Bought some new whiskies today

[volospian]

Originally Posted by Mark

Madeira version sounds intriguing - I'm slowly developing a taste for Madeira wine though quite what Wales is having to do with that I'm not sure.

Very few small distilleries can afford to commission brand new oak casks nowadays. Instead they buy them off wineries that have already used them, hence the relatively new concept of "wine finish" whiskys... at least that's what I was told in SA last year...

[Stan_Lite]

Bladnoch 20yo Lowland malt. 40%
Nose: Slight spice, grass, floral - very fresh. 22
Taste: Spice, chocolate limes (the sweeties) and something familiar I can't quite put a name to at the moment. 22
Finish:Medium and tingly with a hint of bitter chocolate. 18
Balance: Nice fresh tasting whisky. Typical lowland with floral, citrussy notes. 20
Overall 82.

[Stan_Lite]

Knockando 18yo Speyside malt. 43%
Nose: Chocolate, slight vanilla. 18
Taste: Slight spice, chocolate, sherry. 20
Finish:Medium mostly chocolate with a hint of fruit. 18
Balance: Slightly disappointing. Was hoping for a bit better from this. Still a decent whisky but not as good as I thought it would be. 18
Overall 74.

[volospian]

Can I just ask about the reasoning behind your tasting? You have compared a couple of Speysides against a Lowland so far... not really the same thing, tbf. A bit like comparing a Rhone against a Beaujolais...

[Stan_Lite]

Talisker 1999 distiller's edition Skye malt. 45.8%
Nose: Sea spray, slightly smoky, peat, slightly antiseptic. 22
Taste: Sweetish sherry, slight vanilla, peat smoke. 20
Finish: Medium - vanilla fudge. 19
Balance: Nose showed promise but fell down slightly on taste and finish. Still a jolly nice whisky though. 21
Overall 82.

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by volospian

Can I just ask about the reasoning behind your tasting? You have compared a couple of Speysides against a Lowland so far... not really the same thing, tbf. A bit like comparing a Rhone against a Beaujolais...

Actually, the Aberlour is a Highland, that was a typo (now corrected) so it's 3 different types (now 4).

I'm not really comparing the whiskies to each other, I'm judging each one individually on its own merits. I just happen to be using the same scoring system (similar to that used by Jim Murray in his "Whisky Bible"). At the end of the day, the overall score for each whisky is how I rate that particular whisky on its own. For example, I've rated the Bladnoch at 82 and the Knockando at 74. All this means is that I think the Bladnoch is a better Lowland whisky than the Knockando is a Speyside whisky.

I hope that makes sense - it does to me

[Stan_Lite]

Was saving what I thought would be the best until last and I wasn't wrong.

Lagavulin special release 1994 distiller's edition Islay malt. 43%
Nose: Peat smoke, raisins, antiseptic. 23
Taste: Dry sherry, slight spice, peat smoke, Christmas cake. 23
Finish: Long. Antiseptic, peat, slightly sweet and slightly woody. 22
Balance: I have a weakness for Islay malts matured in sherry casks and this one didn't disappoint. A well balanced, complex whisky. Not the best I've tasted but well up there. 23
Overall 91.

[Stan_Lite]

Well, that was a most enjoyable way to spend an evening

[volospian]

Originally Posted by Stan_Lite

Actually, the Aberlour is a Highland, that was a typo (now corrected) so it's 3 different types (now 4).

No, it is a Speyside.

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by volospian

No, it is a Speyside.

You're right - I was right the first time. Damned label says Highland in large letters and then Speyside in small letters elsewhere. For some reason they've decided to call it Highland when it isn't