5 Speyburns tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011

Speyburn 26yo 1980-2006 61.3% Signatory

Speyburn's a whisky hard to get by both as an IB and as Original bottling over 12yo. There seems to be some 21yo OB's around anyway. This smells sweet, metallic, ginseng, hay, mints and clover. The taste is dry, spirity and lemony, bring the water. At this strength and bourbon-matured I expected an explosion, but this is absurd. With plenty water it gets a bic acidic, sour, peppery, not too enjoyable, I think that Speyburn is a malt that needs to be carried in a sweeter cask, at least a couple years. Othe than that it just seems underdeveloped, very young-ish.

Another bummer: 2.5



Speyburn-Glenlivet 15yo 1975-1991 60.1% Cadenhead's

Now, time to break up the game, last time I tried a young 60% whisky, I believe it was a Fettercairn which totally surprised me in a positive way. This Speyburn smells of pine, hay, leather, lime, veal and grilled onions. The taste is far to dry and heavily alcohol influenced to enjoy neat, even though it shows great potential with honey, banana and almond among the flavours. The almond, plum, sugar and banana notes are fantastic, with lots of vanilla coming through when water's added you could say it's a bit like a vanilla split, malt style.

I never thought a Speyburn could be like this: 9.5



Speyburn 15yo 1979-1994 62.9% James MacArthur's "500 years of Scotch Whisky"

The rarely single bottled speyburn is hard to find. The smell is very strong, as indeed the abv is, christmas tree, cigar smoke and pistachio. The taste is extremely strong, a bit too big, concentrated damp and oaky fragrances. This one might be hard to find, but I'm already guessing why. Very strong with much taste, but no finesse whatsoever.

One to ruin your tastebuds with: 3



Speyburn 10yo 40% OB

Speyburn is a malt that's not to widely sold on the european market. Neither bottled too often independently. It's pretty dark with a strong, pungent nose, floral, minty, oaky, funny little thing. The taste is a bit of a let down, very woody, but quite boring and slow to develop. I'll add some time and water. It becomes even more woody, and some sugar in the aftertaste.

A pretty tired malt: 3.5



Speyburn 21yo 1971-1992 40% CC G&M

A mature speyburn is usually a malt to my liking. It's very floral, smells of dried flowers and mosquito spray. There's taste of freshly popped pocorn with lots of butter, cured ham, chorizo. Some chilli oil on the palate, and it finishes off with lots of salty flavours.

I'm not overly surprised, only a bit: 7.5