A couple of new malts combined with a couple of old TWA friends, that should be good.
Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Reserve 51.7% - each spring Ardbeg fans are waiting for a new special release to be launched on Ardbeg day... This time Ardbeg spirit was matured in virgin Black Sea oak casks which are said to impart "incredibly deep flavours" to the whisky that then was married with traditional Ardbeg aged in ex-Bourbon barrels.
Nose: peat, salt, kippers and sea. Pure as Malevich Black Square :)
Taste: powerful enough with whiffs of brine and smoked fish.
Finish: long and dry developing on lemon, rubber, pepper and oak.
Overall: good youngish Ardbeg, though in terms of pleasure/price ratio I'd choose Ardbeg 10.
Score = 22 21 22 22, 87/100!
Compass Box Flaming Heart 2015 (15-th Anniversary edition) 48.9% - is said to contain 38.5% of 14 yo Caol Ila, 27.1% of 30 yo Caol Ila, 24.1% of 20 yo Clynelish and 10.3% of 7 yo blended malt from Clynelish, Teaninich and Dailuaine married in french oak.
Nose: wonderful waxiness and green apples (hello, Clynelish) combined with gentle salt and ashes notes (hello, Caol Ila).
Taste: rounded, smoke and salt, apples and herbs sing together.
Finish: long, salty and smoky with lots of apples again, fresh citrus.
Overall: I presume there was no chance for going wrong with old Caol Ila and Clynelish put together. Beautiful blend.
Score = 22 22 23 23, 90/100!
Imperial 21 yo The Whisky Agency 52.7% - matured in ex-bourbon hogshead, 233 bottles were released.
Nose: gentle and sweet developing on vanilla, pear and lemon. Lots of cream as well.
Taste: creamy with touches of lemon, spices and salt.
Finish: long, sweet and oily with layers of citrus fruits and Asian spices.
Overall: my best Imperial so far, damn tasty thing it is!
Score = 23 22 23 23, 91/100!
Bowmore 15 yo The Whisky Agency 52.1% - already tasted this one here, no obvious changes occured, so I'll just copy tasting notes.
Nose: very elegant and complex. Coffee, chocolate, oranges, cherry, light smoke, candied fruits, cloves, all of this nicely put together.
Taste: old leather and tobacco, coffee and chocolate again, ripe figs, lemons, notes of earth, salt and ashes.
Finish: long, salty, sweet and warmingly spicy. Pine resin and fresh mint at the very end.
Overall: the bottle stood half-empty for a few weeks and I found nose and taste slightly less expressive this time, so let it be 91/100 tonight instead of 92/100. Still great nevertheless.
Score = 22.5 22.5 23 23, 91/100!
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