Our Tasting "Gatherings": A malt, a beer, a malt, a beer. Who's counting!

Bowmore 25yr 43% abv

Islay

Nose: Intense sherry and stewed fruits with a trace of Bowmore smokiness.

Palate: After twenty five years, delicious toffee and hazelnut have mellowed together with just a hint of sweet peat smoke.

Finish: Mellow, gentle and incredibly complex. Savour every drop

Comment: It doesn’t get any better than this!

Bruichladdich Cuvee 407/PX 21yr 46% abv

Islay

Nose: Huge aromas of spice and chocolate. Toffee apples, marmalade and black treacle. Sticky toffee pudding and cherries.

Palate: Raisins and soft spice. Big notes of vanilla, marmalade and rich oak. Very aromatic and intense. Lovely and thick malt core.

Finish: Long, spicy finish. Sherried oak and fruit

Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12yr 47.8% abv

Speyside

Nose: Bounty of sweet oak and spice.

Palate: Rich and complex with deep vanilla oakiness. Honey notes will be overlaid with sweet fruits and subtle spices.

Finish: Medium long with lingering sweetness.

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 1st Release 5yr 46% abv

Islay

Nose: Fruity and spicy with understated peat.

Palate: Deep and richly flavored, combining sherry notes with peat and cloves.

Finish: Well balanced with lingering sweetness and long finish.

Springbank Calvados Wood 12yr 52.7% abv

Campbletown

Nose: The influence of the Calvados casks is immediately apparent, with notes of green apples, citrus fruits and sweet toffee showing themselves in the beginning. Vanilla essence, pears and some gentle spice come later.

Palate: A very lively dram at cask strength. Black pepper and rhubarb give way to demerara sugar, green grapes, a touch of cinnamon and a little bit of home-made fudge. This is an oily whisky for sure.

Finish: Orange marmalade, gooseberries and a pleasant, dry, peatiness leave a lasting impression.

Octomore 6.1 Release @167ppm 5yr 57% abv

Islay

Nose: Malt, leather, and a little medicinal... Something sweet also, maybe a little melon. Floating above all of this is almost a slight cheese aroma, and then of course the peat smoke... Not the uppercut to the face you would expect. But it's definitely there.

Palate: This stuff just fills the mouth. Fills every crevice. Almost creamy, thick. A real joy to tease across your tongue. This time smoky, peaty, bonfire. Not as aggressive again as you may expect, but wow. Its definitely powerful. Aside from that though, it's deceptively delicate. There are some really light, almost floral notes. Maybe a little fruit too. Hard to describe. The peat is definitely the overwhelming flavor. Absolutely incredible.

Finish: Long and warming. Your tongue is coated with wave after wave of peat. Fantastic!

Scotland Revisited!

Islay, here we come!

Great Divide “Fresh Hop” Pale Ale 6.1%

Colorado

Nose: Citrus, fresh hops

Palate: Nice hops on the forefront, orange notes with some slight bitterness

Finish: Short

Brewdog “Cocoa Psycho” 10%

Scotland

Nose: Big coffee and chocolate hit

Palate: Dark roasted malts, coffee, then the chocolate sweetness

Finish: Short

Founders “Sweet Repute” Wheat Ale 12.6%

Michigan

Nose: Sweetness, maple syrup, orange notes

Palate: Very sweet (ready for your pancakes), Bourbon, maple syrup, vanilla, oak

Finish: Medium with the lasting bourbon sweetness

Williams Brewing “Fraoch Heather Ale” 11%

Scotland

Nose: Bit of a whiskey (bourbon) nose, winey

Palate: Fruity, malty, with a bit of caramel

Finish: Medium with the bourbon oak coming through

Did I hear someone say BACON?

A great evening with friends, whiskey, beer, and yes, bacon!

Our palates were pleased with a plethora of bacon themed dishes from bacon meatballs to bacon soup shooters, bacon cheese balls to bacon crab cakes, and bacon stuffed mushrooms even. Not to mention the beautiful pairing of the Bowmore 25 with bacon truffles. Superb! I would also add that it was a wonderful way to celebrate Matt’s birthday.

Bowmore 25 & Chocolate Bacon Truffles

Bacon Soup Shooters

Potato leek soup with peppered bacon and dill