GLENFARCLAS 1993 1.172 'SOPHISTICATED, DELICATE AND FEMININE' - THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

It's always nice to try something a bit different - like Glenfarclas from an ex-bourbon cask.
I've reviewed one previously - a 28yo expression also from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society like the one I'm about to review.

This expression caught be a bit by surprise, as I -from the very ladylike naming by the SMWS- found a much more upfront and freshness than expected... Ladies, not that you can't upfront and fresh and also sophisticated, delicate and feminine at the same time. I was just expecting something completely different :-)

A pair of still at Glenfarclas, March 23 2009 © The Malt Desk

Glenfarclas 1993 1.172 19yo (23.09.1993) 'Sophisticated, Delicate and Feminine' 55,7%, 230 bottles, refill ex-bourbon hogshead, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Colour is pale straw

Nose:
Fresh vanilla, hint of something floral, cucumber, citrus and raspberry, hint of yeast/fresh dough notes, draff, much like a cooked note - it all works rather well, IMO

Taste:
Fantastic mouth arrival. Sweet vanilla and danish pastry. Grass and lemony. It never gets overly sweet and continues to make you mouth water. It stays fresh and zesty throwing in a hint of orange marmalade and a little ginger. The finish gets a little more spicy, but it never leaves its malt pedigree behind.

What a great expression! IMO, there's not much femininity surrounding this one ;-)

89/100!

GLEN ELGIN 1985 85.27 'REFRESHING ELDERFLOWER FIZZ' - THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

It's been a long week, so no introduction to this review other than its another nice one from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Only 12 bottles of this made it to Denmark.

Here we go...

Glen Elgin 1985 85.27 (02.05.1985/xx.xx.2013) 'Refreshing Elderflower Fizz' 28yo, 48,6%, refill hogshead, 237 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Colour is pale amber

Nose:
Spicy, honey, vanilla, very sweet with some overripe apple and orange

Taste:
Creamy - almost oily, natural caramel, aniseed, peppery oaky nip. More citrus (orange, mainly)comes through after a while, honey also creeps in again, but also producing some herbal notes on the finish.

This is very nice - best GE I've had, probably...

88/100!

CAMERONBRIDGE 1979 G4.4 'ENJOY SOME R&R' - THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Time for a single cask grain from Scotland's largest grain distillery, Cameronbridge, located not that far north of Edinburgh and close to Leven, Fife.

Cameronbrige is the oldest and largest grain distillery in Scotland, producing since 1824.
Their production last year passed 140.000.000 liters of spirit also included other white spirits like vodka and gin for the owners Diageo along with the grain spirit for the many blends under the Diageo umbrella.

Having nosed this one for a while prior to tasting it, it made certain promises... lets hope it can keep it up.

Cameronbridge Distillery from a distance, picture from Wikimedia

Cameronbridge 1979 G4.4 (28.05.1979/xx.xx.2013) 'Enjoy some R&R' 34yo, 47%, refill hogshead, 156 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Colour is pale gold

Nose:
Sweet rum - the brown aged kind, tobacco, hint of varnish, a vegetal note - freshly cut bell peppers and burnt sugar/custard

Taste:
Sweet sugars, icing, but carries a spicy oak egde, cumin and honey hand in hand, overripe melon, coconut and brown banana

Not bad, considering I'm not a fan of grains because of its general sweetness.

83/100!

MORTLACH 1988 76.104 'LUSCIOUS, DELICIOUS AND SUMMERY' - THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottles some great whisky... and often a style of whisky that's not normally seen from the distillers themselves. Actually, its more the rule than the exception with the SMWS, like with this Mortlach from a refill bourbon hogshead - and a well aged one too... something we do not often see from the distillers.

Mortlach owners, Diageo is planning a major expansion of the site. Actually they're going to double the capacity. They will be doing a copy/paste of the existing facilities, Wee Witchie still and wormtubs included as soon as the planning permissions goes through. It will also be interesting to see what this does to the small Dufftown community, if anything... exciting times ahead!

Now onto the review...

Mortlach Warehouses, May 1st 2010 © The Malt Desk

Mortlach 1988 76.104 (05.10.1988/xx.xx.2013) 'Lucious, delicious and summery' 24yo, 48,5%, refill hogshead, 258 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society


Colour is straw

Nose:
Vanilla, thick malt, light honey notes and after a while more mashy notes appear along with some overripe fruit notes, mainly apple and banana.

Taste:
There's the tropical fruit and the vanilla from before. This is mouth coating with malt and cranberries, soft and non invasive - just mouth pleasing. Finish is long on ginger and sugared fruit gums and hints of orange.

A cracker!

90/100!

DEANSTON 1997 - ARCHIVES

Not a favourtite malt of mine, Deanston... actually one of the worst whiskies I've ever tried was a Deanston 12, but that is almost 10 years ago now.

In the meantime, things have certainly picked up at the old cotton mill in the town of Doune. Malts are now bottled at 46,3% or higher and are no longer chill filtered or coloured by e150a. A huge step in the right direction... a step that has also applied to the other malts, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory/Ledaig under the Burn Stewart ownership. In 2013 Burn Stewart Distillers Ltd. was sold to South African company 'Distill' which now pretty much operates the distilleries as before the sale.

Deanston also got some exposure in the 2012 Ken Loach film 'The Angels' Share' which is also very nice to see. If you get a chance to see it, do spend the around 100mins on it - personally I liked it.

Now onto the review...



Deanston Distillery, May 8th 2013 © The Malt Desk

Deanston 1997 15yo (10.12.1997/28.10.2013) 55,8%, Hogshead#1959, 327 bottles, Archives - The Fishes of Samoa

Colour is white wine

Nose:
Floral and honeyed, some yeastyness too - baked bread/dough, apple, hint of something metallic, almond oil and a little sawdust. A very freaky combination if you ask me :-O

Taste:
Red cocktail berries, pepper, has a very malty side, that gives away to lemon, herbs, ginger, grass and a somewhat ashy finish without being peated/smoky in any way. Again the finish is on delicius malt - add to that a little dusty cellar.

Not a beginners dram, IMO... and one to take you time with as it develops quite a lot from when its first poured.

Thanks to RM for the sample

84/100!