MrWizard's Ramblings

Black Bottle Taiwan Blend, 40%
This is a blended whiskey for Taiwan market. If I recall this is a dusty from couple of decades ago. Maybe? Friend Charu supplied the source. Nice nose with malt, slightly nutty and lightly peated. More light peat on the palate, I think that’s fighting with the nuttyness. The palate itself is watery. Aftertaste is kinda flat; spice, malt, and wood mix that’s been watered down. Overall: This is interesting for curiosity sake and checkbox, but ultimately bland and disappointing experience. Don’t bother. The fact it’s not revolting and can be drank without gagging are positives in this case. Value: N/A
Score: D-

Glen Garioch 12, Old Particular, K&L SP, 52.6%
A 2008 Glen Garioch bottling by Laing’s Old Particular label from a refill ex-bourbon cask. Oh boy, the nose has a very familiar note for me, which ironically I seem to be unable to place. Baked apple or plum candy perhaps? Let’s go with plum hard candies from the Motherland. More of that candy note on the palate, backed by malt and vanilla. More herbal notes, that transform into some spice, vanilla and malt, with some citrus zest in there. That same zest leaves a slightly bitter leftover note that spoil repeated sips by running into each other. Oddly, with time, the same plum candy notes seem to transform into more pine and mint notes. In context, mind association games are an interesting thing. Overall: Quite enjoyable though perhaps a little too ‘zingy’ for some (most?). Value: The preorder for this was $50? Solid value!
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1558739
Score: B

Longmorn 10 Sherry Butt, Hart Brothers, K&L SP, 56.0
A 2006 Longmorn 10, bottled by Hart, aged in 1st filled sherry butt… An interesting bottling here, considering it’s 1st fill sherry… The actual malt is… straw-colored. Probably a very dry cask there as the malt went in. Nose is certainly sherried and quite punchy. Grassy, malty, buttery, peppery notes whiff from the glass. Slightly bitter, anice-y notes on the palate, backed by some white candle wax. Long peppery finish. Overall: Certainly flavorful but not quite my glass of whiskey. The sherry influence is barely felt (very odd on how light it is for 1st fill). If I cringe while trying this straight then it should be something to consider. The glass is a lot more interesting with some water. Tons more sweetness comes up as proof takes a step back. Very meaty, almost sweet-and-savory notes. Value: This was ~$75 for a 10 year old malt… Perhaps about average here.
https://www.klwines. … whisky-700ml/1565108
Score: C+

Benriach 12 Sherry Butt, Hart Brothers, K&L SP, 58.2%
A 2008 Benriach from 1st fill sherry butt. This one is properly light chestnut, though not a full monster as some get occasionally on the color. Familiar varnish nutty notes on the nose, quite pungent, mostly due to the alcohol. There’s something particularly funky with either BenRiach distillate or with this bottling specifically as it’s got some unaged whiskey note in there. Perhaps an odd cut has been done on this particular batch that kept bunch of funkyness in. The palate continues with the punchy notes, but there’s a reasonable amount of sherry that balances itself out. There are a few bitter notes in there, like burnt spices. Long finish that gets spicier and mintier towards the very end. Overall: I’m torn. This starts weird, then is decent, but the more I drink it the less interesting it becomes. I taste some bitter, drying, or burnt notes on repeated sips. They are light, but they are there, like more and more varnish. Water helps a bit here scaling back the strange notes and letting cask and malt through. Nothing is particularly bad here… but it’s also not particularly great either. On a revisit, this is tasting slightly better than its grade may suggest… but still not spectacular. Value: This was ~$99. For a sherry cask from a good distillery? I’d say slightly above average price.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1609386
Score: B

Benriach 15 Port Pipe, Hart Brothers, K&L SP, 56.5%
A 2006 Benriach 15 from a 1st fill port pipe. For what it’s worth, the discontinued circa-2015 special cask finishes Benriach bottlings were all of 15 year old, but I digress. Back to this pour! Slightly funky on the nose. Now I’m really beginning to wonder if that is something specific to do with Benriach stills as it’s 2nd in a row that’s ‘funky’. Sweetly spiced plum jam on the nose, kinda as expected of port. Slightly syrupy, proofy, spicy, malty, palate with mostly prune notes that come in the fruit section of my brain while trying to taste it. It really does have that dried fruit compote, oddly enough. Lots of sichuan pepper in medium-long aftertaste that sticks around for a while. Interestingly, most of the sweetness is contained to the palate and a few drops of water can take care that. The aftertaste is balanced well. This leaves an enjoyable, no-gimmick malt with some spiciness that’s got a bit of a port notes in there. Overall: Enjoyable overall, if a touch too sweet on the palate, add few drops of water to deal with that. Hope you enjoy some peppers as it’s got plenty of that left. It’s a consistent experience that is honest with me. Value: This was $109 preorder… very slightly above average on price.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1562598
Score: B+
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown