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Whisky II

Back from a trip to Norn Iron to see the extended family. An early morning visit to one of my uncles got us reminiscing about the last visit and me taking back a bottle of home distilled poteen (glass bottle so could be 'accidentally' dropped at Customs). See what you make of this he says, and pours half a glass full of golden liquid. It’s ten in the morning but it’s hard to say no to an Irishman proffering whiskey. Delicious stuff - this definitely isn’t ‘Haig Club’ as the bottle suggests. Glass duly replenished (I guess the wife is driving today then..), it turns out he has a barrel in his back garden from Bushmills, sold with the contents of what he says is the angels share (although this definitely hasn’t evaporated!). Obviously cask strength, unfiltered…as natural as you can get. Precise details a bit hazy (as was I), but probably quite young (pale, spirity) although in a different league to the Black Bush I’d bought for the hip flask. My pitiful protestations were ignored and the remains of the bottle were thrust upon me. Back home, tax man dodged, and decanted. Angels be damned!

 
In Scotland, picked up a couple of bottles of whiskys that are apparently not available in the US, Cu Bogan from Tomatin and an Isle of Raasay. Any thoughts? - I will not be tasting till back in CA.
 
In Scotland, picked up a couple of bottles of whiskys that are apparently not available in the US, Cu Bogan from Tomatin and an Isle of Raasay. Any thoughts? - I will not be tasting till back in CA.
I did not respond to this hoping that others would chip in as all I can offer is "I have a bottle of each but neither is open".
The Cu Bocan is a lightly peated NAS Highlander "drawn from a trio of casks; bourbon casks, Oloroso sherry casks and North American virgin oak casks" and a good introduction to the category, especially for those put off by the Islay heavyweights. Reviews on Whiskybase are not mind-blowing but from what I've seen the distillery is well run these days and the 2019 redesign has gone down well.
The Raasay is obvs another young whisky and a combo of peated/non-peated casks.
They'd make an interesting head to head.
I really should open more of my bottles...

https://malt-review.com/2021/08/27/heres-tae-ye-isle-of-raasay-distillery/
 
Thanks, not having tasted many whiskys I don't know if I will be able to provide much of a review when I sample them but will certainly post here anyway.
 
I did not respond to this hoping that others would chip in as all I can offer is "I have a bottle of each but neither is open".
The Cu Bocan is a lightly peated NAS Highlander "drawn from a trio of casks; bourbon casks, Oloroso sherry casks and North American virgin oak casks" and a good introduction to the category, especially for those put off by the Islay heavyweights. Reviews on Whiskybase are not mind-blowing but from what I've seen the distillery is well run these days and the 2019 redesign has gone down well.
The Raasay is obvs another young whisky and a combo of peated/non-peated casks.
They'd make an interesting head to head.
I really should open more of my bottles...

https://malt-review.com/2021/08/27/heres-tae-ye-isle-of-raasay-distillery/

I've got a bottle of the Raasay but haven't opened it, and probably won't as I got it via the ballot for the first release of their whisky so was going to keep it. I really should get round to buying another bottle (and it's a lovely bottle!) from them though.

The Cu Bocan I don't have and I've no immediate plans to get anything from Tomatin after the debacle of them trying to trade mark the name of the village to stop anyone else using it. Yes, I'm petty like that...!
 
Being a teetotaler, my knowledge of whisk(e)y extends as far as spelling the word correctly, and my tasting has revealed, to me, something akin to soldering flux. However, our next-door neighbour will soon be 85, so, in order to preserve him for somewhat longer, I wanted to pick up a bottle of really good stuff for him on a forthcoming trip to Belfast. The shop recommended this:

https://thecraftyvintner.co.uk/product/Limavady-single-malt-irish-Whiskey

apparently made by a former Bushmills master distiller. I do love the description:

Aromas and flavors of peach, starfruit, spiced caramel, butter cookies, and hints of grapefruit with a velvety, vibrant, dryish medium-full body and a peppery, very complex, very long finish conveying impressions of toasted scones with honey, baked apples, roasted nuts, and toasted sourdough.

Reminds me of the descriptions perfumers use of their creations, whereas I would sniff them and say "Smells nice!".
 
Cracked the Xmas Glen Scotia last night and compared it to Victoriana...neck pour and it's not bad but a win for the latter...which was about £20 cheaper.
Campbeltown Festival bottling arrived...rapid delivery from GS.
 
For a recent birthday some friends bought me a gift subscription to the Summerton Whisky Club. I will receive a bottle of whisky every two months until the end of the year, something to look forward to.

https://www.summertonclub.com/

My first bottle arrived yesterday. It’s Glasgow Distillery 1770 Limited Edition, 50cl, and has an ABV of 52.2% which I guess is cask strength? It will be opened soon when I host a gathering. According to the profile it’s ‘sweet smoke, toffee apple & vanilla with peppery spice’. The cask is ‘first fill ex-bourbon, finished in virgin oak’.

I never knew a club like this existed, are any pfmers members too?
 
For a recent birthday some friends bought me a gift subscription to the Summerton Whisky Club. I will receive a bottle of whisky every two months until the end of the year, something to look forward to.

https://www.summertonclub.com/

My first bottle arrived yesterday. It’s Glasgow Distillery 1770 Limited Edition, 50cl, and has an ABV of 52.2% which I guess is cask strength? It will be opened soon when I host a gathering. According to the profile it’s ‘sweet smoke, toffee apple & vanilla with peppery spice’. The cask is ‘first fill ex-bourbon, finished in virgin oak’.

I never knew a club like this existed, are any pfmers members too?
No.
Slight alarm bells with that 50cl from Glasgow as they've just gone to 70cl bottles at no extra cost:
https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/d...of-whiskies-in-70cl-bottles-at-no-extra-cost/

Smacks of offloading old stock.

On the other hand the online reviews are good and they do things like exclusive bottlings:
 


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