AGED: 22 years DISTILLED ON: October 30 1996 BOTTLED ON: May 29 2019 MATURED IN: Hogshead CASK NO: 8730 BOTTLE NO: 24 of 192 NATURAL COLOUR
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, honey, mixed nuts, fruit salad with mandarin orange slices, oak, bit of a mineral earthy note. Palate: Fruity with green apples, not-quite-ripe pears, peaches, grapefruit, sharpens with tonic, cinnamon and pepper. Finish: Moderately long, dry with tonic, honey and citrus. Comments: The nose has a hint like it ‘might be peat’ but not quite (and to be clear, this isn’t a peated whisky). Astringent and bitter despite the fruit notes, reminds me a bit of a hard cider. A bit of water only slightly dampens this edge, and a bit more thins it out, so go easy with the water on this one. Not particularly in my wheelhouse.
AGED: 18 years DISTILLED ON: September 17 2002 BOTTLE ON: October 21 2020 MATURED IN: Bourbon Barrel CASK NO: 800626 BOTTLE NO: 204 of 220 NATURAL COLOUR
What Gary Says
Nose: Heather, honey suckle, peaches, marzipan, hint of caramel, oak, and sponge cake. Palate: Thick mouthfeel, honey, fruity with peaches and baked pears, subtle kiwi notes and a bit of pepper and toffee. Finish: Long, drying with honey, fruit and milk chocolate. Comments: Yep, it’s official – I love Longmorn. I’ve only reviewed one other Longmorn, although I’ve tried several independent bottlings and don’t recall any being less than “really good”. This particular dram takes water well, retaining the thick mouthfeel and bringing out more peaches and pears on the nose. I really dig those tropical fruit notes of kiwi that come through.
Sherried & Intense Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. A’bunadh is a whisky hand-made from start to finish with each batch being created to ensure a rich and complex flavour of moist raisin, and homemade fruit cake. It is bottled at cask strength resulting in a robust and deeply intense, sherried whisky.
Colour: Auburn gold Nose: Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry Palate: Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full bodied and creamy Finish: Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich, dark fruits with raisins, dates, stewed prunes, earthy Portobello mushrooms and wood polish, cocoa, caramel, grilled peaches, anise, smoked brisket and a hint of spent matches. Palate: Rich and intense with a thick mouthfeel, fruit explosion with prunes, raisins, pears, cherries, cinnamon red hots, anise, molasses and pepper. Finish: Long, syrupy thick with a cherry cough syrup note (but in a good way). Comments: Wow – Aberlour isn’t one of my favorite distilleries to be honest, as I usually get more than a hint of sulfur and spent matchsticks (which just aren’t my thing, but your mileage may vary). But this one is fantastic! Here that sulfur note is subtle, although some water brings it out a bit more, as well as amping up the anise (if I close my eyes, definitely get a black licorice vibe). This is a super dark dram. Do I wish it were age-stated? Yes – if only for the transparency; but based on what is in the bottle, this is delicious. I could give two sh!ts if they threw a splash of 3 year old in the batch (not suggesting they did!) Based on the intensity and complexity of flavors, and balance between the sweet and spicy notes, this is a damn nice pour! So nice that in fact the first A’bunadh I ran across after trying this (a batch 64) I grabbed. Also delicious, and pretty similar (just a tad lighter in color, and a bit less anise; I really like both although thought the nose on this one might be a tad more complex – but really splitting hairs).
AGED: 17 years DISTILLED ON: September 17, 2002 BOTTLE ON: May 5, 2020| MATURED IN: a Bourbon Barrel CASK NO: 800638 BOTTLE NO: x of 229
Cask Strength | Natural Colour
What Gary Says
Nose: Bright fruit notes of peaches, green apples, kiwi, coconut and cotton candy with fresh walnuts. Palate: Sweet with fruit salad, cherries, nutmeg, vanilla with a bit of toffee and nutmeg before pepper spice builds. Finish: Moderately long with fruit notes, vanilla and cracked white pepper. Comments: This is a really bright and fruity dram, with orchard and tropical fruits. I’ve tried a few Longmorns, and liked every single one (although I don’t recall the others being this fruity). The Whisky Exchange points out that they “… love Longmorn, and this bourbon-barrel-matured single-cask bottling showcases the fruitiness that so often gets lost in drams from the distillery.” I think they nailed it.
AGED: 13 years DISTILLED ON: March 1997 BOTTLE ON: February 2010 MATURED IN: Hogshead CASK NO: 38886 BOTTLE NO: of 291
Glen Grant Distillery, built in 1840 by brothers, John and James Grant, is located in the heart of Speyside. The distillery is now the world’s second-largest single malt whiskey brand.
TASTE NOTES COLOR: Light amber NOSE: White grapes, a fresh apple tart and ripe pears TASTE: Similar to the nose, with hints of vanilla, oak and white pepper. FINISH: Medium, white pepper spice
What Gary Says
Nose: Buttered yeast roll, honey, malty, pears, apricots, subtle earthiness with heather. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel but tart and sharp, canned pears with fruit salad and freshly cracked pepper. Finish: Moderately long and drying with pepper spice and pears. Comments: This has a sour/tart note to it that reminds me a bit of sour fruit gummy candies. It clouds up nicely with a bit of water, reflecting the non-chill filtration (although it doesn’t state that on the label from what I can tell). I’m not familiar with Glen Grant, but this doesn’t leave me with seeking out more specifically. Any one cask might be just that (a one off), but I think the folks at Signatory do a pretty good job so can’t help but think that this isn’t a fair representation of Glen Grant (albeit at higher proof).
