Whisky tasting in Excel Wines, Perth

Friday 8 June, off again the half mile from the house doon to Exel Wines in Perth, for a whisky evening behind closed doors. Hosted by  Keron and Denise, talk, whisky, entertainment courtesy of Peter MacKay, Morrison & MacKay.  A group of whisky lovers gathered once again in the great whisky shop to test some drams. We started the evening with a dram of Miltonduff, from the strictly limited range. A 2009 bottling, this had only been bottled three weeks ago, one of 321 – M&M are a few bottles short now! A nice opener, a wee bite, a dram from the Pernod Ricard stable and a large part of Chivas Regal and Ballantines blends. Nice and creamy, vanilla, value for money at just under £39. Nothing duff about this dram.

Quickly followed by Fettercairn 2009, another from the strictly limited range. Personally, I could have left this one out, I did leave some, not like me. Found this boring, aye but it did come out of a de charred, re charred cask, a rejuvenation wood, not the best of the evening. Imagine a car tyre, end of its’ days, then retreaded, you get some mileage out of it, but not a lot. Ah well, on we go. Next up a real smacker of a dram, I did try and buy what was left in the bottle! Strathmill 1994, Celebration range – the best. Single Malt, cask strength this also goes into blends (JW) which is a waste of good whisky if you ask me (which you are not). Came from a Sherry hoggie 2^nd fill, I was lucky, Keron gave me hers also – she was driving. A Diageo dram, 48.2%, it was like licking a plank of mahogany! Beautiful, but at £142.50 am unsure really.

On to an Old Perth, bottling No. 3 and peaty! At £31 this is a winner. To me it smacked of Caol Ila and a touch of Isle of Mull (Ledaig), very good if you like a not too peaty, peat dram. Now here’s an interesting ditty; Mr Thomson was drinking with us – grandson of Peter Thomson’s, Perth 1890’s, and in 1908 Peter acquired a shop on Perth High Street, creating Peter Thomson (Perth) Limited. The shop dealt primarily in wines and spirits. Thomson was a skilful blender, what was originally Peter Thomson’s Whisky was re-branded as Beneagles during the 1920s. Peter Thomson died in 1939, the company remained in the family, with the last retail shop closing in 1973. In 1983 the firm was acquired by hotel magnate Reo Stakis, and subsequently became part of Waverley Vintners Ltd. Thomson’s ultimately came into the hands of Whyte & Mackay Distillers in 1993, and ceased to be a registered company in 2011. The MacKay factor – M&M who now produce the Old Perth blend once again. It was this Mr Thomson who hired Peter’s dad Kenny, by the way years back! This I enjoyed. All Old Perth blends feature only single malts, nae grains, apart from the St Johnstone bottle. Another story. Oh, there will be a 41 year old coming soon, watch this space.  Notice the chimney on the label – another blog called for here, Kenny MacKay has a fascination with Perth chimney’s.

We took a break, crackers and oatcakes, before heading into an Ardmore, 2009, strictly limited range. One of my favourite distillery tours (thanks Ali), they also produce the Teachers dram here, this Ardmore was a touch peaty, now it is hard to guarantee where the peat is dug up, does it enhance any dram? Actually, I am told 7 of the Islay distilleries use mainland peat sources, suck that one and see. Under 40 quid, a good dram this one.  Peter saved the best till last, Highland Park 1995, dark, smouldering, beautiful nose, sherry finish, smooth and more-ish.  Like my second wife, great legs, at 54% this was a “chase the other drams out the room” whisky! The story here goes like this; a London wine merchant took delivery of the sherry, but in a hoggie, as the butt wouldnee fit down the trap door! It did the dram no harm I can assure you, best of the night by a long way. At £225, am unsure of buying one.