
March 28, 2016

Banff 1976-1975-1974, just for fun

Banff. Who remembers Banff? Only old seasoned whisky enthusiasts? And yet it was glorious malt whisky, that any whisky lovers should try to try at least once. In a way, Banff is like Bach (what?), it’s old and a tad antiquated, but you need to know it. Let’s have three of them… And we’ll even do a short verticale, 1976-1975-1974, how does that sound? Fun enough?

Banff 20 yo 1976/1997 (56.4%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection)

There was something Japanese to this collection, don’t you think? With this minimal cream label… Now I’ve tried a good handful of these 1976s by CAD, and quite loved them. All. These bottles represent great opportunities to taste naked spirit from long-closed distilleries! 9yo Saint Magdalene ex-refill, anyone? Colour: white wine. Nose: the Highlands blowing into your face. Heather, sea air, barley, paraffin, some oil lost on the road by an old Land Rover, perhaps even a little mutton suet. Not sure about the mutton suet. Behind that, plenty of grapefruits. With water: there, old coins, old tools, mint tea, Barbour grease, gunflints… Mouth (neat): powerful, extremely well-chiselled (why have I mentioned Saint Magdalene? It does have something of Saint Magdalene), and both very leafy and very citrusy. Cherry leaves infused in lemon liqueur. In the background, very discreet touches of wasabi and mustard, which is very Banff. With water: exceptional. Opens up like a Lagavulin Bay oyster as soon as it’s seen a bottle of 16 years old. Grapefruit marmalade (the best marmalade), salty almonds, angelica, greengages… Now the wasabi disappeared. Finish: you bet, its back! A long sweet and mustardy finish, very precise. Comments: frankly, these are the bottles to buy at auctions. Long-closed distilleries, young to middle-aged, light colours. SGP:462 - 90 points.

Banff 1975/2013 (43.7%, Malts of Scotland, selected by Dram Brothers, bourbon barrel, cask #MoS 13056)

Colour: gold. Nose: a beehive-y one! And then there’s this cellary profile, with soot, old oils, concrete, gravel, old barrels, forgotten vegetables and fruits that did not rot, then some old embrocations, clay, an old bottle of mead that you brought back from Brittany twenty years ago, and even a little incense. Forgot to mention creamy milk chocolate – the one that’s made with milk, not dreadful palm oil. Glorious nose. Mouth: sweet mustard, there, this is Banff. And old liqueurs and spirits from you auntie’s bar, Bénédictine, mirabelle liqueur, Dantziger Goldwasser, and whatnot. You’ve got the whole 20th century in this bottle. Finish: perhaps not very long, but it’s got all honeys and herbal teas you could think of. And this salty/mustardy signature that’s so lovely. Comments: one to sip while in an old Bentley, John-Steed-style. No worries, Mrs. Peel is driving. SGP:562 - 91 points.

We said we’d have a 1974 as well, here it is…

Banff 1974/2003 (45%, Samaroli, 35th Anniversary, sherry wood, 360 bottles)

Sig. Samaroli must have felt nostalgic when he did this bottling, since he added this to the label: ‘Special Old Liqueur Sherry Wood Unblended Malt’. Fun indeed. Colour: pale white wine. You can’t do more refill than this. Nose: it’s an austere Banff, sooty and oily, rather very mineral, with an herbal side. A walk in the forest, with whiffs of moss and fern, perhaps a little horseradish, then some sooty old concrete, some iron, cut grass, and a little porridge. Rainwater. Mouth: amen. It is exceptional in its own Jansenist style. We’d have loved a little more power, but other than that, this is some perfect wine-malt, perhaps a little chenin blanc. We’re talking great Savennières or something, with plenty of sooty things, salted fresh walnuts, and of course this immaculate mustardy side. It’s the most mustardy of them all. Mustard on fresh walnuts, amazing flavours. Finish: pretty long – in fact it’s gaining power – and with an admirable lemon coming out. I told you, Savennières… It’s even got this flintiness that feels like smoke. Comments: it’s to be wondered if bottlers should keep using the word ‘sherry’ when it’s obviously third or fourth fill. Not that we shall complain, mind you, this is a great and important whisky, a style that strictly no one is making anymore. SGP:362 - 92 points.

Let’s start a Banff Appreciation page on Facebook, I’m sure we’ll manage to gather at least fifty enthusiasts! Now, I haven’t checked, perhaps there is one already…

(Cheers Diego, cheers Nicolas)

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