GLENDRONACH ALLARDICE 18 years old 46%

Nose:
Inviting buttery notes complement the expected Oloroso. Malt laced with black pepper fleshes out the nosing experience.




Palate:
Dangerously appetizing with the typical raisins befriended by blueberries, cranberries and even som acidulous rowanberry jelly. Supported by a fabulously enchanting smokiness slowly evolving into an outstanding oak-malt-chocolate fusion.




Finish:
Enlivening spices form a bed of nails, deliciously sprinkled with fruit-flavoured hard candy.

Comment:
Very nice indeed! If they are able to develop this into something other than a limited edition it could, considering its lower price, blossom into a true rival of The Macallan of the same age. Bottled July 09 Lot 2. Bottle number 7320/10 000.

Rating: 9/10

MACALLAN Thirties 40%

Nose:
Seductive creamy texture with light touches of raisins and dying bonfires. Gradually a peat-salt hybrid stamps its mark on the proceedings.




Palate:
More upbeat now with typical Macallan de luxe pralines consisting of equal parts cream toffee and rich raisiny fruit. All this contrasted with a pronounced saltiness and some discreet peat.




Finish:
By now the fruit is almost out of the picture, leaving lots of space to salty liquorice, charcoal and light peat.


Comment:
Slightly more distinctive than the Fifties bottling this is, however, hardly a revelation. Top quality whisky as you might expect from this distillery but bearing in mind the price that it commands, perhaps best suited for the trainspotters of the whisky community.

Rating: 8 1/4 /10

BANFF 21 years old 57,1% Distilled 1982

Nose:
Fresh lemon cough drops embedded in a light creamy texture. Constantly harassed by prickly, aggressive white peppers.

Palate:
Lemon curd fit for a Royal Court. Syrupy texture. Gradually the citrus dies off, allowing an ozone-fresh malt to shine. Oaky spices constantly on the move.




Finish:
In the grip of a tyrefitters hand. Dry and smoky oak envelopes the whole sector of the mouth. A small lemon pocket of resistance hangs on at the roof. Slightly too dry, perhaps.


Comment:
Maybe, just maybe the oak acts in a tad too obtrusive manner but that is still a minor complaint about this whisky from a defunct distillery (demolished 1983). Get some before prices start to sky-rocket. Bottle No. 4320.


Rating: 8 1/4/ 10

MACALLAN Fifties 40%

Nose:
Slightly floral at first.Then a modest cranberry fruitiness develops allowing cinnamon and caraway-seeds to break through. A restrained nose.


Palate:
Creamy texture. Sherry more active here, showing off both violet and raisiny qualities, residing around a core of bread and chewy oak. Just the slightest hint of peppers in the background.

Finish:
Sharp raisins all over the place, accompanied by buzzing spices and chewy oak.


Comment:
An attempt to re-create the distillery character of the 1950´s. Not that far removed from the average Macallan, however. Those who yearn for something more exotic might feel a bit let down but this is still a very good whisky. Highly suitable for the incoming summer season.

Rating: 8/10

ARDMORE Vintage 1994 12 years old 46%

Nose:
Modest yet confident peat backed up by a marked oiliness and an almost tobacco-like sweetness. A faint echo of apples.




Palate:
Quite oily as indicated by the nose. Superb peat of a gentle and sweet nature partly counterbalanced by murky and rather mushroom-like malt.




Finish:
Initially more of that sweet peat but eventually the malt gets a bigger say with delicious spices and smoke.

Comment:
Bottled by Speciality Drinks aka The Whisky Exchange. This is an unusually heavily peated Speysider. If you manage to steer clear of the notion of this as a surrogate for your Ardbegs and Laphroaigs (this is nowhere near as powerful), then you will reap a rich harvest here.

Rating: 8/10

THE BALVENIE Single Barrel 15 years old 47,8%

Nose:
Refined and complex malt of a biscuit-like persuasion. Vanilla and oak. An intriguing nose.




Palate:
A bit oak-lazy at first with vanilla to the fore. Eventually the multi-layered malt comes into its own. Somehow manages to be both relaxed and uptight at the same time.




Finish:
Attacks you at the back of the throat. Differing strands of marvellous
malt weaved into the oak.


Comment:
This must be the ideal whisky for those who shy away from sherry. Somewhat different to the earlier 50,4% version (less sweet and fruity) but just as enchanting. Perhaps a little less individual in character. InCaskDate: 21.04.88. Bottling date: 23.04.03

Rating: 8/10