After a Balblair 27 yo from 1974, I was interested in more special bottlings of these malts. A hunt via eBay then led me to this C&S Dram Senior Balblair 21 yo. Cheap at the time of purchase, now hardly available or only at a premium.
Nose This particular Belblair welcomes the nose with a very special aroma. It contains intense, partly sour notes of red fruits, orange and strong sherry.
The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve is marketed as No Age without any indication of age. However, there is information from the distillery that it is matured for 14 years in bourbon casks before it is finished for 2 to 3 years in Portuguese port wine casks. This makes it at least 16 years old.
Nose The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve pleases, as is to be expected with its finish, with fruity and strong notes.
A drop that had to wait almost three years for me to open it. But now there has been an event that I wanted to reward myself for. So I looked for my The GlenDronach Parliament 21 yo from my stash and allowed this old Highland speciality with 48% to find its way into my nosing glass.
Nose A really nice and intense blend, of plums and sultanas, of light walnut notes, violets and spices.
You may know my preferences for cask strength whiskies in general as well as whiskies by Highland Park. And so the Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 1 is a very special whisky for me. I bought it last year and today I opened it today. It has 63,3% alcohol and is very well balanced. I like it.
Nose What an intense aroma, given by the high alcohol content. It immediately rises to the nose and is accompanied by fresh and fruity notes.
In today’s Tasting Notes, I’m describing a special single malt. It is the Highland Park Spirit of the Bear. But what makes it special for me? It’s not the age, the alcohol content or the price. It’s much more the place of purchase. It was in a duty free at Munich airport. Otherwise, the malt is not exactly special. Matured in a sherry cask and with 40 % alcohol, it comes without age and is quite cheap.
A malt that is already in my collection since February 2019 and was opened only now, is the Glengoyne 18 yo matured in sherry casks. I bought it blind on sale at the time, but I already knew the 15yo. Now I was pleasantly surprised by this wonderful natural colored Highland.
Nose Your nose immediately will notice its sherry, a fruity mix of dark fruits, sort of like blood oranges or raisins.
