Thirty people. Five mystery whiskies. Our biggest Devon Dram Club yet!
Our seventh Devon Dram Club was a little busier than usual. In fact, with 30 people joining us at Crossed Anchors Brewery in Exeter, it was our biggest gathering to date.
It was brilliant to see so many familiar faces, along with plenty of new ones, coming together to enjoy a few drams. Although, if we're being completely honest, we might keep things a little smaller next time!
As always, the idea was simple. Five whiskies, tasted blind. No labels, no prices, and no reputations getting in the way.
Just the whisky in your glass and the opinions of the people around you.
So, what did we drink?
Whisky One: Glencadam 10 Year 
We started the evening with Glencadam 10 Year Old, a Highland single malt that perhaps doesn't always get the attention it deserves.
Glencadam has been producing whisky since 1825, and its 10 Year Old is a lovely introduction to the distillery's character.
Bottled at 46% ABV, without chill filtration or added coloring, it's a whisky that puts the spirit itself front and center.
Expect fresh orchard fruits, citrus and a gentle sweetness. Nothing particularly complicated, but there's plenty to enjoy.
And enjoy it we did!
Glencadam turned out to be a real crowd-pleaser. It was a great reminder that a whisky doesn't need an unusual cask finish, an enormous age statement or a fancy bottle to make an impression.
Sometimes a well-made 10-year-old whisky is exactly what you want.
Whisky Two: Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old
Next, we headed across to Islay with Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old.
Mention Islay to most whisky drinkers, and they'll immediately think of peat and smoke. But Bunnahabhain is a useful reminder that not every whisky from the island follows that particular path.
Unlike many of its neighbors, Bunnahabhain is best known for its unpeated whisky.
Its 12 Year Old is matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, bringing together dried fruit, nuts, gentle spice and a lovely coastal character.
Bottled at 46.3% ABV, it's become something of a modern classic.
It went down perfectly well, although it wasn't one of the whiskies that really stole the show this month.
And that's part of the fun of tasting blind.
A whisky might have a brilliant reputation, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be your favorite when you don't know what's in the glass.
Whisky Three: Thompson Bros Highland 10 Year Old
Our third whisky was a Highland 10 Year Old from Thompson Bros.
For anyone unfamiliar with Thompson Bros, they're independent bottlers based in Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands.
Independent bottlers offer something a little different. Rather than being tied to a single distillery's house style, they can select casks from different producers and release whiskies that they find particularly interesting.
And this one certainly got people thinking.
There was something about it that turned a few heads, but nobody could quite put their finger on what made it so intriguing.
It was one of those whiskies that kept people guessing, with plenty of discussion about what might be going on in the glass.
We love moments like that.
Sometimes the most interesting whisky isn't the one you immediately recognise or even the one you enjoy the most.
It's the one that makes you stop, think and go back for another sip.
After all, whisky is supposed to be interesting!
Whisky Four: Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban
Next came Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban.
Glenmorangie is known for its tall copper pot stills, which help produce the distillery's famously light and fruity spirit.
The Quinta Ruban takes that character in a rather different direction through additional maturation in port wine casks.
The result is a whisky often associated with dark chocolate, orange, berries and warming spice.
It's a great example of how much influence the cask can have on the final whisky.
The Quinta Ruban was perfectly well received, although, much like the Bunnahabhain, it didn't quite steal the spotlight this time.
That's not to say there wasn't plenty to enjoy. With five very different whiskies on the table, something was always going to stand out more than the rest.
And our final dram certainly did.
Whisky Five: Torabhaig Allt Gleann Legacy
We finished the evening with Torabhaig Allt Gleann Legacy, a peated single malt from the Isle of Skye.
Torabhaig is one of Scotland's newer whisky distilleries, having begun production in 2017.
Its Legacy Series explores the distillery's developing character, with Allt Gleann offering a smoky, maritime style of single malt whisky.
And it seems we've found exactly the right audience for it.
The Torabhaig was particularly well loved, which brings us to something we've started noticing at Devon Dram Club.
We're developing some proper peat freaks!
There are now a growing number of people who seem to get rather excited whenever a smoky whisky makes an appearance.
Perhaps people's palates are changing. Perhaps tasting blind is helping them discover whiskies they wouldn't normally choose.
Or perhaps we've simply got a club full of people who really like peat!
Whatever the reason, Torabhaig was a brilliant way to finish the evening.
And we suspect there might be a few more smoky whiskies appearing at future tastings.
So, What Did We Learn?
Well, firstly, 30 people is quite a lot for a whisky tasting!
But more importantly, our seventh Devon Dram Club gave us another reminder of why we enjoy tasting whisky blind.
Glencadam showed us that a straightforward, well-made whisky can be a real crowd-pleaser.
Thompson Bros reminded us that sometimes the most interesting whiskies are the ones we can't quite work out.
And Torabhaig confirmed that our growing collection of peat freaks is becoming a force to be reckoned with.
As for Bunnahabhain and Glenmorangie? Both perfectly enjoyable whiskies, even if they didn't quite grab everyone's attention this time.
That's the wonderful thing about whisky. We don't all have to agree.
In fact, it would be rather boring if we did.
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make this our biggest Devon Dram Club yet.
We might keep the numbers a little smaller next time, but the idea will always remain the same.
Five whiskies. No labels. No prices. Just good company and a little curiosity.
Fancy Joining Us Next Time?
Devon Dram Club meets on the first Friday of every month at Crossed Anchors Brewery in Exeter.
Each month we explore five mystery whiskies, share our thoughts and discover something new.
You don't need to be a whisky expert. In fact, you don't need to know anything about whisky at all.
All you need is a little curiosity.
