#BTC33 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

 These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 33rd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Ben @WhiskyWithMolly

His theme was The Eerie Months an anagram of There Is No Theme!

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

Nose: gentle smoke wrapped round a basket of ripe fruit: apples, pears, bananas, lemons and pineapples. There's some icing sugar sweetness and a hint of some spice to come. A little forest floor pine here too.

Palate: malt, chewy toffee, pine needles, milk chocolate. There's some barley sugar, dry smoke and a huge bite of ginger spice. The ABV on this one must be mid 50s%, a little lemon zest and grapefruit left on the tongue as the liquid disappears..

Finish: Lingering sweetness, ginger spice and a little dry smoke.

Dram 2

Appearance: light gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thick line, bead up and fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: lemon drizzle cake, golden syrup, digestives and dry icing sugar. There's some tropical fruit notes, desiccated coconut and a little oak.

Palate: thin sweet arrival turning a little dry & spicy: honey, icing sugar, ginger spice & a little Palma Violets. There's a little hint of smoke - wasn't any on the nose. A few more sips and there's a little chemical note, some sour citrus & a bite of spice.

Finish: Short, sweet and spicy, a little icing sugar, smoke and fizz left on the tongue.

Dram 3

Appearance: light gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to bead up and eventually fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: thick wood smoke, a little dirty, with some maritime influence. There's some herbal notes: pine and dry grass; a little coffee and walnut cake and some liquorice.

Palate: thick sweet arrival with toffee chewing nuts, blueberries and a bite of peppery spice. I'm going Ardmore with this: lovely highland peat, a little salinity, loads of tropical fruit and a sherry finish to add some berry notes. YUMMY!

Finish: lingering dry smoke, lemon sherbet, peppery spice and a little sour grapefruit.

Dram 4

Appearance: bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a very thin line, take an age to form tiny beads and eventually fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: Second hand book shop funk, gentle smoke, bourbon spices. Is this a bourbon or a virgin oak maturation / finish? Oak, wood polish, some berry hints and a little smoky bacon.

Palate: thick smoky arrival: cough sweets, strawberry toffos, pine needles. There's some drying red-wine type hints, freshly painted creosote and a bite of cinnamon spice. Nice.

Finish: short and sweet, smoke and spice. a little berry note here too..

Dram 5

Appearance: dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, small beads form an inverted crown and take an age to fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: dirty peat smoke - Ledaig? Engine oil, rubber tyres and some smoky bacon crisps. There's some fruit notes here trying to get out, a little citrus and some TCP hints.

Palate: Thick sweet arrival, very dry, heavy peat smoke, not as dirty as the nose suggested. BBQ steak, smoky bacon, gingerbread and liquorice. Walnut and coffee cake, grated dark chocolate and a mug of fresh coffee. Interesting!

Finish: lingering smoke, spice and toffee.

The drams were:

Dram 1 was Teaninich 2008 14yo Single Cask #1810 [AWWC] (Rye)

Dram 2 was Mannochmore 2009 114yo Single Cask [LBDS] (PX)

Dram 3 was Agitator 2018 3yo Single Cask #4033 (Chestnut)

Dram 4 was Ben Nevis 2012 10yo Single Cask [CA] (Cabernet Franc)

Dram 5 was Glen Moray 2011 12yo Single Cask #6000428 (Peated Port)

The overall scores from our 28 members were:

Not quite in the right order...

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