Blogging, one whisky at a time
[45.4%・12 Years Old・Distilled in 1996・Bottled in 2018・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Pitted Cherries, orange zest, vanilla, honey. Mellow mix of sandalwood, ginger flowers and wild flowers that turns slight brine-y with a very subtle layer of peat smoke. Palate & Finish: Vanilla sauce and coconut cream, ice cream caramel dressing with creamed honey before mild notes…
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[55.6%・11 Years Old・Distilled in 1998・Bottled in 2009・Official Bottling・Cask No. 2763・Single Cask Release of 270 Bottles] Nose: Quite a relaxed, but certainly not shy dose of maritime peat, brine-y with some coffee beans, just a tinge on the sharp side with the cedar shoe trees. Dry twigs and wet mud on a herbal base, but still…
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[46.3%・23 Years Old・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: The peat is mild and melted into a pool of oil diesel, fumes and smoke. Faintly Sherried and slightly milky, there’s some iodine in there but perhaps it’s a tad metallic as well. Palate & Finish: Vanilla, chocolate and Sherried fruits, the delivery is not too dramatic,…
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Style: Sweet and Smoky Nose: Ardbeggian signatures taking a slight confectionaries turn. Gentle heat, liquorice candy coating around some lemon balm, grapes and apricots semi-glazed while smoking water building up from the background. Distant hay and peat smoke flickering, white pepper sprinkled on a dash of brine. Orange notes beginning to grow at the core.…
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[40%・22 Years Old・Distilled in 1978・Bottled in 2000・Gordon & MacPhail Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Chocolate mousse with a hint of cream powder, faint splashes of cherry preserve and apple juice with this curious hint of burnt toast. Some freshly plucked oyster and herbs with more fragrant fruity aromas. Palate & Finish: Light fruits with a brush of…
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[46.0%・25 Years Old・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: Mellow, delightful white fruits laced with faint hints of ash and finely dried coastal peat, some flannel seeds and a subtle layer of burnt oranges to create the depth. The wood is elegant and soft, whilst the warming bonfire sensation subtly builds, the iodine is restrained and balanced by…
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Style: Sweet, Smoky and Sophisticated Nose: Delicate lemon tart fuses with a beautiful body of peat smoke. Hint of dry hay, seaweed, orange confectionaries core with a zesty edge. Fruitiness embraced by a gentle, icy breeze. Subtle notes of smoked ham, ginger shreds, Maraschino cherry and liquorice root lurking at the back. Very nice. Palate:…
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Style: Fruity and Elegant Nose: Dry coconut shreds and pineapple overseeing gentle amber smoke, I am getting a lot of “old-school” vibe here. Lemon zest, salt and pepper at work one level down. Vanilla oil, a touch of tar, all zinged up by citrus spice. Leather, wood incense combined with a touch of mineral notes…
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Style: Vanilla fruits and Spicy Nose: A raw, higher power of spirit spice striking earthy, green medicinal top notes. Thin threads of kelp peat and smoked ham wrapping around a lesser fruity core – white peaches and dried apricots with a gentle lime zest around the edges. Vanilla orange notes slowly emerge while limestone dripping…
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[51.6%・NAS・Bottled in 2018・Official Bottling・Limited Release] For more information on the story behind Ardbeg Grooves, please read my friends Mr. Andrew Derbidge’s post here and the Whisky Ledger’s post here. Nose: The dram starts off with sugary sweet peat, though it is also quite brine-y and seaweed-y with notes of seafood marinara. The earthy smoke is well integrated and…
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