.#MilroysTT

.the line-up

Once again, Steve Rush from @TheWhiskyWire has arranged another twitter tasting*. This time, he had found whisky specialist Milroys of Soho willing to supply the attendants with six different, generously filled 10 and 5cl bottles labeled from 1 to 6, meaning this was to be a blind tasting.

milroys - peated single cask - 2008

40% abv, €35, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour, single cask

Nose: peat! sweet, bbq, bacon, smoke, rather young, salty cheese, iron, mint
Palate: gentle, sweet, honey, floral, heather, smoke
Finish: smooth, gentle, slight ashy, smoke, short
Mark: +++/++

Conclusion: a bit short. Not bad, but it is gone too fast. Very drinkable, without any strings attached.

More info: tasted during the #MilroysTT2 twitter tasting that was organised by @TheWhiskyWire. I would have told you (and I have, if you were in the twitter tasting) that this was a Kilchoman. But given the reasonable price, I really doubt that, plus the fact I am not even sure Kilchoman has filled 8099 casks, let alone in 2008...

Distilled on 04/12/2008, matured in Hogshead #8099, bottled on 15/04/2013 into 497 bottles

.millstone - 14yo - 1999 px

46% abv, €65, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: wet grain, mash, rye?, wet dog, sweet, rubber, leather, mint, sherry, raisins, christmas pudding, dried fruits, nutmeg, nuts, walnuts,
Palate: sharp, pepper, sweet, syrup, liquorice, honey, bitter,
Finish: sweet, medium dry, floral, heather short, a mouth full of gummy bears, iron
Mark: +++/++

Conclusion: rather strange… something is off with this... but: After a while in the glass it gets better. Much better. Loveable stuff, I would buy a bottle if it were priced differently.

More info: tasted during the #MilroysTT2 twitter tasting that was organised by @TheWhiskyWire. My guess was it to be a single grain, specifically Girvan, matured on a good sherry butt.

Distilled on 26/02/1999, matured in ex-Sherry cask #1355 – Bottled on 15/03/2013 into 371 bottles

.zuidam - rye - milroys single cask

46% abv, €50, rye, non-chill filtered, natural colour, single cask

Nose: fresh sawdust, fresh latex paint, herbs, cloves, nutmeg, beeswax, cinnamon sticks, Chinese herbs, citrus, grapefruit,  mint
Palate: sweet, clover-honey, rye, caramel, spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ryebread
Finish: sweet, honey, warming, medium long, lovely
Mark: ++++/+

Conclusion: whooo! I like it. Go buy a bottle..!

More info: tasted during the #MilroysTT2 twitter tasting that was organised by @TheWhiskyWire. My first guess when opening the bottle was; Zuidam. When sipping the first drop, I immediately thought of a rye. My first ever spot-on guess..! My winner of the evening.

Distilled on 30/11/2007, matured in virgin american oak cask #449, bottled on 15/03/2013 into 217 bottles

.glen elgin - 17yo - milroys single cask

46% abv, €70, single malt

Nose: sweet, marzipan, citrus, lemon-peel, sweet oranges, fruit, pear, floral, violets, a whiff of anise
Palate: sweet, spicy, white pepper, cirtus, marmalade
Finish: spicy, warm, jalapeños, sour green apples, medium long, medium dry
Mark: +++++

Conclusion: Nice, can do with a splash of water.

More info: tasted during the #MilroysTT2 twitter tasting that was organised by @TheWhiskyWire. At first I thought this to be an Irish whisky, but it appeared to be a 17 year old Glen Elgin. Not my favourite of the evening, but a very nice drink overall.

Distilled on 07/11/1995, matured in hogshead 1669, bottled in 15/04/2013 into 348 bottles

.milroys - finest blend

40% abv, €25, blended malt

Nose: rough, grainy, medicinal, seaweed at first. Later sweet, vanilla, fruit, pears, citrus, pineapple, a hint of smoke and salted butter
Palate: sweet, caramel, cinnamon, grainy, gentle, smooth, fruit, sweet apples, pears, bananas
Finish: sweet, medium dry, apple juice, medium long, bananas
Mark: +++/++

Conclusion: Good one. I would not be surprised if there was a generous splash of Jura involved in creating this blended malt.

More info: tasted during the #MilroysTT2 twitter tasting that was organised by @TheWhiskyWire. My first guess was that it would be a Jura whisky or a blend with maize. It turned out to be the Milroys own blended malt, that was not half bad. Of the six tasted whiskies, it ranked third of the evening for me.