Ayrshire Whisky Advent DramShare 2023 Group 2
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!
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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 Chris McIlwaine
ABV : 60.2%
Bottle : SMWS 11.45 Ruddy-cheeked old fruit
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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.
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NOTES :
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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 Emma Lynch
ABV : 46%
Bottle : Glenmorangie 14 Year old Quinta Rubin
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Notes :
Dr Bill, our Director of Whisky Creation, was born with a taste for adventure. And with this single malt he sought to create a whisky as unpredictable as his travels.
Quinta Ruban is a whisky journey into the wild – a dark and delectable forest where the wind whistles with gusts of peppermint and dark swirls of chocolate can happen at any moment.
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In our giraffe-high stills, it begins soft and fruity, then gets darker and deeper as we let it age for 14 years in bourbon casks and port casks from Portugal.
The finished whisky is a thicket of voluptuous flavour combinations. Walnut and black pepper. Mandarin orange and melted marshmallow. Dark chocolate bar and peppermint.
Like stepping into a chocolate-minty-orange unknown, the journey is as delicious as the destination.
Dram 4 : 04/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by John Burrow
ABV : 46%
Bottle : Springbank 15 (Unsure of year of release but has older label)
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Notes :
Nose
Sherry and blueberry jam. Fudge, butter and bisquits.
Taste
Medium to full body. Oily. Smoky. Peat, peppermint and spicy. Fruity. Malt and cereal notes.
Finish
Quite long. Creamy. Sweet malt. Fruit. Raspberry pie.
Age: 15 Year Old
Dram 6 : 06/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Murray Stewart
ABV : 57.2%
Bottle : Glenallachie 10 Year Old (Batch 8)
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Notes :
Batch 8 joins the growing line of celebrated GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength whiskies. For this edition, master distiller Billy Walker has chosen whisky aged in oloroso and Pedro Ximénez puncheons, and virgin oak and rioja casks. Bottled at a hefty 57.2% ABV with no added colour, and non-chill filtered, this Speysider is brimming with dried fruit character and nuttiness.
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Age: 10 Year Old
Dram 8 : 08/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Richard Speirs
ABV : 46%
Bottle : Glencadam 13 Year Old
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Notes :
In the Autumn of the year 2000, Glencadam distillery fell silent. This silence became a deep sleep for three years until its joyous “Re-Awakening” in the Autumn of 2003. This rare, 13 years old limited edition from the re-start of distillation truly represents and commemorates “The Re-Awakening” of Glencadam Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Glencadam's Aged 13 Years combines the aromas of stone fruits, baking spices, vanilla pod, and peach blossom into a delightful blend. On the palate, creamy panna cotta, custard tarts, and spice apple mingle with sweet raisin and ginger biscuit notes. Enjoy the finish of sugared almonds, panettone, and orchard fruits with a warm, lingering sweetness.
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Age: 13 Year Old
Dram 9 : 09/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Richard Temple
ABV : 40%
Bottle : Kincaple 10 Year Old
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Notes :
Invergordon Distillers (ID)
Nose
Malt, some oak, a hint of red grapes, with a very slight sweetness in the fragrance and a distant micro-smoke note. By adding water, a small note of grated couverture joins the malt. A few raisins show their schumpeligess flavor and if you give your nose time, you will also discover a few green herbs.
Taste
A neutral-soft start with sweet oak and a lowland typical slightly grassy undertone. Gentle, full-bodied maltiness gently adapts to sugary sweetness. This sweetness becomes pervasive with the addition of water. She skilfully plays with a certain herbal spiciness that surrounds notes of oak, grated-malted malt and broken malt drops.
Finish
A small pleasant sharpness, underpinned by a few drops of sugar syrup on oak staves. If one listens carefully, it is still possible to imagine lemony sounds, which are surrounded by a light dryness. Water = dry. But that's not how easy it is ... Malt & Dark Chocolate fencing with blunt sweetness & citrus notes, while the finish gets progressively drier & dustier as the fight progresses.
Age: 10 Year Old
Dram 10 : 10/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Jim Paton
ABV : 40%
Bottle : Glenfiddich 18 Year Old
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Notes :
Nose Loads of fruit. Zesty grapefruit, baked toffee apples. Dry, chocolate Flake-y wood and cinnamon.
Palate Candied fruits and Glenfiddich freshness balances richer notes of dried apricot, more cinnamon and toffee, ginger and dry Sherry.
Finish Peels and a touch of salted toffee.
Overall A wonderfully rich and enjoyable Glenfiddich single malt.
Age: 18 Year Old
Dram 11 : 11/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Greg Walker
ABV : 43%
Bottle : Glenmorangie 18 Year Old
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Notes :
After 15 years of maturation in American white-oak, ex-bourbon casks, around 30% of the whisky is transferred into Spanish Oloroso sherry casks for three years. When both parts have reached 18 years, they are blended together. The Oloroso casks provide an incredible degree of vibrancy, while the American oak balances the raisin-like sweetness of the sherry.
Age: 18 Year Old
Dram 13 : 13/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by John McCafferty
ABV : 45.8%
Bottle : Talisker 2022 Distillers Edition
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Notes :
Double matured Talisker joins the 2022 Distillers Edition collection. Here, the smoky Isle of Skye single malt has been given a good dose of fruity sweetness from amoroso (a style of sweetened sherry) seasoned American oak casks.
Age: NAS
NOSE: Salty sea spray, bonfires, and raisin-like sweetness.
PALATE: Plenty of peat, backed by sticky dates, peppery spice, and a touch of salt.
FINISH: Drying oak and lingering smoke.
Dram 15 : 15/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Mike Woodward-Gregg
ABV : 54%
Bottle : 2023 Bombergers Declaration
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Notes :
Bomberger's Declaration represents an exclusive bourbon crafted by Michter's Distillery, paying homage to its historic Bomberger distillery each year through a fresh bottling. In the 2023 edition, this exceptional whiskey underwent maturation in Chinquapin oak (Quercus Muehlenbergii) and charred American oak casks before being bottled at a robust 54% ABV.
Age: NAS
Dram 16 : 16/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Diane Flynn
ABV : 43%
Bottle : Bowmore 15
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Notes :
Matured first in bourbon barrels then Oloroso casks, there's no finer example of a sherry cask finish than our 15 Year Old. It's the final three years spent in Oloroso sherry casks that gives Bowmore 15 Year Old the rich, deep colour and robust warming finish.
TASTING NOTES
On The Eye: Burnt Sienna
Breathe In: Dark chocolate and raisin aromas compliment the classic Bowmore smokiness
Sip: Wonderful cedar wood and rich treacle toffee flavours
Savour: Spicy, toffee, sherry and barley
Age: 15 Year Old
Dram 17 : 17/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Jonathan Gibson
ABV : 63%
Bottle : Lindores Distillery Cask thiron Virgin Oak
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Notes :
The Lindores Abbey Single Cask #180233 is the latest distillery exclusive whisky release from this lowland distillery. This release is the final one of the Virgin Oak series that has proved very popular and is limited to just 346 bottles.
Age: NAS
Dram 18 : 18/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Graeme Hendry
ABV : 46.4%
Bottle : Raasay Batch 1
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Notes :
As with the first batch, Isle of Raasay Whisky - Batch 2 brings together the distillery's peated and unpeated spirit, and has been matured in an interesting combination of casks. This time, the casks used were first-fill rye whiskey, virgin Chinkapin oak, and first-fill Bordeaux red wine casks. Loads of character, loads of flavour
Age: NAS
Dram 19 : 19/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Alex McColgan
ABV : 46%
Bottle : Ardbeg Smoke Trails
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Notes :
A marriage of American oak and Manzilla sherry casks.
Batch No. SP/MZL :2022/01-ST
Marries whisky aged in the finest Manzanilla sherry casks and classic Ardbeg American oak casks.
The result is a taste adventure that takes in dark chocolate, salty sea spray, Brazil nuts and saddle soap.
A highly collectible series of limited edition whiskies from Ardbeg.
Age: NAS
Dram 20 : 20/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Jonathan Gibson
ABV : 45%
Bottle : Eagle Rare 10 Year old (Bonus Dram provided by Jonathan)
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Notes :
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness-the cornerstones of the birth of a nation, epitomized by the American bald eagle. That nation has come to represent the freedom, spirit and independence of the individual, giving the world products and innovations that are uniquely its own.
One such innovation was Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Early Kentucky settlers created Bourbon, the true American spirit, in the late 1700s. By practice, and protected by law, no other distilled spirit adheres to standards as strict as those established for Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. And few other whiskeys can offer even a glimpse of the great whiskey making found in Eagle Rare. Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a sweet, oaky nose and full, complex body. Reminiscent of a fine port wine, this rare whiskey is best served neat, or over ice. Of course, feel free to drink Eagle Rare in such classic cocktails as the Manhattan or Whiskey Sour.
Age: 10 Years Old
Dram 21 : 21/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Steven Teague
ABV : 61.9%
Bottle : SMWS 73.136 Uplifting Vibe
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Notes :
The nose delivered an uplifting vibe – we imagined shafts of sunlight playing through fluffy clouds onto heathery hillsides sloping down to the springtime machair and the beach beyond – additional aromas of grass, haylofts, sweet nettle tea, nuts, rusks and digestive biscuits suggested a rather unusual picnic – definitely a fresh, outdoor dram. The palate somehow combined creaminess with sharper tingly sensations – creamed coconut and orange zest, stewed apples and custard, butter icing on cakes washed down with cloudy lemonade; it was further complicated by floral, nutty and chalky flavours and a mildly spicy finish of ground ginger and white pepper.
Age: 10 Years Old
Dram 22 : 22/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Travis Britton
ABV : 40%
Bottle : Macallan 12 Year Old
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Notes :
Released as part of Macallan’s ever-wonderful Sherry Oak range comes this 12 Year Old. It has spent its entire maturation in sherry-seasoned oak casks from Jerez, and is bottled at 40% ABV after its 12 years of ageing. It’s full of all those hallmark dried fruit and marmalade notes we’ve come to know and love from a sherried Macallan.
Age: 12 Year Old
Dram 23 : 23/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by John Hill
ABV : 48.5%
Bottle : Nc'Nean Quiet Rebels : Annabel
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Notes :
NOSE
Spice, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger and Vanilla
MOUTH
Flower Honey, Vanilla, Citrus and Oak
FINISH
Short Finish, Citrus, Honey, Ginger and Oak
Dram 24 : 24/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Jamie Williamson
ABV : 43.3%
Bottle : Cambus 1993 26 Year Old Single Cask #13914 Douglas Laing Old Particular
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Notes :
Distilled at the now closed Cambus distillery, this release was bottled by Glasgow based independent bottler, Douglas Laing as part of their Old Particular range. This expression was distilled in 1993 and has spent over two decades in a refill but before there were just 217 bottles produced at a strength of 43.3% abv. free from chill filtration and artificial colouring.
Age: 26 Years Old
Dram 25 : 25/12/2023
Contributor : Donated by Gillian Kirkland
ABV :55.3%
Bottle : Lady of The Glen Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Ltd Edition
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Notes :
Nothing Online for this one!
Age: 12 Years Old