Bowmore 12 Year (Second Take)

 

Years later, another look at Bowmore 12 Year. Still colored, still chill-filtered, still aged for 12 years... still bottled at a thin 40% ABV. 40%??? What are they thinking?!

Aerstone Land Cask 10 Year

 

In my occasional quest for good drinking budget-level Scotch, I sometimes take a chance on something like Aerstone Land Cask - $30, clearly aimed at the entry segment, but has the possibility of a diamond in the rough. 

Glenfarclas 105 (NAS)

 

Glenfarclas 105 (British proofing system for 60% ABV!) is one of the classical "sherry bombs" or "sherry monsters" - (ideally fully) sherry-matured Scotch, and preferably cask strength, like Aberlour A'Bunadh, Glendronach Cask Strength, and Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso. 

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 65

It's been a long time since I've had Aberlour A'Bunadh. This bottle is Batch 65, at 59.5% ABV, matured in oloroso sherry casks. No chill filtration, no coloring. Let's see what we have:

Talisker 10 Year (3rd Take)

What a disappointment... this bottle, and Talisker generally, really let me down. Something was really off here - where I was used to salty maritime notes, a subtle minerality, some peat and smoke to brace the malt... well, I got easy obvious fruit, no peat or smoke until the last of the bottle, and in place of the mineral/oceanic qualities, an unpleasant "turned cider" sourness. 

My friend Rob told me there have been whisperings of a decline in the core Diageo offerings... if they are true, this is exhibit one,  I'm going to avoid Talisker for a long time. What a steep tumble.