The Managers’ Choice – 3rd Release

Mannochmore™ 1998/2009, 59.1%, cask #6582, bottle 398/588, (Bodega sherry European oak

Colour: / Rich amber with a gun-metal tint. Oily with elegant legs.
Nose: / Firm but not entrenched. Deceptive early aromas of linseed oil and putty quickly give way to a sharp, fresh, forest-fruit compote underscored by white chocolate, vanilla and beeswax. Water banishes the waxiness in an explosion of light, fruit-salad freshness.
Body: / Dense; though lightly syrupy with water.
Palate: / Fiery and insistent: An oily balance of sweet and sharp notes on a charred base of burnt orange peel; crêpes suzettes flamed for just a fraction too long in orange eau de vie. Lighter, more delicate and cooling with water; filled with the flavour of summer fruits, orange blossom and a whiff of peppermint.
Finish: / Warming and mentholic at cask strength; soft and fragrant with water. A surprising late sweetness, cut with orange oil, balances velvet-smooth, lengthy tannins and some very late, rounded, and much appreciated, smoke.
Comment: / A rich whisky at cask strength, perhaps moving to the after dinner slot; with water, more of the classic Mannochmore floral and fruit freshness. In both cases a beautiful balance of citrus sharpness and oaky-vanilla notes

Glenkinchie™ 1992/2009, 58.1%, cask #502, bottle 345/528, (European oak)

Colour: / Pale gold; Chardonnay.
Nose: / Delicate and refined with soft hints of lemon semifreddo and top notes of fresh straw and barley sugar. Later, smooth honey-and-lemon and the scent of marshmallows. With water, sweet and floral notes: Tuberose or Turkish delight dusted with powder sugar on a cereal base.
Body: / Rich and creamy.
Palate: / Light and drying. Immediate fresh citrus quickly develops into liquorice and eucalyptus notes at cask strength. Mineral hints. Rounded, cooling and faintly spicy with water.
Finish: / The fruit tang quickly gives way to lengthy mature oak off-set by creamy vanilla notes and very late menthol. Cooling with water; silky, yet drying. Cleansing. Appetising late cereal.
Comment: / A very delicate whisky composed of complex, though beautifully balanced, elements: Mediterranean citrus, exotic florals and creamy vanilla. Long and smooth in structure, and though light throughout, it is never superficial.

Glen Ord™ 1997/2009, 59.2%, cask #10181, bottle 089/204, (Bourbon American oak)

Colour: / Cool gold with warm, orange hints in sunlight.
Nose: / A quiet, confident complexity. Slightly winey with apple stalks, pear skins and suggestions of Cuban tobacco. Later, a balance of autumnal fruit acidity with hints of orange zest and Cognac warmth. Later still, mature, drying oak: pleasantly dusty with a trace of vanilla pod.
Body: / Medium. Extraordinarily silky with water.
Palate: / Rich and warming; oily and orangey. Then clean, drying oak: smooth dark cocoa, white chocolate and orange oil; moving to aromatic cedar, new leather and hints of spirits of turpentine. Richer and cooler with water; smoother, silkier and with the merest suggestion of peat.
Finish: / Long and rounded with a loving warmth. White chocolate mousse sprinkled with orange zest and shavings of fruity south American chocolate. Later, more cedar and tobacco: the memory of a walk-in humidor.
Comment: / A fabulously refined bourbon wood experience: an exquisite balance of fresh vanilla and oaky dryness; of oily richness and orange acidity. The courteous, urbane sophistication of Glen Ord and the youthful confidence of American oak producing a truly adult whisky.

Dailuaine™ 1997/2009, 58.6%, cask #8476, bottle 381/564, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour: / Antique gold; polished phosphor bronze.
Nose: / Fat. Immediate oaked chardonnay notes are balanced by big, soft, treacly, wodges of gingery Yorkshire Parkin. Later, slices of buttered malt loaf spread with honey and marmalade. Water reveals huge depth; Muscat notes of honey, buttery-vanilla and tropical fruits are complimented by cleansing wood-smoke.
Body: / Very rich; very dense.
Palate: / Warming. Spicy. Soft fig rolls. Medjool dates and smooth dark Swiss chocolate. Cooling and oilier with water: hints of menthol, aniseed and burnt sweet-shortcrust pastry.
Finish: / Smooth and warming. Creamy vanilla notes complement a syrupy ginger pudding spiciness. Later; drying, herbal oak. Lighter and longer with water, and seductive suggestion of Cherry-wood smoked malt.
Comment: / Instantly comforting, it is extremely well balanced at cask strength; taking time to reveal the full, indulgent, depth of fruity malt, creamy oak and smoke notes. Water cools, softens and dries. An incredibly pleasing and affirming whisky.

Royal Lochnagar™ 1994/2009, 59.3%, cask #837, bottle 346/528, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour: / Rich coppery-gold. Light legs.
Nose: / Big. Initially drying with slightly dusty, oaky notes; then masses of sherry. Homemade rum and raisin ice cream - dense with vanilla and tropical spice. In the far distance, pine resin and wraith-like phenols. Water releases patisserie aromas of glazed fruit tarts and orange blossom; later, sherbet powder [Keli for Scots].
Body: / Light to medium.
Palate: / Hot, thin and drying at cask strength. Herbal. Clove with hints of eucalyptus. Liquorice bitterness and linseed oil seek to obscure a base note of rich fruit-cake; and there is also a fugitive note of red berry tartness. Softer and sweeter with water; treacle toffee and orange oil soften some crunchy cereal notes.
Finish: / Warming and mentholic with a toasted cereal graininess. Again, clove and aniseed but now moderated with some molasses sweetness and a delicate, late cocoa dryness. With water, a richer dried fruit character emerges against a dustier, nuttier background.
Comment: / Mature oak harmonizes beautifully with the spice and cereal signature of Royal Lochnagar. An indulgent nose, rich in creamy vanilla and sweet, spicy notes, joined with a lengthy, malty palate. This expression also retains a pleasing light fruity freshness throughout.

Inchgower™ 1993/2009, 61.9%, cask #7917, bottle 369/564, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour: / Deep, polished mahogany with crimson flashes in sunlight.
Nose: / Initially, very reserved. Notes of liquorice, bubblegum and clove top the faintest hints of sawn oak, burnt oak and bitumen. Suggestions, too, of the sea; brine, ozone and salt air. Fresher with water; traces of pear, red apple, eucalyptus, linseed oil and sandalwood.
Body: / Thick.
Palate: / Astonishingly cool at first. Dense, with a near-impenetrable herbal bitterness. Italian bitters [Fernet Branca]. Rapidly becomes fierce and intensely drying. Pure liquorice and strong Assam black teas. Water transforms some tannin character into a perfumed, slightly oily, sweetness with hints of quinine and citrus pith.
Finish: / Beyond bitterness comes enormous complexity: Myrrh-like in its resinous astringency it hints at molasses sweetness; peat and tar, brine and ozone; burnt fruit cake, and late bitter chocolate.
Comment: / The essence of this exceptional malt, of truly hard core complexity when taken at cask strength, lies almost wholly in the finish. Though a challenge to decode, it will eventually yield its secrets with a little water and a patience.

Caol Ila™ 1997/2009, 58.0%, cask #14185, bottle 073/366, (Bodega sherry European oak)

Colour: / Gloriously attractive; clear, sparkly amber. Lightly viscous.
Nose: / Instant. Fresh. Invigorating. At first, acetic dryness fuses with honey, Beech wood-smoke, salty sea air and lemon juice. Wood-smoke rapidly becomes full-on coal tar as phenols move to the fore. Then, with water, a subtle, tropical fruit sweetness plays with its savoury partners; toasted cumin, porcini and sage-butter.
Body: / Light. Soft.
Palate: / Instant phenol. Sensuous. Coating. Pure smoke briefly cut through by a honeyed sweetness. Later fresh fennel and tarragon; followed by drying, oaky, vanilla and crunchy, grainy cereals.
Finish: / Long and smooth; sweet, smoky, herbal, earthy and peppery. Traces of clove. Splendidly savoury: the earthiness of beetroot, roasted with salt and virgin olive oil in a wood fired oven. Comforting late smoky breath. Complete.
Comment: / An outstanding whisky that just can’t help playing games with us: Is it sweet? Where’s the acid gone. Nope - here’s the lemon. Wait, where’s the honey? But that’s olive oil! Throughout, an unpredictable interplay of sweet, tart, savoury and smoky notes; astonishingly fresh and ferociously appetising. Caol Ila never fails to engage, surprise and delight.

1