Spirit of Islay Single Maltster
Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Posts: 102 Location: Definitely not 55.640489,-6.107687
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Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject: 2nd Dec Durham SMWS Tasting |
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Bit of a change for us , we decided to head "south" and do the Durham Christmas tasting .We decided to overnight in the city to save having to get back home via public transport . Set in the lovely surroundings of Durham Castle (owned by the University and part of the "World heritage site" i believe), it was another night of fun and drams .
We were supposed to get all 5 together but the courier company had kindly misplaced some of the tasting glasses and some of the stock ( we sensed a christmas party going on at some carriers office......) so we ended up with a flight of 3 then 2 .
Number one was a Glenkinchie (22.17 , 17yo , 58% , 245 bottles , £46) , a nice lowlander , pale bronze in colour , sweet and grassy on the nose it tasted very sweet and minty on the palate . It had a lovely cool and clean finish .
Glen Ord was Number two (Highland North ,77.8 , 17yo , 58.1% , 281 bottles , £47) , a pale gold it had a fascinating nose of Vanilla and Apple stroudal and an amazing peppery taste . It's finish was long with a nice bite .
The 3rd one was a Dailuaine (41.31 , 18yo , 58.6% , 258 bottles , £46) , a not very interesting Speysider , a bright Gold it's nose seemed very floral . As for it's taste it took ages to decypher but came came across very musty in the end . It had a long and sweet finish .
We had a break after the first 3 , during which we were served a wonderful buffet .
For Number four we headed to the most northernly operating distillery in Scotland , Highland Park (4.102 , 17yo , 51.3% , 260 bottles , £48 ) .Gold in colour , it's nose was of burning heather and pineapple (the heather burning not the pineapple !) . it had slight smoke on the nose with a long liquorice / smoky finish , not the best HP i've had .
Last but not least the Islay was a Laphroaig (29.38 , 12yo , 54.2 , 237 bottles , £44) , what can i say ..... a pretty standard SMWS Laphroaig but still head and shoulders above the O.B. . A bright Gold colour , bags of peat and iodine (seaweed) on the nose , very medicinal and peaty on the palate . A long and peaty Finish .
The worst ? The Dailuaine , the taste totally killed it .
The best ? The Glen Ord , wonderful .
Catherine was hosting this one along with Georgie from the Vaults , which was the first time i'd seen Georgie working outside the confines of the Vaults and it turns out the last ! She leaves the SMWS at the end of the month to start a new job early next year as the manageress of the Dufftown Whisky shop . We'll miss her at the main place but i'm sure she'll go down a storm in Speyside , perhaps this lovely Islay lass will be able to teach them something about decent whisky ......LOL! Best of luck pet !
Slainté
Gordon _________________ Homer's Hypothesis - One can never own too many Ardbegs.......
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