate those who aspire to pre-select unique, sometimes quite rare special bottles. Before they opened their Ardnamurchan distillery, these folks were known for bringing out some exceptionally rare remarkable drams.

This is why I knew I was in good hands with my top choice for Dream Dram – the Miltonduff 40 year old!  Our guide shared how it was matured in refill Bourbon hogshead, enabling the flavours to slowly ease into the liquid gold.

Miltonduff 40 year (1982) 50.4% (Adelphi) GBP 700

Incredibly elegant with a beautiful, delicate nose, lightly floral with orchard fruits. And on the palate? It was effervescent, almost sparkling like a bubbly champagne! Bright, oaky spice, with more apples & pears, creamy and even a hint grassy….. The finish was equally elegant, though from our simple light sips, not so long.

We didn’t even notice the relatively high cask strength for a 40 year old! Only later did I observe this must have meant very little escaping into the angel’s share. Perhaps that contributed to the sparkling quality we found!

I had planned to return to explore whiskies from their distillery – Ardnamurchan – however, alas we didn’t manage to make it back! One simply can’t do everything at a show!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Glenfarclas, Aberlour x 2, Glendronach

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky group is on a roll! After kicking off with the delightful Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery series, and then exploring the impact of cask finishes with Glenmorangie and Cragganmore, we decided to go big and bold with a focus on sherry bombs!

We didn’t have a calibration dram, so the remainder of the Gordon & Macphail’s Aultmore 10 year 43% made the rounds of the table… I may need to pick up something simple and affordable to keep on hand for future sessions!

And then we got down to sherry business! We decided to start with a special Germany-exclusive Glenfarclas 12 year before moving on to the Aberlour 16 year, then taking a small peat and sweet detour with the cask strength Benromach, before closing with another cask strength whisky – the Aberlour A’Bunadh. It was a good choice to anchor with a pair of Aberlour’s and contrast with two additional distilleries.

Curious to read what we discovered? Read on here….

And what is next for our Nurnberg tasting group? In October, we plan to focus closer to home with a few drams from Germany – I can’t wait! Then in November, we’re tentatively thinking of checking out a few Indian whiskies, nicely timed around Diwali. Fun fun fun to come!

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