Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 40%ABV
Ageing cask: –
Chillfiltered: –
Added colouring: –
Owner: Speymalt Whisky Distributors Ltd.
Average price: € 500.00
Official website: www.gordonandmacphail.com
Each sip is, by definition, unrepeatable. All the more so if the whisky comes from another era. If the distillery has not existed for forty years, the sense of unrepeatability is accompanied by the certainty of embarking on a true journey through time.
It is the case of today’s dram. It is a distilled spirit from 1974 (that is, before I was born, if that interests anyone), bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 1992, in the famous Connoisseur’s choice series. The distillery of origin is Banff, one of the many victims of the 1983 whisky loch.
Many technical details, including the cask of origin, as was customary at the time, are not disclosed. And a price, albeit indicative, remains difficult to establish (I based it on the most recent auctions).
Tasting Notes
The color is gold.
On the nose, a delightful note of cereal is evident from the outset, reminiscent of one of the essential ingredients without which whisky would not exist: barley. An intoxicating aroma perfectly blends with a highly regarded spicy note (rosemary, thyme, and marjoram). A hint of yellow apple opens up to a fruity dimension that, however, remains somewhat underdeveloped. Instead, walnuts and almonds find ample space. Finally, a curious balsamic twist appears, with an impression of lavender that enriches the olfactory spectrum with new suggestions.
On the palate, it is much livelier than I would have expected, with a significant sprinkle of pepper completing a spicy picture that corresponds in every detail to that defined by the nose. Here too, the barley has a remarkable intensity, while the novelties include a note of cedar peel that brings a bit of acidity and an herbaceous hay note, along with a touch of wood in the retro-nasal. All of these elements fuse together on a muscular and lively body that certainly does not go unnoticed, even after such a long time.
The finale honestly isn’t very long and is perhaps the only serious flaw of the whisky, still marked by the presence of barley and, to a lesser extent, yellow apple and dried fruit.
Review A whisky that tastes like whisky, as they are hard to find these days, without any dramatic aromatic peaks, but solid and with plenty of character. A refreshing sip that, at the very least, leaves a desire to taste, with a bit of luck, a few more offerings from this distillery.
Vote: 87/100