October 1, 2015

Time Warp tasting, today Strathisla

We’ll have a very young one, and then another one that was bottled even before the former was distilled. Strathisla’s always classy and classic.

Strathisla 9 yo 2005/2014 (46%, Malt of The Earth, refill hogshead, 418 bottles)

This baby by a new Scottish bottler. MoM sell it for 75€ a bottle, which might be a little high given the age, and given that the official 12 goes for 40€. But let’s see what gives… Colour: very pale white wine. Muscadet from last year ;-). Nose: typical young fruity Speysider, full of orchard fruits (apples first), grains, and barley water, with a chalky side. Akin to these very young malt whiskies that Douglas Laing (and a few others) now have. Mouth: sweet and fruity, well a very young Speysider from a refill hogshead. But its good, with touches of coffee and ginger, and this raw maltiness that makes you scream ‘Mother Nature!’ Finish: rather long, and a little peppery. Comments: the opposite of the usual Strathislas that are rather sherried in general. It’s impossible for me to go above 80, because it’s very young and kind of immature, but the distillate is fine. Vive la Nature! SGP:441 - 80 points.

Plenty of old Strathislas to choose from… Perhaps this?

Strathisla 1963/2003 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail)

Strathisla from the ‘Strathisla-Glenlivet’ Distillery, as G&M write. By the way, why wouldn’t Pernod use that old moniker again? After all, they own both Strathisla and Glenlivet… A 1963/2005 by G&M had been excellent (WF 89), while a 1963/2011 Book of Kells had been almost outta this world (WF 92). Colour: dark gold. Nose: oh interesting, there’s a little olive oil and even some pinesap at first nosing, which suggests some rather active wood. That adds complexity when balance is kept! After that, the usual suspects… Honey, pollen, raisins, candle wax, dried figs, then touches of humus and mushrooms, as often, old wine cellar… It’s all very beautiful, and that was to be expected. Let’s only hope the palate won’t be a little flattish.. Mouth: not so, great news. Starts on old calvados and old Sauternes that went dry, goes on with some honey and orange liqueur, and keeps developing on herbal teas such as rosehip and hawthorn. Perhaps a drop of apricot-palinka aka barackpálinka, from Hungary. Just tried some, liked it, and am about to use it in my notes pretty often (oh no, that trick yet again!) Finish: not extremely long, but firm and coherent. Honey and barackpálinka. Ha-ha! Comments: really very very good. And when you remember how much these bottles were going for ten years ago, you can only cry… But I remember I had written a whole article in Whisky Magazine France around that time, enjoining everybody to buy them. Keep reading magazines! SGP:551 - 91 points.

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

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback