Today I bring out my finest glassware for this session, as I'm about to have one whisky that I have very good memories from. And it gives me a chance to try some whiskies from Glencadam Distillery, which is a rare treat.
Glencadam 12yo 1974-1986 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
A young and colored Glencadam with orange hue. These youngsters can often surprise as time in bottle often adds prominent characters to a whisky. It smells spicy and citric, orange zest and lemon. The taste is spicy, cinnamon, peppery, orange zest again, balsamic reduction, dry white wine. As with many of the other young oldies from this series, its a very pungent whisky despite its low strength. I wonder if water could help a bit here. Don't dilute this, it only makes for a more bitter version, where the nice fruity notes weakens a lot.
A fine 12yo, what one could expect from a young whisky when 46-50%abv: 4.5
Glencadam 15yo 46% OB
I have always liked the older 15yo version at 40%abv. Let's hope this newer version at 46%abv can develop even more on that positive trend within Glencadams standard bottlings. It smells creamy and light, mountain air, kiwi juice, fresh leather, smoked salmon. The taste is The taste is big on vanilla, cream, custard, very light and sweet, yet enticing because its so full-bodied, or thick if you like. I have to say that of all the middle-aged OB's out there, this is one of the best alternatives if you take price into consideration. The aftertaste is sugary and peppery, a bit rum-like.
A very good OB, that I don't think carries much older stock, impressive: 6.5
Glencadam 20yo 1985-2006 48% Dun Bheagan cask#3995
I don't know why Dun Bheagan are deciding to bottle whiskies at such a high strength as 48%abv, instead of just keeping it at CS, I mean, I feel the same way with the OMC-range by Douglas Laing. But then again, I guess, scrimping equals earning. I believe the color in this one has been adjusted as well. It has that, a bit too shining, golden color often found in young blends. It smells This one smells more spirity, boiled sausages, pork sausages, heated grease, stewed onions, not bad, reminds me a bit the sensation I get when passing an english sausage stand. Greasy and salty with hints of cooking oil in the wind. The taste is rich and honeyed, oily, oaky, thick. At first its a good one, but it turns peppery and bitter, spirity, shortly after the rather nice attack on the palate. Water just reinforces those unwanted notions.
It starts so good, then falls straight on its back: 3.5
Glencadam 36yo 1974-2010 48.9% Malts of Scotland cask#3214
So, this is the one I mentioned in the introduction to this tasting. I do not remember the exact score I gave it, but it was well above 8.0. It was also a couple of years, and many, many whiskies ago, so perhaps my palate has changed? Let's find out. The color is golden brown. It smells honeyed and rich, some light cinnamon and dark berries. The taste is thick, cinnamon, peppery, raisin, wheat buns, drying. The aftertaste is more oily and phenolic than what I remembered. I think this one must come from some sort of amontillado cask, some bitterness, but much sweetness. I have now rechecked my earlier points given for this whisky, and I gave it a 10(!). Although a very good whisky, I can't go that high this time.
It lacks a bit on the finish, otherwise perfect sherry notes: 8.5
Glencadam 32yo 1971-2004 54.3% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#7689
From a bourbon hogshead, quite some time to be matured in a hoggie, will this be another woody whisky? I usually like this Raw Cask series a lot because of it's just that wood influenced, and I am yet to find one that has gone over the edge and become too oaky. Maybe this could be it? And of course it contains the usual cask sediments. It smells winy, white wine and white spirit. Vodka and champagne? The color is golden brown. The taste is perfect, thick honey, cinnamon, malt syrup, numbing, drying, very drying, one of the most intense Glencadams I've ever tried. Sweet, thick, syrupy and extremely dry white wine. I believe this is one that many people would have some troubles with because of its heavy sweetness, but once again I'm looking past that and saying that if you can't overlook the sweetness from a bourbon cask, you'll never know the whisky beyond it.
Great whisky, one to have with a good cuban cigar, any day: 9
Next tasting: Glenlossie Distillery
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