Scotland/England '22: Day 15

Last Day

I’m definitely out of travel practice and so ready to get home after only a couple weeks on the road. I have always been this way but the last few trips we had taken before covid had started getting longer. Looks like I better start working on my endurance! Totally slept in today and then took a nice walk in Sarah’s neighborhood along the Regent’s Canal. Great lunch and a lazy afternoon with no sightseeing.

Truth

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Graffiti

Totally missed an opportunity to do another city graffiti book today while walking the canal. I did grab a couple didnt think there were going to be enough for a good until it was too late. Out of practice…

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Save the Hackney Sharks!

On the Canal

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…..