Port Dundas 46yo 1965-2011 43,3% Scott's Selection

I don't think I've ever had a Port Dundas before, or wait, I had a 20yo OB a while back. I remember it as an easy-drinking grain with little personality, despite high strength. This one is in the top flight on my list of whiskies what age is concerned. Not the vintage though. Port Dundas was closed down in 2009, so its not a scarce whisky, but if you can, please get hold of one before grain-prices starts sky-rocketing as well. The color is brown/orange. It smells oaky, lacquer, paint thinner, quite spirity, lets give this some time to open up, remember, its an old whisky that can make you miss its magic if you rush it. Ten more minutes of breathing. Now it turns more fresh, minty, leather, peppermint, much more vigrant, but far from your typical 40yo+ whisky. The taste is slightly bitter, gritty, acidic, sweet coffee, banana. A mix of two worlds, first bitter and closed, then some nice sappy sweet notes, almost like a sweet vegetable broth. I do like this, and I have to try with water added. Water added. Now it turns more gritty again, grassy, very tame. Water kills this otherwise interesting single grain.

For this age, it seems underdeveloped, but its a decent dram: 5.5



Next tasting: Longmorn Distillery

Macduff 25yo 1983-2009 56.8% C&S Dram Collection cask#4093 btl.250

Sadly, it seems www.blogger.com, for whatever reason, refused to post my notes on the st. Magdalene I was gonna have, and now its all disappeared... Let's try to redeem that loss with a Macduff...

I must admit that although having tried a good number of Macduffs aka Glen Deverons through the years, I have not yet found a clear or slightly consistent taste pattern for this whisky. I find its a bit of an either or whisky. If you get what I'm trying to say. This one comes from a sherry butt. The color is mustard brown. It smells immediately very sherried. Vegetal, grassy, chives, raw onions, austere, vinyl, sour citric notes, bitter and burnt. This is somewhat intriguing though not very pleasant, another kind of beast? The taste is very bitter and peppery, those bitter sour citric notes comes plunging forward. Lemon and lime peel, grassy, raw onions, bitter sherry, almost a bit too much of that. Not much distillery character, or is that it? Its bitter and burning, needs a dash of water to release its potential I believe. Adding about 4 teaspoons. Now it turns a bit drier, maltier, wheaty, burnt toast, rubbery, glue, this is rather unpleasant, but I know some lovers of bitter drops that would appreciate this kind of whisky. For me, and I emphasize me, this is not a good whisky, too much oak influence for a spirit that seems to have been weak initially. But when had neat, its just more of an experience, a lot more happening. The finish is sweet and intense on sour fruit gums, syrup and vanilla.

One that needs a lot of breathing, and a bitter tooth (what?): 4



Next tasting: Port Dundas Distillery

Fettercairn 15yo 1989-2006 62.6% OB cask#2224 btl.118/225

                                           

This was bottled on the sixth of june 2006, so 666 then... That cannot be all by coincidence, or? This comes from a hogshead, which have been finished in, well, "Spanish White Oak Sherry Finish" it says. But the color has more of a copper tone. And what a strength! You see 3-5yos from different distilleries these days carrying well below 60%abv at CS. It smells heather, orange liqueur, dark chocolate, vanilla, plum wine, sherry, dark roasted coffee, leather, cherries. The taste is chili, spicy, bitter licorice, juniper, ginger, waxy, salt, really intense and powerful. Some sweetness such as cherries, honey and ashes joins after a while. I will not add water as you can see from the bottle I've had some of it and some with water indeed. I remember it as becoming far more spirity then. I believe this is edging from the usual character of Fettercairn, but maybe it can work as an eye-opener for the skeptics out there, I know there are a few. The finish is peppery, sherried, dry sherry, red onions, dry red wine, tannic, gotta love your dry and bitter sherries to love this one I think.

I rarely enjoy sherry finishes as much as this: 8.5


Next tasting: St. Magdalene/Linlithgow Distillery

Glenkinchie 20yo 1987-2008 46%First Cask cask#2846 btl.37

It's rarely I get to try Glenkinchie, and a single cask IB bottling is a real treat. Bourbon cask. The color is straw/golden. It smells ginger, mustard, grassy, floral, rhubarb, minced garlic. Textbook lowland style. The taste is just a huge punch of lemon, sour and bitter, I don't think I've ever encountered such strong hints of lemon in a whisky before. It's hard to find anything else, but it delivers just the smallest touch of smoke on the finish. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, garden fruits, honey, floral, apricot jam, more smoke and oaky notes. It's not that it improves a lot with water, but it gets more complex, more flavors on display. Overall I'd say its a nice, maybe a bit pricey, everyday dram alternative. Or just a nice presentation of the lowland region.

Clean and fun spirit, no big thrills though: 6



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Glen Garioch/Intravagan'za NAS 50% Michel Couvreur

Another spirit from Glen Garioch thats rested in caves in cognac country. This one holds 50% abv and is said to be both cask strength and matured for 3 years. I can't confirm any of that at this point, but since its been maturing in a dry and cold cave I find 50%abv as a weird CS at such a young age. The color on this is light bronze. It smells leather, honey, dry licorice, hay, clover, boiled grits, stilton, cinnamon, I recognize the sherry influence but also a clear Glen Garioch character. Oh yeah, didn't mention this came from a sherry hogshead, did I? The taste is sweet, peppery, marzipan, chillies, honey,  sweet sherry, tannins, dry red wine, peat, black pepper, grits again, bittersweet. Impressive! The finish is long and peppery with dry licorice and dry spices.

A great alternative to maturing in Scotland, fab spirit: 7



Next tasting: Glenkinchie Distillery

Couvreur's Clearach 3yo 43% Michel Couvreur

I bought this bottling in Denmark, its the result of a crazy Belgian citizen importing Scotch single malt spirit to France and storing it in some caves traditionally used to mature cognac/brandy. So its not really a Glen Garioch, but the mentioning of Meldrum House on the label strongly suggests its origin. And its not even a whisky, as scotch whisky must've been matured for at least 3 years in Scotland. This spirit was, according to information by seller, matured for three years in very humid and moist conditions. Therefore it has caught a bit of a hazy appearance. One small practical issue is, as you can see, the cork. The bottle is designed for screw caps, but they've used a cardboard cork instead, without a top, so if you haven't got a spare alternative cork lying around, keeping this spirit intact will be a hard task. Lets try this bastard!


Couvreur's Clearach 3yo 43% Michel Couvreur

I must add that this was matured in a sherry cask. The color is hazy light cinnamon/honey. It smells buttery, nougat, dark chocolate, charcoal, orange zest, white wine, wheat beer. The taste is peppery, rich, starchy, potato starch, flinty, raw onions, undeniably a spirit from Glen Garioch. I've gotta commend MC for thinking out of the box with this one. I've got another one that was matured in a very dry and cool cognac cave from same bottler, but that's due for another tasting later on. The finish is sweet and peppery.

(Non-whisky character): 7



Next tasting: Glen Garioch

Loch Lomond 5yo 2000-2006 46% OB Dá Mhile Single Grain

Loch Lomond is one of the few distilleries producing both grain and malt whisky. This is however, the first ever single grain I've tried from them. 46%abv is good news, I think they usually bottle at 40%abv. This is one of 6500 bottles(!). No chill-filtering, no colouring... nice! But is that enough to make for a decent 5yo grain-whisky? The color is straw/pale. It smells rice vinegar, wheat, leather, vanilla, floral, watercress, marzipan, white wine, mint. The taste is very sweet, vanilla candy, minty, fresh and floral, grassy notes, a bit of honey and stewed onions. The finish is light, some dry apple cider and floral notes. This is an easy-drinking aperitif grain with good flavors and no heavy notes.

Pleasant: 6



Next tasting: Glen Garioch

Tasting 2 Port Charlotte for Norway

Daracha is a norwegian importer of foreign spirits, and they've succeeded in getting two casks of Port Charlotte bottled for them. Creds! Time to taste those two.


Port Charlotte 10yo 2002-2012 %? OB for Daracha cask#1168

This one was kept in a bourbon hogshead for 10 years, should be a well refined peatster. These PC's are sure coming a bit of age these days, perhaps its time for them to really blossom? The color on this one is amber orange. It smells peat, spirity, honey, leather, caramel, burn sugar, licorice, minty, ashes, smoke, vanilla, sulphur, rubbery, salty. What a start! The taste is intens, peppery, peaty, smoky, cigar notes, butter, green chillies, ginger. This is a taste-bomb, and you gotta love it a bit rough, a whisky that really rocks!

I wish I had a cask, let alone a bottle of this: 9


Port Charlotte 10yo 2002-2012 60% Adelphi for Daracha cask#1162

One from a sherry hogshead. Peat and sherry oak often give varied results, but when the match is right the result can be the best of the best. How funny, the bourbon casked one in this session was deep amber, while the sherried one is merely golden. I guess Ralfy was right all along. It smells honey, buttery, sage, leaves, onions, grassy shrimps and crab meat, coastal, but in a weird fashion. I can't go much further on the nose, but its one you gotta try! The taste is sweet, vanilla, licorice, peppermint, sage, black olives, burnt rubber, glue, rich and creamy, but this intense bitterness almost kills it off. I guess the bitter and peaty notes kinda works in a very strange way.

Another one you gotta try: 7.5



Next tasting: Loch Lomond (grain)

Tasting one young Bruichladdich

Many peated youngsters are flying out of Bruichladdichs warehouses these days, but how does a regular low-peated Bruichladdich compare at similar age?



Bruichladdich 7yo 55% OB Isle of the Blessed for Whisky & Dreams (www.whiskyanddreams.de)

This one was matured in a bourbon cask before being finished in sherry wood. I don't believe this is bottled at cask strength. But it could also be from some leaking wood. The color is amber orange. It smells dry, sulphur, rubbery, cinnamon, oranges, waxy, leather, earthy, moulded cheese, peat. The taste is peppery, earthy, spicy cinnamon, chillies, burnt notes, very powerful. The finish is peppery, sweet chili sauce, honey, apple vinegar, sweet white wine. Also vanilla, pear juice, root vegetables, red wine vinegar, sweet and spicy. Lets add some water. Now it turns more spirity, more rubber, less heat and less sweetness. I believe water just ruined an otherwise good whisky.

Use your time with this one, its not an easy whisky: 7.5



Next tasting: Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte)

Fettercairn 22yo 1990-2013 51.5% Malts of Scotland cask#13004

Finally, I think Malts of Scotland are the only big IB that don't ever bottled any Fettercairns, or, Berry Bros & Rudd also, but I think its nice that they eventually bottles some, as its been a while since any premier series have had a Fettercairn. This one comes from a bourbon hogshead. I have tried many 1989's from Fettercairn, but never from 1990. The color is hazy golden. It smells vanilla, oregano, spicy, nutty aroma, pistachio, sweet vanilla toffees. The taste is sweet, floral, honey, oranges, grapefruit, lemon, sweet, cough drops, eucalyptus, honey, vanilla, green apples, intense peppermint, not typical Fettercairn but still a very good one. The finish is peppery, ginger, lime, bittersweet, oaky. Adding water. Just a bit zestier and sweeter now. I wondered why MoS would choose a bourbon hogshead with all the great sherried Fettercairns around, and this is far from what their range usually holds.

Utterly awkward Fettercairn, I guess its a love/hate malt, I love it: 8



Next tasting: Bruichladdich Distillery

Talisker NAS 45.8% OB Storm

A new Talisker, NAS version this time, but that seems to be the trend these days. Its called "Storm", which is a great name for a Talisker methinks. There are just a few distilleries in Scotland that could pull off such a name. Though both colorant and chill-filtering, I hope that Talisker haven't compromised on more than the age with this one. Mind you, the Talisker 10 is a great dram, and not in any way a lesser whisky than the 18yo. The color is deep golden. It smells coastal, ashes, saltwater, smoked herring, raw onions, balsamic vinegar, peat, spirity, waxy. The taste is sweet, honey, red onions, peppery, smoky, not as rounded or balanced as the 10yo, but some sweet grassy notes, stewed onions, vanilla, creamy. I must confirm that as one of a few distilleries Talisker have managed to create a NAS-bottling that's of similar quality to its AS-bottlings(new word point!). The finish is peppery, and thats about it.

Another unique Talisker: 7



Next tasting: Fettercairn Distillery

Tasting one Ledaig (Tobermory)

As I'm sure you all know, Ledaig is the peated version produced at Tobermory distillery, and as much heavily peated whisky these days, this as well was bottled at a very young age.



Ledaig 7yo 2004-2012 60.4% A.D. Rattray cask#900161

The label says that this bottling is "part". That means, as I read it, that just a part of the cask has been bottled, or that the bottler shared the cask with another company. This one comes from a sherry butt. The color is deep amber. It smells peaty, leather, honey, spicy, mustard, nutty, peppery, ashes, toasted bread, burnt, cigars, dark chocolate. Pretty superb, another kinda peat than the Islay peat character, more earthy and rich. The taste is sweet, peppery, burnt, bitter, peppery, lime, lime zest, extremely bitter, vinegar, dry white wine, a real nice whisky for those that like them young and fragrant. The finish is long, peaty and peppery. This gentle Ledaig seems to have lost some of its coastal character, but its still a damn good dram.

At this age it's good, in 5 more years I think it'd have been superb: 7.5



Next tasting: Talisker Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Port Ellen

Port Ellen was founded back in 1825, and ran fluently with a bunch of different owners until it was mothballed by John Dewar & Sons back in 1929. Thereafter it was closed for nearly 4 decades. In 1967 Port Ellen started distilling again. But only for about 16 years. In 1983 it was mothballed by DLC (Diageo), as a result of them wanting to let Lagavulin be its main Islay distillery, keeping Caol Ila running as a workhorse to make malt for blending purposes. Port Ellen have since been used as a malting plant for the other Islay distilleries, only Bruichladdich and Kilcoman, maybe Bunnahabhain?, if I'm correct, are malting part of their own barley till this date. Since the distillery closing, the public have found a new love for this malt and the prices are sky-rocketing as we speak. Thankfully I have purchased, traded and gathered near to 40 PE's for these sessions. This should make for some interesting tastings of whiskies the world may never see again.


Port Ellen 19yo 1976-1996 43% Hart Brothers

Not that many Port Ellens under 20yo out there anymore. I'm glad I was able to fetch a few from some sample sellers a couple of years ago. The color on this one is golden. It smells peppery, peaty, raw, black pepper, raw onions, thyme, grassy, leather, fish sauce, salty. Not very coastal, or Islay-coastal that is. Reminds me more of Ledaig or Longrow. The taste is sweet, vanilla, sugary, pear cider, peat, black pepper, clean and sweet peat character. The finish is peaty, herbal, drying, peppery, sea salt and sour apples.

Clean and fresh Port Ellen: 8


Port Ellen 22yo 1980-2002 46% Silver Seal Special Reserve

Another "young" PE, at least by the standard of todays bottlings. The color is golden. It smells peaty, licorice, seaweed, grassy, onions, smoked salmon, smoky, salty, grainy, fish eggs. The taste is peppery, peaty, bitter oranges, limes, banana peel, raw onions. I rarely add water to bourbon matured peated whiskies, an won1t in this case either. The reason for that is the cask must be extremely active to make good use of the water as peat and water usually develops negatively when combined, in my opinion.

Bitter-fruity PE, a bit strange, but I don't mind: 7.5


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2008 46% High Spirits

Last low strength PE before I'll head into an impressive streak of Old Bothwell PEs. The color is light golden. It smells herbal, buttery, peaty, ashes, coal, vanilla, honey, chili, smoke, gasoline. Herbal and peat are the dominating notes in this one. The taste is sweet, toffee, butter, caramel, peat, a mellow and sweet Islayer. The finish is peppery and peaty with some lingering vanilla sweetness. A bit harsh, but in this case I'm quite happy with a rough ending, as it contrasts the rather weak palate.

Sweet light PE, atypical: 6.5


Port Ellen 29yo 1979-2009 53.9% Old Bothwell cask#7089

Time for 5 Old Bothwells in a row. Should be some great ones in this bunch, lets taste. The color is golden. It smells vanilla, banana, pineapple, dried cinnamon, peppery, peaty, smoky, raw onions, ashes, lime. It gives the perception of a young Islaye, maybe a bourbon-matured Laphroaig or Ardbeg. The taste is vanilla, clay, peat, ashes, dry cider, dry white wine, sour apples. Adding water. Now it turns more bitter, bitter grapes, apple core, gingery, seems time have tamed most of the coastal and peaty notes that perhaps once was in this spirit. The finish is leathery, drying, bitter-fruity.

Dry fruits and vanilla, little peat: 6


Port Ellen 26yo 1979-2006 54% Old Bothwell cask#7094

Another bourbon casked Old Bothwell Port Ellen distilled in 1979, lets hope this one is a bit more coastal than cask#7089. The color is lightgolden. It smells peppery, peaty, black pepper, cigar smoke, leather, ashes, fish stock, salt water, raw onions, bitter, herbal, lemon. The taste is peaty, peppery, chillies, dry white wine. Another bitter one, I believe some water is needed here. Now it turns more peaty, ashes, burnt oak, peppery, smoked ham, black roquefort, salt crystals, cigar smoke. The finish is earthy, biitter and oaky, a bit of a campbeltown finish.

To be fair, its a Port Ellen well below par: 4.5


Port Ellen 26yo 1983-2009 54.9% Old Bothwell cask#220

When a bottler suddenly bottles a vast array of whiskies from a closed distillery its easy to say they're surfing a hype, and that any leftovers from this distillery will be bottled if available. Lets hope thats not the case with Old Bothwell. The color is golden. It smells peat, grease, grassy, dandelions, floral, oaky, vanilla, white grapes, raw onions, lime, soapy, salmi, cured/smoked ham. The taste is vanilla, peat, peppery, spearmint,black pepper, minty, dry white wine. The best from Old Bothwell, classic PE. The finish is peppery, citron, watermelon, white pears, fino sherry, great whisky.

Superb, smoky and fruity: 8


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2009 55.7% Old Bothwell cask#2473

A couple of 1982s to finish this session. I'll enjoy these parts of the legacy from one of the lost treasures of Scotland as well as I can. The color is golden amber. It smells buttery, salty, sherried, creamy, cinnamon, cigar smoke, leather, rich, vanilla, dark chocolate, great stuff! The taste is sweet, honey, cinnamon, buttery, peaty, ginger, It seems this comes from a superb sherry cask. The finish is peaty, herbal, oaky, sulphur, bitters, genever, orange zest. What a whisky!

Some say sherry and peat son't go together, I beg the differ: 9


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2009 56.4% Old Bothwell cask#2845

The final one, and the strongest of the Bothwell bunch. I must admit I wish for another sherried dram now. The color is amber. It smells peppery, peaty, licorice, herbal, sulphur, honey, spearmint, ginger, vanilla, grassy, floral. Another herbal/floral malt it seems. The taste is vanilla, heather, floral, oaky, burnt, grapefruit, grape soda, tonic water, ginger. The finish is peppery, peaty, leather, gasoline, grassy, peat smoke, burnt grease.

A good PE, just a bit weird, and not coastal at all: 7


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2007 56.1% Berry Bros cask#2850

Ending this sitting with a whisky from an IB that rarely fails to impress me. The color is white wine. It smells light, plum syrup, pear juice, onions, vanilla, licorice, hay, rubbery, wheat beer, certainly very different than most other Port Ellens I've tried. The taste is vanilla, peppery, peaty, tongue numbing, kinda raw, some pastry and wheaty notes. This seems no more than 10yo at most. Raw, spirity and unfinished whisky. Lets add some water. Now it turns more grassy, herbal, bitter, lowland style. The finish is soft, peppery, rubbery, spirity, one to avoid if possible.

Grassy, vegetal and herbal notes: 3


Port Ellen 26yo 1982-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#5398


#Second sitting. If there is one IB that have released a lot of old Port Ellen casks in the past years, it must be Douglas Laing. What an investment that must have been. The color is golden. It smells peaty, leather, cinnamon, honey, licorice, hay, sea salt, smoked salmon, cod liver, oyster sauceseashell stock, boiled white wine, ashes, peat. The taste is peaty, peppery, ginger and lemon. Heavy bitter lemon notes. Time to add some water here. Now it turns sweeter, earthy, peaty, ashes, salted butter, grilled duck skin, stewed onions, leather. The finish is long, bitter and peaty.

A Port Ellen with quite some kick and flair, not for beginners: 8


Port Ellen 25yo 1982-2008 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#4112

A sample from a large butt, holding enough whisky for no less than 589 bottles. Refill wood. The color is light golden. It smells sweet, caramel, licorice, honey, buttery, ashes, peat smoke, paint thinner, glue, salty, waxy, smoked beef. The taste dry, peaty, peppery, ginger, tonic water, grape soda, genever bitter. Pretty raw despite its age, but remember, the bigger the cask the more time it needs to impact the spirit, usually. The finish is bitter, wormwood, grape fruit, as bitter as it gets. Time for some water. Now it turns more sour, rubbery, envelope glue, peppery.

a semi-foul cask in my opinion: 4


Port Ellen 25yo 1983-2008 52.5% Golden Cask cask#136

There aren't that many Golden Cask bottlings readily available out there, and my experiences with it are very small. But I know the producer of the series is The House of MacDuff. The color is amber. It smells phenolic, peat, cinnamon, basil, oregano, leather, thyme, sulphur, gasoline, onions, salty butter, fish sauce, fantastic sherried Islay style with lots of herbal notes. The taste is dark chocolate, coffee beans, leather, lemon peel, honey, cod liver, straw, white pepper, oaky, cinnamon, bittersweet dry sherry, tannins, superb style. The finish is cinnamon, peaty and salty. How superb a mix of sherry and peat. One usually dominates the other, but not in this one.

Total harmony in a glass: 9.5


Port Ellen 27yo 1983-2010 54.8% Douglas of Drumlanrig/Pe3 Elements of Islay cask#6724

A shared cask, bottle by Douglas Laing for the Douglas of Drumlanrig-series, which usually carries 46%abv strength. The other part went into the 3rd edition of Port Ellen from Specialty Drink, called Pe3. The color is golden. It smells waxy, peppery, oaky, vanilla, creamy, stewed onions, herbal, stilton, earthy, green tea, raw onions, neither coastal nor peaty. So maybe not as many elements of Islay as one might believe from the title. It seems more herbal and earthy. The taste is bitter and peppery, herbal, ginger, dry licorice, earthy, a decent malt, but little thrills. Lets add some water. Now it turns more caramel, sweet wine, honey, mead, vanilla, very mild and gentle for a Port Ellen. The finish is peppery, vanilla, a slight Laphroaig resemblance here, mellowed peat and honey.

Sweet and light PE: 6


Pe5 NAS 57.9% Elements of Islay, Speciality Drinks

I don't know why they insist on bottling these pre 1984-distillations with no age statements, but lets not get caught up in that. I believe this is the most recent PE from Speciality Drinks. I wish they'd leave a bit more information on their labels. perhaps they are restrained from doing so if they buy cask shares from other owners IBs. The color is amber. It smells peaty, olives, syrup, waxy, rubbery, soapy, raw onions, grassy, caramel, steamed milk, vanilla. The taste is sweet, creamy, vanilla, peaty, smoky, ashes, green peppers, heather. The finish is peppery, rubbery, leather, with some weak peaty notes.

I must admit I'm not too fond of these Pe Elements from Specialty drinks: 5


Port Ellen 24yo 1982-2007 59.6% The Whisky Fair

This one comes from a sherry butt. Those casks often lose alcohol strength at a slower pace than the more modern hogshead casks. The color is white wine. It smells of peat, smoke, ashes, coastal, sea air, vanilla, licorice, pistachio, wasabi, a sweet and peppery Port Ellen that reminds me a bit of some Caol Ilas. The taste is sweet, marzipan, black pepper, spearmint, onions, leeks, vanilla, shallots, cottage cheese, lavender. The finish is pistachio, onions, spicy, eucalyptus, grainy.

High strength, medium quality: 4


Port Ellen 26yo 1982-2008 60.4% Dewar Rattray cask#2466

This one was matured in a single sherry cask, but I don't know what size. I imagine a butt. Again a very high strength for its age, it could be an octave as well. The color is light golden. It smells rubbery, peppery, chillies, strong tea, lavender, grease, wasabi, a rather hot one. The taste is dry, peppery, vanilla, spicy cinnamon, heather, burnt, leather, shoe polish, bitter. Lets add some water. Now it turns more fruity, apples, gingerbread, soft peat smoke, almonds, rye biscuits, leather, creamy. The finish is peppery and sweet, vanilla and honey.

Another Port Ellen below par in this sitting: 3.5


Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2010 62.6% The Whisky Agency

This one comes from an ex-bourbon cask, and shows that none of my prior theories about strength and cask types are necessarily waterproof. Substantial strength after 27 years on oak. The color is pale amber. It smells peaty, ashes, earthy, leather, ginger, vanilla, honey, stewed onions, bananas, sweet white wine, a really sweet and fresh PE. The taste is dry, peppery, peaty, vanilla, syrup, lemon peel, pistachio, really light and easy whisky. Let's add some water. Now it turns heathery, aniseed, vanilla, honey, stewed onions, creamy, a rich, but far from interesting one. The finish is sweet, coffee beans and brittle.

My guess is that this could easily mature for 10 more years: 5


Port Ellen 18yo 1982-2001 43% McGibbons Provenance Winter

Another series by Douglas Laing, starting this sitting with a lot of sherried ones. This particular bottling is rumored to contradict much from most other Port Ellens due to its heavy oloroso influence. Lets discover! The color is hazel brown. It smells sweet, red wine, salty, honey, leather, cinnamon, oranges, red paprika, buttery, leather. A decent one so far, but no peat or smoke. Maybe its just because of the low strength. The taste is sweet, syrup, maltiness, mango, ginger, honey, vanilla, peat. A sweet and very shy one. The finish is short and peppery.

The least coastal PE I've ever had: 5


Port Ellen 26yo 1983-2009 51.4% Reffeirschildt Romantic Rhine Collection

This one comes from a refill sherry octave, which is a huge cask that often needs quite some years to fully impact the whisky. The color is light brown/dark amber. It smells peaty, herbal and peppery, rubbery, salty, malt vinegar, cedar wood, cinnamon, ginger, green peppers, chili, drying, pretty delicate and spicy one. The taste is dry, bitter, herbal, salty licorice, very strong, lets add some water. Now it becomesmore honeyed, vanilla, cinnamon, oaky, cedar wood, leather, stewed onions, mashed carrots, another PE thats overdriven by the sherried oak? Its a perfectly good dram, but if this cask held a lighter speyside spirit for 26 years, it'd be an instant winner, I believe. The finish is burnt, tannic, honey and spicy cinnamon.

A good whisky, but two worlds collide a bit here: 6


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 56% Thosop BVBA

A couple of years ago, it seemed IB bottlings of Port Ellen came and went like men at the red light district. Now however, any new PE seems to have about the equal price a gram as silver. Foreign IB's like Thosop also had their share of bottlings. The color on this is golden amber. It smells peaty, grassy, heather, raw onions, tarry, iodine, coastal, salty, fresh herbs, nestles, cauliflower, broccoli. The taste is sweet, vanilla and caramel, cinnamon, butter, malty. A palate with little impact, a tad tired. The finish is salty, coastal, peaty. More PE character now. Lets add some water. Now it turns peppery, green notes, herbal, grassy, peaty, honey, vanilla, sweet sherry, tannins, oranges, a rich and full-on PE from some active oak.

Pleasant and light Port Ellen, introduction malt?: 7


Port Ellen 27yo 1983-2010 56% Malts of Scotland cask#66

This one comes from a refill sherry butt. Malts of Scotland has bottled a couple Port Ellens, usually very good stuff. The color is pale yellow. It smells peat, caramel, honey, leather, peppery, toffee, vanilla pudding, caramel sauce, a bit of a dessert malt. The taste is peppery, rubbery, pine wood, perfumy, oaky, dark chocolate. Very concentrated. Adding water. Now it turns buttery, sweeter, vanilla, resinous, camphor, slick and smooth malt whisky, too much oak character? The finish is thick, concentrated, perfumy.

For sherry lovers, but not my cup of Port Ellen: 5


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 57.5% Whiskysite/QVID

This one comes from a sherry puncheon, lets hope it lets the Port Ellen profile shine through a bit more than the #66 did. The color is golden. It smells oranges, orange peel, grassy, leather, raw onions, herbal, coastal, salty, thyme, oily, butter, white pepper, ginger. The taste is vanilla, white pepper, ashes, strong, eucalyptus, minty, drying, this one needs some water to open up I think. It seems a bit restrained. Now it turns sweeter, butterscotch, peppery, peaty, olive oil, feta cheese, ginger. The finish is bitter and peppery.

Mediocre malt, reminds me of some inferior Caol Ilas: 4


Port Ellen 24yo 1982-2007 58.2% Dewar Rattray cask#2463

Finally one from a fresh sherry cask, apart from the McGibbon's Provenance of course. The color is brown. It smells peaty, sulphur, honey, iodine, rubber, cinnamon, heather, ashes, butter, dried herbs, coca cola, phenols, dried paprika. The taste is peaty, cinnamon, spicy, heather, hay, chillies, clay, leather, ashes, honey, brilliant sherry notes, but where is the PE in all of this? No coastal character. Lets add some water. Now it becomes more honeyed, sweeter, more ashes, cigar smoke, caramel, orange zest, honey melon, kiwi. The finish is licorice, herbal, spicy, citric, bitter.

PE and sherry, I'm still not a big fan: 5


Port Ellen 29yo 1982-2012 58.6% Malts of Scotland cask#12017

In the past three whiskies I've enjoyed whisky from both sherry butt and sherry octave, which makes it time for one from a sherry hogshead. The color is golden amber. It smells cinnamon, leather, honey, oloroso sherry, bacon, barbecue sauce, peaty, cigar smoke, grilled tomatoes, sweet vinegar, ashes, stout, porter ale. The taste is honey, dried fruits, drying, leather, sweet cinnamon, stewed onions, cranberries, dry sherry, peaty, blood oranges, dried beef, oaky. The finish is peppery, ginger, herbal, mustard, ashes. Time to add some water. Now it turns more honeyed, creamy, custard, brine, peaty.

I think its the best sherried one thus far: 8


Port Ellen 28yo 1982-2010 61.3% Wilson & Morgan cask#2347

This one comes from a refill butt, which makes me assume we're talking about european oak and previous sherry content, but I could be wrong in that assumption. Seriously high strength at this age. The color is golden amber. It smells peaty, ashes, peppery, smoky, ginger, oaky, burnt, coastal, leather, salty, tannic. The taste is bitter, pisang liqueur, vanilla, ashes, peppery, chillies, salty. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more herbal, parsley, minty, grassy, chives, the peat and sherried notes disappearsonce water is added. It becomes more enjoyable, but less complex.

Rough at first, dies like fire when waters added: 4.5


Port Ellen 19yo 1971-1991 40% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Starting this sitting with a real oldie. The color is shiny golden, E's? Yes, I suspect so. It smells peaty, waxy, spirity, honey, roasted almonds, barbecue smoke, peppery, tannins, red wine, quite rich and spicy. Very good one! The taste is sweet, marzipan, caramel, sweet white wine, cinnamon, sauternes, honey, peaty, peppery. The finish is peaty, tannic, sweet wine, malt syrup, honey. This is actually a quite grand sherried Port Ellen, I'll add some water even though its certainly not needed here. With water it turns lighter, more vanilla, custard, cinnamon, creamy, delightful!

Port Ellen Distillery, what a loss!: 8.5


Port Ellen 29yo 1978-2007 55.3% OB 8th Release

I've scrambled together some OB's, lets have them now, in descending historical order (wow!). The color is amber. It smells minty, peaty, spearmint, smoke, ashes, cinnamon, sweet, honey, caramel, brittle, aniseed. The taste is malty, plums, cinnamon, ashes, phenolic, sulphur, drying, honey, sweet porter, one of the finer PE's I've had so far. The finish is peaty, peppery, sulphury, drying, ashes, caramel, a really sweet PE. I must say that this is no representative of how Port Ellen whisky used to be, but its sure a good one anyhow.

Dry sweet caramel with peat in the background: 8


Port Ellen 27yo 1978-2006 54.2% OB 6th Release

Same vintage as the 8th release, but bottled two years prior, but at lower strength, I hope this whisky will be a bit more coastal? It smells peaty, peppery, coastal, salty, lacquer, cinnamon, oranges, leather, ashes, salt water, smoked haddock, fried pork rind, bacon. The taste is sweet, vanilla, lemon, sour citric, burnt, peppery, celp, lime, iodine. This is much more PE in my opinion, coastal and peaty. The finish is short and peppery. This whisky sure has a great nose an palate, I wonder how it just drops dead on the finish. A bit strange that, but all in all a pretty great Port Ellen.

Its more typical PE, but I'd prefer the 8yo: 7.5


Port Ellen 25yo 1979-2005 57.4% OB 5th Release

I just now realize that I've put another whisky into the photo, the Pe5 from Speciality Drinks, but fear not, I have the 5th release and just put it into my tulip glass. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, herbal, garlic, burnt oak, cedar wood, peppery, wasabi, salmi, ashes, butter, salty, salty licorice, sea salt, smoked salmon, fried rice. The taste is peppery, salty, licorice, varnish, camomile, ashes, leather, seaweed, iodine, metallic. The finish is waxy, petrol, ashes, peaty, peppery, rich and sulphury. This is perhaps the best PE I've ever had.

Supreme PE, Laphroaig and Springbank meets Glenrothes: 9.5


Port Ellen 24yo 1979-2003 57.3% OB 3rd Release

I hope this is as good as the 5th release, and it could well be. Remember, as posthumous OB's are put out, they need to be good to begin with to create the hype they're hoping for. I believe the most recent OB PE is very overpriced anyway you look at it, but because they've established a name now, they can do so. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, red wine, caramel, dark chocolate, cocoa, rubbery, waxy, stearic, cranberries, dark berries, ashes. The taste is sweet, peppery, caramel, aniseed, butter, ashes, vanilla, dried oranges, dried fruits, peaches, pears, plums, dark grapes. The finish is waxy, petrol, honey, sour apples, ginger, butter cream, salty, ashes, peppery. Lets add some water. Now it turns lighter, caramel, oily, butter, fresh thyme, herbal, ashes, butterscotch, vanilla, honey. The finish is bitter, sulphury, onions, caramel, white wine.

An amazingly complex whisky, not for beginners: 8


Port Ellen 19yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing

So this could latest be bottled in 2002, due to the distillery closing in 1983, which means its had some time in the bottle. That often has a good effect on the whisky. A bit like wine often further develops in a bottle. The color is amber. It smells peaty, leather, cinnamon, latex, ashes, sweet, honey, dried onions, ginger, iodine, coastal, sea salt, briny, camphor. The taste is very peppery, peaty honey notes, bitter sherry, apple juice and caramel, a bit of everything in this one. The finish is peppery and long. Adding water. I becomes more herbal, licorice, onions, spring onions, parsley, grassy, a fine development, but little reminds me of a peaty Islayer.

An Islayer with a bit of lowlander: 8.5


Port Ellen 28yo 1983-2011 58.9% Malts of Scotland cask#11011

From a bourbon hogshead, a tight one indeed, usually these american casks reduces the whisky's strength more than this after 28 years. The color is light golden. It smells vanilla, peaty, spirity, peppery, hay, raw onions, heather. The taste is vanilla, honey, peaty, drying, ashes, marshmallow, citric, lemon, oranges, grapefruit. The finish is peaty, salty, iodine, sulphury, citric bitterness, lemon rind. Time to add some water. Now it turns very mild, vanilla, honey, toffee, yoghurt, some peat in the aftertaste, but water tamed this lion in an instance. Its still got some class, its just a bit less segregated from other "good" whiskies. Loses a bit of its sting.

A very natural Port Ellen, I don't think you will find many of them around anymore: 8


Port Ellen 25yo 51% The Golden Cask

These days this even seems a fairly young Port Ellen, but I have some real youngsters after this. The color is light golden. It smells peaty, linseed oil, hay, vanilla, creamy, yeasty, licorice, white wine, herbal, oregano, ashes, salty, smoked mackerel. The taste is peppery, coastal, sea salt, fish eggs, smoked salmon, latex, salty water, ashes, grainy, feints, heather. some retrained vanilla notes. This is flawless Port Ellen, but not as peaty as many of the others. The finish is sweet, nutty and kinda short, small peppery notes. Delightful, far from intense in any way. Lets add some water. Now it turns more honeyed, peppery, wasabi, more peaty, burnt oak, cigar smoke, more PE now.

Some might say it excels with water, some might beg the differ, are you a peat fan?: 7.5


Port Ellen 14yo 1977-1991 59.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2017

Hurray, a young single cask Port Ellen. I'll just skip all the sentimentality in this one and get right to the notes, if not would've been a long one I'm afraid. The color is dark golden, and with small cask sediments. The nose is spicy, peppery, peat, sulphur, ashes, tannic, bonfire, caramel, dark chocolate, toasted bread, black roquefort. Peat and sweet sherry from A to Z. It actually smells rich and thick, normally I don't find that on the nose. The taste is peppery, strong dark chocolate, spicy cinnamon, drying, orange zest, cigar smoke, sawdust, ginger, waxy, honey. I'd say this might be from a bourbon cask, but if so, its perhaps one of the most complex I've ever tried from such wood. The finish is burnt, smoky, salty, a real ashtray, burnt tires, a galore of peat and spicy cinnamon. I won't add water here, its just too god on its own, I'm saving the last 3cl of this for a very special day, at around 3rd October when I'll becomes a dad for the first time. I think such an occasion should be celebrated with something like this.

Perhaps the most peaty complex PE I've ever had: 10


Port Ellen 16yo 1978-1993 61.8% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#2694,2695

I do not dare hope for the same magic as I found in the 1977, but you never know with this series from G&M, especially older youngsters, its a shame they don't put as much effort into it as before, it seems. The color is dark golden. It smells leather, honey, onions, cinnamon, ashes, grainy, salty licorice, wheat, hay, peppery, seaweed, sea salt, rotting fish, diesel, herbal, moss, ashes. The taste is honeyed, spirity, caramel, sugary, peaty, wax, sea salt, iodine, leather, perfumy, chewing tobacco, herbal, rice wine, vinegar. The taste is peaty, dry, peppery, licorice, vanilla, onions, waxy, chillies, this one could use some water. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more bitter, herbal liqueur, still kinda raw. The finish is peaty, peppery, floral, nestles, ginger, wax, raw onions, lentils, black beans.

A lot of wax, herbs and perfume: 5.5


Port Ellen 14yo 1980-1995 64.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#5088,5089,5091,5092,5093

A multi-cask bottling, but many of those have shown to be just as great as single casks, in my opinion. And what a strength! The color is light golden. It smells extremely burnt, phenolic and peaty. More phenolic than peaty, but the combination is extreme here. Some grainy notes, floral, spirity. The taste is drying, peaty, ashes, cigar smoke, candle wax, sugary, plum spirit. Kinda sweet enticing, but needs some water as its mostly strong spirity notes. Water added. Now it turns more peaty, rubbery, smoky, intense smoke, like when puffing the end of a cigar, honey, timothy, coal fire. An intense dram, which I'm suspecting would've been fantastic at around 18yo. The finish is peaty, drying, citric, lime, lemon. Interesting, but surely a bit raw and unfinished.

I think this bottling might have been a hunt for sensation: 5




Port Ellen Distillery then



Port Ellen Maltings now



Next tasting: Peated Tobermory/Ledaig

St. Magdalene 25yo 1982-2008 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#4282

How about this then? I bought this a couple of years ago, and these days it seems a bit of an unlikely young age for a whisky from Linlithgow Distillery. It comes from a refill butt, which makes me think of european oak. The color is light golden. It smells honey, minty, onions, vanilla, ash, greengages, leather, grassy. The taste is sweet, buttery, dry white wine, ashes, burnt, oaky, wood zest, oranges, sweet and powerful. Kinda strangely floral. This one needs some water, or at least I believe so. Now it turns more nutty, oily, buttery, quite a bit spirity. I can't quite understand why this whisky is so sought-after, but it seems to have some old-style lowland character going on.

Light, spirity, buttery St. Magdalene: 6



Next Tasting: Macduff Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Banff

Banff Distillery was first erected in 1824, but lasted just about 4 decades before the Banff we know today was risen as a new and improved Banff in 1863. In its early days they triple-distilled their whisky at Banff, but that stopped in 1924, and I have not been able to get a hold of any of that (of course I haven't!). It's said to be a lot of fires and some explosions and stuff at Banff through the years, which is sad. Not only because there's a hold in the production and therefore income for a while, but also because when they so often have to replace their distilling equipment, the output must at some point start differing more and more from the original Banff. Somewhere along the way Banff managed to distill on million liters of triple-distilled whisky a year, which made them one of the bigger distilleries in Scotland. DCL, or Diageo as its called today. bought the distillery back in 1932. There was a bombing of some Banff Warehouses in WW2 which is written a lot about and you'll find good information about that other places online. In 1959 there was an explosion t Banff, ruining much of its equipment, but fortunately no one got hurt. Banff was then closed in 1983 as DCL saw it as unneeded as they already had too much stock lying around in their warehouses. Shame...



Banff 21yo 43% Chieftain's Choice

I had a ful bottle of this, and I believe I traded most of it away. I think other people enjoyed it quite a bit more than I did. But I kept 5cl and perhaps some breathing in a small bottle have done it well. The color is light golden. It smells vanilla, malty, fresh, clean, green apples, soapy, air freshener, chemical. The taste is sweet and peppery, peat, raw onions, strong garlic, green apples. Not much in this one, but the initial peppery sensation on the palate is superb. The finish is short and malty.

A chance to try subdued Banff, but why not have an alive and kicking one instead?: 4.5


Banff 18yo 1978-1997 43% Signatory Vintage cask#4617 btl.320/2460

Quite some Banffs from Signatory in this session, lets try them one by one now. The color is light golden. It smells sulphury, iodine, peaty, waxy, wheat, dry herbs, salty butter, again a closed one, but this has some interesting heavy cigar and earthy notes. Unusual and fascinating. The taste is salty, peaty, nutty, peppery, gingerbread, raw onions, not up to par with the Chieftain's. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, vanilla, banana, grapefruit, ginger, hay, Macallan from american oak? The finish is peppery with some bitter rubbery notes. Malty too. Quite bland to be fair.

One to nose, then give to someone else to drink: 4


Banff 31yo 1975-2007 43% Signatory Vintage cask#3343

Can Banff at 43%abv excel with due to aging? Surely! Will this one? Lets see. The last two ones were a bit weakened by the low strength while this one can be closer to CS. The color is golden amber. It smells of honey, mint, grassy, waxy, stewed onions, but the mix of wax and honey implies a classic highland style. The taste is peppery, soapy, leather, onions, grassy, spirity. Is this really 31yo? It tastes more like a 10yo. Lets add some water. Now it turns more peppery and bitter, perfumy, heather, wax, ginger. The finish is bitter, peppery and grainy.

Tired oak?: 4.5


Banff 29yo 1980-2009 54.5% Signatory Vintage cask#2918

Ah, finally a Banff at CS. I wonder how this will compare to the low strength ones. This comes from a bourbon hogshead. The color is golden. It smells sweet, peppery, vanilla, creamy, rich, waxy, marshmallows, syrup. Rich vanilla stands out. Dessert malt deluxe! The taste is peppery, spirity, vanilla, quite some heat in this one. Water to the rescue, but lets not drop it all the way down to 43%abv. Now it turns more peppery, grassy, chili, again very powerful, packed with black pepper, chillies, a lot of heat in a small whisky.

I suspect a small, over-toasted hoggie: 6


Banff 25yo 1976-2001 55.8% Signatory Vintage cask#2251

This one was bottled back when Signatory had no ncnc-series or such, all looked the same so to speak. Those were the days SV! Its just a personal opinion, but I feel that by creating a whosle bunch of new series, as we see IB's doing these days, and more often than not trying too build a quality hierarchy within their own range, they're digging a bit of a grave for themselves. There will in the future, as I see it, get harder and harder to keep these supreme series as "supreme" as they are today, as the existence of older casks are on the decline. Back to Banff! The color is golden. It smells grassy, fresh leaves, thyme, basil, honey, vanilla, malty, rich, creamy. I'm amazed by how many fragrances there are on these Banffs. The taste is zesty, bitter, lime leaves, heather, ginger, seems to come from an intense white oak of some kind, fino? Lets add some water. Now it turns rawer, peppery, new-make, spirity, grainy. The finish is spirity.

I'd rarely turn down a Banff, but this one I could: 3


Banff 33yo 1975-2008 48.1% Celtic Heartlands Jim McEwan

It seems Banff have experienced a bit of a revelation with a lot of good IB bottlings the past few years. Lets try a few of those. The color on this one is dark golden. It smells waxy, perfumy, oaky, nail polish, leather, earthy, old style. A rare treat? The taste is peppery, minty, earthy, wasabi, pistachio, peppermint, gingerbread, Svendborg cheese, rustic. I love this old rustic style, but its certainly not for the feinsmeckers out there. Old style, rugged and earthy whisky. The finish is earthy, clay, coffee beans. Lets add some water. Now it turns a bit lighter, a bit sweeter, and a bit less Banff-ish.

With whiskies becoming younger and younger, I fear this style might disappears: 7.5


Banff 33yo 1975-2008 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#3971

Same age and vintage as the CH, but not at CS this time, or it could be, but unlikely. I wonder what the OMC-series would be like if they were all bottled at CS. The color is golden. It smells light, fresh, grassy, malty, hay, heather, waxy, very light and sweet. Reminds me more of some light speysiders from bourbon oak. The taste is vanilla, creamy, cinnamon, sweet licorice, banana liqueur, hazelnut, rubbery. A strange Banff. The taste is waxy, peppery, honey, salty butter, leather, bacon crisps, salty grease. I like it, but its sure unusual. The finish is floral and peppery. Adding water. Now it turns sweeter, more vanilla and banana liqueur, so sweet..

I've never had a Banff like this before, shows a new side of itself: 7.5


Banff 37yo 1971-2008 53% Douglas Laing Old and Rare

Lets throw some 1971's into the mix. First this one from some sherry cask. The color is white wine. It smells peppery, minty, ginger, salty, heather, grassy, kinda raw, I guess from an inactive cask. The taste is peppery, syrup, coffee beans, dandelions, floral, honey, peppery, tarry, peat, oaky, ginger. The finish is long and peppery. Its a perfectly good malt whisky, but it seems the age have tired the spirit some and not added very much. One might expect a winner at this age.

Close, but no cigar: 7.5


Banff 36yo 1971-2007 53.7% Closed Distilleries Part des Anges cask#364

Another oldie at CS. The color is golden. I smells waxy, salty, earthy, tarry, ginger, ashes, grassy, oaky, leather. The taste is sweet, peaty, vanilla, honey, fresh herbs, stewed onions, waxy, lavender, aioli. The finish is peppery and nutty. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, spearmint, vanilla, peppery, raw onions, creamy, much better with added water in my opinion.

Add water and have yourself a winner: 8


Banff 22yo 1982-2004 57.1% OB Rare Malts

A rare Banff Official Bottling, they only got on the market long after the distillery was closed down. Better late than never? The color is golden. It smells peppery, butter, creamy, light, hay, vanilla, ginger, beans, boiled broccoli. The taste is sweet, vanilla, peaty, onions, ginger, leather, light and easy whisky. Lets add some water. Now it turns waxy, burnt, varnish, soapy, leather, peppery, tarry, another one that excels greatly with added water. The finish is drying, peppery and tarry.

Superb Banff: 8


Banff 26yo 1978-2004 46% Chieftain's Choice cask#371

This one was matured in a sherry cask. I know Ian Macleod bottled a few both Banffs and Broras in the mid- to late oughties at 46%abv. Too bad they weren't CS. The color is amber orange. It smells dark berries, leather, cinnamon, honey, dry, sour herbs, leaves, dried onions, coffee beans. I can already suspect this would be stunning at CS. The taste is cinnamon, chili, amoroso sherry, leather, peppery, waxy, drying. Lets add some water. Now it turns hazy right away. Good! The taste is of caramel, malt vinegar, malt syrup, peat, watermelon, honey, apricots, peaches, lavender. Much more pleasant with added water. The finish is mild, minty, sweet red berries.

Great Banff, another swimmer: 8


Banff 24yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing

No vintage or cask reference on this miniature, I believe it was bottled in the early oughties. The color is golden. It smells honeyed, buttery, peppery, floral, nutty, cashews, pesto, rich. The taste is peppery, vanilla, aniseed, peppery, bitter, onions, radishes, coal, peaty. The finish is ashes, coal, green apples, iodine, waxy. Lets add some water. Now it turns creamier, vanilla, peppery, butter, ashes. A great Banff at a medium strength, but even this needs a drop of water to really shine.

Instant classic: 8


Banff 37yo 1971-2008 53.3% The Dead Whisky Society cask#633

That 1971 from Part des Anges was great, lets hope this can show the same quality. I've not tried many from The Dead Whisky Society. The color is honeyed golden. It smells peaty, peppery, smoky, honey, dry white wine, tannins, sweet sherry, vanilla, ashes, buttery, camphor, butterscotch, nice one! The taste is rich, vanilla, waxy, peppery, aniseed, licorice, hay, ginger, chillies, salty, ashes, burnt oak, phenols, sulphury. This is superb! The finish is peppery, vanilla, honey, smooth, gingery again, malty, mustard, aniseed, burnt, bitter herbs. Lets add some water. Now it turns softer, more honey, grassy, vegetal, mustard, raw onions, leeks, grape fruit.

Easy an 8, its been a few of those now: 8


Banff 25yo 1976-2001 57.1% James MacArthur's cask#2260

James MacArthur's, lets have a small break before this one to be sure I don't jump the score just because of my pre-tasting excitement. The color is golden. It smells rich, vanilla, heather, honey, creamy, toffee, dark chocolate, ashes, burgundy wine, stewed onions, leather, perfumy, vanilla crust, raisins, brown bananas. The taste is rich, marzipan, honey, nutty, hazels, ashes, ripe grapes, brown sauce, pineapple, earthy, peppery, flavorful, but at the same time, not earthy, salty, peppery, peaty or anything else like the previous Banffs in these tasting. The finish is peppery, oaky, burnt, ashes, ashes. Adding water. Now it turns peppery, spirity, pistachio, green chillies, minty, vegetal, herbal, grassy.

This one must be enjoyed without added water, if not it seems a difficult task to me: 6.5


Banff 17yo 1976-1994 60.5% Cadenhead's

Same vintage as the JMcA, but 8 years less on oak, I hope that that has invigorated the whisky a bit (wrong chronologically, I know). Some evaporation in this miniature, see picture. The color is amber. It smells peaty, peppery, licorice, oaky, burnt, ashes, smoked cheese, bacon, buttery, iodine, sulphur, leather, stearic. A great nose. The taste is cinnamon, ashes, peat, leather, hay, peppery, chillies, sulphury, tannins, really strong, reminds me of some sherried Bowmores, The Vault bottlings for instance. The finish is peppery, sulphury, iodine, tonic water. Adding water. Now it turns more sweeter, honey, vanilla, rubbery.

Great young Banff: 7.5


Banff 15yo 1976-1991 61.1% James MacArthur's

About as young a Banff as you're likely to get today to finish this three-parted session. And thats why I love so many of JMcA's bottlings. Although I fear some of their miniatures are 0.7l bottles rebottled into miniatures. The color is pale golden. It smells peaty, peppery, waxy, herbal, aniseed, tannins, vanilla, buttery, coal, ashes, burnt oak, sulphur, one of the strongest and most powerful nosings I've ever done. The taste is sour, mango, lemon, oranges, honey, ginger, sweet and sour. Its a quite simple noes, but everything tells me this is great whisky. It's not how complex but how good it is. If you know what I mean. The finish is gingery, grape soda, blood oranges, beetroot liqueur, grapefruit, ashes, peat, peppery, earthy. This is quite perfect as a finishing malt, it's just that macho and zesty. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, peppery, lemon peel, lime peel, just a bit too bitter now.

Its a great dram, nor complex or typical Banff, but so enjoyable, old style bourbon-wood: 8.5




Banff then




What's left of Banff



Next tasting: Port Ellen Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Brora

This perhaps the most hyped lost distillery, much due to online praise, high prices and very few bottlings being available.





Brora 26yo 1982-2008 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Starting with a pretty modern bottling from G&M, perhaps one of the last watered down Broras to be bottled? The color is light golden. It smells heather, herbal, waxy, perfumy, stewed onions, ashes, earthy, damp smoke, peat. The taste is peppery, licorice, salmi, honey, ginger, waxy, perfumy, earthy, tary, peaty, hay, vanilla, ashes, herbal liqueur. The finish is peppery, licorice, sweet gums, honey, oranges. I won't add water to this, as its already done by the bottler and I can't imagine it getting much better, rather the opposite.

A rare star amongst newer CC-bottlings: 9


Brora 18yo 1981-2000 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1081 btl.1582/1850

Lets hope for another revelation from a series that seems a bit under the weather these days, aka the "no colouring, no chill-filtration" series by Signatory. The color is golden. It smells herbal, waxy, raw onions, roasted almonds, acidic, oaky, peppery. The taste is buttery, ashes, rubbery, bitter, salty, nowhere nears the CC. This is much lighter and more one-dimensional. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, vanilla, waxy, sugar, wheat.

No zing here, monotonous stuff: 5.5


Brora 24yo 1981-2006 46% Chieftains cask#1522

One that comes from a cream sherry butt, again I find it hard to understand why they watered this down to 43%, but rumor has it its a very unlikely Brora. The color is amber orange. It smells rubbery, coffee beans, ashes, burnt, salty, burnt rubber. The taste is spicy, nutty, ashes, rubbery, phenolic, drying, coal. This sure is a weird one, seems the cask has mostly added some sulphury rubbery off-notes. The peat is barely recognizable. Time for some water. Now it turns sweeter, caramel, nougat, toffee, burnt oak. This really is a whisky that improves with water, not a little, it really goes from under mediocre to highly enjoyable.

A two-edged sword: 6.5


Brora 26yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

Another old miniature with no vintage or cask reference of from Douglas Laing, probably from the early 2000's sometime. The color is golden. It smells rich, peaty, herbal, grassy, nestles, salted butter, oregano, basil, cumin, coriander, honey, toffee, dark chocolate, coffee beans, fantastic!!! The taste is bacon, salty, ashes, herbal, coastal, honey notes, I'd imagine this comes from some very active bourbon cask. The finish is all on bacon, smoked ham, onions, herbal, ashes, peaty, leather, feta cheese. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, lighter, more honey, peaty, some young Talisker in this one?

Old whisky with the spirit of a youngster: 8


Brora 22yo 1981-2003 58.3% Signatory Vintage for LMDW cask#1588

Another one from a sherry butt, this time a refill, let's hope its mellowed with less intensity than the #1522. Lets jump some strength at least. It smells sweet, vanilla, honey, light, crisp, onions. The taste is waxy, butter, pepperies, chillies, onions, very strong and complex, but just a bit too oaky now. Adding water. Now it turns more malty, sugar sweetness, honey, ripe oranges, grape juice. The finish is peppery, oaky, nutty, drying, dried sherry, tannic, dried herbs.

Complex and probably perfect for someone who cares less about clean flavors than me: 6.5


Brora 13yo 1982-1995 60.4% Cadenhead's

I can already tell you that this whisky probably never will be available for mass consumption of any kind. 13yo Brora! Some evaporation, but after 18 years in a miniature bottle, one might expect that. I trongly advice, if you want to relive stills as they were before closure, please try to get some younger bottlings instead of that 30-something thats might be impeccable, yet dominantly oak-driven. Youngsters like this might give you real insight to why the distillery was lost in the first place, or to what treasure we all might have lost. The color is golden. It smells wheat, withdrawn sherry, some sweet white wine, buttery, dried onion, marshmallows, custard, dried herbs, thyme, basil, rosemary, rich, I imagine stewing some lamb in this, but it'd been one hell of an expensive meal. The taste is rich, peppery, vanilla, banana, coffee, burnt, peaty, peppery, caramel, cinnamon, ashes, yeast, tannins, sweet, honey liqueur, ginger, vanilla, brittle, smoked meat. Wow! The finish is waxy, buttery, drying, tannic, rich, cinnamon.

Water could never make this any better, its the best Brora I've had so far: 10


Brora 23yo 1981-2004 60.8% Duncan Taylor

Duncan Taylor is a bit of an odd IB with strangely positive reviews in my opinion. I have had a couple "rarest of the rare"-bottlings that have been nothing but rare, so to speak. I've also had both supreme whiskies for a very fair price and bad, or less good if you like, whiskies at abnormally high prices. The color is golden. It smells wheaty herbal, peppery, yeasty, spirity, wheat beer. The taste is sweet, black berries, dried onions, spirity, oaky. Lets add some water. Now it turns rubbery, more bitter, earthy, dark berries, duck liver, burnt, quite extreme. In my perception, this could easily have benefited from 10 more years in the cask(s)?

It seems 1982 was a better vintage than 1981: 4



Brora 30yo 2002 52.4% OB

Time to try some of the posthumous OB Broras. I have bot chased down samples of all the vintages, but heres a handful, lets enjoy them vertically and start off with the 2002 bottling. The color is golden. It smells heather, earthy, ashes, peat, leather, spirity, raw onions, oaky. The taste is sweet, honey, spicy, earthy, burnt oak, sulphury, acidic, lime rind, briny. Just a bit raw, lets leave to breath for a while. It doesn't get rid of that vulgar acidic note. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, more grassy and herbal, peaty, peppery, caramel, iodine, briny, lots of iodine and salty notes. The finish is peaty and peppery, long lasting with some earthy and oaky notes.

A bit too tannic and oaky for me, also spirity: 6


Brora 30yo 2003 55.7% OB

Same age, but a bit stronger this time, I hope the strength will help dominate a bit of the oakiness in this one. Perhaps like the 13yo, so I won't have to add water. The color is dark golden. It smells peaty, minty, leather, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, white peppers, butter, seasalt, iodine, rich, a rather more tempting nose than the 2002. The taste is caramel, butter, honey, peaty, vanilla, licorice, rubbery, orange marmalade, salty, earthy, creamy, thick sweetness combined with hints of earthy bitter notes makes for a great palate. The finish is heather, briny, peppery, earthy, peaty.

A superb peaty profile here: 9.5


Brora 30yo 2005 56.3% OB

Even higher strength on this one, and to me it seems the spirit of Brora is so good that I could've even enjoyed it as a new-make. Lets hope for another high strength winner here. The color is dark golden. It smells peppery, burnt oil, acidic, vanilla, honey. This is a rather light one it seems. The taste is sweet, vanilla, bananas, yoghurt, melon, tomato sauce, peat smoke, wet leaves, earthy, rucola leaves. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, cinnamon, peppery, peaty, ashes, duck gravy, roasted almonds, a lot more happening now. The finish is salty, waxy, iodine, earthy, great!

This one takes water very well, and runs with it: 9


Brora 30yo 2006 55.7% OB

It seems they must have had quite some casks left from Brora after its closure, wonder what the reputation Brora would have today if these were put out there as single cask OBs instead. One can only wonder, but I think they've done it most traditional way, which is good. The color on this one is dark golden. It smells peaty, restrained, peppery, sulphur, citric. Another closed and restrained one it seems at first. The taste is well rounded, honeyed, buttery, creamy at first, before it turns peaty, smoky, like an ashtray I'd imagine with some intense peppery notes too. The peated Bunnahabhain wasn't far from this one. Lets add some water. Now it turns more bitter, grassy, herbal, boiled carrots, onions. Quite dreadful actually, I must say I'm a bit surprised how just a nudge of water squeezed the life out of this otherwise half-decent Brora.

It promised to be a floral one, but with water it just became vegetal and grassy: 3


Brora 30yo 2007 55.7% OB

Third one at 55.7% in this session, I believe they've mixed with precision to get them at same strength. But then again, priorly one 3 and one 9.5 shows strength maybe not that important? The color is dark golden, strikingly similar to many others in this sitting. It smells honeyed, buttery, creamy, fresh pastry, aniseed, thyme, peat, earthy, minty cigarettes, stout. The taste is feinty, licorice, red meat, cinnamon, caramel, coffee beans, pear syrup, peaty, onions, I'm guessing there's quite some sherried malt in this one. The finish is licorice, acidic, drying, earthy. Adding water. Now it turns more peaty, earthy, clay, burnt, honeyed, spicy cinnamon, chillies, this ones packing some heat. The finish is fresh, minty, peppery, quite bizarre finish on what is a really fine Brora.

Some sherry notes, some spicy notes and some minty notes: 8


Brora 30yo 2010 54.3% OB

Seems they dropped the strength in 2010, maybe getting low on high strength whiskies in the warehouses? But then again, this could surprise me and be the best of the bunch. The color is golden. It smells vanilla, onions, earthy, perfumy, peat, gravel, clay, grease. The taste is ashes, perfumy, spirity, coal, peat smoke, ginger, honey liqueur, a pretty decent bourbon oak-driven malt. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, vanilla, perfumy, rosé wine, wine vinegar, not very much better I'm afraid. The finish is sour apples and floral.

An all over pretty MOTR Brora: 5.5





Brora then



Brora buildings in 2011



Next tasting: Banff Distillery

Historic Distilleries: Linlithgow/St. Magdalene

Linlithgow was a lowland distillery who produced a single malt known as st.Magdalene, therefore its often referred to as either one, or even both names. It got closed back in 1983 alongside many other scottish distilleries, and there are unfortunately little chances of ever re-opening. If still open it would be one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, and operated illegally for some decades. In 1927 the distillery was revamped into the machinery that's made the whisky we find in a few whisky shops today. There used to be 5 stills operating at st. Magdalene/Linlithgow, before being reduced to 4, before closure. Which meant at their heyday they produced a significant number of liters a year compared to most other distilleries. Wether Linlithgow did triple-distill their spirit or not I've found little information about, but as most lowland distilleries did, I would guess as did Linlithgow. Since this session is dominated by two IB's, I've decided to take a break in between those two with a mixed second sitting.



St. Magdalene 23yo 1982-2006 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#2918

First starting off with no less than 6 different St Magdalene's from Douglas Laing. Seemes they've piled up on those casks, a bit like they did with Port Ellen. The color is light golden. It smells sweet, vanilla, barley sugar, honey, white wine, stewed onions, dry citric notes. The taste is citric, burnt, oaky, zesty, grape fruit, citron, lime, white grapes. The finish is bitter, raw onions, grape sode, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange peel. This is a tight whisky, hard to get a real feeling of the palate, it's just a too concentrated. Adding some water. Now it turns more sweet fruity, kiwi, strawberries, melon, mango, pears, white tea.

A citric and intense whisky, which is mellowed by water, a two-edged sword: 6


St. Magdalene 24yo 1982-2007 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#3560

This one comes from a refill bourbon hogshead. bottled one year later. Perhaps its mellowed a bit more? The color is white wine. It smells vanilla, mint, sugar, orange liqueur, pear spirit, kiwi, big vanilla, creamy coffee and caramel notes in this one. The taste is sweet, citric, concentrated, lime, lemon, vanilla, white grapes, grape fruit, cranberries, oranges, pretty similar to #2918. The finish is more drying, peppery, gingery, red onions, dry grapes. Time to add some water. Now it turns sweeter, melon, oranges, kiwi, papaya, strawberries, mango, plums, pears. Fruity extraordinaire, and light as it gets.

Little change, score remains the same: 6


St. Magdalene 26yo 1982-2008 50% Douglas Laing Old malt Cask cask#4712

Small changes here as this one comes from a refill butt, so perhaps a bit less concentrated as this cask held about 200 more bottles than the prior two. The smaller the cask, the more concentrated the oak impact is, very often. The color is light golden. It smells melon, apple cider, cod liver, junipers, star anise, licorice, melon, cream. The taste is acidic, leather, raw onions, peppery, peaty, dry white wine, ginger. The finish is bitter, lemon, peppery, acidic, it doesn't derive much from the other DL's so far, but that just shows its a clear distillery profile. I just wish they did all of these at CS. Water added. Now it turns sweet and fruity, mango, fruity, strawberry, plums, pears and so on, sweet and fruity.

A little more change now, and just a little more to my liking: 6.5


St. Magdalene 27yo 1982-2010 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#6478

More recent bottling, lets see if holding on to these cask more time, for more profit, or more quality, hopefully both. From a bourbon hogshead. The color is golden. It smells vanilla meringue, lemon meringue, papaya, sweet bakery, heather, caramel, stewed onions, white wine vinegar, marzipan, honey, cooked pears. The taste is wheaty, peppery, intense, rich, butter, caramel, richer and more complex than the prior ones. And less concentrated on citric fruits this time. The finish is peppery, gingery, bitter. Adding water. Now it turns honeyed, mango, lentils, fruity, strawberries, bananas.

Slightly richer and more rounded whisky this time: 6.5


St. Magdalene 28yo 1982-2010 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#6810

Comes to mind now, all these bottlings was distilled in 1982, so even if Douglas Laing have chosen to keep them a couple thousand cask numbers apart, they could very well be sister casks when they spent their first years at the distillery warehouses. The color is light golden. It smells caramel, licorice, onions, honey, burnt sugar, roasted chestnuts, orange zest, cilantro, asparagus, some light green notes. The taste is onions, leather, earthy, butter, vanilla, camphor, ginger. The finish is cinnamon, sweet pineapples, white grapes, watermelon, melons, vanilla.

Great stuff, really one of the finer lowland expressions I've had: 9


St. Magdalene 26yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

Another one of those miniatures with no cask reference. But I wouldn't be surprised if this is another 1982. The color is golden. It smells cinnamon, sweet, phenolic, orange zest, sweet licorice, burnt sugar, wheat beer, hops, caramel, stewed onions, vanilla, rubbery. Great oak!?! The taste is rich, strawberries, cinnamon, grapefruit, honey, lemons, vanilla, buttery, stewed onions, stout, chili, sweet spices. I won't add water to this as my instinct tells me this is a whisky which needs to be this concentrated on the flavors it has. The finish is peppery, vanilla, licorice and cinnamon, hay and leather.

Superb! The last two whiskies in this first sittings shows what Linlithgow was capable of IMO: 9.5



#2

St. Magdalene 18yo 1981-1999 40% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Starting with the first Linlithgow distilled before 1982, how refreshing! Bu then its watered down to 40%abv, rarely a good sign, but I could be wrong here. The color is golden, right, E150. It smells buttery, brioche, fat cream cheese, brie, heather, chives, floral, rose water, green peppers, grassy, olive oil, pickled olives, pickled cucumber, well done! This is authentic lowland style. The taste is sweet, floral, rubbery, ginger, shoe polish, burnt rubber, tonic water, bitter, grassy, apple core, sour grapes, a lot of green herbal notes thats not too pleasant. The finish is grassy, herbal, a bit like chewing flowers, as I remember from childhood tasting experiments. Time to add some water. Now it turns more grassy, rose water, herbal liqueur, green tea, boiled onions.

Drink this neat, it has a great lowland character: 5.5


St. Magdalene 34yo 1975-2009 43% Gordon & Macphail Rare Old

Time for a real oldie, this one comes from a refill sherry hoghshead. I don't think G&M bottles the "Rare Old" series anymore, just like the "Macphail's Collection", but I remember they had some real good Rare Olds. The color is amber. It smells licorice, honey, mustard, rich, cinnamon, certainly an active old refill cask. The taste is rich, creamy, ripe cherry tomatoes, red grapes honey, ginger, sweet licorice, butterscotch, cinnamon. The finish is cinnamon, oaky, dust, dairy cream, leather, hay, grassy, sweet onions, star anise, pumpkin seeds. Well, lets add some water now. Water makes this one fall flat, more dry licorice and spirity notes appears. Remember, most older bottlings does well with water, because they are bottled at cask strength. Water helps it open up. But this whisky was opened up by, probably quite some water prior to bottling, therefore it might be hard to get something from adding more of it.

A good whisky that surely could've done wonders at CS: 6


Linlithgow 28yo 1982-2011 46% The Ultimate... Rare Reserve cask#11

This one comes from a wine treated butt. Murray McDavid did made that almost a trademark some years back. I've not had too many shining moments with that sort of oak. But then again, this one is much older than most malts from wine-invigorated casks bottled these days. The color is pale golden. It smells drying, tannins, wheat, bitter, grassy, lemon, lime, raw onions, cotton. The taste is sweet, bitter, white wine, lime rind, waxy, great stuff. The finish is drying, minty, lime, white wine, rich and fun. I'm starting to think they added some white wine to rejuvenate this butt, and if so, it sure was no bad alternative. Lets add some water now. With water added it turns more bitter, and quite plane.

A wine-treatment that actually works, not too many of those around: 6


Linlithgow 30yo 1973-2004 59.6% OB

So, the oldest whisky in this session is a post-mortem OB. I guess they've had every best chance to choose a perfect combination of casks for this release. The color is amber. It smells of honey, vanilla, orangey, buttery, leather, oaky, powerful, gingery, waxy, nail polish remover, oil based paint. The taste is peppery, intense, waxy, peaty, leather, citric, lime, lemon rind, peppery. This one needs a drop of water to open up. Now it turns sweeter, oranges, papaya, honey, bitter, lime, dried sage, hops, yeasty, flinty! Wow, it really seems Linlithgow produced a stronger palate back in the the early 70's. But then, this is the first CS in this session. The finish (with added water) is, green apples, grapefruit, lime, peppery.

I's a well-mannered monster, with these bitter citric notes I've come to enjoy: 7


St. Magdalene 25yo 1982-2007 63.4% Silver Seal cask#789

The 7th 1982 in this session, but the first CS of that vintage. And what a strength after a quarter of a century in an oak cask. The color on this one is golden. It smells peppery, citrus, lime, citron, grape fruit, seems pretty restrained, and I can already at this point suggest that water will be needed in this one. The taste at 63.4%abv is sweet, peppery, citric, oranges, kiwis, mangos, papayas, sweet citric fruits. Hold the water, wait, no fire? Yes, this is rather light and delicate despite its strength. The finish is peppery, cinnamon, vanilla, sugary. No water needed, but just for fun lets add some and see what happens. Now it turns much more grassy and peppery, peaty, numbs my tongue, it surely opened up, but was it an improvement? A bit like if they made Laphroaig in the lowlands, maybe, I don't know, this is a monster!

Dangerously drinkable when neat, add water and it'll numb your palate for hours: 7



#3

St. Magdalene 24yo 1975-2000 41.6% Cadenhead's

From a leaking cask? Certainly another strength than the #789. The color is amber. It smells fresh, thyme, sage, grassy, lavender, caramel, cinnamon, coriander, basil leaves, honey, beautiful sweet herbal style. The taste is salty, herbal and salty, fried mushrooms, crisps, barbecue, oily, heather, soy, leather, really pungent despite its young age, but whats most alluring are these great salty notes. The finish is peppery, light, malty, white pepper. Lets add water. Now it becomes more grassy, moss, engine oil, no water here please.

Reminds me of some 50+% older sherried Bunnahabhains: 8


St. Magdalene 25yo 1964-1989 44.2% Cadenhead's

Even older St. Magdalene, but also at low strength for a CS its age. But if the 1975 from same bottler was anything to judge by, this should be a winner as well. The color is amber orange. It smells peaty, peppery, chopped onions, vanilla, herbal, citric, acidic, flinty. To be fair its hardly a complex nose, but the clean peaty character is interesting and unusual enough to make this a must-have dram. The taste is caramel, peppery, peaty, honey, quite extreme peatiness, seriously, if blind-tasted I'd thought this might be a Caol Ila. Did they ever use peat at Linlithgow? After a while it becomes more peppery, iodine, raw garlic, I swear I've had less peaty Laphroaigs than this. The finish is peaty, peppery, heather, cinnamon, oranges, buttery. I just won't add water to such peaty whiskies.

Fantastic, a lowland peat-bomb: 9


Linlithgow NAS 48% The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

I'd sure like the bottler to put a bit more information on this bottle, but I guess the less hooks to put a whisky on, the more openly one can enjoy it. The color is white wine. It smells grassy, green leaves, thyme, herbal, basil leaves, oregano, leathery, perfumy, quite refreshing. This is more what I'd presume to find in a lowlander, but not necessarily better though. Remember, its usually the ones that stand out that puts me into love or hate mode. The taste is green leaves, herbal, perfumy, oily, honey, peppery, licorice, vanilla, spirity. A peculiar one. The taste is peppery, citric, bitter, lemons, grapefruit, unripe oranges, reminds me of some of the 1982s. Lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, syrup, sugary, lemon, grapefruit, citric. The finish is lemonade and grassy notes.

I'd say it has a classic lowland profile: 6


Linlithgow 25yo 58.8% The Single Malts of Scotland

My guess is that this is another one distilled in the early 1980's. I can't find much more information on this one. The color is golden. It smells honeyed, perfumy, feta cheese, caramel, dried fruits, agave tequila, peppery, grassy, dried herbs, spearmint, gasoline, indian pale ale, hops, yeasty. The taste is honey, smoked salmon, oysters, cherry wine, rhubarb, red wine vinegar, strawberries, red berries liqueur, almonds, marzipan. The finish is sweet and dry, licorice, cardamum, parsley, quite liqueur-ish, Dirty Harry? Water will not help here, don't add.

The initial sweet coastal notes are most pleasant: 9


St. Magdalene 10yo 1982-1993 62.3% Cadenhead's

Ahhh, back at the vintage of 1982, but its certainly different with this crazy strength and young age. The color is apple juice/darker white wine. It smells grassy, herbal, intense, dry white wine, peppery, gingery, spirity, vanilla, banana, creamy. Mostly its herbal, but with added time it turns really nice and sweet, fennels and bourbon notes. The taste is waxy, gingery, creamy, black pepper, green chillies, vanilla, apple cider. Rich, fruity and waxy, it doesn't get much better than this at this age. The finish is bittersweet, granulate, cherries, honey, quite superb. Lets add some water. Now it turns more sour, grape fruit, ketchup, nutty, fish sauce. It's a completely different whisky now and I really should've had enough for 2 tastings, one with and one without water. Nothing is classic lowland here when water is added.

As a 10yo this surely makes my top three list: 8.5


St. Magdalene 11yo 1982-1994 62.6% Cadenhead's

How could we stop with those 1982's after the last one? Let's have another even stronger one. It's always a sign of initially good output if an IB bottles the same vintage two years in a row. But why aren't there any 1982's bottled in 1995 from Cadenhead's? Yeah, that was a bit farfetched.. The color is pale golden. It smells very spirity and oaky, some leather, cigar smoke, ashes, raw, spirity, as pungent and powerful as it gets, this is rocket fuel! The taste is vanilla, peppery, chillies, grapefruit, moonshine, really strong and bitter. The finish is drying, vinegar, apple cider and spirity. This really is a hate it/love it whisky. No one should try this unless they want what most other men can't handle. To me it seems pretty decent, adding enough time and water it actually gets kinda minty, eucalyptus, grassy, honey, ginger, olives, strawberries.

Hard one indeed It'd grown to a beautiful 20-someting, but for now its just a bit too spirity: 5

Linlithgow/St. Magdalene then

Linlithgow/St. Magdalene now







Next tasting: Banff Distillery