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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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February 2, 2022 |
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Not a make that we try very often, the magnificent old sherried ones are gone. Today we've got three recent ones on the desk, all indies, and shall see if the famous motto 'hard to say, easy to enjoy' (or something like that) remains true. |
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Auchentoshan 11 yo 2010/2021 (46%, Cadenhead, Original Collection, bourbon) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: elementary if not rudimentary, rather all on banana foam, lemon drops and bubblegum, before a little more grass and green tea would come out, together with a drop of nail polish, and custard and vanilla cake afterwards. Actually nicer than it sounds, it's worth waiting for a few minutes so that it would open up. Quite curiously, I'm finding echoes of that other Lowlander named Daftmill. Mouth: really rudimentary now, the cake is gone and the grass has seized control. A very unexpected salty touch, otherwise some gritty sweet and bitter pastries (some mochis spring to my mind). In short, still good but indeed, a little rustic. Finish: medium, on heavily sweetened green tea, then lemon zests and kirschwasser. Comments: I'm rather a fan of the nose here. Give it some time…
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Auchentoshan 13 yo 2007/2021 (48%, LMDW, Artist Collective 5.0, first fill sherry finish, 1571 bottles) 
That's what I call having faith. What's more, all labels are fantastic in these series. Colour: red amber. Nose: indeed, sherry works well with Auchentoshan as no clashes are to be expected in the first place. Auchentoshan is not Laphroaig (see what comes from 'blogging' about whisky for 20 years!) The usual moist walnut cake, pipe tobacco, compost, Jaffa cake, black Smyrna raisins, fruitcake, cherry liqueur, Pedro (Ximenez)… Mouth: more further-fortified sherry, really. Walnuts, raisins and tobacco, oranges and cloves, Finish: medium, more on chocolate, liquorice and some dried leaves. Lime, perhaps? Some black tea for sure, as well as a little ginger and chestnut honey. Comments: the other side of the coin. Head side bourbon, back side sherry.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Auchentoshan 21 yo 2000/2021 (58.3%, Signatory Vintage, bourbon, cask #800027, 163 bottles) 
Colour: light gold. Nose: this one's raw, with a lot of varnish and even glue at first sniffs, then mercurochrome, fresh paint and putty… A little kiwi, lime and rhubarb juice in the background, so very green indeed, but not too sure. Well I'm sure water will take care of all this… With water: awesome fresh herbal complexity! Even more fresh putty but also a wonderful Sancerre-y chalkiness, a drop of benzine, a dab of shoe polish, and an endless citrusy development. Thank you Kronos, god of time. Mouth (neat): ho-ho, excellent, punchy, extremely Haribo-y but not dull or childish (see what I mean), with some superb citrus liqueurs. Once again, water should work wonders… With water: exactly what time would bring to malt whisky, namely complexity. A wide range of citrus, bergamots, kumquats, citrons, grapefruits… Then essences and oils, even a tiny pinhead of tar. Excellent, bright, luminous and rejoicing. Finish: medium, on 'waxed citrons', should that exist. A drop of tequila blanco in the aftertaste. Claro que si, really. Comments: an ode to proper aging (vs. faster flavouring with oak and wine). Thanks for this one, Signatory Vintage.
SGP:661 - 89 points. |
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