Strathclyde 2005 11 Year Cask #11952 Old Particular (Douglas Laing)

Stop number 84 on the SDT Strathclyde. This Lowland grain distillery is mostly used in blends and I’m not really sure if it releases anything under its own name. This particular bottle is from the Old Particular line from the independent bottlers at Douglas Laing. Cask #11952 was distilled in November 2005 and bottled in July 2017. The information given says that it was finished in a sherry butt, however I suspect the primary maturation was a refill bourbon cask. One of 638 bottles, bottled at cask strength (or close to it) of 55.5% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of amber honey. The nose begins with a typical grain profile but with a nice sherry influence. Lots of vanilla and oak. Toffee, sulphur and weak coffee. Apples & cinnamon, buttercream. A strange pencil eraser and rubber band note. A little cherry and a bit nutty - almonds and cashews. Grassy/hay and a little mint. A very faint cola note with a brief perfume/musk cologne feel. I added a bit of water because of the strength and it yielded a nice confectionary quality. Powdered sugar and more creamy notes. A little coconut, red berries, biscuits and nutmeg. A bit malty/bread like and a touch of honey. Really nice complexity for an 11 year old grain whisky. I’m impressed. The palate is rich and full flavored. Sherry, cherry and red grapes. A strong grain taste, but not harsh like many others I’ve had. Oak, creamy, honeydew, buttery and some sulphur. Toffee, brown sugar/molasses, spice cake and coffee. Medium to full bodied mouthfeel. Dry and mouthwatering at the same time. A medium length finish with caramel, coffee, oak and dry sherry. Well, I must say I went into this one with the mindset that I would be dealing with drain cleaner, but I came out being very much surprised and delighted with a quality offering from Douglas Laing. Incredible depth of flavor given the age of the spirit. The sulphur notes were a little off putting but nothing I couldn’t get past, as were the grainy notes. Otherwise it was very enjoyable. It’s a bit overpriced for its age at $82, but I would recommend it to anyone that likes a strong characterful whisky. I initially thought equated it to a cask strength, sherried version of Hedonism, but after finishing it I do not believe it is as refined. I’ll give it a 3.75 and a big thanks to a friend for the sample. Cheers

Here I am, at the end of the line for the official samples from our sixth round of pours for the distillery tour. I saved this one for last because everyone else has reviewed it and declared it the overall winner for the round. This distillery is technically a Lowland distillery that’s located in Glasgow. It was founded in1927 and is currently owned by Pernod Ricard, with most of its 40 million liters produced annually going into Chivas blends. This distillery has no official bottlings and only made a single malt whisky from the late 1950’s until 1975- marketed as Kinclaith. This is a grain distillery and it’s probably the best of all the grain ones we’ve tried on this journey. The reason why: it’s made from 91% wheat. So, it’s pretty smooth and sweet instead of peppery and harsh. This particular bottle is from the Old Particular line and is copper gold and comes in at 55.5% ABV. There aren’t many legs produced when you spin it and it leaves behind very small droplets on the rim. The nose was initially very grain forward, but then some thick, sherry flavors appeared. The vanilla and honey sweetness wafted from this thing pretty consistently throughout the entire pour. Exceptional for a grain whisky. The palate was sugary and rich with cherry cola and vanilla taking center stage. Some nutty and cinnamon notes mingled around and kept the heat in check. It’s very drinkable for such a high ABV. The finish was long and mostly creamy. The oak shines in the forefront before yielding to some more vanilla and cola flavors. Damn, this is a great grain whisky. Overall, I think I still prefer the Glenlossie for first place this round but I’m not shy about giving this one a solid 4 star score. A big thanks to a friend for supplying this one and I am glad I saved this one for the end. All that’s left now is 15-20 extras and trade samples before we ship the final round in mid-August. Being a whisky fan sure is busy “work”, lol. Cheers.

A peaceful evening unfolds. While my partner enjoyed her Reisling beside me, the sun set. With music from Dierks Bentley and then The Eagles playing softly, I sampled this on my deck. These are the cherished moments I desire more of. Distilled in November 2005 and bottled in July 2017, this particular bottle contains no artificial coloring and is non-chill filtered. It is one of 638 bottles produced, with a finish in sherry butts. Reference number: DL11952. The initial aroma presents a graininess and a metallic, mineral scent akin to Teeling Single. Notes of apple crumb pie with confectionary sugar, vanilla, and hay emerge. Over time, subtle sherry undertones appear. The nose grows considerably sweeter with time, revealing butterscotch, honey, glazed pecans, and cola with a whisper of nutmeg. The body is rich, thick, and possesses a sticky sweetness. Expect brown sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup. A buttercream sweetness graces the mid-palate, seeming to linger before fading. An edgy spice of ground cinnamon and nutmeg develops towards the backend as it transitions to the finish. The finish features cinnamon and vanilla that extend and persist indefinitely. Faint traces of oak and pecan are the final notes. For an 11-year spirit, it is remarkably complex. Delightfully sweet, but not excessively so, offering ample satisfaction for a sweet craving. The spice maintains a vibrant character that keeps the whisky and palate engaged. As with most spirits, patience yields great rewards. A pleasant surprise. [$81][87/100][Tasted: 6/16/18]

I used to travel quite a bit when I was younger; after some time, I realized that seven weeks on the road was the optimal duration. Beyond that, the novelty diminished somewhat, and I sometimes felt weary of it. I believe I've reached that point now, as I virtually trudge through Scottish distilleries, and a fatigue with sherry-aged spirits is setting in. I detected banana and toffee on the nose, and the latter along with cherry on the palate. It's becoming another warning sign for me – that Dr Pepper/cough syrup resemblance (along with lemon and bitterness) – and this has a touch of that. It seems rather common with sherry-matured whiskies. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not poorly made or unbalanced, but immediately, I'm reminded of the plain old vanilla Glen Spey I drank earlier and miss it. 3.25, and another distillery ticked off my list as I wander further into the Scottish mist...

The aroma presents toffee, honey, vanilla, raisins, apples, and some subtle sherry notes. On the palate, the sherry is more prominent. Notes of apple strudel, cinnamon, black pepper, and cream follow. A pleasant heavy mouthfeel, but the finish is a bit hot and dry. I do appreciate that some walnuts linger, but not the bitter conclusion. The theme for this dram is “This is Hardcore” by Pulp. Thanks very much to my friend! It's good, but it really puts your taste buds through a workout. A few drops of water significantly improved it. 3.5!

I'm significantly behind the others in our small tour group; we're in round six with one final round remaining. And I still have all of the samples from a friend and all of my friend's samples to go through. So...I'm going to keep these next few reviews brief today, as I'll likely be four drams in and not my usual coherent, well-spoken self by the time I finish writing this. So, the review: this here...not bad. For $80, would I buy it? Absolutely not. But would I try it at a bar? Yes.