Small-batch blender Turntable Spirits announced new releases in its music-inspired series. Track 6 is called All My Life. It consists of 81% malt whisky from GlenAllachie (ex-Woodford barrels), Balblair (Limousin XO octaves), Benriach (first fill bourbon) and Knockdhu (first fill Oloroso) along with 19% of North British grain whisky.
Turntable Blended Scotch – Track 6 ‘All My Life’ (46%, OB 2024, 2200 btl.)
Nose: quite elegant and sweet, with red apples, plums and raisins, as well as hints of potpourri (the Limousin oak perhaps). Sour berries and cinnamon. Then vanilla pastry and hints of almond biscuits, along with some pencil shavings.
Mouth: sweet and spicy again, making it richer than expected. There’s stewed fruit, some apple pie, raisins and gentle cocoa. After that it goes towards dried ginger, walnuts and a clear grainy side. Then cinnamon and chocolate comes back in the end.
Finish: medium length, more grainy now
A nicely integrated blend, although the grainy side does appear on the palate. A little more sherried than the recipe predicted too. A good daily dram. Available from TyndrumWhisky for instance, and German stores through Kirsch Import.
Then we have a second collaboration drop (see the first one with Starward). This limited edition marries Irish whiskey and Scottish whisky. It showcases single pot still whiskey from Dingle aged in Oloroso casks, enhanced with Balmenach (PX sherry puncheons), Blair Athol (rye barrels) and Loch Lomond grain (first fill bourbon barrels).
Turntable Collaboration #2 – Dingle (52%, OB 2024, 1800 btl.)
Nose: a bit of a musty, buttery and toffeed PX influence. Caramelized nuts, gingerbread, a little tobacco. Then some figs, raspberry jam and mild black pepper.
Mouth: deeply sherried again, with the PX as the loudest component, or so it seems. Figs, dates, toffee and hints of tobacco again. Caramel. There’s a brighter fruitiness underneath, with hints of peaches and a touch of vanilla sweetness. Some pepper and ginger appears as well, but overall this seems less grainy than Track 6 for instance.
Finish: medium length. The sherry is still there, but the grains also become more apparent.
Is the Dingle component playing first fiddle in this blend? I don’t think so. On the other hand, after the Dingle Oloroso single cask I tried the other day, I’m happy it isn’t standing out too much. The sherry character itself is a tad bloated though, which means we liked the Starward edition much better. For now this is mainly available in the UK, Ireland, Germany and The Netherlands, with plans to expand significantly in the near future. Score: 82/10