I recently came across the program from the 14th Extravaganza and came to realize that the booklet contained not only a listing of great whiskies but also some of my early tasting notes. A quick look through the cabinet and I came across several bottles that were presented at that event. So, I have a new endeavor. I will attempt to complete the tasting notes for all of the bottles presented. Excluding the limited edition classic malts, the Douglas Laing releases and the Society bottles from that night, I have to assemble notes for approximately 75 whiskies.  With twelve bottles down, I have added three additional notes for the Macallan Fine Oak 15, the Glenmorangie Sherry Wood and the Aberlour 16 Double Cask Matured.

The Glenmorangie Sherry is amber in color, subtle in aroma with a combination of pepper and honey in the finish. It was a good but not great whisky. Having previously tasted the Glenmorangie Madeira Wood and the Glenmorangie Portwood. I would rate the Sherry Wood a distant third preferring the dry finish of the Portwood  second and the smooth rum finish of the Madeira Wood the best.

The Aberlour 16 had a deep reddish-orange color reminiscent of a wood stain. There was a hint of ginger and maybe citrus within the spicy, woody aroma. The flavor was strong and the texture thick with a taste of a Hot Tamale cut with toffee. I found the finish to have just a hint of peat for a slightly smoky experience.

The Macallan 15 had an apple cider or honey color almost like the bottle of clover honey that you would pull out to add to your tea. The aroma was sweet yet fragrant with vanilla and butterscotch. The flavor was robust and somewhat medicinal with notes of caramel or maybe maple with a good, well-rounded finish.

Of the three, I was most surprised by the Aberlour having never tasted it before. However, I am still quite partial to the Macallan for several reasons. First, the tasting took place using the Glencairn glass that I had liberated from an earlier Macallan tasting. Second, the bottle was a gift from the wife. Lastly, the gift bottle came at Christmas. Something about the fat man in the red suit dropping off whisky makes it a bit more special.

Well, it looks like I have 15 bottles down and 60 bottles to go.