Batch 79

Little doubt this is Aultmore. William pears float down the Buckie Road. Estery with some cucumber, Lily of the Valley and a light puff of scented talcum powder, before some freshly cut green grass and apple. For a second, when water is added, there’s a touch of immaturity, but it then settles back into its fresh, spring-like air.

Light acetone and high (yet balanced) acidity, which brings to mind gooseberry chutney. It does come across as sweeter than the nose suggests, with extra texture. A soft mid-palate until those green acids kick in towards the back palate alongside that scented, rose petal-perfumed rouge.

Fresh, zesty and lime-accented. A Margarita.

The low cask influence works well here, allowing the delicate distillery character to be the major player.

A soprano drying her nails while singing along with the birds.

The first of this week’s meaty trio, this opens with roast beef (specifically deglazing the roasting tin), but mixed somewhat strangely with a marshy, earthy, boot-sucking quality. In the background there’s preserved lemon, spice and fresh almond. It needs a bit of work and some water when those wet boots re-emerge. 

Fresher than the nose, with pea and ham soup, then the lash of leather – but there’s also acidity, which cuts through the heaviness and growing grip. Chewy and more aromatic (almost fragrant) with water, but that deep, meaty weight is always there.

Rich and long.

A good, mid-weight Balmenach, which will act as a decent introduction to a fascinating distillery.

Venus in Furs.

Meat raffle, part two. While you notice the higher strength, the aromatic density doesn’t allow it to dominate. Beech and oak forest after rain, roasted coriander, cigar, then frankincense, dates and dried fruits. All exotic and savoury, with light meaty notes. Balanced and complex. Water brings out varnish.

Rounded and surprisingly soft for the strength (showing the cask’s influence). A balance struck with the heaviness of the spirit. Dried fruits, gamey venison, with damson sweetness, stewed Darjeeling tea, then some chunky Seville marmalade and some nut. Layered. With water, some chocolate truffles and a little strawberry. Works with water, but it’s probably best on the side.

Savoury, earthy, rewarding and balanced bitterness.

Complex, characterful, layered and balanced. That’s all you want from a dram, to be honest. It’s not a lot to ask for, is it?

‘Well hung?’ he asked the waiter. There was considerable confusion.

Delicate, with dry cereal elements and a little edginess. Travel sweets, Loire Chenin, damp mutt, then old muesli in hessian sacks/pet shop and green malt. Water allows the cask to rouse itself and add some sweetness, and a hint of creaminess at the back. Seems ‘young’.

A steely lemon element shows that those youthful notes remain. It dries quite quickly. Water improves things and, while it remains light – which, after all, is the distillery style – and slightly edgy, some floral elements begin to bloom. 

Dry and short.

Like the Aultmore there’s no great wood influence here either, but the dry element of the distillery character needs some more interaction to add softness and balance. A fair starter though. 

Though it was a sopping Thursday, the dog still needed a walk.

Deeply hued, showing big cask activity. Touch of well-tended compost heap (this is a good thing), nuts and a vegetal element that brings to mind an aged agricole rum. A slight funkiness alongside rasps and chocolate, then comes roast chestnut and raw chocolate. Water amplifies all of this. Promising, if not odd… 

Dry and structured. Immediately, it moves quickly into the chocolate, but with some Brazil nut creaminess. This firmness necessitates water being added to soften those tannins. Time, as always with Rothes, brings out dried fruits while the sweetness, blinking as it emerges from its oaken cave, brings some baking spices along with it.

Drying and spicy.

While the Glen Keith and Aultmore (where low cask activity meant they were distillery-dominated) seemed ‘young’, this, though pretty much half their age, could pass for ‘old’ thanks to massive interaction with a very active cask. Read between the lines, guys. Good as a single malt, but probably would play a more significant role in a blend/vatting.

Tired after the climb, he sits down on a pile of damp redwood logs.

The final meaty dram. This too is light in colour, which makes you anticipate high distillery character. While there’s some oiliness – the hot copper pans you get in some Macallans – it’s fairly delicate, almost refined and aloof. A light, meaty edge (roast grouse, appropriately enough). With water, fresh cold pastry.

More textural than hugely aromatic or flavoursome. Oily, mouth-coating, slightly acidic and hot – another aspect of low wood influence. Fresh, but with light grip. With water, you get more of the top notes and an even greater sense of pent-up energy.

Light and slightly hot.

Has structure and feel, but lacking in layering and complexity.

Lunch on 13 August.