A couple of blended pairs

J G Thomson & Co Blended Malt ‘Candy’ Batch 1 (46%, OB, 2021)
A part of a brand new vary of flavour profile themed blended malts from the sibling stables of the SMWS. Color: gold. Nostril: I suppose it does certainly ‘really feel’ candy. Very Speysidey, coconutty in non-artificial method which I fairly take pleasure in and with quite plenty of apple sauce, custard, barley sugars and a bit limoncello. I discover it candy however in a quite fulsome method, which is pleasant. Mouth: as on the nostril there is a robustness right here I did not fairly anticipate. Fairly spicy, warming, overtones of unpolluted, barely energetic oak coming via. Extra custardy gooey vibes and a wee trace of nutmeg and cinnamon. However, certainly – candy. End: a wee bit on the brief facet however glows with creme caramel sauce and baked apple. Feedback: candy, unarguably. The sort of easy, hyper-easy, uber-modern whisky you may simply guzzle all of the live-long afternoon.
SGP: 641 – 82 factors.

J G Thomson & Co Blended Malt ‘Wealthy’  Batch 1 (46%, OB, 2021)
Color: orangey gold. Nostril: okay, I feel I get it. That is completely a lot ‘richer’ in that it is extra clearly sherried. A transparent affect of recent sherry-seasoned casks with these rye spices, background pencil shavings, boozy-Christmassy cake and bits of liquorice and marzipan. Once more easy and direct, however then is not that an asset when your bottling has a one phrase descriptive title? Mouth: the wooden bites a bit deeper within the mouth. Aniseed, cloves, woody mulling spices, and once more these glowing, boozy fruit cake notes. Good chewy high quality concerning the palate. End: good size, more and more spicy and warming, softer oak tones balancing with some spiced oranges. Feedback: Wealthy? Test! I like this one a wee notch extra as a result of heft. Well composed, straightforward ingesting and pretty priced I’d I might say.
SGP: 561 – 83 factors.

Deanston 9 yo 2012/2021 (51.4%, Dram Mor, cask #95, madeira end, 274 bottles)
Dram Mor appear to be issuing fairly just a few intelligent and properly executed finishings nowadays. Let’s examine how Deanston + Madeira tallies up… Color: white wine. Nostril: quite winey and tart at first nosing. Gooseberry acidity, crisp inexperienced apple, grape should after which comes extra ‘Deanston-esque’ stuff like mashed cereals, malt extract and mineral oil. Fairly enjoyable. With water: shoe leather-based, putty, limestone and mashed potatoes. Extra in direction of youthful Deanston now I’d say. Mouth: whacky and enjoyable. Fairly like a genever on arrival with these barely bonkers notes of juniper, aniseed, sweetened cereals, olive oil and recent inexperienced herbs. Once more it is globally quite sharp and punchy. With water: a bit brighter, more energizing and extra pure total now with chalk, lemon peel, white pepper and a few firmer impressions of canvass and wool. End: medium, peppery, frivolously sooty and drying. Feedback: a bit in all places but additionally fairly enjoyable and charming to observe on this meandering journey. Undecided what the madeira is technically doing right here, however you are feeling its presence in a method that manages to by no means turn out to be excessive.
SGP: 461 – 84 factors.

Deanston 14yo ‘Natural’ (46.3%, OB, -/+ 2017)
I do not strive a lot official Deanston, however I see Serge is a fan. I am going to must make extra of an effort… Color: straw. Nostril: numerous mashed cereals, banana pores and skin, recent wort, heat grist – all these evocative ‘energetic distillery’ vibes. Additionally some lemon peel, sourdough starter and fruit scone combine. Feels fairly uncooked and pure. Mouth: a wee tang of carbolic acidity, then extra normal beery richness, nettles, hops, lanolin, crushed oatcakes, ink and waxed canvass. Drying, richly cereal and really a lot in direction of a quite austere and even older type of malt whisky I’d say. Some sunflower oils, recent breads and a touch of sandalwood and dried flowers. End: medium in size, getting very beery, dry and frivolously hoppy now. Some pollen mud and plain buttered toast. Feedback: I loved this greater than I assumed I’d and greater than the nostril advised. I feel the palate specifically displayed a beery, austere charisma that is fairly uncommon nowadays.
SGP: 462 – 86 factors.

Craigellachie 13 yo 2007/2021 (46%, Mossburn, Oloroso end)
One among a raft of indy releases from the workforce behind the brand new Torabhaig distillery on Skye. Color: pale amber. Nostril: barely candied at first, however that is alongside the anticipated ‘weight’ of Craigellachie distillate that comes via swiftly. Moist leaves, petrichor, milk chocolate digestives and a bit quite fruity black espresso. Mouth: properly spicy, jammy and simply the correct quantity of sweetness that may make you consider natural cough medicines and liquorice. Though there’s additionally a little bit of energetic oak nibble across the sides of the tongue. End: good size, the Craigellachie meatiness comes via fairly assertively now. Mulched tobacco, damp earth and cocoa. Feedback: a well-executed sherry end that, regardless of a wee little bit of pushy wooden right here and there,  preserves and elevates lots of the finer points of the Craigellachie distillate.
SGP: 562 – 85 factors.

Craigellachie 2006/2020 (54.9%, Caora, cask #8101283, refill barrel, 215 bottles)
Color: straw. Nostril: a lot fatter and sinewed with this very juicy and plush malty sweetness. Background waxiness, mineral oil, shoe polishes and this impression of sizzling draff and candy wort. Craigellachie could be a compelling and enchanting make when offered in pure kind like this, straightforward to see why these dyed within the wool whisky geeks at Caora would choose such a cask. With water: dusty, chalky, floral and tautly structured with this brittle waxiness and impressions of pollens and dried flowers. Mouth: oily, mouth-coating, surprisingly natural and with these wee medical traces within the background as properly. A properly chewy maltiness, some fennel and touches of mint tea, verbena and camphor. With water: nonetheless very thick in texture and on issues like fennel, aniseed, dried flowers, waxes, natural ointments and mineral oils. End: good size, properly drying, toasty cereals, shilling ales, bitter herbs and wee sooty touches. Feedback: is Craigellachie an underrated distillate? It’s totally a gungy and fairly brutal make at instances, however for followers of charismatic spirit it is undeniably fascinating. It is a actually good instance I feel- a sensible choice!
SGP: 462 – 87 factors.

Glenrothes 9 yo 2012/2021 (57.4%, Dram Mor, cask #3061, madeira end, 292 bottles)
The oldsters at Dram Mor are clearly followers of Madeira… Color: gold. Nostril: I am not kidding, however… madeira cake is what I am getting up entrance. Sticky fruit truffles, plum wine, flower honey and quite candy dessert wine notes. All very straightforward and interesting. With water: a mixture of suet and bouillon on one hand, with shoe leather-based and miso on the opposite. Mouth: right here the stickiness of the madeira stays nevertheless it’s additionally a bit extra earthy, fats and stuffed with praline, tobacco and leafy notes. Candy caffe latte and milk chocolate. Maybe a tad cloying now? With water: nonetheless quite cloyingly candy, now going in direction of biscuits and issues like Tunnocks Teacakes (if you do not know, you need to!). Flower nectars, golden syrup and boiled sweets. End: medium, sticky candy, some milk stout and digestive biscuit. Feedback: all very fantastic, only a bit too candy for me.
SGP: 741 – 83 factors.

Glenrothes 20 yo 1997/2017 (52.3%, The Whisky Company ‘World Bar Tour’, cask #7162, sherry butt, 218 bottles)
Color: deep mahogany. Nostril: leathery, earthy and tobacco-drenched old-fashioned sherry. Full on walnut liqueur, hazelnut oils, fir wooden resins, sultanas soaked in outdated Armagnac, dunnage earth, bitter darkish chocolate and lots of tiny notes of cherry wine, cough sweets, wild strawberries and eucalyptus. Very good and completely luxurious sherry that embodies many types concurrently. With water: robustly earthy now, simmering espresso, roasted pigeon, Manhattan cocktail and celery bitters. Deeply, darkly earthy, meaty and stuffed with stewed fruits. Mouth: leaf mulch, damp, leathery tobaccos, mushroom powder, darkish chocolate and hessian with numerous wee options of cloves, sport meats, brown bread and 5 spice. Tons happening which makes the entire thing significantly entertaining. With water: continues this fusion of spices, sport meats, goodies, earths and lots of bitter herbs, tobaccos, darkish grained breads and heavy ales. End: lengthy, going into very classical rancio, balsamic and earthy territories. An impeccable sherry cask that’s riddled with sport, espresso and walnuts within the aftertaste. Feedback: a method of sherry cask that raises extra questions than it solutions at the present time. That apart, high quality is completely prime notch. An excellent and bonnie sherry monster!
SGP: 562 – 91 factors.