This was our sixth Whiskey Chaps blind tasting, in which @newdramdrinker and @Mrs_NDD (there are links to follow Ant and Nicky on Twitter and Youtube at the bottom of the page) became our sixth volunteers to send us three blind whisk(e)y samples to nose and taste, and to see if we could guess anything about each of them, in return we we will be sending samples in return. This is my summary of the tasting.
Blind sample A
Appearance
This is a deep amber colour, it beads up on the swirl line and has medium thick legs.
Nose
The nose has menthol, slightly herbaceous, juniper, that’s good ABV too. Cigar leaves, dunnage, earthiness, and linseed oil. Is it from outside the UK?
If you think it’s familiar, and it’s English, could it be Cotswolds?#thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) May 14, 2021
Palate
I’m thinking now that I’ve not had this before, it’s quite spicy, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, but there’s honey, brown sugar, almost rum like.
Might be 🤣🤣 #thewhiskeychaps @thewhiskeychaps @StillSurreal
— New Dram Drinker (@newdramdrinker) May 14, 2021
Finish
Quite long, Sherry spices, Xmas pudding, stewed dark fruits, ginger, cinnamon, coffee, very nice.
The sample is
#thewhiskeychaps @thewhiskeychaps @StillSurreal pic.twitter.com/O54sfwXdBP
— New Dram Drinker (@newdramdrinker) May 14, 2021
My thoughts
This is a new whisky to me, i have seen it around on social media but hadn’t tasted it before, and it’s very nice. There’s no lack of flavour that’s for sure, and needs more time to really get into it, i shall be going back into it for longer nosing and tasting notes. i’d also definitely buy a bottle, super stuff.
Blind sample B
Appearance
White wine in colour, so light, and slowly drops medium legs.
OK, Dram 2 appearance, is, errm almost no colour at all. Nose is peated though, and sweet BBQ smoke and meats #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) May 14, 2021
Nose
Peat, bacon, frazzle crisps, quite medicinal too, germoline, some menthol, and slightly herbaceous. Red berries slowly arrive, but they are quite faint.
Roughly £37.00 #thewhiskeychaps @thewhiskeychaps @StillSurreal
— New Dram Drinker (@newdramdrinker) May 14, 2021
Palate
There are fruits here, slightly tropical I’d say, mineral notes, petrichor, pest, smoke, I’d say lemon too. And a touch of salt.
Finish
Peat, fire ash, Cooked salted bacon, red berries, strawberries and raspberries. Quite warming and medicinal, germoline.
The sample is
https://t.co/5zrabf64lp #thewhiskeychaps @thewhiskeychaps @StillSurreal pic.twitter.com/Yc7gMdomKQ
— New Dram Drinker (@newdramdrinker) May 14, 2021
My thoughts
Another whisky I’ve not tried before, and am so pleased i now have. The value for money here is ridiculously good to be honest, that’s a lot of flavour for the money. I’d buy a bottle no problem and recommend it, Islay whisky lovers might just like this.
Blind sample C
Appearance
Wow that’s dark, burnished and oxidised copper in colour, swirl line beads up, lovely thick droplets and medium legs.
Nose
Ash, peat, some tropical fruits, and obvious sherry cask notes. Mince pie filling and baking spices all day here, light cinnamon, and it noses more like an aged whisky, nicely married.
Palate
Very very nicely married, stewed dark fruits, quite spicy too. There also a lovely sweet note like icing sugar, and it’s gone. It’s lovely and warming, a proper winter dram, with Xmas pudding, figs, dates, a little smoke I think, it’s very nice indeed.
Finish
A continuation of the palate mainly, long side of medium in length, with the addition of espresso, black liquorice and demerara sugar and black treacle.
And the sample is
Single Note (Independent Bottler)
— New Dram Drinker (@newdramdrinker) May 14, 2021
Caol Ila
5yr old
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Oloroso Octave Finish
58.5% Abv
Only 74 Bottle @ 500ml
£55.00
No colouring
No chill filtration
Created due to Rick Van Diepen’s love of Jazz & Whisky#thewhiskeychaps @thewhiskeychaps @StillSurreal pic.twitter.com/sHHuZ5JhxF
My thoughts
I was totally taken in by this sample, it comes across as aged, its wonderfully married, it’s packed with aromas and flavours, and yet it’s only 5 years old, mad to be honest. There’s so much depth, roundness, and warmth that comes with this whisky, and even writing this summary up the day after the tasting i’m still seriously impressed, a proper cracker that i’s definitely buy if it was available.
Overall tasting thoughts
This has been another superb blind tasting, the quality of samples has been so high, like the previous 5 blind tastings. Most of all it was fun, and having great whisky folk as our volunteers means plenty of laughs.
There are many more notes and comments for this tasting than i have listed here, if you’d like to read more search #thewhiskeychaps through Tweetdeck.
I’d like to thank Ant and Nicky again for being our 6th Blind tasting volunteers, it’s been fantastic fun. Our 7th Blind tasting will be on the 11th of June, and our volunteer will be Tristan – @WhiskyWizard31 (Twitter), , can’t wait to do it all again.
Follow @newdramdrinker Follow @Mrs_NDD Follow @whiskeychap Follow @WhiskyWizard31 Follow @thewhiskychaps Follow @StillSurrealFollow New Dram Drinker on Youtube here.
