Grain tasting!!!

So, the third one in a row of alternative styles to scotch single malts. Many people alway tells me that really old single Grains can be really good. But young single grains are rarely spoken of, so today we'll have one young just for good measures, and the rest will be more or less old ones. Btw, I have only tried one single grain so far that was a winner, and it was a Cameronbridge from Adelphi. Maybe there will be some more winners in this tasting?


Blackbarrel/Girvan NAS 43% WM Grant's

So, a pretty young distillery, no age statement and bottled at 43%, I'm assuming this is a young whisky. If not I think they've put their old stock in an undeserving vat. But I could be wrong... Sort of the standard bottling from Girvan. Very light in color. Turns hazy immediately after being poured. It smells spirity and grainy, small oakiness, more in Vodka territory than whisky so far. The taste is light, sweet and burnt. soapy, phenolic, cigar smoke, tannins, seems to be some smokiness in this one, but I'm not aware of any peat being used in the production of Girvan. Anyway, its a lightweighter, and not something I'd enjoy more than as a light aperitif whisky. But there's little off-notes except some soapy notes on the palate.

Well made, but a bit boring whisky: 4


Girvan 45yo 1965-2010 47.3% The Clan Denny Douglas Laing

So, quite a jump in length of maturation between these two Girvans, and this one is also bottled at cask strength, but after such a long time in oak it's usually bound to be a significant loss of alcohol content in the spirit. Amber orange hue. Smells oaky and austere at first, needs some time to open up. Now, given about 20 minutes it shows to be a sweet and musty whisky, but far too oaky, I believe water will be added to this one, but let's try it neat first. Licorice, mint, walnuts, pine wood, a weird mixture, the oakiness is gone, and I don't think water is needed here, but it seems a bit too light for all those years in oak, so I'll add some anyway.With about 3 drops of water it opens up and becomes more bitter and gingery, not for the better in my opinion. It's fun to try such old grains, but I'm still not convinced that it's a fair alternative to single malts.

Okay stuff, quite interesting or peculiar if you like, when neat: 5.5


Dumbarton 26yo 1963-1989 40% Signatory Vintage cask#2012-2014 btl.240/1200

I believe this is my first whisky from Dumbarton Distillery, which I believe is now closed alongside many other grain distilleries. Many people discuss what flavors each single malt contributes to the different blends in which they're a part. But very seldom is the distinctiveness of the grain whiskies included in the mix discussed in the same manner. Maybe the reason there were more peatiness in the older bottlings from White Horse, is that the grain whisky in the vat is more demanding than before? Just a bit of thinking I do on rare occasions... The color in this one is amber. The smell is spirity, honey, lavender, caramel, rich, I like this one because the sweetness draws the spirityness aside. The taste is light and peppery, more in blend territory now, a small bitterness, some black pepper and nothing else. The lightest 20yo I've ever tried.

Hard to give points here since it's neither good or bad, just plain and boring: 3


Carsebridge 32yo 1962-1994 54.7% James MacArthur's

I rate J McA rather high as an IB, when compared to many others, but I think I'm still capable of looking past that when reviewing whiskies from that brand. Nice golden brown hue. It smells thick and sherried, cinnamon, cloves, cigar smoke, honey, leather, chalk dust, red curry, wow! The taste is sulphury, chili, apple pie, coriander, very good, but perhaps it needs a bit of water as the sulphure is a bit extreme. Water opens it up a lot, sweet chili, honey, sauteed onions, marzipan, nutmeg, cloves again, and ginger.

One of the best single grains I've had so far: 7


North British 20yo 1991-2011 55.8% Master of Malt

So, a rather new bottling, I have not tried many bottlings for/by Master of Malt, but the ones I've tried have all been recommendable. This one has a light hue, white wine, smells bitter and spirity, vanilla, old jeans, paint thinner, natural fertilizer :(. I'm hoping that the unpleasant start will be followed by a contradictory palate. The taste is sugary, plum juice, malt vinegar, syrup, you could use this one as a dressing, it's a playful and light-hearted whisky that, because of its rather high strength, shows to be a fulfilling alternative to the rather heavy malty notes that I think is the main character difference between single malts and single grains. Cause when push comes to show, there are many single malt whiskies that's way more pesky than this whisky.

Great palate, rubbish nose, well, rather that than the opposite: 7


Port Dundas 20yo 1991-2011 57.4% OB

So, this is an OB from Port Dundas Distillery, who'd knew.. But I do have an 40-something aged Port Dundas in my cabinet, so this might give me a small hint on what to expect? The color in this one is dark brown, must be some heavy oloroso casks involved here? It smells sulphury and peppery, and that's about it, kind of one-dimensional whisky. After a while it turns sweeter with honey, peppermint and sweet wine, sauternes style. The taste is The taste is all on thick, fat oloroso sherry, sweet as the sweetest grape and dry as the driest desert. Amazing on many levels, if you want the ultimate sherry-influenced whisky, I guess you could get it from other whisky mongers and more profiled distilleries, but this one from Port Dundas, that's sold at Master of malt, must be one of the best choices when it comes to value for money.

Maximum drying whisky that takes much water, but if you're a sherry-fan: 8