Malcolm’s theme was similarly priced bottles from geographically close locations. Well, that’s the way this poor scribe understood it at the time. Read through for some terrific nosings.

Round 1: Cragganmore 12 Year Old Whisky

Cost: $90 CDN

Region: Speyside

Fun Facts:

• The distillery is quite small. Once part owned by the Ballindalloch Estate it is high on the Spey, where the river meets the Avon and Livet. Cragganmore was founded in 1869, rebuilt in 1902, and extended in 1964.
• Cragganmore is proud of its traditions which in this case include the use of wooden rather than stainless-steel washbacks. Their stills are also unusual in having T-shaped heads, designed to reflux the heavier, oilier elements of the vapour.

NSC Comments:

• Colour: Mahogany to Amber
• Nose: Floral, Honey, Delicate, Fruity, great nose
• Palate: Creamy, Oily, Smooth, Coffee, Apple, Honey
• Finish: Long to Medium
• Drinkability: 7.3,7.4,7.1,7.5,7.5,7.2,7.25,7.2
• Notes: Not tempted to touch it with water at all, no water needed for this puppy!
• Has complexity
• Very nice representation of Speyside

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Round 2: Tormore 9 Year Old 2011

Cost: $90 CDN

Region: Speyside

NSC Comments:

• Colour: Straw to White Wine
• Nose: Light Peat, Sulphur, Strong, Woody
• Palate: Oily, Smooth, Powerful, Smokey
• Finish: Long
• Drinkability: 7.8,7.1,6.8,7.25,7.6,6.0,7.5
• Notes: Like a cooked Macintosh apple – yum!
• Some honey once you add water, H2O takes the sharpness off

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Bonus Round: anCnoc Peatheart – Batch 1

Cost: $84 CDN

Region: Highland

NSC Comments:

• Colour: Honey to White Wine
• Nose: Peaty, Sulphur, Woody
• Palate: Peaty, Creamy, Smooth, Oily
• Finish: Long with a Sharp Drop
• Drinkability: 7.1,7.3,7.0,7.0,7.4,7.0
• Notes: 40 ppm phenol
• Speyside peat – interesting!
• A bit of the burn without the return