BYOB-C (short for Bring Your Own Bottle Club) is one of the Belgian bottlers that I watch with great interest. Not only have they bottled some nice single malts, but the labels are also great. Yes, sometimes I’m a sucker for a cool label. 😉
BYOB-C was founded in 2014 as a club of 8 whisky enthusiasts, but since 2018 they have also become an independent bottler. So they started with the label ‘Lads of Lobland’, but in the meantime, they have already released 4 labels, including 25 single malts and I think that it certainly doesn’t stop there. As they have many plans for the future. It’s a unique and interesting bottler/club and that is why I asked them some questions that I will post here on Whiskylifestyle very soon. (So stay tuned folks!)
But for now, I have a review of three of the Speyside releases, two of which were released under the ‘What if BYOB-C meant something else’ label (Build Your Own Bearded Commando) and also one from the Mobster on Mopeds series.
This Speysider has matured in a sherry hogshead for 26 years and is bottled at a strength of 51.2% ABV.
Speyside 1993 tasting notes:
Nose: dried fruits, raisins and figs. A hint of tobacco. Then it goes towards stewed forest fruits, a mixture of blueberries and blackberries. This is followed by a pinch of honey and nutmeg. A touch of oak too. Later also an earthy note and blood oranges.
Taste: Blueberries and honey. Oranges. A hint of milk chocolate and caramel toffee. A touch of oak here as well, which is followed by a bunch of spices, such as crushed black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: mid-long to long, somewhat drying, a little bit of oak, black pepper and it’s a bit earthy again. Toffee too.
Score: 88/100
This Speysider has matured in a sherry butt for 26 years and is bottled at 52% ABV.
Speyside 1994 tasting notes:
Nose: red fruits, such as fresh strawberries and red berries. Raisins. A touch of oak. Milk chocolate. A layer of acacia honey. Tobacco leaves.
Taste: rather fruity on the arrival. Sweet sultanas and oranges. Nectarines and apricots. Honey. Then tobacco, almonds and liquorice. Warming spices, nutmeg, cloves and pink peppercorns. A touch of cinnamon too.
Finish: long with tobacco, a hint of nectarines and the same spices as on the palate.
Really nice again.
Score: 88/100
This Speyside 1996 has matured in a sherry butt for 23 years and is bottled at 53.1% ABV.
Speyside 1996 tasting notes:
Nose: Quite the fruit bomb. Galia melon and pears. Blueberries and strawberries even. Sweet raisins. A whiff of nutmeg in the back, but disappears rather fast. Then creme brulee appears, but also rather gently. A hint of charred oak too.
Taste: galia melon again. Honey. Followed by pears and red apples. Kiwi too. Then it goes towards dark chocolate and toffee. A little bit floral, lavender in the background. A touch of oak. Followed by some spices, black pepper, a touch of ginger and cloves.
Finish: mid-long, with the same spices and kiwi. Coffee beans.
Score: 86/100
Overall: The first and the second Speysiders are both sherry bombs as it should be. And although I’m often not the biggest fan of sherry bombs, I really like these two as they are both simply delicious! Really nice winter drams.
The Speyside 1996 is a rather surprising dram, especially if you compare this one to the other two who have a bit of the same character. This one is different and not your standard sherry bomb maybe. There is happening a lot and it also contains somewhat lighter flavours. Really nice as well, but it’s lacking just a little bit on the finish.
Samples provided by Dominic from BYOB-C.
