Whisky Tasting Notes - February 2023

Or, how I learned to actually take notes when doing this

Much as with my other tasting notes, for each Whisky I've taken the liberty of compiling an identifiable name, it's ABV, and it's price (at time of listing) on the Master of Malt website (the company from which I purchased the calendar).

Where applicable, I've also tried to list the country of origin (though I have omitted Scotland, and I've probably missed some). Flavours listed with a question mark are those I'm not sure if I was reading correctly, or were possibly confused with another flavour.

#1

Glen Scotia 12 Year 2022 Seasonal Release - 53.3% ABV - £78

Note: My first Campbeltown Whisky

Colour: Honeyed Gold cross with Burnt Caramel

Nose: Caramel, Hazelnut, Spiced Oak, Bitter? Citrus Peel, Apple / Pear?

Palette: Ginger, Vanilla (obviously), Caramel, Salty

After Water (15 drops): Opened up a lot, less loud, softer, and smoother, Toffee comes into the play now too

Finish: Loud before water, very long afterwards, with more Vanilla, and Stewed Fruit

Overall: Very nice, easily softened with water to take the edge off the ABV

Verdict: Worth considering in future

#2

Yellowstone Select Bourbon - 46.5% ABV - £47

Colour: Honey Yellow

Nose: Cranberries, Oak (obviously), Grainy, and generic sweetness

Palette: Leathery, Brown sugar, Bitter Orange, Herby?, Vanilla (obviously)

Finish: Loud, Dry, Spicy, Oaky, and Vanilla, noting special

Overall: Ehh, it's a bourbon

Verdict: Probably not too bad with Coke

#3

Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask - 56% ABV - £53

Colour: Copper

Nose: Peanut, Bitter Orange, Tobacco, Leather?, Smoke

Palette: Needs water.. Smoke, needs more water.. spicey, burny, Raisin, Pepper, very harsh

Finish: Sour, Peaty, Smokey

Overall: Very not for me

Verdict: Nope

#4

Ledaig 10 Year Old - 46.3% ABV - £43

Colour: Golden Honey

Nose: Smokey, Herbal, Salty?, Nutty

Palette: Flat, Vanilla, Aniseed, Pepper

Finish: Spicey, Pear, Herbal?

Overall: Peat is not my jam

Verdict: Nope

#5

Oxford Artisan Distillery Purple Grain Rye Whisky - 53.6% ABV - £75

Colour: Dark Copperish Gold

Nose: Lots of Rye, Pepper, Butter Popcorn, Caramel Sweetness after tasting

Palette: Rye, Nutty, Shouty, Ginger, Chocolate?, Praline / Nougat?

Finish: Very Herby, Sweet and Spicy, with a whack of Chilli to finish

Overall: In general I'm not a Rye fan, but this is interesting, if not boring at first it warms up later

Verdict: Definitely interesting, but not a buy

Addendum

It is after this entry that I started to fall behind on my monthly tastings, and decided to stop keeping notes in such an ordered way. This may therefore be the final monthly tasting note I post.

The vast majority of my Whisky samples are now decanted into a much larger box, and I aim to work through them at a pace fast enough to ensure the pile reduces in size, yet also slow enough that I avoid over-consumption!