Chapter 16
My first Watt Whisky
Coming back to Campbelltown is always a pleasure for any whisky enthusiast (Jack’s Chapter 6). Especially if there’s a wee special package waiting for you. Courtesy of Mark and Kate Watt (thank you!) a set of 7 amazing samples was waiting for us at the Hall’s of Campbeltown and we were so very pleased about it.
I won’t introduce you again to Watt whisky of course (go and read Leo’s Chapter 11 for that). We took this precious and colourful treasure to our new secret hideout in Spitafields and dug right into it…this is my first Watt Whisky.
Campbeltown blended 5 57.1%
We started from a 5 years old blend of Campbeltown malts. This has been specially bottled for Watt Whisky and Friends in 2022 and only available in Cambpbeltown. Not a lot more info available, so we let the whisky make the talk…it’s always right.
On the Nose: young of course. Still newmake-y. It needs water to calm down a bit. Then it starts becoming very peachy. Barley sugars emerge. Oat cakes. No trace of peat. Untoasted nuts.
Palate: almost vodka. Distant trace of peat. Decent texture, almost fatty.
Finish: Digestive biscuits. Barley sugars in abundance.
Overall: A very straight forward dram. Not too complex though interesting for a 5 years old. I’m not that good with bets, but I’d take Longrow and Springbank away from the equation. Probably a bit of Kilkerran blended with Glen Scotia matured in a first refill bourbon barrel? Let us know your thoughts.
English Distillery Single Malt 12 57.1%
Same abv as the previous one, but 140% older. Distilled in 2009 in the English Distillery in Norfolk and matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel. And the time in the cask makes the work here.
On the Nose: smoked barbecue halloumi. Tomato confit. Green tomato. Freshly conditioned leather. Really unique blend of notes going on here on top of the usual ones you’d expect from first fill ex-bourbon.
Palate: a bit thin for my liking. Smoked bacon. Almost chlorophyll. Rich and stimulating the whole tongue and palate.
Finish: Very herbaceous. Freshly cut bush. Oat-y.
Overall: A nice welcoming peaty encounter. Not one of those peated drams you get tired quickly. ‘Strong but pleasant’ said Peppino. It needs some time to discover the complexity behind the peat. A touch overpriced in my super meager point of view, but value for money is of course a personal affair.
Tormore 2010 12 ex-rye 59.3%
Distilled in 2010 in Tormore, finished for 14 months in a ex-rye barrel and bottled at a generous 59.3% this is an interesting dram. One of those you need to think about a little bit, but comes at you and surprises you catching you off-guard.
On the Nose: Tropical, very tropical. Steel and iodine. Something herbaceous like aloe vera. A bit of time and a dash of water and spices come out. Loads of cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg. Lemon essential oils.
Palate: Strong bourbon influence at first. Then the rye comes out. Nice and thick, almost chewy (oh yes!). Waxy and oily.
Finish: A subtle touch of burnt paper. Melted slightly overcooked glucose. Very long, persistent spices. Nutmegs flocking down your throat.
Overall: with a slightly lower price than the English, with all the complexity and the lovely texture, this gets the badge, but it was an extremely tight race with two of the following fellas.
Glasgow distillery 5 sherry butt 57.1%
This one is apparently a partial cask. Some of the liquid from this sherry butt has been bottled, some rests there maturing. Interesting choice and looking forward to seeing what comes out from the rest. Interestingly still at 57.1%.
On the Nose: there’s that sensation you have when you walk in your granny’s house. Air of history. Dried sherries of course, loads of them. Antique. Almost dusty.
Palate: pomace, quite chewy, grape must. Almost passito di Pantelleria.
Finish: Moscato. Sulfury. More dried sherry notes.
Overall: it is genuinely surprising for a 5 years old dram. A completely different experience from the first one.
Cameronbridge 30 grain 45.6%
We finish with a bang. And this is nice. It gave us that curiosity to try more Watt whiskies in the future. This is a 30 years old grain whisky from Cameronbridge distillery (not too far away from Glenrothes in county of Fife).
On the Nose: PVA glue at the beginning. It’s like walking in a B&Q and I love that smell. Almost shoe polish. Then a lot of citrus notes of nectarine and orange peels.
Palate: subtle and very refined. Really gentle on the palate, almost smooth some would say.
Finish: very delicate as well, almost coffee, fresh ground spices and galangal.
Overall: We should have tried this before, it’s hard to get the orders right. This is just too refined and subtle to stand against the 10%+ higher abv drams we tried before (what were we thinking? I don’t know!). Anyway, a confirmation that grain whiskies are simply overlooked at the moment. Serious contenders for the badge.
Overall
An interesting journey. Watt is perhaps less renowned and available around the world at the moment, but they definitely have a wide growing variety of bottles designed to satisfy any taste buds. Quantities are small of course, but, at least in the UK they’re fairly easy to get hold of. Perhaps if I dare, I’d cut a couple of £ here and there, but I don’t run the business, for sure there are constraints being smaller than others.
I like the whole colour idea, and for sure I invite you to try them and see what colours pop out in your mind. I failed, but I’m an engineer, what do I know about colours?
Drams
and more...
Today's drams
- Campbeltown blended 5 years – 57.1%
- English Single Malt 12 years – 57.1%
- Tormore 2010 12 years ex-rye – 59.3%
- Glasgow distillery 5 years sherry butt – 57.1%
- Tomintoul 12 years ruby Port – 58.4%
- Cameronbridge 30 years grain – 45.6%