#BTC51 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 51st #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Mike and Duncan from Honest To A Malt

Their theme was Masters Of Malt where they picked 5 indie Diageo bottlings.

Here are my tasting notes from #BTC51:

Dram 1

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

Nose: orchard fruit, sherbet lemons, icing sugar. There a faint dunnage funk: hay, old grass or such like. A little peppered grapefruit hint on the end.

Palate: sweet arrival with a bite of spice: honey, vanilla and pepper to start. A little soapy, oily even on the palate. There’s a lovely salted lemon and a dry wood note as the liquid disappears leaving a little liquorice on the tongue. Reminds me of summer flowers.

Finish: short and sweet with some dry spice. ABV c48% Nice enough scores a 3.

Dram 2

Appearance: dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, hold for a while before beading up and falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: lovely wine notes: dried fruit, berries, toffee, prunes. There’s a little salinity and some leather notes. A hint of smoke? A little orange and hints of burnt rubber and damp cardboard hint at Ledaig.

Palate: thick sweet, spicy arrival: a Seville orange marmalade and chilli jam mixture. The ABV has gone up a bit here – this one packs a punch. There’s  liquorice and more spice and an artificial fruit note – a little one dimensional maybe?

Finish: lingering dry spice, a little salinity and orange marmalade. ABV c55%. A blend perhaps? Needs some more malt? Scores a 3.

Dram 3

Appearance: dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, form lots of tiny beads which eventually join up and fall as slow thick oily legs.

Nose: opens with distant smoke, honey, summer berries and a hint of spice. It’s a little dirty, dunnage-y even. Crystallised lemons and fresh cut hay add some complexity.

Palate: thick chewy arrival, sweet summer berries and then immediately dry and tannic – wine or port cask? Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and a little blackcurrant with each sip and then lots of dry peppery spice, a little smoke and a tongue wanting more.

Finish: dry and spicy, a little smoke and a hint of orange zest. Are we in Wire Works Port Cask territory here? ABV c55% Lovely dram scores a 4.

Dram 4

Appearance: light bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a hairline crack in the glass, form large beads which fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: more sherry notes: dried fruit, figs. There’s a little honey, berries, sherbet and some leather notes. A little burnt orange and hints of damp cardboard again point to Ledaig.

Palate: thick sweet chewy arrival: dried fruit, dates, prunes and honey – loads of sherry influence. A little hot this one, a little dry spice and icing sugar as the liquid disappears.

Finish: lingering hot dry spice, berries and some dried fruit. Interesting dram c 58% ABV, maybe not Ledaig but definitely sherry cask – scores a 3

Dram 5

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thick in the glass, form large beads which fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: peat smoke, at last, a little salinity and some dried seaweed. A little sweetness: honey or brown sugar maybe?

Palate: juicy to start  then thick dry ashy smoke strips the moisture from your mouth, a little grilled pineapple, mango, apricot and then it’s back to the smoke. A little dry peppery spice as the liquid disappears.

Finish:  lingering dry smoky spice and dried pineapple. ABV c53% lovely dram scores a 4.

The drams were:

Dram 1 was Clynelish 2011 12yo Single Cask #18872 [DL]

Dram 2 was Mortlach 2013 11yo, Single Cask #300231 [WroE]

Dram 3 was Linkwood 2008 15yo Single Cask #804813 [AWWC]

Dram 4 was Mannochmore 16yo Single Cask [ChWh]

Dram 5 was Big Peat Christmas Edition 2023 [DL]

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!