February 23, 2015

Two unique whiskies

Every once in a while a ‘singleton’ arrives at WF Towers, that is to say a whisky that’s completely unpairable under our usual scheme. I’m asking you, who would have a ‘reserve’ Glenisla, for example? But we’ll find a solution…

Glenisla 36 yo 1977/2014 (43.3%, Signatory Vintage, hogshead, cask #19603, 238 bottles)

You know the story, Glenisla used to be a peated whisky made in the 1970s at Seagram’s Glen Keith – some say Strathisla – using peaty water from the outer Hebrides instead of peated malt. In other words, Glenisla was an experiment, and as far as peatiness is concerned, it failed. Colour: straw. Nose: fun stuff for sure. Imagine some kind of light apple juice infused with hay, sawdust and tobacco. There’s a sourness, and I may well find a little smoke indeed, but I’m not too sure. A very distant garden bonfire. The whole’s also a little butyric, there’s some yogurt, custard, butter cream… A very, very bizarre nose. Odd! Mouth: this is very difficult. Fun, but very difficult. Infused and fermented sawdust, stale lemon juice, cardboard, cream cheese (hey Suzy), an open bottle of Budweiser from last night, and other strange half-fermented things. Quite an experience. Finish: a little short, flat, rancid, with more sawdust and yogurt. Comments: I think I liked other Glenislas by Signatory better. Now I do applaud, this is History, and I find it absolutely great that they have bottled this weird cask and are selling it for less than £200. Vive la difference! But organoleptically, well well well… Oh, and even weirder, they seem to have bottled this funny baby on Valentine’s Day last year. Mmmmpfff… SGP:241 - 62 points.

Now, having no Old Rhosdu, no other Glenisla and no Craigduff at hand, let’s try to find another rare one. Maybe this baby…

Glenugie 30 yo 1980/2011 'Deoch an Doras' (52.13%, OB, Chivas Brothers)

These ultra rare bottlings – there was also a 1977 - have gone almost unnoticed when they came out three years ago, at WF Towers included. Boooh! Come on, it was an official Glenugie, so the equivalent of a Brora or Port Ellen Special Release by Diageo! Let’s see what gives… Colour: amber. Nose: sadly, I don’t seem to find Glenugie’s proverbial intense fruitiness, rather a combination of oak spices with toasted brioche, and bark and walnut. Some beeswax too, a little wood smoke, a touch of mocha and a little damp earth/old musty cellar. Some rubbed mint leaves as well, and perhaps a drop of pinesap. Hasn’t the cask been a little too active? With water: oh, mandarins come out, together with some sweet ham. Ribs cooked in honey sauce or something. Mouth (neat): ah this has more Glenugieness, should such a thing have ever existed. Grapefruit compote or something like that, spicy mango chutney, touches of passion fruits… We’re nowhere near the legendary Sestantes, but we’re above other indie bottlings of late 1970s vintages in my opinion. The oak’s a tad too loud, though, and there’s quite a lot of pepper. With water: very good, jammy and citrusy. Some thick citrus liqueur with peppermint and pepper. Finish: long, rich, jammy and citrusy. Spiced citrons, perhaps. Comments: I think it’s natural that we would prefer ‘naked’ long gone malts, to stay close to the original spirits, but this works well. The cask(s) had just been a little too active – in my opinion. SGP:561 - 87 points.

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback