Why the mystery?

On this page I will address a few drams which I cannot identify by distillery, whether because of labelling which doesn't clearly identify them, or in some cases because they were given to me blind and I am awaiting to hear how good my analysis and guesswork were.

Also included here are a few which may be named, but just don't fit on other pages.

MacPhail's Royal Wedding, Released July 1986, 40%

A special vatting of whisky distilled in 1959 & 1960

Typical cost of this bottle: Unknown, now a collectible

Live Dram-atics review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich and luscious dark teak

Nose: Initially filled with raisins, plums, currants and prunes (heavy on the prunes), all marinated in a rich cherry sauce. Amongst all these, something really quite aromatic but much lighter along the lines of very floral almond tries to come through too.

Palate:  Very rich and lightly toasted in flavour with those suggestions of prunes, raisins and cherries, but it has a surprisingly sligthly watery mouth-feel.

Finish. Long, creamy and rich

Overall impression: A very rich sherry cask whisky, but it's just slightly let down by that wateriness on the palate, although it's still very good.

AD Rattray, "Cask Islay", 46%

Small Batch Vatting #1

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Water? Almost

Nose: Peaty, fruity, rubbery. Yes definite peat with light rubberiness and background fruit. With time it just expands as more of the same.

Palate:  Slightly thin, but lots of what the nose promised.

Finish. Medium to long

Overall impression: A good and innocuous light Islay whisky.

Adelphi, "Breath of Islay", 12y, 1999-2001 56.1%

Cask No.5877, one of 329 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Gentle amber

Nose: Aged oak infused with Atlantic freshness as woody sea-air is combined with a peaty beach bonfire. Some slight rubberiness hints at a sherry influence.

Palate:  More peat presence here than on the nose, plus more Atlantic sea-air. Then come dark fruits including plums, raisins, currants and cherries followed by a damp woodiness, reminiscent of submerged pier supports.

Finish. Long and rich with some peat too.

Overall impression: Excellent. A wonderful example of Islay at its near best.

Blackadder, "Smoking Islay", 11y, 12.4.2000 - Aug. 2011, 59.4%

Cask Ref. BA2011/429, bottle No.264 of 278

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€ to €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Light bronze - rich gold

Nose: Oaky malt with a gentle and slow developing light smokiness. Raisins and lightly smoked cheese develop with further time.

Palate:  Creamy furniture polish, sweet redcurrant and gradually developing smokiness, but more wood than peat smoke.

Finish. Long

Overall impression: A very good whisky. Most enjoyable.

Blackadder, "A drop of the Irish", NAS, bottled Feb. 2011, 46%

Cask Ref. 343, bottle No.21 of 314

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Extremely pale

Nose: Fruit, big fruit with lime and clementine, including the zest. Eventually a creamy leafiness attempts to come through, but the clementine holds it back.

Palate:  An initially creamy mouth-feel holds lots of that clementine, but the leafiness now does manage to appear alongside some lime and faint coconut.

Finish. Long. citrus, repeating

Overall impression: Nice, a pleasant surprise.

Blackadder, "A drop of the Irish", 14y, 31.10.1996 - Feb. 2011, 58.2%

Cask Ref. 253, bottle No.88 of 261

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€ to €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Hay left in the sun

Nose: Lightly floral with hints of coconut at the beginning. This expands wit htime into very floral coconut with hints of butterscotch.

Palate:  Initially quite imposing, very floral, almost perfumed, coconut macaroon. Then come hints of cranberry and a lightly toasted character towards the end.

Finish. Long and slightly toasted

Overall impression: Excellent, I really like this one.

Wemyss, "Peat Chimney", 12y, 40%

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich gold

Nose: Aged wood, perhaps Atlantic jetty thanks to a maritime character. Then blackcurrants and cherries served in an aged oak cask with light vanilla sauce. An underlying (wood) smokiness.

Palate:  Vanilla ice cream, apricot, blackberry and a degree of smokiness.

Finish. Medium, expanding to long.

Overall impression: A very good fruity and (lightly) smoky whisky.

Wemyss, "Whispering Smoke", 1981 - 2011, 46%

One of 228 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale yellow gold, straw

Nose: Very aromatic and fresh with new Italian soft leather expanding more with time. After 4-5 minutes some slightly antiseptic hints develop, almost minty.

Palate:  Everything the nose promised. Very fresh, slightly leafy, fruity and lightly smoked.

Finish. Very long and fresh

Overall impression: Excellent, very enjoyable.

Wemyss, "Vanilla Summer", 1997 - 2011, 46%

One of 363 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€ to €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Yellow (21ct) gold

Nose: Quite floral with an initial burst of rose water fading to leave malty vanilla. Slight fruitiness too (apple, pear? - but quite ripe).

Palate:  Vanilla explosion accompanied by slight pepperiness, but the pepperiness sonn fades to be replaced by traces of red berries.

Finish. Medium, fading quite quickly

Overall impression: Another very good and thoroughly enjoyable whisky from Wemyss

TWE, "Port Askaig Harbour", 19y, 45.8%

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Dram-atics live review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale yellow

Nose: The nose initially oozes with Atlantic freshness, sea-salt and a hint of gentle smoke which soon expands to a full-blown peat bog, but given more time (4-5 minutes) I'm astonished as a vivid fruitiness including red berries, redcurrants and pears rise from those peaty embers.

Palate:  The fruit leads, followed by the peat which expands further over the palate with time.

With 4 drops of water the nose is a little subdued, more aromatic as opposed to full-on peat bog. The palate is smoother with lingering peat alongside raspberry.

A further 4 drops of water increase the fruit again, although it is now somewhat weaker in overall intensity. The palate is now reminiscent of gentle bonfire embers on an Atlantic beach. I love the fruitiness of this whisky, especially alongside the obvious peat and Atlantic freshness.

Finish. Long, very long, with fruit and peat, albeit slightly dry.

Overall impression: This Port Askaig Harbour is truly magnificent. Today has been very much about fruit and complex but subtle flavours. This Port Askaig has all the peat of a traditional Islay heavyweight, whilst at the same time offering surprising amounts of fruit. Those rebcurrants and red berries are fantastic alongside a healthy dose of peat and Atlantic freshness. But can I classify this whisky as one of my 'Greats' by awarding a 90 point score? Yes!

"Sheep Dip 1990", 40%

A vatting or blend of Ardbeg, Dalmore & Fettercairn

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Oak with a coppery bronze hue

Nose: Initially an interesting cocktail of fruit, malt and light smoke. As this settles with some minutes in the glass the fruity smoke increases and includes more earthiness (peat) and some light rubber notes. Imagine red berries and bramble served on a rubber plate with a light peat sauce.

Palate:  Slightly peppery fruit on the front of the palate with a dry, faint smokiness on the back. Unliek the red berries of the nose, the palate offers mostly peach and apricot with a suggestion of mango.

Finish. Very long, fruity, dry and slightly smoky.

Overall impression: A very interesting nose with an equally interesting, if not quite so good, palate.

Coopers Choice, "Laggan Mill 1994", 13y, 56.6%

I understand this is a Lagavulin

Typical cost of this bottle: €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Light amber / dark oak

Nose: Deep peat bog and very earthy with lots of briny Atlantic character too. Then comes slightly scorched wood and just a hint, nay a pleasant reminder of finest quality green welly!

Palate:  Sweet earthy peat with plenty of raspberry. There's almost a roasted onoin character here too.

With 4 drops of water: The nose and palate are both sweeter and peatier, but the palate is also softer and creamier.

Finish. Long and fruity but with a slight suggestion of slightly roasted onoin!

Overall impression: Onion? Yes, but this is marvellous stuff! I love the depth of flavours and I really can't believe this is anything other than a Lagavulin. A very good one.

Whiskies of Scotland, "Vatted Malt Scotch Whisky", 20y, 47.4%

A rare blend of single malts from closed distilleries (Mosstowie, Glen Mhor, Banff, Glencraig)

Typical cost of this bottle: Unknown

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale yellow gold

Nose: Malt and oats alongside perfumed wood, then light butterscotch with hints of popcorn and a suggestion of slightly bitter fruit.

Palate:  Silky smooth mouth-feel and initially uite fruity with peach and ripe pear. This is followed by malty butterscotch and some ginger notes. There's also some of that perfumed wood from the nose which now reminds me of sandalwood.

Finish. Long and aromatically fruity with hints of freshly cut wood.

Overall impression: A quite unusual but very good vatted malt. I love it!

David Stirk, "Isle of Islay", 1990, 20y, 52.8%

"Exclusive Malts" range, cask 251211, one of 298 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle: Unknown

Live (and blind) Dram-atics Review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Treacle toffee, almost teak.

Nose: Oak, dark fruits (plums, raisins, currants and figs), then a hint of toasted vanilla.

Palate:  Very rich and creamy oak, dark fruits and a hint of very dark (90% +) chocolate.

With 4 drops of water: More wood on the nose, but a slightly sweeter palate with more fruit and some nuts.

Finish. Very long with aged oak and fruit, even longer with water.

Overall impression: Thoroughly enjoyable!

The Clansman, 'Keith' 40% ABV

Label states; "A single malt Scotch whisky"

You know the kind of thing, available with most common names and bought from numerous gift shops across Scotland. In this case, a gift from a relative after such a trip to Scotland. I expect not 'Glen Keith' distillery.

Nose: Initially very malty, but this soon made way for leather

Palate:  Smooth and very gentle with a suggestion of what in Germany is known as vanilla pudding. In England we would say 'Angel Delight'. The finish is quite long even though the flavours are light. The aftertaste is slightly bitter.

With 3 drops of water: Sorry, almost ruined with not much left at all, but the finish is longer.

Overall impression: A light and inoffensive dram, but if I'm honest, also with not much to offer.

Unknown 'Sample 1'

Back in April 2008 I was given three samples to taste blind. Unfortunately, the people who brought the samples haven't been back as yet although I know they are still around Munich so I hope one day to learn exactly what they were. Anyway, for the record, here are my notes on the drams and my opinions on possible origins.

Colour: Very pale yellow

Nose: This has quite a powerful nose for one so pale. Very floral with a slight background of malt and almost a touch of sea air. At this stage, my first impression reminds me slightly of Dallas Dhu or perhaps even an Old Pulteney with the sea air, but OP's are not usually so strong on the nose. The floral notes are very strong and intense, almost like a flower bed of Hyacinth perfuming the air after a day of strong sunshine.

Palate: Wow, strong stuff, but really quite sweet in the beginning. The sweetness hits the front of the tongue with an all-out assault and then fades slowly into hints of liquorice. I seem to recall being told that these are all CS, which doesn't surprise me by the way that hit my palate. From the whiskies I have tried before, I still say Dallas Dhu is the nearest to this one, although in some ways, similar also to an IB Bladnoch which has some of these attributes, albeit not so strongly as it isn't CS.

With water: The nose has lost many of the floral notes in favour of the liquorice. This is still sweet, but the finish is now much longer and is remaining on both the immediate front and back of the tongue with a lingering spiciness.

Verdict: My thoughts of Old Pulteney have faded, this is too floral and packs too big a punch for an OP. I have to stand by my idea of Dallas Dhu or Bladnoch as these are the only two whiskies I am reminded of when I drink this one. Do I like this one? It is rather different, very pleasant, but different. Yes, I like it but it isn't one which I would drink casually, day in, day out. It has a special taste and I think I would have to be in the mood for it. I also suspect it would be a great companion to a food dish in one of my "Gourmet evenings". What would I pair it with? Probably a spicy starter or a "piquant" main course including pasta.

Unknown 'Sample 2'

Colour: Also very pale, but slightly brighter yellow than the first one.

Nose: Not so floral, slightly more medicinal and certainly more acidic on the nose, or do I mean pungent? Mmmmmm, on the third and fourth nosing I am getting distinct hints of roasted almonds and it smells very much like those almond stands in the cold Christmas markets over here! Once again this nose has a lot of power, but it is more one-dimensional than the first sample. Which means much less complex in aromas.

Palate: Sweet (again), but very rich and extremely smooth. The rich smoothness sits almost forever on the front of the tongue and doesn't move as the whisky slides easily down the throat. The hints of nuts (almonds) are still in evidence on the palate, but there isn't much else other than the smooth sweetness.

With water: The aroma has turned more pungent and really attacks the nose. It has also developed a slight saltiness which wasn't there before. The palate has totally changed. No longer richly smooth, it now assaults the tongue with massive spices and salt. This now has some Old Pulteney attributes, but again I would say it is a little too powerful for an OP. Bladnoch comes to mind again. Could this be the 6yr Bourbon matured version? I have one but haven't tried it yet so I can't say for certain and I'm not opening it now just to test. Again I do not believe this to be a Speyside malt. Maybe Lowland or Island, perhaps Highland.

Verdict: Again I like this and it is a little more of an 'every day' malt than the first sample. This was delightful with water, but I think I preferred it even more without. Although the first was better with 4 drops of water.

Unknown 'Sample 3'

Colour: This is the most colourful of the three, but it is still pale compared to most whiskies!

Nose: I seem to want to describe this nose as heavy. Definitely not sweet and with lots of dough. My goodness, I am back in my Grandma's house when she is making bread. The dough hasn't yet been put into the oven, but it has risen and is about to have the tea-towel removed before placing it into the oven. What a memory. I haven't thought of this scene for some 35-40 years, but this dram just brought it straight back to me.

Palate: This one leaves the front of the tongue alone in favour of the middle to back. Yes, it has some dough, it also has something herbal which I can't quite identify, alongside a little Juniper. The juniper reminds me of Penderyn, but this one isn't quite so distinct as my previous Penderyn experience. Although I wouldn't be too surprised if this were a slightly older, sherry-cask Penderyn.

With water: This is much more lively with water. Much more spicy, but less distinct in flavour. The finish is now much longer and includes the front of the tongue. I definitely prefer this one without the water. But that's just my palate and preference.

A summary of this mysterious Head to Head;

My favourite is the second, but then I find it hard to choose between the first and third. The only thing I can think of for the third is possibly a sherry cask Penderyn, whereas the first two could be any one of a few different things. As for ages, I get the impression that the second is the oldest and the first the youngest. Whereas I feel the third is a sherry cask, I have the impression that the first two are bourbon casks. But then what do I know, I am probably way off the mark here.
When I am finally told what these are, I will report back and let you all have a giggle at how wrong I probably am.

If any of the three kind people who gave me these are reading this and laughing at my innacuracy, please do contact me and put me out of my misery and ineptitude!