Compass Box Hedonism 43%

It was announced today that Compass Box Hedonism had won best grain whisky in the world for the second year running at the world whisky awards - hosted by whisky magazine. So congratulations to them, however always being one to point out trivial points - should they have really won it? I am lead to believe that the WWA is only open to official bottlers so as an type of (and a very good one at that) independent bottler are they really eligible! Who cares! Their whisky is always good!

Nose: Very sweet, bags of vanilla. Sweet wood, pencil shavings and a hint of honey!

Taste: Again very sweet, lots of oak influence but very balanced. very creamy! A little bit of hay and cheap yellow vanilla ice cream! A hint of white chocolate.

Finish: A fairly short finish but very very soft. A hint of peach yoghurt and soft vanilla.

Comment: I find this whisky to be dangerously drinkable! On a warm summers evening this would be perfect outdoor sipping whisky. Perhaps a little one dimensional but then that is me being over picky! Great whisky.

Score: 89/100

Nikka 12yo Single Grain 70th Anniversary

This was part of a collection of four bottlings that came out to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Nikka. It is unusual to try young grain whisky these days as most of the stuff coming out from Independents like Duncan Taylor or Douglas Laing are of far greater age. Duncan Taylor's 1965 Invergordons spring to mind. So it will be interesting to try not only a younger single grain but a Japanese one at that.

Nose: Cracking - lots of butter on digestives with some caramelised onion - very sweet.
Taste: Drying slightly and maizy oily sunflower note.
Finish: Cracking whisky tastes older than it is. Long lingering creamy caramac bars.
Comment: Well matured cracking whisky that defies its younger age, this is up there with some of the best older grains but just a little bit thinner.

Score: 88/100

DTC Carsebridge 1979 28yo Cask 33026 52.4%

I love grain whisky (to be fair I love all whisky) and it annoys me when people don't give it the respect it deserves. Ok compared with malt whisky it is hugely mass produced just looking at the cask number on this confirms that! But put it in a decent cask and give it time and amazing things can happen! Go on you malt snob give it a try!



Nose: Cheap yellow vanilla ice cream. Caramac bars and digestive biscuits with melted butter.



Taste: Rich, velvety a touch spicy with lots of toffee notes and maybe a touch of cheesecake.



Finish: long, very long a touch rye like and a little dry.



Comment: Stunning whisky, if it wasn't for the slight dry note on the finish this would score even higher.



Score: 92/100

Girvan Grain 1964

Got a chance to try this rare grain was really looking forward to it as I have tried a few grains of late that have been stunners - was a wee bit surprised to see this on the go as the bottling that I tried from was bottled in October 2001 and was bottled at 48%.

Nose: Sweet bannanas and cream, fudgey. Crushed buttered digestives.

Taste: Huge creaminess and quite bourbon like, fudgey again and slightlt bitter.

Finish: Lingering creaminess, slightly bitter again in the finish, I like this but a little one dimensional but in a good way!

Comment: I like it but surprised there is still some left I think that this has been well over priced at £240.00 a bottle there are better grains available for a lot less money. Good but would recommend checking out Duncan Taylor's Grains - some tasting notes of those to come shortly.

Score: 88/100