Whisky Discovery #7

Knockando 12 Year Old 1996/2008 (43% abv, OB, Bottled 2008 70cl) 

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £35 –£40

A January bonus bottle

Another Ebay purchase and at just £10.50 this really was a bargain, and a great bottle of whisky. This was my first Speyside Malt.

Between buying the Oban 14 and this bottle I also picked up some nosing glasses off of eBay too!

Built by John Thompson in 1898, the Knockando distillery lies in the village of the same name, derived from the Gaelic ‘Cnoc-an-dhu’ meaning ‘little black hill’.

Especially delicate, a fruity and subtle Speyside: Smooth but complex layers of flowery, nutty and slightly smoky notes.

Whisky Discovery #6

Oban 14 Year Old (43% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2010 70cl)

Highland Single Malt Whisky

Circa £35 –£40

January's Official Bottle

This West Highland malt is still produced in the same unhurried, traditional fashion and this 14 year old is a classic dram from the distillery.

My next addition to the collection came from eBay and at just £23.00, I thought I got a bargain.

The nose is rich and smoky. The medicinal notes are quite evident with notes of the sea; seaweed, tarry ropes. There are notes of cut hay and wood smoke rising with a gentle estery sweetness. The palate is thick and full. Notes of citrus with smooth sweetness.

Whisky Discovery #5

Jura 10 Year Old (40% abv, OB Bottled +/- 2010 35cl)

Island Single Malt Whisky

Circa £12 at my local supermarket

Just 35cl to taste

I just had to get this half bottle of Jura having just watched 3 Men in a Boat-in Scotland, Rory McGarth spent some time at the Jura distillery, and despite his usual comic antics the message came across very clearly!

A core bottling from the Isle of Jura's only distillery. This 10 year old apparently exhibits the distillery's classic oily, briny characteristics.

The nose has a freshness with notes of damp hay and soft, malty cereal notes. A touch of peat with gentle oak and arak with blossom tones. The palate is thick and full with more cereal, this time a barley fudge sweetness creeps in with creamy smoothness and a touch of aniseed. The finish is long with peppy winter spice.

Whisky Discovery #4

Laphroaig Quarter Cask (48% abv, OB Bottled +/- 2010 70cl)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £25 at my local supermarket

A New Year 

I was recommended to try this out at a New Year party, and was told that Tesco had this on special offer at around £25 so headed straight there on New Year’s morning.

First released in 2004, this bottling was aged for five years before being finished in a quarter cask for seven months, the size of the cask is quite small, thus does not require such a long maturation. This is truly a great achievement from Laphroaig.

The Nose is Oily and buttery, with toffee, nuttiness, hickory, bicarbonate of soda, rum and raisin ice cream and zest. A big rush of sweetness on the palate, in fact it’s an explosion of sweetness, with fiery chilli heat, medicinal TCP, sweet cereals and a touch of cola syrup. A medium length finish, but becomes fruity, with custard and cigar smoke.

Whisky Discovery #3

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old (43% abv, OB Bottled +/- 2010 20cl)

Lowland Single Malt Whisky

Circa £9 at my local supermarket

Just a 20cl sampler

The second of the  two small bottles picked up to sample alongside my Laphroaig.

The nose is quite light, yet fragrant. Notes of fresh cereal, some barley sweetness and a nuttiness. Honey creeps in with gentle warmth. The palate is very fruity with notes of Madeira and sweet stewed fruits. A hint of calvados and tannic oak lining the mouth. There is a freshness and roundness to this dram. The finish is of medium length with notes of cereal.

Whisky Discovery #2

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old (43% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2010 20cl)

Highland Single Malt Whisky

Circa £9 at my local supermarket

Just a sampler at 20cl

Deciding that I needed something to compare alongside my first bottle of single malt I bought two 20cl bottles.

The flavours are simple, but flawless.

The nose is quite aromatic, toffee, fruit salad, lush nectarine, custard. Floral, apple blossom, honeysuckle. Apple peels, pear, touch of smoke. A malty palate, with walnut, honey and vanilla. Gentle smoke through the cereal with a touch of spice. The finish is long, malty, walnut, almond.

Whisky Discovery #1

Laphroaig 10 Year Old (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2010 70cl)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £25 and available at all of my local supermarkets

The first bottle purchased

The first purchase of my journey.  Not knowing where to start I stood looking at the store shelves determined to come away with something. It had to be a single malt, but I only really recognised The Glenfiddich 12 Year Old . Knowing this was usually available everywhere I wanted to try something a little different and eventually picked up a Laphroaig 10 Year Old. I think I had vague recollections of seeing the Laphroiag tube in my father’s drinks cabinet many years ago.

I knew it was an Islay single malt, and I had recently enjoyed another Islay malt, the Caol Ila that set me off on this journey

With anticipation I opened it as soon as I got home and was immediately welcomed by the Islay nose I was expecting.