Sunday Drams

Go for it, Mike!

8 July, 2012. Two drams today: Glenrothes Select Reserve (circa 2006) and Jura Superstition.

This bottle of Glenrothes was bottled about 2006, as it had a San Francisco festival 2006 gold medal sticker on the side. I had the last dram in the bottle which I think influenced the taste a good deal. The taste reminded me of plastic corks, which the bottle did have. Rated it an 88. Nice dram but I want to try a "fresher" bottle soon.

The Jura Superstition was in a newer bottle and black box packaging. I had previously tasted it at Christmas 2011 in Edinburgh, in silver packaging. Tasted of light to medium wood with a hint or thee of peat smoke. Rated a 90.

@Victor Thank you for the encouragement! Much appreciated!

And I figure the Glenrothes I had was affected by Oxidation. Did a little research on that off taste.

@MikeDram My friend I have that exact bottle and when freshly opened it is very yummy. I'm actually doing an experiment with it as I've decanted a large portion into a smaller bottle and am only drinking from the main bottle. radically different flavors.

No Sunday dram this week. I am away on a 100 mile march in the Netherlands. See you next week when I report on how good the Tullibardine 1988 vintage tasted at the march finish line!

This weeks Sunday Dram is a bottling by Gordan and McPhail, Tullibardine 1994, in their Connoisseurs Choice range. The nose was light, no alcohol burn (bottled at 46% ABV), my inexperienced nose was unable to pull out any particular aromas but it was nice on the buds. I did pull out a very light wood note, and there was not a hit of smoke or peat to be found. Taste was sweet and very pleasant. Bottled in 2004 makes it a 10 yo dram.

Last Sunday was a big one. Five drams in total. Details to follow!

Sunday Drams, 5 Aug 2012. Indeed a real good Sunday. The George Hotel was the center of a Folk Festival and when we arrived for our weekly lunch it was packed with a vibrant crowd. I had the pleasure of tasting FIVE different drams this week thanks to a Festival Scotch tasting event. The first dram was one that I purchased at the bar, it is a special bottling just for the George Hotel by Benromach. A single cask that the hotel owner, Mike, purchased and had bottled specialy for the Hotel. A beautiful brassy gold color with late forming legs. Lovely and light across the pallet, and nice on the nose. I rated this one an 82. On the way over to the whisky tasting Mike brought along a botty of Glenburgie 10yo, and while we were waiting I hear him pop the cork and say, lets try this while we wait. Nosing brought immediate hits of a lovely arromatic wine. Unfortunately I was standing while tasting this one and could not take any notes. It's 40% ABV and I rated it an 83. It's now on my "must get" list.

Sunday Drams, 5 Aug 2012 continued. So now we set up for the whisky tasking event, I helped out with chairs, and with distribution of the Three drams we were tasting. Our host was the Song Writer in Residance at Bruichladdie, Mr. Robin Laing. The first dram up was a SMWS bottling, 121.53 Saddled-up cuddy in woolly socks, from Isle of Arran, 12yo, 56% ABV, 320 bottles. Nose was slightly prickly, mild smokey, some hay, late forming legs, and very good over the plallet, rated an 84. Between each Scotch we were treated to songs by Mr. Laing. Our second dram was a single barrel specialy bottled for Mr. Laing. A 7yo Bruichladdie, matured in a Port barrel, distilled in 2003. On the nose I was treated to a Smokey Meat House arroma with plenty of port wine. The color was a beautiful Pink! Boddy was full, the finish medium, and OH MY was it good on the pallet, rated this one an 85. Our last dram was again a SMWS bottling, 29.120 Satisfyingly Smokey and Sweet, 54% ABV, 258 bottles. As the name implies, Smokey and Sweet all in one. I rated this one a 78, only because of the smokeyness, which I am not into just right yet. For me anything above a 70 is worth having!

12 Aug 2012, Two drams in the glass today. First up is Fettercairn 12yo. A very nice drinkable dram, with a very slight spice note on the pallet. Medium body and Medium finish. Rated it a 79, and added it to my want list. Second up was a bottle that I believe came out in 2005, Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish, NAS. When opening the bottle the cork fell apart, I have this happening on my 1975 vintage also! On the nose I thought I found a hint of honey. Taste was sweet and definitive Glenmorangie. Really wish I could have picked up a bottle of this back then! Rated this one an 85!