Some Samples……

Every now and again a kindly soul gives me some samples to try , this time they are courtesy of Mr Bobby Banford Esquire (can someone from East Kilbride be an Esquire ?)……..

WhiskyBroker 27yo Auchentoshan

From Bourbon Barrel 4474 , bottled at 53.9% , 209 bottles

11/12/84 – 16/11/12

Quite sweet on the nose (opal fruits) , oaky spices , quite pleasant on the whole . Very smooth across the palate , again sweet and oaky spices , the finish is medium to long and spicy . I was pleasantly surprised by this Auchentoshan , i’ve never been a fan of this lowlander , a very nice dram .

WhiskyBroker 28yo Tormore

From Bourbon Barrel 3674 , Bottled at 54% , 184 Bottles

24/2/84 – 16/12/12

Quite a restrained nose at first but then the oak spices explode , very fruity with Confectioners sugar , seems quite malty as well . Very unusual on the palate , again sweet with a strong maltiness , The finish is very long and strong , almost takes your breath away , very warming with sweet fruitiness . The only Tormores i ever tried were SMWS ones and i was very impressed with them , i’m well and truly impressed with this one , wonderful !

WhiskyBroker 17yo Caperdonich

From Bourbon Hogshead 95068 , Bottled at 55% , 30 Bottles

13/5/95 – 13/2/13

Initially very synthetic on the nose ( acetate / nail varnish remover) then strong vanilla and spices , it gets very pleasant after standing for a while . The palate is very spicy and hot , certainly warms the mouth up ! There is a touch of exotic fruit in amongst the spiciness , the finish is long and warming with opal fruitiness . A very good dram , could go a bottle of this…….

Croftengea 8yo (unknown bottler)

Sherry Finished Hogshead #283 , Bottled at 45% , 380 Bottles

Jan 1996 – Sept 2005

Very dark in colour , on the nose Struck matches , plastic buckets and acetate  , Oh dear…… left it for a little while and it’s still as bad . Almost frightened to taste it , luckily , at first , it doesn’t taste as bad as it smells , but then the sulphur overtakes the sherry . In one word Awful ! I’ve had a few Croftengeas from the SMWS (bought Casks 1 to 4 !) and they were all drinkable , this isn’t…….

Douglas Laing OMC 16yo Ardbeg

Rum Finished , 50%

1991 – 2007

Typical 1990’s Beg nose ,  big peat then the sweet lemon creamy coffee , nothing of the rum so far . On the palate again there’s the big Beg peat but there seems a strong sweetness to it , the rum influence ? There’s also the lemony creaminess across the mouth , the finish isn’t as long as i’d hoped but qute pleasant , very lemony . Not a bad Beg but one does wonder why rum finished……..

Thanks again to Roberto for the Samples !