In this episode of the Spirits Blind Tasting podcast I'm doing a blind tasting of the Tormore 24 year Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection & Hazelburn 10 Single Malt Whisky Springbank Society. If you'd like to support this podcast and get access to the behind the scenes video recordings from this episode, please join me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/spiritspeople
Feel free to follow along with a dram of any of these or any other spirit you enjoy as I try to uncover the aromas and flavors of these 2 spirits. My tasting notes from this episode can be found below:
Spirit A - Tormore 24 year Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection (45.2% ABV) (Distilled 1992, Bottled 2017, Matured in Hogshead casks 5687 and 5696)
Appearance
Clarity: Clear
Intensity: Medium
Color: Gold
Suggested texture: Medium > high
Nose
Condition: Clean
Intensity: Medium > pronounced
Aroma characteristics: Toffee apples, pineapple, ginger ale, ripe bananas, vanilla pod, sultanas, fresh lemon peel, toasted oak
Other notes: Quite sweet and floral on the nose. Feels like a first fill bourbon cask single malt in the 10 year range
ABV: 45%-50%
Palate
Sweetness: Dry
Texture: Silky, warming, medium viscosity
Intensity: Medium
Flavor characteristics: Lemon sorbet, lemon peel, vanilla, underripe bananas, black pepper corn, toasted or dried oak
Other notes: A little bit of tannins coming through. A bit “quick” but everything I’d expect from the nose came through but nothing else. Predictable & reliable.
Finish: Short > medium with some complexity (Lemon peel and oak)
ABV: 45%-50%
Conclusion
Quality level: Very good
Blind guess: First fill bourbon cask, Single malt, ~8 years
Spirit B - Hazelburn 10 Single Malt Whisky Springbank Society (55.9% ABV) (Distilled 2007, Bottled 2018, Matured in refill sauternes hogsheads)
Appearance
Clarity: Clear
Intensity: Pale
Color: Amber
Suggested texture: Medium > high
Nose
Condition: Clean
Intensity: Medium > pronounced
Aroma characteristics: Raisins, dates, cherries, sea salt, stone fruits, baked pears, light caramel, vanilla, dried orange peel, charred oak?
Other notes: Darker and more dense nose than Spirit A with a whiff of smoke? Feels similar age-wise to Spirit A, but perhaps in a first fill PX cask which gives those dark sweet notes.
ABV: ~50%
Palate
Sweetness: Dry
Texture: Mouth filling, warming, medium viscosity
Intensity: Pronounced
Flavor characteristics: Fresh pears, raisins, cherries, stone fruits, baked pears, dried orange peel, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, charred oak
Other notes: Feels like an evolution from the nose, lots of carry-though but also new elements
Finish: Long and very complex (cherries, fortified wine, oak, pear)
ABV: 50%-55%
Conclusion
Quality level: Outstanding
Blind guess: Single malt, first fill sherry cask, 8-10 years
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at any time on Instagram @spiritspeople
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