Glorious Dalmore. Rich caramel, toffee, cherry goodness. Ahh. 
     Riverside Liquors put on a tasting that was entertaining and hard to replicate on your own. The expressions ranged from a 12 year to the Cigar Malt Reserve. Pictures of the event are in my pool with the other lost images, unfortunately. 
     Here's what we tasted:
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*Dalmore 12 yr 40% ABV  Bourbon/Sherry aged
-smelled almost grape w/slight citrus
-tasted unsweetened chocolate, slightly peppery w/citrus notes
-trails oak
-with water smelled sweeter – caramel, slight toffee
-tasted light citrus orange but less sweet
-quickly goes to oak
Not as sweet as it smells.

Dalmore 15 yr 40% ABV  Bourbon/3 Sherry Cask aged
​-smelled slight bourbon w/oak and raisin bread
-tasted sweet oak w/sweet bread/dough
-with water smelled cherry w/caramel
-tasted almost smoky w/light floral
-trailed oak quickly!

Dalmore Portwood  46.5% ABV 
​-smelled citrusy apricot (port wine), orange scone
-tasted syrupy citrus w/pepper and oak
-with water smelled bread pudding w/tinge of oak
-tasted sugar cookie – went quickly to oak
-trailed very peppery

^Dalmore 18 yr 43% ABV
​-smelled apples/sweet dried fruit – lemony
-tasted sweet dessert, lemon pastry
-trailed w/barely any oak and slight alcohol burn
-with water smelled caramelized dessert/cookie
-tasted raisin bread
-trailed slight pepper and oak
Aly likes this one. 

^Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve 44% ABV
​-smelled polished leather w/slight oak
-tasted toasted bread w/tinge sour
-with water smelled grape with orange
-tasted leathery pepper w/no oaky finish
Smells much sweeter with water than it tastes.

     This tasting was not just the one expression. My friend John stopped by with some whisky. He enjoyed some whiskies from my shelf and I got to taste a peated Glendronach. I did only take notes for that one though. Of course the picture of the bottle and others is lost in my pool somewhere from my swim. Here is what I tasted:

*Glendronach Peated 46% ABV (Olorosso & PX casks)
-smelled sweet toasted biscuit/butter cookie
-tasted slight peat w/oak
-trailed oak but sweet
-with water smelled floral, slight peat with lemon bar
-tasted peppery peat w/citrusy overtone
-trailed peat slowly

     This meeting featured whiskies with a connection to beer, I think. Lost notes and a bad memory are not my allies right now. I have notes for three expressions. Here they are:

​*The Arran Malt Single Cask 54% ABV
-smells lemon, floral, pastry (Entenmann’s pastry)
-tasted light oak, peppery
-with water smelled lighter lemony
-sweet sherry smell
-tasted peppery!
-trails oak and pepper
Water flattened the sweetness. I put just a dash. 

​*Two Lanterns American Whiskey 4yr 43% ABV
Berkshire Mountain Distillers - Sheffield, MA
Distilled from Sam Adams Beer
-smelled waxy, leathery
-can smell the tanins and slight touch of beer
-tasted slight beer w/oak- almost like beer foam
-with water smelled floral and dish detergent
-tasted light, sweet beer, flat
-slight oak
Interesting.

     This was a year of eclectic expressions. I remember Todd running around that afternoon to gather the bottles. Whatever pics I took from the event are lost. About the only goal I had for the evening was to try the Game of Thrones White Walker. In fact that is the only note I have. Shame on me.
​ 

​*Johnny Walker White Walker (GOT) 41.7% ABV
-extremely light blend w/touch of oak
-trails quickly!
That’s it.

*McCallan Edition No.3
-smelled slight oak, bourbon
-tasted peppery oak
-with water smelled slight caramel, vanilla
-tinge of rubbery oak
-tastes peppery oak
-trails bitter oak
     Nothing I would go out of my way for but a nice, easy to drink whisky.

     Well I'm only about two years behind at this point. I do not remember where this tasting happened, but it's a good bet it was at my house. Unfortunately this year, 2020, we are breaking the tradition and not having a meeting for St Patrick's Day at Castle MacDonald. COVID-19 is a concern and our club is on hiatus anyway. Seeing everyone is always fun and next year is a new year. 

     *Knappogue Castle 16yr 40% ABV
TwinWood Sherry Finished
-smelled sweet birthday cake w/vanilla
-tasted vanilla
-with water smelled sweet oak vanilla
-tasted slight oak w/touch bread, doughy
-trailed bitter oak quickly

​*Knappogue Castle 12yr 40% ABV
-smelled sweet candy oak w/dessert icing
-tasted peppery oak w/toasted bread
-with water smelled powdered donuts
Tasted slight sweet with oak

     Once again I would like to apologize for lost notes, pics, time delay and general lateness of this posting. The presenter greeted us with a range of Glenfiddich whiskies. I have noted previous dates for tasting notes of each. However the exact expression may be different from that in the Highland Games tasting since my pictures are gone. Here is what I have for you:
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 *Glenfiddich 12yr –refer to previous notes 8/9/14
*Glenfiddich 14yr – refer to previous notes 9/18/15 (Bourbon Barrel Reserve)
*Glenfiddich 15yr – refer to previous notes 2/24/17 (Solera Reserve)

​*Glenfiddich IPA Cask 43% ABV
-smelled sweet cherry candy w/tinge beer
-smelled apples after 10 minutes
-tasted light beer/light oak w/no pepper
-with water smelled fruity, apples
-tasted peppery!
-trailed quickly!

​*Glenfiddich Project XX Experimental Series ’02 47% ABV
[Blenders got together and chose 20 barrels to marry]
-smelled apples, fruit
-tasted peppery/cherry candy/dark chocolate
-with water smelled floral- almost soapy and lemon
-tasted very peppery!
-trailed oak
Water is not good for this. 

​*Exclusive Malts 14yr 57.4% ABV
-smelled cinnamon bun w/shortbread
-with water smelled very sweet taffy/vanilla w/touch of floral
-tasted peppery floral and salty pretzel! Wow!
-trailed pepper

     I am at a loss on this particular event. My phone from that period did not swim well with me and said phone must have contained photos of this event. The owner of the phone, me, did not save the photos to Google Drive or any device. With that said, there are two spirits that I noted.
     Also I do not remember where the meeting took place. I would, of course, like to thank our hosts. Thank you meeting hosts!
​     Please comment on this one and add some pics.   
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 *Vikingernes Mjod 19% ABV Nordic Honey Wine with Hops
-smelled sweet wine
-tasted sweet wine with hoppiness
No surprises here. 

*Robert Grahams Allt a Bhainne 15yr 43% ABV
-smelled cinnamon bun
-tasted oaky with touch of bread
-with water smelled floral, sweet citrus
-tasted bitter oak
Not much better with water. 

     Our own POTWC (President of the Whisky Club) , Todd, was once again gracious enough to open his home and host a meeting even though we made jokes and called him old for his birthday. 

​*Balblair ’93 53% ABV (Angle’s Share filming location)
-smelled bananas, strong vanilla
-tasted slight floral w/pepper
-with water smelled fruit salad
-tasted fruity wood
-trailed oaky pepper slowly

​*Glenrothes 40% ABV Select Reserve NAS
-smelled sliced apples
-tasted apple, pastry, very light oak
-with water strong apples
-tasted slight oak and trailed quickly!

*Grangestone Double Cask Matured – Finished in Sherry NAS
-smelled doughy, raisins
-tasted raisin with vanilla and touch of oak
-with water smelled floral raisin
-tasted very light oak w/raisin
-trailed light oak

​*Palm Ridge Reserve 9th Anniversary
-smelled strong oak w/citrus sweet
-tasted strong oak!, no citrus
-citrus aftertaste
-with water smelled Scotch tape/oak
-tasted like a piece of oak
-tannin aftertaste with touch of citrus
 
*Springbank 16yr 54.2% ABV – Special Bottling given to me by Willie Cotting
-smelled oak wood, tar, peat lightly
-tasted tinge of rubber w/smoke, tar, peat
-with water smelled lighter
-tasted peaty, peppery
-trailed spicy
Tasted the peat with no smoke.