Brechin, or North Port as its often called, or the other way around, was an old Highland distillery founded under the name Townhead in 1820 and situated close to where Glencadam Distillery would be founded just 5 years later. The distillery changed hands a bunch of times, but had few non-productive periods before it was mothballed back in 1983, a dreadful year for many scottish distilleries. Many of its neighbors, like Glen Esk, Lochside and Glenury Royal were also closed back then and will probably never distill again. Glencadam too were closed for a period, but has since then re-opened. The only distillery in the easter highlands that went untroubled was the Old Fettercairn Distillery. In 1990 most of the equipment was sold and the site was sold to become a supermarket. Bottlings of NPB are getting scarcer and scarcer, and I don't believe, except for a Connoisseur's Choice bottling by G&M back in 2010, that there's been any output of NPB since 2008. I've saved some samples from bottles I once had from this distillery and some miniatures and such, time to explore! And if you ask me, I do not believe there will be much more North Port Brechin in years to come either, so get one before they're all gone!
North Port Brechin 20yo 1970-1990 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
The color of this is bright amber, as many others that's been colored by E150 in this series. It smells of soft malty notes, marzipan, linen, liquid soap, very balanced, refreshing. The taste is malty, sweet, orange zest, pears, onions, cedar wood, ashes, oaky, turnips, honey, banana leaves, croutons, there's most certainly some similarities to old Fettercairn in this one. Sweet white wine, fruit syrup, nectarine and floral notes on the finish. Certainly one of those old CC-bottlings that kept up with the added water after maturation.
Fruitbomb: 8.5
North Port Brechin NAS 1982-? 43% Private Cellar, Forbes & Ross
Private Cellar is an IB series that ranks a bit below the Scott's Selection range at F&R. Therefore its always diluted prior to bottling. This sample is from a full bottle that I purchased a couple years ago, at a very affordable price compared to todays bottlings, and I believe its one of the latest North Ports that ever was released up till this date. The color is about the same as the 1970 CC. It smells of sort of dry, papery, banana peel, orange seeds, one could easily criticize this whisky for being too weak and not robust or complex enough, but the total lack of anything not-pleasant is enough to convince me. Really a whisky to sip when getting a massage at the spa, if that's your thing, not mine, I'll rather visit The Den for a game of football. So, let's not get carried away, how is the taste? The taste is all on roast smoke, butter, vanilla, pistachio, wax, almonds, nutty, small hints of peat and kiwi. This is again not the most expressive malt, but to enjoy on its own besides some dark chocolate and strawberries, it's nothing short of perfect.
It have got some of that Springbank lightness, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy: 8.5
North Port Brechin 29yo 1975-2005 57.5% Signatory Vintage cask#2961 btl.132/185
Another sample from a bottle I won, but this I have still got a lot left of. I think my claim that none (very, very little) NPB have been release after 2008 in that case makes this one my oldest so far in this session. I hope this will be something in the veins of the last two. I'm assuming this one comes from a bourbon cask, as nothin is stated on the bottle. The color is dark golden. It smells of peppery notes, burnt toffee, dark chocolate, onions, leather, bitter herbs, sauerkraut, creamy licorice (if that exists), grassy, oregano, complex enough, but how's the palate? The taste is peppery, waxy, bitter, green leaves, very drying tonic water, very peppery indeed, but that's far from its fault. Perhaps it needs some water. Now it turns more bitter and minty, minty licorice, mint drops. On can't blame the palate alone. The thing's that really lacking in this one is the buttery, nutty, fruity sweetness that I found on the palate after the initial shock in the prior ones.
Good whisky, but not more than that: 6
North Port Brechin 20yo 1979-1999 61.2% OB Rare Malts
Diageo have bottled some closed distilleries in the Rare Malts series, but don't be misguided, none of these were bottled when the distilleries were still operating. A rather high strength on this one, but so will the rest in this session be. Remember, nowadays distillers cuts their new-make at lower degrees than what they used before. The color on this one is dark golden. It smells of lead, bitter notes, sea salt, coastal, butter, caramel, peat, smoke, honey, mustard seeds, mustard leaves, superb stuff, this is a whisky that measure with the best. The taste is peppery, pistachio, bitter, dry leaves, grassy, needs some water to improve I believe. Now it turns more sweet, peppercorns, bitter notes, jalapeno. I must reveal this as some of the best from closed distilleries, but its hard to justify it.
A great whisky, but at this age its a bit too late I'm afraid: 6
North Port Brechin 21yo 62% Cadenhead's
No cask reference on this one, but what a strength for a whisky this age. I had a Kilchoman at 4yo at 64% right the other day, and it was indeed great stuff! The color is deep, dark golden. It smells of honey and bitter notes, coastal, salty, butter, even smoke and onions. The taste is smoky, buttery, cinnamon, leather, dark grapes, grape seeds, a superb whisky without a doubt. Going forward it has some leathery and latex notes, its beyond beauty!
Not many whiskies of NPB, but great quality drams: 9.5
North Port, or Brechin, back when operational
The site where NPB formerly stood, 2011
Next tasting: Glenugie Distillery
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