Bruichladdich 2003 Port 55% Ltd. Edition (Fields of Oak)

Although this Bruichladdich 2003 Port 55% Ltd. Edition (Fields of Oak) was released for a local charity earlier this year, this whisky is an amazing dram that engulfs your mouth and tantalizes the taste buds with the fruitiness of the port. Gone are the days when you looked for old whiskies. This 7 year old is re-writing the rule book on whiskies. If you support charities then buy it, and if you love a whisky that will open your mind buy it! With fantastic packaging and flavouring this whisky can only score high in my books. Along with the fact that this is a limited bottling, who could not buy this to drink and collect?

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for a flavour that is oozing quaility
3 out of 3 points for presentation and style – really contemporary bottle
3 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? For sure
10/10+

And you get to support a charity - what else could you want from a dram?!

Ardbeg Supernova 2010 60.1%

After a 2 week break drinking Vida Nova and Onda Nova wine in Portugal onthe Algarve. I needed a quick re-introduction to tasting whisky to remind me why I love it so much! To celebrate this occassion I chose the Ardbeg Supernova 2010 60.1% with its big, peaty, medicinal kick. It is oily in the mouth with a chilli peppery after taste which goes all the way down!  Its pale colour is pleasing to the eye. This, like its little brother ( the 10 year old ) is very good, but its little brother takes some beating. This is a beautiful whisky none the less . The cask strength leaves your taste buds fresh and prepared for anything! Again - hats off to the men of Islay....................

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
2.9 out of 3 points for presentation -nice labelling
2.7 out of 3 points on cost, and is it worth is money?  Yes but the 10 year old takes some beating!!

9.7/10

TOMINTOUL 27 Year Old ''The gentle dram''

Tonight we travel north into the heart of Moray and Speyside to frequent the Tomintoul 27 year old, known as '' The gentle dram'', and gentle dram it is. Easy on the palate, smooth and sweet with a beautiful warming citrus sensation of oranges, cream and caramelized brown sugar .It has a fruity nose and a orangey hint to it. This is a surprisingly enjoyable dram which I was not expecting - very moreish. In some ways this is reminiscent of cigar malts, and its 40% needs no water as it's fine just as it comes. A commendable dram from Tomintou,l and yes it is a gentle dram!!

Scoring
3.7 out of 4 points for flavour, this is fruity and sweet
2.7 out of 3 points for presentation and style – Really nice colour
3 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? Nice dram and very drinkable, I think so
9.4/10

Bruichladdich 'Black Art' 21yo 49.7%

Bruichladdich 'Black Art' strikes again - 21year old, 49.7%.
Jim McEwan leaves our imagination exploding with this magical, mystical expression! Wondering where the Bruichladdich Alchemist has been to get us this immortal red/ pink concoction of whisky? To the nose it oozes enchantment, and once on my palate it breaths Eternal life! This wee gem will rise like a magical spirit in Bruichladdichs history. Wonderfully fiery with the sweetness of an angel carrying the water of life! I cannot see how anyone could not be enchanted  and succumb to this mesmerizing dram? Once under its spell and charm, the fairytale is complete.........

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour that is oozing quaility
3 out of 3 points for presentation and style – Really cool bottling
3 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? For sure
10/10+

Cadenheads Highland Malt Whisky 58.5% Cask Strength

Today we hit the capital, (Edinburgh) for inspiration and wander down The Royal Mile to a wee shop called Cadenheads. This whisky shop sits quietly 3/4 of the way down the Royal Mile, but stocks a fair few whiskies. The one on the wall was 15k last time I was in there! Here they do a very special thing which all whisky shops should do if they can?
 They have 4 casks of whisky, Campbeltown/Highland/Speyside and Islay all at cask strength and allow you to bottle them. Which may not seem unusual, but they do this in really cool bottles at 20cl,35cl and 70cl, a lovely present idea I think? On to the whisky I've chosen to sample tonight, it is the Cadenheads Highland Malt Whisky 58.5% Cask Strength, it has no age listed but is a nice wee dram. It's fruity and floral with a wee bite, it trickles down your larynx leaving you with that warmth that you look for in a dram. Its colour is pale lemony barley that is pleasing to the eye. It has no significant nose that leaves you with any discerning aroma. So to round up this whisky, it looks good and tastes not bad either with a wee kick, and all at a reasonable price.

Scoring

3 out of 4 points for flavour
2.9 out of 3 points for presentation and style – Really cool bottling
2.6 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? For me yes

9.5/10

Knappogue Castle 1994 Very Special Reserve 40% Whiskey

Today we will continue our Celtic journey across the sea to Ireland. The whiskey, Knappogue Castle  with their 1994 Very Special Reserve 40% Whiskey bottling has been chosen for inspiration.
 Now being a hardened Islay drinker this triple distilled dram is unusual to say the least for my palette!  Saying that, it has no harshness at all and its pale white wine like colouring is not displeasing to the eye. To the nose it is sweet with a slight hint of newly cut grass. It is quite a refreshing dram, however, for me it has no kick!! This is not really my cup of tea, if I can use that expression about whiskey? I have never really been a follower of Irish whiskey. I've drunk a few and liked a few but this for me is an average dram. I would say this is a weaning whiskey which would lead you on to the real drams.

Scoring

2.5 out of 4 points for flavour
1.75 out of 3 points for presentation and style – Nothing Startling
2 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? Depends on your palette.

6.25/10

Penderyn Port Single Malt Cask Bottling Cask PT26 60.6% Limited Edition

Tonight we venture into the heart of Wales, where we travel from one Celtic nation to another and savour the fruits of the Penderyn distillery. I am very fortunate to have in front of me the Port Wood Single Cask Bottling, Cask PT26 60.6% Limited Edition, favoured by the Master distiller Jim Swan. This is non chill-filtered Welsh Malt whisky.
Its colour comes from the port casks, this gives it a real lush red glow, which has a mystical air that draws you into its spell. The port flavours are intense with the hint of Puff Candy (Honeycombe). Although this whisky is 60.6% its presence is smooth and charming, and only lets you know its strength when it hits your very soul!
Adding water to this perfection would be sacrilige, but if you must it apparently releases a warming glow?!
To the nose it has a fresh cut oak wood aroma, extremely pleasant.
I would recommend this to anyone, and would say this puts Wales firmly on the whisky map!!
Is this a collector? Most definitely!! Well presented and one of only 207 bottles....

Scoring

4 out of 4 points for flavour
3 out of 3 points for presentation and style – well delivered packaging
3 out of 3 points on cost... and is it worth it's money? Yes!  This is the way whisky should be!!
10/10+

Penderyn Port Wood Edition named ‘European Single Cask Whisky of the Year’

Penderyn, Wales’s only single malt whisky, has received one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, placing it among the very best whiskies in the world.

Jim Murray, the independent whisky expert and author of the industry’s most respected guide, the ‘Whisky Bible’, selected the new Penderyn Port edition as ‘European Single Cask Whisky of the Year’ and scoring it at a staggering 96.5, one of the highest marks ever awarded in the Whisky Bible’s six year history.

In the 2010 edition of the Whisky Bible, published today, Murray, who is believed to have visited more distilleries than any other living person, reviews more than 3,500 whiskies. He described the malt as  "stunning" and went on to comment, "Classic doesn’t quite cover it... I doubt if even Swansea’s much vaunted beautiful football is quite as beautiful as this; this is [...] perfection".

Single cask whiskies are bottled from one unique barrel, ensuring that their unmatched characteristics remain undiluted. Winning the European Single Cask award confirms the singular perfection of the Penderyn Port Edition.

Bruichladdich Octomore Futures the BEAST/167 Ochdamh-mòr 60.5%

Tonight I go where few men have gone before! I get to christen one of my newly aquired bottles of Bruichladdich Octomore Futures the BEAST/167 Ochdamh-mòr 60.5%, being biased towards the Islay Malts all I can say is what a malt!! This whisky has no harshness about it whatsoever, it is beautifully peaty and sweet, with a syrupy caramel flavour that just reeks of a smoky bonfire. With an ochre colouring that is pleasing to both the eye and its presentation. This makes a gem of a whisky, which is very desirable and collectable, both now and in the future. These bottles are sure to disappear extremely quickly! If you love whiskies like this, this is the closest to perfection!! This malt is not readily available to the open market. People had to invest in Bruichladdichs capablity to produce this malt, which could just as easily been a complete disaster! Fortunately for the investors it has been a fantastic success!!
I would normally add a touch of water at this stage to comment on the change of taste, however on this occasion I will leave that to someone braver than me, as I am enjoying this wee dram far too much just as it is....
Thank you Jim McEwan

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour
3 out of 3 points for presentation and style – well delivered packaging
3 out of 3 points on cost and is it worth it's money? Yes  This is the way it should be
10/10+