Sam 'Slams Drams' Swindells
@swinny34.bsky.social
Personal Trainer
Loves drams
Hates fascist demagogues
Loves drams
Hates fascist demagogues
The nose on Ardna's Heritage Barley is quite the departure from the Dailuaine. Citrus & vanilla are in there but are accompanied by prominent savoury notes of yeast (bovril?) & porcini mushrooms. These carry across to the palette along with manuka honey & meaty, umami flavours. I like it, I think...
November 5, 2025 at 10:31 PM
The nose on Ardna's Heritage Barley is quite the departure from the Dailuaine. Citrus & vanilla are in there but are accompanied by prominent savoury notes of yeast (bovril?) & porcini mushrooms. These carry across to the palette along with manuka honey & meaty, umami flavours. I like it, I think...
Neck pour of this Dailuaine hits all those classic ex-bourbon cask notes with vanilla egg custard (but no sulphur), freshly baked pastry & lemon curd on the nose. The palette benefits from a little water & offers treacle sponge, gentle oak spice & more citrus sweetness. Not quite as waxy as expected
November 5, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Neck pour of this Dailuaine hits all those classic ex-bourbon cask notes with vanilla egg custard (but no sulphur), freshly baked pastry & lemon curd on the nose. The palette benefits from a little water & offers treacle sponge, gentle oak spice & more citrus sweetness. Not quite as waxy as expected
Phwoaar what a line up! I'm neck deep in Halloween festivities but currently plying my brother in law with DE9. He's definitely a fan but my wife keeps telling me to shut up about fermentation times & yeast varieties!
October 31, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Phwoaar what a line up! I'm neck deep in Halloween festivities but currently plying my brother in law with DE9. He's definitely a fan but my wife keeps telling me to shut up about fermentation times & yeast varieties!
This beauty had sold out before I discovered Loch Lomond's Distillery Editions. Thanks to Alan (aka Whisky Friend) I've been able to try it & it doesn't disappoint. Nose is green olives, oysters and lemon juice. Balanced salinity & sweetness on the palette. Like an Inchfad without too much funk.
October 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
This beauty had sold out before I discovered Loch Lomond's Distillery Editions. Thanks to Alan (aka Whisky Friend) I've been able to try it & it doesn't disappoint. Nose is green olives, oysters and lemon juice. Balanced salinity & sweetness on the palette. Like an Inchfad without too much funk.
A Christmas gift from a client which I really wasn't expecting much from. Happy to have had my preconceptions proved wrong as this is a really competent dram albeit at 40%. The Glenlivet distillate shines through w/ icing sugar, pear, apple and honeyed porridge on both nose & palette.
October 25, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A Christmas gift from a client which I really wasn't expecting much from. Happy to have had my preconceptions proved wrong as this is a really competent dram albeit at 40%. The Glenlivet distillate shines through w/ icing sugar, pear, apple and honeyed porridge on both nose & palette.
I can see Brendan Rodgers has spent his spare time wisely during his managerial stint at Celtic! 🥃#CabinetEnvy
October 25, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I can see Brendan Rodgers has spent his spare time wisely during his managerial stint at Celtic! 🥃#CabinetEnvy
Capping off a busy day with a great bourbon. Maybe it's true the Yanks keep the best bottlings for themselves as this 75cl Four Roses Select is sublime. Russet apples, rye spice & toffee on the nose; balanced astringency (i.e. English mustard), cinnamon, cherries & apple tarts tatin on the palette👌🏻
October 22, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Capping off a busy day with a great bourbon. Maybe it's true the Yanks keep the best bottlings for themselves as this 75cl Four Roses Select is sublime. Russet apples, rye spice & toffee on the nose; balanced astringency (i.e. English mustard), cinnamon, cherries & apple tarts tatin on the palette👌🏻
An incredible evening at the Royal Albert Hall watching the Sumo last night with brother Max. A profoundly unique and beautiful spectacle! Great catching up with old friends beforehand too 🍻 My head's a wee bit sore this morning...
October 19, 2025 at 8:41 AM
An incredible evening at the Royal Albert Hall watching the Sumo last night with brother Max. A profoundly unique and beautiful spectacle! Great catching up with old friends beforehand too 🍻 My head's a wee bit sore this morning...
Wow what a dram! Like previous batches the distillate rules supreme w/ the bourbon casks playing the perfect supporting role. Nose is citrus fruits, vanilla custard & a tad vegetal; the mouth feel's thick w/ orange fruit pastilles, Granny Smith apples & slightly drying. A H2H w/ other DEs is a must!
October 14, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Wow what a dram! Like previous batches the distillate rules supreme w/ the bourbon casks playing the perfect supporting role. Nose is citrus fruits, vanilla custard & a tad vegetal; the mouth feel's thick w/ orange fruit pastilles, Granny Smith apples & slightly drying. A H2H w/ other DEs is a must!
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 5's a great follow up to 4 as I'm getting a lot of similar notes on the nose. Marzipan, dark cherries & black olives in there too. The palette's sweet peat (missed that on the nose somehow), lemon cheesecake & a touch vegetal/ brine. Probably a Caol Ila & my favourite. 4/5
October 12, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 5's a great follow up to 4 as I'm getting a lot of similar notes on the nose. Marzipan, dark cherries & black olives in there too. The palette's sweet peat (missed that on the nose somehow), lemon cheesecake & a touch vegetal/ brine. Probably a Caol Ila & my favourite. 4/5
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 4 has the best nose so far - toffee, milk chocolate, soft oak spice, boozy raisins. Great oily texture on the palette with more oak balanced nicely with dense sponge cake & a little salted caramel. Another 4/5. 55%ish. A mix of ex-bourbon & sherry casks. Glen Scotia maybe?
October 12, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 4 has the best nose so far - toffee, milk chocolate, soft oak spice, boozy raisins. Great oily texture on the palette with more oak balanced nicely with dense sponge cake & a little salted caramel. Another 4/5. 55%ish. A mix of ex-bourbon & sherry casks. Glen Scotia maybe?
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 3 offers rich, sherry seasoned European oak on the nose suggesting decent maturity. Some walnut & a little sulphur too. Thick, resinous mouth feel with cranberry, bitter chocolate & ginger jam. Lovely single malt, at least 16YO & >56%. 4/5. Glenrothes?
October 12, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 3 offers rich, sherry seasoned European oak on the nose suggesting decent maturity. Some walnut & a little sulphur too. Thick, resinous mouth feel with cranberry, bitter chocolate & ginger jam. Lovely single malt, at least 16YO & >56%. 4/5. Glenrothes?
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 2. Now that's better! Cinnamon, cloudy apple juice, complex oak & freshly baked pastry on the nose. The palette's a bit disappointing - quite spicy, apple cider vinegar & minimal sweetness when neat. Water helps soften the bitterness. Royal Brackla perhaps? Deffo >57%. 2/5
October 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 2. Now that's better! Cinnamon, cloudy apple juice, complex oak & freshly baked pastry on the nose. The palette's a bit disappointing - quite spicy, apple cider vinegar & minimal sweetness when neat. Water helps soften the bitterness. Royal Brackla perhaps? Deffo >57%. 2/5
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 1 has to be a single grain based on the nose alone - vanilla beans and a little lemon zest. The palette offers more vanilla, simple sweetness & minimal oak influence. A bit hot neat, better with a little water. I'm guessing young grain (<15yo) at >60%. 2/5.
October 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 1 has to be a single grain based on the nose alone - vanilla beans and a little lemon zest. The palette offers more vanilla, simple sweetness & minimal oak influence. A bit hot neat, better with a little water. I'm guessing young grain (<15yo) at >60%. 2/5.
Something strong & meaty required after an unexpected trip to A&E w/ the youngest tonight (False alarm, just a bad sprain!) Took a punt on this Mortlach after sampling the 12 OB @ Blair Athol. Punchy @61% & just a neck pour, it's spirit driven & lacks that savoury Mortlach complexity 🫤 Needs time...
October 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Something strong & meaty required after an unexpected trip to A&E w/ the youngest tonight (False alarm, just a bad sprain!) Took a punt on this Mortlach after sampling the 12 OB @ Blair Athol. Punchy @61% & just a neck pour, it's spirit driven & lacks that savoury Mortlach complexity 🫤 Needs time...
Disaster strikes! 😂
October 9, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Disaster strikes! 😂
Oh nice, I asked mainly because I've just opened their Small Batch Select and it's impressed me so far, albeit it's just a neck pour. Quite spicy with plenty of spicy rye influence.
October 8, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Oh nice, I asked mainly because I've just opened their Small Batch Select and it's impressed me so far, albeit it's just a neck pour. Quite spicy with plenty of spicy rye influence.
A fantastic afternoon and evening watching the mighty Partick Thistle and exploring the whisky bars of Glasgow, despite Storm Amy's best efforts to scupper our plans! What a fantastic city and the perfect way to cap off our Scottish trip 🥃🏴
October 5, 2025 at 9:41 AM
A fantastic afternoon and evening watching the mighty Partick Thistle and exploring the whisky bars of Glasgow, despite Storm Amy's best efforts to scupper our plans! What a fantastic city and the perfect way to cap off our Scottish trip 🥃🏴
Stopped off at Robertson's of Pitlochry after our tour & sampled a wee dram of the legendary 'Chestnut Wood': brainchild of Tony Reeman-Clark of Strathearn distillery fame. Delicious & totally unique, it just illustrates the endless possibilities of smell & taste through use of different wood types
October 3, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Stopped off at Robertson's of Pitlochry after our tour & sampled a wee dram of the legendary 'Chestnut Wood': brainchild of Tony Reeman-Clark of Strathearn distillery fame. Delicious & totally unique, it just illustrates the endless possibilities of smell & taste through use of different wood types
An absolutely fantastic tour of Blair Athol distillery today with our amazing guide Jane. The 30 year old first-fill Oloroso sherry cask was a truly remarkable drop and both the 12 year olds Blair Athol & Mortlach were delicious too. Diageo do do some things right after all! 😉
October 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
An absolutely fantastic tour of Blair Athol distillery today with our amazing guide Jane. The 30 year old first-fill Oloroso sherry cask was a truly remarkable drop and both the 12 year olds Blair Athol & Mortlach were delicious too. Diageo do do some things right after all! 😉
A cracking tour of Aberfeldy distillery today & a big shout to Tim, our guide for his impressive whisky knowledge! The 21 year old ex-Pauillac red wine cask was a highlight and the 12 year old Aberfeldy and 18 year old Dewars blend were impressive too, albeit a little under strength at 40%
October 2, 2025 at 5:25 PM
A cracking tour of Aberfeldy distillery today & a big shout to Tim, our guide for his impressive whisky knowledge! The 21 year old ex-Pauillac red wine cask was a highlight and the 12 year old Aberfeldy and 18 year old Dewars blend were impressive too, albeit a little under strength at 40%
Topping up my infinity decanters with a few bottle ends today. Will likely replace the Circumstance as it's a belter but was slightly disappointed by the Loch Lomond Spanish Oak 14YO. Lacking balance, it's very oak forwards and a bit too bitter for my palette. The only LL I'm yet to gel with. 6/10.
September 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Topping up my infinity decanters with a few bottle ends today. Will likely replace the Circumstance as it's a belter but was slightly disappointed by the Loch Lomond Spanish Oak 14YO. Lacking balance, it's very oak forwards and a bit too bitter for my palette. The only LL I'm yet to gel with. 6/10.
What a delightful and totally bonkers drop this is. Salted caramel, seaweed, freshly baked bread, engine oil & sweet peat on the nose. More sweet peat, black pepper, oysters & smoked bacon on the pallete. Truly nothing holds a candle to a great, cask strength Laphroaig. 9/10.
September 22, 2025 at 9:32 PM
What a delightful and totally bonkers drop this is. Salted caramel, seaweed, freshly baked bread, engine oil & sweet peat on the nose. More sweet peat, black pepper, oysters & smoked bacon on the pallete. Truly nothing holds a candle to a great, cask strength Laphroaig. 9/10.
This is the 2nd bottle of Cask 88's Blair Athol 26YO that I've bid on through Whisky Hammer that, mysteriously, has inspired a bidding frenzy, despite there still being 10+ of the same bottle still at starting price (£20). Not one to cast aspersions, but this smells a lot like price fixing to me....
September 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is the 2nd bottle of Cask 88's Blair Athol 26YO that I've bid on through Whisky Hammer that, mysteriously, has inspired a bidding frenzy, despite there still being 10+ of the same bottle still at starting price (£20). Not one to cast aspersions, but this smells a lot like price fixing to me....