Hooray! They finally arrived :) Can't wait to start tasting, Maltbarn is doing very nice cask selection nowadays.
Tasting order: we'd better start with a blend, then take Benrinnes and undisclosed Speyside and finish with Caol Ila, I guess that shoud be right.
Clandestine Very Old Maltbarn №60 45.8% - noone knows what's inside even if it's vatted malt or just blend. I'd bet on vatted malt. Nose: whiffs of sherry, subtle coffee notes. Saltiness?.. Didn't expect that from a sherried blend. Some fruits (namely pears) also. Taste: the nose was better actually. Sharp and salty with long finish on salt and spices. Looks like there some younger malts in it despite inscription "very old". Nevertheless it's not bad at all. Very Clyne-destine-lish character. Score = 22 20 22 21, 85/100!
Benrinnes 24 yo 1992/2016 Maltbarn №61 52.9% - the nose is promising :) Grass, honey and creaminess create very enjoyable bouquet. Grassy bitterness on a palate, finish is also bittery with touch of menthol. Some people like that type of bitterness, some not. Score = 22.5 21 21.5 22, 87/100!
Speyside 41 yo 1975/2016 Maltbarn №62 48.7% - rumours says this one to be Glenfarclas. Intrigue killed :) at the very beginning you get lemongrass and candied fruits in the nose. Some wax. Then canned salted sour tomatoes appear and that's very funny :) they used to be sold in large glass jars and it's just the aroma when you open such jar! Later on wet wood notes come. Tomatoes become not canned, but home-made by soaking in oak barrel. Taste and finish are oak-driven, though it's very nice precious old oak with spearming and spices. Precious wood and resin are shouting in empty glass. The nose is stunning. Score = 23.5 22 23.5 23, 92/100!
Caol Ila 13 yo 2003/2016 Maltbarn №58 55.5% - you can't go wrong with Maltbarn Caol Ila. Have tasted two of them before (14 yo and 19 yo) and they were very good. Nose: typical Caol Ila on ashes, sea, medicinal notes, gouache and sweet barley. The taste is powerfull and bursting. Fisherman's dram. Of course some smoke, it goes without saying. Hints of liquorice and aniseed in the aftertaste. All of that is beautifully put together. Score = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
And as usual we'd go for more, it's Saturday afterall. What about Talisker?..
Talisker 27 yo 1985/2012 Maritime edition 56.1% - the nose is quite reserved, let's give it some time. Brine, dusty papers and smoked fish rule this ball. Mouth is both sweet and spicy with distinctive oak. Finish: long, smoky, mineral and sweet. Very complex and very high-quality whisky, though liked Talisker 35 yo more. The price doesn't differ so much (around EUR 600 for 27 yo and EUR 750 for a 35 yo), I'd choose the older one, it is absolutely brilliant. Score for 27 yo = 22 23 23 22, 90/100!
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