Ayrshire Whisky Advent DramShare 2023 Group 1

Welcome to Year 2 of the worlds biggest and best Advent Dram Share ('maybe). For those that took part from last year thanks for coming back and for all those that are here for the first time, welcome to the madness! It would take some doing to outdo last year but it seems that people are taking this seriously and put in some crackers.

All we ask in return is to engage with the group while doing this and anything in the future, Take part in our tastings, events and everything going on, we cant promise much but we will promise you will have fun!

We know there are those of you out there beginning your Whisky journey and there is no end to this but enjoy the journey because there is one thing for certain We all Do!

Dram 1 - 01/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Gary McKie

ABV : 60.2%

Bottle : SMWS 11.45 Ruddy-cheeked old fruit

NOSE: At first an intriguing subtle earthiness that suggested white mushrooms and red ales.

PALATE: Became more classically sweet and rich with dates, sticky toffee pudding, malted milk chocolate and dark fruit cordials. With water a lovely musty sweetness akin to aged sauternes, along with hints of old leather bound library books, strawberry syrup and preserved dark fruits.

FINISH: The neat palate was rich and spicy with clove, cinnamon powder and a nicely punchy jammy vibe. Suggestions included blood orange pop and cranberry sauce. Water brought notes of strawberry wine, herbal toothpaste and aniseed, with a wee hint of red liquorice.

NOTES :

Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill toasted ex-white wine barrique

Dram 2 - 02/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by John Alexander

ABV : 59.4%

Bottle : Springbank Handfill (April 22)

NOTES : This one as it's a handfill has no official notes or info.

Region: Campbeltown

Dram 3 - 03/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Colin howie

ABV : 57.1%

Bottle : Thomson Bros Dailuaine 7 Year Old

NOTES : A young and zippy single malt from Dailuaine, matured in ex-oloroso hogsheads and bottled by Thompson Bros. It offers aromas of pineapple, beeswax and dried meat on the nose, leading to notes of charred lemon peel, white peppercorns and orchard fruit on the palate.

Region: Speyside
Cask Type: Oloroso Hogshead

Age: 7 Year Old

Dram 4 - 04/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by John Bryson

ABV : 46%

Notes : Springbank 15 Year Old (2021 or 2022 Release)

NOTES :

Nose Fragrant with a certain richness. Notes of fruit salad and a hint of caramel, pineapple, guava and passion fruit lurk. There are notes of dried leather and old ropes. A hint of toffee sweetness and some granary toast.

Palate Quite full and rich. There are notes of creamy fruit salad and more exotic fruit notes. There is palpable mastication from the oaked tannins with a hint of spice.

Finish Fairly long with a gentle warmth.

Region: Campbeltown

Cask Type: Unknown

Age: 15 Year Old

Dram 5 - 05/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Keith Smith

ABV : 58.8%

Notes : James Eadie Aberlour 10 Year old

NOTES :

Nose : Rich and full-bodied, with raisins, orange zest, maple syrup, molasses and stewed plums.

Taste : Candied orange peel, dark chocolate, maple syrup and sultanas, with an underlying layer of stewed plums and pears.

Finish : Long, waxy and mouth-coating, ending on forest fruits, cinnamon and nutmeg

Region: Speyside

Cask Type:European Oak, 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogshead Finish [12 months]

Age: 10 Year Old

Dram 6 - 06/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Callum Strachan

ABV : 54.1%

Notes : Peats beast Batch Strength PX

NOTES :

The powerfully flavoured Peat’s Beast is finished for nine months in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks to create this remarkable single malt, enhancing familiar smoky notes with the sweet dried-fruit character of Pedro Ximénez. The resulting whisky is presented here at batch strength of 54.1% ABV.

Peat flavours the spirit not only when it’s used to fuel the fires that dry the malted barley, but also through the water source local to the distillery, which is thought to contribute around 15% of the final flavour of the whisky. The result is robust, rich and smoky, yet with a silky, smooth finish.

Peat’s Beast combines whiskies of various ages and styles, but all originating from the same Speyside Distillery, hence its classification as a single malt.

Cask Type: PX

Age: NAS

Dram 7 - 07/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Dave Austin

ABV : 46%

Notes : RedBreast Lustau

NOTES :

Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 boasts the flavour complexity and distinctive qualities of Pot Still whiskey. Matured in a combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle.

Region: Ireland

Cask Type: combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts

Age: NAS

Dram 8 - 08/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Graeme Dunipace

ABV : 60%

Notes : Glen Moray Warehouse 1 Oloroso

NOTES :

A 2014 Glen Moray single malt from the distillery's Warehouse 1 series that was fully matured in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at cask strength. Aromas of sweet malt, oak, brambles, quince, cacao and toasted hazelnuts fill the nose, complemented by notes of liquorice, autumn leaves, walnut oil, dried fruit and oaky spice throughout the palate and lingering in the finish.
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: Oloroso

Age: NAS (From 2014)

Dram 9 - 09/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Fred Baumgartner

ABV : 56.2%

Notes : Arran Quarter Cask

NOTES :

The end result is a full-bodied expression of Arran Single Malt combining power and finesse full of rich vanilla sweetness and bold peppery spice. Bottling at natural Cask Strength without chill-filtration or artificial colouring of any sort presents this whisky in its purest form. Small casks would have been a common feature of the Arran whisky trade in the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries as they were easier to handle and transport around the island. With our much-loved Quarter Cask expression we proudly bring this tradition back to life.

Region: Lowland

Cask Type: matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels before being transferred for secondary maturation into smaller Quarter casks also made of the finest American oak.
The process of transferring our whisky into the smaller 125 litre sized casks produces far greater contact between the whisky & oak and a faster, more intense maturation

ABV: 56.2%
Age: NAS

Dram 10 - 10/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Stuart Armstrong

ABV : 56.8%

Notes : Tamdhu Batch Strength Batch 006

NOTES :

Tamdhu Batch Strength No. 6 showcases Tamdhu's steadfast dedication to crafting sherry-matured whisky, boasting a captivating natural copper hue and a complex flavor profile. Every Oloroso sherry cask is meticulously hand-selected, resulting in an exquisite and nuanced flavor with a memorable and gratifying finish that embodies Speyside's essence.

Region: Speyside
Cask Type: Oloroso

Age: NAS

NOSE: The fresh spiciness of oak, then roasted nuts and warming vanilla.

PALATE: Summer berry pudding with crème anglais. A dash of water brings orange, lemon and even more oak spice.

FINISH: Cinnamon spice swells, revealing a long farewell of citrus zest and ripe figs.

Dram 11 - 11/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by David Irvine

ABV : 46%

Notes : Torabhaig Allt Gleann

NOTES :

Allt Gleann is a smoky whisky made with a small parcel of casks from 2017 and 2018, each filled with heavily-peated whisky. Aromas of heathery smoke, blossom honey, barley sugars and salty sea air fill the nose, complemented by notes of vanilla cream, bonfire smoke, hot tar, oily brine and sweet spices throughout the palate.
Region: Highland
Cask Type: Bourbon

Age: NAS

Dram 12 - 12/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Micky Plummer

ABV : 56.1%

Notes : Edradour Barolo Cask Finish

NOTES :

16 year old single malt from the excellent Edradour distillery, bottled at cask strength after enjoying a finishing period in hogshead casks that previously held Barolo wine! It was distilled back in November 2000 and bottled in May 2017 after 46 months in those Barolo hoggies. A release of 893 bottles.
Region: Highland
Cask Type: finishing period in hogshead casks that previously held Barolo wine

Age: 16 Years Old

NOSE: Caramel, soft redcurrant and orange peel hints, a touch of flint.

PALATE: Wheat crackers and zesty apple chutney, black pepper, pear and blackberries.

FINISH: Chewy chocolate and toffee.

Dram 13 - 13/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Ronnie McInnes

ABV : 58.4%

Notes : Hazelburn Handfill

NOTES :

TBC (It's a Handfill so who knows!)
Region: Campbeltown
Cask Type: TBC

Age: NAS (Bottled Date is 13/07/2023)

Dram 14 - 14/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Kenny Carter

ABV : 40%

Notes : Glenrothes 10 Year old

NOTES :

Quietly and without compromise, the Glenrothes distillery has been producing some of Speyside's finest single malts for more than a century. What began in 1879 has not changed to this day: the production of an unadulterated, finely crafted single malt. A whisky made with integrity, authenticity and, above all, craftsmanship. The Glenrothes 10 Years Old is part of the Soleo Collection. The special feature of the Soleo Collection is the natural color gegbung and the storage in former sherry casks. "Soleo" stands for a special wine production process. Before the grapes are processed, they are dried in the sun on mats until they become raisins.

Tasting notes:

NOSE: Decent aroma of bananas and vanilla.

PALATE: Fruity, bananas, lemons, melons, cinnamon.

Color: Dark golden brown.

Region: Speyside

Cask Type: N/A

Age: 10 Year Old

Dram 15 - 15/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Aidan Ward

ABV : 65.3%

Notes : Master of Malt Glenallachie 11 Year Old

NOTES :

11 years in a refill but between 2011 and 2022 has done the job of imparting soft notes of butter and cream to the fiery, spicy malt at its core. 513 bottles join our very own Master of Malt single cask collection, and at a hearty 65.3% ABV, a dash of water won't go amiss to open up all that delectable character.

Age: 11 Years Old

NOSE: Creamy dulce de leche, vanilla ice cream, and wafers, with a spicy touch of oak followed by a touch of sawdust and toffee popcorn. A savoury note of sourdough is also apparent.

PALATE:Bold spice welcomes the way with prickles of clove, anise, and green peppercorns, soon softened by all the creamy, buttery caramel from the nose, along with milky coffee.

FINISH: A hearty warmth remains, vanilla buttercream and barley sugar bring mellow sweetness, while fiery chilli flakes and ginger build beside butterscotch and oak char.

Dram 16 - 16/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Stephen Lawson

ABV : 47.5%

Notes : Jura 212

NOTES :

A series of annual limited edition bottlings. This expression was distilled on Jura in 2006, and left in American white oak bourbon barrels. Before it was bottled, it was treated to a finish in Chinkapin oak casks, a type of wood native to east and central North America. It was finally bottled at 13 years old, with only 6,000 bottles released. Oh, and what's with the name? The Jura community is made up of only 212 islanders! Nothing to do with the 212 area code for parts of New York City which has made its way into various songs.
Region: Islay
Cask Type: Bourbon with Chinkapin Oak Finish

Age: 13 Years Old

NOSE: Lemon and poppy seed sponge cake, with lemon zest, cinnamon French toast and buttery caramel. lemon drizzle cake, cinnamon spice and creamy toffee.

PALATE:A treacle note, with cooked apple, lemon curd and boiled fruit sweeties, supported by praline.

FINISH: Rich notes of baklava, with sweet nuttiness lingering.

Dram 17 - 17/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Aidan Ward

ABV : 56.4%

Notes : Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire & Sherry Casks & Cask Strength

NOTES :

A superb single malt from the Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire range, but this time, there are a few more ampersands in the mix. Y’see, this edition features the same smoky 10 year old Islay whisky at its heart, but instead of only 25% of it getting treated to a finish in sherry casks, the whole lot of it has been finished in them ? hence “& Sherry Casks”. It has also been bottled up at cask strength, with batch 3 weighing in at a robust 56.4% ABV ? hence “& Cask Strength”. Bonus ampersands, more sherried richness, […]

Dram 18 - 18/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Frazer Wesencraft

ABV : 61.8%

Notes : TWB Apollo 14 15 Year Old

NOTES :

In July 2019 We released an exclusive cask of Deanston 10 year old to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Featuring a bespoke label, 'One Giant Leap', as it was titled, became a sought after and collectable single malt Scotch whisky. The following year, we released a Highland Park 13 year old, 'Houston, We've Had A Problem' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the perilous Apollo 13 mission. Bottles of this eventually made it into the hands of mission Commander Jim Lovell and Pilot Fred Haise. From here, our series of Apollo whiskies has developed into an ongoing series of exciting and interesting whiskies from a variety of Scotch whisky distilleries, celebrating each of the manned Apollo missions, from Apollo 7 through to Apollo 17.

Apollo 14 Notes : St Ola® 15 Year Old 2006 vintage Orcadian single malt Scotch whisky distilled at Highland Park distillery. Single cask first fill pedro ximenez sherry hogshead bottled July 2021. 316 numbered bottles exclusive to The Whisky Barrel with label illustrations by Jamie Coe.

On January 31st, 1971, Apollo 14 launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Landing in the lunar Highlands, the third mission to land on the Moon. Commander Alan Shepard, using a makeshift fold up club, struck two golf balls which remain on the lunar surface to this day and proclaimed that the second Moon shot went "miles and miles and miles". The 6-iron resides at the USGA Museum in New Jersey, planet Earth. "What a neat place to whack a golf ball".

Region: Island
Cask Type: PX Sherry hogshead

Age: 15 Year Old

Dram 19 - 19/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by David Manson

ABV : 55.2%

Notes : Longrow Handfill

NOTES :

Not much other than I won this bottle at a charity auction ran by the North East Whisky Club in aid of the Men's Pie Club.
May have overspent but when someone mentions Men and Pies it triggers something in me!

Anyone wanting to donate to Mens Pie Club can do so here - https://www.menspieclub.co.uk/
Although i think we should try and do one here if anyone else is wanting to get involved!

Region: Campbeltown
Cask Type: Who knows

Dram 20 - 20/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Keiran McAuliffe

ABV : 48%

Notes : MEIKLE TOIR THE SHERRY ONE - 5 YEAR OLD - PEATED SPEYSIDE

NOTES :

Expertly matured in quality Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry puncheons, the casks have imparted rich, fruity notes that mingle harmoniously with warming wisps of peat smoke.

Made using mainland peat from St. Fergus, the sweet phenolic content of the whisky amounts to 35 PPM. A lengthy fermentation period of 160 hours results in a fruit-forward spirit that lends itself perfectly to ageing in the finest Sherry oak.

Meikle Toir (meaning Big Pursuit), is proudly presented by GlenAllachie Distillery, welcomes you to a captivating world where the allure of Speyside elegance meets the bold embrace of mainland peat. Crafted with meticulous care and an unwavering commitment to quality, Meikle Toir introduces a remarkable collection of Peated Speyside Single Malt Whiskies, encompassing four distinctive releases that encapsulate the diverse facets of this extraordinary marriage of flavours.
At Meikle Toir, the creation of exceptional Peated Speyside single malts is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the blending team, led by Master Blender Billy Walker . The commitment to quality is exemplified through an intricate process that involves meticulous cask management and a lengthy fermentation period of 160 hours, resulting in four distinct expressions that captivate the palate and evoke a sense of unparalleled enjoyment.

Meikle Toir's Peated Speyside single malt whisky collection beckons the curious and the connoisseur alike to delve into a world where mainland peat and Speyside finesse harmonize in perfect union. With each release, Meikle Toir showcases their mastery, dedication, and passion for creating whiskies that transcend the ordinary, providing enthusiasts with a range of expressions that celebrate the art of balance, innovation, and tradition.
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: PX / oloroso

Age: 5 Year Old

NOSE: Cedarwood and cigar box, alongside butterscotch, mocha and orange peel, with hints of honey and plum jam.

PALATE:Rich dark chocolate, smoked honey and mocha, followed by fig syrup, treacle and burnt sugar, with puffs of peat smoke on the finish.

Dram 21 - 21/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by John Brady

ABV : 51.4%

Notes : Good Spirits Invergordon 25 Year Old

NOTES :

Notes :
Our tasting note: the nose is sweet caramel and creamy mocha (one of us said "discount supermarket knock-off Dulce de Leche"). Over time some delicate floral notes emerge. The palate is sweet and soft and fluffy in the attack, with burnt sugar and cream, evolving into a drier finish of American oak spice.

A single cask 25 year old Single Grain Scotch Whisky distilled at Invergordon distillery, matured in a hogshead, and bottled exclusively for us here at The Good Spirits Co.

Bottled in 2023 with an outturn of 273 individually hand numbered bottles.
Region: Lowlands

Age: 25yo +

Dram 22 - 22/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Kevin McKie

ABV : 58.1%

Notes : Arran Machrie Moor 4th Edition (2017)

NOTES :

Notes :

This is the Limited Edition Original 2017 Bottling.

The fourth edition of Arran's Machrie Moor Cask Strength boasts a hefty ABV of 58.1% and a robust flavour profile with plenty of peaty goodness. This cask strength whisky is non-chill filtered and peated at a level of 20PPM.

The limited edition batches of Arran's peated Machrie Moor single malt have proved very popular indeed. So popular, in fact, that the distillery on the eponymous island has made the decision to add it to its permanent range! Ideal!

The name for this expression comes from a mysterious mystical peat bog on the western side of the island. Not mystical in the sense that unicorns and dragons fly out of it on a regular basis (as far as we know), but mystical in a 'Hound of the Baskervilles' foggy moorland style of mystical.

Not only will you find peat at Machrie Moor, but stone circles too - one of which was apparently used by a giant to tether its dog to. Hence the dog on the label (its name is Bran).

Although the Isle of Arran was once a hot-bed of distilling activity, there were no distilleries on the island for the majority of the 19th and 20th centuries. Arran distillery opened in 1995, and quickly became a firm favourite. They bottled their first single malt in 1998, a limited edition 3 year old in a glass decanter. Today the distillery also produces a peated single malt called Machrie Moor, and their parent company have opened a second distillery called Lagg on the other side of the island.
Region: Lowland

Dram 23 - 23/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Robert Craig

ABV : 50%

Notes : Ardnamurchan AD/ Sherry Cask

NOTES :

Notes :

Ardnamurchan Distillery is a renowned Scottish whisky distillery located on the stunning Ardnamurchan Peninsula in the western Highlands of Scotland. This AD/Sherry cask release is the first time the Ardnamurchan blending team vatted malts fully matured in sherry. They combined Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry butts and a few octaves to create this rich, succulent dram—a marriage of peated and unpeated spirit, which delivers a dram bursting with notes of fig, chocolate & nutmeg intertwined with a lush smoky character.
Region:
Cask Type: Vatted fully in PX and Oloroso

Age: NAS

Dram 24 - 24/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Tommy Lucas

ABV : 40%

Notes : Glenfiddich Original

NOTES :

Notes :

Inspired by the original 1963 Glenfiddich 'Straight Malt', the expression with which Glenfiddich brought single malt to the world, this special edition is an exclusive addition to our Collection of single malt Scotch whiskies.
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: N/A

Dram 25 - 25/12/2023

Contributor : Donated by Chay Francis

ABV : 58.2%

Notes : Ardnamurchan AD/10.22 Madeira Cask Release

NOTES :

Notes :

The anticipated unpeated expression from Ardnamurchan. This Highland single malt matured for five years in first-fill Bourbon casks, followed by a year long finish in Madeira hogsheads. AD/10.22 was a release of 5,781 bottles, without added colour or chill filtration.

Region: Highland
Cask Type: five years in first-fill Bourbon casks, followed by a year long finish in Madeira hogsheads

Age: NAS