Glenmorangie 18yo

Was just in a bar that claimed to have a decent whisky list - note the term claimed! So i picked a dram that I haven't had for a while, namely Glenmorangie and in this case the 18 year old. I believe this bottling is no longer available in the new wine bottle Glenmorangie range - not that I am that bothered after trying this was this. I must point out that this was tried in a hotel bar this evening that makes me want to have a rant about how shite hotel bars can be -but I will save that for another day! - so it was served in a big as tumbler so maybe I am being unfair on it. Anyway here goes!

Nose: Light soft and creamy but nothing jumping out at all. Some vanilla and a touch of bourbon biscuits.

Taste: Tastes a little bit watery, touch of typical pear drops but soft and quite a lot of vanilla.

Finish: Short - very short! Slightly musty - infact stale custard creams!

Comment: Not a huge fan of this could have been a good dram if it had some balls about it - very much a featherweight. Nothing really wrong but yet nothing really right!

Score: 76/100

Balvenie 14 Year Old Rum Wood

Since I am on the theme of William Grant and there finishes etc I thought that I would give the 14yo RumWood a try. A limited edition of only 14 casks from warehouse 29 - no explanation as to why this is important! This is unchilfiltered which is good and bottled at 47.1% ABV I doubt that this is natural cask strength but would not like to say for certain. Anyway here's what I think. Not sure but I think that this was mainly done for LMDW in France but as always I could be wrong.

Nose: Sweet, vanilla and lots of creaminess and fruits maybe strawberries. With time more orangey notes.

Taste: Initially a strange taste, a little drying. piney notes. Lots of vanilla a bit bourbonesqe in flavour.

Finish: Lingering woody notes, a touch of creaminess but bitter notes also.

Comment: Wanted to like this but have to say that it didn't really deliver - the whisky has become quite bourbon like but with a bitter woodiness which is slightly overpowering - love the initial nose those.

Score: 76/100 - Nothing startling - try someone elses and keep your bottle closed. Especially as its about £50 a bottle.

Kininvie Tasting Notes

After several requests for my "proper" tasting notes for Kininvie I thought I had best find them so here goes.

Kininvie 1990 - Cask Sample 62%- Tasted in September 2003.

Nose: Light, floral and sweet, quite spirity straight. With water sweeter and more grassy.
Taste: Creamy, grassy perfume, with water creamier, a little bit metallic just at the end.
Finish: smooth and short.
Comment: Rosebankish in style, a lot easier to drink with water buy not really fully mature.

Score 76/100

It was reported that this sample came from the first ever cask that had been filled from Kininvie, I think that it is a decent dram with a lot of potential to be a very easy drinking lowlandish style whisky. However I think that the cask management needs to be improved this was obviously a second or third fill bourbon cask. I have tried about three or four other samples and they all seemed to be from very tired casks!!! Very dissapointing would make you believe that they don't intend bottle this as a single in its own right for some time. Give it a good cask and I think it could be a good dram.