Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Dewar's 25 Year Old

 

 

Nose: Honeydew melon – tinned pears in syrup – apple turnovers – Muller peach and apricot fruit corner yogurt - grilled pineapple rings - Twinings lemon green tea – smoked walnuts – Kellogg's crunchy nut cornflakes – raw fruitcake mix - orange oil – ground cinnamon – white pepper and a wonderous wave of wood spice.

 

Palate: Spiced honey – cinnamon poached pears – apple and blackberry crumble - cardamom infused lemon curd - Marks and Spencer egg custard tarts, generously dusted with nutmeg – a Nestle Caramac bar - Quaker porridge oats – mixed spice - charred oak – ground pink and white peppercorns and a lunging linger-ette of wood smoke.

 

Finish: A masterful and confident medium finish, which initially highlights all the feisty fruity sweet goodies that were delivered on the palate, before it gives one more fading reminder of its spicier and drier side.

 

Summary: Yet another bountiful belter of a blend from Dewar’s, though I would love to see this bottled at a slightly higher ABV. It delivers amazingly well at 40%, but at 43% or even 46% I think it would be truly epic. Let’s hear it for the blends!

 

 

Quick Fire Rum Tasting Notes

 Havana Club Selección de Maestros

Cuban Rum
45% ABV

 

 

Nose: Oven roasted pecans dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg – Sainsbury's Colombian coffee and walnut cake – sugared almonds - vanilla Danish pastries – Mcvitie’s Ginger Nut biscuits – burnt caramel – baked peaches - candied orange peel - freshly polished oak – dried tobacco leaves and the subtlest suggestions of fennel.

 

Palate: Hotel Chocolat chocolate covered peaberry coffee beans – warm bread pudding – Waitrose treacle tart – vanilla fudge – smoked walnuts – cinnamon sticks – mixed spice - orange zest – toasted oak - Cuban cigar leaves and a tiny tease of menthol freshness.

Finish: A richly rewarding long, lush and lingering finish, that highlights all the notes that were phenomenally well balanced and delivered on the nose and palate.

Summary: A deeply decadent and delicious drop of rummage from Havana Club, which makes for a superb bridging sip between the world's of rum and whisk(e)y. Perfect as a slow sipper and an amazing component in a Rum Old fashioned. If cigars are your thing (Cuban of course) it also just happens to make for a perfect pairing!

 

 

The Dublin Liberties Tweet Tasting

As we continue our triumphant teeming throng of Twitter trending Tweet Tastings, we’re delighted to announce that on November 1st, we’ll pouring and exploring a duo of dramspanking Irish dramming ditty's from The Dublin Liberties Distillery.

 

On the night we’ll be sharing, sipping and savouring The Dublin Liberties Oak Devil and The Dublin Liberties Copper Alley whisk(e)y expressions. Full details to follow, but if you fancy taking part in an epic evening of Irish whisk(e)y discovery, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle. Please also remember to mark the subject line of your email: #DublinLibertiesWhiskey

 

The closing date to register is October 9th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!

 

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following the evening’s dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on November 1st at 7pm GMT via hashtag #DublinLibertiesWhiskey

 

For more info on The Dublin Liberties, visit: thedublinlibertiesdistillery.com

 

@TheWhiskyWire

@DublinLiberties 

 

Registration open to over 18's only!

 

Be part of the dramfotainment!

Wemyss Malts Tweet Tasting

Hootendrammy, our 112th Tweet Tasting!

Continuing our hugely successful triumphant teeming thong of Twitter trending Tweet Tastings, we’re dramspankingly delighted to announce that on October 25th, we’ll be teaming up again with our good friends at the multi-award winning Wemyss Malts.

Headlined by the first two releases in their new Family Collection, on the night we’ll be pouring and exploring a wave of wondrous Wemyss whisky wares. Full details and dramming line up and details to follow soon, so keep em’ peeled!

If you would like to take part in what will be a dramming night to remember, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line: #WemyssMalts

The closing date to register is October 2nd, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the evening of October 25th to take part!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evenings dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on October 25th at 7pm BST via #WemyssMalts

Registration open to over 18's only!

 

For more information on Wemyss Malts, visit: wemyssmalts.com

 

@TheWhiskyWire

 

@WemyssMalts

 

Be part of the dramfotainment!

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Ardbeg An Oa

 

 

Nose: Old newspapers burning on a peat fuelled bonfire – pencil shavings - dried seaweed – samphire – caramelized fennel fronds - Maldon sea salt – lemon peel - pink grapefruit zest – sugared almonds – Fry’s Chocolate Cream bar – orange oil – tobacco leaves – fresh ginger and garish grounds of black pepper.

 

Palate: A pleasurable palatable pounding of peat - Cafe Creme cigars – sherbet lemons – Waitrose treacle tart – Cadbury Crunchie bar – toasted granary bread smeared with Rose’s lime marmalade – cloves – paprika – black and pink peppercorns - Lapsang Souchong tea – charred oak and the tiniest tease of something subtlety menthol.

 

Finish: A fabulously feisty, smoky and spiced, long lunge-ette of a finish.

 

Summary: Ticking all those signature Ardbegian boxes, this latest release is noticeably younger to the brands epic 10 Year Old bottling (not in a bad way) but it makes for a superbly sassy addition to the Ardbeg core range.