January 8, 2015

#101: Class of ’97

Rob Whitehead – Senior Spirits Salesman of world-renowned wine and spirit merchants Berry Brothers & Rudd – led us through a mystery selection of malts under the banner “Class of ’97”.  They turned out to be quite closely related, but gave a magnificent insight into the variance of single-cask whisky.  Every dram a contentious but tasty one!

Clynelish 1997 Cask #4706 (Berry’s Own Selection) (56.8% abv)

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Clynelish 1997 Cask #4704 (Boisdale) (46% abv)

13yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Clynelish 1997 Cask #6470 (Berry’s Own Selection) (46% abv)

15yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Clynelish 1997 Cask #6868 (Berry’s Own Selection) (46% abv)

15yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Clynelish 1996 (Berry’s Own Selection) Cask 6424 (46% abv) [BUY]

18yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Bunnahabhain 1997 (Berry’s Own Selection) (56.1% abv)

Jura 1976 (Berry’s Own Selection) (53.5% abv)

35yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

January 22, 2015

#102: Uncle Billy’s Sweetshop

Squad inmate Billy Abbott presented a number of whiskies that show off his goto flavours when writing tasting notes: the sweets of his childhood.

Cardhu Gold Reserve 40%

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Balblair 2003 40%

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Teeling Single Malt 46%

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask (American and French Oak) (40% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Talisker Port Ruighe 45.8%

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Edradour 2006 Oloroso Sherry Cask #240 59.2%

7yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

February 5, 2015

#103: David and Goliath

Macallan 15yo Fine Oak (43% abv) [BUY]

15yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Caol Ila 2004 Sherry Cask #306655 (Gordon & MacPhail for The Whisky Exchange) 58.5% [BUY]

9yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Kilkerran Work in Progress 6 Bourbon Cask 46%

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Old Scout 10yo Bourbon 49.5% [BUY]

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

FEW Rye 46.5% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Templeton Rye 40% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

March 5, 2015

#104: What?! Really?

Over the five years of Whisky Squad’s existence, we’ve almost always tried whiskies blind, to ensure that no preconceptions cloud the tasters judgement. This has had a strange side-effect: Squadlateers are pretty good at guessing a whisky from its nose and palate. This time, we decided to go for drams that noone would guess, and we did pretty well.

Glen Grant 1978 (40% abv)

5yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Invergordon 2006 7yo (Whisky Broker) 50%

7yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Redbreast Mano a Lamh (46% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Bunnahabhain 2005 (MacPhail’s Collection) (43% abv) [BUY]

8yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Yoichi 10yo (45% abv) [BUY]

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Millstone 2004 Cask #667 (Whisky Exchange Exclusive) (58.6% abv) [BUY]

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

April 2, 2015

#105: The Whisky Squad 5th Birthday Party

Celebrating 5 years of Whisky Squad we elected to have a party rather than a regular tasting, but it wouldn’t be Whisky Squad without whisky – so we had some.

Huge thanks again must go to Jeff and the crew at The Finborough Arms for hosting us both on this night, and over the last 5 years.

Glen Ord 20yo (Bladnoch Forum) (54.4% abv)

20yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Arran 18yo (46% abv) [BUY]

18yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 6 (49.3% abv) [BUY]

April 23, 2015

#106: Billy and Joel went to Scotland, and all they got you was this really tasty whisky

It seemed only fair that if the Squad management team went to Scotland, picking up some tasty treats while there, that they share the spoils with the gang. So that’s what Billy and Joel did. Six drams, picked up while roaming from Dornoch to Edinburgh, all a bit special.

Singleton of Glen Ord 15yo (40% abv)

15yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Tomatin 2003 Bourbon Cask #1903 (Distillery Only) (56% abv)

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Tomatin 2002 Sherry Cask #2036 (Distillery Only) (57.1% abv)

11yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Wemyss “Waves of Pepper” (Clynelish 1997) (Kingsbarns Exclusive) (46% abv)

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Benriach 1999 PX Finish Cask #10285 (Distillery Exclusive) (54.1% abv)

15yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Caol Ila 2004 Cask #306480 (Gordon & MacPhail for Whisky Shop Dufftown) (60.3% abv)

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

May 21, 2015

#107: #winning

Awards a fixture of the spirits world and whisky is no different. However, what happens behind the scenes when deciding which whisky wins is often shrouded in mystery and the results often surprise. Fortunately, the Whisky Squad crew have judged awards and threw open the curtain and explained the strange machinations that lead to whiskies getting prizes, and we had a selection of weird and wonderful drams to try.

Mellow Corn (50% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Highland Harvest Organic Sauternes Cask Finished (46% abv)

Aberfeldy 21yo (40% abv) [BUY]

21yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Old Pulteney 21yo (46% abv) [BUY]

21yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Benriach 12yo Sherry Wood (46% abv) [BUY]

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Ledaig 8yo (Dramboree 2014) (58.8% abv)

8yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

June 4, 2015

#108: Island Hopping

What is an island anyway? We decided to look at the influence of island climates on some of the whiskies of the world.

The Six Isles (43% abv) [BUY]

Scapa 16yo (40% abv) [BUY]

16yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Bunnahabhain 20yo Pure Malt (40% abv) [BUY]

20yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Tiger Snake Batch 3 (43% abv) [BUY]

Togouchi 12yo (40% abv) [BUY]

12yo from , ,
Bottled for:

Yellow Spot 12yo (46% abv) [BUY]

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

June 25, 2015

#109: Fast Times at Islay High

2015 was a big year for a number of distilleries on Islay – Laphroaig and Ardbeg’s 200th birthdays, Kilchoman’s 10th and what seems to be the actual retirement of Jim McEwan, recently Bruichladdich’s whisky genius, who started as a cooper at Bowmore over 40 years ago. Billy went to the island, grabbed some bottles and found a few more back home to help celebrate.

Bruichladdich Valinch 11: Raymond Tibbs (Cask #2 R10/177 1992 ACEd in Calvados Cask) 49.9%

22yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Ardbeg Perpetuum 47.4% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Laphroaig Cairdeas 200th Anniversary Edition 51.5%

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition 50% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Port Charlotte Islay Barley 50% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: , Bottled for:

July 9, 2015

#: It’s All About the Bass

An evening at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society with ambassador and Squad regular John McCheyne, looking at what different types of casks do to whiskies.

July 23, 2015

#111: The Punters’ Choice

Rather than us choosing the whiskies, this time you did! All the attendees sent us some ideas, Joel picked a few and then we drank them. As usual, we tasted everything blind, so challenged everyone to pick out their dram – a surprisingly hard task.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony (43% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Glenburgie 20yo 1994 Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition (50% abv) [BUY]

20yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Dry Fly Straight Triticale Whiskey (44% abv) [BUY]

NAS from ,
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Great King Street: Glasgow Blend (43% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated (50% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Benriach 17yo Septendecim (46% abv) [BUY]

17yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

August 6, 2015

#112: Capital Of The Whisky World

Long ago, in days of yore, it all began with a town call Campbeltown. Packed with distilleries and firing out whisky in all directions, it was the centre of spirit production in Scotland. However, a series of unfortunate events, from Prohibition to the quality of the whisky dropping to the point on undrinkablility, led to the folding of almost every distillery and the rise of the rest of the country.

However, there are still a handful of distilleries operating and they are still a region all of their own. In this session, Joel dug into the drams that are still flowing from Campbeltown.

Glen Scotia 12yo (46% abv) [BUY]

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Bourbon Cask (54.1% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Hazelburn 10yo 2003 Rundlets and Kilderkins (50.1% abv)

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Springbank 18yo 1996 (Cask Sample) (54.8% abv)

18yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Campbeltown Blended Malt (Cadenheads London Fill Your Own Cask) (59% abv) [BUY]

Longrow 11yo 2003 (Cask Sample) ?

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

August 20, 2015

#113: Dram, That’s Refreshing! aka Refreshing Indoor Picnic

A session with several names, as the British weather’s penchant for change meant that from moment to moment we didn’t know what things were going to be like. In the end, we had a muggy night and an indoor feast of whisky, cocktails and food. From Scottish sushi to ribs and slaw, with a Manhattan that turned into a Boulevardier as its Campari ice cube melted, it was an excellent evening of drinks and more.

Singleton of Glendullan 12yo (40% abv)

12yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Great King Street – The Artist’s Blend (Compass Box) (43% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Basil Hayden’s Bourbon (40% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Bottled for:

Old Scout 10yo Bourbon 49.5% [BUY]

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Templeton Rye 40% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Booker’s Bourbon (65.3% abv) [BUY]

7yo from
Bottled for:

September 3, 2015

#114: Old vs New 3: Something something with a vengeance

Billy yet again dug into his cupboard and brought out some old bottles and their nearest, recently-released equivalents. This time, it was really hard to guess which was which…

Bruichladdich “The Laddie 10” (46% abv) [BUY]

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Bruichladdich 10yo (Bottled 1990s. White and blue label) (40% abv)

10yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Chivas Regal 12yo (40% abv) [BUY]

12yo from
Bottled for:

Chivas Regal 12yo (Bot.1980s) (43% abv)

12yo from
Bottled for:

Talisker 1993 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2007) (45.8% abv)

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Talisker 2003 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2014) (45.8% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

September 17, 2015

#115: Sherry, can you come out tonight?

Fortunately, we’ve been planning ahead at Whisky Squad and despite the rising cost of sherry-cask-matured whisky, we’ve had a few bottles squirreled away for a rainy day. Billy and Elise dusted off a few gems from the archives, as well as some more recent releases, for a night of sherried whisky madeness.

October 15, 2015

#116: Bang for your Buck II

Whisky’s getting expensive, but there are still great bargains out there – they’re not all cheap, but they are great value. We scoured the shelves and found six drams that fit the bill.

Benromach 5yo (40% abv) [BUY]

5yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Evan Williams Single Barrel 2004 (43.3% abv) [BUY]

9yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve (43% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Singleton of Dufftown Tailfire (40% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Springbank 1992 7yo Da Mhile (58% abv)

7yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Finlaggan Cask Strength (58% abv) [BUY]

November 6, 2015

#117: Burn It!

On Bonfire Night, 2015, it was only right to explore the smokey, the firey and the rebellious. We tasted six whiskies that all showed some peat influence.

Longrow Peated (46% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Penderyn Peated (46% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Blue Hanger (6th Release) (45.6% abv) [BUY]

Kings County Peated Bourbon (45% abv) [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

SMWS 66.73 – “Midnight feast at pony club camp” (61% abv) [BUY]

Kilchoman 2011 Madeira Cask (50% abv) [BUY]

4yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

December 13, 2015

#118: A Dram for Movember!

Celebrating moustache growing and fund-raising for men’s health, we had an evening drams and matched moustaches. The links may have been tenuous, but the whisky was definitely connected to quality.

Glen Garioch 8yo Bottled 1980s (43% abv)

8yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Great Odin’s Raven – Ron Burgundy Blended Whisky (40% abv)

NAS from
Bottled for:

Dimple Bottled 1960s (40% abv)

Evan Williams Single Barrel 2004 (43.3% abv) [BUY]

9yo from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

Lg5 (Elements of Islay) 54.8% [BUY]

NAS from
Distillery/Blender: Bottled for:

December 17, 2015

#119: Happy Seasonmas!

Our annual charity ‘bring a bottle’ session raised over £200 for Shelter! Along with the money collected for tickets, we also (donated by Nigel of Sassenach’s Dram) had a raffle for a bottle of whisky. Good work, team.