Sunday 2 December 2018

#BlindTasting Series 5 - Part 1

Series 5

Who thought it would last this long - but it has and two years later the gang are starting out on Series 5 of #BlindTasting, we've also just booked out second #BlindTastingOnTour for next summer! If you haven't followed us before you can catch up with all the previous series here.



So as usual we'd all swapped our 3 drams with each other, but due to postal issues we had a revised lineup for Part 1 : A14 from me, B13 from @JWBassman_, D14 from @GentlemanGrimm, E14 from @WhiskyWings and finally A13 again from me. @SpiritAndWood's missing dram will turn up in the next part!

My drams for the night
John's photo of tonight's drams
Alistair's drams (and peat bomb!)
Grimm's dram photo
Mike's photo

 So first up, due to postal issues, was my A14....


Grimm had had a tough day and was struggling on the first dram....


Alistair was straight in with the guesses...


but John wasn't sure he was even in the right country....


So I gave them a little clue...



Grimm was still struggling....


Alistair had the region and was working through the distilleries...


There was a little surprise with this one...



A14 was a Cadenhead's 1990 Strathclyde



Next up was B13 from John....


The analysis started with ABV....


Grimm's whisky spider senses were back up to full working order!


An interesting Speysider?


Even John wasn't entirely sure and it was his sample! (A clue maybe?)



Mike the detective was on to something!



And he got it!



John's B13 was The Glenlivet Code!



Next up was D13 from Grimm

 

This was another strong one...


Was John into something here?


No maybe the high ABV was playing tricks with his nose!


Differences of opinions on the impact of the high ABV!


And whether to add water!


Wings was on top form with his guesses tonight!



Loads more sherry and tropical notes coming out with the addition of a little water


John and Alistair started with the distillery search...


Wings was a little closer...


That triggered a memory....


Alistair asked what was on everyone's mind!


And then got the release!



D13 was Glendronach's Cask Strength Batch 7


Fourth dram of the night was Wings' E13.....


First dram of the night with peat?


John was on his way back to Loch Lomond!


And he did buy a few bottles when we were there....


But it wasn't to be....

 

Grimm was speeding through this one.....


Peaty but not from Islay? HP maybe?


Grimm was thinking the same....


We tried guessing the ABV


It was like a game of  'Play Your Cards Right' !


A blend too....


Wings was handing out more clues....


It didn't help though!


Maybe John was on to something....


John had one more guess..... and nailed it!



E13 was Cadenhead's Creations 2007 - Light Creamy Smoky



So on to the final dram of the evening, A13 from me....


Alistair was thinking grain....


...but Wings was straight on it!


I may have brought something back from my summer holiday to the States


Wings thought he had it....



But he didn't....


Alistair was on to something though....


Could they guess the ABV?


But it was a lot higher than they thought...


Wings was having more guesses...


...but he'd been cheating!



A13 was Re:Find's Handcrafted Rye


And there ended Part 1 of Series 5, a fantastic evening enjoying high ABV whisk(e)y with friends!


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