#BTC47 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 47th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Matt @thedramble

His theme was All The Feels

Dram 1

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

Nose: pure ex-bourbon bliss: vanilla, oak, orchard fruit, dried pineapple sprinkled with icing sugar. There's a little honey, toffee chewing nuts and a hint of salinity.

Palate: thick sweet arrival, golden syrup and toffee. The fruit has turned all tropical, there's a salinity and a lovely bite of ginger spice. Pineapple, mango, kiwi, a little banana. The icing sugar is here alongside a lovely lemon zest and some liquorice.

Finish: sweet honey, lemon zest, a little fizz and gentle spice.

Lovely starter - reminds me a lot of the Loch Lomond Open Special Edition (2020) 12yo (CWY)

Scores a 4

Dram 2

Appearance: again pale gold in the glass, swirls clings as a thin line, form a ring of small beads and fall as slow oily thin legs.

Nose: a slight acetone note here, younger dram with a higher ABV? Lots of citrus here - sharp lemon and lime and a little sour grapefruit. Toffee popcorn, tropical fruit, sawn wood and some faint smoke.

Palate: thick sweet arrival, load of citrus and tropical fruit. Lemon drizzled pineapple anyone? There a little salinity, some cask char and a icing sugar dryness. There's a lovely ginger spice left on the tongue as the liquid disappears.

Finish: lingering lemon zest, tropical fruit and ginger spice. Yummy! Slightly higher ABV here but still south of 50% I think.

Scores another 4.

Dram 3

Appearance: a third pale gold dram, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: a little more prickly this one, slightly higher ABV? Again ex-bourbon vanilla, lemon zest and some honey. This one takes a while to open, a little sip helps! Tropical fruit, milk chocolate and some berry hints.

Palate: Thick and chewy, dry and spicy. Lots of lemon from the nose with salted caramel, dried pineapple and a lovely mango note. A little milk chocolate and a huge bite of ginger spice. Could be in Glen Scotia territory here?

Finish: lingering tropical fruit, lemon zest and a dry spice. A little sour grapefruit note at the end. 

Not as good as 2 dots for me so 'only' a 3.

Dram 4

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

Nose: huge dirty peat smoke: BBQ steak that been on far too long, rubber inner tube, seaweed, hospital corridor - it's all here - are we on Mull? Lovely Whitby Kipper note and a little pureed strawberry. Hints of balsamic vinegar and dark chocolate.

Palate: thick and chewy. Yummy! Everything the nose promised but it's a little different, the smoke is very subdued, more tropical and citrus. Slightly drying but still with a salty seaweed note.

Maybe not Mull, probably Caol Ila.

Finish: lingering smoke, tropical fruit and salted lemons. Nose started on Mull, but palate headed south to Islay.

Scores a 4.

Dram 5

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

Nose: Peat smoke but a little different, more vegetal than antiseptic like 4 dots. This one seems a little more restrained and narrow than 4 dots. Some tropical fruit and honey notes, sweet citrus and some mint.

Palate: sweet and chewy: honey, salted caramel and a little milk chocolate. Again like the nose it's a little narrow. Lots of citrus and salinity. Tropical fruit: pineapple, banana and mango with some interesting berry notes - a hint of sherry finish maybe?

Finish: lingering tropical fruit, lemon zest and a little dry smoke. Peppery spice.

A simple dram that maybe need a little longer in the cask?

Weakest of the 5 tonight for me - scores a 2.

The drams were:

Dram 1 was Ben Nevis 10yo

Dram 2 was Mortlach 2008 16yo Single Cask [DeDr]

Dram 3 was Deanston 2002 Organic

Dram 4 was Glenturret 2012 12yo Ruadh Moar [PST]

Dram 5 was Octomore Edition 15.1 The Impossible Equation

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!