A couple of more recent releases from Dramfool, including an intriguing 3 year old...
Dramfool 67th Release Peerie Craetir 3yo
Region: Islay
ABV: 62.7%
Price: £65.00
Distilled 2nd July 2020 this release spent its life maturing in a refill Red Wine Barrique for 3 years before being bottled 27th July 2023. 267 bottles were released. This is the 3rd Red Bag release from Dramfool (a.k.a Ardbeg).
Nose
The nose opens with roasted chestnuts, relatively mellow Islay peat smoke, barbecued pork ribs from a dirty grill, iodine, alongside a handful of red fruits such as strawberries and raspberries. There’s a peppery alcohol coming through reminding you of the drams youthfulness, alongside some raw pastry dough and light citrus. Time and air brings out more of a maritime quality, salty sea air, grape must and a little bit of menthol too.
Palate
The palate brings forward a punch of sweet and earthy peat, young, fiery but delicious. We’re in front of a log fire, smouldering away. There’s some cherry jam, grappa, vanilla bean and engine oil and tar. You can taste the alcohol, but it compliments the fiery, smokey elements of the whisky. The mouthfeel is a touch thinner than we’d like, but the finish is quite long, ending with sweeter fudge and malt notes.
Nose (with water)
The reduced nose shows more upfront peat, along with sour lemon, freshly sawn wooden planks, disinfectant and some sweet vanilla when you get deep into the glass. its still got an alcohol kick, but this has been tamed somewhat.
Palate (with water)
The reduced palate brings woodier, nuttier flavours to the fore, a carpenters workshop, milky sweetened breakfast tea, lemon peel, all sitting on top of a salty, maritime smoke that lingers on the impressively long finish.
Conclusion
t’s really quite interesting to try Ardbeg at such a young age, and we’re pleasantly surprised with the results. It’s young, but manages to bring enough interesting aromas and flavours to the fore, that we forget the age entirely and get absorbed into the dram. It’s got an impressively long finish too. We’ve got to go with an 8/10 here.
Score: 8/10
Value
In terms of value, although priced at £65 for a 3-year-old whisky, it's worth noting that this is an Islay and cask strength offering.
Dramfool 65th release Macduff 11yo cask #900262
Region: Speyside
ABV: 64.5%
Price: £85.00
Distilled 7th March 2012 this release spent its life maturing in a first fill Pedro Ximénez Hogshead for 11 years before being bottled 4th July 2023. 285 bottles were released.
Nose
On the nose, we’re met with dried leather, heaps of baking spices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, a little cardamom too. There’s also some brioche loaf, a handful of raisins and torched figs. Behind this sits a slight warehouse mustiness, old oak furniture and a little orange peel. With time and air, a menthol-y aroma appears, alongside fresh strawberries, lightly roasted coffee grounds and some malt loaf too. You can tell there’s a reasonable amount of alcohol in the dram, but the aromas manage to overcome this.
Palate
The palate opens up with brandy soaked cherries, dark chocolate, with the chocolate morphing into cocoa powder as the palate develops. There’s some cola bottles and salted caramel that’s been taken a bit too far, giving it a slightly too bitter twinge at the end. We’re also finding caramel wafers, burnt oak and cigars. The mouthfeel is nice, there’s a creamy, silky texture here, and the finish lasts a fair while. Time and air brings out more dark fruits, blackcurrants and rum & raisin ice cream.
Nose (with water)
The reduced nose brings out more vanilla, sponge cake and a handful of roasted nuts. There’s also some honeyed sweetness and plums too. Some of those darker, spicier aromas have receded into the background, but there’s still a musty old furniture aroma that lingers around.
Palate (with water)
The reduced palate brings forth more of a nuttiness upfront, roasted cashews, marzipan, alongside rum truffles, chocolate cake and brandy snaps. It’s still super in your face, but has mellowed with the splash of water. The finish lingers on with more of a milky chocolate and lightly roasted coffee flavour.
Conclusion
A big, bold, boisterous dram that smacks you around the face with PX and oak. It’s a little too bitter in places for us, but some will really enjoy the richness. Impressively balanced for the monstrous ABV too. We prefer it with a dash of water, it tames some of the wilder aspects of the dram. We’ll go with 7/10.
Score: 7/10
Value
While we would have preferred this to be slightly more affordable, the consolation lies in the fact that it is a full maturation release
- 10 - Perfection. One in a million
- 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
- 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
- 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
- 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
- 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
- 4 - Below average. Passable.
- 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
- 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
- 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.
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