#BTC66 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 65th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Jim @whisky197

His theme was Cruising with Gail, all the drams were linked to cruises Jim and his wife Gail had taken!

Here are my tasting notes:

Dram 1

Appearance: pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, form small beads and fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: prickly spice on the nose, tropical fruit, a hint of smoke and some vanilla.

Palate: spicy to start, vanilla and honey suggesting FF bourbon. There’s a little soapiness, icing sugar dryness and some caramel. Sour grapefruit as the liquid disappears.

Finish: lingering dry icing sugar, tropical fruit and ginger spice.

I’m thinking an 8yo 50% ABV ex-bourbon, scores a 2

Dram 2

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

Nose: another prickly nose, some tropical fruit and citrus zest. Brown sugar, marzipan and toffee.

Palate: another spicy start, ginger, oak and a little pepper. There’s some brown sugar and caramel sweetness, a little tropical fruit and icing sugar dryness. A little lime zest as the liquid disappears.

Finish: lingering tropical fruit, caramel and wood spice.

I’m thinking a 12yo 54% ABV ex-bourbon, scores a 3

Dram 3

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

Nose: toffee and tropical fruit, Battenberg cake and oak cask.

Palate:thin sweet juicy arrival: honey, icing sugar and chewing nuts. There’s tropical fruit, clementine and a little milk chocolate.

Finish: Finish: dry and spicy with a little tropical fruit

I’m thinking a 48% ABV rum cask finish, scores a 3

Dram 4

Appearance: bronze in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, form small beads and fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: bonfire on a beach: ashy smoke, seaweed and a little grassiness. The more you sniff the more it turns to smoky bacon frazzles. There’s some dried fruit and toffee here too.

Palate: hugely sweet arrival: honey, brown sugar and toffee. There’s some tropical fruit and then the peat kicks in. There’s some citrus zest and a little milk chocolate.

Finish: lingering toffee, brown sugar and peat smoke.

I’m thinking a 12yo 50% ABV rum finished Caol Ila, scores a 4

Dram 5

Appearance: pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, form small beads and fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: gentle peat smoke, buttered popcorn and tropical fruit. There’s a little toffee, milk chocolate and marzipan.

Palate: sweet juicy arrival, a little spice and a blanket of sweet smoke. Tropical fruit to the fore: pineapple, banana, kiwi and melon. There’s some coconut shavings and a little milk chocolate (Bounty anyone?)

Finish: tropical fruit, spice and a little smoke.

I’m thinking a 48% ABV rum cask finish Ardbeg, scores a 4

The drams were: 

Dram 1 was a Bunnahabhain 2012 8yo The Coterie 

 

Dram 2 was a Bunnahabhain 2019 6yo Single Cask #75

 

Dram 3 was a Bunnahabhain An Cuan Garbh No 1 

 

Dram 4 was a Bunnahabhain 2014 11yo Single Cask #3850096 [DT] 

 

Dram 5 was a Bunnahabhain 2013 12yo Single Cask #TWB1047 [TWB]

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!