The Whiskey Chaps

Geoff’s Little Brown Dog spirits tasting, 8th of May 2021.

Posted on May 10, 2021
lbd

We tasted Wee Mongrel batch #1, Mackmyra 2008, Arran 2011, 1993 Early Landed Late Bottled Brandy, and Affa Strong Aberdeeshire Foraged Gin.

Proudly producing LBD GIN and the Experimental Spirit Series from our wee distillery in rural Aberdeenshire. Transparent production methods and a commitment to sharing how we make our tasty things in as detailed a way as possible. Spirit geeks with a sense of humour. 

LBD Spirits

Wee Mongrel batch #1, 52.3% ABV.

wee mongrel

20 year old blended whisky

Appearance

This is a lovely chestnut and burnished copper in colour, it beads up on the swirl line and has medium/ thick legs.

Nose

It has a lovely nose, comes across as deep too. I’m getting a little menthol, cherry cough sweets, cough candy, linseed oil, wood varnish, man this nose could take ages to get through if you wanted to. Prunes, dates, Christmas pudding, golden syrup, banana? Cereals and grains, flapjack, and sultanas. I said Christmas pudding, and I’d go as far as saying Black Forest gateau.

Palate

Oooh, so warming, mid spiciness with sweetness. NO SULPHUR!! Woo woo, well woo woo for me, I hate sulphur. We have ginger, cinnamon, soft black liquorice, espresso. Also some icing sugar and light pineapple and apricot too. Slowly the warmth is spreading, and imho this is one of those blends that’ll beat many single malts.

Finish

Nice and long, lingers for some time tbh. Hotter ginger and cinnamon here, espresso, chilli’s, char, plenty of oak, cocoa, very nice indeed.

My thoughts

I have read and heard so much about this first batch of Wee Mongrel, from many whisky folk who’s thoughts on whisky i trust. Having tasted it myself now, i have to agree, it is a super blended whisky, that many whisky drinkers wouldn’t be able to nail down as a blended whisky, it’s so much more. I look forward to future batches. I would definitely have bought a bottle too, perhaps the next batch.

Mackmyra 2008, 49.8% ABV.

mackmyra 2008

Appearance

This is more deep gold with some Amber too in colour, lovely thick swirl line and legs.

Nose

Perfume, and a heavier stronger flavoured Turkish delight. There is a menthol note, which I get with Mackmyra, lots of oak, lots of wood in general, almost Jupiter/ conifer which @CEVokins and I have had with Mackmyra in the past. It’s becoming sweeter with time, tropical fruits, pineapple, guava and stoned fruits too.

Palate

Sweeter and fruitier than I expected, icing sugar on the lips, fruit cocktail syrup from the can, cherries, pears, peaches, apricots, a touch of salt too. Nice development into pepper, high cocoa content dark chocolate, it’s getting hotter now, espresso coffee, pontefract cake sweets, char, hot cinnamon. No tannins, nice and clean, and overall a great mouthfeel.

Finish

Icing sugar, cocktail cherries, lovely and warming, there’s also a tea note. It’s slowly becoming spicier, with jamaican ginger cake, white pepper, and a hint of sweet lemon hangs around in the background.

My thoughts

I’ve tried a few Mackmyra whiskies now, and this was a cracking cask chosen by Little Brown Dog spirits. I’ve yet to try a whisky produced by Mackmyra that i haven’t enjoyed, and this one is no different. i would purchase a bottle, it’s a lovely drop of whisky.

Arran 2011, 60.3% ABV

lbd arran 2011

Appearance

This is a very light coloured drop, white wine/ straw. Beads up straight away with globules on the swirl line, and syrupy thick legs.

Nose

Dark chocolate mint Aero, bitter lemon, this is different. Minerals, not unlike the Mackmyra tbh, there’s also a meaty note here, almost a beach BBQ fro a distance. Also old style cough syrup, a touch of menthol, and wood vanish. It’s taking it’s time but tropical fruit is slowly coming through that initial curtain of aromas.

Palate

Ooh very nice, super syrupy mouthfeel straight off, and there’s plenty of punch here, the ABV is obviously higher, but it’s not burning, just lots of punch. I’m going with BBQ meats again, sweetness, tropical fruits and white pepper.

Finish

Long side of medium, a little drying, and still very fruity. It’s quite warming too actually. I’m getting cranberries, pomegranates and blood oranges too now, very nice. Black coffee and grapefruit.

My thoughts

Yes a belter of an Arran, I’d agree with the others that it’s a great cask, which brings with it all that we love about Arran whisky. I’m not surprised it’s all sold out, Little Brown Dog spirits again picked a super cask, and it’s plenty good enough for me to buy a bottle.

Early Landed Late Bottled Brandy, 52.1% ABV.

lbd brandy

Appearance

it looks like blackcurrant juice in colour, under a bright light it’s almost cola-esque, it’s very viscous on the glass too, lovely thick swirl line and legs.

Nose

This is different, well toasted bread with black treacle spread on it, the ABV is so strong, my eyes are much watering. Old style glazing putty, linseed oil, and very dark fruits, reminds me of Opal fruits too.

Palate

The palate is more dark fruits tbh, not a million miles away from a spicy Sherry cask whisky for me, I rather like this actually. Is blackcurrant in coffee a thing? Warm and spicy, dark chocolate, very high cocoa content stuffs, Bourbon biscuits, Garibaldi biscuits and black pepper.

Finish

Wood polish, blackcurrants, Ribena, Pontafract cakes, dates and plums. It’s nice and warming too actually. This isn’t what i expected from a brandy, but then i have to be honest in the fact that iv’e not tried many brandies, iv’e had a few bottles of Metaxa, but that’s it. I suppose it sounds obvious when i say that this brandy has an aged feeling nose and palate wise, and i have to say that i quite enjoyed it. As to whether i’d buy a bottle? Most likely not, i’d rather buy a whisky to be honest, but i’m rather pleased to have tried it.

Affa Strong Aberdeeshire Foraged Gin, 57.2% ABV.

little black dog gin

Appearance

Er, it’s clear, and the spirit breaks up all over the glass.

Nose

Wow, so many aromas. Grapefruit and pomelo, a note of gherkin juice, which nicely toned down the juniper, I’m presuming it’s juniper as it has the conifer-ish notes, I’d also say there’s a light American burger mustard aroma too. I like this nose, there’s enough to think about.

Palate

That is so surprising, it’s very nice, it’s warming, with lemon sherbet, grapefruit/pomelo, slight juniper but not too much, the sherbet flavour is really nice. I’d go starburst sweets too, lots of fruit, I rather like this tbh.

Finish

It’s sweet, the lemon sherbet really does persist, iv’e really enjoyed it tbh. The other flavours from the palate come through too, but for me it’s the sweetness that persists the most.

My thoughts

I’m extremely new to gin, this is only the 2nd gin i have tried. I have found it quite refreshing, i didn’t expect that. I know that the botanicals involved will influence the taste, and Andrew explained how they had modified their still and that they don’t boil their botanicals, but suspend them in the still for the spirit to pass through, quite fascinating, and if you’d like to read more of Andrews Tweets concerning this thoroughly nerdy and wonderful stuff, search #thewhiskeychaps on Tweetdeck, and scroll back through the timeline. As to whether i’d buy a bottle? Again i most likely wouldn’t, and that’s purely because i do love my whisky.

My overall thoughts on the tasting.

This has been one of our best tastings, between Geoff’s generosity, Andrew from Little Brown Dog spirits joining us, and the other guys who joined us, it’s been great fun, and another opportunity to learn more about what we love.

Pic credits – Barrelsandbotanicals.com and Aberdeenwhiskyshop

Thanks to – @GeoffGilmore1, @RockNRolla60, @LBDspirits, @WhiskyWithMolly, @whiskeychap (all Twitter).

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By Dram It Mick!

Mick Cash

Enjoying being part of the Whisk(e)y community. I’m one half of @thewhiskeychaps. My opinions are mine only.

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