The Whisky Wire TT 8^th May 2014

We were lucky enough to receive an invite to the Whisky Weekender Blind Tweet Tasting (@thewhiskywire) to celebrate the London Whisky Weekender, an amazing event ran by Amanda (@TwlAmanda) and Eddie Ludlow (@TWLEddie) of the Whisky Lounge (@thewhiskylounge) and Oval Office Space (@OvalSpace).  This event runs 16-18^th May and is held in some stunning locations.  It will have a real festival feel to it, with food, music and the chance, not only to sample pretty much every style of whisky known to man, but also to sample some pre-WWII whisky.  This will be a really fun event with a relaxed atmosphere, with something for everyone.  Tickets for this event are available here or keep your eyes peeled for a Whisky Corner competition for a pair of tickets!

When it comes to a blind tasting they either fill you fear, dread and you crumble under the pressure, only to be found rocking back and forth under the table, whispering I can’t decide, mustn’t look foolish, over and over, or you just enjoy it for what it is, rely on your nose and palate, hope to pick out the notes rather than the whisky itself.  Me I opted for the latter.

I tweeted as (@whiskycorner), Stewart took care of bedtime (thanks).

Kirsty’s Notes

Berry Bros & Rudd (@BerryBrosRudd) 1992 Longmorn (46% ABV) Speyside Single Malt £67.45 available from the Whisky Exchange (@whiskyexchange)

Lots of fruit, think summer orchard with lots of lush apples and sweet pears.  A slight tang of dried apricots and vanilla ice cream drizzled with honey and sprinkled with vanilla seeds.  Lovely baking spices follow with some ground spice and cinnamon.  Then as it opens up, more heat with a muted chilli tingle before a lovely cereal note takes over reminiscent of malted milk biscuits and condensed milk.  Before the lovely warmth of fresh hay with just a touch of After Eight mints right at the back.

Palate:

Juicy pears, followed by lovely creamy malted cereal notes, think Cheerio’s sitting in milk a while, damp earth with a hint of toffee, like a good quality salted caramel. I think this one’s a Speyside.  It’s full of fruit but with a creamy, burnt sugar goodness, with lots of oak influence coming through near the end bringing with it plenty of drying tannins.

This was then revealed as a Berry Bros & Rudd 1992 Longmorn (46% ABV) Speyside Single Malt and very good it is too.

Berry Bros & Rudd, Tiffon Cognac, Chateau de Triac, Reserve de la Famille (40%ABV) £100

Nose:

Who dropped a bomb?  This one has sherry all over it! Christmas cake that’s been cooked for a little too long, covered in poppy seeds, with fennel and star anise.  Next in are rich, decedent cherries wrapped in dark chocolate and a touch of kirsch, then in comes spiced baked apples, honey and heather notes with sultana’s and sticky dates.  This has a lovely touch of meatiness as it opens, think honey glazed gammon, cloves, with a touch of melted cola jus and envelope gum.

Palate:

Not what I expected, liquorice, aniseed, cinnamon, the fruits are pushed back, cloves, treacle, burnt toast and cardamom all wrapped in brown paper with coriander and linseed oil.  Leather bound old books which then make way for dark fruits, plums, damson then fresh juicy raisins with a touch of apple crispness.

This was then revealed as a Cognac of all things (very sneaky), but a really lovely drink, I could happily drink this again and again (responsibly of course).  Eddie from TWL had this to say “Chateau de Triac from Tiffon contains Eau de vie between 40 and 55 years old. Unsweetened and a Bargain for £100!”

anCnoc Rutter, (46% ABV) available from £51.45 and available from The Whisky Exchange

Nose:

I first thought this was new make, it’s so light in colour but it does have a touch of the cask.  Salty yet with a gentle sweetness, a really good pea and ham soup.   Parma ham wrapped round soft red apples with acetone a plenty at the front of the nose, almost too strong, but this lessens as it opens up.  I’m starting to get that new plimsoll and school gym hall smell that I love! There’s a fleeting touch of ammonia, a light sprinkling of pepper and a touch of chargrilled banana and peat.

Palate:

This is like a campfire by the beach.  Think grainy pears, gentle ashes, gritty on the palate with buttery soft pancakes served with bacon & maple syrup coming through and a touch of charcoaled sweet potato.  There’s a hint of citrus notes, and then something deeper, rich hoisin sauce and tantalising dark plums.  As it lingers there are notes of honeyed pineapple and ripe mango.  Drying and musty, the salt is still there which tails off leaving just a gentle peat behind and a lovely mouth coating richness.   This was revealed to be anCnoc Rutter, 46% ABV, non chill-filter.  This is what anCnoc had to say “anCnoc Rutter, 46% ABV, non chill-filtered, natural colour, ex-bourbon casks, 11ppm phenol measured on finished product”.

SMWS (@SMWSUK) Bottling – 53.197 ‘A stoker in drag’ (57.4% ABV) Islay Single Malt (Caol Ila) £63.70

Nose:

A bit of a curve ball this is lightly peated, a gentle caress as opposed to a slap you about the face Laphroaig, and there is gentle brine.  You can pick up the salty sea spray and the tangy fruity freshness of the green olives with seared tuna steak with a fragrant lemongrass salad.  There is a slight touch of wort coupled with black peppercorns with a slight shave of Parmesan.

Palate:

Hot at first, fresh menthol and wispy peat smoke.  Deep blood oranges in the background and musty dried crunchy leaves and a gentle touch of parsnips this really is autumn in a glass.  There is a gentle creaminess that starts to coat the mouth, Fantastic!  As, like the sea, this rescinds there are soft, plump, gentle apricots and then the sweet yet smoky taste of marshmallows toasted by the sea.

This was then revealed to be an exclusive bottling for the SMWS 53.197 ‘A stoker in drag’ (57.4% ABV) Islay Single Malt (Caol Ila) £63.70