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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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August 13, 2019 |
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Grainy extras, new Cameronbridge
and compadres |
We were just done with our grains when some new ones came in. Let’s not quit while we're on a roll… |
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Cameronbridge 26 yo 1992/2019 (46.4%, Elixir Distillers, Whisky Trail, 145 bottles) 
Some kind of well-aged Haig Club, if you like, except that it wasn’t put into a bottle of aftershave lotion. Colour: deep gold. Nose: warm sawdust, vanilla, praline, shortbread, butterscotch, peach leaves, green pepper, and notes of sour tea. Please pass the yak butter… Mouth: seriously! Some kind of coffee-ish Canadian whisky, with some toffee and always this tea-ish greenness. Nescafé. They have a newish caramel and macadamia cappuccino that’s supposed to be ‘a pure moment of gluttony’. Don’t we hang on Nestlé’s every word? Finish: a little short, more on butterscotch and instant coffee. Comments: indeed, some kind of extra-matured Haig Club finished in some ex-coffee barrels. Good but not quite my cup of espresso, but it's a very intriguing whisky, try it! S
GP:460 - 78 points. |
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Cameronbridge 34 yo 1984/2019 (52.8%, Cadenhead, Single Cask, bourbon barrel, 222 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a grassier one, more austere, more on leaves and broken branches, without much varnish or eau-de-vie-ish notes. Perhaps a little strawberry yoghurt? Vodka-Red Bull? Buttercream? With water: the plywood department at Home Depot’s. Someone’s chewing bubblegum. Mouth (neat): not a bad grain, it’s even got a little depth and a wee earthiness. But as always with silent distillates, the cask’s previous content may have had a huge influence. Perhaps was it a 25 years old Malt Mill? With water: once again, these touches of earth. No one would ever dare putting gentian eau-de-vie in wood, otherwise I’d have asked, ex-gentian casks? P.S. I’ve checked, some crazy Swiss do put gentian into oak! What a scandal… Finish: medium, sweeter. Beetroots. Comments: I’m trying to be kind.
SGP:550 - 79 points. |
Let’s go back to those magical years… |
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Ronnie’s Dram 1964/1994 (43%, Signatory Vintage) 
Well, it’s a little unclear where this little dram came from. The label mentions Fort Williams, so it could be Ben Nevis grain, but other sources mention either Carsebridge or Cameronbridge. I suppose Ronnie should know… Colour: white wine. Nose: much less cask influence in this one, so more grass, sand, and some ultra-light honey. Almost evanescent. Mouth: ah, wait, some action here, with a little smoke, almost peat, some waxes, touches of OBE, something pleasantly metallic, but also a little aluminium and liquorice. Nice waxiness and a feeling of malt. Finish: medium, really pleasant, with an earthy smokiness. Comments: a nice old grain that’s probably met some malt whisky in its life. What was it, exactly?
SGP:362 - 82 points. |
It's always good to end a grain session with some ripe old Invergordon… |
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Invergordon 44 yo 1974/2019 (47.6%, Elixir Distillers, Whisky Trail jazz series, hogshead, cask #0038, 188 bottles) 
Looks like it’s Thelonious Monk on the label, am I not right? Good choice, pure genius. Colour: gold. Nose: why is it that Invergordon always wins? Cassata, panettone, mocha, Irish coffee, honey-coated roasted pecans, milk chocolate, a touch of garden earth… Not quite a wonder yet – which almost never happens on the nose with grain whiskies anyway – but this is promising, let’s see… Mouth: I’m starting to wonder if they weren’t having a small pot still at Invergordon, Midleton-style. This is very good, if not utterly stellar, rather on coffee again, chocolate, coffee-flavoured fudge, triple-sec… Now it wouldn’t unfold much further, but all this is really good and I know fine folks who would even sip this. Sipping grain whisky, imagine! Finish: loses some of its focus and starts to display some ethanoly edges, but we don’t sip grain for its finish, do we. Comments: not all parts are first-class, but it’s really a very fine old Invergordon. One extra-point for Monk (I’m joking).
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
Twelve grains within two days! I may deserve some malt, stay tuned… |
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