#BTC22 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 22nd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Ben @WhiskyWithMolly

His theme was Indie Pen Dance!

So as usual the other 27 of us worked our way through the 5 blind drams, sharing our thoughts and giving a score out of 5 before they were all revealed at the end.

Dram 1

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

Nose: loads of orchard fruit - I think stewed and spiced - apples, pears, peaches with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. There's vanilla custard and a little oak. Maybe some citrus hints?

Palate: thick creamy arrival, big bite of ABV and then it settles down to the orchard fruit and vanilla of the nose. A few more sips and the fruit turns tropical and spicy - pineapple, kiwi, mango and ginger. Some lemon zest here too. This is nice! With water the fruit really comes to the fore, it's like a fruit bowl explosion! - Yummy!

Finish: lingering fruit and gentle drying spice - a hint of citrus and salinity.

Dram 2

Appearance: dark gold almost bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to form thick beads and fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: a bit of a sherry bomb this one: blueberry jam, berry crumble, a hint of sulphur. There's a very sweet maple syrup note here too. Some balsamic vinegar and dried fruit round off a complex dram.

Palate: thick spicy arrival, very sweet and syrupy. There's dried fruit and sherry notes but it's not Christmassy - not a sherry bomb - maybe a finish? Berries and cherries, plums and dates. There's a bite of ABV here showing as ginger spice. Nice

Finish:  short dry and spicy with some berry notes.

Dram 3

Appearance: Mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs,

Nose: a little closed to start but comes through with some aeration - musty 2nd hand bookshop, toffee, liquorice, strawberries, curry powder. Almonds and walnuts come through too - PX?

Palate: thick spicy arrival, drying. There's some sweetness here too but it's not overpowering like the previous dram. Curry powder features again with a little toffee, brown sugar, orange zest and a little salinity, Nice!

Finish: short dry and spicy - there's that curry note again.

Dram 4

Appearance: very pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up immediately and fall as quick oily thin legs.

Nose: bonfire on a beach, ashy smoke, sun dried seaweed, a little BBQ steak and sweet tropical fruit. There's some cheese notes here too. Caol Ila all day!

Palate: sweet arrival, juicy tropical fruit, a little honey and toffee then drys the mouth with an ashy bonfire smoke. Yummy!

Finish: lingering dry ashy smoke, tropical fruit and a little lemon zest, YUMMY

Dram 5

Appearance: orange gold in the glass with a pink tinge? Swirls bead up as a hairline crack in the glass, take an age to bead up and fall as slow thick legs,

Nose: berries, fresh laid tarmac, rubber inner tubes, antiseptic cream. I think we're firmly in Ledaig territory here but maybe with a wine or port cask finish?

Palate: thick sweet arrival, berries, black cherry jam, rubber?, tarmac? Is this really a Ledaig or some kind of sherry bomb. Terry's chocolate orange and marzipan, a little salinity and dry icing sugar.

Finish: long dry and fruity but with a tarmac, rubber and smoke edge.

The drams were:

Dram 1 was a Glendullan 12yo from James Eadie @ 52.6% ABV

Dram 2 was a Linkwood 2009 Single Cask for Aberdeen Whisky Shop by BBR @ 55.1% ABV

Dram 3 was an English Whisky 7yo PX for Waxhouse Whisky Co @ 53.9% ABV

Dram 4 was a Ledaig Na Bràithrean Wee Brother @ 51% ABV

Dram 5 was Bruichladdich 9yo MRC by Whisky Baron @ 50% ABV

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!