Cu Bocan Tweet Tasting on 24th April 2024

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Written by: Mark
Category: Tweet Tasting
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On Wednesday the 24th April I took part in my second #TweetTasting with @CùBòcanWhisky hosted by Steve Rush @TheWhiskyWire

My 1st Cù Bòcan Tweet Tasting was on the 5th July 2023 when we tasted a fantastic lineup of whiskies which you can go directly to by this page link. The full tasting notes for each whisky can be found at the bottom of this page or you can click on the links to each one to go directly there.

The line up for the the tasting on the 24th April 2024 was as follows:

  1. Cù Bòcan Signature Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Signature Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    ABV: 46%
    Casks: Matured in a combination of Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and North American Virgin Oak casks
    RRP: £48.50
  2. Cù Bòcan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    ABV: 46%
    Casks: Finished in Caribbean Rum casks from Guyana and Barbados
    RRP: £66.50
  3. Cù Bòcan Creation #6
    ABV: 46%
    Casks: A marriage of 9yr Pedro Ximénez Sherry (78%) and 10yr Jamaican Rum cask (22%) matured whiskies
    RRP: £61.50
  4. Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old 2023 Edition
    ABV: 50%
    Casks: Matured fully in Oloroso Sherry casks
    RRP: £97.00

Cù Bòcan, which is produced at @Tomatin1897is an experimental ‘unlocking the unusual’ celebration of the subtleties of smoke and balanced sweetness, and explores innovative finishes to create whiskies full of intrigue and surprise.

Distilled every winter in limited batches @cubocanwhisky is made with lightly peated (15ppm) Scottish barley and matured in a variety of casks to unlock unusual flavours. #CuBocanWhisky #Scotch #Whisky

The tasting for 2024 is almost identical to the tasting in July 2023, both the Signature and the 12 Year Old were the same whiskies, however, there could be very minor batch variations. The creation for the 2024 tasting is #6 and the 15 Year Old is the 2023 release, in the previous tasting form 2023 was the Creation #5 and 15 Year Old 2022 Release. You can compare my tasting notes should you wish.

1st up was the Cù Bòcan Signature at 46% ABV

2nd was the Cù Bòcan 12 Year Old at 46% ABV

3rd was the Cù Bòcan Creation #6 at 46% ABV

Finally was the 15 Year Old 2023 Edition at 50% ABV

As with the 2023 Cù Bòcan #TweetTastings each whisky was exceptional with very little to choose between them, the 15 Year Old being fully sherry matured was always going to be the one I was drawn towards, if it had choose the 2022 release had a slight edge over the 2023 release, but I would happily buy either.

The Creation #6 is inspired, just enough rum cask influence to add a tropical zing to the PX cask influence.

The 12 Year Old remains a competent well flavoured scotch whisky, possibly my least favourite of the night, maybe a little over £16 more than I would pay at RRP, however, it is available at Master of Malt (at the time of writing, for a much more reasonable £47.11, follow this link to a new window if you want to check it out.

But like last year, it is the Cù Bòcan Signature which speaks to me the most, it is tasty and affordable, an uncompromising easy drinking whisky that still delivers some complexity, once again Master of Malt have it available below RRP at £36.63 which is a great price for this banging whisky. Check it out with this link in a new window.

The tasting order for the 5th July 2023 was as follows:

  1. Cù Bòcan Signature - Links on page: Nose Palate Finish & with water
  2. Cù Bòcan Creation #5 - Links on page: Nose Palate Finish
  3. Cù Bòcan Creation 12 Year Old Batch 1 - Links on page: Nose Palate 
  4. Cù Bòcan Creation 15 Year Old 2022 Edition - Links on page: Nose Palate Finish

These are my tasting notes for the Signature at 46% ABV

Cu Bocan Signature Finish: Oak spice, chilli & a touch menthol.

These are my tasting notes for the Creation Edition 5 at 46% ABV

These are my tasting notes for the 12 Year Old Batch 1 at 46% ABV

These are my tasting notes for the 15 Year Old 2022 Edition at 50% ABV

Cu Bocan 15 Year 2022 Edition Finish: earthy, oak & spice. A very faint trail of smoke.
Probably, definitely the best distillery bottling of a sherry 15 year old I’ve had. Shame it’s sold out.

 

Glasgow Distillery Tweet Tasting 27th March 2024

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Written by: Malty
Category: Tweet Tasting
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On the 27th March 2024 I was fortunate to have taken part in my 3rd Tweet Tasting with Glasgow Distillery hosted by Steve @TheWhiskyWire

The whisky tasting line up for the evening was as follows:

  1. 1770 Triple Distilled
    Triple Distilled Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Cask: ex-Bourbon barrels and Virgin American oak casks
    ABV: 46%
    RRP: £52.00
    Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled, combines concerto malted barley with the pure water of Loch Katrine and is fermented for over 72 hours, before being distilled slowly in their traditional copper pot stills, three times.
  2. 1770 Tequila Cask Finish
    Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Cask: Initially matured in a first fill ex-Bourbon cask, before being finished for two years and six months in a Tequila cask.
    ABV: 55.3%
    Bottles: 272
    RRP: £59.00
  3. 1770 The Original
    Cask: ex-Bourbon barrels and Virgin American oak casks
    ABV: 46%
    RRP: £49.00
    It combines concerto malted barley with the pure water of Loch Katrine and is fermented for over 72 hours, before being distilled slowly in their traditional copper pot stills.
  4. 1770 Calvados Cask Finish
    Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Cask: Initially matured in a first fill ex-Bourbon cask, before being finished for two years and five months in a Calvados cask
    ABV: 58.7%
    Bottles: 270
    RRP: £59.00
  5. 1770 Manzanilla Sherry Cask
    Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Cask: Refill Manzanilla Sherry butt, that was previously used to mature peated single malt Scotch whisky
    ABV: 59%
    RRP: £59.00
    Bottles: 813

The following are my tasting notes from the evening together with any additional thoughts I may have had:

1770 Triple Distilled

Glasgow Distillery Triple Distilled

On the Nose: Very fresh and Lively. It has vinous quality, possibly some grape juice together with the wine character. It is a sweet mixed fruit cocktail - the grapes are certainly there maybe a touch vegetal and some floral or herbal notes. It is a very inviting whisky which makes you linger over the nose for quite sometime, enticing you to take a sip

The Palate: As expected it is sweet and juicy. Instead of grape there is Apple blossom, tinned pear syrup which develops into pear drops (candy). Keeping with the orchard fruits, there comes the sensation of a cinnamon topped apple crumble with candied ginger. This is a very tasty dram.

Finish: Its Oaky, juicy sultana with apple skin.

1770 Tequila Cask Finish

Glasgow Distillery Tequila Cask

On the nose: Initially spirity, this quickly subsides (it is cask strength) to reveal a honeyed and golden sugar almost demerara sweet sensation, then herbaceous and floral note of perhaps primrose and fennel.

The Palate: Like the nose it is sweet, but with a lovely fresh quality. It serves up a creamy rice pudding with tropical fruits, white chocolate and a caramel sauce. It's such an amazing palate.

Finish: Desiccated coconut, peppercorn and oak.

1770 The Original

Glasgow Distillery The Original

On the Nose: It is fresh with a candy sweetness provided by toffee apple and apple juice. There is vanilla, honey, maybe sensations of a maple bourbon syrup (which I sometimes add to my morning latte)

The Palate: Drier than nose. The apple is present with apple skin, but now joined by pear juice, cinnamon and ginger spices. Over a short time it gets creamier and develops into an orchard fruit smoothie.

Finish: Dried cream oak, lemon and pepper.

1770 Calvados Cask Finish

Glasgow Distillery 1770 Calvados Cask

On the Nose: It is very expressive with lots going on. As expected it is sweet and fruity. The orchard fruit develops unsurprisingly  into Apple, but more of an apple strudel topped with powdered spices. Its a very inviting whisky tempting you to go for a sip.

The Palate: It is sweet and syrupy. Providing creamy apple custard sprinkled with caramelised apple pieces, ginger and candied citrus peel.

With water the nose: cream soda, citrus & toffee apple.
The Palate with water: creamier! Vanilla & toffee. Floral
Finish: vanilla caramel & oak spice

1770 Manzanilla Sherry Cask 

Glasgow Distillery Manzanilla Cask Finish

On the Nose: It is very funky, but in a great way. It is vegetal with a satisfying brine. There is a dunnage earthy funk, cherry, brimstone, a touch sulphur which can result, beach smoked hot dogs, menthol and cherry tunes (a menthol based cherry flavoured candy - made to help you breathe easier).

The Palate: It is earthy with a caramelised sherry sauce, touch of sulphur, charred cherry pie, cola cubes, red liquorice laces. Then weirdly I picked out a note that reminded me of 'A stack of old newspapers', which isn't a bad thing, it make the dram memorable.

How did I choose between the 5 on the evening?

Scores out of 10. They were all superb.
Triple Distilled 8.61 
The Original 8.63 
Tequila Cask Finish 8.8 
Calvados Cask Finish 8.7
Manzanilla Cask Finish 8.76

They were all so closely matched with demonstrates the quality of the spirit which has been matured and great cask selection.
But I was not expecting the Tequila Cask to be my favourite, I typically am drawn to sherry or port cask influence.

It was an incredible #TweetTasting with @GlasgowDC @TheWhiskyWire

A huge Thank you for letting me be part of it. #GlasgowDistillery #Scotch #TweetTastings 

Torabhaig Tweet Tasting March 21st 2024

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Written by: admin
Category: Tweet Tasting
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On the 21st March I took part in my second #tweettastings with @Torabhaig hosted by Steve @TheWhiskyWire

The lineup and order for the evening were:

  1. Torabhaig Cnoc Na Moine
  2. Torabhaig Allt Gleannn
  3. Mossburn Caisteal Chamus 15 Year Old 
  4. Torabhaig Distillery Reserve 2023

@TheWhiskyWire #TorabhaigWhisky #TweetTastings @TweetTastings

Here are my tasting notes with any thoughts I may have had from the evening.

Torabhaig Cnoc Na Moine

Whisky Details:

Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
ABV: 46%
Casks: Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon, American oak Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks.
Available from specialist retailers for a RRP of £58.00
Malt: Concerto and Anchor 
Yeast: Pinnacle MG+ and Anchor
In grain phenols: 78.4 PPM
Residual phenols: 19.7 PPM
Chill-filtration: None
Colouring: None

This bottling is the third chapter in the @torabhaig Legacy Series, the first of which; Legacy Series 2017, launched back in February 2021. Each release is said to capture a stage on the journey from inception and youth through to coming of age and full maturity – leading up to the launch of their 10 Year Old release in 2028.

This latest release is also the distillery’s first to include single malt matured in Sherry casks.

Torabhiag ‘Cnoc Na Moine’, takes its name from the Gaelic for ‘Hill of Peat’

Torabhaig is the second ever licenced single malt Scotch whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. After a painstaking four-year restoration and build, the distillery has been a fully operational since January 2017.

Torabhaig Cnoc a Moine

On the nose I found it aromatic & earthy with sweet peat and smoke embers. There is Dark fruit with warming winter spices, followed by a creamy orange oil joined with a suggestion of earthy dunnage sherry.

The palate is drier than expected, for me it was like pink wafer biscuits, then imagine some flavour notes coming from a cedar wood bowl filled with creamy pepper hummus. There is also the sensation of dusty leather bound books that have sat too close to a recent fire and so have some remnants of being charred and smouldering, similar to a BBQ in some ways.

Torabhaig Allt Gleannn

Whisky Details

Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Casks: 80% First fill Bourbon and 20% re-fill barrels
Available from specialist retailers for a RRP of: £58.00
Malt: Concerto and Laureate
Yeast: Pinnacle MG+ and Safspirit M-1
In grain phenols: 77 PPM
Residual phenols: 17 PPM
Chill-filtration: None
Colouring: None

Torabhaig Allt Gleann

On the Nose I found earthy peat with creamy honey oats. Milk chcolate fudge, butterscotch with lemon oil. Towards the back end of the aromas was a sweet heather smoke.

The Palate is Sweet with accompanying floral smoke, lemon infused honey, chocolate coated hob nobs biscuits with Brazil nut pieces, espresso bringing in a touch earthiness at the end
With water on the palate a minty freshness arrives with extra spice and oak replacing the earthiness.
 

Caisteal Chamuis 15 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 

Whisky Details
ABV: 50%
Produced using single malts distilled on the islands of Scotland, which were re-barrelled into a single Oloroso Sherry Butt
Available from specialist retailers for a RRP of: £90.00
 
Mossburn Caisteal Chamuis 15 Year Old
On the Nose It is Rich with some vegetal notes, then arrives the sweet peat with its partner sweet smoke. There are Dark fruits and a touch of something medicinal, it’s aromatic with heather, fennel & rye. Such a lovely nose.
 
The Palate has a smoky syrup quality which then delivers up rye bread, ash from charred dusty books. Then we have more delicate sensations of rice paper or perhaps the outer casing of flying saucers confectionery (candies). There is a dunnage earthiness with hints to Christmas Pudding and Brandy sauce
 
With water the nose is more aromatic with herbs, it’s fresher. On the palate with water it’s sweeter, creamier and has more of a sherry presence. Agin this whisky is very enjoyable.
 

Torabhiag Distillery Reserve 2023

Whisky Details
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58.1%
Casks: Finished in Skye Ale Porter casks
 
Torabhaig Distillery Reserve 2023 Porter Cask Finish
On the Nose It is sweet and vegetal with the arrival of an earthy herbal peat and meadow flowers. There are hints of coal dust. There is a citrus cream quality leading to liquorice allsorts (candy), a touch of sherry and orange oil, the smoke lingers into the finish.
 
The Palate is earthy with peat and bonfire smoke embers mixing with creamy citrus icing atop a light fruit cake, white chocolate coated nuts and raisins.
 
With Water the nose releases more lemon and a brine note appears. Its even more floral.
Palate with water is creamier with a sweeter peat and now palma violets (candy) appearing.
Finish: caramel lemon drops (candy) with smoked oak.
 
Summary
On the evening I enjoyed the Caisteal Chamuis 15 Year Old and the Cnoc Na Moine, but there were all very good whiskies, each offering a slightly different smoky experience.
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Lindores Abbey Tweet Tasting 25th January 2024

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Written by: TweetTaster
Category: Tweet Tasting
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For Burns Night on the 25th January 2024, I was fortunate enough to have taken part in another incredible tweet tasting with Steve Rush @TheWhiskyWire (link new window) and Lindores Abbey (link new window).

In the lineup on the evening were the following whiskies:

  1. MCDXCIV Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Age: Around 3.5 years old
    ABV: 46%
    Casks: Matured in a combination of Bourbon barrels, Wine barriques and Sherry butts.
    RRP: £49.00
    Launched in June 2021
  2. Casks of Lindores II STR Red Wine Barriques Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Age: Just under 4 years old
    ABV: 49.4%
    Casks: Matured in shaved, toasted and recharred Red Wine barriques.
    RRP: £59.95
  3. Casks of Lindores II Bourbon Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    Age: Just over 4 years old
    ABV: 49.4%
    Casks: Matured in First-fill Bourbon barrels
    RRP: £59.95
  4. Lindores Abbey Friar John Cor Cask Strength Congregation - Chapter II Single Malt Scotch Whisky
    ABV: 60.9%
    Casks: A Batch Strength vatting of Bourbon ASBs, STR Red Wine barriques and second-fill Peated ex-Rum casks.
    RRP: £68.00

 

Onto the tasting

The format of the Tweet Tasting is straight forward, the host Steve Rush, guides us through each release, providing further details about each whisky, we first nose the whisky giving our thoughts, before we move onto tasting the malt, then should we wish, provide notes on the influence of water on the the whisky before continuing onto the next dram.

MCDXCIV

Lindores Abbey 1494

On the Nose:

It is Fresh, initially sweet caramel followed up with a vegatal note which reveals Hay and Apple Blossom, sherbet lemon, Icing sugar, ginger, cardamom and cola

Onto the taste:

The palate is sweet with honey and apple, floral notes of rose, then it delivers sweet shop sensations of sherbet lemon, milk chocolate, cinder toffee, caramel pennies. Then spices of White pepper & clove

Floral, Candy & Chocolate

 

The Finish:

You get light oak, pepper and sensations of lemon sherbet fizz.

It's Very bimberesque with a vanilla chocolate cream on the palate, Bimber Ex-Bourbon being the first whisky I noticed this not on and I have experienced it on almost all Bimbers since. This Lindores MCDXCIV Single Malt Scotch Whisky is Easy drinking and made it onto my list for Whisky of the Year for 2024.

#TweetTastings  @LindoresAbbey @TheWhiskyWire @TweetTastings

Casks of Lindores II STR Red Wine Barriques

The Casks of  @LindoresAbbey Series, is a limited-edition series of single malts, comprised of whiskies that have been aged for at least three years exclusively in a single cask type; STR Wine Barriques, Oloroso Sherry Butts and Bourbon Barrels. #LindoresAbbey #Scotch #Whisky

Lindores Abbey STR Red Wine Barriques

On the Nose:

The first sensation is that of Herbs mainly Coriander seed, fennel, pine nut, carraway & cucumber. It's Earthy but sweet with vanilla, lime, popcorn and a black fruit cider.

On the Palate:

It is sweet and salty with jammy berries, vanilla chocolate cream, very reminiscent of Quality Street Strawberry Cremes. There is oaky creamy porridge, again this whisky is Bimberesque.

The Finish:

Pepper, spicy, vanilla oak. There is a lingering bitterness which goes on a little too long for my liking, but it doesn’t impact the experience. Still a bottle I would buy.

#TweetTastings @LindoresAbbey @TheWhiskyWire @TweetTastings

Casks of Lindores II Bourbon

Lindores Bourbon

On the Nose:
Fresh & aromatic. pears and lemon based Neapolitan like ice cream. It's sherberty with a herb note towards the end.

On the Palate:
Vanilla chocolate cream once again, lemon sherbet, grape, crème Carmel’s, very fresh and palate cleansing with some spice. Again that wonderful Bimber note is there.

#TweetTastings @LindoresAbbey @TheWhiskyWire @TweetTastings

Lindores Abbey Friar John Cor Cask Strength Congregation - Chapter II Single Malt Scotch Whisky

On the Nose:
Sweet and Rich. Stewed Banana with Sultanas. Grape with a wine quality. Cinnamon and ginger spice. It has a touch of maritime with salt and a coastal earthiness.

On the Palate:
It starts with a sweet and spicy flavour of caramelised banana and a dusting of cinnamon, sherbet fizz leading to pear drops and a faint thread of smoke & salt powder.

With water the palate is Caramel sweet mince pies, lemon custard, pine nuts & dark Bournville cocoa powder.

The Finish:
It is peppery, creamy oak and lingering bitter. Water makes the pest pop on nose & palate, with more salt & lemony spice.

#TweetTastings @LindoresAbbey @TheWhiskyWire @TweetTastings

All the whiskies tasted on the evening were great, however the core range MCDXCIV Single Malt Scotch Whisky at £49 was the standout, offering good value and a tasting experience that justified the price.

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