Scotland/England '22: Day 13

Heatwave for Shakespeare

Today, the UK hit an all time high temperature. I saw on the news that it hit 104.5 at Heathrow causing problems with the runways as a result. We pretty much hid inside for the day. Even a short walk down the street from Sarah’s flat for lunch seemed to take forever.

Record setting temperature in the UK

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Even in the evening it was still almost 100 degrees, for the outdoor Shakespeare at The Globe. King Lear is a 3 hour play and it was HOT HOT HOT. It just started cooling down near the end, but is was particularly cool when it started raining during the storm scenes. Though it just made the air that much more humid.

The show was fantastic but it’s a good thing I read the play beforehand. Not knowing Shakespeare that well, I always need the context of the story when my ears can’t decipher the old English I’m hearing.

Whisky Scoreboard:

++ Distillery Tour/Tasting

** Distillery Bar (no tour)

• Glenfarclas 15 (++) - thumbs up, kind of spicy (bringing some home)

• Macallan 12 Triple Cask (**) - so so

• Macallan 12 Double Cask (**) - so so

• Macallan 12 Sherry Cask (**) - not bad, I would buy it.

• Macallan Edition No. 2 (**) - decent, alcohol forward, then kind of spicy

• Macallan Edition No. 4 (**) - decent - grasslike quality, don’t ask me what that means.

• Macallan Edition No. 6 (**) - ok, I’ve been drinking all day, it seemed ok now in hindsight

• Speyside Braden Orach - not bad, alcohol forward

• Singleton 12 - definitely drinkable

• Knockando 12 - not bad

• Glenrothes Whisky Makers Cut - after so many whiskies I’m not sure what to make of it. So different than the others, it is hard to be objective. Different for sure and I think decent. Might have to try again!

• Ledaig Sinclair - I like this one and it seemed to be perfect to go with a Smokey BBQ. It was Smokey for sure, but I like those kinds of whiskies.

• Caol Ila DE - Smokey but not a lot of body. There are better options for something similar. Still drinkable though.

• Singleton 12 (Dufftown)(++) - ok, tasted better before trying the nest 2 on the list

• Singleton 15 (Glendullan)(++) - the best of the 3 Singletons we tried at the distillery.

• Singleton Celebratory (Glen Ord)(++) - great nose, kind of spicy, only 3 thousand bottles made, would be nice around the holidays

• An Cnoc (Knockando Distillery) - Smokey and nice!

• GlenGrant 10 (++) - Not special, but also not bad. I’ll drink it if you serve it to me.

• GlenGrant Arboralis (++) - Light, perfect for summer Scoth drinking, if there is such a thing. Also really inexpensive for the bonus (bringing some home)

• Dailuaine 16 - Nice but not awesome. Alcohol forward then the sweetness from the sherry casking

• BenRiach 12 Sherry - We have drive past BenRiach so many times this week it seemed necessary to try this one. I actually liked this better than the Dailuaine 16.

• Glenfarclas 105 (++)

• Cragganmore 12 (++) Decent, great nose, modest flavoring compared to the others we tried (bringing some home)

• Cragganmore Distillers Edition (++) - Like this one and bought a bottle (bringing some home)

• Cragganmore Distillery Reserve (++)- Liked this one as well but it is a higher proof which I do not prefer

• Glengoyne 12 (++) - Decent but not overly flavorful

• Glengoyne 18 (++) - Really nice, we’re bringing some home

• Deanston 12 (++) - Alcohol hit upfront and on the backend, decent but again having trouble rating because my taste buds are getting confused

• Deanston Virgin Oak (++) - Did not really care for this one. It was made using a blend of 16 yr and 6-8yr

• Deanston 18 (++) - Drinkable, but felt like a decent 12, not an 18

• Lock Lomond 12 - Really nice actually. Only tried it because we took a lunch at Loch Lomond on our tour yesterday. But, I would buy this one. Smooth and a hit of sweetness up front. FYI, there is a Lock Lomond over the hill in Santa Cruz county, great hike. Not sure I can get this in the US, but we have too many bottles already to pack another…..