#BTC55 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 55th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by John @jwbassman.bsky.social

His theme was The Sound Of Whisky:

Here are my tasting notes:

Dram 1

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, takes a while bead up which cling for a while before eventually falling as slow thick legs.

Nose: Popcorn, burnt toffee & furniture polish. There are some tropical fruit notes, liquorice and some floral hints.

Palate: thick, sweet arrival with honey, golden syrup, barley sugars  and some tropical fruit. Some icing sugar dryness. There’s a slight off note – a lot of chilli spice and some orange marmalade. Much better with a drop of water - takes the spice down a lot and bring forward the golden syrup.

Finish: long and fruity with a weird off note 46% ex-bourbon, better with a drop of water, scores a 3 but not sure I'd have a bottle.

Dram 2

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, which forms tiny beads which cling for a while before eventually falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: old leather, cask char, baked apples, dried fruit and vanilla custard. Brown sugar, toffee and flaked almonds.

Palate: Thick, sweet arrival, tropical fruit, honey, barley sugars, baked apples and some gentle spice. A few more sips and the spice ramps up, a little drying as the liquid disappears.

Finish: long, dry and spicy with a little leather, 55% ex-bourbon, scores a 3

Dram 3

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, which forms beads which cling for a while before eventually falling as slow thick legs.

Nose: huge maritime peat smoke notes, tropical fruit and honey. Burnt toast, dried seaweed and trapped sardines.

Palate: a little thin but mouth coating, tropical fruit and syrup before the smoke comes in. A little orange marmalade and ginger spice.

Finish: short, smoky and spicy, 46% ex-bourbon, Glenturret Peated? Scores a 3.

Dram 4

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, beads up immediately and fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: honey, distant smoke and some chewy toffee. There’s some orchard fruit notes: apple, pears, peaches and plums.

Palate: thick sweet arrival, mouth coating honey, tropical fruit and milk chocolate. There’s some dried fruit hints, spice and very dry. A few more sips offer berries and dryness. A wine cask from John?

Finish: short dry and spicy, 50% ex-bourbon, love this, scores a 5.

Dram 5

Appearance: bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line forms small beads which fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: huge sherry notes: dried fruit, dates, plums, prunes, dunnage funk! A hint of smoke maybe?

Palate: thin dry arrival, a little chewy. Sherry soaked dried fruit, honey, milk chocolate and almonds. Treacle toffee and a little smoke.

Finish: long dry and spicy, oloroso cask, 58% ABV, scores a 4.

Dram 1 was a Glen Scotia 2013 9yo Single Cask #33 (FF Bourbon)

Dram 2 was a Caol Ila 2011 12yo (Unpeated)

Dram 3 was an Ailsa Bay NAS

Dram 4 was a Bimber Peated Cask Batch No. 1

Dram 5 was a Ardnamurchan 2017 AD/09:17 CK.677

The overall scores from our 28 members were:

More information about the Blind Tasting Consortium and the scores for all of our tastings can be found here!