Glenturret 6 Year (SMWS 16.46 "Cooking on a Rusty Grill")

 

This is my first experience with Glenturret, a distillery fairly south in the Highlands. An independent bottle presented by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), this is peated, aged for 6 years in a re-charred hogshead and bottled at a very stiff 64.9%. Nicknamed "Cooking on a Rusty Grill." Let's see what I can find...

Old Pulteney 13 Year (SMWS 52.36 "Shades of Black")

 

This part two of my Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) journey with Old Pulteney - the first bottle, I really didn't care for. This one is filed under their "oily and coastal" category, nicknamed "Shades of Black" (oooooh) and aged for 11 years in ex-bourbon casks, then finished for 2 years in a first-fill ex-PX hogshead. This is similar to the previous bottle, which was categorized as "Sweet, Fruity, and Mellow." In that bottle, I felt the essential character of the Old Pulteney spirit was lost. I am therefore heartened to see this listed as oily, coastal. This is presented at 59.2% (excellent!). Let's explore...

Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dha (NAS)

 

It's been ~7 years since I last tried the Bunnahbain Toiteach ("Smoky" in Gaelic) - since then, Bunnahabhain has released this new version ("a Dha" meaning Two). This is rumored to be quite heavily peated (55 ppm?) and aged in Manzanilla sherry casks, comes with No Age Statement from distillery Bunnahabhain. We may not know how old it is, but it's un-chill-filtered, un-colored, and presented at a decent 46.3% ABV. How is it? 

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie 20/181 (NAS)

 

I've taken quite a liking to Bruichladdich. I really enjoyed their Port Charlotte 10 Year, as well as their Rockside Farm, and their Islay Barley (which was both challenging and rewarding). I once had The Classic Laddie when it was a 10 year age statement.

Aberlour 12 Year

 

It's been a LONG time since I've had a non-cask strength Aberlour - I don't even remember what the signature notes are. The last Aberlour I had was the 10 Year (now discontinued), which I had in Madagascar (!). This 12 year offering, bottled at a disappointing 40%, is matured by "double cask" - sherry casks and bourbon casks married together after 12 years apart. As for the taste... well, let's find out: 

Dailuaine 12 Year (SMWS 41.139 "A Complex Character")

 

Ah.... my beloved Dailuaine. Right up there with Ardmore on my pantheon of "my favorite underdog drams."  This bottle comes from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and is bottle code 41.139, nicknamed "A Complex Character." 12 years matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, bottled at a wonderful 60.9% ABV. Let's see how the usual Dailuaine "watermelon" note comes across...

Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg! (NAS)

"Arrrrrrrdbeg!" is Ardbeg's special yearly committee release for 2021, to celebrate the retirement of distillery manager Mickey Heads. Ardbeg styles this his "special bottle of grog," and it's been matured entirely for XXX? years in ex-rye barrels. That's right - amid all of the aged Ardbeg releases lately, this is a No Age Statement release. This comes in at a very nice 51.8% ABV. Let's see how the typical Ardbeg profile fares when subjected to all-rye treatment...

Glen Scotia 10 Year (SMWS 93.151 "Members Remember Embers")

 

I jumped on this the moment I heard about it - a Glen Scotia (from Campbeltown) lightly peated and nicknamed "Members Remember Embers" by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)?? Automatic purchase. This is aged for 10 years in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks, no chill filtration, no coloring. Let's see how delectable Glen Scotia comes across when peated...

Port Charlotte 10 Year

 

It's been some time since I reviewed anything from Bruichladdich's heavily peated Port Charlotte imprint. I've had their Scottish Barley and the now-discontinued Peat Project (which I didn't care for). This time around it's their core 10 year bottling, which is peated to about 40 ppm, according to their website. Also from their website: 65% 1st fill American whiskey, 25% 2nd fill French wine, and 10% 2nd fill American whiskey. Bourbon? Rye? 100% malted? Who knows what they mean by that. Bottled at a nice 50% ABV (take notes, competitors!) with no chill filtration or coloring. Let's see what we have here...

Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair (NAS)

 

Finally - a Bunnahabhain I love! I respect the 12 year and Toiteach, but this bottle... I loved. It's no age statement (meaning: very, very young), and matured in a mix of first- and second-fill sherry casks (almost certainly it's predominantly second-fill), no chill-filtration, no coloring, bottled at a nice 46.3% ABV. Gaelic note: the name means "Helmsman" and refers to the man at the wheel on every bottle of Bunnahabhain. Apparently this will partially replace the 12 Year in stores. Let's see what I found: 

Edradour Caledonia 12 Year

 

Edradour 12 Year is nicknamed "Caledonia" after a song by Scotsman Dougie MacLean, who helped select the whisky from the Edradour casks as well.  Matured in ex-bourbon casks for 7-8 years and then transferred to ex-Oloroso casks for the last 4-5 years, it's bottled at 46% ABV with no chill-filtration or coloring. Let's see what Scotland's smallest distillery can do with two extra years in the cask.