Tag Archives: Chorlton

Chorlton’s Benrinnes 14 year 55%

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As a bit of background, some 8 years ago we did an evening devoted to Affordable Adults – all above 20 years, all cask strength, all from independent bottlers, all reasonably affordable (by whisky standards!). Imagine today getting a 27-year-old Blair Athol at cask strength for under Eur 150?

The Benrinnes we tried that evening retailed for approx Eur 120 at the time and was aged for 24 years in an ex-bourbon Hogshead, bottled by the Single Malts of Scotland (Elixir). It was frankly awful. As in, we described it as having anti-freeze on the nose and solvent on the palate. In fairness, it came to us after being baked in the trunk of a car in the heat of Mumbai. I revisited it later and was a bit more charitable, however it was a clear disappointment.

Fast forward and I have since come across a few Benrinnes that deserve the description of rusty and rustic! I also find that whisky profiles like Benrinnes need more time to open up to truly come into their own, interesting to try yet one can also see why they may add more in combination with other whiskies to craft whisky blends.

So what did we think of this expression from Chorlton in our “Chances” evenings? Would it be a thumbs up or a decisive thumbs down? Or somewhere in between? Weighing into the verdict were two groups: The Malt & Cigar men on the 1st day and the Whisky Ladies on the 2nd day. Both evenings this whisky was sampled 3rd out of 4 bottles.

Benrinnes 14 year 55%

  • Colour – You can certainly see the Sherry finish influence here! A lovely dark amber hue.
  • Nose
    • Now we are talking! A very inviting start – warm peaches, some strawberries, an odd yet not unpleasant perfumed soap water, some sweet wood, honey… the longer we sniffed, the more it changed nicely… subtle and nuanced, buttery hot muffins, some cream, a bit rum-like – leaning more towards a sweet spice rum, mashed bananas, rose hip tea.
    • On the 2nd day we also found it reminded us of a perfumed fruity waxy candle – one of those over-priced indulgences you give as a special gift! As it opened up, we found the sweet shifting into a slight saline, then revealing other elements. One lady called it capers in brine, another found it more herbal, and a 3rd described it as a fat buttery cinnamon bun.
  • Palate
    • One gentleman described it as “gulkand” which is a sweet preserve of rose petals, others thought more of jammy berries. There was a bit of this, yet I found it a bit more earthy – in a good way. I particularly found quite pronounced macadamia nut butter, creamy… as soon as this was identified, there was agreement – both the gents and ladies.
    • One lady described it perfectly as being quite “unctuous”. We found some spice, cloves, and bay leaves, a bit savory and slightly bitter too – coffee perhaps?
  • Finish – Long and strong, some of the salty nuts carrying through or a sweet salted butter
  • Water – Yes. Softens and rounds it out nicely without detracting from its character

There was certainly a contrast between the sweetly fruity and perfumed nose and the more substantive palate. Personally, I enjoyed this dichotomy, whereas others were disappointed as they would have preferred the sweet summery styled aromas carry through on the palate. Not to be sexist, the nose was described as quite feminine whereas the palate was much more masculine.

And yet as the whisky opened up further in the glass, the contrast between aroma and palate lessened, with the nose veering more towards the palate. Even after an hour, there was a complete range of reactions to the revisit. From some continuing to find it interesting, changing further to others finding it watery and no longer having much character! In other words – two ends of the spectrum!

My sense was one should just consider this whisky on its merits, not comparing side by side with others. Something to settle down with for an hour or so, just seeing how it continues to evolve in the glass. In some ways, it comes across as quite “active” with an intriguing nose that reveals different elements over time, shifting back and forth.

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

This spent its first decade in a bourbon barrel and then the last 4 years in a sherry butt. I don’t usually do “finishes” but this was a particularly good sherry cask that I just had to do something with. It’s a little bit darker in colour than the photo suggests.

The nose starts with a soft waxy fruitiness (strawberry laces, cherry chapstick, banana chips) then a little earth and dried honey, plus something a little floral. There’s some buttered toast here, and a little savoury note in the background – not meaty really, maybe more like herby dumplings?

The palate has a classically sherried start, with dark chocolate, orange and coffee, before the fruitiness from the nose starts coming through (red berries, strawberry fondant). The development is long and quite complex, balancing some light fruitcakeiness with zingy fruits and then a quite meaty and salty aftertaste.

Adding water brings up tarter fruits (lime and yuzu syrup, rhubarb and custard sweets), and adds salted butter and a sort of honeyed grassiness to the aftertaste. Étienne (who you should all follow on Instagram @themaltcask) tried this and suggested it was a value for money bottle as you could easily spend half an hour on each glass! I always think of Benrinnes as quite a boisterous spirit, and there is a lot going on here to have fun with.

The cask produced 226 bottles at a cask strength of 55.0% and they are available for £80 each.

I purchased this directly from Chorlton in May 2022 and collected it from London in Oct 2022, sending it back to India!

So what was the verdict in comparison with the other three bottles?

  1. Glen Ord 8 year 57.9% – the bottle on the far right. Spoiler alert – by the end of both evenings and after removing a small sample for Europe, there is barely a dram remaining!
  2. Deanston 14 year 52.6% was the surprising runner-up. In fact, after this photo was taken, there was even less liquid?! Whilst it was still considered average, sometimes average works.
  3. Benrinnes 14 year 55% – 2nd from the left. Remains a mixed experience. Some interesting elements but also disappointing on the palate after such an appealing nose. One described it as feeling a bit “cheated” by the taste after the teasing aromas!
  4. Teaninich 12 year 54.2% – the bottle on the far left. No converts to this distillery post our experience. Whilst I never say never, if even a Chorlton bottle doesn’t nudge me towards this distillery, it is safe to say that its profile simply isn’t one for me!

Curious about other Benrinnes tasting experiences?

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Chorlton’s Teaninich 12 year 54.2%

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We began our evening of “Second Chances” with an independent bottler Chorlton from the May 2022 releases of David’s La Nouvelle Vague series.

For those not familiar with Teaninich, it is part of the Diageo “workhorses” stable of whiskies that largely go into blends. For the technical trivia buffs, it also uses no mash tun:

In 2000 a hammer mill and mash filter – the only one operational in a Scottish malt distillery – was installed at Teaninich. The use of the technology, which removes the need for a mash tun, was to produce ultra-clear wort, giving a clue as to the Teaninich distillery character: a fragrant exotic grassiness that brings to mind Japanese green tea and coumarin-rich bison grass. Fat stills also add a distinct oiliness to the texture while not blunting any of its penetrating acidity.

Trivia aside, I’ve had limited experience with whisky from this Highland distillery – only their official “Flora and Fauna” bottling and a cask strength mini from That Boutique-y Whisky Co. Neither made me a huge fan, however, as I am a big Chorlton buff, thought if there might be a cask to turn the opinion tide, this might be it!

We sampled it on two occasions – literally back-to-back in Bombay – first with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents, then the next evening with the Whisky Ladies. In retrospect, it was a real pity we couldn’t combine the way we once did on an annual basis. Perhaps something to revisit in future!

However on to the serious business of whisky tasting, with a split by day as the experience differed… For the lads, we tried this bottle 1st whereas for the ladies, this was our 2nd whisky of the evening.

Teaninich 12 year 54.2%

  • Colour – Bright straw, almost golden
  • Nose
    • Day 1: A promising start with citrus, pear drops, sweet hay, and floral nectar then it began to settle down in a less promising way with something a bit like limestone, granite, or chalk. Another got polish. Behind this was still some fruitiness but it was less and less appealing as it opened further…
    • Day 2: We could tell it was bourbon matured, yet also had a bit of rum raisin thing going on initially. followed by milk chocolate, some pineapple, and peppermint candy cane… as the nose developed, it shifted from cocoa butter to vanilla
  • Palate
    • Day 1: We could feel the hit of zero alcohol to full cask strength with this one. A lot of paprika spice, quite dry, some bitter hazelnut, perhaps a hint of ginger
    • Day 2: Actually quite similar in impressions, just that we found it a bit more oily than dry with the balance tracking – especially the bitter hazelnut
  • Finish
    • Day 1: Carries on with the bitterness
    • Day 2: The peppermint we found on the palate lingered like slightly chalky peppermint toothpaste, yet at the same time there was a hint of over-roasted hazelnut and bitter cinnamon that closed on the remnants of Big Red chewing gum
  • Water
    • Day 1: To be honest, I don’t recall our trying with water, which in retrospect seems curious indeed
    • Day 2: Better with water, yet still more bitter than sweet

Overall we concluded this was unimposing, nothing outstanding, though interesting to try what likely DOES do well in blends. To put it mildly, this was not the star of the evening.

As I was the only one to experience both evenings, what struck me was that the floral and lightly fruity elements that made the nose promising when freshly opened were largely absent just a day later.

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

Next up we have a 12-year-old Teaninich. This is one of those under-the-radar distilleries that I suspect (along with Mannochmore) is due its moment in the sun.

I usually think of Teaninich as being a green, foresty whisky and there’s a bit of that on the nose (pine needles, watermelon skin, greenhouse tomato vines) but actually this one feels more “yellow” with peachy fruits and some nice sweetness from the cask. I also get malted milk biscuits, Sweet Ciceley, orange cordial and some little touches of soot and chalk (this is a Highland malt after all).

The palate has lovely citrussy syrups, a light waxiness, hazelnut and pear tart, tons of malty sweetness (cornflake cakes) and some sweet ginger. The moderately-active ex-bourbon wood has rounded this all off nicely. The finish is super-clean, malty, citrussy/peachy, with a fresh liquoricey herbal aftertaste. A drop of water adds orange liqueur, and some extra butterscotch/brown sugar sweetness.

Delicious stuff, this, with some proper personality, and just right for the time of year. Get in now before the Teaninich hype train gets underway!*

This hogshead produced 320 bottles at a cask strength of 54.2% and they are available for £75 each.

(* – Incipient Teaninich mania not guaranteed.)

I purchased this directly from Chorlton in May 2022, before it found its way from London to Mumbai, India to be opened in January 2024.

From this experience, there is no chance Teaninich will rival Mannochmore in my books. And apparently, I have company as it clearly LOST the glass vote. No one was tempted to return and sample more. In fact, after this picture was taken, the others were further depleted with the Teaninich remaining stubbornly at the same level. Sorry buddy, you may be offered as the sacrificial “offer to people who don’t know any better” category…

What about the other Teaninich experiences I mentioned? Here you go!

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Chorlton’s Deanston 14 year 52.6%

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Out there in the world, one can find a die-hard Deanston fan here and there. One of our original whisky-tasting groups in Mumbai was one. As for me? I will fully admit to not being one of them. I tend to find Deanston a bit uninspiring, even a tad industrial in profile, and overall quite average.  However, I am a fan of the independent bottler Chorlton, so when this bottle from his April 2023 release became available, I thought why not try?

When I settled on a chancy theme in January 2024 to focus on distilleries that have NOT tended to capture my fancy, it seemed the perfect opportunity to give this Deanston its due consideration. Even better, I had two sets of tasting groups try it back to back: our Bombay Malt & Cigar lads and the Mumbai Whisky Ladies! Between the two groups, and different settings, I had high hopes for a fair evaluation.

Deanston 14 year (2023) Bourbon Barrel 52.6% 610 Bottles

  • Colour: Bright gold
  • Nose:
    • Day 1: Lemony, soap water, cashew nuts, Marie Claire digestive biscuits, some sweetness, joined by sawdust, and was that a bit of apricot fruit leather? Or mango papad? Vascilates between being slightly tangy and slightly sweet.
    • Day 2: Completely missed some of the initial elements – no citrus at all. Instead, there were bananas and peach pie, and we still found the digestive biscuits. Overall, it was quite mild, with some vanilla
  • Palate:
    • Day 1: It began with grapefuit, water sweetened with honey, some pudding, soft and balanced, good mouthfeel
    • Day 2: Much more buttery or oily than expected, and yet curiously there was a crackling chocolate, slightly metallic or fuel-like element, aniseed
  • Finish: Descriptions veered from having a “thick air finish” to butter to bitter to candy
  • Water: Simply muddles the combination
  • Revisit after sampling other whiskies
    • Day 1: None of the fruits remained though the digestive biscuits element continued
    • Day 2: Furniture wax and burnt popcorn on the nose, mineral on the palate

For the lads, this was the 3rd whisky of four sampled. There was a clear division between one pronouncing it exceedingly average, begrudgingly admitting it was “not unpleasant” but overall thin on the nose with very little complexity. The others were a wee bit kinder, finding it better than some Deanston’s as it was less industrial and overall decent.

For the ladies, I opted to begin with the Deanston. It didn’t get huge converts to this distillery but was a better way to kick off our evening. What was surprising is that just a day later, all of the citrus disappeared – both the lemon on the nose and grapefruit on the palate.
What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

The nose is fruity on first pouring (tangerine, pear juice, peach gummies) then settles down with hoppy ales, fresh baguette, sweet ciceley, woodruff and ferns. There are little touches of flinty minerality, lemon, rose petals, furniture wax and barley sugar. It’s very subtle and beautiful.

The palate has tinned pears, grapefruit syrup, aniseed (almost cough candy) and hops. It’s an appealing combination of barley and breadiness with clean and zesty fruitiness. It almost feels refreshing and palate-cleansing, with a lovely sweeter touch of honey and fruit syrup in the aftertaste.

This is one of those whiskies that feels very honest and close to the barley, with a sort of easy freshness and delicacy. The barrel produced 234 bottles at 52.6% and they are available for £79.50 each.

I purchased this directly from Chorlton in April 2023, which rested initially in London before being kindly brought to India in July 2023, to lie even longer for the right opportunity in Mumbai!

What else from Chorlton did we try together with the Deanston?

Despite it not being #1 in any of our books, folks voted with their glasses, where clearly there was a 2nd pour by some of the Deanston. Overall, it was the 2nd choice of the Chorlton’s tried that evening in terms of liquid consumed! Interesting.

What about other Deanston explorations?

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Bombay Malt Men and Whisky Ladies Chorlton explorations

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My last session with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents was in January 2023. I dubbed it “Swan Song” as it celebrated a trio of whiskies all from distilleries that are either no more or so changed to be entirely different than the liquid we sampled.

I was back in April for their Irish evening with a Jameson quartet, but then have been out of India ever since. Naturally, the gents carried on with many interesting sessions – some of which had miniatures set aside for me to catch up with their tasting journey (lucky me!).

So what to do for the gents one year later? After the remarkable Chorlton Ardmore opened in Winnipeg, Canada, I decided to see if we could discover another gem. Rarely do I have a problem of plenty. However, in this case, I did!

It was a really tough call to select just the right ones… The latest Chorltons to make it to India included:

  • Benrinnes 14 year 55% From May 2022, 10 years in a bourbon barrel then finished for 4 years in a sherry butt. Described as having a soft waxy fruitiness, then a classic sherry palate, shifting with water into tart fruits.
  • Deanston 14 year 52.6% From the Apr 2023 releases, matured in a bourbon barrel, it was reputed to be young, zesty fruits, minerals, bready.
  • Faemussach 21 year 56% From May 2022, Speculated to be from BenRiach. Described as very smoky, with quite mixed reviews. Clearly one for the peatheads!
  • Glen Ord 8 year 57.9% From the July 2022 releases, matured in 1st fill Oloroso Hogshead, described as an old school sherry, jammy fruits, chewy.
  • Glentauchers 14 year 61.6% (DE tasting) From the Apr 2023 releases, matured in a refilled sherry butt, it is described as having aromas of panettone and peaches, with the palate leaning towards chocolate brownies, elegant and cakey.
  • Miltonduff 16 year 55.9% From July 2022, complex from boozy pineapple cake with a contrasting palate, talkative and changeable.
  • Orkney 22 year 53.4% From February 2022, this Highland Park was more than decent but simply didn’t hold a candle to the Orkey 15 year released much earlier.
  • Speyside 13 year 64.6% From the November 2021 releases, this whisky is well traveled. Brought from London to Paris to Germany, then on to India. It is reputed to be a peated single malt from an undisclosed distillery and casks (possibly Glenrothes). Described as having a smoldering nose, and an earthy oily peat.
  • Teaninich 12 year 54.2% Also from May 2022, matured in a Hogshead, it is described as starting with forest elements, then becomes quite “yellow” and citrusy.
  • Tuillabardine 29 year 47.5% From Summer 2022, opened in January 2023, it was an interesting dram with a contrasting interplay between aromas and palate. Not your typical first pick from the whisky cabinet though….

First, I removed from the mix the two open bottles – the Orkney and Tuillabardine.

Second, from the closed bottles, I eliminated the peatier drams – this simply wasn’t my mood or the right audience for peat. So that took the Speyside, Faemussach out of the equation.

Next, I considered future tasting sessions where I have another Glentauchers waiting to  compare with the 14-year. With this pair, I thought the Miltonduff would be a good companion. (Spoiler alert! The Glentauchers 8 year never made it to India – it was opened instead in Germany and is spectacular!)

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I rarely get to try anything from Teaninich or Benrinnes, so that alone put them into the top contenders spot. Particularly the Teaninich has a not-so-stellar track record in my books. Would this be the bottle that tips the scales in a more positive direction? Similarly, I have had mixed experiences with Benrinnes – some quite appealing and others that simply didn’t work for me.

Deanston has its fans, yet tends to strike me as quite ordinary or average, leaning towards the industrial in style – nothing hugely wrong, yet nothing very right either. However, my recent brush with the Deanston Chronicles edition prompted a desire to give further consideration. More promising, there was something about the Glen Ord that caught my fancy. Whilst not a massive Singleton fan, David’s description made this seem like it was quite a compelling dram and possibly the right way to finish the evening.

From this line of thinking a theme emerged! “Second Chances” – deliberately selecting whiskies from distilleries that are not familiar favorites. Re-approaching with an open mind, giving due consideration to the liquid in front of us.

Even better, as the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents evening was followed right away by the Whisky Ladies, I could contrast and compare freshly opened bottles to just a days oxidation, in a different setting, context, and participants.

Clearly, folks voted with their glasses – as this photo dramatically shows! Curious to know which is which? Read on over the next few days!

From right (#1) to left (#4), we ranked our whiskies by consumption as:

  1. Glen Ord 8 year 57.9% By the end of both evenings and removing a small sample for Europe, there is barely a dram remaining! A full-bodied satisfying sherry dram!
  2. Deanston 14 year 52.6% was the surprising runner-up. In fact, after this photo was taken, there was even less liquid?! Whilst it was still considered average, sometimes average works.
  3. Benrinnes 14 year 55%. Remains a mixed experience. Some interesting elements but also disappointing on the palate after such an appealing nose. One described it as feeling a bit “cheated” by the taste after the teasing aromas!
  4. Teaninich 12 year 54.2%. No converts to this distillery post our experience. Whilst I never say never, if even a Chorlton bottle doesn’t nudge me towards this distillery, it is safe to say that its profile simply isn’t one for me!

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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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Chorlton’s Tullibardine 29 year 47.5%

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Last in our “Swansong” trio celebrating drams of days gone by was a Tullibardine from Chorlton‘s  La Nouvelle Vague series…And why would this whisky qualify for such inclusion? It was completely “mothballed” back in 1995 and wasn’t re-opened for production until 2003. And this particular expression came from 1993!

What did we think?

Tullibardine 29 year (1993) 47.5% 

  • Nose -Shy. waxy crayons, lots of sweetness, could immediately tell this was a well-aged whisky, light caramel, bananas, quite subtle, berries – especially strawberries with pepper, pink Amul strawberry ice cream, Maltese-chocolate creamy fruity filling
  • Palate – On the 1st sip, we found ice cream, some wood, simply delicious, by the 2nd sip we discovered some marvelous spunk and character chased by sweetness – when I later read David’s notes could completely understand where he found the gingerbread & rye… yet still with pastries
  • Finish – Balsa wood finish, dry

What a marvelous malt! There was a delightful combination of indulgent desserts with elements of much greater substance. A truly interesting dram – inviting, enjoyable, and unique. Fabulous.

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

A characterful but easy-drinking example of this distinctive Highland make. The nose has banana bread, caraway and rye, peanut brittle, honey, olive oil and apricot jam. The palate takes us to a bakery somewhere in central Europe with gingerbread, rye bread, baking spices and honeyed pastries, plus orange cream and sweet Frisian tea.

This hogshead produced 181 bottles at a cask strength of 47.5% and was released for £160 back in the summer of 2022. Thanks to Brexit, I couldn’t purchase it directly, so instead impatiently waited for it to make its way to Whisky.base, where I purchased it in November 2022 for EUR 200 + 18% tax + shipping.

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

As for other Chorlton bottles from La Nouvelle Vague series? I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a few expressions:

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Birthday Chorlton – Orkney 22 year 53.4%

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The story behind this one was that I was having trouble purchasing this Highland Park when it became available. So my London-based friend also tried… In the end, we both were successful! Which proved to be a good thing as one bottle went almost immediately to India to be sampled on a special evening. Whilst its sibling remained in London…. to later also make most of its way to Bombay!

Orkney (Highland Park) 22 year 53.4%

From our London evening, October 2022:

  • Nose – Fabulous nose – big and full, mineral, a bit of ‘funky forest’, earthy which a fresh maritime sea breeze, then started to shift to sweet heavy fruit, then back to grass stalks, aromatic and herbal with woodruff, sage…. waxy and happy, a touch of sandalwood and tobacco leaf
  • Palate – So much going on, spice, peat, fruit, a “wake up” dram that became sweeter and sweeter
  • Finish – A huge finish, orange marmalade with cinnamon spice
  • Revisit – So incredibly fruity, a veritable fruit basket, especially orange and sweet spices, some leather on the palate, cornflakes drowned in milk, exceedingly tasty

From our Mumbai evenings in November 2022:

  • Nose – A bit acetone at first, a bit sharp, then shifts to sea breeze – coming and going like the ebb and flow of the tide, hay, vegetal then it began to open up revealing some fruity elements – particularly citrus,. The more time in the glass, the sweeter it became -condensed milk, not quite a toffee sweetness… more like a dulce de leche, 
  • Palate – Sechuan peppers and a bit astringent at first, then sweetened into warm sprite
  • Finish – Spicey, dry wood
  • Water – On the nose, it flattens the aromas… bringing back a bit of that light sea breeze, joined by sweet milk however it is rather nice how water opens up the palate – that vegetal element shifts into sweet roasted root vegetables, lightly caramelized then fruity… which continues on to the finish – nice!

Particularly with the Whisky Ladies, there was a real range of reactions to this one… It was also such a contrast to our previous drams…each bringing quite different characters. For the gents, I changed the tasting order bringing this into 3rd rather than last place and think that worked much better – we could more readily discern the different elements and enjoy it for what it is.

Here are a few more Cholton’s from La Nouvelle Vague series:

And those we managed to sample from the earlier L’Ancien Régime series:

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Birthday Chorlton – Bunnahabhain 18 year 53.4%

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In many ways, this was the most interesting whisky we tried in an extra special Chorlton birthday quartet. This was exactly why it was the 1st expression that led to acquiring three additional bottles and several evenings of tastings – from London to Mumbai – where we sniffed, swished, and savoured our way through these unique bottles.

Bunnahabhain 18 year (28 Feb 2002 / 2021) Sherry Butt 53.4%

What was our impression from London in October 2022?

  • Nose – Initially very ‘fresh’ yet shy, red delicious apple skins, a hint of sherry, dry wood, a bit of tobacco leaf, something a touch sharp, then started to open up further with banana cake and brown sugar, shifted again to sour cream
  • Palate – 1st sip was harsh then it mellowed into a spicy fruity smoothie, caramel, oily with substance, then roasted nuts
  • Finish – Spice and smoke that gradually sweetens

It was full of contrasts – shy on the nose but forceful on the palate, kept shifting and changing. It is also one of those whiskies you need to spend a bit of time with… try only once and you would miss its quirky chameleon character.

The longer we spent with the Bunnahabhain, the more we appreciated it. For one London-based Whisky Lady, this was the clear favourite.

We also thought it would go well with cheese… which is exactly what I tried later in Mumbai – definitely works – particularly a nice sharp old cheddar.

How did this contrast or compare with our Mumbai tasting experiences just a month later in November 2022?

  • Nose – Lemon, mint, vanilla, asparagus, mushrooms, stewed cherries… though a bit shy it kept moving around and revealing different elements the longer it was in the glass… next was camomile, waxy, biscuits, tinned peaches, marscapone
  • Palate – Honey, apples, some forest moss and more mushrooms, pine, green chillies, milk chocolate, nutty… take too large a sip and you would be greeted with a brushfire!
  • Finish – Cloves, star anise, pine needles, green chillies, very dry, edging towards smoke

Just like our 1st experience, this Bunnahabhain is not to be underestimated. It captivated us with its curiously shifting character. For most, this was the favourite and our only regret was having to split 100ml between 8 ladies! We would have loved to add a bit more to our glass and settle down with it, see if it continued to morph or rested on a few elements.

Did this contrast much with the gents? For the most part, we agreed, adding a few further observations from our experience:

  • Nose – Began with very light iodine that one gent described as what he typically expects from a Bunna – iodine without the heavy peat of other Islay whiskies – then shifted into fruits like pomegranate, then a cantaloupe, a hint of rye bread, some raisins, followed by a camomile-based herbal tea (think Sleepy Time!)
  • Palate – Incredibly sweet, well-rounded and well-balanced, loads of different kinds of honey, milk shocolate bars
  • Finish – Very long, subtle spices

There was no doubt this is a complex whisky, well worth taking time so that could evolve through its different dimensions.


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

And, lastly, we have the official festive special – an 18-year-old sherry cask Bunnahabhain. Please note that this is available to pre-order (see note below), and that my tasting notes aren’t super-considered as I’m just going off my brief notes from the cask sample.

So, the nose on this starts with sea air, light wax and mandarin, before richer notes of buttery brioche, praline and milk chocolate covered raisins appear. Just a touch of smoke too: cigar and joss stick.

For the palate I see I’ve written “Lovely!” in my notes… Again it starts in a very clean and crisp way (red apple, pink grapefruit) before the richer development (toasted nuts, honey, Daim bars, cinnamon pastries). Slight smokiness and orange marmalade in the aftertaste.

This is proper Bunna, a great example of the distillery style, and the sherry is beautifully integrated. We got 322 bottles from this sherry butt at 53.4% and they’re available for £150 each.

I purchased this in June 2021 from Master of Malt for GBP 151 as had missed the original Chorlton direct offer in December 2020.

We’ve enjoyed exploring Chorlton’s La Nouvelle Vague series:

Here is the full set of Chorlton‘s sampled til date from the L’Ancien Régime series:

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