Historic Distilleries: Imperial

#1

#2

Imperial Distillery was built in 1897 by the owners of Talisker and Dailuaine, so I guess they should know how a good whisky would be made. Neighboring distillery Dailuaine is still alive and kicking.When closing in 1925 it didn't open till 1955, and having already been mothballed for almost two decades prior to 1925 one could easily start wondering if there was something odd about this distillery. In 1965 it was partially upgraded for on-site barley malting, but then it closed again just two decades later. In 1989 distillation started again, but just for 9 years this time, being mothballed again in 1998. Todays owners Chivas have said they'll never start distillation at Imperial again, but then why did they buy it? There are rumors Imperial is to start distilling again in the near future, but with new equipment. Officially its only mothballed but by the looks of these photos in the link below, its hard to believe distillation will ever recur unless a nearly total renovation is done.

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=19401#.URGEUXgyddo

Remember, as there were no official bottlings from Signatory, the bottlings that have made it to the market have all been by independent bottlers. Especially 1976 and 1979 seems to be popular vintages. Let's hope that even with new equipment, Imperial can be able to make some great whisky in the future. There's quite some Imperials on my shelves so I have to split this session in two.



#1
Imperial NAS 1976 43% The Whisky Connoisseur

I've enjoyed some of the older bottlings from The Whisky Connoisseur, but it seems by their more modern watered down bottlings they've lost some their sparkle. The golden eagle on the label makes it look a bit like a novelty whisky I guess. 1976 is often referred to as a very good year at Imperial, a lot of good whiskies in that vintage. The color is golden. It smells of musty, spicy, bitter, vinegary tomato pulp, rubbery sweetness. The taste is sweet, vanilla, banana, sugary, syrup, custard, meringue, a sweet treat. The finish is peppery, licorice, heather, this is a real nice one, not edgy in any way, just a pure clean fun whisky. If this is the standard Imperial held its a shame they didn't produce more.

Great allround whisky: 8


Imperial 10yo 1998-2009 46% Duncan Taylor Nc2 cask#1022 btl.209/323

A much more recent distillation. From this series which I think Duncan Taylor started bottling around 2008, quite similar to the "no coloring no chill-filtration"-series from Signatory. The color on this one is light golden. It smells of vanilla, mandarin chutney, honey, sweet white wine, certainly an active ex bourbon cask, but it lacks a bit of the depth the 1976 portrayed. The taste is vanilla, oaky, rubber, sweet, peppery, very light and easily sip-able malt, but not complex in any way. Sort of a bland whisky that lets the cask do most of the talking. The finish is drying and short, some hay and grassy notes.

It's nice there's affordable ways to try Imperials even today, if maybe not at their best form: 5


Imperial 15yo 1995-2011 46% Signatory for the Nectar Belgium cask#50309

The big difference in quality, in my opinion, between the 1976 and 1998 makes me dread not purchasing more older Imperials, but this will might show there can be magic in more recent distillate as well. From a hogshead. The color is amber golden. It smells caramel, butterscotch, stewed onions, dark chocolate, musty, gravel, earthy. If you like this kinda "dirty construction site" style, its definitively one to check out. The taste is buttery, floral, vanilla, candy cream, melted vanilla ice cream, white bell pepper. The finish is on parsley, black pepper and grassy notes.

A good whisky that shows a style which is becoming rarer and rarer these days: 4.5


Imperial 16yo 1995-2012 53.1% Dewar Rattray cask#50070

Lets see how Imperial stacks at cask strength. From a bourbon hogshead. It seems sherried Imperials are few and far between, but I'll have a couple of them later as well. The color is golden. It smells of cinnamon, vanilla, dried bananas, figs, dates, cured ham, dried meat, a bit smoky, mustard, pickled cucumbers, leather. The taste is peppery, smoky, hickory smoke, barbecue sauce, vanilla, nutty, almonds, caramel. This is in need of some water I think. Strikes as a bit raw. With added water it turns peppery, honey and oranges, bittersweet, much more lively and fruity now, hints of citrus notes and melons, kiwis and other sweet fruits.

Water is needed for this to shine: 6


Imperial 16yo 1995-2012 53.9% The Whisky Fair

Third 1995 Imperial in a row, lets hope this vintage keeps improving for me. Another refill hogshead, I'm assuming its a bourbon hogshead as the age, color and strength are pretty similar to those of the #50070. The color is golden. It smells of vanilla, butter, vanilla, grassy, floral, burnt oak, phenols, drying. Once again its not really blowing me away on the nose, kinda withdrawn. The taste is sweet, spicy cinnamon, sweet chillies, buttery, egg cream. Sweet and spicy would be a good description of this whisky. The finish is bittersweet, leather, strong coffee.

Another good Imperial, lets hope the new distillate will at least match the old on quality: 6


Imperial 35yo 1976-2011 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#7431

Another 1976, let's hope for another goodie from that vintage. The color is golden. It smells of buttery, peppery, spicy, tangy, rubbery, wool, sugar cane, rum, leather, port wine, very special. The taste is all on leather, plums, raisins, red grapes, hay, apple cider, warming, clearly another very nice 1976 Imperial, but lets add some water just for fun. Now it turns sweeter, cinnamon, coriander, marshmallows, minty, sweet sticks, slightly perfumy, oily.

A sweeter and lighter Imperial, but that denies no quality here: 8


Imperial 20yo 1991-2011 55.3% Silver Seal

Another CS, but this time a bit older. Pale golden color. It smells of rubber, peppery notes, leather, pomegranate, kiwi, spirity, herbal. This is a bit more nasty than the prior ones in this session, seems a bit young and unfinished. The taste is honey, vanilla, ashes, spirity, cranberry syrup, pomegranate, apple peel, something very sweet here, probably from bourbon wood, but it just lacks some bite. The lack of spicy and peppery notes leaves a little to be desired for me in this one as it lets the alcohol dominate a bit too much. Adding water. Now it becomes sweeter and drier, some licorice and vanilla, but no vast improvement here.

A bit spirity and bland whisky: 4


Imperial 25yo 1977-2002 57.6% Cadenhead's

I got a full bottle of this, with good fill level, from an online auction back in 2010 for 70€ only. Thankfully I rebottled 5cl into a miniature so I now have a chance to make tasting notes. From a bourbon hogshead. The color is golden amber. It smells of honey, butter, sweet oranges, kiwi, mango, melon, raw parsnip, red onions. The taste is honey, oaky, nice bourbon notes, vanilla, custard, pisang liqueur, banana mash, potato starch, rice wine vinegar. Lets add some water. Now it turns more dry, peppery, ginger, spirity, don't add water to this is my best tip. The finish is peppery, waxy, longlasting, this reminds me more of some coastal highlanders than a Speysider.

Very good one, granted you don't add any water: 6.5


#2
Imperial NAS 1979 40% Gordon & Macphails

I have about the same number of 1976's and 1979's in these this session, lets hope that 1979 is another superb vintage from Imperial. I think this one was bottled back in the 1990's, but I'm not sure when. Easily, this is one of those questionable IB's disguised as OB's from Gordon & Macphail. The color is pale golden, I'm pretty sure by the looks that this is a naturally colored whisky. It smells of grape fruit, oranges, lime, glue, green apples, apple peel, sweet citrus, spirity, some rubbery, sweet, zesty notes. The taste is rather spirity, peppery, green apples again, chili, really a strong and not refined, rich or savory in any way. This just seems young and spirity, new-make style. The finish is buttery and peppery. I'm struggling a bit with this one,seems a bit rough and edgy. I indeed think this is a bottling done as a camouflaged OB on purpose.

Burnt, spirity, raw, heat, ralfy talks about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPrjVUg7hCU : 2


Imperial 15yo 1979-2005 43% James MacArthur's

I have no idea why this whisky, contrary to many other Imperials and JMcA's were diluted prior to bottling, they didn't make many of those, and certainly not from closed distilleries. The color is amber golden, reminds me of some young sherried malt, but I'm pretty sure that isn't the case here. It smells of honey, white wine, bitter notes, hermetic fruits, light, fruity and spirity. One might mistake this for any cheap blend, but the vanilla and toffee finish implies for a bit more lavish whisky. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, oranges, vanilla, peppery, spirity, burnt, quite hard to handle, seems to me the '79 vintage isn't one of my favs. I've always been a fan of J.McA, but it seems this one is a bit out of order. Bitter and spirity whisky, let's move on to another vintage.

Really an off whisky: 1.5


Imperial 14yo 1979-1993 64.9% Cadenhead's

In hindsight I'd ever understand why a sincere IB like Cadenhead's would put a young 1979 Imperial into their range, but then again, perhaps its improved at CS, one never knows. Must've been a tight cask to hold this strength after 14 years. The color is light amber. It smells of peaty, spirity notes, potato starch, rubbery, spirity, really bitter and hard to follow, lets hope its a bit better on the palate. The taste is peppery, intense, waxy, dried sage and bitter leaves, chillies, concentrated heavy spirity notes. Let's add some water. With added water it turns sweeter, but yet spirity and peppery, really harsh, raw onions, I wish I'd never taste this whisky, its really putrid. Let's hope for some redemption with the 1976's and others.

This is an extreme macho whisky, as spirity as it gets: 1


Imperial 17yo 1970-1987 40% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

One whisky that I've been looking forward to as I think this is the oldest vintage I've tried by Imperial. The color is shiny golden, surely adjusted with some E's. It smells of leather and tobacco, mustard, vinegar, tannins, dry red wine, barbecue smoke, coal, excellent! The taste is oily, malt syrup, vinegar, bitter and acidic, some lime zest. Pretty oaky and spirity at this low strength. Adding water. Now it turns more drying, wheat crackers, rye, wheat flour, white bread, a very timid and shy malt now. I guess not all old CC-bottlings were excellent, I mean, now I know that for sure. Finishes on gelatin and syrup.

Seems a poor spirit: 3


Imperial 16yo 1976-1993 43% Master of Malts cask#7560 btl.223/240

Now time for three 1876's in a row, let's start with this one from Master of Malt. Anyone know the story about these old miniatures from MoM, are they bottled by the same guys at www.masterofmalt.com, have they re-bottled older bottles into miniatures (unlikely), or is "The Master of Malt" an old lost indie which's name is now in use at another establishment? White wine color. It smells sweet, vanilla, sugary, burnt sugar, heavy bourbon notes, even some honey and perfumy notes. Very sweet, candy floss, marshmallows, gotta love whiskies with a sweet nose to enjoy this, but in that aspect it's really full on. The taste is very musty, white pepper, earthy, mosses, nothing sweet here, more a tight and restrained whisky. Perhaps some water will help it open up? Now it turns more wheat, acidic, glue, fabric, cotton, doesn't open up much despite the additional off-notes on the palate. The finish is short on some shortbread and wheat.

I preferred it neat, but its a hard whisky to get excited about: 3


Imperial 16yo 1976-1992 43% Master of Malts cask#7559 btl.200/360

This one has a copyright statement of "1992 The Master of Malt Ltd." is that the same company as the current online shop? Stop being lazy, use wiki. It now seems The Master of Malt is a company established in 1985 and still running. Then the mystery is then solved, all to easily for my liking. ;-) The color is hay. It smells of citrus notes, vanilla, citron, lemon meringue, apple juice, white wine vinegar, dry white wine. It does smells more punchy and spirity than its sister, cask#7560. The taste is peppery, bitter spices, nutmeg and cardamum, aniseeds, pretty difficult one. I'll add some water. Now it shows to become cardboardy, dry, attic dust, peppery, white pepper, soft licorice, ginger peel, parsley.

No rise in quality here: 3


Imperial 19yo 1976-1996 43% Signatory Vintage cask#7561 btl.311/1200

My guess is that this cask all went into miniatures. A bourbon cask. Maybe some more aging will do this one good, as you see all these three casks were consecutively filled at the distillery. I know MoM and Signatory even shared some casks back in the days. The color is white wine. It smells of wheat, hay, dry white wine, bitter apples, grapefruit, lemon meringue, white pepper. The taste is vanilla, peppery, onions, bitter white wine, grapefruit, much what the nose promised. Time to add some water. Now it turns more spirity, bitter, hay and wheat, rye, cologne, bitter white wine, I guess this one is even worse than #7559 and #7560 despite being well older.

Whisky deteriorates in a bad cask, rather bottle young and make a fire: 2


Imperial 12yo 65% James MacArthur's

Finishing this rather disappointing tasting of Imperials with a thunderbolt at 65%abv. And 12yo as well. But since the younger whiskies made the slightly less bad impression of me in this #2 sitting, the young age might be good news. The color is golden amber. It smells of sweet vanilla, honey, caramel, creamy, stewed onions, butterscotch, barbecues sauce, sweet vinegary notes, sun-dried tomatoes, rich sweet sherry notes, cinnamon, phenolic, sulphur, cedar wood, cigars. The taste is very phenolic, acidic, drying, peppery, a real sherry monster, time for some water. With added water the nose opens up with a lot more cinnamon, fish market, dried herrings, this old musty fish smell. Amazing! I usually find little or no changes on the nose when adding water, but this is an exception. The taste is now still phenolic, burnt oak, extremely peppery, bitter, drying, I'd imagine this from some dry amontillado sherry cask or something. The reason for that is after the initial extreme sherried notes some sweet bell peppers, honey and buttery notes appears. Its a great version of Imperial, and at this high strength, lets just say it handles water quite well.

Anymore young sherried Imperials out there?: 8

Imperial then

Imperial now (not much have changed, except the inside)

















Next tasting: Convalmore Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Glenglassaugh (pretty recently re-opened)

Glenglassaugh have actually been closed about half of its life-span even though being established as early as 1875. Last mothballing was back in 1986, before it was revived in 2008. I will try some of the new, though possibly a bit immature Glenglassaughs against some of the old ones from times gone by in this session. This whisky was always hard to get a hold of from IB's which often means there couldn't be much old stock left in the warehouses after the last mothballing. The distillery equipment left at Glenglassaugh was installed in the 1960's, and have only been used for 26 years at most, therefore one can easily see this whisky as a modern malt despite the age of the distillery. Let's try old vs very new Glenglassaugh in this session.



Glenglassaugh NAS 2009 50% OB The Spirit Drink That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Surely one of the longest titles for a whisky there ever was. I've not included this in the photo as it came from a sluggish sample bottle and was, well, the color of water, as you'd might expect, this being approximately about half a year old. The new-make from the recently re-opened Glenglassaugh Distillery. I must admit that apart from some Bladnoch and Bruichladdich I've tried little new-makes. It smells of fresh herbal notes, grassy, waxy, peat, glue, raw onions, kinda fresh but far from whisky. The taste is peppery, burnt, butter, grainy, oat meal, very light and easy. This sure is a fine new-make, like a high quality vodka, or thereabout, but it lacks any complexity.

Hard to give points here, really not my game, for a new-make it's quite nice, so: 5


Glenglassaugh 21yo 2009 46% OB

Kinda the counterpart to the new-make, I think releasing this alongside some new-make was a great way to showcase both what was and what are to become Glenglassaugh single malt. Time to try them side by side. The color on this one is golden brown. It smells of sweet vanilla, honey, butter, cinnamon, licorice, surely some sherried oak involved here, malt syrup, stearic, milk chocolate, leather. The taste is red wine vinegar, bittersweet, perfumy, starchy, onions, cherry tomatoes, dried paprika. More on dried fruits, rubber and starch after a while. This is just a bit hard to follow, but I believe it is made in the best interest. Perhaps they've saved some of the best older casks for later bottling.

This is pretty forgettable, MOTR whisky: 5


Glenglassaugh 23yo 1974-1997 43% Blackadder cask#9766

An older version bottled last millennium, there'll be a couple of those in this session, which is fun as it often helps shines light on any development on the spirit over time. The color is dark golden. It smells of mint leaves, mango chutney, oranges, caramel, pear, honey, peanut butter, cloves, really refreshing highland style. Reminds me a bit of some older Ben Nevis. The taste is light, rubbery, waxy, grassy, floral, peanut butter, pesto, nutty, peppery. Rather short and peppery finish. It's a most pleasant nose, the palate is a bit too light for me and the finish is just a slight echo of the palate.

Light whisky, one that needs both time and patience to be discovered: 5


Glenglassaugh NAS 46% OB Revival

I think this whisky is all 3yo, but could be there's some 4yo in it as well. At least, it's the first OB whisky expression distilled after the re-opening. The color is light hazel. It smells of hay, rubber, grassy, floral, perfumy. The taste is sweet, porridge, papery, vodka, dry, phenol, oaky, leather, gin. This sure seems a bit underdeveloped, or unfinished if you like. I do not believe whisky will be able to help such young a whisky which already have been diluted so I'll keep it neat. The finish is peppery, dry licorice, aniseed, honey liqueur, and possibly the best side of this whisky.

Potential here, but far from delivering a complete whisky experience yet: 3.5


Glenglassaugh 3yo 2009-2012 46% OB Ayinger Beer Cask Finish

I actually had a 20cl bottle of this, original, but I threw it away. Too bad, as it would've looked sharp in the photo. Instead I poured last 5cl on a Cadenhead's mini which did not make the photo due to its grim looks. Enough abou that. I have not tried much whisky from beer casks, last one I think was a blend from Grant's. The color is amber orange, really nice vibrant color. It smells of honey, oat meal, hops, a lot of hop flavor, an ex-IPA cask? Smells to me like some IPA beer. Quite simple. The taste is sweet, buttery, hoppy, drying, earl grey tea, latex, licorice, drying, dusty. This dry sensation seems to be quite dominating in both the Revival and this one. The finish is all on hops and phenols.

Seems that beer cask finishes really can work: 6


Glenglassaugh 12yo 1985-1997 43% James MacArthur's

I'm switching between older and very recent Glenglassaugh in this session, none bottled between '97 an '07. Time to try one distilled in the 85, one year before it was mothballed for its last time. There really haven't been many bottlings from Glenglassaugh when it was closed compared to such as Glen Keith and Rosebank. I must say these old versions seems more fruity and sweet than the recent versions. The color is golden. It smells of vanilla, perfumy, salty, licorice, plum spirit, ginger, vanilla, orange zest, nestles. This taste is very light, sweet, honey, malty, but most of all its a easily drinkable malty spirit. One could drink litres of this. But its far from an experience worth hunting down.

Light and easy whisky: 4


Glenglassaugh 28yo 1983-2011 49.8% OB The Master Distillers Selection

From a sherry cask, one of the casks that was left in the warehouses when new owners arrived. I hope there's more like this to come. The color is golden copper. It smells of honey, tea shop, dark grapes, dark berries, rhubarb, barbecue sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red wine, tannins, sulphury. This is promising, great sherried style with heavy oloroso influence. The taste is sweet, honey, cinnamon, licorice, peppery, sweet chili, butter. The finish is drying and peppery, seems to me there's been some superior and some less good casks in this one.

Good sherried whisky with a drying finish: 6.5


Glenglassaugh 21yo 1986-2007 53.4% Dewar Rattray cask#162

Distilled in the last closing year at Glenglassaugh Distillery. From a sherry cask. The color is brown. It smells of cinnamon, bamboo, pine, cedar wood, honey, leather, cigar smoke, sulphur, ashes, paint. The taste is peppery, chili, cod liver, sulphury, latex, ashes, oaky. Very dry and sulphury indeed, lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, spicy cinnamon, oaky, red paprika, bell peppers, honey, rosé wine, mint. The finish is long, sweet, bell peppers, earthy, banana leaves, tonic water, ginger, oaky. A classic sherry style.

Another example of a good sherried Glenglassaugh: 6.5


Glenglassaugh 25yo 1984-2009 54.7% Malts of Scotland cask#186

25 years and a sherry butt should make for a good combination. The color is dark brown. I'm suggesting an oloroso cask, but I could be wrong. It smells sweet, dark chocolate, honey, cinnamon, wax, heather, diary cream and pistachio paste. The taste is caramel, brown sugar, honey, chili paste, leather, cinnamon, ginger ale, starch, oloroso, zinfandel wine, butter. This is first class sherried whisky. Are there more casks like this still left in the warehouses at Glenglassaugh? I have to add water, but not much, its already very delicate. Now even more of the sherry comes forth, opens up on sweet dark berries, honey and cinnamon. What a whisky!

Excellent sherried one, an instant classic in my book: 9


Glenglassaugh 15yo 1977-1993 59% Cadenhead's

One of those high strength youngsters from Cadenhead's, god bless them. I've had the opportunity to try many young whiskies from whiskies that was closed even before my birth due to these old Cadenhead bottlings. And they very often give more of a representation of a distillery character than the 30-something year olds bottled nowadays. The color on this one is light golden. It smells of chalk dust, leather, oaky, drying, cumin, mustard. Old style whisky, one to savour when you got some time on your hands, this is quite closed, so to speak. The taste is custard, honey, oranges, herbal, leather, starch, dry licorice, marshmallows, aniseed, acrylic, stearic, nutty sweetness, shows Glenglassaugh can perform brilliantly even at this level. The finish is very long and peppery, tongue-numbing and absolutely the grand-finale this whisky deserves.

Another stupendous one, hopefully new Glenglassaugh can reach these standard: 9

Glenglassaugh, could this be from the 1930's?

The distillery entrance before re-opening, hopefully for the last time, in 2008.












Next tasting: Imperial Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Glen Keith (about to re-open this year?)

So, maybe not as historic anymore, as when I planned these sessions.. Glen Keith was mothballed from 1999 and its future looked bleak, but thanks to the public consumption of Chivas Regal, Glen Keith now seems to once again start producing whisky, the rumor has it that'll be sometime in 2013. Glen Keith has always been a strong workhorse for blends such as Passport Blends, and in the future, hopefully new owners Chivas. It's also a pretty young distillery built as late as 1957. More than that they've already produced both tripple-distilled whisky and peated whisky. The great Glen Keiths may have been few and far between, but as the distillation have been as steady as an earthquake, no wonder. But some of the stuff they've made, especially some released from IB's have been superb. Very little is traditional at Glen Keith, being a quite young distillery they were also the first one to use gas fired stills in 1970. In 1980 microprocessors were installed to control mashing, milling and distilling. A technical centre and laboratory were added later. In that case one could suggest Glen Keith Distillery more of a Guinea Pig for the industry than as a serious prospect for steady distillation of great whisky. Time to try this one and get to know what kind of whisky was really produced there. It'll be fun to watch how much of the future produce Chivas will release as single malts or release to IB's as single malts. Let's hope everybody can enjoy good Glen Keith in the future.



Glen Keith 13yo 1995-2008 43% Chieftain's Choice cask#44146,44148,44150

I purchased this bottle of, my first one ever, Glen Keith back in 2009, so I poured a sample right away to keep for times like this. The rest of the bottle was generously shared with friends. In fact, this bottling and a couple of samples from others made me sort of luke-warm to Glen Keith, but more recent bottlings (older ones!) have shown to be better. The color is pale golden. It smells of sweet vanilla, strawberry bubble gum, peaches, green tea, pisange liqueur, nice, clean, fruity, but also short and hardly complex. As I remember I think reading somewhere that this was a peated Glen Keith, but that I'd never guessed by the nose. The taste is sweet, acidic, rubbery, bitter, herbal, some earthy and sweet notes, latex, chalk, pencil eraser and tonic water that is. Very unlikely and not very pleasant. Let's add water. Now it turns more rubbery, nutty, some honey and floral notes, kiwi, butter, fish oil, rhubarb, vanilla, hay. The finish is short-lived with little to it except a small hint of what resembles a peppery note. Surely a light-weighter in every sense of the word, except the actual weight.

To have in a mixed drink of some kind?: 3.5


Glen Keith 30yo 1978-2008 46% Daily Dram "Keen Light"

Daily Dram used to bottle some whisky using monograms of the distilleries as titles. So was often a fun brainer to spot which distillery the whisky came from. This one at 30yo is one of the oldest Glen Keith's I've had, but I'm a bit bummed they didn't bottle at CS. The color is golden. It smells dry, peppery, rubbery, ginger, bath salt, drying oak, bitter, lime peel, vinegar. Definitively a fino-driven Glen Keith. Some green apples and pear drops in the background, also peat. The taste is extremely dry, tannic, burning, peppery, lamp oil, gasoline, one that does need water or I'll wave my tastebuds goodbye. With added water it becomes sweeter, some hay, vanilla, grape juice, grapefruit, bitter, white syrup, grenadine. The finish is bitter on herbs, coriander, parsley, olive oil, banana leaves and orange zest.

Bitter and big whisky, if you love your dry fino sherry, you'll adore this: 4


Glen Keith 19yo 1990-2009 52.9% Part des Anges Closed Distilleries cask#13677

From a bourbon barrel, I haven't seen this series for a while, but I guess they're maybe lurking around warmer waters. The color is golden. It smells of sweet vanilla and black pepper. Some burnt notes, blackberries, burnt oak, butter, malty, oaky, pretty standard whisky, seems younger than 19yo. This could be any young highlander/speysider. The taste is peppery, vanilla, oaky, grainy, floral, herbal, bok choi, nestles, rhubarb, not a very pleasant one. This is more lowland style if you ask me, Littlemill and Bladnoch comes to mind. Perhaps some water will help it along a bit. With water it turns more oaky, vanilla, clay, earthy, peas, chicken stock, mild chili, dried coriander, significant improvement in my opinion. The finish is buttery and peppery, gingerbread, and dark chocolate.

Water is really a lifesaver here: 6.5


Glen Keith 21yo 1991-2012 54.2% The Nectar of the Daily Dram

Another 1990's Glen Keith, lets hope this slightly higher strength will make it excel up towards an 7 or an 8 if I'm lucky. But then again it could go both ways. The color on this one is deep golden. It smells of butter, charcoal, nestles, lentils, beans, earthy, burnt, dry roasted beef, rubber. The taste is bitter, salty licorice, eucalyptus, blackberries, leather, a really raw-ish malt. I can't stop wondering why all of these whiskies seems so bitter. Perhaps its a bit of Glen Keiths spirits usual profile. Now lets add water. The taste is now more floral, heather, unripe apples, banana leaves, bitter fruity would be the style I guess.

A whisky that seems younger than its age, and quite tamed as well: 4.5


Glen Keith 25yo 1974-1999 52.7% James MacArthur's

Now we're talking, a Glen Keith chosen and bottled when the distillery weren't on any hype due to closure, as an collectors item or investment or other such things. That sure isn't a guarantee for success, but often makes for a better cask as other sensations would not sell this whisky alone. The color is pale bronze. It smells of sweet licorice, honey, tannins, white wine, gunsmoke, leather, marzipan, moscatel wine. Now this is most enticing! The taste is sweet, honey, sweet sherry, marzipan, cinnamon, strawberries, gingerbread, mustard, some nice layers of vanilla and tarry smoke, even some iodine. This is great stuff, and for once with a Glen Keith in the glass, I won't add any water. It seems this sherry cask(s) (I presume) really classes up the spirit which seems less bitter in this older distillate. The finish is bitter, peppery, duck liver, dark chocolate, grapefruit. Longlasting finish!

Great Glen Keith, one of the few I've had thus far: 8


Glen Keith 26yo 1968-1994 62.5% James MacArthur's

Even older Glen Keith from JMcA. And this time at a very high strength too. Another strength on the new-make? Or just a very tight cask? Who knows, lets taste. The color is deep golden. It smells of alcohol, spirity, black markers, resinous, rubber, glue, extremely raw. But lets be brave and try it without water first. The taste is sweet, perfumy, nutty, orange juice, white wine, cream, grenadine, nice and fruity at first before the high strength strikes with some spirity notes. But this is far from as volatile as the nose suggested, and just a pinch of water can, and I hope, will make a difference here. Water added. Now it turns more peppery, starchy, grainy, definitively shouldn't have added water. The finish is short and peppery with water, when neat it was more spirity and sugary. Why did they stop the triple distillation practice in 1970? This is good stuff!

Without water this was a revelation on the palate, I'm struggling a bit more with the nose and finish: 7


Glen Keith-Glenlivet 22yo 1973-1995 57.1% Cadenhead's

The color on this oldie is pale golden. Bottled back when "-Glenlivet" was an ending Cadenhead's used on many of their bottlings from lesser known distilleries. It smells wheat, yeasty, rich vanilla, red berries, some licorice and raw onions. The taste is all on citrus, lemon, oranges, grapefruit, white grapes, lemon meringue, white plums, a very delicate one despite being 57.5%abv. I will not add any water to this. It also has some peat going on, white pepper, dried onions, gingery, grenadine, rhubarb, a great bourbon-matured Glen Keith. The finish is drying, peppery, tongue numbing, finally the strength kicks in.

Very well made old Glen Keith, bottled in its prime: 7.5

(Glen keith Back in the days, or just after construction???)

(Mothballed distillery awaiting news on its future back in 2006, the pagoda was raised by current owners)














Next Tasting: Glenglassaugh Distillery (I know, probably not that historic anymore that one either)

What I'm about to do next?

Dear readers,

I've now reached a time in my tasting career(?!?) where I find it harder to get the whiskies which I base most of my reviews on. Miniatures from GB are due to new laws, harder to ship to Norway at affordable prices. The sellers of samples (3cls) are requiring more and more money for exclusive whiskies while the range of affordable samples are getting tinier by the minute. Whisky in general are becoming younger and younger while the prices are sky-rocketing. This have lead me to the wise, yet devastatingly dreadful decision to stop this blog. That sounded dramatic! Well, not totally stop it, I'll sure be posting some new whiskies once in a while, or other whisky stuff like from festivals, tastings I've been to or such. But the www.maltdiary.com will from now on be more of a monthly thing, or maybe not even so, in my life. The reasons for this are simple ones, I'm about to move from my home in central Kristiansand Norway and that takes both time and effort, I'm about to become a father, and I feel that the whisky industry is going in a direction I'm not too found of. Younger and more expensive whisky! But, there are still distilleries that thankfully keeps going steady strong. This blog have become a phenomenon in my life and I don't believe there are many like it out there. I went through the links at whiskyfun.com and found most of the links were either down or active like a sloth. I'm proud to have completed nearly, and sure to be before I'm finished, 5 whole years of interesting whisky tastings. I've had 1938 Mortlach and 1948 Glenlivet amongst others, but also fantastic Inchgowers, Fettercairns, Bruichladdichs, Laphroaigs, Clynelishes, Ardmores, Broras, Kilchomans, Highland Parks, Taliskers, Port Ellens, Banffs, and even more. The list is too long... www.maltdiary.com have had a steady and increasing flow of visitors through the years, showing that one day there might be 680 visitors from USA, the next day there might be 27 from Bangladesh, it shows that whisky has a broad interest in many different cultures. But after all, this site was never intended for me to read comments or count visitors, it was a way of showing how a young man could get to taste many whiskies from most of Scotlands distilleries in half a decade without having all that money or contacts within the industry. I'm 100% independent, I've tried about 10-60 whiskies from every single malt distillery available in Scotland, except Ben Wyvis, I'm still regretting not buying that one Ben Wyvis when I had a chance at it at 70GBP a couple years ago. I've wanted to try both closed and open distilleries, Highlands, Lowlands, Campbeltowns and so on, and much so try whiskies which are representatives of the distillery character. I believe many people today would try the consecutive Special Releases of Brora and Port Ellen and rave about how it's a shame they closed down. Great distilleries, no doubt. But remember, its really when you sit down with down with a youngster from a tired cask you really get the idea of how great the distillate really was, and not by that one cask that had some exquisite malt 30+ years after the distillery's closure and costs about the same as a car.

In the following sessions I will taste most of the distilleries which closed in Scotland after 1950, and in most cases both younger and older ones, and I hope you'll join me into a fantastic journey of whisky that in most cases, won't ever be repeated. Its been fun and its been an hobby thats left me with some fantastic moments with what I consider the best liquid in the world. But now its time to focus on other aspects in my life. I hope you'll follow me through the lost distilleries of Scotland in the following months, it's been an privilege, a joy and most of all an honor to share my experiences of the whisky world with you.



Thanks,

Jonas Bratteli

Tasting one Bowmore

I remember trying the Mariner from a miniature bottle maybe 5 or 6 years back, and I thought it was pretty good, though it sure was no winner at that point. Lets see what the 2012 version of the same whisky has to offer.


















Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Mariner

I think they released some 40%abv standards of this one. And the last one I tried had a light golden color. This one has a more amber brown-ish hue. The name suggests a traditional Islay character of coastal and maritime notes. Lets see for myself. It smells peat smoke, iodine, caramel, bourbon, coal, sugary, very clean, orangey, dried bananas, figs. The taste is sweet, peaty, red apples, peaches, burnt, citrus, lemon, melon. Not that coastal, but a certain peatiness that really makes for a great whisky. I do not know why they'd wanna brand a taste to look for in their whiskies, and I'll probably ever know, but I think the general perception of this whisky would be better if they didn't.

Good Islay whisky, but don't expect a real "Mariner" or coastal Islayer: 6



Next tasting: Closed Distillery#1 (which?)

Tasting something completely different: Mead Balsam!!!

Mead, what? The old drink the Vikings made to get drunk when on tellus, and if one slaughtering enough men and then died in battle, they would later get to enjoy mead and violence in valhalla for all eternity? Well, here's how you do it:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Mead

But this mead is not like the old norse tradition, not only because its made by a lithuanian company, but also because it holds no less than 75%abv. I'm being a bit of a daredevil/jackass in this session if you ask me.









Zalgiris Mead Balsam 75%

The color is golden, as you'd expect a honey spirit to be? It smells of honey, black pepper and toffee. no need to say this is a drink to proceed with caution. The taste is sweet, honeycomb, crust, fried wheat flour. But most of all it is extremely drying and spirity. Let's add some water. Now it turns more drinkable, more honey sweetness, but still very drying and hard to enjoy. I guess this just affirms I'll never be a Mead connoisseur of any kind, but I think it can sure be a lovely drink at 10-25%abv.



Next tasting: Bowmore Distillery

Tasting one special Fettercairn

In the middle of last decade, right about when W&M started renaming Old Fettercairn Fettercairn 1824, there was a bunch of single casks bottled, primarily for the japanese/asian market. I have gotten hold of some of these rare bottlings and will taste one of them for you, and of course myself, right now.
















Fettercairn 1824 15yo 1989-2005 64% OB cask 2454 btl.54/260

Some of the print is hand-signed. This comes from "white oak", which I guess means bourbon wood in this case? A very high strength after almost 16 years on oak. Good fill level in the bottle as well. A lot of 1989 casks have been released as singles by Fettercairn, and other distilleries as well, must have been a good year? The color on this one is deep amber. It smells of peat, honey, sage, lacquer, latex, rubber, choriander, sweet grapes, phenolic, sweet phenols? Smoky and peaty phenolic whisky, quite beasty, and on a personal note, AMAZING!!! The taste is sweet, sugar, honey, leather, peaty, just a bit too spirity, but thankfully I have some water right by my side (as always). Adding two teaspoons. Now it turns more peaty, waxy, drying, rubbery, I'm starting to wonder, well I'm actually getting more and more convinced, this comes from a white fino cask, one that makes a whisky bitter, brutal and quite superb! I've never ever had a Fettercairn that resembles this one before, and its hard to make a fair score. But for me, this is a must have for any real Fettercairn fan, as it shows how this malt really lets the oak do the talking and merely provides a small sweet contrast itself. The nose was outstanding, but the palate needs just a bit of water to release its potential, but so does most sherried whiskies, right?

Fettercairn in Fino casks, watch out for those: 8



Next tasting: MEAD!!!

Tasting one peaty Bruichladdich

Heavily peated Bruichladdichs are becoming more and more usual these days. I hope its a trend that continues even with new owners.




















Lochindaal 4yo 2007-2011 67.2% OB cask#3332 btl.70/134

This is a Lochindaal, which I have no idea how peated are. Is it the same level as Port Charlotte or Octomore? And at only 4yo and 67.2%abv, I guess this must be some kind of extreme? But with a rather small number of bottles I suggest it comes from a smaller cask which usually speeds up the maturation. The color is light golden. It smells of peat smoke, tarry, burnt rubber, acidic, gasoline, sweet vanilla, not spirity or even immature, just superbly coastal and bourbon-influenced on the nose. The taste is sweet, raisins, figs, bananas, cream liqueur, honey, a real sweet after dinner dram on the palate. After that it turns extremely peaty, smoke, tarry, oak wood, peppery, raw onions, sulphur. A whisky that indeed is divided in three. If tasted blind I'd never expect this at its age or strength, superb quality in that matter.

Gotta love these whiskies that rebel against general perceptions: 8



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Tasting one Lagavulin

The 2006 version of this special release from Lagavulin, which was the last I had, fell a bit short in comparison to former ones. Time to try the 2009 edition and see if Lagavulin still has the capability to produce stunning youngsters.


















Lagavulin 12yo 2009 57.9% OB

The color is dark straw/wet straw, not brown, not yellow, not golden, pale brown? It smells of peat smoke, tar, charcoal, bonfire, salty, lemonade, burnt sugar, dried shrimps, salt water, orange marmalade, garlic sauce, fried snails. One of the most coastal Lagavulins I've had thus far. The taste is bitter, salty, pine oak, unripe blackberries, bitter red wine, pinot noir wines, smoky, rubber, peaty, earthy, very bitter, sort of tonic water and sodium. This is not for beginners, a whisky to enjoy if you think the standard Laphroaigs or Lagavulins are becoming a tad too cliché.

A small vanilla sweetness sure would've lifted it to a winner: 7




Next tasting: Bruichladdich Distillery

Tasting one Laphroaig

A Laphroaig from 1998, matured in a sherry butt, I don't think I've ever experienced such a young Laphroaig entirely from sherry wood before.



















Laphroaig 13yo 1998-2011 61.5% Van Wees "The Ultimate..." cask#700348 btl.43/555

The color on this one is mahogany orange/brown. It smells of sweet sherry, syrup, caramel, cinnamon, oranges, bbq glaze, stewed onions, earthy, burnt clay, cough mixture, coffee drops, very nice one initially. Then the peat hits like a bomb and totally blocks out anything but peat, smoke, coal, salt and rubber. The taste is sweet sherry, not unlike Glenfarclas or even Macallan at first, then after 0.7 seconds it turns volatile with extreme peaty character, smoke, coal, bitter herbs, raw onions, salt, peppery, iodine, cough syrup, textbook Laphroaig in my opinion. The finish is salty, tarry, long, and again what a Laphroaig should be like. This is macho whisky, for macho whisky drinkers, that can handle extreme peat. Now you're warned! It seems to me, that the high alcohol level and sherry influence enhances the peat as that character is much more effervescent (excuse my language) in this than any other 1998 Laphroaigs I've had, which all have been from bourbon casks of course. What's really fun about this one is that even at this strength, undiluted, it has no spirity notes at all.

One great Laphroaig, superb stuff: 8



Next tasting: Lagavulin Distillery

Tasting 1 Aberlour A'bunad

Another heavily sherried youngster from oloroso wood in the most popular A'bunadh-series. There's been quite some whiskies in this series, but I hope they keep some of these oloroso casks to bottle as single casks in ten or twenty years from now. I believe only Aberlour knowns

















Aberlour NAS 59.8% OB A'bunadh batch#30

The color is amber brown, nice color, but not as dark as I remember the first batches. I believe Aberlour is one of the lucky few distilleries that's fixed themselves up with a constant flow of sherry casks through an owned plant. This one smells of honey, white wine, pencil shavings, coal, rubber, bitter, yarn, cotton, earthy, licorice, this seems quite thin and earthy, iron, steel, strange whisky coming from oloroso casks. Weird one so far, I would've liked some sweetness, rich, fruit, cinnamon or just anything else assembling a sherried character in this one. This seems more like some refill port wood. The taste is bitter, rubbery, charcoal, grape kernels, earthy, black cheese mould, acrylic paint, this is quite unpleasant, lets add some water. The taste is now lighter, unripe cherries, bitter white wine, sulfur, rubber, a bit of light sweetness initially on the palate this time around, in that case water helps quite a bit, but after that it slips back to its neat ways of rubbery misery.

My biggest disappointment from this series so far: 2.5



Next tasting: Laphroaig Distillery

Tasting Kilchoman for Denmark

Danish whisky importers F.C. Whisky have established a good relationship with Kilchoman Distillery which are regularly bottling single casks exclusively for them. I have two in my collection, let's try one of them today.


















Kilchoman 3yo 2008-2011 61% OB cask#400 Eclusively bottle for FC Whisky Denmark #5

The fifth single cask bottling for FC Whisky Denmark by Kilchoman, I'm also in possesion of the 6th one, having tried the 3th and 4th in Denmark last year I thought they were just a bit raw and young for me. This one comes from a bourbon cask, and it is 100% Islay, which means all in this production except the yeast comes from Islay. A bit like the Inaugural release, but at cask strength. Must remember that this is a very young whisky. The color is white wine. It smells of vanilla, flour sugar, peat, sweet yoghurt, minty, chewing gum, not much peat character here. Only about 20% of Kilchoman's malting is one on their premises, the rest is bought from Port Ellen maltings. The difference is that Kilchomans own maltings have a significantly lower peat level at only 20ppm. So perhaps this whisky is mainly produced by Kilchomans own maltings. The taste is sweet, vanilla, marzipan, vanilla ice cream, butter cookies and peat(!). This is very sweet and light, far from Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Port Charlotte and such, this reminds me more of young bourbon casked Taliskers actually. Cadenhead's had a couple of them. The peatiness is kind of drying and sweet, dry white wine, a peculiar one. I have to emphasize that this whisky is only 3 years old, but for a 3yo it could stand up as a winner amongst many of the 12yo's I've had. Great stuff!

Certainly an active bourbon cask: 6.5



Next tasting: Aberlour Distillery

Tasting the 24yo Fettercairn

I must first say that this is the oldest Fettercairn I've bough what OB's are concerned, and if you want reviews on the 30yo and 40yo you'll have to look someplace else. The reason it that they're just too expensive for me to buy at this stage of my life. What the future holds, no one knows. I must admit I was a bit thrown off when Fettercairn launched these old whiskies alongside a NAS whisky with both peat and heavy sherry influences. But I was pleasantly surprised by the Fior, so this might be a smart move by Whyte & MacKay? Crossing my fingers..










Fettercairn 24yo 44.4% OB

The color on this one is amber, lighter than the Fior if you do your decisions by color. It smells of leather, honey, sweet, caramel, burnt sugar (same thing?), oily, maize, cream, corn starch, potato starch, led, mashed potatoes, turnips, sauer-kraut, asparagus, chives, a very vegetal 24yo. The taste is malty, bitter, maize, wheat, leather, very straight-forward, but a malt enjoy on most occasions as long as it isn't too special. I'd say this one has the caliber of an everyday dram, and for this price, but the very pompous box and the rather high pricing makes it a rather bad buy.

I doubt Fettercairn is on its way to redemption with todays standard range: 6



Next tasting: Kilchoman Distillery

Tasting one Ardmore from three casks

There aren't many bottlings released in G&M's Cask-series anymore, but when they do I hope they still, like often before, knows to choose great casks. An young Ardmore surely is a whisky that would be wasted at 46%abv.


















Ardmore 14yo 1991-2006 57.9% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#6158,6159,6160

A mix of three neighboring casks, and a bottling that's still quite available even though being bottled more than 6 years ago. I do not know why there is only a NAS bottling available from the distillery at this moment, perhaps they've sold too much older stock to IB's and blenders? The Ardmore Traditional Cask is however, not a fair representative of the quality Ardmore is capable of. Buts lets see how this one fares. The color is wheat golden. It smells of peat and vanilla, I must say that very few highlanders carry peat as well as Ardmore. Some fresh marshmallow and wheat, light smoky notes, vanilla, citrussy, lemon icing, peach. The taste is sweet, vanilla, banana jam, raspberry, fig jam, burnt sugar, peaty, intense peat, but not smoke-driven peat, more raw peaty notes. Very sweet and gentle for an Ardmore, this is even a bit nervous malt. Needs some water to open up. Now it turns more raw, grassy, dusty, bitter, paint, oily, lacquer, kinda spirity, some wax and leather too. I wouldn't add water to this if I knew the consequences. Its perfectly good bare, but if you're looking for a lavish malt more so as to a lightly sip-able dram, this one is not for you.

A fun, recreational dram, one to enjoy at the races, not at the opera: 6.5



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery


(And yes, this dusty glass was for photo purpose only)

Tastin one young Laphroaig

Just one Laphroaig to catch a break after the very good Strathisla, Highland Park, Longmorn and Glenlivets that I just had.





















Laphroaig 7yo 2001-2009 57.6% The Whisky Trader btl.49/120

A bottling bottled for german online shop Getränke Welt-Weiser by Signatory. Or at least that is what I've heard. If thats the case, the name sure fits well. The color is dark golden. It smells of vanilla, peat, honey, sulphur, pistachio, tobacco, sugar, syrup, peat, smoky, butter. Not as medicinal as you'd expect from such a young Laphroaig. The taste is oaky, butter, sulphur, cotton, wool, old fabric, cheddar, oily, grapefruit, lighter red wine, zinfandel?. The finish is long, peppery, peaty, honey, straw, wheat, burnt, licorice, phenols, kinda over-oaked for only 7yo. I'd love for this one to have a bit more of that iodine smoky medicinal coastal notes, but as for now, its just a bit hard to handle.

Sweet one, sulphury syrup, honey, keeps going this one: 5.5


Next tasting: Ardmore Distillery

Tasting Old, Older and Oldest Glenlivet

I've saved this tasting for awhile, some very rare and old whisky. Actually the second oldest vintage I've ever tasted, 1946 Glenlivet, beaten only by a 1938 Mortlach. Also a Glenlivet "pure malt" called Highland Lady that I'm very curious about.




Glenlivet 22yo 1968-1990 50.1% Signatory Vintage cask#4828,4829 btl.256/1300

One of the very early bottlings from Signatory, many of them were great and established SV as an attractive indie. I think that more recent bottlings often holds more average quality. The color is golden. It smells of vanilla, peaty, peppery, flinty, concrete dust, malty, minty, toothpaste, basil leaves, extremely fresh for its age, but not in any way does it seem any younger than 22yo. Rich and minty sweetness. The taste is sweet, mandarin, honey, butter, stewed onions, butterscotch, dry white wine, fino sherry with less bitter notes, sulphur, smoked barley, cured ham. The finish is peppery, sweet, caramel, dark chocolate, creamy and coffee.

Superb Glenlivet, good there was a big number of bottles from these casks: 9


Glenlivet 28yo 1977-2005 53.6% James MacArthur's Old Master's cask#19753

These Old Master's bottlings from J.McA are a must-have for anyone that want to try older great whisky without spending a couple of pay-checks and still get that old quality which is so rare these days. But not all are shining stars. The color is golden. It smells of malt, citrus, spirity, ginger, lemon peel, oregano, bail, cumin, a lot of cumin going on here. Rather short nose compared to the SV. The taste is sweet, honey, vanilla, banana, creamy, not creamy like dairy cream, more like honey thick. After that initial sweetness it turns peppery, pistachio, a bit burnt and it has a rather peppery, oaky and burnt finish, which is really a nice contrast to the intensely sweet start. Balances this one out perfectly.

Great stuff, just lacks that magic old style of the 1968: 8.5


Glenlivet 21yo 56% OB/IB? Highland Lady

This says Pure Malt, but since the label states "Glenlivet" I'm assuming its a single malt. The underline text says "Glenlivet... long in wood... mild as milk and the true contraband gout on it" Elizabeth Grant Memoirs of a Highland Lady. I should've done some more research on this bottling, but that might ruin some of my growing curiosity when it comes to this whisky. The color is amber brown. It smells of raisins, mandarins, oily, cigars, malt syrup, honey, lavender, olives, dark grapes, dry red wine, tannic, marzipan, lamp oil, I could go on and on, but I guess this is the sort of malt that carries so much scents that everyone would come up with different notes. Superb stuff! The taste is leather, sweet, honey, cinnamon, oranges, butter, toffee, zinfandel red wine, oysters, caramel, ashes, tea, peaches, heather, vanilla, meringues, little by little I'm discovering there is such a thing as a perfect sherried whisky.

All about this whisky I'll never know, and that's probably best: 10


Glenlivet 25yo 1976-2001 59.9% James MacArthur's Old Master's cask#4311

Bottled one year before the rather excellent 1977 from same series of same bottler. But with a much higher strength. How will it compare? The color is amber orange, borderline light brown. It smells of fresh thyme, flinty, butter, minty, ashes, cigar smoke, coal, vanilla, licorice, pistachio, basil. This is one of them that leans on the edge between perfection and "almost there". The taste is creamy, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, oaky, butter, caramel, raw onions, kiwi, red wine, vinegar, slightly perfumy. The finish is burnt, peppery, honey, drying.

I'd say this just edges the 1977, but very different: 9


Glenlivet 50yo 1946-1996 40% Gordon & Macphail

The label states this as "Rare Highland Malt", I guess the rare part is just because of its age, as Glenlivet really is one of the most available whiskies out there. After tasting the prior ones it this session, it'll be hard to to anyone, really. But this should be a bit special, and if bottled today it'd probably be at CS. The color is amber. It smells creamy and buttery, sweet vanilla, floral, raspberry jam, orange chutney, indian light spices, turmeric, garam masala (I know its a mix), and cardamum, even some cinnamon and fish stock in this one. The taste is clean, leather, red paprika, chili, spices, orange zest, honey, vanilla, figs, dates, white grapes. This is absolutely superb, one of them whiskies you probably only get one chance to try, and if at CS, I'd guess it'd be a 10'er, but as of now, it just seems a tad too mundane.

Superb, the quality is beyond anything Glenlivet could accomplish today, I think: 9.5



Next tasting: Laphroaig Distillery


PS: http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/gleanings/hilady.htm

Tasting Old, Older & Oldest Strathisla

I've been really looking forward to this and the next tasting. This one, Strathisla, and then some even older and rarer Glenlivet. Strathisla first, a big contributor to the Chivas blends, and on its own, often a slow paced sherry-driven whisky that handles a lot of water and improves even further if you're patient.



Strathisla 37yo 1965-2002 51.7% James MacArthur's Old Master's

I will not taste these whiskies in the direction the title implies, but rather start with the lightest alcohol level and finish with the strongest, as usual here on maltdiary.com. The color is amber orangey. It smells of honey, licorice, oak, cedar wood, vanilla, grassy, feints, hints of leather, camomile, tea, heather, floral, juniper, dust, rustic, sand, flinty, old warehouse, concrete. A real aristocrat, never vile, but still very dominant. A whisky that would be dangerous when nosing in group sessions as it'd be talked about and referred to ever since. The taste is sweet, oaky, prunes, phenolic to the max, sulphur in loads. This is somewhat over-oaked for my palate, but I know a few people who'd love it. I'll add some water. Now it turns sweeter, more prunes, raisins, peppery, sulphury, a lot of sherry notes, bitter, salty licorice, really austere, lots of rubbery notes, and to be fair, quite hard to enjoy.

One to nose for hours, talk about, and then drink if you love bitter sherry: 6.5


Strathisla 18yo 1974-1992 57.8% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2206,2207

Amer orange hue, a bit darker than the 1965. It smells of peat, smoke, honey, banana, peppery, spicy, smoked paprika, grilled onions and mushrooms, gasoline, chorizo, a lot of that smoky red paprika here, sweet and salty, give this one time and you'll be rewarded. The taste is leather upon leather, smoke and oil, a bit burning initially, rubber, phenolic, peppery, glue, cotton. With water added it turns more bitter, more phenolic, sulphur, peppery, chili oil, really a hot one, to keep warm with in winter time?

Another sherry monster from Strathisla: 6


Strathisla 41yo 1970-2011 59.6% Malts of Scotland / The Whisky Agency

A joint bottling, which if I'm correct, means they've vatted some, maybe just two, casks together for this bottling. Sherry matured, and by the high strength despite low age, this might be one of those great old sherried ones. I remember having a 30-something Inchgower at 65+%abv, which was superb. The color is dark brown. It smells of cinnamon, black peppery, cough mixture, syrup, honey, leather, sawdust, oloroso sherry, butter, gingerbread, quite fantastic old style mellow sherry. The taste is sweet, oloroso, honey, mustard, lemon rind, cinnamon, chili, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, emmental cheese, oregano, basil, earthy. Keeps impressing me. Time to add some water for sake of research. Now it turns more peppery, mustard, blackberries, apricot, apple seeds, oloroso sherry, black pepper, nutty.

I'd say, if a sherry freak, this is that one you can't live without: 8.5


Strathisla 22yo 1972-1995 61.8% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#7520,7521,7522,7523

A mix of four different casks. Distiller pre and bottled past the 1974 from G&M, I wonder why? At a very high strength for this age indeed. From some very tight casks? The ones I like the best? Really, really, really? If I were a dog right now I'd waggle my tail, but the human putting on the boots doesn't always mean a walk, or? The color is golden, the lightest one in this session. It smells of peppery, vanilla and earthy notes, some mint, sage, fresh thyme, lime juice, lavender oil, blackberries, honey, grassy, bitter, potato spirit, caraway, this is a totally different kind of beast. The taste is sweet, oily, perfumy, banana, vanilla, honey, heather, most definitively some great bourbon casks in this one, more on oak, gin, vanilla and sour notes of mango, oranges and lemon shows in the finish. Quite an unusual, but rather superb Strathisla.

Seems Strathisla also works in bourbon wood: 8



Next tasting: Glenlivet Distillery

Tasting 6 Highland Parks

I had a great session with some older sherried HP's from Grdon & Macphail's Cask series a while back. All above 8 points. 4 young ones from the same series in this session, but I have no clue what wood is used. And two older ones to get them going.





Highland Park 23yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

Not that many HP's in this range, strange as sherried casks seems to be their speciality. The color on this one is dark amber. It smells honey, cinnamon, barbecue sauce, mustard, toffee, vanilla cream, hot chocolate, phenolic, swiss cheese, musty, most certainly a rather active sherry cask. The taste is caramel, honey, spicy cinnamon, chili, peat, leather, oak, musty, dry cider, tannic. Unmistakably a sherried Highland Park. The finish is peppery, rubber, earthy, bitter, lime rind.

Old school sherry bomb: 7


Highland Park 30yo 48.1% OB

I've tried the 40yo and was quite satisfied, but even more so with the 25yo, will this be a mix between the two? The color is brown-orange, sort of dirty looking. It smells of sweet cinnamon, gingerbread, honey, butter, raisins, wheat buns, fresh pastry, vanilla sugar, pear drops. The taste is smoky, peppery, honeyed, cinnamon, a bit lower sherry profile on this one, sweeter, lighter than the DL. Some nutty, sweet vinegar, grassy, austere, not too pleasant I'm afraid. Or, wait, let me rephrase that, it's just a bit too pleasant. This lacks some real coastal aromas and maybe some peat, reminds me of some light sherried speysiders.

This is not value for money in my opinion, but a very fine whisky it is: 6


Highland Park 12yo 1982-1994 56.9% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#784,785,786,788

Four different casks mixed together in this one, anyone knows what happened to #787? The color is amber golden. It smells of sea salt, seaweed, white pepper, onion, honey, mashed potatoes, peppery, earthy, clay, orange zest, dark minced meat, garlic, lamb stock. The taste is sweet, vanilla, peppery, PEATY(!), like some Islay peat in this one, Lagavulin and Ardbeg comes to mind, butter, raw onions, coriander, lemon grass, black pepper, this is a whisky that seems to come from another Island, really a great macho peat-bomb. Much to my liking. Maybe HP is a bit like Laphroaig, it used to taste more of peat a couple decades back.

This style should be re-invented on Orkney: 9


Highland Park 10yo 1983-1993 58.6% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#884,887

100 casks later, let's buy another one, but it seems they've bottled it a year earlier. I'm hoping for another excellent HP. Amber color, a bit darker than the 1982. It smells of peat, honey, cigar smoke, burnt oak, spirity, cauliflower mash, cream, bitter, vodka, cranberry juice, earthy. The taste is caramel, dark chocolate, honey, ripe oranges, nectarine, peppery, blueberry jam, dark grapes, where the 1982 excelled on both levels, this one is quite better on the palate, but what a palate! The finish is peaty, peppery and a lot of dry cinnamon and camphor.

The palate is of the best kind, can't go any lower on this one: 9


Highland Park 10yo 1989-1999 60% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2871,2872

Another one from this great series. More close to the modern HP's as its distilled in closer proximity to now? Some cask sediments in this one, did G&M pull a Cadenhead's? The color is white wine. It smells of vanilla, wheat, rye, spirity notes, gasoline, burnt oak, austere, some young Ledaig have shared some of the difficulties this one struggles with. Obviously from a very lazy cask. The taste is warming, sweet, vanilla, honey, watermelon, white grapes, more vanilla, flour sugar, meringues, butter, cream, butter and sugar mixed, this superb sweet spirit, even though its not very complex it has this sweet zing which really makes it stand apart from many others. The nose then, its a bit of a freak-show.

Good and interesting palate, but it smells of new-make: 6.5


Highland Park 9yo 1987-1997 63.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#15474,15475,15476,15477,15490,15491,15492

Seems the first batch of these casks #15474-15477 were distilled in july 1987, whilts the rest were distilled in october 1987, which means not all whisky in this bottling was bottled 10yo. The color is light golden. It smells of moss, wet grass, spirity, burnt, austere, seaweed, honeysuckle, butter, burnt orange zest, peat smoke, damp, ashes. Remember, this is 63%abv, and for that, this is very little spirity. The taste is peach, pears, watermelon, vanilla, hay, very sweet and light, one of those active young bourbon cask(s)? It's sweet, light, fruity, and far from what you might initially think when seeing a whisky over 60%abv. In this session it reminds me mostly of the 16yo OB, without the off-notes.

Light and easy HP, but dangerous: 6



Next tasting: Strathisla Distillery

Tasting 4 Longmorns from various IB's

The most acclaimed in many peoples eyes, importer of spirits to Norway, mr Jon Bertelsen once discussed the distilleries on offer in Norway with me on a forum, having imported some quite shocking whisky from Loch Lomond Dustillery. I compared the swedish market to the norwegian and pointed out that many more distilleries are to be found in Sweden. mr J.B. (not me) stated that the whiskies that were not on the norwegian market weren't there due to being considered of inferior quality. I believe that Longmorn, which was not to be found in Norway at that time, is a much superior whisky to Loch Lomond anyhow you put it. There, now I've said it. Thankfully there is now a bottling of Longmorn from Adelphi available in Norway.



Longmorn 15yo 1974-1989 46% Signatory Vintage cask#85/194-101 btl.751/1000

Anyone who can crack this cask code? Some evaporation in this one. The color is amber. It smells of peat, oaky, dry licorice, gingerbread, sweet peat, smoky, butter, cream, vanilla. A whisky that suits the christmas season? The taste is sweet, gingerbread, peaty, butter, onions, creamy, the sherry wood starts talking now, red wine, garlic, olive oil, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, malty, basil. This is a great old style sherried Longmorn, one to be on the lookout for.

Top quality and perhaps not that expensive?: 8.5


Longmorn NAS 1976 54.7% James MacArthur's Old Master's

I haven't been able to find any cask numbers or bottling date for this one. The color is amber orange, turns hazy immediately. It smells bitter, burnt grease, oil, leather, smoky, orange zest, creamy, dark chocolate, butterscotch. I wish I had more information about this one as I'd immediately start searching for a full bottle, and I haven't even tasted it. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, honey, earthy, peppery, licorice, red berries, feta cheese, olive oil, butter, garlic. The smokiness is a bit less prominent than in the SV, but that leaves room for more sweetness and honey, and how could that be wrong? The finish is sweet cardamum, cinnamon, honey, peat, wax and cigars.

Wow, I can't find anything to criticize in this one: 10


Longmorn-Glenlivet 12yo 57% Gordon & Macphail for the US Market

If I'm right, this is a bottling from the 80's, so perhaps not far off the prior two vintages. The color is bronze brown. It smells of dry sherry, sweet, nutty, cinnamon, definitively a lot of sherry oak used to produce this one. The taste is honey, sweet, perfumy, cinnamon, almonds, syrup, heather, coffee, dark chocolate, butter, red bell peppers, dried paprika, tomato soup. Once again its a superb whisky from Longmorn, I wonder how the more recent batches will compare to these older stars.

Superb whisky, if just a little too sherried for me, close to perfection: 9.5


Longmorn 11yo 1984-1995 60.7% Cadenhead's

The youngest (probably) and closest to modern Longmorn in this session. There's been some excellent youngsters from Cadenhead's, especially St. Magdalenes. The color is amber orange, not far from the one from JMcA. It smells of white wine, smoke, peat, why do I get these peaty notes, I thought that Longmorn was an un-peated whisky. This one is more fresh, herbs, grassy, sweet, sage, lime, pears, great stuff, but a bit unlikely considering the heavily sherry influenced ones I've had in this session. Perhaps it was time for a change. This one has a fascinating fruity coastal character. The taste is leather, cinnamon, orange zest, burnt, clay, needs water I believe. With three teaspoons added it turns sweeter, more sulphury, esters, bitter, not better, but more bitter. If you like your whiskies bitter, add water to this one.

This one lacks some sherry zing in comparison, but neat its a very good whisky: 7.5



Next tasting: Highland Park Distillery

Tasting 4 young Highland parks and an older one

The fact that HP can be excellent at all ages is no question about, horrible intro, let's taste!












Highland Park 8yo 40% The Macphail's Collection, Gordon & Macphail

An alternative to the Connoisseur's Choice series? The color is golden. It smells of peat, tarry, seaweed, smoke, ashes, spirity, bitter licorice. The taste is heather, spirity, caramel, small peaty notes, salty, ginger, perfumy. A quite short aftertaste and all in all a rather short experience.

Young and raw-ish HP: 3.5


Highland Park 10yo 40% The Whisky Connoisseur

TWC usually bottles at CS, perhaps there's a valid reason this one's bottled at 40%abv? The color is amber golden. It smells sweet, caramel, honey, cocoa, peaty, bitter, herbal, medicinal. The taste is sweet, spicy, onions, vinegar, maize, peppery, spirity, also this one is rather short and lacks a finish.

Same as the 8yo: 3.5


Highland Park 8yo 1986-1994 43% The Ultimate, Van Wees cask#92 btl.318/600

Another low strength youngster, will this fare any better? The color is amber. It smells of leather and tobacco, oak, sawdust, spice, rum, burnt notes, camphor, syrup and honey. This is a vast improvement, at least on the nose. The taste is herbal, spirity, bitter, dark chocolate, green olives, raisins, dry, hay, salty, lime juice.

Certainly an unlikely, but just as interesting HP. One to try!: 5.5


Highland Park 20yo 1975-1995 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1294,1295 btl.1842/2080

20 years on oak should make for an interesting Highland Park. A shame that watering down old whisky was that easy back in the days. Well, its not any harder today but you know what I mean. The color is golden. It smells butter, honey peat smoke, cigars, oranges, vanilla, malt syrup. This a profile likely that you'll recognize in many older HP's. More caramel as time goes by. The taste is sweet, vanilla, raisins, peat smoke, oily, rich, cauliflower, rhubarb, cream, sweet yoghurt, zesty, grapefruit, sea salt, shrimps. Yes, this is good HP! The finish is peppery, burnt notes, gingerbread, honey and peat.

Get one of these before they're gone, great stuff: 8.5


Highland Park 13yo 1992-2005 50% James MacArthur's Old Master's

I've never had a Highland Park from James MacArthur's before, should be good stuff. Golden color. It smells of leather and tobacco, shoe polish, waxy, diesel, perfume, chili oil, cinnamon. The taste is sweet, vanilla, bananas, mushrooms, honey, mango chutney, sweet'n'sour sauce, port wine reduction, pears, sour leaves. Superb stuff once again from J.McA, I wish they still released as many whiskies as berfoe, they might do, but them bottles goes elsewhere if that.

I bet this comes from a bourbon cask, and what a cask!: 8.5



Next tasting: Longmorn Distillery

Tasting 4 Glenlivets, some younger and some older distillate

Glenlivet is a distillery of great past, but perhaps more of a standard presence. They've created a bit of a fuzz with their Nadurra bottlings, but they're far from the frontrunner of scotch single malts that they once used to be. Mostly young whiskies in this session, I'll have another one with older Glenlivets in not too long.

Glenlivet 12yo 40% OB French Oak Finish

Finished in French Limousin Oak it says. I believe this is the predecessor to the recent 15yo French Oak Reserve. The color is amber brown. It smells of wheat, smoky, leather, oak impact, kinda foul, winey, nothing attracts me in this one. Sulphury, yeast, paint, vegetal. The taste is sweet, honey, vanilla, stewed onions, bittersweet, licorice, honeycorn cereal. Not bad actually, a light and sweet whisky, perhaps not as much wine influence as they initially hoped for, but it would please most whisky-lovers.

Light and easy whisky, superbly smooth and dangerously drinkable: 6.5


Glenlivet 18yo 1972-1990 53.7% Cadenhead's

Six more years, at CS, but no fancy finishing. And did I mention it was distilled probably just over 40 years ago? The color is grey-ish golden. It smells of tobacco, sour leaves, rhubarb, honey, cinnamon, egg yolk, bitter herbs, straw, peppery, superb! The taste is honey, cinnamon, spicy, bitter, leather, biscuits, dry white wine, strawberries, lemon juice, this is really a great Glenlivet, one of the best Glenlivets I've had. I wonder if this comes from a fino cask? Remember, although not stating any cask reference, which really has little value to the average whisky drinker, they always bottle single casks.

Great Glenlivet: 8.5


Glenlivet 12yo 1996-2008 57.8% James MacArthur's Old Master's

Another fairly recent bottling of a Glenlivet youngster. This time at CS. A fun fact is that some of these James MacArthur's miniatures have screw tops designed to be screwed to the left, which would fit for a left-handed connoisseur more than a right-handed one. Why? I have no idea!!! The color on this one is golden. It smells of bitter notes, honey, eucalyptus, mint, vanilla, oregano, basil, heather, almonds. The taste is floral, honey, sweet, aniseed, vanilla, spearmint, peppery and a bit spirity, but this is first and foremost a sweet after-dinner drink.

Actually its a pretty perfect light-weighter: 7.5


Glenlivet 16yo 1978-1994 58.6% Gordon & Macphail cask#4814,4815,4816

Another old youngster, this time from the ranks of Gordon & Macphail, and thankfully bottled at CS. I must say I've been very pleasantly surprised by Glenlivet in this session, let's hope it continues. The color is amber orange. It smells of strong peppery and honey notes. Butter, creamy, bitter, almonds, nutty, perfumy, herbs, licorice, raw onions, butter, salty. The taste is dark chocolate, honey, bitter, spirity, vodka, leather, butter, wine, peaty. This is a bit hard to follow, very raw, needs a bit of water to open up I think. Now it turns more bitter, heavy coffee notes and licorice, bitter liqueurs, fernet branca.

Definitively the outcast of the bunch, for experienced whisky drinkers: 5.5



Next tasting: Highland Park Distillery

Tasting 4 Strathisla, one older and 3 young strong ones

These 3 young and one older whiskies will be followed by 4 older ones later on. Time to see the difference between older and more modern distillate from Strathisla? Nothing distilled on this side of the millennium anyway.






Strathisla 28yo 1976-2004 45% Samaroli cask#3480

The biggest source for older Strathisla these days are Gordon & Macphail. They've had a lot of 40 and more year olds in the past couple of years. We don't see many Samaroli bottlings these days. Let's hope they'll make a rebound on the market soon. The color on this one is amber/orange. It smells of wheat, onions, licorice, hay, burnt notes, eraser, burnt oak, blueberries, blue cheese, coffee, cocoa. The taste is very light, tea, linseed oil, cucumbers, pickled apples, tannic, caramel, white wine, wine gum, not far from some older Chivas Regals actually.

Not a demanding malt, hardly complex, but easily enjoyable: 6


Strathisla 12yo 1989-2002 61.3% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#9411

From a sherry cask. The color is white wine, very pale, perhaps from a fino cask? A fair amount of cask sediments as well. It smells of leather, tobacco, vanilla, eucalyptus, mint, phenols, dark grapes, very fresh and clean. I'd say its certainly one of the better noses I've had without being too oak-driven. The taste is white pepper, metallic, grape seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, grassy, this clean, good, fun, absolutely superb whisky in its right element. But put it together with something just a bit spicy or smoky and it'll fall through.

I'm a bit torn here, its quaffable and fun, but how enjoyable is it?: 8


Strathisla 14yo 1989-2004 62.8% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#9413

From a sherry hogshead, jut one cask apart from neighboring the 61.3%. The color is amber brown, once again with a good amount of cask sediments. From another type of sherry cask? It smells of charcoal, peat, butter, garlic, celery, dried apples, fruit gum, phenolic, rubbery. The taste is perfectly meaty, thick, peppery, beetroot, wildflowers, honey, butter, mashed potatoes, strawberries, nutty, lemon rind, spicy cinnamon. This is super, I wonder why there are not many more young CS Strathislaes around.

Great whisky, and surely at an affordable price: 9


Strathisla 7yo 1989-1997 64.5% Clydesdale cask#9408

Once again from a nearby cask to the other 1989's in this session. I do however not know what kind of cask is used here. The color is matte golden. It smells of sawdust, floral notes, bananas, banana liqueur, vanilla, peppermint, fresh, melon, jackfruit, sweet and fruity. Suggests more maturity than 7 years. The taste is peppery, smoky, ripe red apples, onion, malty, wheat, pineapple, sweet'n'sour, lemonade. Long and peppery finish with notes of iced sugar, honey and tortilla chips. How good are these young Strathislas?

Certainly some active casks from 1989 at Strathisla: 8



Next tasting: Longmorn Distillery