HIGHLAND PARK 1988 - MACKILLOP'S CHOICE

I've covered Highland Park quite a few times here on The Malt Desk already, so I'll skip right to the review...

Highland Park 1988 23yo (16.06.1988/xx.03.2012) 50,8%, cask#716, Mackillop's Choice

Colour is full straw

Similar bottle is shown

Nose:

Sweet bourbon cask and honey notes, vanilla, fresh fruit and a little peat and ashy note?. Also a bit of old wood notes - maybe bung cloth and a bit of almonds??
Not very expressive - even with water added...

Taste:

Now there's the fruit... it goes from oranges over apple to pineapple and honey dew melon. Cask spice nip and vanilla, vague hint of scent kind of artificial flowers you get for decorative purposes, only on the palate here... sounds weird, but its not unpleasant in any way.

Bit of cherry note in there as well, showing itself on the finish along with a hint of ginger and oak...

The palate is certainly more expressive than the nose on this one and saves it, making this a good Highland park... and since I don't give ½ point it'll still reaches a respectable...

85/100!

LINLITHGOW 1982 - MACKILLOP'S CHOICE

I've only reviewed a couple of other Linlithgow/St. Magdalene bottles on here and to be honest its not a distillery I've had that many drams from... which is a mistake, IMO. Now, I've had some from before I got really serious with whisky and started taking notes etc. but these are lost in the Scottish mist, I'm afraid - though I remember them as very pleasant, all of them.

As with all closed distilleries, bottlings have become expensive, but if you have some extra money to spend, I think a bottle of this well worth your time and money - that is if you want a lighter in style-whisky instead of paying really silly money for a bottle of either Port Ellen or Brora. But as always... do your homework before departing with your hard earned money as there, as with all distilleries, are some duds out there. So, read blogs and whisky sites - whiskybase.com is a good place to do your research.
But, again do keep in mind that its peoples personal tastes that shines through on these sites and that your palate may differ anywhere from a little to a lot from that of the reviewer.

Time for the review...

Linlithgow 1982 28yo (05.19.1982/xx.04.2011) 57,3% Cask#2206, Mackillop's Choice

Colour is full straw

Nose:
Loads of vanilla and gentle oak, lemon rind, honey, green malt, warm banana and grassy notes - lovely! Btw, does this come with a little peat???

Taste:

This is a multi layered whisky, one to take your time with. Oak is perfect measures with the age showing only slightly. I'd say it carries some oils that makes the whole thing very mouth coating and its sweet on boiled fruits, a little oak spice and fresh ginger, honey and light natural caramel. Water brings out a more spicy edge to this one, mainly pepper.

A very nice dram for sure and along with Rosebank, a huge loss for distilling in the lowlands of Scotland

87/100!

ROSEBANK 1991 - MACKILLOP'S CHOICE

One of the best whiskies I had in 2011 was a sherried Rosebank, so when I got handed a sample of this, I must admit that my expectations went up a bit.

But oh, dear :( as much as I love the iconic lowland distillery and the house style of Rosebank with grass, hay, honey, vanilla and soft fruit, this one just wouldn't do it for me - why? have a read below...

Rosebank 1991 (25.01.1991/xx.04.2013) 22yo, 55,2%, sherry cask#271, Mackillop's Choice

Colour is dark amber

Nose:
Very closed with a few honey and sherry notes. Some notes from the mixed spice rack above t he stove. The sherry seems to overpower the spirit here... with time a fruit/varnish note appears, mainly of the overripe kinda fruits sort as well as a mashy note.

Taste:
Malt... then varnish, herbs and an almost 80's Bowmore-ish flowery/soapy note... FWP (French Whores Perfume - to the unfamiliar readers) backed by oriental spices, mixed peppers, bitter sherry and a distinct dryness.

If you like the perfumy 80s Bowmores, you'll like this one - I don't...
You can almost drown the FWP out with water and only because if that it just barely hits...

70/100!

Thanks to RM for the 'experience' (sample) ;-)

PORT ELLEN 1979 - MACKILLOP'S CHOICE

Time for a Port Ellen trio over 3 days... First up a Mackillop's Choice bottling and then finishing off with the only 2 Port Ellens ever bottled by Duncan Taylor in their 'Rarest of the Rare'-series.

To my knowledge, this is the only Port Ellen ever bottled by Lorne Mackillop.
I've tried several bottlings from other distilleries in this series and they have all been good.
I wonder if this one can live up to that...

Port Ellen 1979 30yo 30.08.1979/xx.06.2010, 51,9% cask#5585, Mackillops Choice

Straw coloured

Nose:
Wham! Already when you pour this one the massive smoke hits you. I poured this one standing up and solid peat smoke hit me even then – didn’t even have to bring the glass to my nose. Sitting down and spending a little time with this one, a sweetness comes through almost immediately too, like some candied and/or salt sprinkled nuts and a huge malt sweetness. Big, big nose!

Taste:
Full force palate arrival. Salt, peat, some oak going to the back of your mouth.
Then malt - tonnes of it! Turning sweet with vanilla, fruit and an almondy note, maybe...then again massive malt sweetness turning all ale like and lasting forever! What a PE!

91/100!

TOMATIN 1965 - MACKILLOPS CHOICE

Tomatin 1965 45yo, 15.10.1965/xx.04.2011, 53,5%, cask#19346, Mackillops Choice

Nose:
Your grandmothers herbal garden, eucalyptus, creamy caramel

Taste:
Cumin, a slightly sour note, many more herbs, cleaning detergent, moldy, earthy and maybe a tad soapy - but the whole thing works and this is the surprise of the evening for sure

87/100! (tasted 23-02-2012)