Whisky Tasting – 3 Guest Tasters (Part 2)
We have just finished of three ashets of Jacqueline’s shepherd’s pie, washed down with some great real ales.
So let part 2 of this great tasting evening begin.
Everyone has in the main loved the first three drams and are now ready with the dishes all cleared away and the table re-set with glasses and water jugs, together with the next two. bottles.
The first one to be opened is:-
Bowmore 17 Year Old – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% Alc/vol. 70cl
Colour…Rich old gold
Nicola’s Tasting
Nose…Some chocolate and a little bit of citrus.
Taste…Not as peaty as some of the other Islay drams, showing a little floral notes.
Finish…Medium finish, warming.
Score…3 Corks
James’s Tasting
Nose…Quite light with a touch of honey.
Taste…Sweet, and a great hit of smoke.
Finish…Good finish, peat at the end.
Score…3 Corks
Gordon’s Tasting
Nose…Peat, but not to heavy.
Taste…Heather with the subtle hit of smoke and heather.
Finish…Long, sweet and smooth.
Score…3.5 Corks
Reg’s Tasting
Nose…Light on the nose, showing a slight hint of peat.
Taste…Smooth, peat is still there, a little tongue tingle.
Finish…Long lasting. simply great dram.
Score…4 Corks
Jim’s Tasting
Nose…Unmistakable Bowmore peat, chocolate and a little citrus.
Taste…Complex, peat and salt, creamy toffee.
Finish…Long and warming, looking to top up my glass again.
Score…4 Corks
Another fantastic dram from the Islay distillery of Bowmore, all the tasters loved this 17 Year Old and even Nicola was not scathing as she can be about peated drams. Again we would highly recommend this dram to everyone and try to give Bowmore’s website (www.bowmore.com) a wee visit, but only if you cannot make it to the distillery.
Well that is four drams down only one left and that is:-
Big Peat, Islay Blended Malt, 46% Alc/vol. 70cl
This is a bottle we received from Douglas Laing and is the baby of Fred Laing, this blend contains only Islay Malts and they are, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen. This special dram picked up the top prize at the World Whisky Awards last year.
Colour…Pale Chardonnay
Nicola’s Tasting
As expected Nicola had one wee sniff and the smoke/peatiness was just too much for her.
James’s Tasting
Nose…Smoke and peat by the shovelful.
Taste…Very good, long and lingering, sweet, big taste.
Finish…Long lasting, smooth and hot.
Score…3.5 Corks
Gordon’s Tasting
Nose…Aromatic with loads of peat.
Taste…A very complex dram, maybe too complex for me.
Finish…Smooth and lingering.
Score…2.5 Corks
Reg’s Tasting
Nose…Strong peat and smoke, cant nose anything else.
Taste… Peat and smoke from a bar-b-que which is next to a hospital.
Finish…Long with no hiding place for the smoke and peat.
Score…3 Corks
Jim’s Tasting
Nose…No mistaken that this one is from Islay, peat and chocolate.
Taste…Sea spray washing over a beach side fire, very fresh, a little rubber, completely fills your palate.
Finish…Peat just goes on and on, an intense finish, loved every mouthful.
Score…3.5 Corks
An unmistakable dram from Islay, Jim just absolutely loved it, and some of the other tasters said the may have to take a little more time to appreciate this fine dram. A big thanks to Douglas Laing & Co for the bottle for tonight’s final tasting.
Well it is now all over, five tasters and five bottles tasted, a grand night had by all and on our guests leaving, they had only one question, “when is the next one”? If either of these drams sounds of interest, they can be purchased by clicking on the window below:
