The 8 whiskies in this session makes for a total of 259 years in oak casks, goodies! And me not being the biggest single grain drinker, this'll be an excellent opportunity to see what all the fuzz is about.
Dumbarton 29yo 1961-1990 46% The Master of Malt cask#10277,10278,10279,10280
Dumbarton is an operating grain distillery in the lowlands and is a big contributor to Ballantines blends. Golden color, it smells of lavender, floral, melted dark chocolate, caramel, burnt sugar, toasted bread, clearly a lowlander, and a very nice nose indeed. The taste is of sweet bread, olive oil, milk chocolate, honey, marzipan, a really sweet and light treat. Not nearly as robust as most single malts, but still preferable to many of them because of the clean and elegant palate, no clutter in this one.
Smooth and silky grain: 7
Dumbarton 32yo 1962-1994 49.9% Cadenhead's
One at CS, can that enhance some of the nice flavors found in the 1961 MoM? The color is deep golden. It smells of honey with some oily and floral notes, beeswax, a lot of floral notes actually, abit like the smell one find in flower shops or greenhouses. Botanical stuff, other than thatits quite sweet and mellow, whiffs of mint and gingerbread, a grain for Christmas? The taste is of honey and floral, also some orange zest and cardamum. With a small drop of water added it turns even sweeter, now with flour sugar, vanilla and mint. The finish is slightly peppery.
Once again its perfectly enjoyable, just a tad too light for me: 6
Caledonian 31yo 1963-1994 48.7% Cadenhead's
Caledonian was a grain distillery on the outskirts of Edinburgh, closed in 1988. Considered a rare treat today. Dark brown color on this one. It smells of heavy sherry, cinnamon, dry, grassy, yeasty, sun-dried tomatoes, red paprika, intense sherry, a hint of sulphur and oak. The taste is of cinnamon, dark berries, dark grapes, leather, peaches, creamy, oloroso, raisins, rum sweetness, rich. Absolute perfect sheried whisky, I remember having a sherried grain from Cameromnbridge, by Adelphi, which was close to this, absolute stunner!
I could be wrong, but I think any whisky would excel in cask(s) like this: 9
North British 50yo 1962-2012 44.9% Alambi Classique cask#12042 btl.16/60
North British is situated in Edinburgh and is the largest producer of whisky in all of Scotland with somewhat over 60 millions liters a year, and they use maize as their main ingredient in the distillation. This only my third ever 50yo, and and the first one at CS. From a bourbon cask. The color is amber. It smells immensely of oak, needs some minuted, at least, to settle down. After 15 minutes of airing it smells smoky, hickory, red wine vinegar, licorice, turmeric, garlic, fennel seeds, lots of spices. The taste is of leather, honey, licorice, very nice sweet hints of soft licorice. This is also an amazing grain whisky. More honey as it opens up and ending on sweet honey and basil.
The nose was complex, the palate was elegant and smooth, in my book: 8.5
North British 45yo 1963-2009 50.7% Signatory Vintage cask#117362,117363,117365 btl.188/290
I've actually tried this on once before, but I can't remember the score. Maybe its best that way so I won't be biased when I score this time. Deep golden color. It smells of cardamum, cinnamon, ashes, flinty, turmeric, garam masala, curry, a lot of spices in this one too. The taste is of heather, honey, mango, banana, vanilla, sweet and fruity all the way. Nothing wrong with that. The finish is on syrup and cream, with some pepper and spicy sausage notes.
Just as good as the 50yo, belter grains: 8.5
Cambus 31yo 1963-1994 53.2% Cadenhead's
Cambus was another lowland distillery situated on the outskirts of Edinburgh which closed in 1992, just 4 years after its neighbor Caledonian. Golden color with some cask sediments. It smells of peppery and ashy notes. It's the dirties grain so far, reminds me a bit of some vulgar Littlemills I've tried, well, only on the nose that is. The taste is of mango, strawberries, pineapple, nuts, spices, cloves, honey, burnt brea, ginger, olives, apples, reminds me a bit of some calvados because of the strong apple flavors.
It's too bad they shut down so many grain distilleries: 6
Lochside 27yo 1964-1991 60.5% James MacArthur's
Just as some grain distilleries had their own single malt production, Kinclaith, Glen Flagler Inverleven and such were produced within grain distilleries, some single malt distilleries produced their own grain whisky, Lochside and Ben Nevis perhaps being the most famous. A crazy strength after 27 years. The color is golden, it smells of citrus, lemon meringue, spicy, cardamum, aniseed, floral, vegetable stock, vanilla, perfumy, spirity. It tastes sweet, peppery, beetroot, honey, potato starch, a bit spirity. I'd imagine this one could go well with some water mixed in. Now it turns lighter, camphor, gasoline, salty, heather, tobacco, not like the other grains, more robust and complex.
Heavy grain whisky: 7
Girvan 14yo 1979-1994 65.3% Cadenhead's
Yes, talking about strengths, and this one being the youngster of the bunch, nearly half the age of the second youngest. Girvan is another lowland distillery, established as late as 1963, and still pounding out grain spirit. And apart from once producing Ladyburn as a single malt, its widely available as the Black Barrel single grain. The color on this one is white wine. It smells of heavy spirit, ink, black markers, plastic, old warehouse, mustard. The taste is distinctively peppery and kind of hard to bear. After a while it turns more sweet, plastic, acidic, raw onions. Needs some water. Now it turns lighter, peppery, to be fair, this is lacking quite a bit contra the older ones in this session.
Mostly spirity: 2.5
Next tasting: Glenburgie Distillery
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