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The Girvan Patent Still Tweet Tasting!

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The Girvan Single Grain Malt Whiskies!

The Girvan Single Grain Malt Whiskies!

The star of last Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting was The Girvan Patent Still and they had some fantastic Single Grain Malt Whiskies for us to sample.

Steve from The Whisky Wire was our MC for the night and if you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #GirvanGrain on Twitter.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Girvan New Make
  • Girvan No.4 Apps
  • Girvan 25 Years Old
  • Girvan 30 Years Old

Built in 1963, under the direction of Charles Gordon, the great-grandson of William Grant, Girvan was the most advanced distillery in the world at the time.

In the 70’s chemist G. Wilkin isolated the perfect yeast strain from local flora for use in the whisky production. They still use the same strain now: Lallemang.

They were also the first to use multi-pressure distillation for production of grain Scotch whisky in 1992.

Distilling at various pressures and under vacuum in particular allowed them to vapourise and distill at lower temperatures. Resulting in a sweeter, fruitier, cleaner and purer spirit.

To reflect this, the tall slender packing of The Girvan Patent Still Single Grain was designed to reflect the tall shape of their column stills.

On average 36 trucks arrive at Girvan every day. Each truck contains about 25 – 28 tonnes of wheat. The Girvan distillery produces about 115 million LPA (litres of pure alcohol) per year. This is equivalent to 46 Olympic Pools!

About 33% of Girvans flavour comes from the distillate, 67% influence of the oak. The oak they use is 100% American oak, rich in vanillin. The oak reacts very well to lighter grain spirit, adding fantastic flavours.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Girvan New Make (42%)

Nose: A strong moonshine is my first impression. Wafts of nail varnish hit the nose straight away. There’s popcorn, white rum with added fruit & hints of banana smoothie.

Palate: Quite an oily mouthfeel, the banana continues on the palate. Creamy and sweet with a tasty rumness.

Finish: Full on strong finish – hints of raw spice.

Overall: Surprisingly tasty for a new make but with a raw edge that is strangely attractive!

Tasting Notes – Girvan No.4 Apps (42%)

No. 4 Apps (short for apparatus) is named after their 4th. still.

Nose: Vanilla & cream, slight toffee popcorn & oak wood in there. Lovin’ the apples fragrances – it’s harvest time!

Palate: Sweet tropical fruits, pineapple et al & sherbet! Creamy vanilla & spice.

Finish: Smooth spicy, peppery finish. Dry with a little grapefruit.

Overall: A superb, warming dram for sure! Lovely balance of flavours & perfect for Autumn evenings.

Tasting Notes – Girvan 25 Years Old (42%)

Nose: Oak wood & vanilla straight off with creamy, spiced green apples, butterscotch & coconut.

Palate: Smooth vanilla & orange with creamed apples.

Finish: Spicy and Oh! so smooth with a lingering creaminess – divine!

Overall: Truly heaven in a glass! Rich, long and satisfying.

Tasting Notes – Girvan 30 Years Old (42%)

This 30YO is unique as it was the last year (1984) to use maize. From 1963 to 1984 Girvan used maize. From 1984 onwards they have used wheat. Bottled without the addition of caramel and non-chill filtered.


Nose: This needs some time to develop … after all it is 30 years old. There’s vanilla, banana, hints of dark chocolate, apple and oak wood.

Palate: Xmas cake mixture, plump raisins, tropical fruits (mango & pineapple) – a feast! Topped with rich vanilla, a hint of mint & orange and a gentle spice.

Finish: Rich tannin with a spicy finish that’s long and glorious!

Overall: Smooth beyond belief and an amazing set of flavours. If you get the chance to sample, grab it with all your tastebuds!

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 5, I think it’s got to be the Girvan 30 Years Old. Money can’t buy me love but it can buy me this!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

And of course, Girvan (@GirvanGrain), for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@DrinksEnthusist @julie_gwc @angelshareglass @robster38 @Nickolls_Perks @EdinburghWhisky @KristianeSherry @WhiskyApocalyps @brawspirit @TheWhiskyKiwi @pimpleandblotch @bobsta1975 @thicker_thanH2O @ivyeatsagain @WhiskyCorner @kaskwhisky @cache1337 @dvdbloke @jesslionsmane @nitin_michael @jdpjamesp @GeorgeHHutton @WhiskyQuarterly

Girvan is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Sampling Anon. Batch 1 – The Rare Casks From Abbey Whisky!

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Anon. Batch 1 - The Rare Casks

Anon. Batch 1 – The Rare Casks

Abbey Whisky has released another gem in it’s Rare Casks range.

Anon. Batch 1 was distilled in 2001 at one of Scotland’s finest distilleries.

It has been aged for 13 years in total, with the last 6 months of maturation spent in an Oloroso sherry cask.

Bottled in 2015 at cask strength, only 90 bottles have been filled and made available for this new release in their Rare Casks series…

Plus … Buy Anon. and receive 10% off any other 70cl Rare Casks whisky!


Tasting Notes – Anon. Batch 1 – The Rare Casks (51.5%)

Nose: Rich honey, malt and creamy vanilla abounds, all laced with marzipan. Very appetising! There’s some slight woodiness in there as well.

Palate: Luscious mouthfeel, lovely honey and vanilla creaminess.

Finish: Sweet, spicy finish – long and well blended.

Overall: Hats off to Abbey Whisky for this – an excellent dram with some great flavours – all packaged up in whisky that packs a bit of a hit, strength wise.
A great price too – a winner!

£54.00

Many thanks to Abbey Whisky (@AbbeyWhisky) for sending the samples!

Sampling The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015!

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The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015

The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015

The Dalmore has released a limited edition bottling “The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015” which will be sold exclusively at the brands iconic home in the Scottish Highlands.

The latest bottling embodies the art of The Dalmore for which the brand’s esteemed Master Distiller, Richard Paterson, has hand selected a collection of port, Moscatel and Madeira casks to mature this exquisite whisky in, before finally being finessed in first fill bourbon barrels.

The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015 is a stunning whisky.

Our artisanal approach to whisky making bestows this bottling with a bold, rich, sweet amber gold colour with aromas of caramelised orange, forest fruits and marzipan, and on the palate macerated plums, almonds and pecans.

– Richard Paterson: Master Distiller

Each expression of The Dalmore is meticulously crafted by Richard with the help of a small and highly skilled team of distillery craftsmen who manage the production process by hand. This approach is essential to The Dalmore as its collection of eight stills of varying shapes and sizes require great attention in order to create the unique, complex character that is distinctive of The Dalmore.

Located on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, the picturesque home of The Dalmore houses a visitor centre where guests are invited to experience the brand and become immersed in the history, bravery and workmanship that go into producing The Dalmore’s award winning whisky.

Distillery Tours are available year round but you do need to book! Contact Dalmore for more details.

Only 450 bottles of “The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015” have been made available, each individually numbered.

Priced £150 The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015 (48% ABV) is available from The Dalmore Distillery at Alness, Ross-shire, Scotland, IV17 OUT

Only 450 bottles have been made available

Only 450 bottles have been made available

Tasting Notes – The Dalmore Distillery Exclusive 2015 (48%)

Matured in hand selected port, Moscatel and Madeira casks before being finessed in first fill bourbon barrels.


Nose: A rich sherry colour that clings to the glass. Sweet, fruity port, ripe red apples, orange and marzipan.

Palate: Luscious mouthfeel. Sweet cake mixture, fruits soaked in port.

Finish: A long, spicy finish with bags of sugary, fruit sweetness. Gets drier at the end.

Overall: A rich, powerful dram that seems to punch way above the weight of it’s 48% ABV. Decidely morish and very palatable.

I know they’ll sell out of this very quickly regardless but I hope that some of the buyers will actually taste this great whisky rather than just keeping it for investment purposes.
That would be a shame – and a waste!

Many thanks to Dalmore Whisky (@DalmoreWhisky) for sending the samples!

Dalmore is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Glen Scotia Twitter Tasting – Four Drams That Re-Invent A Great Brand!

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The Glen Scotia Range

The Glen Scotia Range

The Glen Scotia Tweet Tasting held last Monday was a great chance to sample some drams that has not got the credit in recent years that it deserves.

Founded in 1832, Glen Scotia is one of only three distilleries producing in the Campbeltown whisky region. Currently undergoing a re-brand, it was a great opportunity to sample some drams in their new packaging that will be hitting the shops very soon.

The event was hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire and the malts sampled were:-

  • Glen Scotia Double Cask
  • Glen Scotia 15 Year Old
  • Glen Scotia Victoriana
  • Glen Scotia Single Cask Distillery Edition

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #GlenScotia on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia Double Cask (46%)

A NAS, NCF dram – Coming Soon to Specialist Retailers – RRP £37.00

Finished in first fill American Bourbon barrels & Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks.

Nose: Vanilla, caramel & fudge straight off! There’s also apples teamed up with a pleasant oakyness and a hint of smoke.

Palate: Sweet, rich mouth feel. Lovely rum and chocolate flavours, baked fruits and treacle pud.

Finish: Very warming and spicy. A long finish beating a fiery path down to the tummy!

Overall: Quite a heavy dram, meaty & full of spicy attitude!

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia 15 Year Old (46%)

NCF – Coming Soon to Specialist Retailers – RRP £55.00

Nose: Fresher, less heavy than the Double Cask. Polish & a hint of peat are there and I’m getting all sorts of charred wood & smoke! A little vanilla n’ caramel is also present but not much …

Palate: Thinner mouth feel, sweet and very citrusy. Lemons, fruit cake with a little caramel. Pretty salty too!

Finish: Spicy, peppery, long, warming finish again – a little tobacco in there as well.

Overall: Pretty kick-ass actually! Quite, quite different to the Double Cask.

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia Victoriana (51.5%)

NAS, NCF dram – Coming Soon to Specialist Retailers – RRP £75.00
Matured in Bourbon barrels then finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks & deep charred oak casks. All chosen casks are hand selected from Glen Scotia’s reserve Cellar. Each bottle carries the signature of Master Blender John Peterson as a personal guarantee of quality.


Nose: Strawbs and cream hit the nose! Vanilla ice cream and pears coming up a close second.

Palate: Rich fruit cake, coffee & a luscious mouth feel! Generous treacle with a little salt.

Finish: Glorious finish – refined, spicy. Nice!

Overall: Shouts quality from every taste bud!

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia Single Cask Distillery Edition (56.1%)

NAS, NCF dram – Available Exclusively from the Distillery for £90.00
Matured in an American Bourbon refill cask. Approx distillation date Dec 2002.

Nose: Smoky, peaty, charred woody abounds! The syrupy vanilla sweetness is still there though.

Palate: Rich mouth feel. A very sweet, peaty smokey hit. Thick caramel, chocolate & grapefruit.

Finish: Long finish with well tempered spice and dryness.

Overall: A powerhouse dram – a visit to the distillery shop maybe?

My Favourite On The Night

I think it’s got to be the Double Cask followed by Victoriana. The Double Cask has it all and for a very reasonable price.

These whiskies all seem to have very distinctive characteristics – meaty, savoury, salty producing some very satisfying drams indeed. I would certainly class these expressions as warming, beside the fire on a cold night kind of drams.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening!

And of course, Glen Scotia, for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@WhiskyDiscovery @MashtunandMeow @whiskytube @mynameisgone @EdinburghWhisky @mattveira @bobsta1975 @WhiskyCorner @RumDiariesBlog @dvdbloke @TheWhiskyBoys @msykesjones @whiskyrepublic @WhiskyWriter @JoeFHolmes @brawspirit @annawizauk @rodbodtoo @angelshareglass @emilymayfox @whisky_facile @WhiskySpeller @LaCaveDeCobalt @Girl_Whisky

Glen Scotia is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Bushmills Whiskey Tweet Tasting: Tropical Fruit & Irish Genius!

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The five Bushmills malts!

The five Bushmills Drams!

Bushmills was the selected distillery for Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting and we had the chance to try five of their superior Whiskey range.

Bushmills is the oldest licensed distillery in the world (1608) and their recent acquisition by Jose Cuervo could herald the start of a new era for this most famous of Irish distilleries.

The event was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire and the drams sampled were:-

  • Bushmills Original
  • Bushmills Black Bush
  • Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt
  • Bushmills 12 Year Old Distillery Reserve
  • Bushmills 16 Year Old Old Single Malt

One thing that became obvious during the night was how consistent the core flavours were over the range – in short, tropical fruits abound!

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #BushmillsWhiskey on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Bushmills Original Whiskey ( 40% )

A NAS blend of triple distilled Irish single malt & Irish grain whiskey. Matured for at least 5 years in American oak casks. It is named after the River Bush, a fine salmon river that powered the textile mills of the Scottish settlers.

Nose: Fruity vanilla, slightly woody, furniture polish and then those “little green apples” start to come thru. Closely followed by pineapple, peach & mint – a feast!

Palate: Fruit cake mixture, sweet, with a little caramel thrown in.

Finish: Very smooth with a satisfying, spicy finish – quite short.

Overall: The Chilli is on slow burn but makes itself known after a time making this a very sippable dram indeed!

Tasting Notes – Bushmills Black Bush Whiskey ( 40% )

Made up of 80% malt whiskey & matured for up to 7 years in oloroso sherry casks & bourbon barrels.


Nose: More honey & caramel than the Original & more body menthol. There’s lots of apples as well as a smattering of demerera and rum.

Palate: Still getting sweet fruit cake mixture but there’s more treacle & it’s lovely and smooth!

Finish: A sweeter dram than the Original, syrupy and full of chilli spice.

Overall: Another short finish but it’s spiciness is warming my cockles! A welcome addition to any drinks selection!

Tasting Notes – Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey (40%)

Matured for at least 10 years mainly in bourbon barrels.

Nose: Less sweetness than the previous drams with hints of pears & pineapple – ‘thinner’. Plus there’s bananas, apples giving some very fresh and clean aromas!

Palate: Light mouthfeel, pineapple, mango – basically 40% Lilt!

Finish: The spice seemed to disappear from this but then made a welcome return right at the end – it’s a bit shyer on this dram!

Overall: Another winner and continuing the tropical fruit theme that runs through all these drams.

Tasting Notes – Bushmills 12 Year Old Distillery Reserve Whiskey ( 40% )

Matured mainly in oloroso sherry casks and only available from the Bushmills distillery shop.

Nose: Vanilla & syrupy apples, pineapple, icing sugar.

Palate: Rich tropical fruit with a mango hit – nicely sweet.

Finish: Nutty caramel with a well balanced spiciness to finish.

Overall: Bit of a slow burner the 12YO- needs time to develop in the glass but stick with it and the rewards will come to those who wait!

Tasting Notes – Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey (40%)

Made with two whiskies that have been matured for 16 years – one from a bourbon barrel the second from a sherry cask. They are then married together in port infused casks.

Nose: Fruit cake, sherry & port are very present. In addition there’s caramel and blackcurrant which was a revelation.

Palate: Sweet port giving way to pineapple & fruit sugar syrup.

Finish: The sweetness lingers and only gives way slightly to some welcoming spiciness!

Overall: These older drams certainly benefit from a little more time in the glass. Satisfying, rich mature flavours with lovely port being quite prominent.

My Favourite On The Night

Black Bush – smooth, sweet, full of chilli spice & fantastically priced.

But all had an interesting array of flavours – a close second being the 16 year old!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

And of course, Bushmills, without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@Whisky_Magazine @WhiskyDiscovery @DrinksEnthusist @EdinburghWhisky @Drinkmonger @brawspirit @BeersIveKnown @dvdbloke @mynameisgone @NeilMacKinnon1 @Andrew1McCallum @jpbglover11 @msykesjones @cache1337 @rodbodtoo @AWhetForWhisky @kaskwhisky @GingerWhisky1 @TheWhiskyKiwi @Whisky_Belfast @TheWhiskyphiles @MarkGwhisky @MrMDMaloney @bobsta1975 @annawizauk @Girl_Whisky @WhiskySpeller

Bushmills is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Glen Moray Tweet Tasting!

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Let the sampling begin!

Let the sampling begin!

Last Wednesday I was lucky enough to be invited to the latest online Tweet Tasting with the opportunity of sampling the delights produced by the Glen Moray Speyside distillery.
The event, once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the chance to try five different drams including two New Make Spirits – a rare thing indeed.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Glen Moray New Make Spirit
  • Glen Moray Classic
  • Glen Moray Port Cask Finish
  • Glen Moray New Make Peated Spirit
  • Glen Moray Peated Single Malt

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #GlenMoray on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Glen Moray New Make Spirit ( 69% )

New Make Spirit is at the core of the dram that will eventually end up in your glass but in this form it’s the raw essence of what will be whisky, once it’s been aged in oak casks for a minimum of 3 years.

Nose: Creamy, raw, fruity! Basically Banana smoothie! White rum with a little malt & barley (reminds me of moonshine) comes thru later.

Palate: Thick mouth feel, oily, sweet plums – God that’s strong!

Finish: Hot, fiery with a passion!

Overall: You have to be careful with the new make – it sent my taste buds flying like a bunch of skittles! Would make a good gin replacement in summer cocktails etc. if they ever retailed it – but I doubt they ever will!

Tasting Notes – Glen Moray Classic ( 40% )

Glen Moray mature their whisky in ex-bourbon barrels sourced from North America.


Nose: Slightly peaty, hint of vanilla & fruit, red apples & pears.

Palate: Very smooth, light with vanilla & fruit. There’s some grapefruit in there as well.

Finish: Peppery but also sweet – nice bit of glowing spice!

Overall: It’s really interesting to dram this after tasting the New Make as you can really taste the new make in there. All muted down of course to save those taste buds! A really nice dram this – nice and easy going!

Tasting Notes – Glen Moray Port Cask Finish ( 40% )

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask is finished for 8 months in Tawny Port casks before being bottled. A lovely rose colour when in the glass – the Twitter community thought this hue was very fetching!

Nose: Very similar to the Classic but there’s also a satisfying porty sweetness.

Palate: Creamy, sweet, jam-like, little bit of tanin.

Finish: Long, spicy finish coupled with a dry, fruity port hit!

Overall: If you like port and a dram with a rosy look to it then you’ll love this! Nicely balanced fruit, spice and sweetness!

Tasting Notes – Glen Moray New Make Peated Spirit ( 69% )

A peated base spirit with around 18ppm phenols.

Nose: Heavy peat, smoke, charcoal – BOOM! No fruit or sweetness at all – just a smokery!

Palate: Pretty much tastes like it noses – full on! Hot and fiery – quite oily – but mainly heavy peat n’ smoke.

Finish: Adding water brings out sweet, salty Liquorice.

Overall: Amazing opportunity to try this New Make but it demands respect – don’t expect it to be gentle with you!

Tasting Notes – Glen Moray Peated Single Malt ( 40% )

Glen Moray Classic Peated Cask is aimed at consumers who want a gentle peated style of whisky.


Nose: Again the Classic foundation is there but it’s infused with a lovely, smoky, albeit quite a shy, peat.

Palate: Very light, sweet with a dash of smoke n’peat – morish!

Finish: Light Liquorice comes thru at the end with a gentle warming finish.

Overall: This is a great peated malt, especially for those who are new to or wishing to explore the world of smokey drams! Great for quiet sipping and relaxing!

My Favourite On The Night

This would normally be the peatier dram but the Classic bags it for me tonight – it is what it says on the label – a Classic!
Their bedrock malt from which all their other styles flow!

A special mention though for the New Makes. Always a rare and welcome opportunity to taste the spirit in it’s original form, just so long as you do it in moderation!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

And of course, Glen Moray, for sending the samples and without whom!

If you want to visit, the distillery has a visitor centre which offers tours all year round!

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @WhiskyCorner @jpbglover11 @kaskwhisky @dvdbloke @msykesjones @godsofgoodison @cache1337 @BeersIveKnown @dramming_uk @MikeJack1976 @macphail_hugh @b7ryn @Pandemoniumd01 @kizzsmyth @TheRedFellow @bobsta1975 @mynameisgone @LaCaveDeCobalt @jdpjamesp @galg @GeorgeHHutton @KatharineSully @AWhetForWhisky @brawspirit @nitin_michael @Girl_Whisky @PMaitlando @whiskymagazine @Whisky_Belfast @julie_gwc @rodbodtoo @MashtunandMeow @JoeFHolmes

Glen Moray is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Cutty Sark Twitter Tasting: A 33 Year Old, 3 Cocktails & 1 Fridge!

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The Line Up!

The Line Up!

Cutty Sark have teamed up with White Lyan for the latest inspired & educational Tweet Tasting event, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire.

We were given a chance to get our taste buds on and around their 33 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky, a rare dram indeed as only 3456 bottles have been produced globally.

Leading the sampling was Cutty Sark’s whisky blender @Kirsteen Campbell.

White Lyan, which was named ‘Best New International Cocktail Bar 2014’, were tasked with producing some cocktails for this tasting event and they did not disappoint. Their innovative style and perfectionism nailed it on the night.

The cocktails sampled were:-

  • Cutty Sark Artists Special
  • Cutty Sark Seelbach
  • Cutty Sark Old Fashioned

Tasting Notes – Cutty Sark 33 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky ( 41.75% )

Cutty Sark 33 Year Old

Cutty Sark 33 Year Old

Focusing on the exciting Art Deco period of the 1920s and early 1930s this limited edition bottling has been released by Cutty Sark to celebrate a time when Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky found its way into America.

Once there, it flourished within the emerging cocktail culture and changed the face of Scotch whisky forever.

The distinctive bottle, designed especially for this new expression, is beautifully decorated with sunburst and geometric designs in the style symbolic of this significant era.

Presented in a piano black wooden box inlaid with mother of pearl, it also contains two decorated glasses and a stunning 32-page book which provides a brief insight into the iconic Art Deco period.

As to the specific content of this 33 Year Old? It’s a blend of whiskies from 22 casks over 9 different distilleries …. and the rest is top secret!

Cutty Sark 33 Year Old is available from their online shop.


Nose: Toffee, fudge & vanilla straight off! Closely followed by sweet red apples, herbs. Very mellow.

Palate: Rich, fruity cake mix. Smooth honey, fudge and spices with little hints of grapefruit. There’s a little wood in there as well.

Finish: Wonderfully long, sweet finish with a gentle spiciness thrown in!

Overall: Excellent dram and amazing packaging – what is there not to like? Well not much – the £650 price tag may reign you in a bit though!

Tasting Notes – Cutty Sark Artists Special

Cutty Sark Artists Special

Cutty Sark Artists Special

Cutty Sark, Oloroso sherry, Redcurrant & Lemon
(circa. 1927)
– Poured from the fridge into a frozen cocktail glass

What first hits me is the sweet and fruitness with, strangely, a hint of ginger – yum!

There’s a heavy taste and texture of Oloroso sherry and I love the way the whisky cuts thru the sherry sweetness to add some OOMPH!

All in all, it’s a well balanced feast of, tangy lemon, sweet sherry and warming whisky!

Tasting Notes – Cutty Sark Seelbach

Cutty Sark Seelbach

Cutty Sark Seelbach

Cutty Sark, Triple Sec & Bitters
(circa 1917)
– Poured from fridge into a chilled champagne flute & topped up with 75ml. fresh soda water

Intensely fruity and sweet, strong and bitter – all at once – Nice!

Orange n’ lemon with a lovely bitterness that compliments each other perfectly

Fizzy, sharp, gorgeous!

These cocktails are SO morish! 🙂 #watchout

Tasting Notes – Cutty Sark Old Fashioned

Cutty Sark Old Fashioned

Cutty Sark Old Fashioned

Cutty Sark, Beeswax, Bitters & Gold Flakes
(circa 1800 to 1880)
– Poured from fridge into a frozen whisky glass

Everyone was captivated by the gold flakes dancing about in this cocktail; re-assurance was sought that they were okay to consume.

But all was well – edible gold it was!

As expected from the beeswax, there was rich honey with a floral and creamy sweetness.

Ths was topped off with a spicy warmth.

My Favourite Cocktail On The Night

Difficult one this. Morish they all are, tasty they all are but I’m going for the Seelbach – long, fizzy, sharp, fruity, gorgeous!

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #CuttySark33 on Twitter.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

Also, many thanks to the team at White Lyan (@WhiteLyan) for preparing & sending such amazing samples!

Visit them in London to taste their inspired creations – Open 7 days from 5pm. Reservations available via their website – takeaway cocktails are also available!

And of course, Cutty Sark Whisky (@cuttysarkblend), without whom! (They also have an excellent online shop!)

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @WhiskyDiscovery @WhiskyCorner @steveprentice @Perfect_Scotch @whiskytube @ben_cops @EdinburghWhisky @GreatDrams @JohnnieStumbler @raithrover @TonyWTC @Sherry_Ben @AlpacaJo @The_Lady_Sybil @Whisky_Magazine @MaltNerd @Whisky_Belfast @whiskyrepublic @rodbodtoo @MikeJack1976 @julie_gwc @BeersIveKnown @TheWhiskyKiwi @MashtunandMeow @msykesjones @mynameisgone @AWhetForWhisky @NeilMacKinnon1

Cutty Sark is also available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Arran Whisky Tweet Tasting!

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Island Wonders From Arran!

Island Wonders From Arran!

Island Wonders From Arran!

Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting ably demonstrated the rise and rise of Arran Whisky and their range of whiskies which included the release of their first 18 year old and the release of White Stag – their members only dram.

The event was once again hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire and over two hours we got the opportunity to sample four malts from this Island powerhouse.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Arran Whisky Sauternes Finish
  • Arran Whisky 18 Year Old
  • Arran Whisky Bourbon Cask
  • Arran Whisky White Stag

You can catch up on what all the tasters had to say by searching for the hash tag #ArranWhisky on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky Sauternes Finish ( 50% )

Matured in traditional oak casks for approximately 8 years, The Arran Single Malt was finished in a selection of Sauternes wine casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Bordeaux sweet white wine.

Master Distiller, James MacTaggart, has carefully monitored this period of secondary maturation to ensure the perfect balance is struck between the Sauternes casks and the intrinsic sweet-fruity character of The Arran Malt.

Nose: Sweet n’ fruity! Honey & caramel with hint of melon and pineapple. Rich orange and spice comes thru later – nice!

Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, lovely rich orange and honey hits you straight away coupled with Xmas fruit cake like sweetness.

Finish: A dry, tanin finish laden with spice. Hints of tobacco & grapefruit.

Overall: At 50% it sure packs a punch – strong and powerful – but in a sweet way!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky 18 Year Old ( 46% )

The first ever official 18 year-old in the Arran Malt range!

Produced from un-peated malted barley and matured in a selection of the finest ex-Sherry casks this whisky has not been artificially coloured and has not been chill-filtered at bottling thus retaining the full range of aromas and flavours which typify this unique Island Single Malt.

This is the final bottling in a trilogy of 16, 17 & 18 year-old Arran Malts which celebrated the countdown to this first official release of The Arran Malt as an 18 year-old.

Only 9,000 bottles of The Arran Malt 18 Years Old have been released worldwide.


Nose: Not as sweet on the nose initially but then creamy vanilla comes thru. Waxy with a background of woodiness. It gets sweeter and sweeter in the glass – heady aromas of stewed apples with a slight hint of spice.

Palate: Less oily, thinner than the Sauternes. Heavy with pineapple, mango, kiwi & other tropical goodies! Richly balanced cakey sweetness with a little licourice.

Finish: Short, smooth finish. There’s a lovely sweetness to this dram that ends with a spicy, pepper combo – Exquisite!

Overall: This is going to be / should be a popular dram – congrats to the team at Arran – an excellent conclusion to the trilogy!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky Bourbon Cask ( 55.3% )

Part of Arran Whiskies Premium Cask Selection this particular batch has now, unfortunately, sold out. But there are other batches available to help satisfy us!

Nose: The Arran signature caramel, fudge sweetness is still there joined by yummy wood! Waxy, woody & charred – heaven! There’s also fruity, lilt-like aromas comin’ thru with continued nosing.

Palate: Fizzy, mango and pineapple with a kick-ass hit to it! Thick, rich and sweet – Amazing!

Finish: Long, smooth finish with strength aplenty – sweet and spicy to the last!

Overall: Even though it’s a 55%+ the alcohol burn is very slight and I had my nose well and truly stuck into my nosing glass! Full of character with a morish zest to it.

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky White Stag ( 54.2% )

At nearly 18yrs this non-chill filtered single sherry cask was the first bottling chosen by the Arranwhisky White Stag tasting panel and will be launching in June.

Only 214 bottles will be released worldwide and they are available from Arran Whiskies web site.

To become a White Stag member you can sign up for free!

Nose: Quite subtle after the bourbon barnstormer – sweetness and a bit of the bourbon woodiness I think … There’s dark chocolate and coffee as well. Slightly waxy but a perfect balance of subtle sweetness & spice saves the day.

Palate: Intensely sweet and spicy with fizzy tropical fruit explosions! Mango, pineapple – liquid sunshine in a glass!

Finish: Sweet, smooth, peppery finish: sublime …

Overall: A truly gorgeous dram – strong but well balanced – a giver not a taker! Excellent stuff indeed.

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 4, I think it’s got to be the White Stag closely followed by the Bourbon Cask.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening!

And of course, Arran Whisky (@ArranWhisky), for sending the samples and without whom! They also have an excellent online shop!

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @whiskyrepublic @raithrover @WeDrinkWhisky @annawizauk @JoeFHolmes @JohnnieStumbler @LiquortoLips @GreatDrams @jasonbstanding @MyWhiskyGuide @ben_cops @dramming_uk @julie_gwc @WordsofWhisky @Girl_Whisky @WhiskyFriends @MaltKlaus @sjoerd972 @LoveBowmore @WhiskySpeller @Pandemoniumd01 @DH17slijterij @PWulf

Arran Whisky is also available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Sampling Smogen Swedish Single Malt Whisky – Young Malts Taste Great!

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Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky - Sherry Project 1:1 & 1:2

Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1 & 1:2

I’d just like to say before we start …

Yes! Young malts taste Great!

So, with that out of the way, the good people from @SmogenWhiskyUK sent me a couple of samples recently from their ‘Sherry Project’.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1
  • Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:2

With a heavily peated style, this first release of a mini-series was designed to explore the impact of sherry cask maturation and finishing on Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky.

Sherry Project 1:1 was initially matured for two years and ten months in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, made from European Oak, before being transferred and finished for four months in an Oloroso sherry butt.

Johan Borgemo from Whiskynorden had this to say about the finished product: ‘This is a very good whisky. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Pär Caldenby & co. can really distil whisky in absolute class, there is no doubt. I will follow Smögen with eager anticipation.’

Sherry Project 1:1 is limited to 900 500ml bottles, of which 600 sold within 21 hours of being released in Sweden’s Systembolaget, in November 2014.

Like Sherry Project 1:1, Sherry Project 1:2 was initially matured in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, but has been finished for longer, for eight months, again in an Oloroso Sherry Butt.
Sherry Project 1:2 went on sale in Sweden’s Systembolaget in March, with a release of 744 of the 880 bottles produced.

Still to come is Sherry Project 1:3 which will be finished for 12 months and bottled in Summer 2015.

Lastely, Sherry Project 1:4, will be released as a four year old whisky and will be matured entirely in Sherry casks, starting with Quarter casks and then married together for six months in another Sherry Butt.

It is due for release late 2015.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1 ( 51.8% )
Nose: Deep golden sherry colour. Peaty earthness abounds with a hint of smoke and spice. There’s a bit of fruit on the nose as well and a touch of molasses.

Palate: Thick, rich Xmas cakey sweetness, all sugary sultanas & plenty of spice!

Finish: The sweetness is joined by a fiery, rich, dry, oak n’spice with a little bit of tobacco.

Overall: Quite the fiesty dram this one! Great rich sherry sweetness but it also has a nice, raw, rock n’ roll edge to it that could become habit forming!

Tasting Notes – Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:2 ( 55.7% )
Nose: Much sweeter nose than 1:1 with vanilla and caramel with a little beeswax taking prominence. It’s certainly more oaky than peaty – quite a difference!

Palate: The same thick rich Xmas cakey sweetness, sugary sultanas & spice with a little touch of aniseed.

Finish: The sweetness is still there and the overall taste is much smoother. The fieryness is now more of a spicy pepper.

Overall: The high alcohol content of these malts sure packs a punch there’s no denying! The extra time in a sherry butt has certainly made a difference though – it’s rounded off the edges nicely!

My Favourite

Mmmm … it’s very hard to choose – I like the smoother 1:2 but then again I also have a fondness for the kick-ass, in-your-face fieriness of the 1:1.
I guess it’s a bit of tomato / tomato or maybe Svensk / Swedish but I’m going to plump for the 1:1!

Either way, you can’t go wrong, Sweden may be an un-familar country regarding the production of malt whisky and young drams they may be but don’t let this put you off sampling these excellent malts!

You can catch up with Smogen on Twitter (@SmogenWhiskyUK)

Many thanks to Robert (@wrobertransom) for sending the samples!

Smogen is currently available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Sampling The Angels’ Nectar Blended Whisky – Heaven In A Glass?

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Angels Nectar - here's to heavenly!

Angels Nectar – here’s to heavenly!

Angels on a White Background

Angels on a White Background

I feel like an extra lucky pre-Easter bunny today and it’s not because I’ve gotten hold of some gold covered chocolate animals.

No, it’s because I recently received a sample of Angels’ Nectar, a new Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, inspired by the Angels’ Share, which has been launched by Robert Ransom.

An unknown fact (to me) and one that you can use to impress your workmates is that at any one time, there are an estimated twenty million casks maturing across Scotland!

In addition, they are all being exposed to what is affectionately called “the Angels’ Share”, the evaporation from casks that occurs during maturation.

The Angels take their pick; enjoying some casks more than others, whilst hard working distillers watch their efforts disappear.

The Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a re-creation of the Angels’ Share, bottled for whisky drinkers to savour.

Carefully created from a selection of Speyside and Highland malt whiskies, Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is unusually bottled at natural colour.

The label for this new whisky brand features a striking fractal design, with an Angel shaped ethereal mist, within which, a series of Angels can be seen enjoying their share.

The Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky has been released by Highfern Ltd, a new drinks business founded by Robert Ransom.

Commenting on the release Robert said; “I have worked in the whisky trade for ten years, and during that time I have enjoyed giving many distillery tours and tastings.
Early on I noticed any mention of the Angels’ Share always made guests smile. The seed was sown; What if one could bottle the Angels’ Share? It would be the ultimate Blended Malt, and Angels’ Nectar is Highfern’s attempt to do just that.”

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Angels Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky ( 40% )

As stated, the whisky is bottled at natural colour so expect a very pale dram indeed!


Nose: Citrus and fruit abound with a little wood. A hint of vanilla and sugar tops it off.

Palate: A dram that is light on the tongue with sweet sugary fruits and a zingy lemon tang.

Finish: Quite a short finish, the sweetness is complemented with a little grapefruit creating a dry tanin mouthfeel. This is blended with a gentle tobacco and spice finish.

Overall: An excellent, easy drinking blended malt. Light and easy on the palate and very much suitable for drinking at any time of the day.

A blended malt that will appeal to most palates without putting off those who prefer more ‘robust’ flavours. A lovely concept and one which I am happy to support. In short, those Angels will be sad not to get their hands on this fine dram!

Many thanks to Robert and the team at Angels Nectar for sending the samples!

You can also catch up with them on Twitter (@angelsnectar) & Facebook: (angelsnectarwhisky)

Angels Nectar is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

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