Glengoyne @TweetTastings

Today I've taken part in a first - the first @Glengoyne @TweetTasting - and I hope it won't be the last! Four fantastic drams were sampled and discussed and a great time was had by all!

As usual with these things a parcel arrived a couple of days before the event:

Included were a lovely branded tasting glass, samples of Glengoyne's 10, 12 and 18 year olds and a mystery sample simply labelled "?" but weighing in at an impressive 59.8% There was some speculation on Twitter about the contents of the bottle, most agreeing that it would be the latest batch release of Cask Strength. On the day before the tasting Glengoyne officially released the Cask Strength Batch 006!



There were tastings going on in a few strange places today!

But I was at home!

On the night we started with the 10yo (40%)

My thoughts: lovely pale gold, thin fat legs when swirled. Initial nose is orchard fruit and damp grass.
Nose: Apples, pears, some pineapple maybe? There's loads of fresh damp grass - morning dew?
Palate: very think and mouth coating - immediate spice that I didn't get from the nose - chopped ginger. Loads of honey, some icing sugar leading to a dryness - YUMMY!
Finish: really long and spicy - feeling it especially in the roof of my mouth! Cracking dram!
Overall: It has a great balance between spice and sweetness and to be honest my favourite of the night!

Distillery's thoughts:

Other tweeters thoughts:

Next up was the 12yo (43%)

My thoughts: a little paler than the 10yo. No legs to speak of when swirled, initial nose honey and coconut?
Nose: honey and icing sugar dominate but there's a spicy note which wasn't on the 10yo. Some orange rather than apple.
Palate: the spice from the nose isn't as pronounced on the palate - quite the opposite from the 10yo. Orange and honey dominate with some honey and oak in the background.
Finish: not as long as the 10yo - it's more sweet rather than spicy.
Overall: A nice dram but I think this one had more sweetness than spice - not as good as the 10yo.

Distillery's thoughts:

Other tweeters thoughts:

Third dram of the afternoon was the 18yo (43%)

My thoughts: dark gold, gravity defying swirls, no legs to speak of! Initial nose tropical fruit.
Nose: lots of toffee, pineapple cubes and almonds dominate - but there's a real depth to this one! Dried fruit, honey, vanilla. It's not a 'sherry bomb' as expected more a rich jar of spicy marmalade! Also getting some grapefruit - an unusual note I've not seen before on a whisky!
Palate: quite thick on the tongue, big sherry influence - very drying. There's honey, toffee and cinnamon here with hints of chocolate, nuts and raisins.
Overall: Overall I think the 18yo suffers a little from it's strength : 43% just isn't enough for an 18yo - bump it up to 46%, 48% or higher and it would be great as I'm sure we'll find out with the next dram!

Distillery's thoughts:

Other tweeters thoughts:

 

Finally we were onto the mystery dram, the latest Batch 006 of Cask Strength (59.8%)

My thoughts: lovely dark gold, more gravity defying swirls, initial nose, apart from the alcohol burn, twisted orange peel
Nose: loads here! there's orange peel, raisins, loads of honey, some oak?
Palate: bitter fruit and nut chocolate - very drying, there's loads of oak on this one, a big spicy bite - cinnamon, chilli. With water - the alcohol is intensified on the nose, huge Christmas Cake notes. Palate calms down a little - lots of spice but the honey and orange come through more! Very nice!
Overall: To be honest I think the 10yo was brilliant - the 12yo and 18yo just needed a bit more ABV umph. The CS6 was in a different league - but need the opposite - water added to lower the ABV and bring out the sherry bomb inside!

Distillery's thoughts of a previous batch:

Other tweeters thoughts:

Overall a fantastic afternoon sampling some great drams! Many thanks to Steve for organising, Glengoyne for supplying the drams and my fellow tweeters for an enjoyable afternoon!