Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ English Whisky Rum Cask 2011 (6 year old) 60.5%

Dist: Apr 2011 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

A subtly estery nose with fleshy banana, apple and pear. Hints of dark honey and the rum cask sweetness sit in the background. late straw, milky coffee and gristy barley.

The palate is grippy and gristy with barley and loads of sweet, rummy dried fruit – apricot, pineapple, pear and apple. Quite spicy and unsurprisingly alcoholic on the middle, although the sweetness balances. Long with  grassy and slightly marc-like finish. Light coffee’d after-taste.

Water brings out hints of brown sugar,...

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Moray 2007 (10 year old) 54.5%

First Fill Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: Nov 2007 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

An aromatic and succulent nose with juicy apricot, peach and tangerine. Very evolved for such a young whisky with huge amount of apple blossom honey and barley. Late hints of lime, grist and vanilla. A lovely nose.

The palate is heavily barley’d but still as juicy and succulent as the nose suggests. Gently spiced middle with a touch of grippy, coffee’d oak and barley husks. A piercing, lime accented finish with offsetting honey, white peach, pear, tangerine and a...

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Keith 1995 (22 year old) 49.2%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

Mature, straw-like barley aromas with hints of apricot conserve, lime, Satsuma and a subtle raisinated back note. Good balance with a touch of gooseberry adding a fresher element.

The palate opens with the milky/ creamy oak, along with vanilla coated apricot and pineapple. Hints of straw and barley follow along with a touch of mature baked fruit. Good length with refreshing lime, gooseberry, white peach, pear and barley finish.

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Keith 1994 (23 year old)...

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Orkney 2007 (10 year old) 63%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

A thunderously oaky nose with coffee and toffee. Hints of sweet apricot, barley and a rough edgy spirit note follows (that gives away the distillery!). With time some earth, malt and smoke appears but the edginess jars!

The palate is tight and alcoholic with again a rough spirit character. Gritty barley, coffee and malt comes through on the middle and the finish is masked but shows some raw, but sweet Turkish delight marc notes. Right now it doesn’t feel integrated.

A drop...

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Auchentoshan 1991 (26 year old) 54.1%...

Willet 3 year old Family Reserve Rye 53.7%

First distilled in column still, second distillation in a copper pot still, from the Willet distillery, which re-opened in 2012.

Tasted: Apr 2018

Youthful aromas of rose petal marc and coffee. Hints of burnt toast, caramel and baked apple. The column still distillation gives it an unusual lightness and makes if feel more like a European than an American rye. Late notes of pepper, bitter spice and subtle treacle.

The palate opens with baked apple, peppery spice and rose petal marc notes. The middle displays some gritty oak tannins, but with grittiness...

Citadelle Oak Aged Old Tom 46%

Aged in a combination of Acacia, Mulberry, Cherrywood, Chestnut, ex-Pineau de Charentes French oak and ex-Cognac casks. Married together in the custom build egg!

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica, cumin, nutmeg, almonds, grains of paradise, liquorice, cubeb, savory, cinnamon, star anise, blackcurrant, iris, violet, fennel, orange and lemon zest.

Tasted: Mar 2018

Given all  those different casks, the oak is pretty well balanced on the nose. Juniper heavy with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Subtly sweet with a touch of vanilla, almond and dusty but smooth tannins. Late Cognac, berry, fennel and citrus notes.

The...

Plantation OFTD (Old Fashioned Traditional Rum) Overproof 69%

A blend of Guyana, Jamaica and Barbados rums

Tasted: Mar 2018

Pungent aromas of dark dried fruit along with a touch of lighter column still dried fruit. Lightly herbal and treacly with burnt coffee. For a supposed Navy rum, the nose is pretty well balanced.

The palate opens with the herbal treacle, dark raisinated fruit and lighter column still dried fruit. Seriously alcoholic, which masks the middle and finish, but there’s a touch of toffee coated banana and a dark chocolate and bitter spice finish.

With water the nose becomes quite...

A.D Rattray North British 1991 (25 year old) 53.2%

Re-Charred Sherry Butt 262058/ Dist: Sept 1991 Btl: Jun 2017/ Tasted: Apr 2018

Aromas of mature, rum-like baked fruit and plenty of winey spices. The sherry is very subtle and adds just a soupcon of sweet-ish raisinated fruit, cinnamon, redcurrant and nutmeg. A balancing crisp, grain note comes through with time.

The palate opens with more of the sherried dried fruit, walnut, liquorice, nutmeg and cinnamon, although some subtle grainy dried fruit does come through. Hints of cream coconut and vanilla on the middle, which has turned into a riot of peppery spice!...

A.D Rattray Ardmore 1996 (21 year old) 59%

Bourbon Hogshead 149022/ Dist: Aug 1996 Btl: Mar 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

A dense and nutty nose with coal/ peat smoke. Some subtle, herbal spirit notes mingle with edgy citrus, crisp barley, lime and greengage. It certainly feels younger than 21, but a touch of baked fruit hints at some age. The barley sweetens with time and a touch of creamy vanilla appears. The alcohol, although on the high side, especially for a 21 is pretty well integrated.

The palate is oily, dusty and herbal with coal and peat smoke notes. Hints of honey,...

Murray...

Edition Spirits Tamdhu 1999 (18 year old) 51.5%

Bourbon/ Code: EDI0341/ Dist: Apr 1999 Btl: ?/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Initially the nose is quite tight with hints of fragrant barley, malt, apricot and dark honey. It opens a little to show some dusty, almost gristy barley and a tart lime infused fruitiness.

The palate is also a bit tight with barley, malt and milky oak. Hints of apricot, grass and orange appear, but the citrus is quite sharp, with an almost under-ripe tangerine/ orange character. Masked finish with a slightly salty after-taste.

A drop of water emphasises the creamy oak and the orange...

Edition Spirits Auchroisk 1998 (19 year old) 54.2%

Bourbon/ Code: EDI0339/ Dist: maj 1998 Btl: ?/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Dense barley’d and herbal on the nose – wild thyme and heather. Subtle honey, cereal, juicy citrus and malt biscuit notes follow.

The palate is pretty ,malty and biscuity with hints of honey, apricot and lime. Masked, very cereally, almost wheaty finish.

With water the nose is still dense but it has now come alive and shows an abundance of juicy orange/ Clementine. The barley is a little more fragrant and a touch of Sauvignon Blanc-esque grass and gooseberry appears. The palate is crisper...

Redsmith London Dry Gin 43%...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Pulteney 2007 (10 year old) 46%...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glenturret ‘Ruadh Mhor’ 2009 (8 year old) 46%

Sherry Hogshead/ Dist: 2009 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Edgy, pungent and herbal. Heavy herbal peat aromas mingle with medicinal peat, burnt wood, green nuts, manure, warm green spices, smoked bacon and visceral Oloroso. You can almost smell the tannins!

The palate is dense and treacly with earthy peat, medicinal peat and herbal peat, and some burnt wood for good measure. Hints of green Oloroso, bitter chocolate and wood splinters follow. Tight and herbal finish with lingering peat, dark chocolate and bitter oak spices. This is definitely not for the...

Mossburn Distillers No4 Teaninich 2007 (10 year old) 59.1%...

Mossburn Distillers No3 Blair Athol 2007 (10 year old) 59.8%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Batch 17.0507.3/ Dist: 2007 Btl: Nov 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Fresh and barley’d on the nose with hints of coffee’d oak and herbal honey. Slightly gristy and mineral with a little herbal marc and a touch of lime and gooseberry. Very appealing and definitely not lacking in Highland character.

The palate is full and barley’d with hints of herbal honey and vanilla oak. Lovely balance and depth with a touch of citrus to keep it lively! Neat, the finish is a little masked but the after-taste is ever so slightly mentholated...

Mossburn Distillers No6 Ardmore 2008 (9 year old) 46%...

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Benriach 2010 (7 year old) 46%...