The Business and Resolutions:
- The meeting not held at the Vaal as was previously adopted, but due to low attendance there, TH brought supper and bottles to the indicated venue.
- The meeting unanimously adopted a revised second toast as “To the Clark and the Jackson”.
The Real Business: with both bottles wrapped in sacculum or esikhwameni
The Tasting #1
| The Whisky | Signatory Bladnoch 14 YO |
| Supplied | Host |
| Region | Lowland |
| Age & Distillation | 14 YO |
| Special Notes | First malt from this distillery in Newton Stewart. Distilled 1990, finished in bourbon barrels; bottle 425/637. Cork broke, pushed in. |
| Strength | 43% abv. |
| Price | Purchased Castle Douglas, R1,500 |
The opening toast to Uisge Beatha, the “Water of Life”.
DETAILS
THE COLOUR ……………………… very light, oaked chardonnay
THE NOSE ……………………………Not complex, but includes fruit pastilles, pink sweeties, unripe pineapple, rotting oak & mushroom compost, lemon rind
THE TASTE ………………………….Shy and thin on the palate; thin lemon rind, some honey contrast; pepper grows by the dram.
THE FINISH ………………………..soon gone, hardly a whisp or reminder.
With some water………………………honey comes to the front and top, sweetness holds.
THE SCORE ……………………….……The Gents: 82.2, with a range 80-84.9.
The Tasting #2
| The Whisky | Drumshanbo Sexton Single Pot Still Single Malt |
| Supplied | Stock |
| Region | Ireland, Co. Leitrim |
| Age & Distillation | NAS |
| Special Notes | 700ml; trip distilled; malted barley with inclusion unmalted barley and Barra oats; matured in bourbon and Oloroso casks. A constitutional discussion had on the fit as a single malt; conclusion ‘not really, but ‘bagged and tasted’. |
| Strength | 43% abv. |
| Price | Source TH, The Dog Box, Boksburg 2023, R1,354. |
The toast to “The Clark and the Jackson”.
DETAILS
THE COLOUR ………………………….Light straw.
THE NOSE ………………………………Gun cleaning solvent, acetone with malt layers, burnt matchsticks
THE TASTE …………………………….full in the mouth, apricot and strong cherry, light white pepper and dry despite the sweetness.
THE FINISH ………………………….Stays dry, some salt and pineapple with cinnamon bubblegum.
With some water………………………the acetone goes and the finish fades
THE SCORE(says it all….) ……….The Gents: 75.3, with a range 71-81.
The Evening: the meeting closed at 21:35 with the Close and thanks to our Chair for the effort to remove the meeting to an away game ground to provide an almost full house and memorable evening.
| Scoring | |
| Nothing short of diabolical | 0 – 50 |
| Nasty, well worth avoiding | 51 – 64 |
| Very unimpressive indeed | 65 – 69 |
| Usually drinkable, but don’t expect the earth to move | 70 – 74 |
| Average, usually pleasant, sometimes flawed | 75 – 79 |
| Good, worth trying | 80 – 84 |
| Very good to excellent | 85 – 89 |
| Brilliant | 90 – 94 |
| Superstar, gives a reason to live | 95 – 97 |
| Nirvana | 98 – 100 |