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31 Oct 2008

Balvenie SherryOak, 17 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2007. Price:

Colour: Old gold.

Nose: Malty, very floral, round, on oriental spices, leather, on tangerine and orange, with a drop of honey. Very nice and with a pleasant sherry influence.

Taste: Sweet, buttery, floral, slightly rubbery and salty, on tangerine and some leather. The finish is short to medium, slightly dry, rubbery, floral, on orange, leather and bitter toffee.

General Impression: The sherry influence is quite pronounced, with a sometimes strong rubbery presence. Otherwise, the marriage of sherry and Balvenie is quite successful.

Rating: 14/20 FP: F1

30 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Balvenie 1993 Portwood, OB, 40%, B: 2006. Price:
Colour: Old gold.
Nose: Light, fresh, floral, on jasmine. More restraint than the Signature.

Taste: Soft, on honey, juicy malt, light floral and jasmine notes, with some bitter toffee and some fudge. Cleaner than the signature. Diluted, it becomes more spicy and nutty. The finish is medium, sweet, round, on juicy malt with some caramel.

General Impression: The nose is more restraint and the body sweeter than the Signature. The caramel influence is quite strong, while the Port influence is quite thin.

Rating: 11/20 FP: F1

29 Oct 2008

Balvenie Signature, 12 YO, OB, 40%, B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Gold.

Nose: Malty, light, floral, with some grassy notes and on honey.

Taste: On freshly crushed barley, some wood spiciness, bitter caramel, with some orange skin and a hint of smokiness. The finish is medium, dry, and bitter, on caramel and orange skin.

General Impression: A good Balvenie, very similar to the former 12 YO double-wood.

 Rating: 11/20  FP: E1

28 Oct 2008

Balvenie 15 YO single barrel, OB, D: 1993, B: 2008, cask 502. Price:

Colour: Pale gold,

Nose: Grassy, floral, fragrant, in hay, heather and jasmine. Diluted, it becomes closer to a jasmine tea,

Taste: Dry, fragrant, floral, bitter, on honey and saw dust. Quite rough. The finish is medium, dry and on liquorice root,

General Impression: A rather rough Balvenie. Of note, between the different barrels, the variation can be quite high.

Rating: 10/20 FP: C1

26 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Isle of Jura 1974, OB, 44.5%, B: 2008, 658 b. Price:

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Woaw, a most charming sherry nose, all in roundness, on Havana cigar smoke, sweet and ripe fruits (oranges), with a hint of saltiness and kumquats.

Taste: Slightly salty, full bodied, on exotic wood, mango, guava, old cigar smoke, coffee, some tannins and citric fruits. The finish is medium, round, with a slight woodiness, on crystallized fruits and on coffee.

General Impression: An excellent old Jura, with a superb sherry influence, complex and full bodied. A pleasure to drink. Can we get some more?

Rating: 18/20 FP: E3

25 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Balvenie RumCask 17 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Old gold.

Nose: Floral, round, smooth, on honey and dried raisins.

Taste: Sweet, sugary, on Rum, raisin, honey, with a hint of smoke and some cocoa. The finish is medium to long, sweet and sugary, reminding me of some chocolate with raisins dipped in Rum.

General Impression: The sweet honey notes of the Balvenie marry well with the Rum flavors. A charming combination. Do not add too much water.

Rating: 14/20 FP:E1

22 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Knockando Master Reserve 21 YO, OB, 43%, D: 1986. Price:

Colour: Old gold.

Nose: Fresh, on biscuit, sweet fruits (peach and papaya) and juicy malt.

Taste: Quite spicy (mild spices), salty, nutty, on juicy malt, pear, and slightly dusty. The finish is long, round, juicy, fruity, with some smokiness.

General Impression: A very good and juicy malt from a non-well known distillery.

Rating: 14/20 FP: H3

21 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Inverleven 1987, From Huntly to Paris, 50.6%, Ducan Taylor, B: 2008, c.1876, 230 b. Price:
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Light, dry, on hay and freshly cut grass.
Taste: Light, very grassy, fresh, floral, with some light pear drops flavours. The finish is medium, on hay, drying grass and some fudge. With a nice fruity retro-olfaction.
General Impression: A very fresh and light whisky, giving a change to the heavy whiskies. An exclusive bottling from Duncan Taylor for La Maison du Whisky.
Rating: 14/20 FP: K1

20 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Caperdonich 1972, Gordon & MacPhail, 49.9%, B: 2008, cask 1976, 193 b. Price:

Colour: Deep amber.

Nose: Sherry, mild spices, floral, perfumy and on plums.

Taste: Very dry, salty, spicy, floral, very perfumy, on plums and tannins. The finish is medium, very dry, on leather, tannins and perfume.

General Impression: A very perfumy Caperdonich getting quite dry.

Rating: 13/20 FP: B1

17 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Benromach 21 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Old gold.

Nose: Light, fresh, malty, clean, with some hay.

Taste: Soft, sweet and fruity, malty, slightly mineral, complex on old smoke and some orange. The finish is medium, slightly cardboardy, gristy, malty and slightly nutty.

General Impression: Tasted after a selection of Benromach distilled by the new owner, this one offers a quite strong contract. Distilled by the previous owner with the old stills, it offers light, fresh and floral flavours, quite “Lowland-like”, while the new production is heavier, rounder and more “Highland-like”.

Rating: 15/20 FP:A2

16 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Benromach origins batch N°1 –Golden promise, 50%, OB, Price:

Colour: Old gold

Nose: Malty, nutty, on biscuit, slightly winey, and on toffee. Drier than the Organic and less fruity.

Taste: Winey, nutty, floral, slightly salty and spicy, with slight rubbery flavours and on treacle. The finish is medium, winey, nutty, and slightly rubbery and sulphury.

General Impression: A good whisky, with a rather important proportion of 1st fill sherry casks.

Rating: 13/20 FP: F1

15 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Benromach latitude 57%, B: 2008 cask 579, 327 b. Price:

Colour: Old gold- amber

Nose: Malty, rubbery, sulphury, on toffee and burnt sugar and tyres.

Taste: Dry, smoky, sulphury, on burnt sugar and tyres, and toffee. The finish is long, dry, rubbery and sulphury.

General Impression: Well, this is not my style of whisky, but if you enjoy first fill whiskies with rubbery and sulphury flavours, then you might love this one.

Rating: 09/20 FP: E1

14 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Benromach organic, 43%, OB, B: 2008. Price:

Colour:  Old gold.

Nose: Fresh, malty, fruity (peach and melon), soft, and on freshly crushed barley.

Taste: Very fruity (melon, peach and apricot), sweet, round, slightly creamy, with a hint of smoke. The finish is medium to long, sweet, malty and fruity.

General Impression: The first batches of this Benromach elaborated from 100% organic ingredients sold out very quickly. I was positively surprised by this whisky, surprisingly fruity and intense, in spite of its 43%, with a pleasant influence of new oak casks.

Rating: 16/20 FP:D1

13 Oct 2008

Brora 30 YO, OB, 55.7%, B: 2007, 2858 b. Price:

Colour: Old gold-amber.

Nose: Meaty, mineral, spicy, heavily peated, with some sea breeze and on old bonfire smoke.

Taste: Oaky, slightly dry and woody, salty, very peaty, on old peat smoke, and burnt seaweeds. Then it becomes very maritime. Diluted, it becomes more peaty and powerful. The finish is long, round, oaky, slightly woody, peaty and very maritime.

General Impression: All the 30 YO Brora’s I have tasted were very good and this one is no exception, although it is slightly less complex and more woody than some earlier bottlings, but it is also rounder.

Rating: 17/20   FP: E9

11 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Glenlivet 1971, BBR, 46%, B:2007, cask 6450, Price:

Colour: Old gold.

Nose: Fresh, floral, grassy, with some bold peat smoke, heather and honey.

Taste: Grassy, floral, smooth, with a slight spiciness, some peat and a gentle freshness. The finish is medium, quite dry and bitter, smoky, woody and with some sweetness.
General Impression:   A whisky quite easy to drink, but a bit weak.

Rating: 13/20 FP:D3

09 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Dalmore King Alexander III, OB, 40%, B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Nutty, on almond, marzipan, red wine and vanilla. A surprising flavour profile, but quite satisfying.

Taste: Creamy, winey, smooth, on fresh wood, vanilla and “Glühwein” (warm wine with spices). The finish is medium, slightly dry, quite winey, on raisins.

General Impression:  A mixture of casks finished in 6 different types of casks were used to generate this Dalmore, with a rather surprising but pleasant flavour profile. Worth trying.

Rating: 14/20 FP: E2

08 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Dalmore 1974, OB, 42%,  B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Amber.

Nose: heavily sherried, on leather, spices, oranges, some old wood smoke and old furniture. Rich and complex, with the sherry influence not taking over the whisky. Diluted, it becomes more smoky

Taste: Spicy, tannic, woody, quite dry, on leather, orange, cinnamon stick, cloves, raisins.  Diluted, it becomes quite unpleasantly dry and tannic. The finish is long, dry, tannic, with some old peat, on cigar smoke, old furniture and old wood fire.

General Impression:  A good rich and complex Dalmore, with the wood and sherry slightly too present to my taste. A very good whisky in any case.

Rating: 16/20 FP: J3

07 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Brora 25 YO, OB, 56.3%, B: 2008, 3000 b. Price:
Colour: Gold.
Nose: Light, fresh, peaty, salty, maritime and clean.
Taste: Light, floral, salty, very clean, slightly perfumy, on sea breeze. A rather subtle Brora, better with a few drops of water. The finish is medium, peaty, smoky, floral and bitter (gentian).
General Impression: An interesting Brora, quite different from the previous annual release, with probably a high proportion of Brora distilled in the 1980s. It is not as peaty and intense as the 30 YO annual releases, but more in the subtility.
Rating: 17/20 FP: E6

05 Oct 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Talisker 25 YO, OB, 54,2%, B: 2008, 6708 b. Price:

Colour: Straw.

Nose: Oaky, peaty, maritime, round, peaty, with some floral notes.

Taste: Very pepper and salty, pungent, peaty, maritime, on toffee, with a hint of fruitiness and some floral notes. The finish is short to medium, peaty, salty, spicy, peppery. Very intense, but fading very quickly, on fudge at the end.

General Impression: A very good Talisker, very intense, with a rather surprisingly short finish.

Rating: 16/20 FP: D6

25 Sep 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Nikka Single Grain Coffey Still 1995, 64 %, OB, cask 49068. Price:

Colour: Gold.

Nose: On corn, mashed cereals, with some apricots and light floral notes.

Taste: Alcoholic, smooth, on corn, mashed cereals and some solvent. The finish is short, round and on toffee.

General Impression:  A relatively aggressive grain whisky, with some solvent flavours.

Rating: 07/20 FP: J1


Carsebridge 1979, 29 YO, Duncan Taylor, 56%, B:2008, cask 33032. Price:

Colour: Gold.

Nose: Sweet, on porridge and some apricots. Very clean.

Taste: Sweet, sugary, malty, with some Malibu. The finish is short to medium, clean, round and slightly smoky.

General Impression:   A correct grain, but rather simple.

Rating: 09/20 FP: J1

24 Sep 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Ardbeg Blasda, OB, 40%, B: 2008. Price:

Colour: Pale yellow.

Nose: Sweet smokiness, sugary, maritime, quite young, lightly peated, on dried kelp, with some apple and pear juice.

Taste: Sweet and salty, sugary, slightly peated, maritime and on apple-pear juice. The finish is short to medium, sugary, on apple juice and some peat.

General Impression:  A correct Ardbeg, young, sugary and lightly peated (8 ppm). A vatting of Ardbeg aged between 7-11 YO.

Rating: 11/20 FP: A4


Peat Monster Reserve, Compass Box, 48.9%, B: 2008, 5300 b. Price: (for 1.5 L)

Colour: Pale yellow.

Nose: Young, very peaty, fresh, clean and on hemp rope.

Taste: Very peaty, salty, floral, maritime, perfumy, slightly tarry, with some vanilla, hemp rope, and sweetness. The finish is medium, dry, bitter, on very salted liquorice, peat and seawater.

General Impression: Especially bottles to celebrate the 5 years of the Peat Monster, this version is bottled at cask strength, with a higher proportion of heavily peated whisky. Sold exclusively in a 1.5 L bottle. A pleasant peated whisky to drink.

Rating: 13/20 FP: A8

23 Sep 2008

Special Whisky-Live Paris 2008

Port Ellen 1982 OMC, Douglas Laing, 50%, B: 2008, cask 4112, 589 b. Price :

Colour : Straw.

Nose : Round, maritime, on smoked fish, peat, diesel smoke, with some oakiness and slight floral notes. Diluted, it becomes more floral.

Taste:  Slightly maritime, meaty, slightly floral (geranium), oaky, on smoked fish and some gentian. Diluted, it becomes more on hops. The finish is medium, maritime, on smoked fish, diesel smoke and salt.

General Impression: A good Port Ellen, quite floral, slightly bitter and less peaty than younger expressions.

Rating: 15/20  FP:A6


Port Ellen 8th Annual Relase 1978,  29 YO, OB, 55,3%, B: 2008, 6,618 b. Price:

Colour: Pale yellow.

Nose: Rather close, oaky, with some honey and vanilla. With time, some slight tarry and mineral can be perceived.

Taste: Oaky, salty, slightly bitter, maritime, on butter scotch, hops, and salted fish. Diluted, it becomes quite bitter. The finish is medium to long, round, oaky, maritime, on vanilla, with mineral notes at the end.

General Impression: Compared to the previous annual release, the influence of the wood is rather strongly present in this version. A correct Port Ellen, but becoming quite tired.

Rating: 14/20 FP: B6

19 Sep 2008

Yoichi 20 YO, OB, 55%, B:2007, Price:
Colour: Old gold.
Nose: Very sweet and sherried, smooth peat smoke, on orange, tangerine, plums and some sea breeze. Very harmonious and smooth.
Taste: Sweet and slightly peaty, maritime, on apricot, plumps and soja sauce. The finish is rather long, round, sweet, on plums and tangerine.
General Impression: A very nice and complex Yoichi, very smooth and balanced. This Yoichi is a vatting between a lightly peated new wood cask and a heavily peated sherry cask. As a result, this whisky is not as punchy as some other Yoichi, but more balanced and harmonious. A whisky to savour. Rated as best whisky in the world by the Whisky magazine in 2008. Of note, this is not the regular 20 YO Yoichi.
Thank you Pierre N.
Rating: 18/20

18 Sep 2008

Yoichi 1985 for the Whiskymagazine, 50.7%, B: 2007, cask 250192. Price:
Colour: Gold.
Nose: A blast of peat followed by strong maritime, grilled bread, seaweed, soja and jasmine flavours.
Taste: Sweet, salty, maritime, on seaweed, peat smoke and rosewater. The finish is dry, tarry, very peaty, and on rosewater. Very long.
General Impression: A subtle, refreshing, peaty and exotic Yoichi. A whisky apart, with its mixture of peat and rosewater.
Rating: 18/20

17 Sep 2008

Springbank 12 YO Ceramic Decanter, OB, 43%, B: c. 1985, Price:
Colour: Light gold.
Nose: Peaty, smoky, mineral, clean, smooth, slightly maritime and some coconut.
Taste: Smooth, malty, clean, mineral, slighty smoky and waxy. The finish is medium, clean, mineral and peaty, with a nice oakiness and it becomes quite smoky at the end.
General Impression: I bought this bottle about 15 years ago (end 1980s) and finally took the decision the break the seal. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a good whisky, not tamed by the years spent in a ceramic jug.
Rating: 15/20

16 Sep 2008

Springbank tasting room, 8 YO, OB, 55.7, B: 05/2006, Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Young and clean, very malty, some ripe lemon, vanilla ice cream and with some saltiness. Surprisingly round and full for its age. Diluted, it gets smoother, rounder, on fudge and on apricots.
Taste: Round and full, juicy malt, apricots and peach, some bitterness and saltiness, then on tobacco smoke with some nutty liquorice. The finish is round, on rucola, malt and apricots. Of medium length.
General Impression: Although I don’t like much rucola, I was surprised by the quality of this malt, clean and showing the characteristics of the great Springbanks from the 1960-70s.
Rating: 14/20

15 Sep 2008

Springbank 100 proof, 10 YO, OB, B:2006, 57%, Price:
Colour: Straw-gold
Nose: Very floral (violet and lilac), malty, and on honey and vanilla. Light, fresh and fragrant.
Taste: Dry, very salty, spicy, very malty, smoky, on honey and liquorice, with some bitterness. The finish is short, slightly bitter, very malty and in vanilla.
General Impression: A pleasant Springbank, very malty with a fresh and floral nose.
Rating: 15/20

13 Sep 2008

Springbank 15 YO, OB, B:2006, 46%, Price:
Colour: old gold-amber.
Nose: Old smoked bacon, round peat fire smoke, then it becomes more floral, on sweet and juicy malt, with some nice sherry influence.
Taste: Sweet malt, round peat smoke, slightly rubbery, with some maritime influence and on oranges, The finish is relatively short, slightly syrupy-winey, clean, malty, quite peaty and with some rubbery notes.
General Impression: A good Springbank, from a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks, giving a nice complexity to it. Nicely drinkable.
Rating: 14/20

12 Sep 2008

Springbank 1970, 35 YO, Whiskyfair, B:2005, 59.5% Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Oaky, round, very smooth, fresh, with vanilla, sweet fruits and a touch of mint. Very nice! Diluted, it gets nutty, with flavours of old leather, some honey sweetness, raisin juice and lots of pear.
Taste: Very salty and peppery, with pear, smoke, old leather, oak and grapes. Very fresh and punchy for its age. Beautiful! Diluted, the aromas are very fruity, with oranges and citrus. Silky on the palate. The finish is dry, salty, on pineapples, old leather, with a long smoky and malty finish.
General Impression: A beautiful smooth and charming old Springbank.
Rating: 18/20

11 Sep 2008

Hanyu Ichiro’s malt King of spades, 21 YO, OB, 57%, D: 1986. Price:

Colour: Gold

Nose: Fresh, grassy, round, fruity (apple, pear, and some guavas), on sweet malt and a hint of smoke.

Taste: Spicy, salty, very intense, on juicy malt, floral notes (heather), a hint of peat smoke, butter scotch and a nice sweetness. The finish is medium, round, clean, on butter scotch, nice sweet sherry notes and a hint of smoke.

General Impression: A very charming and seducing malt, complex, rich and subtle.

Rating: 17/20

10 Sep 2008

Yamazaki 1993 2nd fill American white oak puncheon, 15 YO, OB, 62%, B: 2008, cask 70048, 492 b. Price:
Colour: Gold.
Nose: A very nice and clean peatiness, slightly mineral, on beeswax, honey blossom, a drop of lemon and lemongrass, vanilla, with some pleasant cherry wood and light spring-summer floral flavours. A light and smooth nose. Diluted, the nose becomes more floral and lemony.
Taste: Very peaty, dry, oaky, intense, clean, on vanilla, honey, some light hemp and seaweed flavours. Diluted, it becomes lighter and fresher. The finish is long, lingering, clean, peaty, tarry, with some honey sweetness and a zest of lemon.
General Impression: Although the barley used to produced this Yamazaki was peated to 26 ppm, it tasted like some heavily peated Islay single malt. I found this peated whisky charming and harmonious.
Rating: 16/20

09 Sep 2008

Yamazaki 18 YO, OB, 43%, B: 2007. Price:
Colour: Old gold-amber
Nose: Very light, sweet and foral, malty, clean, with some heather and pollen.
Taste: Light, fresh, floral, creamy, slightly smoky, very clean and with a light fruitiness. The finish is medium, clean, round, malty, slightly rubbery and bitter.
General Impression: A good and clean, fresh and sweet malt, but not much is going on.
Rating: 11/20

08 Sep 2008

Yamazaki 1990 2nd fill Spanish oak sherry butt, 18 YO, OB, 61%, B: 2008, cask 70646, 504 b. Price:
Colour: Amber-red
Nose: A lovely nose at first impression giving the impression of a rich, complex and heavily sherried whisky. The nose is on figues, vegetal condiment (“Maggi”), soja sauce, treacle, orange peel, leather, tannins and some wild berries. Diluted, the plums flavours become more pronounced.
Taste: Salty, malty, with some light high grade and fresh rubber, sandalwood, rosewater (?), orange, vegetal condiment and balsamic vinegar, as well as with some floral notes (wild geraniums). DiluteD, it becomes more floral (geranium and lilac) and bitter. The finish is medium to long, rather dry, on soja sauce and vegetal condiments, with some bitter orange and floral notes.
General Impression: A most satisfying Yamazaki, with a clean maltiness and surprisingly strong sherry influence for a second fill sherry cask. It has some light, but not unpleasant light rubbery notes, as well as some exotic wood. A nicely balanced whisky.
Rating: 15/20


07 Sep 2008

Yamazaki 1989, OB, 56%, B: 2005. Price: N.C.
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Light, fresh, floral, on pears, manioc and soja cake. It gives the impression of being in a Vietnamese food shop. Then it develops on some peat smoke and it becomes slightly mineral.
Taste: Malty, slightly peaty, very salty and peppery, on dry kelp, manioc, cherry, and rose water. Diluted, it becomes fruitier and sweeter, with some candyfloss. The finish is medium, clean, malty, a bit rubbery, on seaweed and some peat.
General Impression: A very pleasant Yamazaki, light and intense.
Rating: 16/20

05 Sep 2008

Yamazaki 1984, OB, 56%, B: 2005 Price:
Colour: Very dark red- brown
Nose: Heavily sherried, lots of plums, tannins, sandalwood and with some oranges. Very thick and dense.
Taste: Lots of sherry, malty, spicy, rubbery, tannic, thick, on burnt sugar, sandalwood, cherries, powdered spices, and maple syrup. Diluted, it becomes fruitier and less rubbery. The finish is long, rubbery, tannic, on burnt sugar, sandalwood, bitter toffee and some cherries.
General Impression: A very heavy and thick Yamazaki, very different from the 1989 vintage. Too rubbery for my taste.
Rating: 14/20

04 Sep 2008
Special Witch 2

Caol Ila 1979 Best Casks of Scotland, 26 YO, Jean Boyer, 46%. Price:
Colour: Gold.
Nose: A very nice and peated nose, with quite some mellowness, on diesel smoke, sea tang, smoked fish, hemp rope and some tar. Diluted, it becomes younger and more mineral.
Taste: Salty to very salty, maritime, slightly citric, with some oakiness, on seaweeds, slight bitter notes, peat, and roasted coffee beans. Complex. The finish is long to very long, peaty, smoky, vegetal (seaweeds), maritime and slightly bitter.
General Impression: This Caol Ila is quite peaty, but shows also the mellowness and complexity acquired during its long maturation. Most enjoyable.
Rating: 18/20

02 Sep 2008
Special Witch 2

Mortlach 1997 Best Casks of Scotland, Jean Boyer, 57.8%, B: 2006. Price:
Colour: Straw.
Nose: Alcoholic, spicy, quite floral and on porridge.
Taste: Fresh, light, young, with fruity notes and some fresh ginger, vanilla, smoke and a hint of toffee. The finish is long, dry, fresh, very clean, and malty.
General Impression: A young, pleasant and fresh Mortlach matured in a bourbon cask.
Rating: 12/20


01 Sep 2008

Macallan 1989, 13 YO, Strathblair Collection 2, 43%, Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Starts on a very nice and smooth sherry nose, with a lot of sweetness coming from the apples and the grapes. Fresh and winey.
Taste: Dry, smoky, sweet malt, dry tobacco leaves. It is also oily, winey with some fruity (orange) notes and some rubbery aromas. The finish is short, dry, winey, malty, with a mixture of rubber and smoke.
General Impression: A very nice, light and sexy nose, with a round and light rubbery character.
Rating: 14/20

31 Aug 2008

Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval) 1989, 15 YO, Blackadder, 60.8%, D: 1989, 271 b. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Malty, floral, fresh grass, smoky and fruity (sweet fruits). Fresh and with some vanilla influence. Diluted, it gets more malty and firmier.
Taste: Salty, spicy, smoky, round and with some grapes aromas. The finish is slightly winey, smoky, dry, on bitter dark chocolate.
General Impression: A good whisky, malty, while being surprisingly smoky.
Rating: 15/20

30 Aug 2008
Special Witch 2

Laphroaig 1990, Berry Bros & Rudd, 55.6%, B: 2008, cask 2248. Price:
Colour: Straw.
Nose: Clean, mineral, peaty, on charcoal, with some light bitter floral notes.
Taste: Bitter to very bitter, clean, peaty, citric, on seaweed, and with some pineapple and vanilla smoothness. Diluted, it becomes more soapy. The finish is medium to long, peaty, dry, bitter and clean.
General Impression: Starts on a very nice clean and mineral nose, with a pleasant taste, but not as rich and complex as you would expect from a 17 YO Laphroaig.
Rating: 15/20

27 Aug 2008
Special Witch 2

Strathmill 1976, 31 YO, Adelphi, 44.8%, B: 2008, cask 1126, 227 b. Price:
Colour: Old gold.
Nose: Very sweet, malty and fruity (melon, mango and peach).
Taste: Malty, fruity, on pineapple, coconut, vanilla, mango, and a touch of bitter aromatic herbs. The finish is long, sweet, on pineapple syrup and sweet barley.
General Impression: A very satisfying Strathmill, highly drinkable,
Rating: 16/20

26 Aug 2008
Special Witch 2

Finlaggan, The Vintage House, 58%, B: 2008. Price:
Colour: Old gold-amber.
Nose: Peaty, on wood smoke, burnt seaweeds,and salt. Balanced and smooth.
Taste: Salty, smoky, peaty, tarry, hot, on diesel smoke and seaweeds. The finish is long, salty, dry, peaty, on seaweed, burnt wood, charcoal, bitter toffee and smoked fish.
General Impression: A good Islay from the South shore (Lagavulin or Laphroaig?), intense, very maritime and slightly bitter.
Rating: 15/20

24 Aug 2008
Special Witch 2

Laphroaig 1998 "our Fifth Birthday", Jean Boyer, 61.2%, B:2008, 260 bottles. Price:
Colour: Straw.
Nose: Very intense, rich and complex nose, quite smooth, on iodine, seaweeds, freshly fished fish and round peat smoke.
Taste: Smooth, oaky, salty, peaty, on dried kelp, fish, with some diesel smoke and hemp rope. Very intense. Diluted, it become more bitter, on herbs liqueur. The finish is long, smooth, peaty, maritime and bitter.
General Impression: If you want a good kick, then don’t forget to get a sip of this excellent Laphroaig. This Laphroaig was specially selected for (and approved by) the members of the www.whisky-distilleries.com forum.
Rating: 17/20

22 Aug 2008
Special Witch 2

Braeval 1999 Gifted stills, Jean Boyer, 40%, B: 2008. Price:
Colour: Straw.
Nose: Floral (geranium and spring flowers), on white wine and hay. Diluted, it becomes more floral.
Taste: Floral, clean, on bitter smoke, hay, and cardboard. The finish is medium-long, salty, smoky, floral and bitter.
General Impression: A correct whisky, floral and slightly bitter.
Rating: 09/20

18 Aug 2008

Convalmore 1978 Rare Malts, 24 YO, OB, 59.4%, Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: A very pleasant floral nose, with some freshly cut grass and a light earthy flavour at the start. After a few minutes of aeration, gets creamy and fruity (peach and apricot), with flavours of freshly crushed barley. Diluted, gets more perfumy and soapy.
Taste: Creamy, but relatively tannic (wood dust), spicy (pepper), bitter, on juicy malt and then on a mix of fruity-smoky aromas. Diluted, gets more spicy and bitter. The finish is short, malty, creamy, on peach and apricots. Quite bitter (tonic water, anis seed) and some saw dust. Diluted, the finish is very short, perfumy and very bitter.
General Impression: A light whisky, but with a nice floral and fruity aroma, with a rather bitter finish. In any case, a very good whisky too often ignored.
Rating: 16/20

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