Main idea was to travel across Scottish isles and compare different styles of island whiskies.
Our tonight's selection:
As you can see we start from the south and head to the north. Let's go!
Arran 22 yo 1995/2018 47.7% - bottled for Kammer-Kirsch, 154 bottles released.
Nose: rich and sweet, apples and apricots.
Taste: quite quick.
Finish: long, mainly on fruit bones.
Overall: utterly drinkable and pleasant. Bang for your buck at its price (around EUR 200).
Score = 23 22 23 22, 90/100!
Bruichladdich 25 yo 1990/2015 Private Cellar cask #2064 41.6% - "A Small Number of Friends" label.
Overall: light, floral, fruity and juicy, perfect example when nose, taste and finish are perfectly balanced. Maybe tad under-powered comparing to Arran.
Score = 22 22 22 23, 89/100!
Talisker 25 yo (bottled 2005) 57.2% - 15 600 (!) bottles released.
Nose: mmm, coal, pepper and fruits mixed altogether.
Taste: powerful and assertive, peat, salt and liquorice.
Finish: long, salty and peppery.
Overall: might put even 92/100, though I'd stay on 91/100 (just not my favourite islander, but very good though).
Score = 23 22.5 22.5 23, 91/100!
Tobermory 32 yo 1972/2005 49.5% - quite a classic we'd like to revisit from time to time, 1710 bottles released (God knows how many left now).
Actually profile is the same as described here and here, depending on a cork state, liquid level, mood, retrograde Mercury etc the score varies between 93 and 95, let it be 94/100 this time. Just perfect example of sherried whisky.
Score = 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5, 94/100!
Highland Park 37 yo 1973/2010 50.6% - believe or not but it was released for Global Retail (glorious 2000s).
Nose: noble and aristocratic, sweet honey, sandal wood, Kirkwall church, orange blossoms, pine resins.
Taste: dense one, citrus jam, mint (!) and honey.
Finish: piercing as rapier prick, salted oranges, Orkney peat, light grassy bitterness.
Overall: Whisky of a Major League.
Score = 24 23 24 24, 95/100!
Our tonight's selection:
As you can see we start from the south and head to the north. Let's go!
Arran 22 yo 1995/2018 47.7% - bottled for Kammer-Kirsch, 154 bottles released.
Nose: rich and sweet, apples and apricots.
Taste: quite quick.
Finish: long, mainly on fruit bones.
Overall: utterly drinkable and pleasant. Bang for your buck at its price (around EUR 200).
Score = 23 22 23 22, 90/100!
Overall: light, floral, fruity and juicy, perfect example when nose, taste and finish are perfectly balanced. Maybe tad under-powered comparing to Arran.
Score = 22 22 22 23, 89/100!
Talisker 25 yo (bottled 2005) 57.2% - 15 600 (!) bottles released.
Nose: mmm, coal, pepper and fruits mixed altogether.
Taste: powerful and assertive, peat, salt and liquorice.
Finish: long, salty and peppery.
Overall: might put even 92/100, though I'd stay on 91/100 (just not my favourite islander, but very good though).
Score = 23 22.5 22.5 23, 91/100!
Tobermory 32 yo 1972/2005 49.5% - quite a classic we'd like to revisit from time to time, 1710 bottles released (God knows how many left now).
Actually profile is the same as described here and here, depending on a cork state, liquid level, mood, retrograde Mercury etc the score varies between 93 and 95, let it be 94/100 this time. Just perfect example of sherried whisky.
Score = 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5, 94/100!
Highland Park 37 yo 1973/2010 50.6% - believe or not but it was released for Global Retail (glorious 2000s).
Nose: noble and aristocratic, sweet honey, sandal wood, Kirkwall church, orange blossoms, pine resins.
Taste: dense one, citrus jam, mint (!) and honey.
Finish: piercing as rapier prick, salted oranges, Orkney peat, light grassy bitterness.
Overall: Whisky of a Major League.
Score = 24 23 24 24, 95/100!
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