GLEN GRANT 1985 - A.D. RATTRAY

I came across this Glen Grant bottling just recently at a very fair price for a 24yo Cask Strength whisky these days (£70) so I decided to put this one in the basket while I was shopping for something else - and I'm glad I did :-) and its not often you see bottlings like this from 2010 still around...

I'll get right on with the review...

Glen Grant washbacks April 29 2011 © The Malt Desk

Glen Grant 1985 24yo (20.09.1985/20.02.2010) ex-bourbon cask#12364, 210 bottles, A.D. Rattray

Colour is bright gold

Nose:
Ripe fruit, pear and peach, ginger, oak spices, vanilla and hint of varnish/glue and sometimes a hint of metal on the nose. Wood sap, grass and lots of creamy malt comes out with the addition of water

Taste:
Ahh nice, lovely arrival on vanilla cream and fruit... top that with a dash of something peppery. Water brings out distinct orange notes, malt and honey. This is maybe at times a tad sharp'ish but adding a bit of water levels this one out beautifully

A very nice Glen Grant for sure!

86/100!

HIGHLAND PARK 1981 - A.D. RATTRAY

It's such a joy when you get to those bottles that are just not the normal style of a distillery, don't you agree? This time I've digged out a Highland Park from my stash - a bottle aquired in an auction a while back at no where near the crazy prices of today. Think this one was about €100 when I bought it back in 2011 or so...(can't remember exactly - sorry).

Anyway, not making this into a price rant again - I've done plenty already... but I'd surprise myself if another won't show up at a later time ;-)

So I'll skip to the review now...

Spirit Safe at Highland Park, August 6th 2009 © The Malt Desk

Highland Park 1981 24yo (17.09.1981/28.09.2005) 51,5%, ex-bourbon cask#6062, 266 bottles, A.D. Rattray

Colour is pale gold

Nose:
Vanilla, tropical fruits, mainly pineapple, peat, blood oranges and peel, very fresh, honey floral and more peat. Water enhances the citrus fruit in this one as well as making the peat chimney even more noticeable on the nose

Taste:
Creamy sweet barley juice, more tropical fruits, extremely honeyed, carries both regular and citrus fruits through here. Sweet lightly peated barley notes. Water brings out just the right amount of spice to counter the very sweet honeyed style - everything is just in good measures here.

A good swimmer this one and a HP for chilly Orkney summer evenings and cold winters. A belter!

90/100!

CLYNELISH 1995 - A.D. RATTRAY

Although Clynelish is one of my favourite distilleries, this will just be a quick review...

Bottled by A.D. Rattray that just annonced they'll be opening a distillery on the Glasgows Queen's Docks - hopefully in mid 2015 - best of luck to them!

You can read more about it here

Clynelish Distillery - Picture from Wikimedia

Clynelish 1995 (22.09.1995/25.08.2011) 15yo, 55,3%, sherry butt#8657 (part), 330 bottles, A.D. Rattray

Colour is dark amber

Nose:
Initially a little sulphury edge (matches), but it reduces to almost nothing after a good 10mins or so, revealing apple, grist, malt, dark fruits, nutmeg and the slightest hint of peat.

Taste:
Sweet then bitter arrival, dry oloroso style, nutty, ginger overripe oranges, burnt sugar, hint of cinnamon and black pepper again on a nutty and slightly bitter oak finish. A very fruity, malty Clynelish

Very nice Clynelish - I loved it! ... and thanks to GNJ for the sample

86/100!

BUNNAHABHAIN 1989 - A.D. RATTRAY

Bought this bottle in Scotland this summer and had it open for about 2½ months now and think its about time to review it. Very fairly priced too at just under £60...

Talking about under... Below is a picture from a boat trip I was on in May 2011.
As we were coming up on Bunnahabhain en route to the Corryvreckan whirlpool, we passed the wreckage of the Wyre Majestic, a trawler that ran aground on Oct. 18th 1974 and still sits on the rocks around the point from the distillery.

The Wyre Majestic wreckage and Bunnahabhain Distillery just to the right - May 2011 © The Malt Desk

Bunnahabhain 1989 22yo 22.10.1989/28.05.2012 44,4%, ex-bourbon cask#5835, 279 bottles, A.D. Rattray

Straw coloured

Nose:
Creamy butterscotch, candied fruits and a salty tang... even some peat, which is a bit unusual for a Bunnahabhain from this era. Barley sugar sweetness and some veggie notes too.

Taste:
Malt extract, spices and certainly peat again. Also a lemony tang to this and hints of bran biscuits. Green fruits appear mid palate and then gives away to pencil shavings and a little heat and peat again on the finish.

A different Bunnahabhain this on - a bit more raw than their usual style and of course also from an ex-bourbon cask... Good stuff! 86/100!

BUNNAHABHAIN 1976 - A.D. RATTRAY

Bunnahabhain 31yo 1976/2008 49,4% cask#6223, A.D.Rattray

Vanilla, citrus, spices and thin layer of sherry, trademark Bunna ale notes, sweet spices and a little drying - a cracker!

89/100! (tasted xx-09-2011)