Monday 25th 2009

Mickeys Tastings (Part 1)

An Early start at Ardbeg this morning for the First of todays two tastings , this one was the Committee and Special botllings one . Mickey gave us a quick tour first as there were a few who hadn't been at the distillery before . The tasing took place in the gallery on the top floor of the Old Kiln , the Malts tasted were ......

The Tasting Line up

Corryvreckan (Committee Bottling)
Supernova
1992 Cask 772
1998 Toasted Cask 1189
1998 Toasted Cask 1190

Not a bad line up ! Tasting notes for the 772 are as follows....

1992 16yo Cask 772
Year - 1992	Age - 16yo	ABV - 55.7%
Colour - Bright Gold .
Nose - Creamy Fudge , Slight Smoke , Lemon , pine nuts , the lemon is the most dominant one of the lot and when water is added seems to increase .
Taste - Menthol and Strong Coffee .
Finish - Long and Menthol .
Comments - Dist 30th April 1992 , Bottled 10th December 2008 , 184 bottles from a 1st Fill Ex Bourbon Cask . not a bad Ardbeg but not what i would say was one of my favourite and certainly , imo , not worth £192 a bottle.....

On tasting the two Festival together for the first time i would say the 1190 is my favourite .

Mickeys Morning Tasting

Lunch was had at the Old Kiln , in the company of the LWS and also managed to say hello to Christine Logan and Gallus . Also Bobby appeared for the Afternoon "Birth to Bottle" tasting in Warehouse 3 . An interesting tasting Not at least because the tasting menu was handed out wrapped around a Babies Bottle......

3 years were chosen ( 2000 - 9yo , 2003 - 6yo , 2006 - 3yo ) and then we were given the chance to try 3 samples from each one , one from a Bourbon 1st fill , one from a Bourbon Refill and one from a sherry cask . The full details are..... (in order Tasted)

Mickeys Afternoon Tasting

2006 Refill Bourbon Cask 2185 61.8%
2006 1st Fill Bourbon Cask 1721 61.4%
2003 Refill Bourbon Cask 897 60.6%
2003 1st Fill Bourbon Cask 1312 60.3%
2000 Refill Bourbon Cask 2771 57.1%
2000 1st Fill Bourbon Cask 368 58.4%
2006 Refill Sherry Cask 3354 61.4%
2003 Refill Sherry Cask 2815 2815 58.1%
2000 1st Fill Sherry Cask 3090 58.7%

It was great seeing the difference between fresh and refilled Casks and it was very noticable , needless to say the spirit also improved with age , the 9yo 1st fill was cracking stuff , very Renaissance like . The older sherry one was also the best of the sherried ones .

As it was Monday it was Nosing Competition night and once again we managed to fail Gloriously ! Met up with Willie for the first time this week as well and bumped into Tim from the Whisky Exchange and the Caskstrength .net boys .