Dramfool’s Middle Cut Caol Ila 15yo Cask #313320 & Dramfool Elderly Elvis Tilting #2 cask #4406979 (Glenlivet)

Dramfool’s Middle Cut Caol Ila 15yo Cask #313320

Region: Islay

ABV: 58.3%

Price: £125.00

Distilled on 4th July 2008, this whisky was initially matured for 13 years in a bourbon barrel, then finished in a refill Bordeaux red wine barrique that was first used for the 1.1 release in the Jim McEwan Signature Collection. It was bottled on 11th July 2023, yielding a total of 207 bottles.

Nose

The nose has notes of peanuts, freshly laid tar, warehouse funk, and lemon juice, accompanied by turpentine, light red fruits, roasted cashew nuts, cloves, and cardamom. Going back after air and we also notice notes of vanilla essence, TCP and Hibiscrub. The alcohol is well integrated, not giving signs that it’s over 58%. Although, we’re not really getting much from the finishing casks.

Palate

The whisky has a good balance between smoke and sweetness, featuring notes of tar, antiseptic, crunchy peanut butter, plain Jacob's crackers, aniseed, and black jack sweets, with just a whisper of dark chocolate bitterness. Like the nose, the ABV is not immediately apparent. The mouthfeel is pleasingly oily. While there's a lack of a flavours we’d relate to the wine cask, a slight tannic quality is present. Good finish with the aforementioned notes lingering.

Nose (with water)

Adding water has reduced the peat's intensity, steering the nose towards a more savoury direction. Notes of peanut butter, rice crackers, miso, and salt and vinegar Snack-a-Jacks emerge. There's also an increase in bourbon cask sweetness, with hints of sugar paste becoming more noticeable.

Palate (with water)

The palate holds up well to water, but it’s sweeter now with less peat. Again, we’re not getting a lot from the finishing cask, but there is a noticeable increase in tannins and spiciness. The peat takes on an ashy character, but most the other pre dilution notes remain. The mouthfeel becomes a touch thinner, though the finish remains decent.

Conclusion

As we said above there’s a little red fruit here, but nowhere near what we expected. Saying that we are enjoying the notes that we do get. A solid Coal Ila.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

It's a little pricey, but that’s understandable considering Dramfool lacks the economies of scale that larger independent bottlers enjoy.

Dramfool Elderly Elvis Tilting #2 cask #4406979 (Glenlivet)

Region: Speyside

ABV: 55.4%

Price: £175.00

Distilled on 6th October 1998, this whisky matured in a bourbon barrel for 25 years, culminating in its bottling on 10th October 2023. This marks the 2nd Elderly Elvis Tilting release from Dramfool, also known as Glenlivet.

Nose

Initially, the whisky offers aromas of lemon peel, fresh mango, orangeade, cornbread, vanilla ice cream, cracked black pepper, lime juice, and icing sugar. The alcohol is well integrated, with a hint of woodiness suggesting a touch of age, but we’d have guessed this was a few years younger. Pleasant nose with the aromas working in harmony.

Palate

The palate delivers more of an alcohol bite and spice than anticipated from the nose, alongside a notable synthetic sweetness, flavours of passion fruit syrup, strawberry Chewits, and mango coulis dominate. However, the finish introduces a bit too much spice, lingering for a medium length. Despite tasting somewhat syrupy, the mouthfeel is pleasant yet not actually syrupy in texture. Going back there’s also fresh leather and gingerbread. Nice, but it doesn't taste its age.

Nose (with water)

With the addition of water, the profile shifts, unveiling aromas of damp clothes and must, while the pepper becomes more pronounced. The overall character turns more savoury, with much of the initial sweetness receding in favour of notes like rice bread, rice crackers, and a little kiwi. A hint of burnt toast also emerges.

Palate (with water)

The introduction of water has brought out notes of orange peel, fennel, and grapefruit. The sweetness has diminished, but the spice is in better balance. The mouthfeel continues to be good, and the finish remains a medium length. Again, it still tastes a touch younger.

Conclusion

If we could have combined the pre dilution nose with the reduced palate we would have scored this higher. Sadly you can’t have everything. Still a pretty good dram.

Score: 7/10

Value

Though not inexpensive, it offers significantly better value compared to the distillery releases of the same 25-year age statement.

• 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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