Murray McDavid ‘Renegade Rum’ Diamond Distillery, Guyana 6 year old 46%

Bourbon/ Tempranillo (Figuero Ribera del Duero) – Limited release of 6650 bottles

Tasted: Dec 2010

A nose of pungent, intense, oily, marc-likearomas. Less evolved than the Four Square 6 yearold. Hints of wood spice, menthol and a very light cask suggestion.

Edgy, light and oily on the palate with a heavy marc-like character. A brief oily orange note appears and there is a suggestion of spice on the middle, but it is far too young and unevolved. Although pretty intense, that intensity is rather short lived but the finish...

Mezan Guyana 2005 (10 year old?) 40%

Distilled at the Diamond Distillery using the old Port Morant Wooden Pot Still

Tasted: Sept 2015

Youth, lightly oiled aromas of nutty dried fruit. Very heavy on the oily congeners, because I’m guessing the wooden still doesn’t remove as many impurities as a copper still. There is a little fruit sweetness beneath and with time the aromas broaden to show a touch of coconut and antisceptic.

The palate is a little watery to be honest with a fair degree of oily terpenes-like note. Very youthful and a bit unevolved with nascent dried fruit...

Bristol Classic Rum’s Enmore Still , Guyana 12 year old 46%

Tasted: Feb 2005

A pretty straightforward and simple nose. Slightly oily, slightly fruity. Quite light in body and like the nose simple. Slightly oily, slightly fruity, slightly sugary with a touch of tropical fruit. Unexciting.

Bristol Classic Rum’s Port Morant Still, Guyana 12 year old 46%

Tasted: Feb 2005

Clean, a very oily yet slightly youthful nose of linseed oil along with menthol, earth and herbal notes. Dry on the palate with a good depth of linseed oil soaked fruit, which given time becomes quite tropical in character. Lovely...

Dewar Rattray Port Morant Rum 1992 (17 year old) 46%

Dist: 1992 Btl: 2009

Tasted: Nov 2009

Now the interesting thing with this is that the sample arrived at its natural cask strength of 58.8% and obviously my notes reflect this, so the ‘with water’ notes will be what it will actually taste like. I asked Francis at Dewar Rattray why they had decided to bottle it at 46% and she told me it was because not being specialists in rum they had taken it on advice to bottle it at the lower abv, and one or two of there other...

R Delisle Cognac VS 40%

50% Petit Champagne, 50% Fine Bois

3 year old plus spirit/ Tasted: Sept 2015

Crisp, citric and fresh aromas with a good fruit sweetness. Quite spicy – sweet cinnamon spice with a light herbal character.

The palate is soft and elegant, quite fruity and gently spiced with a lightly mineral finish which balances the sweetness of the eaux-de-vie. Good length and finish.

R Delisle Cognac VSOP 40%

50% Petit Champagne, 50% Fine Bois

5 year old plus spirit/ Tasted: Sept 2015

The nose is aromatic, fresh and herbal, which shows a little more aged fruit...

Hyde No1 ‘Presidents Cask’ 10 year old 46%

Cooley bottled by Hibernia Distillers/ First Fill Bourbon finished in first fill Oloroso

Tasted: Sept 2015

A soft nose of herbal accented barley, honey, toffee, banana, malt and a touch of sherried dried fruit, however it’s the American oak which comes through quite strongly. Late hints of chocolate and spice.

The palate opens with the winey, dried fruit, followed by creamy vanilla and hints of malt, barley and apricot. It fills out well on the middle with some gentle bittering spices. Long, citric and slightly chocolaty finish with an almost salty twang...

Highland Laird Williamson 2006 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Dist: 2006 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2015

Named after a remarkable woman called Bessie Williamson, who became the manager of a certain Islay distillery when it was un-mothballed after the end of WWII.

The nose is very buttery and oaky with plenty of sweet and herbal peat. The oak calms down with time and an almost Tequila-esque pulped white fruit note becomes apparent along with hints of rhubarb, manure, cut grass and a faint whiff of aniseed and biscuity spirit notes.

The palate is full and biscuity with malt and plenty...

Highland...

Highland Laird Macallan 1995 (15 year old) ?abv

Dist: 1995 Btl: 2015

Aromas of gorgeously dusty American oak – vanilla pod and custard powder. Hints of summer flowers, herbal honey, malt and earth follow. With time the aromas darken a little and become very herbal. Hints of acacia and white liquorice appear.

The palate is succulent and moist with honey, apricot, apple, malt and vanilla pod. Like the nose it becomes quite herbal and the alcohol begins to nip a little. Good length with the barley and vanilla lingering.

A drop of water unfortunately brings out the oils to the...

Highland...

Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Chibidaru 53.5%

Dist: 2010 Btl: 2014

Tasted: Jan 2015

Nose: Quite citric and grainy with hints of wheat flakes and herbal rye-like notes. Young and intense with an almost saline astringency. A very light hint of sultana and white grape appears and with time a touch of toffee coated banana. Water brings out the fragrant honey and soft barley.

Palate: A little tart and astringent with herbal rye-like notes and menthol. Subdued oak and fleshy fruit sit beneath but the alcohol masks any further development. Water makes it simpler, emphasising the light toffee and honey but there...

Carn Mor Black Gold Series Highland Park 1995 (20 year old) 54%

Sherry Hogshead 2475/ Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: Aug 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2015

The aromas are pretty tannic and gritty but softened by some luscious dark treacle. The dried fruit notes are very Armagnac-esque with prune, berries, raisin and dried citrus rind. Gritty smoke and French coffee notes appear with time. Yes, it’s very heavy on the sherry but there is plenty going on here!

Quite subtly smoked on the palate with the tannins appearing lighter and softer than the nose would lead you to believe. Again it displays...

Wild Turkey Rye 40.5%

Tasted: Sept 2015

Sour fruit with hints of fragrant, violety herbs, silky but lightly grippy vanilla oak on the nose. Some softly herbal rye begins to emerge along with a touch of sweet rye. With time it becomes very perfumed.

The palate is soft and easy going. Quite juicy with hints of sour fruit and herbal rye. Gentle spices emerge on the middle along with some creamy oak. Very moist and majbe a little too perfumed with hints of earth, liquorice, violets and coffee. Some grippy tannins come through in the finish, which try to offset...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Westport 1997 (17 year old) 46%

Glenmorangie vatted with a teaspoon of Glen Moray.

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2015

Soft and juicy aromas of fragrant barley, floral honey and a touch of citrus. Subtly but sweetly spiced with hints of buttery/ creamy oak.

The palate is broad, full and barley’d. Slightly sweet and generously endowed in the fruit department with hints of citrus and sweet spices. Long, citrus and mineral finish which cleanses the palate. Pleasant lightly coffee’d after-taste. In conclusion it is a little too expensive (£58.95) for what it is....

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Mortlach 1995 (20 year old) 55.5%...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glentauchers 2010 (5 year old) 46%...

Highland Laird Williamson 2006 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon

Dist: 2006 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2015

Named after a remarkable woman called Bessie Williamson, who became the manager of a certain Islay distillery when it was un-mothballed after the end of WWII.

The nose is very buttery and oaky with plenty of sweet and herbal peat. The oak calms down with time and an almost Tequila-esque pulped white fruit note becomes apparent along with hints of rhubarb, manure, cut grass and a faint whiff of aniseed and biscuity spirit notes.

The palate is full and biscuity with malt and plenty...

Highland...

Highland...

Highland Laird Macallan 1995 (15 year old) ?abv

Dist: 1995 Btl: 2015

Aromas of gorgeously dusty American oak – vanilla pod and custard powder. Hints of summer flowers, herbal honey, malt and earth follow. With time the aromas darken a little and become very herbal. Hints of acacia and white liquorice appear.

The palate is succulent and moist with honey, apricot, apple, malt and vanilla pod. Like the nose it becomes quite herbal and the alcohol begins to nip a little. Good length with the barley and vanilla lingering.

A drop of water unfortunately brings out the oils to the...