Summer is really good time to have some lowlanders :)
The idea of this meeting is as follows: last year we had clash of 6 different lowlanders and Littlemill 1989 TWA Liquid Library was clear winner. So we decided to go deeperunderground in the lowlands and taste selection of quite a few indie Littlemills during one evening.
Initial line-up of 4 middle-aged expressions:
The idea of this meeting is as follows: last year we had clash of 6 different lowlanders and Littlemill 1989 TWA Liquid Library was clear winner. So we decided to go deeper
Initial line-up of 4 middle-aged expressions:
And one older guy for the road:
But let's start for the very beginning and Glenkinchie 12 yo as a welcome drink.
Glenkinchie 12 yo 43% - classical lowlander you can find everywhere.
Nose: quite shy, with time you get green grass, apples, barley and oak.
Taste: big one for that strength, malty and spicy.
Finish: not that long with layers of spices, light oak bitterness and wet grass. Quite dry.
Overall: nothing wrong with that malt, not utterly complex but quite sippable. I usually take it in bar when I want something smooth just for drinking.
Score = 20 21 21 21, 83/100!
Littlemill 1989/2014 TWA Liquid Library 48.7% - 199 bottles released, matured in a bourbon barrel.
Nose: very elegant, the same notes we had - wet grass, malted barley, nuts, sunflower oil, vanilla, flowers, citrus notes, but comparing to other Littlemills today that wasn't the best nose of the evening.
Taste: oily and fruity with lots of grapefruit peels, cream and oak.
Finish: long and zesty with beautiful umami oomph.
Overall: scored it 91/100 last year, but today would go for 90/100. Finish and balance are great, nose and taste are tad weaker.
Score = 22 22 23 23, 90/100!
Litllemill 1990/2017 Archives cask #32 53.8% - 267 bottles released, matured in a bourbon barrel.
Nose: profile is quite similar, but it needs more time in a glass to open up. Citrus fruits and sunflower seeds.
Taste: far more powerful than previous one, plenty of roasted seeds, grapefruits and apricots.
Finish: very long, tropical, resinous and even slightly salty. The best finish today.
Overall: taste and finish are just superb, I presume the best ones of the evening.
Score = 22.5 23 23.5 23, 92/100!
Littlemill 1990/2014 Maltbarn #28 50.6% - 158 bottles released, matured in a bourbon barrel.
Nose: starts on green vegetables and wax (maybe Martin poured some Clynelish here?..), then I get more typical grapefruit and grass.
Taste: oily, basket full of tropical fruits with some earthy tinge.
Finish: long and fruity with hints of resin.
Overall: well, I think this one should be retasted over time, some guys tried it before on festivals and scored really high, around 90/100, though the bottle was half-empty. So conservative score of 88/100 at the moment and intention to let it live in opened bottle for a while.
Score = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
Littlemill 1991/2014 TWA Early Flying 48.0% - 275 bottles released, matured in a bourbon hogshead.
Nose: very elegant, almond oil, wet grass and citrus of course. Hints of wax as well and that's adorable.
Taste: grapefruit and tangerines, even some hints of berries.
Finish: long, zesty and slightly bitter.
Overall: very well-made Clynelish, not so loud as Arhives, but also very confident.
Score = 23 22.5 22.5 23, 91/100!
Littlemill 1984/2016 Whiskymax cask #3899 48.5% - 250 bottles released, matured in a bourbon hogshead.
Nose: quite mineral, lots of sweet grass, pears and peaches.
Taste: intensive and coating, honey, pear and citrus fruits dancing together.
Finish: long one on spices, bitter grass and citrus peels. Wonderful transition from fruity sweetness to mineral dryness.
Overall: first time I try Littlemill over 30 yo and I must say it's good :)
Score = 22.5 22.5 23 23, 91/100!
Nose: very elegant, the same notes we had - wet grass, malted barley, nuts, sunflower oil, vanilla, flowers, citrus notes, but comparing to other Littlemills today that wasn't the best nose of the evening.
Taste: oily and fruity with lots of grapefruit peels, cream and oak.
Finish: long and zesty with beautiful umami oomph.
Overall: scored it 91/100 last year, but today would go for 90/100. Finish and balance are great, nose and taste are tad weaker.
Score = 22 22 23 23, 90/100!
Litllemill 1990/2017 Archives cask #32 53.8% - 267 bottles released, matured in a bourbon barrel.
Nose: profile is quite similar, but it needs more time in a glass to open up. Citrus fruits and sunflower seeds.
Taste: far more powerful than previous one, plenty of roasted seeds, grapefruits and apricots.
Finish: very long, tropical, resinous and even slightly salty. The best finish today.
Overall: taste and finish are just superb, I presume the best ones of the evening.
Score = 22.5 23 23.5 23, 92/100!
Littlemill 1990/2014 Maltbarn #28 50.6% - 158 bottles released, matured in a bourbon barrel.
Nose: starts on green vegetables and wax (maybe Martin poured some Clynelish here?..), then I get more typical grapefruit and grass.
Taste: oily, basket full of tropical fruits with some earthy tinge.
Finish: long and fruity with hints of resin.
Overall: well, I think this one should be retasted over time, some guys tried it before on festivals and scored really high, around 90/100, though the bottle was half-empty. So conservative score of 88/100 at the moment and intention to let it live in opened bottle for a while.
Score = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
Littlemill 1991/2014 TWA Early Flying 48.0% - 275 bottles released, matured in a bourbon hogshead.
Nose: very elegant, almond oil, wet grass and citrus of course. Hints of wax as well and that's adorable.
Taste: grapefruit and tangerines, even some hints of berries.
Finish: long, zesty and slightly bitter.
Overall: very well-made Clynelish, not so loud as Arhives, but also very confident.
Score = 23 22.5 22.5 23, 91/100!
Littlemill 1984/2016 Whiskymax cask #3899 48.5% - 250 bottles released, matured in a bourbon hogshead.
Nose: quite mineral, lots of sweet grass, pears and peaches.
Taste: intensive and coating, honey, pear and citrus fruits dancing together.
Finish: long one on spices, bitter grass and citrus peels. Wonderful transition from fruity sweetness to mineral dryness.
Overall: first time I try Littlemill over 30 yo and I must say it's good :)
Score = 22.5 22.5 23 23, 91/100!
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