Whisky Show 2023 – Lindores Abbey, Balvenie, Helsinki, Meikle Toir

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Call this the “Odd Bins” section of my London’s Whisky Show 2023 tasting notes. Part of the fun of exploring whiskies with a regular tasting companion is the convergence and divergence of tasting experiences. 

I had an opportunity to introduce a new Lowland distillery – Lindores Abbey – to my tasting companion, building on my experience from a Masterclass at The Messe in Nurnberg.

Equally, my companion shared the craze around the latest Balvenie 19 year “A Revelation of Cask and Character” which had completely sold out in London over the hype! 

We also found ourselves distracted near the end of our day together with a detour to Helsinki, Finland before settling on our final dram of the day – GlenAllachie’s new peat expression Meikle Toir!

Ready to join us on our wanderings? Warning – none are proper tasting notes, instead mere documentation of our tasting travels…

We began with a newer Lowland distillery with their latest limited release. Their first “The Friar John Cor” expression sold out immediately! I had a chance to try at The Village in Nurnberg earlier in the year, but was suffering so much from dental issues that I headed practically straight home after the Lindores Abbey masterclass. 

Lindores Abbey The Friar John Cor “The Cask Strength Congregation” Chapter 2 Bourbon, STR & Peated Rum casks 60.9% 

I skipped tasting this new The Friar John Cor however was happy my companion tried both their core expression and this one. At cask strength, it could pack a punch however my tasting companion found it surprisingly approachable. It took a whiff and thought it had a lovely sweetness with some earthy peat elements too. This comes from the cask combination of ex-bourbon, STR, and peated rum casks.

The Balvenie 19 year “A Revelation of Cask and Character” 47.5% GBP 309

We then moved on to the latest craze – a new 19 year old release from Balvenie. Curiously this whisky apparently sold out as soon as it was released! Sometimes whisky hype surpasses reality. In this case, knowing we would be tasting this dram the next day at home, I didn’t even attempt it – just took a whiff and thought “pas mal”, preferring to wait another day to give it proper attention. 

And we closed our day, we snuck in two more drams.

Helsinki Rye Malt Release #14 American Virgin Oak + Rum Cask Finish 47.5%

What did we find? It was unpeated, a bit funky but fun. Think of rye bread with some caramel. Then joined by fresh pine? On the palate, it was quite heavy and oily, revealing a decided rum quality – reminiscent of an Agricole rum. Quite different.

Meikle Toir 5 year The Chinquapin One 48%

GlanAllachie has decided to go in a peaty direction – in a consistent way with their Meikle Toir brand. With a completely separate website. it is their new big pursuit (ie Meikle Toir) with a focused devotion to peat. As I knew trying all four wasn’t going to happen, I asked which is the ONE to be tried above all others? And was directed to The Chinquapin One.

What did I discover? A lovely sweet peat – quite a gentle smoke. It reminded me a little of toasted raisin bread with a dash of cinnamon. I would certainly need to spend more time and a different setting to discover more.

Here is what they have to say:

Coming in at 35 PPM, the whisky has a sweeter style of smoke character owing to the mainland peat from St. Fergus used to kiln the barley. After a lengthy 160-hour fermentation, the whisky has a complex character which stands up well to ageing in virgin oak casks.

  • Nose: Smoldering oak embers, burnt liquorice and honey, with ginger, butterscotch and orange peel.
  • Taste: Cocoa, crème brûlée and toasted almonds, with cinnamon, aniseed and campfire smoke.

As for the others? They will simply have to wait another time to be explored…

With that, our Whisky Show experience of 2023 came to a close!

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Whisky Show 2023 – Indri’s Diwali Special Edition

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What is truly fabulous about London’s Whisky Show 2023 is the sheer range of whisky exhibitors. And this year, there was not one but three stands from India with Amrut, Rampur, and Indri.

For those not familiar, Surrinder Kumar was previously the genius behind much of Amrut’s success and now is bringing his keen nose and ideas to Picaddily as an advisor Master Blender and Distiller for their Indri whisky brand.

As much of the stock at Picadilly Distillers was laid well in advance of Surrinder’s involvement, the art here is picking just the right casks and combinations to bottle now or see the potential to move in a different direction by re-casking in a different barrel. 

Whilst we were late into our tasting day and very nearly “done”, Surrinder shared that the Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 is really very special and not to be missed! I’m very glad he insisted as it was indeed worth sampling and in some ways, I was reminded a bit of the remarkable Amrut Port Pipe Peated special release for The Vault Biennale in 2019. 

Indri Peated PX Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 60.5%

Whilst I didn’t take detailed notes, I captured the following: Full, robust with peat and sweet on the nose and a lovely juicy palate. Delicious!

Surrinder also shared how it brought together casks from the US (ex-bourbon), UK (ex-peated), and India.

Here is what they have to say:

Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 is a peated Indian single malt made with six-row barley, distilled in traditional copper pot stills crafted in India. Carefully matured in PX Sherry Casks for a significantly long time amidst the sub-tropical climate of North India, this unique expression entices you with a whiff of smoke and awakens your senses to a myriad of flavours such as candied dried fruits, toasted nuts, subtle spices, oak, bittersweet chocolate and more.

It was worth stopping, visiting and sipping at London’s Whisky Show 2023.

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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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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Cinema Expressions

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After exploring That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s new “core” range, a trip down under with their Australian “Return to Oz” range, we closed our explorations at London’s 2023 Whisky Show with their new Cinema expressions!

We didn’t get through them all, however, each was distinctive and worth sampling!

Here is what we tried:

  • Italy’s Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1% for GBP 75
  • Sweden’s Mackmyra 9 year old (2023) Batch 3 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Australia’s Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Scotland’s Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% for GBP 75

So where did we begin?

Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1%

My eye immediately spotted the Puni – it had been years since I sampled anything from this Italian distillery. Normally I’m meticulous about capturing some kind of impression – even if it is just a few words that trigger evoking some kind of memory weeks and sometimes months later when I take the time to write up what I found. In this case? Nothing! So you will just have to tolerate my sharing with the good folks at TBWC have this to say:

PUNI is the first Italian whisky distillery, located high in the Italian alps, in an environment well suited to growing cereal crops. The distillery takes its name from the local river, Puni. Their striking distillery design, a 13-metre tall red brick cube is unusual, as is the combination of three malted cereals in their mash bill recipe. This release uses their three malt mashbill, and has been matured in an ex-bourbon barrel and finished in a Pinot Noir Cask, which we’ve then finished in a Sherry cask, so this is a fruity little number

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Good, Bad, and The Ugly’

And their official tasting notes?

  • N: Malty, Digestive biscuits topped with blackcurrant jam. More sweet notes follow, with hints of wild strawberries and some nutty, woody spices.
  • P: The malty biscuit notes are followed by a fruity sweetness, nicely balanced with some woody spices.
  • F: A medium length finish with some chilli chocolate.

Mackmyra 9 year old “Duka Upp Til Fika” (2023) Batch 3 46.8%

Thanks to a lovely Swedish whisky-tasting companion, I’ve had the pleasure to explore quite a few Mackmyra’s over the years and even go on a tour of the distillery. Whilst they have a real range – largely split between their “Elegant” (aka without peat) and “smokey” styles, they have quite a range of experimentation. If you really pushed me to describe, I would default to calling it a “Ccandi” style – thinking of minimalist wood furniture, with clean lines, something fresh producing an overall quite pleasing effect.

Then to explain this time it would be with roasted green tea? Hmm…. either it will completely work or be a total disaster! My reaction? It is worth trying. There was subtle fruitiness, fresh cedar or pine on the nose yet also something a bit bitter. On the palate, it was harder to describe. Some herbal elements and something else that could not be captured by a mere sniff and swish. 

What more do they have to say?

Now this is something very interesting for the original ‘Nordics’ distillery; Mackmyra were founded in 1999 and have really led the way in the Nordic whisky scene. This is a 9 Year Old Swedish Single Malt that has spent time in a cask that has been seasoned with Hojicha Green Tea. Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that originated in Kyoto 100 years ago. Unlike traditional green teas, Hojicha is roasted after the leaves are steamed.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Seventh Seal’

And TBWC official tasting notes:

  • N: Signature Mackmyra notes of banana and pear initially. This is quickly followed by an earthiness of petrichor and some fresh cedar notes.
  • P: Fresh and fruity. Light and nimble. A tropical fruit salad of papaya, not fully ripe banana and hints of coconut, vanilla, and caramel flavours, with some chilli spices.
  • F: As the spiciness fades some sweet, drying, herbal green tea notes come through.

Would I agree? Why certainly!

Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8%

This was my first intro to Corowa distillery. Founded in 2010 in New South Wales, it is in the heart of prime Australian wine region! No surprise then that they chose to use local Australian wine casks to mature their whiskies. In this case – Muscat. 

My tasting notes are brief but clear! I found quite an organic “farm-like” quality to this whisky. Sweet yet also quite minerally. On the palate it was surprisingly smooth yet also came with a kick. Yes this sounds like a contradiction but that’s what I discovered! Bold fruity flavors and a lot more of that mineral element.

And what does TBWC have to say?

Our second cask from Australia’s Corowa distillery is a 4 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, that’s been matured in an ex-Muscat cask. Muscat vines have been cultivated in Australia for about 100 years. Several different types of Muscat grape are grown as wine grapes and several different wine styles have been developed ranging from crisp dry whites, to rich late harvest sweet wines and the unique and world renowned fortified Liqueur Muscats.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Mad Max’

As for their official tasting notes, here you go!

  • N: Bitter chocolate, molasses, Medjool dates, figs, with hints of white pepper, flint, and wild fennel
  • P: Big, bold, and fruity! Dried fruits; raisins figs, dates. Malt loaf, and a mineral spice with a hint of ginger too. This is really tasty!
  • F: Longer than I was expecting, with that mineral flinty spice and some bitter chocolate nibs…

Well, I would certainly concur with all the mineral references! From a fuzzy memory, the balance also seems to jibe with my experience. 

Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% 

Aultmore’s can be quite summery drams yet with substance – this was no exception! It was fruity and citrusy fresh, throw in some baked goods – simply delicious on the nose. Whereas on the palate, the sweetness was there but also yes – call it the power of suggestion – something a bit soapy too! Then a hint of bitter – again just enough to remind you this dram is not a complete lightweight!

What do they have to say?

Aultmore malt has always been revered by blenders as the perfect whisky to build up a blend. Our 14 Year Old has spent 11 years in a refill ex-bourbon cask until we got our hands on it, and Dr. Whisky had this re-racked into a first-fill bourbon in 2019 for reasons that can only be disclosed in the secrecy of ‘Bath Night.’

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Fight Club’

And their tasting notes?

  • N: A soft oiliness; peanut oil perhaps? Panettone, macaroons, grist, digestive biscuits. Followed by some citrus notes; grapefruit and lime
  • P: Pilsner lager with a wedge of lime, summer grasses,a little green tea bitterness. I like this!
  • F: Medium length, chalky, grassy, with some pepper lingering.

Wow! And what fun! I love how they chose to not only introduce their new core range as a “constant” but to also have 3 distinct sessions throughout the day. Whilst we missed one, I figure catching 2 out of 3 isn’t bad! Can’t wait to see what these folks do next!

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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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Whisky Show 2023 – Life of a Whisky Ambassador and Lot 40

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This year at London’s Whisky Show 2023, we did not join any master classes. We had hoped to catch the Gordon & Macphail organized a “This is your life” tribute to Sukhinder Singh, co-founder of The Whisky Exchange – however, the tickets sold out immediately!

Instead, we “accidentally on purpose” wandered by the mainstage when a session about life as a Whisky Brand Ambassador was on. It featured a panel led by the fabulous Dave Broom with Andrea Montague (Europe whisky ambassador for Barcardi), Dave Milton (Lot 40), and Alan Wardrop (Ian McLoed Distillers). 

Their tales of life on the road reminded me of my years as a consultant flying around Asia Pacific. And the outrageous reactions a woman in the whisky industry still gets, were unfortunately very relatable.

And just before you think it was all talk, no action… pours of Lot 40 100% Rye made its way around the attentive and amused audience. Here Dave regaled us with tales of life on the road and the joy of a good cocktail – highly recommending Lot 40 as a base for either a Manhattan or Old Fashioned – either of which I could completely see with their Rye!

As for the dram itself? My tasting notes were limited, capturing only:

Grassy even soapy on the nose with some Rye baking bread (as in still in the oven!), and toffee too. As for the palate, kept the character of the nose joined by some oaky elements and sweet vanilla ice cream topped with caramel sauce. 

It was a nice “pit stop” before we re-joined the fray of wandering through different whisky stalls and experiences.

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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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