My last review of the cursed, haunted, evil year that was 2020! So I saved an interesting one - an independent bottling of Laphroaig, which don't seem to come up on the market very often. This one is aged in bourbon barrels (no funny business with reracking into sherry casks, wine casks, etc.) for 9 years and bottled at a healthy 57.5%. Laphroaig is Laphroaig... right? This comes from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, is coded 29.272, and nicknamed Fire Your Engines.
Another curious offering from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society - an Old Pulteney which spent 11 years in ex-bourbon barrels, only to be re-racked into first fill PX casks (!), resulting in a most unusual 13 year Scotch. Old Pulteney is generally known for its high salinity, a rather salty dram. How will this combine with the sherry influence? Let's find out. Bottled at 58.9% and nicknamed "North Meets South."
Here is another curiosity from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). This one is a Bunnahabhain that has spent 6 years in a re-charred hogshead, and was bottled at 58.5%. I always think of Bunnahabhain as one of the delicate Islay offerings, so it was strange to see it married to a re-charred cask. The SMWS nicknamed this one "Maritime Marshmallows." Let's see what the result was.
I've always wanted to try Yellow Spot, but never had the opportunity until I picked up some when leaving Dublin after a wonderful trip. Triple distilled, aged 12 years in a combination of bourbon, sherry, and Malaga casks, single pot still, and bottled at 46% ABV. The vaunted Yellow Spot - how does it measure up?
