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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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April 14, 2022
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| Hagar The Horrible, Chris Browne |
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They now come beneath a number of monikers, Secret Orkney, Highland Malt, Island Malt, Whitlaw, Man O’ Hoy, Kirkwall Pearl, Heathery Mysteries, Northern Highlights, Korny Orkney, Captain Kirk’s, Heather Climate, Viking King… (please be aware that not all names do exist in actual life, but, ha… The deal being one title = one beer)…
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In all probability Orkney’s Most interesting 12 yo 2008/2021 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Outdated Specific, refill hogshead, cask #DL 14290, 430 bottles) 
Solely Solely ‘In all probability’ Orkney’s Most interesting? That ought to please homeowners Edrington, hoist with their very own petard! Is not all of it getting a bit of Shakespearian? Color: white wine. Nostril: no-fuss inexperienced apples, beeswax, gentle smoke, seawater, olive brine, chalk, grist and lamp oil. I do have the sensation that this will probably be quick and fast. Mouth: somewhat within the type of the official 10, solely with extra oomph because of the next power. Bare chalk, pepper, honey, apples, dough… Having stated that it is also turning into a bit of raisiny and sweetish. Add water or not add water? Oh, let’s strive that… With water: that did not fairly work. End: somewhat lengthy and smoky, however the place did this honeyed sweetness come from? Feedback: extraordinarily good, only a tad candy for me. One thing mysterious right here, however good smoke.
SGP:562 – 85 factors. |
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Whitlaw 15 yo (47.7%, Forgotten Gems, Grasp of Malts, refill hogshead, 11 bottles)
Eleven bottles! Let’s have a look at if this one’s rightly Nigel-Tuffnellian, or if they need to have poured it into a mix as an alternative. If I humbly might. Color: white wine. Nostril: full on paraffin, candles, then violets and lavender (proper, 4711), plus white asparagus (excessive season is right here) and similarly-shaped salsify. Love salsify, hope nobody ever forgets salsify. Mouth: peat up mucho, salt as effectively, lemon ditto, and oysters as well. Hope you may perceive this gibberish. Kerouac, deep apologies! End: somewhat lengthy, salty and peaty certainly, whereas to be completely sincere, I might recommend somebody’s been pouring two bottles of Ardbeg Ten into this wee vatting. In fact nobody ever does that. The aftertaste is a bit of bitter. Feedback: a really smoky HP. It is rather good, questioning if Dr Sam was concerned in some unspecified time in the future, as there are tiny notes of guitar lacquer right here and there.
SGP:464 – 87 factors. |
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Orkney 13 yo 2007/2021 (50.2%, Whiskyfacile, Scylla & Charybdis, refill hogshead) 
I would guess this Italian HP will probably be fairly Homeric. One other one from the peatier years, I might guess. Color: white wine. Nostril: minimal, a bit of Japanese in that respect, Bauhausian, ultra-clean, on recent bread, one olive, grist and chalk, mercurochrome. With water: paint thinner and extra grist and bread. Mouth (neat): riesling, chalk, inexperienced lemons and inexperienced apples, plus plasticine. With water: hints of williams pears. Excellent however the hoggie did not over-exert itself, did it. End: medium, salty. Liquid oysters, one olive within the aftertaste. Feedback: a telegraphic be aware for a terrific younger HP completely al pure. I am going to dig into these Scylla and Charybdis issues later. Perhaps.
SGP:363 – 88 factors. |
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Orkney 13 yo 2008/2021 (53.2%, Thompson Bros., refill hogshead, 356 bottles)
The brothers would inform us that this child’s spent a further six months in a primary fill barrel. I am undecided we wanna know. Gorgeous label, nonetheless. Color: white wine. Nostril: from the identical fabric, besides that this one has acquired gentian, whereas I might kill for gentian. Like, say a swollen Russian dictator. With water: bandages, grapefruits, kelp and oysters. Undoubtedly coastal. Mouth (neat): pears and gentian, plus chalk and bone-dry riesling. A bit of juniper and pepper too, which I discover a tad much less pleasing. With water: again to critical chalky and doughy issues. Hints of coconut and vanilla within the background (eh?) End: lengthy, however this bitterness retains bothering us a tiny wee bit. The remainder is simply good. Oysters, citrus pips and skins within the aftertaste. Feedback: somewhat a tough nut to crack, however high quality’s excessive for certain. The barrelly (I do know) touches solely present infrequently.
SGP:362 – 85 factors. |
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Whitlaw 5 yo 2016/2022 (60.8%, Whisky Is The Restrict, 1st fill Latour, cask #240/2016, 440 bottles)
This by our late-night-fondue-loving mates in Geneva, Switzerland. Having stated that, every thing is frightening right here, particularly the age (5) and the wooden (Lafite, king of Pauillac, thus Bordeaux). Color: apricot/salmon. Nostril: fairly tight, the loopy Pauillac (why do not they inform us concerning the classic, since they solely use their barriques as soon as???) stays somewhat unobtrusive, however some acetone’s somewhat apparent. Now, the power is excessive… With water: a variety of wooden glue, acetone certainly, then blackcurrant buds, fig leaves (cautious), poached white peaches, then simpler scents, redcurrant jelly, peonies, distant echoes of horse and cow dung, horse saddle, hay… A bit of stressed in your nostril, however keep in mind, solely 5. Mouth (neat): big, tight, pungent, aggressive, presumably good. Varnish, strawberries and pepper. With water: and there, peach syrup, smoky white cherries… These profiles normally are likely to change into very rubbery (in my meagre expertise) however that is not fairly the case right here. End: lengthy, grassy, leafy (that is the Bordeaux), fairly peppery and salty. Feedback: some combat right here, I imply, Lafite towards Highland Park!. A bit of powerful and really entertaining.
SGP:462 – 85 factors. |
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Kirkwall 17 yo 2000/2017 (58.1%, WFFA, bourbon, cask #27, 266 bottles) 
I feel I have been understanding what the acronym WFFA used to imply. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: dough, gentle heather honey, overripe apples, lime stones, beans, plaster, grass, cider apples… Not the best HP to date. With water: bandages and chalk, plus a wee glass of kirschwasser. Mouth (neat): method, method sexier than on the nostril when neat, with very good citrus and wonderful chalky doughs. With water: similar, this isn’t a nosing whisky. Bone dry white wine, chalk, white pepper, lemons, extra pepper… End: and extra pepper but, chilli, cactus, contact of cleaning soap, artichokes and eggplants… Feedback: excellent, however this very austere dram does push you a wee bit. Get transformed – I am undecided I’ll myself. Severely, it’s a little powerful, rubbery, bitter, difficult…
SGP:462 – 82 factors. |
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We may strive a final one… Or two.., emptying the HP field…
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Highland Park 1980/2013 (47.8%, Malts of Scotland for Der Feinschmecker, 1st fill oloroso, cask #MoS N°FS 7, 50 bottles) 
How about an obscure outdated HP for some well-known German gastronome journal? Certainly, Der Feinschmecker actually is ‘das führende Gourmand-Magazin’. Hoppla. We have already tried some magnificent 1980 HP. Color: full gold. Nostril: pretty! Shoe polish, teak oil, balsa wooden, embrocations, eucalyptus, fir honey, outdated pears (no names), chocolate, extra shoe polish, hints of glutamate, miso… It truly is one other period, nearly one other world. Much less centered, much less apparent, extra advanced, far more tertiary. Mouth: big peat, salty wines (manzanilla) and kippers. Presumably one of many saltiest and smokiest HPs I’ve ever tried; that is nearly brutal. At 33! End: intense and intensely lengthy, geared in the direction of lemon focus. Powerful and tight boy. The aftertaste can be a notch troublesome, actually vey grassy and lemony. Feedback: woo-ooh, what was that? In all probability one of the vital terrifying HPs I’ve ever tried. And thirty-three years outdated (age of Christ!) Extremely-dry outdated HP, whereas most was somewhat softly honeyed and waxy. Now then once more, fifty bottles, ought to that rely?
SGP:372 – 90 factors. |
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We have discovered a 90+, we’re glad, that is it.
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