Batch 61

Fairly hot and feisty nose. There’s a little hint of creaminess and some pea shoots, but it’s all slightly aggressive when neat. Water brings out putty, wax crayon. A peely-wally adolescent with a glint in his eye. 

Softer than the nose suggests to begin with, then the heat of its internal rage steadily builds indicating the wood hasn’t calmed anything down. It’s all strangely vertical, with all the flavours piling on top of each other at the front of the mouth. A touch of sugared almond at the back, lemon butter icing but, strangely, it also seems fragile.

Edinburgh rock. Very short.

Not mature and hinting at what might happen in a few years. 

Hey Mister, want me to watch your car? 

Upfront old-fashioned ginger beer, with light lime zest in the background. Then comes white chocolate and a lightly oxidised element that brings to mind manzanilla. Water brings out verjus and sawn ash.

Some dry grass elements balancing the central cereal sweetness, then comes a digestive biscuit dunked in sweetened tea and loads of herbs – tarragon and carrot tops.

The cottage garden notes continue: courgette flower and artichoke. I’d leave it neat.

A Kingsbarns distillery exclusive. A fine aperitif with masses going on. Recommended – if you’re in Fife.

An early morning raid on the Islay House community garden.

Light in hue, but there’s plenty of fresh picked mint that brings to mind a Greek salad: herbs, salty feta and olive brine. Fresh with similar mineral elements; then grilled apple, while in the background the smoke begins to build. Sweetly integrated. That menthol/mintiness mixes well with the lightly medicinal elements steadily growing into Ralgex, then a dusty sagebrush element.

Immediate clinging oiliness. Lightly chewy, the mint gentle, the smoke stretched out softly. Water adds an extra texture and a degree of calm, though at the expense of the eagerness you get when it’s neat.

Light seaweed.

I like this a lot. Oxygen, light oak influence, and masses of distillery character. 

The slow steady build, the desert touches, the picking up in pace. It’s Lau’s Horizontigo.

Cask driven and while slightly hot when neat, you need to give it time and some agitation to bring out its elegance. Smoked (salted) bacon now takes charge along with fruit, a little grassiness and then lobster shells in sea water.

Layered, balanced and complex, with a little sandalwood, a nutty oxidised note, then full-on seashore brininess combined with light meatiness. Water mellows things even further, adding real depth and resonance. 

Long, lightly smoked and gently oxidised. Manzanilla pasada this time.

A belter of a Caol Ila. Highly recommended.

Dinner at sea, heading to Colonsay in the late summer sun.

Distinct whiff of hops – slightly herbal and citric with a brightness that works well with the crisp cooking apple. In time, there’s more of a resinous note. Water brings out apple sponge with custard, or is it spotted dick? Intriguing, balanced and refreshingly different.

Fatter, with an almost oily start. A richly textured ’Fiddich, which never loses its freshness. The hop element comes through, with more of that custard element and a slow creep of hop. Bold, balanced and identifiably Glenfiddich.

Lightly bittered, but balanced.

A good and valid experiment. I’d rather drink this (with a rock) than many new style IPAs.

I bet this was playing in Mr Kinsman’s head when he was putting this together.

Has weight, but is slightly veiled initially. After a fair time, it deepens into plump berry fruits, a touch of blueberry, Muscat grape, with the heavy perfume of bluebell woods, then plum and apple clafoutis and sultana. Retains this headiness with water, but never quite seems to fully reveal itself.

Big and soft, the alcohol giving a fuzzed buzziness to things. There are a lot of aromas and textures busily jostling for position: sweet, rich, jammy, bitter and slightly astringent. Water brings out more oak and light grip, but for all my enjoyment of it I can’t help but think it’s confused.

Long and fruity. Light bite from wood. 

It can’t be easy making whisky by committee. A very sound early evening dram, but choose a time when you can cope with a lot of competing – and loud – voices.

A fight in a fruit market.