Craigellachie-Glenlivet 16 yo 1980/1996 (59.7%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) Colour: White wine (a young Riesling this time). Nose: A new car parked in the sun on a hot day. Plasticine and something a little chemically, floor cleaner perhaps but a 'fruit scented' variety. Develops along more pleasant lines after a minute or two with lots of fresh lemon skins, barley sugar and crushed herbs. There is a kind of swimming pool 'chlorine' note dancing around in the back as well. It sort of dances between natural and unnatural rather entertainingly this one. Like Donald Trump but without the looming spectre of nuclear obliteration. With water: the swimming pool just got bigger and we find ourselves at the deep end! But thankfully someone has seen fit to bring along some watercress, buttercream and a little natural yoghurt (although I suspect the pool attendant will be pissed off!). Mouth: Few! This is hot stuff. And again rather odd with notes of cheap shoe polish (try and eat the expensive stuff if you can, makes a good substitute for Foie Gras Serge), plastic and then some herbs again; chives, sage and sorrel this time. Peppery as well and quite acrid with some burning wood notes. With water: the chemical side seems to have been fairly well eradicated by water. Some floral notes such as lilies and a rather pure grassiness. There is a tiny waxy streak that alludes to the SMWS as well, but, in all honesty, we're pretty far away from that level of quality I have to say. Also rather porridgy with time. Finish: Relatively long but again quite acrid, austere, drying and a little chemical again. Some enjoyable mineraltiy and citrus/cereal notes as well. Comments: A rather frustrating dram with a sort of weird duality to its character. Should come in useful in a post-apocalyptic wasteland though as fuel/barter juice/antiseptic etc... Or with ice. SGP: 342 - 73 points.

Craigellachie-Glenlivet 16 yo 1980/1997 (60.4%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) Hopes are not particularly high after the last one... Colour: White wine (How about Grüner Veltliner?) . Nose: Hey, actually this is pretty pleasant despite the strength. Wild gorse, fresh gooseberry, cut grass, a little vanilla and even some dark fruits such as fresh blueberries and red-currants which I find unusual in this type of whisky. Develops some green fruitiness and a lovely cinnamon and pastry streak. There’s also coal dust, some lemon zest and a little camphor with time. With water: apple pie and custard. And also notes of rhubarb and custard sweeties that you get here in the UK (don’t think the French have gotten that far in culinary terms yet Serge). Also plenty fresh notes of grasses and cereals and herbs still kicking about. Mouth: Cereals, pastry, more cinnamon, apricot jam, greengages, damsons. This is quite sweet but in a rather natural and charming way and there’s no hint of these weird chemical notes that seemed to somewhat hobble the previous one. Nice herbal notes of sage and parsley with pink peppercorns, furniture wax and a slight, gravelly mineral quality. With water: a little more buttery, herbal and drying with water. Develops a slight saline note and a more obscure fruitiness. Finish: Good length, nicely balanced between the sweet and dry aspects. A touch of green malt and something mineral like clay perhaps. Comments: I suspect the difference between these two Cadenhead Craigellachies is pretty much entirely down to one of them being in far better cask. Or one in an inferior cask? Debate... SGP: 551 - 80 points.

Speyburn-Glenlivet 19 yo 1975/1995 (59.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) Some men just want to watch the world (spey)burn! Colour: White wine (again! Let's go with Pouilly-Fumé this time.) Nose: Mmmmm, pure, unadulterated, classical, unmistakeable Speyburn. You have this kind of middle of the road quality which no other distillery can come close to. It's more in the centre than Macron. Having said that, it is also very '1990's Cadenhead' in style. This kind of austere, no nonsense, refill wood derived, distillate driven character which I am quite a sucker for. Quite buttery, some herbs, some lemon, some mint, a little mineral touch, maybe some vanilla. Whisky to switch off your mind to a little. Having said that, there are some very nice notes of pollen and crushed thistles emerging. Maybe this Salmon leaps after all! With water: now there is a nice mix of green and white fruits, wildflowers and more herbal notes. Some ripe pear, maybe a little melon. Perhaps even a whisker of a phenol lingering in the depths - a stray smoked salmon perhaps...? Mouth: Quite a soft arrival with lots of notes of muesli (the vegetarian Speyburn drinkers breakfast), oatcakes, some vanilla cream, some dates and maybe a little rosewater. Distinct notes of malt whisky. With water: clean, fruity, gently sweet, quite fresh, a little grassy, a little malty, perhaps some assorted pastry and a some marzipan. Almost Joycean in the way it masters the unremarkable - the Ulysses of Rothes! Finish: Impressive distance - like the leap of a particularly dedicated Salmon. Some very nice notes of tangerine and olive oil also emerge. Comments: Nothing fishy about this one! If there's salmon here they're circling below the surface. SGP: 442 - 81 points.