Funny labels from Scotland


July 5, 2017

Funny labels from Scotland

More vatted, undisclosed, un-named, bastard, or simply branded whiskies from Caledonia-up-there. Well, anything, as long as no one really knows about the distilleries… And we’ll kick this off with an old apéritif…

Highland Malt 5 yo ‘Manx Millennium Viking Voyage’ (70° proof, Cockburn & Co., 1979)

A celebratory young whisky of unknown origins, most certainly (and hopefully) not ManX whisky! This with cheers to our friend and vlogger extraordinaire Ralfy. Colour: white wine. Nose: sour fruit juice, no? It’s relatively nice old-style ‘Highlands’ whisky, with gravel and soot, but these rotting fruits and these notes of baby p*k* don’t quite work. But other sides are nicer… Mouth: it’s rather kind of good, typical vanity bottling, dry, a tad gritty, with oddish notes of tinned pineapples and a little cardboardy oak. It’s totally and plainly drinkable, but I wouldn’t say it’s totally enjoyable. Now I’m sure Ragnar Lodrok would have enjoyed having it in the skull of one of his numerous enemies. Finish: short, drying, cardboardy. Comments: frankly, it’s not bad at all, it’s just a little disjointed and it’s lacking power and definition. But I’m really glad I could try it. SGP:341 - 72 points.

Timorous Beastie 18 yo (46.8%, Douglas Laing, blended malt, 2017)

Love love love the funny label (my cats love it too). This baby’s said to be a vatting of Blair Athol, Dalmore, and Glen Garioch. Which rather makes sense, doesn’t it. Colour: straw. Nose: malty, I’d say. That was the easy part, then I’m finding orchard fruits, apples and plums, then breads, then oatcakes, then crème brulée. We remain close to the barley and even to the ground, which is just fine. Mouth: really good, as good as a middle-aged ‘natural’ vatting of shy-ish malts can be. Bread, brioche, malt, more oats, sour apples, and touches of oranges. That may be Dalmore. The body’s good. Finish: medium, very malty, barleyish, and natural. Beer in the aftertaste. Comments: totally natural malt whisky, integrally malt-forward, with nothing in the way (peat, sherry, oak, wine, whatever). The 21 yo had more asperities, but that’s normal, this one’s only 18. Vive la nature! SGP:551 - 86 points.

While we’re having DL’s latest funny ones…

Scallywag 13 yo (46%, Douglas Laing, blended malt, 2017)

My cats don’t like this one as much as they like the Beastie, I’m wondering why. According to the very good folks at LMDW, this baby contains Macallan and Mortach, which suggests a fatter style. What’s sure is that it’s 100% Speyside. Colour: gold. Nose: there’s a meaty/sulphury side to it, which, indeed, suggests Mortlach. Used matches, burnt walnuts, brown cake, tobacco, assorted roasted nuts, roasted raisins, artisan chocolate, dry oloroso… and back to walnuts. Mouth: excellent. Who’s doing the blending at DL’s? This has power, its got loads of gingerbread, Christstolle, anis Bredele, dried bananas.. It’s actually very christmassy, in truth I would have launched this very fine baby nearer to Christmas. But agreed, not my business… Finish: long, flinty, sherried, nutty. Comments: seriously, there’s an A’bunadh-y side to this baby. The blender’s a very skilful blender, no doubt about that. So, who is he or she? SGP:461 - 86 points.

Rock Oyster 18 yo (46.8%, Douglas Laing, blended malt, 2017)

Totally love it that DL would have understood that age statements were very important. Kudos! This baby harbours whiskies from Arran, Orkney, and Jura. So, which one on Orkney? ;-). Colour: straw. Nose: oh get out of here, success again. They captured the Atlantic (what what what?) and anything that comes with it, seaweed, burning floated wood (right, beach bonfire), hessian, old tarry ropes, samphires… There are hints of cough syrup as well, some menthol for sure, and yeah, sea breeze. Fantastic nose, so who’s the blender? Mouth: peat! Lemon! Brine! Seaweed! And green apples, sauvignon blanc, soot, coal ashes… Between us, it’s not quite possible that there wouldn’t be any Islayer inside. Really, only Arran, Orkney and Jura? Extremely good. Finish: long, on smoked herbs and green pepper, with a lemony signature. Comments: didn’t quite find the oysters. False advertising, this is a scandal! The whisky’s quite brilliant, though. So, who’s doing the blending? SGP:466 - 89 points.

Oh we’ve had some great ones, so that’s enough for today, see you tomorrow.

(With thanks to Matthew)

Check the index of all blended or undislcosed malts I've tasted so far