Whisky Tasting – Diageo’s Classic Malts, The Distillers Editions, part 2

This is the second part of a great nights tasting and if you go to part one you can find out all the details about Diageo’s Classic Malts and much, much more.

Let the tastings continue, with:-

Royal Lochnagar Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition – Distilled in 1998 and Bottled in 2010, 40% Alc/vol 70cl

Colour…Toasted scone

Jim’s Tasting

Nose…Mild washing up liquid, floral notes, ever so light smokiness.
Taste…Soft gentle vanilla, malty sweetness, rich and quite a gentle sweetness.
Finish…A clean and gentle medium finish, great for after dinner.

Score…3 Corks

Nicola’s Tasting

Nose…Very floral, ladies afternoon high tea, light daytime perfume.
Taste…Sponge cake, Yardley lavender, butter scones, soft and light, tea with the Queen.
Finish..Short and very delicate.

Score…3,5 Corks

Overall score…3 Corks

We all enjoyed this clean and light dram, a very delicate an floral dram that would be a great introduction to a novice Whisky drinker as it does not ask too many questions.

Next up for a tasting is:-

Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition, Distilled in 1994 and Bottled in 2010, 43% Alc/vol 70cl

Colour…Ruby rainbow

Jim’s Tasting

Nose…Islay in a glass, heavy peat, a chimney full of smoke, some citrus notes are fighting there way to the nose.
Taste…Salty sweetness, sherry, oak wood, oily mouth coating.
Finish…Oily but rich and a fabulous night cap.

Score…4 Corks

Nicola’s Tasting

Nose…Medieval dragons breathe, salty sweet gun powder, oak on fire.
Taste…pepper hit, muscle rub, sweet syrup desert sauce, what a powerful dram.
Finish…Long a strong.

Score…3.5 Corks

Overall score…3.5 Corks

This is a grand Islay dram, and should be sipped with caution as with most smoky/peaty Islay’s. one of the best ways ever to finish off an evening, the dying embers of a coal fire and a dram of Lagavulin in your hand.

Our final tasting of the evening is:-

Caol Ila Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition, Distilled in 1997 and Bottled in 2010, 43% Alc/vol 70cl

Colour…Bright and subtle gold

Jim’s Tasting

Nose…Peat and smoke as you would expect plus hospital aroma’s, fruit and spice.
Taste…Sweet and slightly drying, quite malty, but the peat and the smoke intensity overcomes everything else.
Finish…Long, sweet, drying, leaving a wee bit of cinnamon spiciness, the Islay garden bonfire lingers on and on.

Score…4 Corks

Nicola’s Tasting

Nose…Honeycomb sweetness, loads of salty and smoke aroma’s.
Taste…Salt and sweet, smoky kiln oven coals, earth with pepper pots.
Finish…Long and enjoyable.

Score…3.5 Corks

Overall score…3.5 Corks

Could there be a better aperitif, maybe not. For a usually heavy and strong Caol Ila this Distillers Edition is quite gentle and elegant but still must have your respect when you come to open a bottle and have a dram or three.

To finish we again must give a BIG THANKS to Pat Roberts for letting us sample these Distillers Editions, and would highly recommend them all to our readers to be added to their cabinets.

These special drams are available at the Distilleries and your specialist Whisky shop and certainly on-line via the shop window below.

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1 Response

  1. Khaled says:

    Bunnahabhain(good luck on trying to prounnoce it) is actually one of my favorites and the 18 yr old bottle is what I served at the head table in my wedding. I hope to make it over to their distillery this year. Thanks for the wonderful update. It is always a pleasure to read.

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