Whisky and other wonderful things

Nose: A hint of smoke, rubber.

Palate: Rubber, leather, malt – well hidden.

Comments: The cask has taken over completely, and after only four years, too. The peat from the newmake is more or less wiped out and from the general sense of rubber I’d have guessed at a maturation of 15 years at least. At the same time there is something young and slightly disturbing about this, so that the main impression is “undecided”. It needs to go on a journey to find a sense of self

Score: 2.5 out of 10 (I did not finish the dram)

Bottled 20 June 2006

Nose: Warm smoke, fireplace, malt underneath. Roast grain.

Palate: Cold smoke. A fire that’s gone out in winter.

Comments: I wouldn’t mind drinking more of this. One-dimensional, but what’s there – smoke and more smoke with a tinge of malt – is forceful enough to make it quaffable. I would probably not buy a bottle to linger over, but could easily grab one if I needed something to bring along to a party.

Score: 5 out of 10

Nose: Malt, grain and sweetness. Sherry (from a  Madeira cask? Oh well.)

Palate: Spices, Werther’s Original.

Comments: More complex than some of the other Loch Lomond varieties, I could happily drink some more of this.

Score: 4.5 out of 10

Nose: Pretty anonymous, but plenty of malt, grain and sweetness.

Palate: Hennig Olsen Soft Shake chocolate ice cream.

Comments: There’s nothing wrong with ice cream, but as a whisky this is pretty boring.

Score: 3 out of 10

Nose: Fruity

Palate: Odd. Malty with a hint of liquorice.

Comments: Nice and clean, but terribly boring. If I want something this clean I’d rather have some vodka (much cheaper).

Score: 3 out of 10