2008 Scotch Tasting
Date Held: Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
Auchentoshan 3 Wood
A Lowland single malt matured in 3 different casks, namely: Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, bourbon casks and Oloroso sherry. A distinctive triple distilled whisky from Auchentoshan.
Nose: Cooked fruit, sherry, toffee, a rum-like quality and notes of Bas Armagnac distilled circa 1940.
Palate: Rich. Liqueur cherries in dark chocolate, more sherried fruit, ripe dark forest fruits, like a Black Forest Gateaux.
Finish: Superb, led by thick dark treacle and toffee notes and chewy wooded notes, balanced with a green fruit edge
Ardbeg 10 year
Uigeadail derives from the Scotch Gaelic for 'Dark and Mysterious Place' and is named for the Loch from whence Ardbeg draws its waters. Jim Murray's 2009 World Whisky of the Year, this cask-strength bottle exudes breathtaking balance.
Ardbeg Uigeadail Tasting Note
Nose: Multifaceted, notes of peat and little flourishes of dark sugar, freshly ground espresso beans, cereal notes and a most sophisticated tar.
Palate: Led by sweet, ripe fruit and black forest honey. A good helping of malt. The throne then usurped by a powerful peat and smoked barley.
Finish: Very long, caramel and malt weave their way through peat smoke and dark sugar and just a hint of fresh espresso coffee before it finally peters out.
Aberlour 16 year
A spiced, rich 16 year old Speyside single malt, 'double matured' in both ex-bourbon and sherry casks. A great Aberlour.
Nose: Creamy and delectable, in true Aberlour style.
Palate: The sherry and oak are in good harmony. The toasty bourbon notes are harnessed well, the vanilla spices are nicely ingrained in the barley.
Finish: Soft and smooth, with waxy honey notes and a barley sweetness.
Overall: Smoother and more refined than younger bottlings
Johnny Walker 15 Year (Green Label)
A vatted malt (or should we say blended malt) from Johnnie Walker, Jim Murray awarded this 15 year old a whopping 95 points in his 2010 Whisky Bible!
The nose is quite rich and full. There are notes of mocchaccino and espresso coffee, wood smoke and a fireplace, a touch of bitter chocolate and oak. The palate is of medium-body with notes of crisp cereals, coffee beans and chocolate, a date note with a touch of walnut. The finish is quite long and spicy with honeyed sweetness and oak
The Cigars:
Partagas Series D No. 4
(Length: 124 mm, Ring gauge: 50)
Fresh cedar wood notes, with some hints of spices. A marvellous draw. Very generous smoke, marked by a special earthiness, with some fresh cedar wood notes.
Origin, Unknown