July 20, 2015

Four old Lowlanders under the sun

This is where WF’s system doesn’t work too well. As you may know, I’m keeping a fairly large sample library of yet-untasted whiskies, which allows me to find proper sparring partners whenever an interesting new bottling reaches my doorstep, as I only believe in comparisons. But when a rare drop arrives, such as an old Inverleven, that won’t work as, sad but true, I do not seem to have any other Inverleven at hand. That means that I’ll have to find something else. And why not try to give a hard time to this nasty new Inverleven? With, for example, some Auchentoshans of similar age? We could even do a little horizontale… yes, let’s try that…

Auchentoshan 31 yo 1965/1997 (47.1%, OB, hogshead, cask #2503)

Colour: gold. Nose: these bottlings were rather famous when they came out – there were some excellent 1966s as well – and this nose is an instant hit. Probably one of the earliest examples of active American oak impacting a spirit that’s otherwise relatively quiet. And that worked, with superb notes of vanilla, sawdust and coconut that are much better balanced than other, more contemporary vanilla+coconut+sawdust-driven whiskies. Also the expected notes of bubblegum and marshmallows. So it’s rather oak-driven, but in a very nice way. Mouth: same profile, a rich, creamy, sweet, vanilla-ed palate, with more and more coconut and white pepper. Almost oak-aged pina colada! Add a few slices of tinned grapefruits and touches of mandarins and passion fruits. Finish: quite long, but probably a little too oaky this time. Plenty of bourbony oak in the aftertaste. Comments: mixed feelings, in fact. The oak’s a little loud on the palate, and the spirit a little light, which creates dissonances. Let’s call this ‘a mild disappointment’. SGP:650 - 84 points.

Auchentoshan 31 yo 1965/1997 (48.9%, OB, hogshead, cask #2508)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: we’re obviously close, but this one’s rather jammier, fatter, with more quinces and dried pears. But the oak roars… Mouth: I like this much better than cask #2503. Profiles are very similar, obviously, but this one has extra-fruits, bags of jelly babies, sweets, bubblegum, marshmallows, tangerines, passion fruits, banana sweets… Granted, the coconut hasn’t flown away, and neither did the sawdust and the vanilla, but the very lively fruitiness does stand all that. A little less bourbony than its sibling, I’d say. Finish: rather long, better balanced, and still quite fruity. Comments: balance! A very fine drop, with a proper finish that’s still got fruits. My favourite so far. SGP:650 - 87 points.

Auchentoshan 31 yo 1965/1997 (49.2%, OB, hogshead, cask #2507)

Colour: gold. Nose: back to the style of cask #2503. Vanilla and coconut to the power of two, a little cinnamon, nutmeg, white pepper, bread crust, on ripe and green bananas, jelly beans and a whole bag of assorted bubblegum. Mouth: the ‘youngest’, and probably the oakiest as well. Chewing on your pencil at school. Really, it’s getting extreme, I’m not sure the distillate was big enough to stand such actively active oak. Eating banana skin. Finish: it’s the better part this time, as it couldn’t have become even oakier. And a wee warning, make sure these drams are served at a relatively cool temperature, they just don’t stand it above, say 22°C, and become pure plank juice. Comments: ah, the old Auchentoshan ex-sherry casks, those were superb! Next time, next time… SGP:560 - 80 points.

Okay, let me solemnly state that I did not choose those three heavily US-oaked Auchentoshans just to make the life of the new Inverleven easier. Cross my heart!

Dumbarton/Inverleven 27 yo 1987/2015 (53.9%, Cadenhead, Closed Distilleries)

Just bottled this month. Ah, Inverleven. There were those fairly mundane G&Ms, and that was it. And yet, we’ve tried some excellent ones, but the problem is that those stills that used to lie within the Dumbarton whisky plant (for lack of a better term) have only been working until 1992. There are strange stories around Inverleven, some saying that it was a mix of pot and Lomond stills, others that it was pure pot still whisky… What’s sure is that the stills have been brought to Bruichladdich ten years ago or so, where they never actually functioned, and that they have been shipped to Ireland a few months ago, where they should roar again at Mark Reynier’s new Waterford Distillery. So, Inverleven’s story isn’t over. Colour: straw. Nose: now I remember why I chose the old Auchentoshans. Styles are similar, with this combination of vanilla-ed sawdust and coconut oil. What’s funny is that I’m also finding ‘ideas of Ladyburn’ (what?), with this very bright ‘yellow’ fruitiness that would involve peaches and mirabelles. Chamomile. With water: pure vanilla fudge mixed with apple compote. And one croissant au beurre. Mouth (neat): acacia honey, mint-flavoured tea, argan oil (we’re definitely in southern Morocco), pear paste – or crystallised pears -, mirabelles, marzipan, hay wine (they make that in the Vosges mountains, sounds crazy but it ain’t too bad)… I find this neat. What may also save it is the fact that the oak wasn’t too active. Hurray for lazy casks! With water: works. Cereals, sweet lager, dry cider, a few drops of limoncello. In other words, back to the barley. Finish: some grassy oak coming through, but it remains brighter than the old Auchs. That would be Auchentoshans. Comments: not just rare, historical whisky. This is a style that’s gone, unless some ‘new old’ Glenkinchie comes out. Not easy to score – say it’s more or less of the same overall quality as the best Auchentoshan we had today. SGP:551 - 86 points.

Check the index of all Auchentoshan I've tasted so far