A septuplet? Five malts and two rums | Various ABV

In true French fashion, I’m late.

In truth, no one really minds around here. We’re beholden to nothing and we’re not saving lives. We get around to things, eventually.

I’m starting to write this the morning after Charlie’s review of the previous DD outturn, which you can read here. Needless to say, the scores given are not what one might expect from Decadent Drinks bottlings. As always with our musings here on Dramface, the score is one aspect of the review, and the words provide very useful additional context.

In this case, Charlie caveated his ratings by saying it was his first time reviewing whiskies from small samples. So, while his tasting notes weren’t suggesting anything particularly off with any of the drams, he thought he might need more time with most of these to fully get acquainted and get the most out of them.

There’s been a lot of talk recently on these pages about reviewing from samples, especially as more and more producers are willing to send us their latest offerings for a release time-appropriated review - more on that later. This, by the way, is thanks to you dear readers, because as your numbers grow we gain in relevance. So, in a way, thank you for all the free whisky. Although we mostly turn it down.

Dougie in fact recently reviewed the Syrah cask offering from the latest Glasgow small batch series, stating how utterly different his soapy sample was to the bottle he later acquired. This might have been because of a dodgy sample bottle, but it opened up the chat amongst ourselves. Wally even wrote about it a few weeks ago. As such, I won’t repeat what he said and rather give you my own point of view on tasting from samples, as well as my method for doing so.

Firstly, when reviewing a sample, there is the risk of it being essentially a 30ml ‘neck pour’. I know the neck pour theory splits the crowd, but I’m of the impression that it is indeed a thing. A whisky will often change with time in the bottle, thanks to oxidation and evaporation. However, I don’t think this effect is that dramatic in most whiskies. Most of the bottles I own have changed a little bit after being opened, but I would categorise this change as negligible when reviewing a bottle, as in 95% of the time, it hasn’t affected the score I’ve given to the whisky, nor my fundamental opinion of it.

Secondly, and most importantly in my opinion, the reviewer needs to be in top form and ideally having written tasting notes from samples before. Though, I guess you have to start somewhere. When I review whiskies from samples, as I’ve done a few times here, in my professional life and a bit more even on my Instagram, I tend to wait for the perfect moment. I usually only have 20-30ml of each whisky, so wasting it on a day when I have a slightly blocked nose isn’t gonna cut it. I also try not to eat anything too sweet or spicy prior to the tasting, and I allow myself at least 45 minutes to an hour to properly dissect the dram(s).

Having a calibrator whisky prior to diving into tasting notes is also paramount. I tend to pair the calibrator with the type of whisky I’m going to review from the sample, for example, I might enjoy a Glen Scotia Double cask if I’m later having low-ish ABV sherried drams, or my Daftmill 2011 if what follows is a delicate, ex-bourbon matured whisky. You get the idea, it’s not like I’ve just invented lukewarm water, as we say here.

The last precautionary habit I tend to follow is to split the sample into two drams. I’ll write tasting notes from the first pour, keeping about 1/1.5cl for later, just in case, to give the whisky a second chance if need be.

I also feel relatively confident in my abilities to evaluate a whisky from a sample because, as part of my job, I do that on a weekly basis. When sales reps pour me whisky or any other spirit to try, it’s rarely more than 0.5cl. It’s not optimal, and not enough to write proper tasting notes, but I’m used to it. As such I feel I’m capable of assessing the overall quality of a whisky from only a very small pour.

In the end, Dramface will never be a sample review website. Other people are very good at that, including Angus McRaild from Decadent Drinks in his role over at Whiskyfun. Maybe that’s why he still sent us a flight for this July release, because he knows that sometimes, even the best whisky fails to shine.

There’s also been a lot of recent talk about relevancy here, from the likes of Broddy on his Millstone piece or Wally with the recently launched Glen Scotia. I originally planned to get this review out at the end of July, which would have been quite relevant, but alas, shipping whisky from the UK to France takes a bit more time than anticipated post-Brexit, and this box of samples arrived the day I was leaving for holidays. That’s why I’m only getting around to reviewing it now, after the review of the August outturn came out. Still relevant? Kinda, hopefully. I think most of these are still available. Not that we’re driven by such things.

Worth the wait? Let’s see.

Review 1/7

Glenlitigious 2012 12yo, Decadent Drams, refill sherry Hogshead, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 50% ABV
£97 and still available at time of writing

There are a few unwritten rules concerning trade names and secret malts when it comes to whisky. For example, ‘Secret Highland’ with a cat on the label means it’s likely - but not always! - Clynelish. ‘Williamson’, after the famous Bessie, is Laphroaig. ‘Secret Orkney’ is Highland Park, and Campbeltown blended malt often means teaspooned Glen Scotia, unless it’s from J&A Mitchells, then you’re gonna see Glengyle and (possibly?) Springbank made malts in the mix. In any case, it can all seem a bit protectionist and silly.

There are also the numerous “Secret Speyside” bottlings. In my experience, bar a few exceptions, when you see this on the label, it means it is either Macallan or Glenfarclas. Rather than using the very unimaginative “Secret Speyside” denomination for these two distilleries, Decadent Drinks, true to their tongue-in-cheek style, have invented names for them: ‘The Marketing Malt’ and ‘Glenlitigious’. I’ll let you connect the dots to know which one this is.

On a more technical aspect, I’m very interested to try this as the full maturation in refill sherry should produce a malt true to the style of Glenf… this distillery.

From Decadent Drinks :

“This is another bottling of our much appreciated and delicious 'Glenlitigious' malt whisky. This is a Speyside single malt made by a famous and highly litigious family, and you all know precisely who we mean. Distilled in 2012, aged for 12 years in a 2nd fill sherry hogshead and bottled at 50% ABV, it is sweet, richly fruity and perilously easy to swig.”

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*Exactly what I was expecting, in a good way*

Nose

Apples slowly caramelised in a pan. Cinnamon, apple turnover. Set caramel. Banana flakes. Roasted hazelnuts and almonds dipped in golden honey. Very Speyside indeed.

With water: Dried orange peels and cooked pastry dough. Very quaffable.

Palate

Classic Speyside if I ever tasted one. Cooked apples. Honey and walnut liqueur, but just a drop.

With water: still very much on all sorts of pastries, but with a little less definition at first. After a few minutes, some poached pears appear.

The Dregs

All good things come in balance. Refill sherry is king when it comes to making these classic, fruity speysides, but with a hint of sweetness and spice. The fruity Glenfarclas make shines through the maturation to form what is essentially a quintessential Speysider. At ninety-seven quid though, I’m not in a hurry to buy one, but if your pockets are a bit deeper than mine and you fancy a good, classy Speyside drinking experience, then you might very much enjoy this. I was almost going to give this one a 7/10, but the price has made me settle on a very high and well deserved 6. Others choose not to score on value, I do. Thank you for reading the words.

Score: 6/10

Review 2/7

Ben Nevis 2012 12yo, Decadent Drams, 8y refill hogshead maturation, then 5y fresh sherry hogshead finish, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 53% ABV
£97 and still available at time of writing

Judging by the colour, this should be fairly more pronounced on the sherry side, but Ben Nevis is without a doubt a more robust malt than, say, a Glenfarclas, so it hopefully should work well. I’ve tasted some wonderful sherried Nevisses from DD in the past, so I’m quite confident going in.

From Decadent Drinks :

“This Decadent Drams bottling is a dense, sticky, weighty and tooth-adheringly viscous single sherry hogshead of Ben Nevis highland single malt. Distilled in 2012, aged for 12 years and bottled with a few degrees reduction at 53%. It brims with all the classical 'Dad's toolbox as a smoothie' vibes you have deservedly come to expect from this workhorse west highland distillate. Please enjoy it while meticulously setting up a workshop and teaching yourself how to saw a dovetail joint.”

Score: 7/10

**Very good indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*Moody and balanced Ben Nevis from sherry, yum*

Nose

A bit sour and funky, in a good way. Menthol, dried mint and verbena. Amarena cherries. “Mon chéri” chocolate (chocolate bites with a cherry inside). The Ben Nevis spirit is still powerful enough to shine through this veil of sherry sweetness, with the classic (to me) mineral side and whiffs of putty. A bit of coffee as well as a dirtier side.

With water: more savoury, but cola cubes make their appearance

Palate

Rich, with sweetness (cola, booze-soaked cherries), yet balanced by the more mineralic and oily qualities of the spirit. Medium length and a salty, coastal finish.

With water: dried herbs and golden syrup.

The Dregs

This is not the first young, sherried Nevis I’ve tried from DD, and while not as stellar as the first one I had a few years ago, this is still a very good example. Dark and moody, but not all about the sherry either, even if it is more noticeable than in the Glenlitigious. My kind of winter dram.

Score: 7/10

Review 3/7

World Peat 8yo (minimum) Highball Pre-mix, world blended malt, 1st fill and refill bourbon barrels, natural colour, non-chill filtered, 50% ABV
£50 and still available at time of writing, although it shouldn’t be

Now, this is interesting! This is a blended malt made by blending whiskies from three different countries: Scotland, Germany and Sweden. A little bird tells me that the “world” distilleries making up this blend are Smögen for Sweden and Saint Kilian for Germany. DD have indeed bottled Smögen and Saint Kilian earlier this year. I have no idea of the Scottish component, but I suspect it is Islay whisky, possibly Caol Ila and/or Staoisha. This is the kind of thing that tends to pique my interest, especially at this more than reasonable price point.

From Decadent Drinks :

“A Decadent Drams special! Just in for the summer... a highball-ready, blended malt world whisky featuring richly peated malts from a variety of those beloved human constructs: nation states! Featuring whisky from nations such as Scotchland, Germany and Sweden, all flavoured by peat from various segments of the planet's surface. This Earthy brew has been bottled after no less than 8 years of age (though some bits are older), matured in bourbon barrels and bottled at an instantaneously mixable strength of 50%.”

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*Stop what you’re doing and go buy this*

Nose

Thick, oily, mechanical peat. Burning heather. Menthol, smoky wet moss. The smoke is almost thick enough to be grabbed by the hand. It has texture. The kind that sticks to wet clothes for days.

With water: Oil and diesel fumes. Smoked honey.

Palate

Rich, fruity, massive, smoky. Superbly characterful. Earthy, yet with a lemony and salty top note that brings freshness.

With water: The Scottish, Islay(?) element of the blend comes more to the forefront, with brine and iodine. A bit more malty sweetness as well, and a gorgeous mouthfeel.

The Dregs

Let me apologise for not trying this in a highball. Firstly, I only had a few cl, and secondly, this was too good on its own. Let me tell you, if you have access to this and 50 of your quids to part with, look no further. I did not expect it to be this good.

Score: 8/10

Review 4/7

Westport 2003 21yo, Decadent Drams, 19y refill sherry, 2y fresh sherry finish, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 53% ABV
£155 and still available at time of writing

From Decadent Drinks :

“A new bottling of that famously teaspooned tipple: Westport. A blended malt distilled in 2003 and bottled at 21 years of age and natural cask strength. Matured in a refill sherry hogshead and finished for over two years in a 1st fill sherry hogshead. This is spicy, darkly fruity and full of classical, richly sherried, highland character. No giraffes were harmed in the bottling of this whisky.”

Another interesting one, as I’ve never tried a mature Glenmorangie. Oh, yes, if the Giraffe reference wasn’t enough to get the clue, Westport is teaspooned Glenmorangie, hence why this is technically labeled as a blended malt.

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*Well-aged sherried Glenmo, reasonably priced in the current market*

Nose

Maybe a more classically sherried nose. Chocolate sauce, raisins and dates. A whiff of 30+yo brandy. Hint of black tea. Sweet popcorn from ten metres away. Coffee glazing. Chocolate flavoured sponge cake with a dusting of nutmeg and hazelnut.

With water: Black coffee, dark chocolate and cookies fresh from the oven.

Palate

The finishing cask brings dark, gloopy flavours, with a coffee backbone. Cherry sauce, dates. There is a somewhat souring element that brings a bit of balance so that it isn’t leaning too heavily on the sweet, sherried elements. More than two years in that finishing cask probably would have been too much.

With water: More rounded, with a marginally thicker mouthfeel. Nocciolata, that coffee glazing from the nose, with an Armagnac-y, almost lightly tannic finish.

The Dregs

This needs a bit of time in your glass to truly reveal itself. Very worthy of being a somewhat reasonable treat whisky in the current market. I’d take this over the Bruichladdich 18 at the same price for example. A classic, well-aged, sherry tinted malt for sitting in a chesterfield with, accompanied by a cigar, while a Victorian-era kid polishes your shoes.

Score: 8/10

Review 5/7

Gone Grant 1994 30yo, Whiskyland chapter 18, 26y in a refill barrel, 4y in a 1st fill sherry hogshead, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 51.2% ABV
£465 and still available at time of writing

From Decadent Drinks :

“Whiskyland Chapter 18 takes place in one of Whiskyland's many hybrid library bars. In fact, no one is particularly sure whether they are bars with large reading selections, or libraries that serve drinks. It doesn't do to ponder these unanswerable questions too deeply. Best to just pour a generous measure of this rather sublime 1994 'Gone Grant' single malt that underwent a 4 year secondary maturation in a fresh sherry hogshead, select something intellectually nourishing to read, and occasionally glance out of the window at the Whiskyland night sky.”

Gone Grant is the moniker DD have used a few times to refer to the lost Caperdonich distillery, which was originally called Glen Grant II. Quite a rare thing to be able to taste whisky from a distillery that is no more.

Score: 9/10

**Exceptional.**
***TL;DR***
*Thankful to be able to try this*

Nose

Delicate. I immediately feel that this is going to be complex and evolving. Bruised apples. Orange peel. Dunnage warehouse, bung cloth. A wee bit of sourness, very old Pineau des Charentes. Sourdough bread crust. Vegetable broth. 20yo off-dry Pinot Gris. sultanas, Panettone (Hi Serge !). Maybe some kiwi and slightly under ripe mirabelles.

With water: Toasted bread, beurre noisette. A hint of mint and chocolate, like after-eights. An old leather saddle. Potting soil.

Palate

Similar to the nose, this is delicate, with a tart backbone preventing it from feeling overaged. Old sweet wine vibes (pineau, white port, Rivesaltes), which is fine by me. Sweet undertones, with caramel and buttered brioche. Hot chili-infused honey.

With water: Slightly toned down sweetness. Honey, herbs, dried tea lurking in the background for a delicately herbal and bitter finish.

The Dregs

As the official pitch hints at, this is a proper dram for contemplation. You need a fair amount of time to discover all of its complexities and nuances. It is truly stellar, but it might just fly under the radar if you only try it quickly among a flight of other, more shouty whiskies.

Alas this is a bottle that few of us will be able to purchase, due to the price, but this is sadly the norm for these extinct whiskies. I’m very grateful to have been able to spend an hour and a half with it, in the calm of my living room.

As I was pouring this, a good friend announced he was officially a dad for the second time. A fitting dram. Please join me in congratulating our team Dramface pal Fingal on his brand new daughter! 🥃

Score: 9/10

Review 6/7

18yo Pot distilled blended Jamaican Rum, Decadent Drams, refill rum barrel, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 49.3% ABV
£95 and still available at time of writing, DD webshop exclusive though

From Decadent Drinks :

“This is one of two Decadent Drams web exclusive rum bottlings this month. This is an 18 year old Jamaican rum created from a blend of Clarendon 2000 (70%) and Long Pond 2004 (30%), it was married in a refill rum barrel for around ten months and has been bottled at natural marrying strength. It's a classically funky, high-ester Jamaican profile, full of coastal features, bandages and funky exotic fruits.”

Two more “bonus” reviews, as DD also frequently releases other spirits including, in this case, two rums. This should be right up my alley, as I tend to enjoy a good funky Jamaican rum. The marques of the distillates are not disclosed, but I imagine blending a heavy rum from Long Pond with a fruitier one from Clarendon is a recipe that works, whatever the marque.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can check out the Rum 101 feature I wrote a few months ago.

Score: 7/10

**Very good indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*Great introduction to quality Jamaican rum, at a good price for the age*

Nose

Firmly in the ‘mid’ esters range, as in definitely Jamaican in character, but no Hampden-like monster. Very fruity, with overripe bananas at the forefront. Vitello tonnato sauce, tropical fruits in the background. Bicycle tyres and new sneakers. Quite flavourful, but nothing sharp or aggressive, age really has mellowed it.

With water: A bit brinier and less fruity, with more leather-like markers.

Palate

Quite a rich mouthfeel, with tropical fruits once again and all sorts of dried bitter herbs and roots. Earl grey tea, lemon skin. Quite enjoyable. It gets a bit creamier with water, and as usual with Jamaican rums, the length is impressive.

The Dregs

This is a great example of a gentle, well aged Jamaican rum. The Clarendon component no doubt plays a part in making this so approachable, but the 30% of Long Pond in the mix are noticeable (as expected), and this with the very decent age makes for a great introduction to naturally presented and somewhat high-ester rum.

Score: 7/10

Review 7/7

Guyana 1990 32yo rum, Decadent Drams, pot distilled, natural colour, non chill-filtered, 53.1% ABV
£250 and still available at time of writing, DD webshop exclusive though

From Decadent Drinks :

“This is one of two Decadent Drams web exclusive rum bottlings this month. This is a 32 year old, blended Guyana rum. We secured some small amounts of continentally aged 1990 Enmore (40%) and 1990 Uitvlugt (60%) that were stored out of cask. We decided to marry these together in an old refill rum barrel for around ten months and then bottled that mix at natural marrying strength. The result is a beautiful and pure example of the mature Guyana pot-distilled style: full of breads, medicines, seawater and pickles.”

Appetizing! The fact that the blend is made from pot still Enmore and Uitvlugt should mean it was actually distilled at these distilleries, using the wooden pot stills that are known today as Versailles and Port Mourant. That tracks with the 1990 vintage, which is prior to the closure of Enmore in 1994 and Uitvlugt in 1999, and the transfer of their stills to Diamond Distillery shortly thereafter. Yes, Guyanese rum history is a true rabbit hole to fall into.

I’ve been lucky enough to try 1990’s Guyanese rums before, and few have disappointed, especially pot still ones.

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*A mechanic’s workshop in the jungle*

Nose

Rather typical of a Demerara rum at first, but in a beautiful way. Liquorice, banana bread. Motor oil, shoe polish. Flanby. Quite creamy yet with a somewhat briny, vinegary edge to it, just lurking in the background.

With water: A bit sharper, with spices and herbal notes coming through. Celery stalks. Hospital corridor (that’s a new one).

Palate

Savoury, rather gentle but quite complex and flavourful. Pickles, charred wood, ristretto coffee and salted liquorice on the finish. Roots. Earthy.

With water: A bit more herbal, angelica, lignin. Spices towards the finish. Great mouthfeel and really long finish.

The Dregs

As expected, this is a great rum. Thick and heavy pot still demerara for the win! At this price I won’t be able to purchase a bottle, but damn, I won’t refuse one if offered.

Score: 8/10

The Final Dregs

Well, here goes nothing. I had a great time tasting all of these as there was, in my humble opinion, only great drams to be had in this lineup. Even the Glenfarclas was very enjoyable and should be, to many of the sensibilities out there, a 7/10.

I also want to applaud Decadent Drinks for going in the right direction, in bottling more sub-£100 whiskies and rums. They were always recognised for the quality of their high end stuff, but I do appreciate the effort to put out very good 8-12yo whisky on the market at fair prices.

As Fergus has said in his review of the August outturn, I need to caveat my scores, remember these were all 3cl samples. I feel confident in my ability to rate a dram based on such a low quantity, yet my opinion still might be different if I had the full bottles or a bit more time to spend with each. These scores are just indicative, so do check out other opinions before entering your credit card details. That’s why we search out trustworthy links to share!

But for that peaty world blend, just go right ahead and jump on that one.

For the musical pairing today, let’s pay homage to the late Brent Hinds who sadly passed away a few weeks ago, and listen to some Mastodon. Fade into Oblivion.

Tried these? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AF

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