Single Malt Scotch Tasters of
Tasting
Notes - 2005 Home
Talisker 20 year old, 59.5%ABV
|
Color: |
Mahogany, burnt amber, aged bronze, and dark rich antique furniture. |
| Nose: |
Deep, complex, and pungent seaweed. Quite peaty, smokey, and caramel. Lots of sweetness with inviting fruit tones of citrus and prunes. |
| Flavor: |
So buttery smooth and well balanced. Creamy sherry, coffee, wood, and sweet. Very complex - contains every nutrient and spice known to man. |
| Finish: |
Everlastingly long with an integrated departure. Very mellow and smooth but has complex contrasting elements of oak wood and creamy sherry. Lot of character and it grows and grows on you. |
|
Brief Comment: |
Absolutely fabulous. Magnificent elegant dram from on of the great distilleries. |
|
Score: |
94 |
Bladnoch 14, 46% ABV, Signatory
|
Color: |
Pale straw. |
| Nose: |
Quite sweet and definite vanilla aspects. Citrus, butter, cream with elements of hay and grass. |
| Flavor: |
Very sweet, herbal, and creamy. Elements of cinnamon, spice, and contradictory aspects of must and soil. |
| Finish: |
Medium long with smooth vanilla aspects. Hints of creamy citrus and sherry. |
|
Brief Comment: |
Good introductory dram, but unexciting and lacks distinctiveness. |
|
Score: |
80 |
Highland Park 13 Signatory Bottling 63.8 % ABV
|
Brief Comment: |
A grand, very interesting, unusual, strong, and powerful single malt. |
|
Score: |
88 |
Brora 23 Signatory Bottling 58.2% ABV
|
Brief Comment: |
Varies from “A very good whisky” to “Ordinary and unexceptional”. |
|
Score: |
79 |
St. Magdalene, 19, 63.8%ABV (Rare Malts Selection)
|
Color: |
Light golden honey and straw. |
| Nose: |
Floral, sweet, and citrus. Aspects of smoke, straw, bourbon, and dust. |
| Flavor: |
Spice and peat. Sweet, complex, smooth heather. |
| Finish: |
A few days long and complex. Lingering fire and smooth cream. Earthy. |
|
Brief Comment: |
A very interesting great malt. Hairy legs powerful. |
|
Score: |
88 |
Coleburn 20year old, 50% ABV - 100% sherry finished
|
Color: |
Copper, rusty bronze, reddish amber. |
| Nose: |
Quite strong citrus and sherry, sweet. Aspects of over roasted walnuts, raisins, pepper, and taffy. |
| Flavor: |
Rough edged, quite sherry sweet, and complex. Medicinal astringent elements with traces of oak and burnt orange. |
| Finish: |
Very long. Oak and earth after the sweetness fled. Uninteresting . |
|
Brief Comment: |
Strong but without the velvet touch. Improves with water. |
|
Score: |
80 |
|
Color: |
Dark amber with a touch of burnt orange and brass. |
| Nose: |
Sweet caramel and sherry; fruity with the essences of prunes, oranges, and apricots. |
| Flavor: |
Sweet spice, orange, and chocolate. Complex, chewy, and explores the sinuses. |
| Finish: |
Quite long but dignified. Aspects of molten spice and sherry. |
|
Brief Comment: |
A pleasant fist in a velvet glove. Complex and warming. |
|
Score: |
87 |
|
Color: |
Straw and amber |
| Nose: |
Floral, sweet, creamy vanilla, and heather. Orange and tangerine peels. |
| Flavor: |
Faintly salty with oak. Sweet and spicy. Conflicting elements of cream and bitter candy. |
| Finish: |
Shortish, quickly dissipates, spirity, and complex. Lacks strong character. |
|
Brief Comment: |
An uninspired pleasant diversion but a good tasty dram nonetheless. |
|
Score: |
81 |
|
Color: |
Amber with golden honey, bronze, and copper highlights |
| Nose: |
Pungent, sharp, peat. Very smokey with salty seaweed notes. Lightly sweet and spirity |
| Flavor: |
Very smokey and peaty with a tangy, salty, sweet punch that penetrates the sinuses |
|
Finish: |
Everlastingly long with a gentle sweet denouement. Smokey, hot, distantly bitter, Powerful |
|
Brief Comment: |
Varies from “The best of the Laphroaigs” to “I think there are alternatives as candidates for number one |
|
Score: |
92 |
|
Color: |
Coppery gold, honey, amber |
| Nose: |
Illusive buttery, sweet, citrus. Hint of dried fruit in rum soaked cake |
| Flavor: |
Spicy and sweet, Complex chocolate and cream. Lingering and oily. All with discordant leathery, musty, and soapy notes |
| Finish: |
Medium long and complex |
|
Brief Comment: |
Puckers the taste buds with it’s unique, mysterious, desert like quality. Stands by itself |
|
Score: |
89 |
|
Color: |
Light Straw |
| Nose: |
Very smokey, peaty, pungent, salty. Elements of seaweed, sweet, citrus, with hint of Bols gin |
| Flavor: |
Salty blow to the nostrils, seashore kelp, smoke, and strong. Hints of peat, sweet, and spice |
| Finish: |
Long and lasting. Complex and lightly smokey. Elements of spice, peat, and chocolate |
|
Brief Comment: |
An aggressive drink that avoids harshness. Another lovely Isla |
|
Score: |
84 |
|
Color: |
Light straw, hay |
| Nose: |
Aged oranges, fruity, clean, floral, faint butterscotch |
| Flavor: |
Enhanced with water but an illusive clean, nutty, and sweet experience |
| Finish: |
Medium length, light, sweet, and smooth, but relatively uneventful |
|
Brief Comment: |
A
fair dram, but so delicate it collapses almost immediately. |
|
Score: |
81 |