
September 7, 2016

Little duets, two Mannochmore

We don’t see many Mannochmores around. Perhaps because the name sounds like that of an Icelandic doom metal band? Or because Loch Dhu used to be made out of Mannochmore, which may have put a curse on the distillery?

Mannochmore 21 yo 1993/2015 (48.8%, Gordon & MacPhail Exclusive for The Whisky Shop Dufftown, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #6883)

Colour: gold. Nose: some pure, ‘average’ in the best sense, malt whisky, rounded, cerealy, with good stewed fruits underneath, and even a touch of smoke. Regarding the fruits, I’m finding nectarines, blood oranges, watermelons, and touches of tangerines. Perhaps a wee metallic touch as well? Coins from your pocket? Mouth: it’s funny that I’m getting sherry and a touch of gunpowder out of a bourbon hogshead. So raisins, walnuts and black tea, then rather marmalade and perhaps drops of young calvados or applejack. Perhaps a little cinchona. Finish: long, with rather more oranges, mainly as sweets. I remember those orange-flavoured Chupa Chups when we were kids… Comments: more than excellent, very solid, with a lovely fruitiness that’s quite unusual. And unusualness is always an asset in Speyside… SGP:641 - 86 points.

Mannochmore 19 yo 1997/2016 (54.7%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 264 bottles)

It’s not impossible that Cadenhead would have the widest range of different Scotch malt distilleries these days. Don’t they have almost all of them? How cool is that? Colour: pale white wine. Nose: even more ‘natural’ than the excellent 1993. Bursts with barley notes, as armagnac has grapes, mezcal has agave, calvados has apples and pears, and rum has… err… well, that depends. Anyway, perhaps is this a little simple, but it reeks of honesty – and of a western orchard in the midst of July. Mouth: superb! It’s not complicated, it’s simple, it’s straight, it’s ultra-clean, and it’s full of barley, apples, and oranges, in more than perfect proportions. With water: a fruit cocktail sweetened with barley syrup. I seem to find morello cherries. Finish: medium, rather on barley water. Comments: this is malt whisky. No peat, no sherry, and little oak. Malt. SGP:531 – 87 points.

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