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                            Hi, you're in the Archives, May 2005 - Part 1 |  |  |  |  |  
                     
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                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – Sad news: 
                                            Gong drummer and leader Pierre 
                                            Moerlen passed away last 
                                            week.He was born near my place and 
                                            I could meet him several times. He 
                                            was a very cool guy and, above all, 
                                            a fantastic musician. Pierre had joined 
                                            Gong in 1974 and became the band's 
                                            leader in 1979, when Gong became Pierre 
                                            Moerlen's Gong. He also played with 
                                            Mike Oldfield (remember Tubular Bells 
                                            live?) or Stevie Winwood, Mick Taylor, 
                                            Henry Cow, Brand X... Have a go at 
                                            Second 
                                            wind.mp3, recorded live in Germany 
                                            back in 1988. Wasn't he spectacular? 
                                            Please buy Pierre Moerlen and Gong's 
                                            music. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                            - Oban 12 yo (40%, OB, early 70’s)      This one was the first decanter bottle 
                                            (picture, left). DCL switched to a 
                                            ‘pear shaped’ bottle (right) 
                                            later on. Colour: amber. Nose: wow, 
                                            what a nice and delicate peat! Rather 
                                            medicinal and quite waxy, with some 
                                            whiffs of camphor. Notes of tea, leather 
                                            and tobacco… Really complex 
                                            and highly enjoyable, not weak at 
                                            all at 40%. Mouth: again, a superb 
                                            balance. Lots of honey, menthol, propolis 
                                            and smoke, with a layer of crystallised 
                                            fruits and orange marmalade. Not too 
                                            powerful but again, highly enjoyable. 
                                            90 points. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – JAZZ - Recommended 
                                            listening - Something light and charming 
                                            for a change: Anita 
                                            O'Day sings a beautiful 
                                            Little 
                                            girl blue - mp3. Refreshing, eh? 
                                            Please buy Mrs O'Day music if you 
                                            like it, she's still kicking! |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Bruichladdich 
                                            1964/1996 (43%, Samaroli, cask #3611) 
    Colour: dark amber. Nose: big, bold 
                                            sherry that overwhelms the spirit. 
                                            Tons of cinnamon, cocoa powder, nutmeg, 
                                            cooked strawberries, wine sauce… 
                                            This one is for sherry heads, no doubt… 
                                            Mouth: extremely sweet and more balanced 
                                            than expected, but it’s still 
                                            a sherry infusion. Too bad the mouth 
                                            then gets a bit weak and even watery, 
                                            the spirit not being able to stand 
                                            such a heavy treatment, I’m 
                                            afraid. Some notes of bitter almonds… 
                                            the finish is rather short but getting 
                                            very, very dry. I guess this one would 
                                            please some sherry freaks, but it’s 
                                            not really my cup of malt… 81 
                                            points. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – BLUES - Recommended 
                                            listening: some power blues again, 
                                            with wah-wah and all that, this time 
                                            by Smoking 
                                            Joe Kubek. Not the most 
                                            'subtle' website (flags and all that), 
                                            but try for instance Worst 
                                            Heartache - mp3: not too bad, 
                                            eh? I like it! Please buy Joe Kubek's 
                                            music if youy like blues (or anything 
                                            from Texas...) |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                              - TWO SPECIAL HIGHLAND PARKS Highland 
                                              Park 23 yo 1980/2003 (54.8%, OB, 
                                              cask #7367)
     Colour: amber. Nose: very flowery, 
                                              on lilac and lily from the valley, 
                                              with even some whiffs of violet. 
                                              Goes on on tea jelly, with also 
                                              some hints of Virginia tobacco and 
                                              apple skin. A little sea water, 
                                              and then lots of salted liquorice 
                                              or salmiak. Very, very nice. Mouth: 
                                              oh, too bad, it’s not too 
                                              bold and even a little weak and 
                                              too grassy. Thank god, it gets then 
                                              better again, with some herbal tea, 
                                              crème brûlée 
                                              and cold camomile, but the finish 
                                              isn’t too long and, to tell 
                                              you the truth, a bit too drying. 
                                              86 points for the 
                                              great nose. |  
                                         
                                          | Highland 
                                            Park 36 yo 1967 (49.7%, OB for The 
                                            Whisky Exchange, cask #10252, 138 
                                            bottles) 
      Colour: 
                                            gold. Nose: quite powerful, starting 
                                            on camphor, lavender and turpentine. 
                                            Some great whiffs of smoke, peat, 
                                            heather smoke… Develops on marzipan 
                                            and almond milk. What a beautiful 
                                            nose! Mouth: again, the attack is 
                                            great, on some spearmint and camomile. 
                                            Lots of fudge and caramel… It 
                                            then gets quite peppery, and perhaps 
                                            the finish is a bit too tannic. Just 
                                            a bit… A very special one, in 
                                            any case, and an excellent old Highland 
                                            Park. 91 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | MUSIC 
                                            – Recommended 
                                            listening: after featuring in Jim 
                                            Jarmush's adventurous movie 'Stranger 
                                            Than Paradise', actress Eszter 
                                            Balint started to sing... 
                                            rather adventurously (in a good way). 
                                            Try for instance Cheeseman.mp3 
                                            from 'Flicker' or 'Good 
                                            Luck.mp3' from her latest CD: 
                                            'Mud'. Doesn't she have 'a sound'? 
                                            Please buy her music if you like it. |  
                                         
                                          | Ardbeg 
                                            25 yo 1976/2001 (50%, Silver Seal, 
                                            146 bottles)    Colour: 
                                            pure gold. Nose: quite mellow, far 
                                            from being a peat monster at first 
                                            nosing. Sure it’s smoky but 
                                            there are also quite some sulphury 
                                            notes (cooked egg). Rather nice but 
                                            far from being one of the best. Mouth: 
                                            ah, this is better. Bold and smoky 
                                            attack, developing on lemon, grapefruit 
                                            and lots of pepper… It then 
                                            gets even more peppery, and less balanced. 
                                            Some strong notes of quinquina, Campari 
                                            (Italy again?) and parsley. The finish 
                                            is very long but also very herbal. 
                                            A strange old unbalanced Ardbeg… 
                                            84 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Ardbeg 
                                            32 yo 1972/2004 (45.3%, OB for Germany, 
                                            bourbon cask #861, 216 bottles)      Nose: stunningly Ardbegish, if you 
                                            see what I mean. Pure smoke and apples, 
                                            extremely satisfying. Mouth: more 
                                            appeased, perhaps just a bit fragile 
                                            on the middle, but the old lion is 
                                            just having a short nap, before the 
                                            smoke and the cooked white fruits 
                                            wake up and assault your palate. It’s 
                                            not extremely complex, perhaps a little 
                                            less sharp and clean than its French 
                                            brother, but I’d say it’s 
                                            also easier to enjoy. Again a great 
                                            one. 93 points. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – BLUES - Recommended 
                                            listening: T-Bone Walker student Roy 
                                            Gaines was born in 1934 
                                            but he plays his guitar like a youngster. 
                                            Please have a listen to W.C. 
                                            Handy sang the blues.mp3, make 
                                            up your own mind, and then buy Roy 
                                            Gaines' music ;-). Oh, by the way, 
                                            Roy played with Billie Holiday! Imagine! |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                              - THREE OLDIES BY SPRINGBANK Springbank 
                                              10 yo (57%, OB for Sutti Milano, 
                                              light vatting, 70’s)     Colour: white wine. Nose: starts 
                                              very grainy, yeasty and flowery, 
                                              getting quite nervous. Develops 
                                              on white fruits, pineapple juice, 
                                              and a bit of coconut. Quite unusual 
                                              for Springbank, but very nicely 
                                              balanced. Some notes of acid drops…Yow 
                                              youthful! Mouth: powerful but again, 
                                              fresh and balanced. It’s like 
                                              candies! All sorts of fruits, strawberries, 
                                              gooseberries, ripe apple, tangerine, 
                                              lemon, with a good dash of white 
                                              pepper. It gets more and more acidulous, 
                                              and the finish is long and mainly 
                                              on acid drops. Again, it’s 
                                              very unusual but highly enjoyable. 
                                              89 points. |  
                                         
                                          | Springbank 
                                            12 yo 100 proof (50%, OB, European 
                                            version, early 90’s)      This 
                                            one is neither the 100 proof US version 
                                            at 50%, nor the UK/European version 
                                            at 57% vol. Colour: like some liquid 
                                            caramel. Nose: wow, stunning again! 
                                            Bold, compact and voluptuous, starting 
                                            with some eucalyptus, turpentine and 
                                            mango, developing on pine needles, 
                                            natural mastic and wax polish. It 
                                            goes on with some dried fruits like 
                                            apricot and coconut… Magnificent! 
                                            Mouth: very creamy and very complex, 
                                            with lots of crystallised orange and 
                                            apricot pie, together with some vanilla 
                                            stick and caramel. Not as complex 
                                            ass the nose but still very demonstrative. 
                                            An all-time hit, just a little simpler 
                                            than the fantabulous versions from 
                                            the 60’s and the 70’s. 
                                            93 points. PS: History 
                                            says this one was diluted with old, 
                                            underproof malt instead of water. 
                                            Cool idea! |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Springbank 
                                            15 yo 1964/1979 (45.7%, OB for Samaroli, 
                                            Italy) 
      Colour: 
                                            amber. Nose: again in the style of 
                                            most versions of the 12 yo 100 proof, 
                                            with lots of resinous notes, eucalyptus, 
                                            beeswax, dried tropical fruits, coconut, 
                                            and perhaps a little more notes of 
                                            fresh fruits (kiwi, not so ripe strawberries). 
                                            Mouth: quite lighter this time, yet 
                                            most enjoyable. Dried apricot, caramel, 
                                            vanilla, and some whiffs of camphor 
                                            and tiger balm. Perhaps it lacks just 
                                            a little oomph but it’s still 
                                            a fabulous whisky. 90 points. |  
                                         
                                          |  |   
                                          | CRAZY 
                                            WHISKY ADS - BRAGGERS AND BRAGGARTS 
                                            - PART 5: The Scots in America! |   
                                          |  |  |  |   
                                          | Dewar's 
                                            White Label, 1949: a beautiful 
                                            and unusual ad. Second degree? Perhaps, 
                                            perhaps not... But no doubt about 
                                            which country the guy's looking at. 
                                            And this ad ran in U.K. magazines, 
                                            no need to say... |  | Grants, 
                                            1960: "Truly RARE 8 Year 
                                            Old Scotch (...) Grants, largest selling 
                                            8 year old Scotch in America." 
                                            Something oxymoronic in there, don't 
                                            you think? But it's another beautiful 
                                            ad... for some perfume! |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – Recommended 
                                            listening: try Necessito.mp3 
                                            by rock trio Some 
                                            Girls and tell me if 
                                            they do not sound like some female 
                                            Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and 
                                            Bill Wyman... Yes, extremely simple 
                                            but it works, doesn't it? Please buy 
                                            Some Girls' music if you like it. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | TASTING 
                                            - THREE GLENMORANGIES |  
                                         
                                          |  |  |  |  |  |   
                                          | Glenmorangie 
                                            ‘Natural Cask Strength’ 
                                            1987/2004 (54.1%, OB, Cask #6813) 
     A single cask issued for Germany. 
                                            Colour: gold. Nose: wow, very fresh 
                                            and clean, fruity and delicately yeasty. 
                                            Lots of flower nectar (buttercup, 
                                            dandelion…) and light breakfast 
                                            honey. It then gets a little farmy, 
                                            which adds some extra depth. Hints 
                                            of liquorice. Very, very nice! Mouth: 
                                            extremely creamy, on violets, all 
                                            sorts of herbs, herbal tea, Darjeeling… 
                                            Superbly balanced. Some white pepper 
                                            that gives it more oomph… Wow, 
                                            a very nice Glenmorangie, worth no 
                                            less than 89 points. |  | Glenmorangie 
                                            15 yo (43%, OB)     Colour: gold. Nose: curiously farmy, 
                                            with lots of butter, grain, lentil 
                                            soup. Very special and highly enjoyable, 
                                            nothing to do with the 10 yo I think, 
                                            as it has much more depth. Quite spicy 
                                            and nutty, but not the usually kind 
                                            of dull nutty notes. Rather complex. 
                                            Mouth: quite special, on leather, 
                                            herbs, parsley, with quite some oak 
                                            and vanilla but not in the Bourbonny 
                                            style (this time). It then gets quite 
                                            spicy, with a long finish that’s 
                                            loaded with notes of salted liquorice. 
                                            Very, very good: 88 points. |  | Glenmorangie 
                                            18 yo (43%, OB)    Colour: gold. Nose: much less special, 
                                            more ‘commercial’ I’d 
                                            say. It starts on some hesitating 
                                            sherried notes, but it then gets quite 
                                            nicely flowery, mainly on violets 
                                            and meadow flowers. A bit too sweetish, 
                                            though, lacking freshness. Mouth: 
                                            very sweet but also a little weak 
                                            and watery. Not bad but the sherry 
                                            is sort of imprecise. Some honey and 
                                            some nice notes of white pepper that 
                                            prevents it from getting really dull. 
                                            A simple, undemanding Glenmorangie, 
                                            very far from having the 15yo’s 
                                            appeal. 82 points. |   
                                          |  |  |  |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – Recommended 
                                            listening: you already know Bobby 
                                            Womack's entranced version 
                                            of Summertime.mp3, 
                                            don't you? Anyway, please Bobby Womack's 
                                            music if you like it (how many CD's 
                                            do you already have?) |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                            - Mortlach 21 yo 1970/1991 (56.7%, 
                                            G&M for Intertrade)     With a nice old-style label. Colour: 
                                            pure gold. Nose: lots of nectar, pollen 
                                            and apricot jam at first nosing. It’s 
                                            soon to get a little meaty (typical 
                                            Mortlach) and quite gingery. Really, 
                                            really nice, with even some beautiful 
                                            whiffs of smoke. Mouth: bold, very 
                                            flowery and peppery at the same time. 
                                            Less complex than expected but still 
                                            very satisfying. It gets quite spicy 
                                            (mainly on clove and ginger)… 
                                            Long and compact finish. Again, a 
                                            very good old Mortlach. 87 
                                            points. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – JAZZ - Recommended 
                                            listening: 1963, Julie London 
                                            sings a sultry Fly 
                                            me to the moon.mp3 (from her 'End 
                                            of the world' album). Sweet like candies... |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | TASTING 
                                            - Longrow 14 yo 1990/2005 (56.9%, 
                                            Scotch Malt Whisky Society, 114.5)      Colour: pale straw. Nose: curiously 
                                            cheesy at first nosing (Appenzeller, 
                                            Fribourg), with truckloads of lemony 
                                            smells. Very special indeed. Develops 
                                            on lots of yeasty notes (fresh bread, 
                                            mashed potatoes, yoghurt). A malt 
                                            of its own kind, which I like very 
                                            much. Mouth: beautifully complex – 
                                            more complex than on the nose. Sure 
                                            it’s still sort of austere, 
                                            like most ‘unfinished’ 
                                            Longrows, but it’s in a very 
                                            nice way. Goes on with some lemon 
                                            seeds and barbeque herbs… The 
                                            finish is very long and quite farmy. 
                                            A very nice one, but perhaps not for 
                                            newbies. 90 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | MUSIC 
                                            – BLUES - Recommended 
                                            listening: the people said 'We want 
                                            more Jim 
                                            Thackery!' I say that's 
                                            a pretty good idea. So, why not have 
                                            a listen to this hyper-hendrixian 
                                            (?) version of Red 
                                            House - mp3 by Jim Thackery and 
                                            The Drivers? Please buy their music 
                                            if you like it... Ah, yes, there's 
                                            also this heavy Roy's 
                                            Blues - mp3! (via Net 
                                            Television) |  
                                         
                                          | EXPERIMENTAL 
                                            WHISKY - 
                                            In an e-mail that arrived at Whiskyfun's 
                                            this morning (by error) I have just 
                                            discovered that a famous drinks company 
                                            is secretely experimenting with a 
                                            new technique that should allow them 
                                            to make whisky by planting some full 
                                            barrels into any fertile soil (see 
                                            the photograph, taken at the company's 
                                            secret 'field #23' in Kazakhstan, 
                                            last summer). |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | One 
                                            the company's executives, 
                                            Mr N. M., confirmed all that this 
                                            morning on the phone: 'Indeed, 
                                            peaty soils should produce some Islay-barrel 
                                            trees, while we're expecting something 
                                            gentler to come out of calcareous 
                                            ones. I believe we're now very close 
                                            to the concept of terroir, and we're 
                                            currently buying some vineyards in 
                                            Jerez, Alsace, Burgundy and Bordeaux, 
                                            where we'll plant a few butts and 
                                            wine barrels... We're also considering 
                                            acquiring the Rangen de Thann but 
                                            the guy is very suspicious...' And, 
                                            last but not least, he added: 
                                            'Serge, we've kept a few casks of 
                                            1972 B****. If you wish, we can ship 
                                            them to you, so that you can plant 
                                            them right in your garden...' |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | MINI 
                                              CONCERT REVIEW – BENNY GREEN 
                                              AND RUSSEL MALONEMunster Jazz Festival, May 4th, 
                                              2005 - by 
                                              Serge
 ‘Breathtaking’ 
                                              was the last word I had written 
                                              in my notebook, as two angels were 
                                              still flying very high above our 
                                              heads, long after Benny 
                                              Green and Russsel 
                                              Malone had finished 
                                              their second- and last – encore. 
                                              Then, as we were driving back home 
                                              in Christophe’s big-ass Audi, 
                                              I decided to add ‘moving’ 
                                              and ‘entrancing’. A 
                                              Mozart effect again…  |  
                                         
                                          | I must say I hadn’t listened 
                                            to such a fantastic jazz duo since… 
                                            Well, I can’t really remember 
                                            having heard something that brilliant 
                                            in the piano plus guitar format, actually. 
                                            Perhaps Bill Evans and Joe Pass, but 
                                            that was on record… I know some 
                                            find it difficult to listen to such 
                                            a duo without the complement of bass 
                                            and drums, but in the right hands, 
                                            the combination provides a magical 
                                            listening experience, and Benny Green 
                                            and Russell Malone 'possess four of 
                                            the best hands around', as somebody 
                                            wrote. Besides, these eternal new 
                                            cats played in such conversational 
                                            pace and with so much mutual admiration 
                                            that one could hear a pin drop during 
                                            the whole set. Breathtaking indeed. 
                                            Just between us, these guys are that 
                                            good, that they can quote virtually 
                                            any other great master and still have 
                                            their very own styles. So, with Green, 
                                            we also had Monk, Bud, Bill, and even 
                                            Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith 
                                            with us in Munster’s small concert 
                                            hall, while Malone sounded either 
                                            like Wes Montgmoery (on Jingos) or 
                                            like Pat Metheny, or even Charlie 
                                            Christian. Too much showing off? Oh 
                                            no, not at all! Just a thrill… 
                                            The kind of thrill that makes you 
                                            want to tell the musicians just these 
                                            simple words: ‘Thank you’. 
                                            Thank you for the way you gave us 
                                            ‘Sunny’, or ‘Falling 
                                            in love with love’… Thank 
                                            you for being so graceful, delicate, 
                                            subtle and distinctive… And 
                                            thank you Benny for having made us 
                                            laugh by showing us your socks between 
                                            each tune! And please, please, keep 
                                            playing together! |   
                                          |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Macallan 
                                            14 yo 1990/2004 (53.7%, Engelholm 
                                            Whiskycircle, Sweden, bourbon cask 
                                            #9448) 
     Colour: straw. Nose: lots of pear 
                                            and apple, very fresh and youthful, 
                                            with some very enjoyable notes of 
                                            yeast and beer. Very clean and highly 
                                            drinkable. Mouth: very lively again, 
                                            with lots of body. The attack is rather 
                                            sweet but all fruits are in there: 
                                            pears, apples, peaches, apricots, 
                                            berries… Some superb spicy notes 
                                            add some extra-complexity to it… 
                                            In short, a totally flawless one, 
                                            and perhaps the best bourbon cask 
                                            Macallan I ever had. 89 points. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            - Were were you on 
                                            Feb 13th, 1960? I wasn't quite born 
                                            yet (a matter of months) so I have 
                                            a good excuse for not having gone 
                                            to Berlin to see the great Ella 
                                            Fitzgerald live... Not 
                                            that I'm an eternal fan, but this 
                                            one, this one! Listen to Mack 
                                            the Knife - mp3 and you'll see 
                                            what I mean. Ah, yes, the record: 
                                            it's simply 'Ella in Berlin' (not 
                                            Ella returns to Berlin, which is also 
                                            great, btw.) Please buy Ella Fitzgerlad's 
                                            music if you like classic jazz. What, 
                                            you already have it? |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                              - TWO PEATLESS BRORAS  Brora 
                                              22 yo 1982/2004 (58.5%, Douglas 
                                              Laing for Alambic Classique, Germany) 
                                                   Colour: pure gold. Nose: it starts 
                                              on full sherry mode, together with 
                                              some bold notes of hot butter and 
                                              banana flambéed. Very toffeeish, 
                                              with also lots of crystallised oranges 
                                              and chocolate, rum, raisins, cooked 
                                              wine… Lots of sherry indeed 
                                              but a beautiful vivacity. It then 
                                              gets quite resinous, with even some 
                                              hints of eucalyptus and camphor. 
                                              Not much distillery character left 
                                              but still a superb balance. Mouth: 
                                              bold and powerful attack on sherry, 
                                              dried fruits and all sorts of herbs. 
                                              Lots of tropical fruits (guava, 
                                              mango, passion fruit) but no peat. 
                                              A very nice sherried Highlander, 
                                              complex yet compact, giving a lot 
                                              of pleasure. And what a body! Flawless… 
                                              90 points (it would 
                                              have deserved one or two more points 
                                              with a little more distillery character). |  
                                         
                                          | Brora 
                                            22 yo 1981/2004 (60.8%, Peerless, 
                                            cask #1426, 261 bottles)     Nose: it starts quite grainy and very 
                                            flowery. A clean and fresh one, that 
                                            develops on some rather subtle aromas 
                                            of meadow flowers, light honey and 
                                            white fruits (gooseberries, freshly 
                                            cut apple, white melon…) Some 
                                            playful notes of parsley and dill, 
                                            but no peat or smoke. Mouth: very 
                                            nice attack, quite sweet and peppery, 
                                            with lots of body. Very nervous indeed, 
                                            with quite some cooked apples and 
                                            fruit salad. It gets very gingery, 
                                            and perhaps a tad too bitter. Long 
                                            finish, just a little drying. Anyway, 
                                            it’s certainly one of the nicest 
                                            1981 Broras I ever had: 89 
                                            points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | MUSIC 
                                            – BLUES - Recommended 
                                            listening: some good organ plus an 
                                            excellent guitar make for a great 
                                            combo! Take for instance the hyper-speedy 
                                            Neal 
                                            and pray - mp3 by Baton Rouge 
                                            bluesman Kenny 
                                            Neal. That's energy! 
                                            Please buy Kenny Neal's music if you 
                                            like it... (photo Sue M. Wright) |  
                                         
                                          | TASTING 
                                              - PEAT MADE SIMPLE  Benriach 
                                              10 yo ‘Curiositas’ (40%, 
                                              OB, 2004) 
                                                A vatting made with some old peated 
                                              batches made by Seagram when they 
                                              thought it would be cheaper to do 
                                              their own rather than buying some 
                                              from Islay. Colour: straw. Nose: 
                                              nicely peaty but rather simple, 
                                              not too different from some young 
                                              Ledaigs. Rather farmy than medicinal 
                                              or smoky, and aromatically narrow. 
                                              Mouth: quite peaty but rather weak 
                                              and a bit watery. An inoffensive 
                                              peated malt, not too bad, but not 
                                              too good. Nothing to do with Signatory’s 
                                              stunning bottlings of some peated 
                                              Benriachs, I’m afraid. 75 
                                              points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Inchmoan 
                                            10 yo 1994/2005 (63.5%, Weiser, cask 
                                            #645, 262 bottles)   A third cask of Inchmoan (Loch Lomond 
                                            distillery), after the first two by 
                                            The Whisky Fair. Colour: white wine. 
                                            Nose: peaty and grainy at the same 
                                            time. A bit farmy and very yeasty. 
                                            Notes of hot butter and mashed potatoes. 
                                            Rather nice. Mouth: very sweet and 
                                            peaty at the same time, close to a 
                                            new make but rather nice again. It 
                                            obviously lacks a bit of ageing – 
                                            it's raw and simple but enjoyable. 
                                            I tasted the two bottlings by the 
                                            Whiskyfair but I couldn’t take 
                                            any notes. I think they were a little 
                                            better than this one. 78 points 
                                            for this curiosity. |  
                                         
                                          | MUSIC 
                                            – Recommended 
                                            listening: Belgian singer An 
                                            Pierlé has got 
                                            her very own universe... I saw her 
                                            live at the Eurockéennes in 
                                            Belfort last year - she was playing 
                                            with a symphonic orchestra. I quite 
                                            like her work, although it's certainly 
                                            an acquired taste. You can have a 
                                            listen to As 
                                            sudden tears fall - mp3 (live). 
                                            Pretty interesting, don't you think? 
                                            Please buy An Pierlé's music 
                                            if you like it.(via Planet 
                                            Claire - photo Chantal Boogers) |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | TASTING 
                                              - TWO HIGHLAND PARKS Highland 
                                              park 1970/1995 (40%, Gordon & 
                                              MacPhail Centenary Reserve)   The nose starts very nicely: creamy, 
                                              rounded, with quite some flower 
                                              nectar and light honey. Alas, it’s 
                                              soon to get a bit dusty and rather 
                                              weak, with just some notes of hot 
                                              cake. Not too bad but lacking a 
                                              lot of oomph. Mouth: rather delicate 
                                              but getting sugarish, and perhaps 
                                              a little too grassy. The wood takes 
                                              then control, making the whisky 
                                              a little bitter and dusty. This 
                                              one really lacks body. Too bad… 
                                              78 points. |  
                                         
                                          | Highland 
                                            Park 1974/1998 ‘Online Tasting’ 
                                            (57.6%, OB, 228 bottles)      Ah, the roaring nineties and the IT 
                                            bubble! Already quite dusty, eh? Colour: 
                                            dark amber. Nose: just superb, on 
                                            some beautiful rum and Smyrna raisins. 
                                            Plus, of course, the best sherry. 
                                            It gets quite meaty, together with 
                                            some dark toffee and lots of chocolate. 
                                            The sherry is quite heavy but the 
                                            whole is greatly balanced. Mouth: 
                                            beautiful attack on fudge and baskets 
                                            of dried fruits. So lively and powerful 
                                            at the same time! Extremely compact, 
                                            at that, with lots of soft spices 
                                            and a bit of orange flower water. 
                                            Just superb. 92 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |   
                                          | CRAZY 
                                            WHISKY ADS - BRAGGERS AND BRAGGARTS 
                                            - PART 4: Don't be afraid, show your 
                                            competitors! |   
                                          |  |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | Above, 
                                            left: George Dickel, 
                                            1969: ''The other one. George 
                                            Dickel is the other great Tennessee 
                                            Sour Mash Whisky. We're not famous 
                                            yet. But we will be. (...) George 
                                            Dickel. We won't be the other one 
                                            long." Above, right: Barton'sQT, 
                                            1971: ''Barton's QT is lighter 
                                            and milder than any whiskey you've 
                                            ever tasted. Because it's distilled 
                                            at a higher proof than traditional 
                                            whiskey. And it's stored in selected, 
                                            seasoned barrels (...) By next year, 
                                            we expect that many other distillers 
                                            will be selling whiskey distilled 
                                            at higher proof than traditional American 
                                            whiskey and stored in used barrels.But 
                                            there won't be another whiskey as 
                                            light and smooth as Barton's QT for 
                                            a long, long time."
 Right: Cutty Sark, 
                                            1974: ''When the place finally 
                                            closes and the boss says "let's 
                                            us have one"... Launch a little 
                                            Cutty."
 |  |  |   
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                                          |  |  | MUSIC 
                                            – Recommended 
                                            listening: maybe this will surprise 
                                            some people but I just discovered 
                                            Jake 
                                            Thackray's beautiful 
                                            songs while browsing the Web. If you're 
                                            in the mood for some tender folk songs, 
                                            please have a listen to either Last 
                                            will and testament - mp3 or I 
                                            Stayed Off Work Today - mp3. Jake 
                                            Thackray passed away two years ago, 
                                            so I'll never have the opportunity 
                                            to see him live. Too late, too bad... 
                                            But please buy his music(via M. 
                                            Joseph) |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | Springbank 
                                            21 yo (43%, OB, pear shape, 70’s) 
     Colour: gold. Nose: rather satisfying 
                                            and compact, yet quite subtle at first 
                                            nosing. It then gets a bit weaker, 
                                            mostly on light caramel… Not 
                                            too explosive, finally. Develops on 
                                            nutmeg, light spices, herbal teas… 
                                            Delicate indeed, and less bold than 
                                            the 15yo, that’s for sure. Mouth: 
                                            sweet and rounded attack, but it’s 
                                            soon to get rather grassy – 
                                            in a nice way -, with also lots of 
                                            herbal tea (cold camomile) and light 
                                            breakfast tea. Medium long finish, 
                                            a bit dusty, on flour and nutmeg. 
                                            Again a very good one if not a winner. 
                                            87 points. |  
                                         
                                          | Springbank 
                                            25 yo (43%, OB, pear shape, 70’s) 
     Colour: straw. Nose: very fruity and 
                                            flowery. Fruit syrup, plum jam, apricot 
                                            pie, medicinal herbs… Lots of 
                                            meadow flowers too, making the whole 
                                            smell much younger than expected. 
                                            Not absolutely stunning, though, lacking 
                                            a bit of extra-complexity. Mouth: 
                                            again, a fresh and lively attack, 
                                            lacking just a little body. Lots of 
                                            dried herbs, light tea, crystallized 
                                            oranges, lemon marmalade… No 
                                            smoke nor any resinous notes, this 
                                            time, so it’s not monstrously 
                                            complex, but it’s still a very, 
                                            very good and elegant old Spirngbank. 
                                            88 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          | 
 |  | MUSIC 
                                            – Oldies but 
                                            goldies: as somebody once said, here 
                                            is a summary of the basic ingredients 
                                            for French pop success in the Sixties: 
                                            1. beautiful girl who is entirely 
                                            unable to sing, 2. pure, bubble-gummy 
                                            ‘yé-yé’ 
                                            pop melody, 3. brilliant, slightly 
                                            ironic lyrics. That's probably true, 
                                            but perhaps Serge 
                                            Gainsbourg and Brigitte 
                                            Bardot made something 
                                            a bit better in 1968: Bonnie 
                                            and Clyde (click here). 
                                            A few months later, Gainsbourg then 
                                            wrote an even greater song, entirely 
                                            devoted to his ex-lover: Initials 
                                            BB - mp3. Another masterpiece 
                                            by the great SG! |  
                                         
                                          | TASTING 
                                            - Blair Athol 15 yo (59.4%, OB, Manager’s 
                                            Choice, bottled Dec 1996)     Colour: straw. Nose: lots of almond 
                                            milk at first nosing, with some rather 
                                            heavy notes of old books and beer. 
                                            It then gets quite farmy, with hints 
                                            of wet straw and little fruity notes 
                                            (perhaps some white peach). Mouth: 
                                            it starts very grassy, on all sorts 
                                            of herbal teas. Some interesting notes 
                                            of aromatic herbs such as rosemary 
                                            or thyme. Really nice, just getting 
                                            a little too bitter. The finish is 
                                            quite bold, on some heavy salted liquorice. 
                                            A special version indeed, a good step 
                                            above most other bottlings of Blair 
                                            Athol. It’s supposed to come 
                                            from a sherry cask but there’s 
                                            very, very little sherry influence 
                                            that I could get. 87 points. |  |  |  
                                         
                                          |  |  | MUSIC 
                                            – JAZZ - Oldies 
                                            but goldies: 1959, Ornette 
                                            Coleman plays Congeniality 
                                            - mp3 with Don Cherry, Red Mitchell, 
                                            Percy Heath and Shelly Manne. That 
                                            was on the legendary 'The shape of 
                                            jazz to come' album, before Ornette 
                                            started to play his odd plastic saxophone... 
                                            Anyway, please buy Ornette Coleman's 
                                            music if you like it, whether very 
                                            'free' or more classical like this 
                                            one. |  
 Check 
                                      the index of all entries:
 Whisky
 Music
 Nick's Concert 
                                      Reviews
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                                 Best 
                                  malts I had these weeks - 90+ 
                                  points only - alphabetical: Ardbeg 
                                  32 yo 1972/2004 (45.3%, OB for Germany, 
                                  bourbon cask #861, 216 bottles) Brora 
                                  22 yo 1982/2004 (58.5%, 
                                  Douglas Laing for Alambic Classique, Germany) Highland 
                                  Park 1974/1998 ‘Online Tasting’ 
                                  (57.6%, OB, 228 bottles) Highland 
                                  Park 36 yo 1967 (49.7%, OB for The 
                                  Whisky Exchange, cask #10252, 138 bottles) Longrow 
                                  14 yo 1990/2005 (56.9%, Scotch Malt 
                                  Whisky Society, 114.5) Oban 
                                  12 yo (40%, OB, early 70’s) Springbank 
                                  12 yo 100 proof (50%, OB, European 
                                  version, early 90’s) Springbank 
                                  15 yo 1964/1979 (45.7%, OB for Samaroli, 
                                  Italy) Springbank 
                                  15 yo (43%, 
                                  OB, pear shape, 70’s)     
 
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