While the actual Lindores Whisky Fest is still going on as we speak, we already had a great night on Friday. As this will be the last edition, we also attended the final Lindores festival tasting, which featured the Lindores festival bottlings of the past couple of years.
Although I had tasted them all before, I’d like to add quick notes for the ones that didn’t make it onto the site yet:
- Clynelish 16 yo 1996 (52,3%, The Whiskyman for LWS 2012, refill bourbon hogshead, 239 btl.)
A clean expression with a big focus on waxy notes and minerals. Slightly too alcoholic with less fruits than I would like to see, but a very pure and archetypal Clynelish. 87/100 - Bowmore 15 yo 1995 (57,8%, Malts of Scotland ‘Clubs’ for LWS 2010, Pedro Ximénez cask #112, 225 btl.)
A nice combo of peat and sweet sherry, including lovely tobacco notes. Rich, fruity palate with some exotic touches. I love this profile. 89/100 - Littlemill 23 yo 1990 (49,6%, The Whiskyman for LWS 2013, refill sherry, 60 btl.)
Somehow this time the nose wasn’t as impressive as I remembered it, perhaps I rushed it. Wax, hay, garden fruits. Excellent palate though, a burst of tangerine, pink grapefruit, wax notes and subtle spices. 90/100 - Irish single malt 24 yo 1991 (48,2%, The Whiskyman for Lindores Whisky Society 2015, 130 btl.)
A benchmark for Irish whiskey. Initially I was surprised how shy it was on the nose, but after a good fifteen minutes it confirmed my earlier tasting notes and a score which caused full mailboxes and empty batteries for all Lindores members yesterday. 93/100 - Laphroaig 1996 (56,2%, Malts of Scotland for LWS 2014, MoS 14057, brandy hogshead, 180 btl.)
Peaty, peppery, medicinal peat. The brandy cask adds some sweetness around the edges. Very consistent but a tad too youngish / unexciting for me. 87/100 - Glenfarclas 1968 (51%, OB 2009, Family cask #699, Lindores 5th Anniversary, 35 btl.)
My favourite whisky in this line-up. Wax, orange cake, polished oak, leather and lots of tiny micro-aromas. Having been impressed with this so many times already, I think it deserves an extra point. 94/100 - Port Ellen 29yo 1979 (52%, Lindores 2009, cask #1654, 11 btl.)
Classic, but still not my favourite type of Port Ellen. Mineral, clean, very focused and a little austere. 90/100
After that, we moved to the bar for a long ‘bring your own bottle’ night. I’ve had great chats with whisky lovers from around the world. It’s overwhelming to see so much excellent whiskies in one room and it would be impossible to list all beauties. Thank you all for sharing a dram.