1998 Montecillo and single malts

[bills]

Notes from a tasting dinner:

1998 Montecillo Rioja Reserva – this was the intermezzo in a malt tasting, and I had put it in wanting to compare it with the 1997, which had been good value. Lots of wood in the nose (hey – it’s Rioja, right? What do you expect?) Mellow and soft on palate with soft tannins, medium length, not flaws, but not quite the quality impression that the 97 left. Close, but it won’t make it into my cellar.

The rest of this is notes on single malt whisky, and may be ignored by the wine-only readers. As always, tasted without, then with water added.

Invergordon – a single grain, at first all I got was simple alcohol on the nose, hot and nondescript. The water mellowed the bite, but much of the rather limited amount of flavour instantly disappeared. Ends quickly (thank God). Others liked this much more than I did.

Grants Black Barrel – another single grain whisky finished in charred oak. A muted medicinal nose, a bit hot, pleasant slightly sweet entry, good length, but a bit sour at the end, perhaps the Bourbon casks? Of the two, my preference, but most of the others liked the Invergordon.

Famous Grouse – a blended whisky meant as a segue into the single malts. Salty nose (peanuts?), balanced and round with some fruit. Water improved it marginally.

Robbie Burns (Arran) – one of the ‘new’ Scotches created to pander to the sort of person that likes to wear tartan underwear and think of themselves as sons of the heather (their forebears more likely the result of a passing Irishman and an unsuspecting cow on a dark night, but that’s just my opinion). The whisky was nae so bad, however, with a sweet doughy/pastry nose, delicate in the mouth with lemon and smoked meat notes, and water opened it a bit. No age designation, which we have seen on several produced for the US market, which surprises me, as I would have thought that age was a prime selling point in that market.

Longmorn 15 – aha – the real thing at last! Light caramel and some floral notes in the nose, filled the mouth, good length, and water just killed it. Lovely dram!

Macallan Cask – another non-age designated whisky made for the American market, of whisky generally between 10 and 12 years old. At 57.7% alcohol (105 proof) it was needless to say a tad on the hot side in both nose and mouth. The oddest thing about iot was the orange cast to it, which was emphasized by the orange labelling. A vanilla and treacle nose, hot and intense in the mouth, rich sweet and syrupy. With water, the nose took on a rubbery note, then eventually it started to do a crème brulee thing. You need just a drop as too much water killed it.

Bruichladdich 15 – a hot sea breeze nose, almost cognac-like, sweet smooth and frankly wonderful in the mouth, with great length. A little water improved taste, damaged nose. One of my top 3 of the night.

Springbank 10 – I guess I just don’t ‘get’ Springbank. A hot wasabi nose that stabs you up the sinus, predictably mellowed by water, but there just wasn’t an awful lot there to like or dislike.

Bowmore 17 – high toned fruit nose, smooth but a bit sharp at the end in the mouth. Water smoothed it out nicely, as well as bringing out some nice cocoa and figs in the nose. Good one.

Ardbeg 17 – subtle smoky nose, long and smooth in mouth. Mellows with water, though it mutes the nose a bit. Excellent dram.

Laphroiag 10 – a reference point for lovers of this style. Tarry seaweed nose, in the mouth more a smoke thing, and water brought out the complexity.

Talisker 10 – nutty nose, sweet entry, and water made it sweeter still in the mouth, with a sweet and sour bit at the end.

Ardbeg Uigeadail – 54.2%. A very unusual and characterful Scotch. Kippered herring and smoky seaweed in the nose, huge and hot in the mouth – needed water, which transformed the nose to elastoplast and pepper! Very intriguing indeed! Hard to find.

Lagavulin 1980 – this was a 20 year old Scotch. double matured in Pedro Jimenez casks and issued as a Distiller’s Edition. Dark, with a sugary sweet nose, mellow in mouth, and after the addition of water, quite creamy. Quite good.

[ctgm]

Notes from a tasting dinner:

Ardbeg 17 – subtle smoky nose, long and smooth in mouth. Mellows with water, though it mutes the nose a bit. Excellent dram.

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Always thought that Ardbeg and subtle didn't really go together