.north british - 27yo - 1988 - the grainman

We seem to have received a not yet released sample of the new line from Meadowside Blending. Besides their blended whiskies and their exclusive single malts via the Maltman, they have now released a series of single grains.

50.1% abv, €100
single grain, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, caramelized brown sugar, ryebread, citrus, lemon zest, sweet tangerines

Palate: sweet, cereals, ryebread, spicy, white pepper, cloves, a hint of cinnamon

Finish: long, sweet, rye bread, citrus, lemon zest, a hint of wood, liquorice, a touch of bitter
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Very nice, the touch of bitter is a bit of an off-note to me, though.

More info: Distilled in October 1988, finished in an ex-Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask #8 for eight months and bottled in March 2016 into 282 bottles.

.north british - 23yo - smws g1.12 - mouth-puckering sweetness

We joined in a "whisky for a year" bottle share back in 2014, where we received an smws bottle(share) each month. Good times, I only never got around to taste them until now. A shame really...

.north british 21yo - old particular #10797

50.9% abv, €100, single grain, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, powdered sugar, fruit, pears, lichee

Palate: spicy, herbal, cinnamon, cloves, fruit, lichee, green herbs, marjoram

Finish: a hint of bitter orange zest, sweet, fruity, pears, lichee, medium long
Mark: ++/+++ 

Conclusion: I think I never tasted lichee as a note before, but now that I have found it, it is probably hard to get of for future grains. Fun.

Whisky wise, this is not exactly my cup-of-whisky; she lacks an "oumpfh" a grain can have. I think she could have profited of a longer maturation time.

Only 294 bottles have been filled from this refill hogshead.

Many thanks to Douglas Laing for supplying us with this sample

.north british - 52yo - douglas laing - director's cut #10356

41.1% abv, €480, single grain, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, fruity, dried fruit

Palate: sweet, liquorice, a hint of wood, pencil shavings

Finish: long, dry, sweet, fruity, chocolate
Mark: ++++/+

Conclusion: how nice is this..? I really wish I would have the budget to get my hands on this.

Quick note made at Jan Beckers' Douglas Laing masterclass at Whisky Live Holland in the Hague, 15 November 2014