Johnnie Does Ardbeg

Tuesday 19 August 2014 - 2:00pm

Price: £35.00

After Monday afternoon's excitement, and a much needed lie-in, I embarked upon Chapter 3 of my Islay distillery experience. Once more I set out on the road to Port Charlotte, bound for the most easterly of the south coast heavyweights. 

Mrs S kept eerily quiet as we drove past the Laphroaig peat bogs, the scene of yesterday's emasculating failure, only to ridicule me 300 yards down the road - the precise moment I had let my guard down. My protestations around being tipsy at the time and having to use a bent peat cutter was met with howls of laughter and I silently licked my wounds all the way to the distillery.

I can't even take level pictures when I'm sober

Having arrived a little early, we decided to have lunch at Ardbeg's much-lauded Old Kiln Cafe, named so due to the building formerly being used to dry the malted barley. Being around lunchtime the place was packed and I can see why. The food was very good indeed (Mrs S raved about the sticky toffee pudding for a good three days afterwards) and many people were taking the opportunity to sample some of the whisky on offer. A quick nose around the gift shop later, we were ready to begin our tour.

Part 1 - The Distillery

Heaven for photographers, hell for Customs

Neil, our guide, was a born and bred Ileach and a genuinely likeable chap. We began our tour with a dram of the Ardbeg 10 and a potted history of illegal distillers on the island, smuggling and the benefits of Ardbeg's rocky waters as a way of preventing the British government from sneaking up on the farmers and their quickly-dismantled stills. He took us through the history of Ardbeg's ownership, the closure of the maltings in the late '70s, the mothballing in the early '80s, all the way up to the current day under LVMH where Ardbeg finds its place as a luxury brand and one of the most sought after malts in Scotland. We soon drained our glasses and began the tour proper.

Ha ha, he said 'boaby'

Wandering into the heart of the distillery, we were shown the 1921 Robert Boby mill still used today. Whereas the majority of Islay distilleries use the nigh-on indestructible Porteus mills, Ardbeg has stuck to the age-old adage of 'if it ain't broke......'. This sentiment was echoed throughout the buildings as it seemed that, despite the marketing and luxury status, this is a distillery that doesn't want to forget from where it came.

Porridge, anyone?

Old meets new

For instance, rather than fully replacing the old iron mash-tun, they decided to install a new stainless affair within its shell. Additionally, we were told, no modern computers are used in the production of Ardbeg and everything is still ledged by hand. Ardbeg uses a mixture of Optic and Concerto barley and uses the Port Ellen maltings to peat it to 55ppm. 

My wash addiction takes hold

The washbacks were a mix of old and new, some dating back a number of decades. All are made from Oregon pine and only replaced when absolutely necessary. Rather than being a by-product of good old-fashioned Scottish thrift, we were told that when your whisky is so popular, it'd be foolish to change aspects of production unnecessarily. At this point we were encouraged to try a sample from within one of the older washbacks. As I began to sup away, I could see that there was a marked difference between this and what I had tasted the day before at Laphroaig. Maybe there's something to this after all.

Yup, still no idea how it works. Witchcraft.

To my surprise, the still room contained only two stills, one wash and one spirit. From the arm of the spirit still hung an odd-looking drop pipe. Neil informed us that nobody was quite sure who installed it, however, nobody dare remove it, lest it introduce heavier vapours into the spirit and alter the flavour of the end product.

Sleep well, my pretties

No lie, he curled it in the warehouse door from 30 ft

A trip to the warehouse followed and, on the way, we were bombarded with facts about Ardbeg's process. Casks play a huge part in Ardbeg's story and will continue to do so as the prices begin to skyrocket, albeit in a more experimental way (paging Dr Lumsden). We were advised that the casks are never used more than twice and that they always arrive at the distillery ready for their first fill. Like many Islay distilleries, the whisky is bottled on the mainland, Livingston, in this case.

Due to the struggle to keep up with demand, casks are no longer sold to independent bottlers. Feeling a little panicky at this, I asked whether this also applied to SMWS, seeing as it too is a part of the LVMH family. Neil smiled and corrected himself, saying casks are no longer sold outside of the family. Whew, after a scare like that, does anyone else fancy a drink?

Part 2 - The Tasting

If your name's not down......

We were swiftly lead to the Chairman's Study for the tasting part of the experience. According to the blurb on the website we were to get a chance to sample some rare drams from the 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's, all the while listening to some music perfectly tailored to suit our whiskies. I resigned myself to having to put up with the shrieks of Adam Ant and the banal warbling of the Spice Girls. Years of drinking in grotty London pubs in the 90's had meant that I was virtually immune to crap music anyway. If that's the price of trying some rare Ardbeg, bring it on.

I'm not going to lie, I felt a twitch down there

Behind the rather unassuming door was a cosy little room in which was housed a collection of whisky bottles that would make Ardbeg fans shiver and investors drool. Single casks, special releases and a good selection of 70's bottlings had me briefly scanning the room for security cameras. The apparent lack of them made me even more nervous and I sat down on my hands. 

What followed was 45 minutes of jokes, drams, stories and best of all, no music! Cask samples were deployed and enjoyed from 2004, 1994, 1989 (80's Ardbeg is absurdly rare) and 1975 (one year past the jackpot, bugger!). All too quickly, it seemed, it was time to go.

As a result of Mrs S having to drive back, I had effectively consumed double rations and once again found myself all warm and fuzzy, mumbling farewell to my brothers-in-arms as I stumbled towards the gift shop. Three down, five to go.

To be continued.......

Ratings

The Tour: A

The quality of your guide can make or break a tour and Neil is one of the best I've experienced. Well paced, informative and genuinely fun. True class.

The Drams: A

Ardbeg 10

Ardbeg 2004 Warehouse Cask #1245 58.2%
Ardbeg 1994 Warehouse Cask #781 55%
Ardbeg 1989 Warehouse Cask #18 52.3%
Ardbeg 1975 Warehouse Cask #1379 54.6%

PLUS a free miniature Glencairn glass.

Pure whisky porn.

The Shop: A

Like Laphroaig, the shop is weighted more towards merchandise than whisky, although there were several bottlings on offer including, at the time, one distillery exclusive. The Old Kiln Cafe serves high quality food, although you're taking your chances during peak times as the place packs out. Plenty of gifts for the folks back home, from hip-flasks to clothing. Additionally, the 'Across the Decades' experience gives you £5 off any purchase over £25.

Overall: A

We all know that Ardbeg is massively in demand and now very much aimed at the luxury market. It's getting harder and harder to snag a bottle of their non-core releases without hitting the overpriced secondary market, let alone try some of the older vintages. Therefore, the chance to try some truly incredible Ardbeg is not to be missed. Throw in an excellent tour guide and you've got yourself an absolute bargain at £35. Outstanding.

Johnnie Does Laphroaig

Monday 18 August 2014 - 12:00pm

Price: £82.00

With my first distillery tour of the day, and indeed the week, under my belt, I jumped on the road to Port Ellen and headed to Islay's south coast to visit my first of what some would call "The Big Three". 

My first experience of Laphroaig took place when I was 14 and was asked to stick my nose in a glass and have a whiff. I remember thinking that nobody could possibly drink something like that and enjoy it. 21 years later and I wouldn't be without at least one bottle in the Stumblevault. You could say I've been looking forward to this one.

Whereas my trip to Bowmore was a fleeting visit, the Laphroaig visit was to be an all-singing, all-dancing affair. After all, this is no mere tour; this is a five hour monster covering all aspects of the whisky and carried a price tag to match. Had I bitten off more than I could chew?

Dark clouds, light spirit

Part 1: The Distillery

Our experience began with a tour of the distillery. I found myself in a group of eight people; a mix of Brits, Germans and Aussies. As most of the distillery tours I have experienced have been led by chirpy, Scottish ladies, I was amused to find out that our guide for the day was not only a chap, but an English chap; what's more a southern English chap. Once I managed to get over the fact that James sounded like he lived around ten miles away from me, it was clear to see why he worked at Laphroaig. Not only was it immediately obvious that he was knowledgeable, laid-back and witty, you could see he has a real passion for what he does.

Its technical name is the diesel, grainy, turny machine

Our first stop was to be the Malting Floors. Unlike our morning visit to Bowmore, these floors were covered in germinating barley. We had a chance to examine it up close and James informed us that approximately 15-20% of the barley that Laphroaig uses is malted onsite, with the rest coming from the Port Ellen Maltings. We were taken into an empty kiln where we were given the chance to chew on some smoked, malted barley. Let me tell you, if Tesco ever start stocking this in the cereal aisle, I may just go bankrupt; lovely stuff.

Like a British pub in the nineties

The source of all its power

Next, James opened the door to one of the other kilns which was at that point being pumped with smoke from the peat fires below. Laphroaig, we were told, is peated to 45ppm on average. We were invited to climb the stairs and have a sniff. My pleas for fifteen more minutes in there fell on deaf ears and, after a quick stop to throw some more peat on the fire, we were led outside to clear our heads.

Space. The final frontier.

After going back inside to have a look at the mill, we found ourselves in the heart of the distillery and James gave us a bit of history behind the equipment being used. I must say that, far from being the antiquated, traditional set-up I had imagined, the whole affair was quite modern and precise. A necessary part of putting out so much spirit each year, I imagine.

Some idiot

We soon found ourselves by the big, metal washbacks, at which point James dipped a container inside one and promptly offered us all a dram of the contents. Having never tried the stuff before, many of the group (me included) jumped at the chance. Their enthusiasm waned a little after having tasted it. The last time I saw Mrs S pull a face like that was....well, that's probably a story for another day. Personally, I found it wonderfully fruity, although a little bitter on the finish.

More witchcraft

Laphroaig uses seven stills; three wash and four spirit. The arms at the top of the stills have a slight upward angle. James advised us that this meant that only the lighter vapours make it out of the still and there's a lot of reflux. This allows plenty of contact with the copper, presumably reducing sulphur compounds and giving the new-make spirit a fruitier flavour. As I said in my Bowmore ramble, it's all witchcraft to me.

Part 2: The Great Outdoors

After all that indoorsy stuff, we were about ready for a little bit of the countryside. We all bundled into a van and were driven down a bumpy lane into the sticks. After ditching the van, we began our hike to the water source. 

A small patch of blue in the sky to remind us of home

They say that you don't go to Scotland for the weather and, admittedly, it was as windy as balls out there. Nobody seemed to care much as the views were wonderful. One ten minute game of 'dodge the cowpats' later and we arrived at the Kilbride stream. To my surprise, they'd cunningly placed a picnic table in a little hollow and we sat down to eat.

My kind of picnic

Lunch was vegetable soup, wraps containing smoked salmon and venison, scotch eggs, cheese (made with Laphroaig), fruit cake (also made with Laphroaig) and shortbread (probably not made with Laphroaig). This was all washed down with a couple of drams, cut with the green, peaty water our host had collected from the stream. Once we had all eaten, and drank, our fill, and one of the German chaps had filled his water bottle from the stream as a souvenir, we set off for the van.

These captions are terrible, for peat's sake!

Our next stop was the Laphroaig peat bogs. We were treated to a drop of the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and told that now we had been fed and fuelled, we had to work it off cutting peat.

Mrs S in her Stormtrooper costume. Not sure about the wellies though.

I convinced Mrs S that I would be best placed to take the photos at this stage and that she should crack on with the heavy work. She muttered something that sounded like 'glass bowl' (not sure what she meant) and she set about cutting some peat. My workshy attitude was soon noted by James and I was told to get in there and start digging. Annoyingly, while Mrs S seemed to be able to cut perfect blocks, my effort resembled the sort of thing you'd normally find at the bottom of an elephant enclosure. Back to the distillery anyone?

Part 3: The Warehouse

What dreams are made of

Upon our return to the distillery, following a coffee and a quick comfort break, we were led into Warehouse 1 for the grand finale; the cask tasting.

The Prince of Wales indulging in a spot of graffiti there

What greeted us was the wonderful aroma of breathing casks, peat and sweet vapour. If this is one of the perks of being an angel, sign me up. Beyond the royally autographed (but apparently empty) cask of 1978 Laphroaig, lay row upon row of slumbering barrels, just waiting for the right time to be bottled. Three duty-paid casks had been selected for us and we were forced, absolutely forced I tell you, to sample them. 

Now that's what I call a menu

That idiot again

We were asked to pick a favourite, so that we could bottle it to take with us. From the three vintages available, all the chaps went for the '99 and all the ladies picked the '05. To the drivers amongst us who were unable to sample no more than a couple of drops (yup, you guessed it, the four ladies), James presented 30ml dram jars of each cask to enjoy at a later date. We grabbed a valinch and got to work filling our jugs.

The spoils of war

Once our bottles were filled and labelled, we were asked to enter our details onto a line in the log book, ostensibly to make the whole affair legal. Mrs S decided to put her nationality down as English (inflammatory at the best of times, let alone in the current political climate), much to James' amusement. I decided to adopt a touch of diplomacy and register myself as British, although by this point I was a little wobbly and unable to follow basic instructions, somehow ending up authorising my own bottling. I was afforded a pitying look and presented with my bottle and glass as a souvenir.

The experience was finished and so was I. We said our goodbyes and retreated back to the safety of our Bowmore cottage to recharge, safe in the knowledge that we could have a lie-in before tomorrow's experience.

To be continued.......

Ratings

The Tour: A

Like I said before, this isn't a tour; it's a monster. The bracing walk, the stunning views, the picnic at the water source, the camraderie, the misshapen peat lumps and the charred splinters settling at the bottom of your self-fill bottle. All fantastic.

The Drams: A

Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength Batch #006

Laphroaig 18yo

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Laphroaig 1999 Warehouse Cask 5175 - 60.9%

Laphroaig 2002 Warehouse Cask 6930 - 57.0%

Laphroaig 2005 Warehouse Cask 127 - 59.2%

PLUS a 250ml self-fill bottle of your favourite of the three warehouse casks and mini Glencairn glass in a presentation box.

The Shop: A

The shop is weighted a little heavily towards merchandise as opposed to whisky. There are a good few whiskies on offer, from the new Laphroaig Select through to some of their older, premium bottlings. Plenty of merchandise; everything from bar runners to clothing to cheese. Free coffee for visitors, a bar and not forgetting the Friends of Laphroaig Lounge. I could happily spend a whole day (and a fortune) here.

Overall: A

Put simply, this is a wonderful, full-on experience. Yes, it's bloody pricy and, yes, it takes nigh-on five hours but, for anyone who is a fan of Laphroaig, I can't recommend this highly enough. If, as we did, you find yourself in a group of easy-going, like-minded people, you'll never want to leave.

 

#TomatinCuatro - The Launch

Tomatin Cuatro - The Series - 46%

Life, it would seem, is full of coincidences. At the end of July, I finally plucked up the courage to slay a heel I had been nursing for a good few months. Very seldom do I feel genuinely sad when I finish a bottle of whisky (usually, by that stage, I'm positively merry) but this one in particular was so nice, I felt quite deflated.

Gandhi: Probably more of a Tomintoul fan

A mere two days later, The Whisky Wire announced that there was to be a Tomatin Tweet Tasting at the beginning of September. Details were frustratingly scarce, save for a hint that there may be the launch of a new bottling on the horizon. I duly applied and, as luck would have it, my grief was to be short-lived.

So what's it all about then, Johnnie? Well, I'm glad you asked. On 15 January 2002, those chaps at Tomatin distilled up a whole load of spirit and put it into ex-bourbon casks. The casks laid dormant for over nine years and on 29 June 2011 were recasked in four different types of sherry butt. Yup, this isn't one new bottling they're putting out there, it's four. From there the whiskies were allowed to mature for a further three years until finally being bottled just a fortnight ago.

Each whisky in the series carries an age statement of 12 years, is bottled at 46% and has not been chill-filtered. Three big ticks in my book. How do they taste?

Quintessential

Tomatin Cuatro - Fino Sherry Finish - 46%

Nose:

A slight nip of alcohol as we kick things off followed by a light fruitiness. A little honey going on with wisps of heather and a note that puts me in mind of white wine. A little time to open up brings waxy pears and digestive biscuits. None of the grapefruit I'd usually associate with a Tomatin but a very interesting nose indeed. Lots going on.

Palate:

Hello grapefruit! I was hoping you'd show up. Quite dry to begin with, then there's just an explosion of citrus as it develops. The citric sharpness dies down a little after water is added and the whisky strikes a more balanced tone with dry woodiness and just a hint of smoke creeping in as we approach the finish.

Finish:

Plenty of wood on the back end with pencil shavings and fine leather coming to mind. Leaves you wanting another.

Thoughts:

This exhibits all of the characteristics I've come to know and love from Tomatin. The Fino doesn't overpower the spirit and allows it to shine through. I could happily spend an evening with a bottle of this.

Close, but no cigar. Apart from on the palate, that is

Tomatin Cuatro - Manzanilla Sherry Finish - 46%

Nose:

Worlds apart from the Fino finish. More assertive with vegetal, herbal aromas and marzipan humming along underneath. Give it a moment and there's a wave of vanilla that washes over you and brings with it fruit, grass and creamy butter.

Palate:

Bold, salty blast up front. Wasn't expecting that at all. It's almost coastal in nature. A little while to acclimatise and the vine fruits creep in with rich sherry and a wonderful cigar/cedar combo.

Finish:

Warming with playful spices. Peppercorns, more cedar and, again, a little flash of smoke.

Thoughts:

This is a good whisky and the quality is almost up there with the Fino. Bringing personal preference into play, I'd have to leave this one on the shelf. I wouldn't necessarily be happy about it, mind.

I'm sorry I doubted you

Tomatin Cuatro - Oloroso Sherry Finish - 46%

Nose:

Wonderful. I'm not a sherry drinker and don't know an awful lot about it but this just screams Oloroso casks; there's a nuttiness and that fresh fig note that I always seem to get from them. Further nosing gives a menthol quality which does nothing to change my mind. Raspberries and dates. More figs. Even more figs. If this turned out to be anything other than Oloroso, I'd have never lived it down. Lucky for me then.

Palate:

Gah! Conflicting emotions when tasted. I love sherried whisky but this is almost overpowering the light, crispness I associate with good Tomatin. A virtual slap from one of the other tasters (Cheers, Dave; I was humming the theme from Titanic for the next hour) brings me to my senses and I give it a few drops of water and half a chance to develop. That's better. Christmas in a glass and yet the cask is taking a back seat, giving the spirit chance to drive. Beautifully balanced with plums, raisins, cinnamon and a touch of eucalyptus.

Finish:

Great balance; not too dry, not too sweet. Woody, but not overoaked. The best finish of the night, so far.

Thoughts:

This has blown the race wide open. Despite a jittery start, this really grew on me and the water just opened it up brilliantly. It's almost a coin toss between this and the Fino.

Warming, but waning

Tomatin Cuatro - Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish - 46%

Nose:

Sweet, sweet aromas with a muskiness underneath. Treacle, wax and blackberry jam. Given half a chance, there's grape must, muscovado sugar and red peppers. A little while longer and I get the aroma of warm, spiced bread and butter pudding.

Palate:
Chewy, spicy, fudgy and the four other dwarves nobody ever remembers. A sweet, balsamic note with peppercorns and creme brulee. Not as much wood as I expected and very easy-drinking.

Finish:
Not particularly long and maybe a tad flat when compared to the others. Still warming with those peppercorns hanging on 'til the last moment, joined by tobacco and beeswax.

Thoughts:
Another very capable whisky; I can't pick too many faults with this one either. The quality is there and I do love dark sherry finishes. Maybe a touch unbalanced.


Overall:
It's not often you get a chance to sample the same whisky finished in four different ways. This has been highly educational and it just so happens that the whisky was bloody tasty too. Fair play to Graham Eunson and the Tomatin team for sticking with sherry casks at a time when a lot of other distillers are looking elsewhere, due to the high cost of sourcing them. Additionally, in an age of new NAS releases, they've been decent enough to tell us how old the whisky is. Bravo.

Each of the four expressions has a limited release of 1500 bottles and will soon be on sale worldwide (apart from the USA) with a RRP of £49.99.

Which one's the best though? It seemed that at the end of the tasting, each taster had a different order of preference. I can understand why; each of the whiskies exhibited a high level of quality and if the only thing you're changing is the cask finish, it's probably all going to be down to personal tastes.

There can be only one. Ok, two, but no more. Three?

For me, the Fino takes first place from the Oloroso in a photo finish. The Pedro Ximinez comes in third with the Manzanilla bringing up the rear.


Huge thanks to the team over at Tomatin, to Steve for orchestrating the whole thing and to my fellow tweet tasters. Always a pleasure.

Johnnie Does Bowmore

Monday 18 August 2014 - 10:00am

Price: £6.00

Ever since I had my first taste of peated whisky (Lagavulin 16, to be precise), I knew that one day I'd find myself washing up on the shores of Islay, with a view to exploring the origins of this wonderful liquid.

 

Having managed to schedule eight distillery tours over five days (no mean feat, I might add) I found myself beginning my peaty whisky pilgrimage on a Monday at 10:00am at the doorstep of Islay's oldest whisky distillery. Now I'm not usually one for drinking ante-meridiem but, for the purposes of education, I decided to make an exception. Time constraints meant that I had to settle for the basic tour but, considering the heavy schedule, my liver was to thank me come Friday afternoon.

Bowmore on the rocks

The tour kicked off with Lesley, our wonderfully chipper guide, leading us to the malting floors. Bowmore malts approximately 25% of its own barley, with the rest imported. The workers turn the barley using a combination of machine and hand plough. Although there were a couple of wooden malt shovels in evidence, these appeared to be more for decoration purposes. At the time of my visit the malting floors were empty, more than likely due to the distillery recently coming out of its silent season.

A quick peek at the, again empty, kiln wasn't as disappointing as it sounds. There was a lingering smell of peat smoke in the air which briefly had me considering locking myself in there and claiming squatter's rights. That smell is the reason I came to Islay in the first place. Magic. Bowmore whisky is, Lesley informs us, peated to around 26ppm and is a great whisky for those not suited to the likes of Laphroaig and Ardbeg.

Once the barley has been dried, it gets passed through their 1966 Porteus roll mill and the product is then poured into a bloody enormous grist bin, 8 tons of product to be precise. After being pumped into their shiny, copper mashtuns and hit with three water cycles (63.5c, 85c & 100c) the mix gets transported into one of their washbacks, each named after one of the distillery owners. Inside these washbacks, the yeast does its business and turns the whole affair into a dirty, milky mixture called wash. More on that later in the week.

Harking back to simpler times?

From there the wash hits the stills (2 wash and 2 spirit), some magical, steam-fired witchcraft occurs and the once dirty, milky wash is turned into spanking, new-make Bowmore spirit, ready to be encased in oak barrels.

It's all incantations and sacrifices, I tell you

Once in barrels, some of the spirit is kept on the island and allowed to mature below sea level in Bowmore's vaults. As part of the tour we were allowed into the hallowed 'No.1 Vaults' to have a look at what lay within.

There be gold in them thar hills

"You keep her talking, I'll get the van"

Lesley informed us that not all of their whisky is matured on Islay and none of it, hand-filled aside, is bottled there. The barrels are sent to the group's Springburn HQ in Glasgow and bottled on site. Due to demand, she continued, Bowmore puts none of its whisky into blends and no longer sells barrels off to independent bottlers. With Bowmore 12 being exported to 44 countries worldwide, she advises, every drop is needed for their single malts.

After a quick Q&A session in the No.1 Vaults, we were whisked off to the bar area, where a dram of the Bowmore 12 awaited and we were bid farewell. Alas, a momentary taste was all I could manage as a monumental whisky experience lay ahead at one of Islay's south coast heavyweights.

To be continued..........

Ratings

The Tour: B
Informative, detailed and led by a guide exhibiting more enthusiasm than I do at work on a Monday morning.

The Drams: D
Just a small measure of the Bowmore 12 on offer (in a tumbler, no less) but served at tables commanding a beautiful view over Loch Indaal.

The Shop: A
This is where Bowmore shines. Plenty of whiskies on offer; Luxury, Travel Retail, 'fill-your-own' and Distillery Exclusive bottlings. Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan were also represented. Although the shelf space in the shop is mainly for whisky, some merchandise is also available, meaning you can stock up on souvenirs for your non-whisky drinking pals.

Overall: B-
A good place to start. Even the basic tour gives you a great feel for the history and ethos behind Bowmore. If you're a fan of the whisky, you're going to want to book one of the premium experiences as the basic tour, even compared to similarly priced tours at other distilleries, offers very little in the way of sampling. There is, however, a bar on the first floor that'll allow you to pick and choose your way through the range, should you so desire. Bowmore, I'll be back.

 

Wish You Were Here

Whisky Discovery Tasting #4 - Travel Retail Exclusive

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first three events, episode 4 of the Whisky Discovery tasting saga takes me into undiscovered territory and I find myself checking out the shelves of the (no longer duty-free) duty-free aisles. Better still, as we're in the relaxed surroundings of Bedford's Embankment pub, I don't have to worry about nervously filing past the rubber-gloved, fat-fingered Customs guard either.

The good folks at Whisky Discovery have outdone themselves once more and have prepared, for our delectation and delight, a series of single malt whiskies that are only available in Travel Retail outlets. Perfect for aerophobes and stripsearchophobes alike.  

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight WDT4. We have started taxiing towards the runway. Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position and ensure your seat belt is securely fastened as we prepare for take off.

The Glenrothes Manse Reserve - 43% - c.£33

Nose:

Creamy and light with floral, almost perfumed, highlights. Pale honey and oaty biscuits; are those Hob-Nobs I can smell?

Palate:

Rich Tea biscuits and gentle spice. A tad on the light side but very drinkable and, dare I say it, refreshing. A hint of sweet cider, perhaps.

Finish:

Very low-key but fruity. Not particularly long.

I promised myself I wasn't going to use the dreaded 'S' word but this is almost backing me into a corner. It's not going to blow you away but, for this price, it would make a welcome gift for the casual whisky drinker.

The Balvenie 16 Triple Cask - 40% - c.£70

Nose:

Bananas all over the shop. Coconut and a little bourbon vanilla. Richer than the Glenrothes with some cherries and almonds.

Palate:

Very gentle to begin with but develops nicely with a fair amount of wood. Some more cherry in the mix and hazelnuts make an appearance nearing the finish. It's certainly rich but a little bit confused.

Finish:

Long and warming with woody spice and bitter honeycomb.

This is a step up in richness and complexity from the Glenrothes but I find it a little muddled. I fully admit I'm not the best person to review this as I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Balvenie. I must say, however, that the general consensus of the other tasters (including Agent X) was that this is a winner. Each to their own.

Balblair 2004 Bourbon Matured - 46% - c.£45

Nose:

Lightly sanded wood with citrus and some classic bourbon notes. Coconut and lemongrass make an appearance after a while.

Palate:

Lemon sherbet to begin, with a dash of pith and some bitter wood. Less coconut than on the nose but it's there.

Finish:

A little flat. Spice, wood and an impressive length but not particularly interesting.

At first, I was mightily disappointed with this; I expect a lot from Balblair and this wasn't cutting it. However, after a drop of water, what a difference. Like most Balblairs I've tried, water separates the flavours and amplifies the experience and the longer this stayed in the glass, the better it got. The citrus, the wood, the vanilla, the floral elements; they all stood up and did their thing. A very good whisky. Keep an eye out.

Aberfeldy 18 - 40% - c.£78

Nose:

Light sherry is the first thing that jumps out, with beeswax and wood to follow. A little patience brings a dash of double cream, honey and supple leather. This is a very pleasant surprise.

Palate:

Sawdust and lemon sorbet. Verging on lightweight to begin with but, as it develops in the glass, there's a subtle creaminess and it starts to show a little backbone. There's a waxy, chewy leatheriness that puts me in mind of armchairs and dusty old books.

Finish:

In a word, interesting. Sweet and drying in turns with warming spice. Long and entertaining.  

I didn't expect this from Aberfeldy. Having only tried the 12 from the distillery bottlings, I figured this would be a bit of a throwaway. On the contrary; this was the only whisky I went back to at the end of the night. I poured myself a rather generous slug and spent the next 20 minutes thoroughly enjoying every drop. Probably a little steep at £80, although you do get a full litre. I quickly offered Kat a tenner for the rest of the (4/5ths full) bottle. Oddly enough, she politely declined. Grrrr.

Highland Park Harald - 40% - £60

Nose:

Oooh. Robust and spicy with a little nip on the nose; strange, considering it's only 40%. Sherry, smoke and a wee bit floral to boot.

Palate:

Light, woody and heathery with billowing smoke. Nowhere near as sweet as I expected but nicely balanced and reasonably complex. Very enjoyable.

Finish:

Classic HP finish. Sweet, drying and smoky. Medium-long and leaves you wanting more.

This has Highland Park written all over it. I mean... well, I know the bottle has, but... what I mean is that this tastes like Highland Park. Yeah, I know it is Highland Park and so it should taste like... Look, yeah? This has a classic Highland Park profile; If you like Highland Park, you'll like this. Possibly a little on the pricey side though.

Isle of Jura Turas Mara - 42% - c.£43

Nose:

Sticky toffee pudding, butter, vanilla and pickled gherkins. This noses like a bourbon at times although not quite so full-on.

Palate:

Dry, crisp and winey at first. Develops into bitter cocoa but there's a viney sweetness there too. Winey and viney but bitter and sweet. This is a little all over the place. Dave informs me that it's a mix of several cask types, which makes sense.

Finish:

Bourbon-esque and spicy. Quite long with a gentle, woody finale.

This is quite odd. Tasted blind, I would never say Jura. It's not muddled and I wouldn't say that the flavours cancel each other out but your tongue never really settles on any flavour for too long. It's utterly fascinating. Not great, mind, just fascinating.

Bowmore 17 White Sands - 43% - c.£80

Nose:

Prickly and fruity with peat and a nice earthiness. Smoke with a glimmer of barbecued fish, sea-spray and molasses.

Palate:

Nicely drinkable, although that could be my palate waving the white flag. Bags of tropical fruit with slabs of toffee and fudge. Peat, naturally, but not bitter in the slightest. Warming and chewy. Very nice indeed.

Finish:

Warm and lingering with grapefruit, smoke and polished wood. Imagine putting out a burning grand piano with a bucket of Lilt and you get the picture.

I love peat. I love fruit. I love Bowmore. Unsurprisingly, I loved this.

Well, what an eye-opener. Far from being a dumping ground for crap, overpriced, NAS releases, there are some gems to be prised from the aisles of the airport booze section. 

Another great evening from the folks at Whisky Discovery, my thanks to them for broadening my horizons once more. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events and you can also catch up with both Dave and Kat on Twitter.