These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 20th #BlindDrams evening.
Their theme was Hunting For The Finish!
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Dram 1
Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as thick line, bead up and fall as slow thick legs.
Nose: huge stewed orchard fruit notes: apples, pears, apricots; with some vanilla custard and a little spice. Maybe a little nail polish remover? 'Plain' Ex-bourbon? A little time and air offers mint, sour citrus (grapefruit?) and some caramel.
Palate: sweet arrival with a bite of spice, orchard fruit from the nose with some honey and the citrus is back. A nice peppery spice as the liquid disappears.
Finish: medium length peppery spice with a little honey. I'm guessing 48% ABV ex-bourbon. Nice enough but not one I'd buy. 2 from me.
Dram 2
Appearance: pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thick lines.
Nose: sweet wine notes, a little dry orchard fruit: pears & apricots; some nutty milk chocolate and a hint of Turkish Delight. This one comes across as a Sauternes finish for me.
Palate: as the nose suggested very sweet and slightly dry - Sauternes. There's a big bite of spice here too - high ABV 54%? There's come orchard fruit and vanilla notes from the nose too. A few more sips offer brown sugar, lemon zest and some cut grass.
Finish: lingering sweet honey and peppery spice. Too sweet for me - I think Sauternes finish.
Not one I'd buy - another 2
Dram 3
Appearance: dark gold, almost bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly to form an inverted crown and eventually fall as slow thin legs.
Nose: a little musty dunnage warehouse, not a sherry bomb, so maybe a finish rather than a full maturation? Loads of blueberry jam, cola cubes, dark chocolate, instant coffee, a little dried fruit and some balsamic vinegar. PX finish?
Palate: sweet sherry nots, very dry, high ABV biting at the tongue. There's a little red apple, some honey, hedgerow berries, strawberries drizzled in balsamic vinegar. Lovely chewy mouth feel! A little salinity suggesting something coastal maybe? YUMMY!
Finish: lingering hedgerow berries and a dry sweetness. Yummy. Yes please for a bottle. Solid 4 from me.
Dram 4
Appearance: very pale gold in the glass, swirls again leave an inverted crown in the glass. The small beads eventually falling as slow thin legs.
Nose: peat smoke, salinity and tropical fruit - firmly in Caol Ila territory here! Icing sugar covered dried pineapple, citrus zest, antiseptic plasters. Nice!
Palate: dry sweet arrival - the icing sugar covered dried pineapple is back followed by a very dry smoke. The sweetness continues with toffee apple and golden syrup. There's a little salinity. Lovely dram!
Finish: Finish: lingering dry smoke, salinity and a little tropical fruit. Nice. I'd have a bottle! Solid 4 again from me!
Dram 5
Appearance: gold with a pink tinge - port or red wine? Swirls cling as a thin line in the glass, small beads form slowly eventually falling as slow thin legs.
Nose: Hedgerow berries, dark fruit: black cherries, figs, dates; port probably? There's a lovely blanket of peat smoke here, sweet rather than the dryness of dram 4. A little BBW steak, crispy bacon and some sun dried tomatoes.
Palate: thick sweet arrival, meaty, bicycle inner tube, engine oil and dark chocolate. There's red berries, brown sugar and some sour citrus. This is suggesting Ledaig but it's got to be a port or red wine finish.
Finish: Lingering smoky sweet jam, a little dryness, Nice but not great. I'd give it a 3.
The drams were:
Dram 1 was Glencadam 15yo White Port @ 46% ABV
Dram 2 was Blair Athol 13yo SMWS 68.68 @ 57.2% ABV
Dram 3 was Bunnahabhain Oloroso Finish @ 54.7% ABV
Dram 4 was Caol Ila 6yo @ 50% ABV
Dram 5 was Ledaig 12yo Port Cask @ 51% ABV
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More information about the Blind Tasting Consortium and the scores for all of our tastings can be found here!
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