Hogshead Imports is keeping a strong pace, releasing a lot of bottles in a short timespan. Even his own website is largely out of date. In that case I tend to slacken the number of reviews of any given bottler – there’s just too much to write about – but I couldn’t resist having another look at some of Toon’s latest selections. So after a set of blended Scotches, here’s a trio of recent single malt releases. Mostly youngsters.
Lowland 9 yo 2014 (48%, Hogshead Imports 2024, refill hogshead, 442 btl.)
Almost colourless! Nose: fresh and light, with sweet grassy notes, simple malty sweetness, rhubarb and juicy pear. Maybe a faint hint of pineapple. There’s also a whiff of fennel and sugar syrup. Simple but pleasant.
Mouth: still fairly sweet and creamy. Not all of the newmake character is gone, but that’s exactly what makes this pleasant. Plenty of pear and apple, with a hint of lemon liqueur. Then a peppery edge and hints of vanilla. Greengage plums. Aniseed and juniper towards the end.
Finish: medium, suddenly drier and slightly acrid, with citrus rind, ginger and some grassy / herbal bitterness.
An interesting selection. Still very close to the newmake, with limited complexity. I’m guessing quite a lot of water has been added to make the spirit accessible, which may have thinned out the structure. That said, it does have an easy charm that makes you want to come back to it. Cardplayers whisky, as we call it.
Mortlach 9 yo 2013 (58,4%, Hogshead Imports 2024, refill hogshead, 133 btl.)
Nose: another new-maky selection. Slightly feinty, also showing lemons and plums, and a little muesli and porridge. Then some mineral notes, like gravel, along with minty notes and hints of yoghurt. Just a whiff of wood smoke in the distance?
Mouth: slightly sulphuric (distillation-related) with hints of burnt herbs, lemon fizz and hay. Grapefruit peels and some grassy notes. Plenty of raw grains and white pepper too. Slightly rough.
Finish: medium, still grainy and rough, with the drying minerals coming back.
That’s the same trick twice, essentially. Young spirit can be interesting, especially in the case of Mortlach, I’d say. More complex than the Lowlands whisky in fact, but this time lacking some fruits and general ease of drinking. Let’s not get over-excited with whisky under 10 years: without cards and friends I couldn’t drink a whole bottle. Score: 82/100
Islay 13 yo 2010 (55,8%, Hogshead Imports 2024, refill barrel, 304 btl.)
Nose: coastal peat all over, with smoked fish, fisherman’s rope and charcoal. Wet stones, wet sheep wool, hints of oysters and drying seaweed. Then sharp barley notes, creosote and the nice aroma of wet soil. After a while some nice lemon notes comes out. A wee Beastie.
Mouth: oily, textured peat, along with iodine, black pepper and sooty notes. Light vanilla and sweet citrus, with a nice buttery edge. Brine and grilled fish in the background. Then plenty of tar towards the end.
Finish: long, peppery, tarry, with the same wonderfully oily texture. A late hint of coffee beans too.
This oozes Islay – this is benchmark modern Ardbeg. The oily texture and the dark, coastal feel make this a highlight of this session. Islay pulls off youth better than any other region, right? Forget about the other two: grab a bottle and save it for wintertime. Score: 89/100