June 2023 - Old Perth PX, Glenturret 10 & TWE Black Friday

Here we are again for another month of samples - last month I started scoring the samples out of 100 - this will continue and it would be great to see you guys comment down below your opinions. This is why I decided to do this online tasting notes as a blog; it allows you guys to get stuck in as well. I want to see scores, rankings, your own tasting notes and opinions. My whisky heaven might be your whisky hell, I mean it would be boring if we all liked the same thing don't you think?

Old Perth Pedro Ximenez

So this is something I have wanted to try for a while - I do enjoy a PX cask whisky - so when i managed to find a couple of bottles of it I wanted to include this in this months samples (supposedly limited to just 800 bottles in the UK). I think it is definitely worth noting here as why/how it is a blend? So it is a variety of Speyside whiskies that have been distilled in a variety of sherry casks (some PX and some Oloroso) - that's the blend part - and then to be able to label it as PX that blend then spent 15months finishing in PX casks. And personally, I think you can tell. On the nose I get salted caramel and the smell of sherry stewed dried fruits with brown sugar, just before its put into Christmas cake. On the palate I am getting a confused sherry flavour: hints of traditional PX notes (Molasses, plums and dried fruits) but also the olorosso notes of nutty milk chocolate and light spices. The finish is okay, lingering dark chocolate, slightly bittersweet - much like my overall opinion of this. A definite sherry bomb, good strength to it which I like to see - add a couple of drops of water and I think it improves it. 82/100.

Glenturret 10: Peat smoked 2020 Maiden Release

From the oldest distillery in Scotland we have a 10 year old Peat smoked whisky, I haven't included many Peaty whiskies over the last couple of months since starting Mr Dram Man, and in this pack you get 2. I didn't quite know what to expect here to be completely honest, I have heard a variety of things about some of the Glenturret releases, but I will always give things a try. With this I was pleasantly surprised: bottled at a respectable 50%abv and not as peated as I was expecting. On the nose I get a very sweet peat, and the only image that came to mind was a combination of baked cookies and fire pit on a summers evening. On the palate I get burnt sugar, dark chocolate and cinder toffee with the finish being quite long with a progressive sweet peatiness of treacle and charred oak. I actually really enjoyed this, more than the Old Perth, which I didn't expect. 91/100.

The Whisky Exchange Black Friday 2022: Caol Ila 16

For the last few years The Whisky Exchange have released a Black Friday limited release bottle, and last years was the Caol Ila 16, only 2000 bottles released, of which I had 2. Peated whisky I find an acquired taste, and isn't everyone's dram of choice. Personally, I really enjoy a peated whisky like this, but I have to be in the mood for it and as peated distilleries go this is up their, with it being the main peated whisky that does into many Johnnie Walker Blends. On the nose I get a citrus fruits combined with sea air on a cold windy day (strangely specific I know), on the palate I get a briny seaweed note along with a medicinal note I can't quite put my finger on (feel free to suggest below). The finish I find quite minerally, oily mixed with damp forest air. All round it's quite a complex whisky, and a great choice from the TWE. As far as peated whisky goes its up there, the age brings a smoothness to it. 90/100.

I look forward to delivering you some more great Drams next month, and with some new connections with distilleries in the pipe line I am hoping to be able to offer you guys more. Don't forget to leave your scores below - and if there are every any bottles or distilleries you would like try then please let me know and I will see what I can do.