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| Hello, that is one among our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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October 30, 2021
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Angus’s Nook
From our correspondent and
expert taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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Dailtwoaine
& a guide evaluation |
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To begin with, apologies for that title, it is actually one for the ‘Twomintoul’ fan membership.
Earlier than we get to those Dailuaine samples, I wish to give you my evaluation of Billy Abbott’s new guide ‘The Philosophy of Whisky’, printed by the British Library as a part of their ‘Philosophy of’ sequence. Mr Abbott’s guide is brief and pithy, and as such I’ll try to evaluation it in related vogue.
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Angus’s quick evaluation of The Philosophy of Whisky by Billy Abbott…
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Who’s the actual one? Warning, there are faux Billy-Abbotts round.
(photograph Jon Seashore, Glasgow, circa 2017) |
They are saying one of many indicators of excellent writing is a transparent authorial voice, which is probably the most instantly placing facet of this guide: you’ll be able to hear Billy Abbott speaking in your head as you learn it. I learn this guide in a single sitting as a break whereas midway by means of Basis by Isaac Asimov, this solely served to intensify the sense that I used to be in dialog with Billy whereas on the pub, veering as our conversations normally do between booze and science fiction.
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The brevity of the guide is an asset as it may be digested simply in a single go. It is witty, sharp and intelligent and there is loads of well-articulated factors which are pleasant to each agree and disagree with. For instance, the creator’s critiques of Scottish porridge are of the sort solely a London-based craft beer fanatic might think about severe (cheese?!?!?!). My grandmother would have dutifully hewn him a chilly briquette of porridge from a drawer for functions of re-education.
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Abbott additionally makes some shrewd factors about whisky, with one particularly about ‘100% of a whisky’s flavour coming from the cask’ nonetheless inflicting my inner-head to chime with cognitive dissonance as I each agree and disagree with him. The guide is just not geared toward hyper nerds like us, however there are nonetheless loads of these thought scary takes littered all through that make it properly well worth the learn. Certainly, sneaky traces concerning the truth whisky can change in bottle give the impression a level of ‘whisky geek inception’ is being undertaken by the creator upon his extra informal readers.
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The pitch in the direction of a broader readership is the guide’s biggest energy. It’s welcoming, beneficiant and massively approachable (like Billy, as soon as once more). I lately needed to get a guide for somebody as the proper introductory examine whisky, however I could not consider an apparent or ‘go to’ title. This guide serves that objective completely. Abbott takes us on an expertly guided paddle amongst the murky pond of whisky manufacturing and historical past. All of us of us have pals, household and colleagues in our life who is perhaps curious concerning the topic we’re enthusiastic about to the purpose of weirdness, they could even ask us recommendation or path every now and then. Billy’s guide is the proper learn for anybody who seeks a straightforward inroad into whisky’s unusual however enjoyable little universe. |
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Higher than going to sure different web sites and serving to to fund the twanging of hairless tax avoiders into orbit on their glimmering space-phalluses.
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Dailuaine 13 yo 2008/2021 (57.1%, The Single Cask, cask #301698, bourbon barrel, 276 bottles) 
Color: pale straw. Nostril: cereals and icing sugar at first, numerous issues like sugar puffs, Shreddies and Frosties. Goes on with a number of tiny drops of clove oil, sandalwood, mineral oil and new leather-based. Fairly fascinating in some ways with a distinctly pure and pure vibe general. With water: takes on some very humorous notes of linoleum, clay and play dough with extra mineral oils and new leather-based. Dailuaine is a fairly large distillate typically is not it? Mouth: somewhat extra on freshly milled grist and plain toasted cereals right here. Toasted oats, fennel, sunflower oil, path combine – somewhat drying and with this dusty facet to it. Centered on uncooked elements and with out the identical playful candy impressions from the nostril. With water: getting fairly uncooked and punch now, with sheep wool oils, vase water, grass, aspirin and even hints of blanco tequila and tiger balm. End: good size, richly on malted barley, malt syrup, barley sugars, white pepper, watercress and sandalwood. Feedback: fairly a boisterous and assertive dram – you might be left with the impression that Dailuaine can pack fairly a charismatic punch at instances. I prefer it so much, however it’s a method you actually need to be within the temper for – or it will most likely make a really sensible highball?
SGP: 461 – 86 factors.
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Dailuaine 12 yo 2008/2020 (57.8%, Watt Whisky, bourbon hogshead, 312 bottles)
Color: straw. Nostril: somewhat richer and drier in model maybe, which is to say extra instantly on uncooked cereals, shoe polish, breads and somewhat yeasty, tangy beer notice. The distinction between a barrel and a hogshead? With water: as soon as once more it goes in the direction of vase water and a few contemporary inexperienced herbs resembling parsley. Maybe additionally sandalwood touches too. Mouth: we’re in very related territories however I might say there’s extra textural weight right here and a bit extra emphasis on issues like sunflower oil, shoe polish as on the nostril, grass, wintergreen, toasted cereals and grist. With water: some cider apple, extra fermentary sourdough notes, somewhat rustic in general model in truth. Nonetheless lots of uncooked cereals and contemporary barley. End: good size, extra cereals, olive oil, frivolously vegetal, white pepper and a barely inexperienced sharpness within the aftertaste. Feedback: I most likely want this one by a notch, the entire feels a bit extra cohesive and extra textural. However we’re splitting hairs as there’s lots of similarity. These Dailuaines are glorious, uncooked and pure distillate, however somewhat difficult types in that sense I might say.
SGP: 461 – 87 factors.
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