#BTC53 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 53rd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Andrew @whiskypad.bsky.social

His theme was Give Me Just  A Little More Time - picking drams with long fermentation times!

Here are my tasting notes:

Dram 1

Appearance: mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, which form tiny beads eventually falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: huge lemon sherbet notes, some salinity,  a little orchard fruit: pears, apricots and peaches. A little acetone and a small hint of vinegar soaked fish & chips paper. A little time and air offers baked apples.

Palate:  thick, chewy arrival, loads of orchard fruit notes, a little sherbet fizz and some icing sugar dryness. Apples, pears, peaches with some ginger spice.  A slightly bitter note at the end as the liquid disappears. Youthful with a hint of new make.

Finish: short and sweet with lemon zest and drying icing sugar. A young dram c 46% ABV, scores a 3.

Dram 2

Appearance: deep orangey gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, forming small beads which fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: dunnage funk with an orange wine hint, a little new makey note jingles alarm bells. Not liking this one at all. Some apple notes and some weird berries – is this a Mackmyra?

Palate:  thin sweet arrival, not as bad on the palate as the nose: apples, pears, a little liquorice and some caramel. A bite of peppery spice as the liquid disappears.

Finish: short and spicy with a little lemon zest. A very young dram, not Scottish? Sorry didn’t like this one, scores a 1.

Dram 3

Appearance: deep orangey gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to form small beads which fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: a little dunnage funk, some sherry notes. There’s a little cask char here too. There’s some orchard fruit and dried wood hints.

Palate: thin sweet arrival, sherry soaked dried fruit, golden syrup, toffee and some milk chocolate. There’s a liquorice notes and some strawberry laces. Slightly drying with some peppery spice as the liquid disappears.

Finish: dried fruit, toffee and a little spice. I think the ABV went up a little on this one: 50% maybe, but scores a 2.

Dram 4

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

Nose: lemon zest, vanilla and buttered popcorn. Some tropical fruit notes: pineapple, mango and kiwi with a hint of spice to come. 

Palate: thick sweet arrival, immediately spicy. Honey and lemon juice mix to give a sweet and sour note. The tropical fruit from the nose is back. Some vanilla and a hint of banana as the liquid disappears. Best so far.

Finish: lingering tropical fruit, honey and ginger spice. Scores a 3

Dram 5

Appearance: pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, which form tiny beads falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: loads of salinity and peat smoke, lemon zest and a hint of spice. Some tropical fruit notes and a little acetone.

Palate: thick, chewy arrival, lovely mouthfeel. Lemon and tropical fruit notes from the nose are back alongside some liquorice and dry peach. Dry and spicy as the liquid disappears!

Finish: dry and spicy with lemon zest. I’m thinking Caol Ila for this one, nice ABV c55% but a little young. Scores a 2.

Dram 1 was Strathearn Batch No. 02

Dram 2 was Circumstance 2021 3yo Single Cask #2:11:1:28:36

Dram 3 was Glen Elgin 2016 6yo Single Cask [CL]

Dram 4 was Benromach 2012 10yo Single Cask #19

Dram 5 was Laphroaig Elements L 2.0

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!