Batch 197

Starts with fresh pears along with a hint of ginger and cinnamon, some clove, then pastries glazed with apple syrup. It’s bright yet has substance and, in time, some apple kombucha emerges over musky florals. Things are now becoming heady and honeyed. With water added there’s more overt Calvados notes as the rich, drowsy and spiced elements mingle with light oak and baked fruit.

An immediate sweetness leads to a more savoury mid-palate, where the high levels of spice mix with cooked-down fruits. It’s surprisingly thick in feel, flowing gently over the tongue. It tightens slightly towards the back, before things start to fizz and pop again. Water triggers a lift and brings those pears back into play. There’s weight here, and the baked fruits continue to add succulence, with those spices covered by syrup.

Chewy, long and spicy.

A really rather splendid combination. Recommended.

Can’t mix two different spirits? Annoyed that Scotland can work happily with France? Relax Baby Be Cool.

A rather delicious mix of high-toned floral fragrance with a little jag of lime jelly, then candied fruits, yuzu and, in time, an almost effervescent quality. A sweet caramelised quality fills out the background, before coconut and pineapple emerge. With water there’s a flash of sandalwood and cedar mixed with lemon, before returning to the sweet fruits.

A scented, almost dusty mix of cinnamon and rose petals kicks things off, and while white peach adds softness to the mid-palate, there’s a constant tingling and fresh acidity, which allows the more perfumed elements to zip around. Just towards the back there’s a light grip which helps to give things more substance and shows that it isn’t as flighty as it may first appear. With water added that mix of coconut and pineapple is now out front, and the acidity upped.

A little short, but that’s no problem.

Not just a fruit bomb. A Scotch Piña Colada.

Throw your hands in the air, grab your glass, it’s time to hit the Copacabana.

There’s some sweet cereal elements to start with, but also an enriched dough component, some brassy weight and light heather root. It’s subtle (amazingly for its strength), mixing hard chalk, green pear and almond with that yeasty bread factor. With water, a tiny floral element, fresh barley and light hints of orchard fruit appear. Complexity aplenty.

Shows real presence from the off. There’s low oak influence here, allowing the bold distillery character to show itself fully. Big and quite bulky in feel, there’s an almost roasted quality which acts as a base for dried flowers, fresh citrus and even a prick of acidity. Towards the back it deepens into light earthiness. Water brings out a gentle creaminess, then dark elderberry fruit.

Roots and roasted barley. Hefty.

Has all the weight of the distillery character to the fore. Glenfarclas in the buff.

Stand up, be Brave & Strong.

A highly perfumed start of lavender air freshener, but once you allow this fug to lift you get custard-covered soft fruits emerging. Water settles it down, adding in chocolate profiteroles and Rice Krispies clusters, rosewater, some dusty plums and the start of toffee.

The perfumed element flies off quickly, allowing you to see that there’s a rich maturity here with pulpy fruits and tangerine, then a touch of Weetabix as the dry oak starts to close in. Thankfully there’s sufficient depth to stop it dominating. With water the juiciness of the fruits is offset by the toffee, honey, briary fruits and dark chocolate, then lemon verbena and travel sweets.

Long and soft.

Apart from the strange opening, this is a soft and generously mature dram.

Gorge yourself with Chocolate Honey.

Lots of highly concentrated Russet apple alongside ripe tropical-tinged fruits, overripe peach and that typical Glen Moray gentleness. In time there’s the bite of rhubarb and strawberry chews, but it never overtakes the whisky’s fat, thick maturity. A light waxiness starts to develop, then comes through fully when water is added. The fruits remain fresh and juicy.

It slides in, slips off its shoes and sits down quietly. There’s more of the baked fruit, now with powdery tannins added. Like the Glen Keith there’s just enough orchard fruits to carry. Remains relatively discreet with a new, lightly minty herbal quality. It’s more delicate than you might imagine, so best leave the water on the side.

Gentle. A light touch of apple and humidor.

Quietly elegant.

Calm, charming and reserved. Life Turned Her That Way.

Big, punchy smoke from the beginning, mixing with a slight oiliness, a touch of cream, bay rum, then angelica, dried Seville orange, cigar ash and violet. When water is added there’s a spike of lemon peel and the cigar is lit once more, its smoke clinging to a velvet jacket. In time a vegetal note starts to develop, along with more of the oils.

Starts in pretty much the same fashion as the nose, with smoke and the oiliness, and then smouldering incense, vetiver, lemon and the tiniest hint of salt. As it settles you can pick out a mashy maltiness and chestnut-accented weight. There’s complexity here, albeit one that’s hard to nail down. With water it rambles out onto the peat moor: peat oils, grasses, sphagnum hummocks; plus the cereal, some orange and this glowing ember of peat.

Clinging; lightly smoked.

Relatively unhindered by oak, this is very Asta Morris – always somehow finding the quirkier side of distilleries.

Walking in the Moonlight on the moor.