When you participate in the Blind Tasting Competition, you have to choice between ordering samples of 2cl or 4cl. I ordered the 4cl ones, and that turned out to be a good choice. I gives you the luxury of tasting a whisky twice, and doing so a couple of day apart. That turned out well for me when assessing sample #8.
During my first sip, my thoughts went to Littlemill, but I wasn’t entirely sure. But then when I tried sample #8 for the second time, I was convinced after the first sniff. I’m still not sure how I missed this being a Littlemill the first time round, because it certainly has (part of) that typical Littlemill profile. Now I just had to decide which particular Littlemill I was drinking. Sounds difficult? That’s because it is.
Littlemill 1990/2014 (47,8%, Archives, C#1)
Nose: Vanilla, coconut shavings and marzipan. Fairly sweet. It also has a nutty quality and is a bit gluey, but it settles down after a couple drops of water, which also makes it fruitier. Apple and apple sauce, yum!
Taste: Citrus, or lemon. Lovely fruity whisky. A bit zesty as well and the coconut makes another appearance. A bit peppery, oaky and slightly dry. Some herbs, koriander.
Finish: Pineapple and apple. Some bitterness. Lovely finish, could’ve been a bit longer.
Rating: 89
A lovely whisky. Once again confirms why I like Littlemill as much as I do. But which one is it exactly? I decide that it most likely is one from the Archives Crabs-series, that was released early in the summer of 2014. The 1988 one I eliminate quickly, because I my (limited) experience with 1988 Littlemill, this one doesn’t fit that profile. I believe the abv to be too high for the 1990, so I go for the 1989, one that I reviewed not too long ago.
Turns out it was the 1990 Littlemill from Archives. When I hedged my bet on the 1989, I wasn’t completely convinced, because in my memory sample #8 didn’t completely matched up with the 1989. But because of the low abv of the 1990, I chose the wrong one of the two. Sample #8 just tasted like it was 50+ percent.
Anyway, I still picked up 70 points for this sample and defended my first place successfully. Although the number two is only 29 points behind me.
