The anniversary tasting in October is coming closer and it's about time to pre-taste the whiskys that we'll have...
Due to the fact that it's the 10th event that we'll have, I decided for some really special whiskys, I'm sure that it'll be one of our highlights.
First one in the glass... an ordinary 10 yo. Bruichladdich... distilled in the late 60s, bottled in the late 70s. A Bruichladdich of the old days, bottled at 43 %.
Nose: Fresh and maritime, cereals, hints of honey, ripe peaches
Taste: Sweet, malt, cereals, caramel in the end
Aftertaste: Cereals and salt... quite long in the mouth
Bruichladdich 10 yo., distilled in the 60s
The next one, another bottling from the 70s which's been distilled in the 60s: Bowmore 12 yo. No comparison to the 12 yo. from nowadays... something completely different.
Nose: Sea air, tropical fruits, lots of peat
Taste: Sweet, caramel, exotical fruits, peat
Aftertaste: Fresh with a good portion of peat
Bowmore 12 yo., distilled in the 60s
A 20 yo. Laphroaig is the next on the schedule, distilled in 1979, bottled Berry Bro's & Rudd...
Nose: An awesome mix of tropical fruits and peat, lemons, bitter oranges, a great old school Laphroaig
Taste: Starting slowly with some sweetness but then there's the peat! salt, lemon, pepper, herbs
Aftertaste: Very long with peat, salt and some grapefruit
Laphroaig 1979 - 1999, Berrys' Own Selection
The next one's from the distillery with the highest output of alcohol on Islay... Caol Ila. In this case we have a 22 yo., bottled by The Whiskyfair.
Nose: Green apples, peat and smoke, lemon
Taste: Peat, smoke, ashes, lemon, grapefruit
Aftertaste: Long in the mouth with peat and lemon
Caol Ila 22 yo., bottled by The Whisky Fair
A closed distillery with some amazing whiskys in the warehouses - Port Ellen... the next one on the schedule. 23 yo. and bottled by Douglas Laing (Douglas of Drumlanrig).
Nose: Peat smoke, sea water, lemon, cut grass, grean tea
Taste: Like an explosion of peat, green apple and salt, some white pepper, citrus, decent sweetness
Aftertaste: Long finish with a hint of sweetness and citrus notes
Port Ellen 23 yo., 1983, Douglas of Drumlanrig
The last one of the range... Octomore Orpheus. The revival of a whisky which has been gone long ago... Bruichladdich distillery brought it back to life... and finished this extremely peaty stuff in a Chateau Petrus cask which created an awesome combination....
Nose: Peat, sweetness.... sweetness, peat... charcoal, wine vinegar
Taste: CHARCOAL AND PEAT!! A massive attack on the taste buds... then the sweetness of the wine is risin up, coating the mouth; orange and almond, peat and tar are present all the time.
Aftertaste: Very, very long and warming... a real monster!!
Octomore Orpheus