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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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October 18, 2018 |
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Another fantastic whisky that’s a little ‘forgotten’ these days, maybe because owners Diageo have been kind of hiding it behind the ‘Singleton’ moniker for some years now. Ah those ‘square’ bottles of 28 and 30 years old from around fifteen years ago, sublime malts, don’t miss them, they may still pop out here and there… |
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Ord 12 yo 2006/2018 (46%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, hogshead, 645 bottles) 
Data about the outturn seem vary between 606 and 645. Or do they have two sister bottlings? Colour: white wine. Nose: this feeling of nosing distilled ale, while in this case that would be the purest form of ale. Marvellous fresh sourdough bread, a touch of hops, green pears, malt, two slices of banana, apple compote, amaretti. Mouth: excellent, rather more on citrus this time, but the bready/ale-y side is still there. Oranges, a few bitter herbs (right, and Campari, bitters), a touch of clove, a touch of spearmint. All that works in sync. Finish: rather long, very bready, with this bitterish citrus on top of it. Seville oranges. More bitterness in the aftertaste. Comments: perfect, slightly raw young Ord, with some depth and some naturality (right, yet another new concept).
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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The Singleton Glen Ord 14 yo 2002/2018 (57.6%, OB, Special Release)
Five kinds of casks have been used here, so some would have called this a quintuple cask whisky. Or a pentawood, perhaps, ha. Oh and not too sure why they didn’t call this baby a 15 yo (2018-2002=either 16 or 15 in whisky math) but then again, that’s perfectly legal. Colour: pale gold. Nose: you do feel some toasted oak, mocha, butterscotch, vanilla… So it’s all quite modern in my book, and in a way, the exact opposite of the Cadenhead, but I find it equally beautiful. With water: drier, a little more ‘plankish’. Sawdust, broken branches… The good news is that some lemon is also getting in this. Gotta love lemon in our whiskies. Mouth (neat): really very good, between toasted oak, lemon, green spices, walnuts, and wholegrain bread. Sure it’s no spirit-driven whisky, but they made it well. With water: same, more or less. Perfect citrus. Finish: rather long, a tad woody/spicy. Comments: this baby’s seen some active oak, and that worked, even if things get a little trickier in the finish.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Glen Ord 15 yo 1997/2012 (54.2%, Archives, hogshead)
Missed this one when it came out and it stayed in the Ord box. Never too late… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: these vintages were a little smokier and sootier, and rather less fruity, consequently. In a way, they were a little more Clynelishy, if I may, and this is a very fine example of that style. Cider, linseed oil, soot indeed… With water: rather more mud and wort, I would say. Mouth (neat): extremely good, and in the same vein. Crisp citrus over soot and gravel, plus this paraffiny side. Some grass and bark too. With water: excellent, and really Clynelishy. Finish: rather long, on waxed lemons. Comments: I think this baby benefitted from those extra-years in glass. I remember I had liked it when I first tried it – that was informally - but not this much.
SGP:552 - 87 points. |
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Glen Ord 20 yo (51.9%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, batch 1, 293 bottles, 2018) 
So this could well be another 1997 (well done, S.!) Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re very, very, very close to the Archives, while the six extra-years haven’t changed much. I guess the cask was rather lazy – but we love lazy casks (and hyperactive distillates) at WF Towers. Same kind of waxy fruitiness that works so well. Citrons, limestone, paraffin, fresh walnuts… With water: oh, wet dogs! Just tiny ones, perhaps chihuahuas… (with apologies, chihuahuas!) Mouth (neat): I’ll say it again, anyone could mistake this for Clynelish. Perfect wax and lemons, green tea, grapefruit… With water: ditto, and it would even unfold in a very Clynelish manner, with more grapefruit marmalade and quince paste. I adore quince paste. Finish: medium, splendidly waxy. More grapefruits, as fruit jelly this time. Comments: impeccable Clyn… I mean, Ord. Well done, boutique-y people!
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Should we not go on with some older ones? |
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Ord 31 yo 1983/2014 (51%, Cadenhead, Single Cask, bourbon hogshead, 204 bottles) 
Colour: straw. Nose: amen. Beeswax, camphor, pine sap, honey, custard, pollen, mead. This is, more or less, what was to be found in those superb official 28 and 30s. Well, the 30 was more glorious than the 28. Amazing nose. With water: a bit of fresh wood coming out, but that’s normal. Also more pine resin, some menthol, pine needles… Mouth (neat): superb waxy combination. Orange blossom water, heather honey, beeswax, mirabelle pie, dried figs… This is all very perfect. With water: extraordinary, this baby swims like Mark Spitz (S., you’ll need to update your references. I mean, Mark Spitz, that was Munich 1972!) Finish: medium, superbly honeyed and waxy. Extrao-ord-inary (blogger writing, pff…) Comments: a whisky to marry, as they say in polygamous countries. Seriously, it’s splendid.
SGP:551 - 92 points. |
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Glen Ord 32 yo 1975/2008 (46.4%, Monnier Trading, Switzerland, cask #9241, 204 bottles)
Whisky and motorcycles, two things I tend to rather like. Colour: pale gold. Nose: same honeyed territories as with the 1983, except that this one’s a tad subtler, with notes of old Sauternes, rather more raisins than in the 1983, but then the same kind of waxy/honeyed development, plus these lovely mentholy and pine-y touches that only come after many years. There are also clear notes of small grain muscat, or say muscat de Beaume de Venise. Dom. Des Bernardins remains the house to watch, by the way and if I may. Whiffs of hessian too, maybe did the cask see some Islay whisky at some point, around 1940? Mouth: less ‘neat and tidy’ than the Cadenhead, with more spicy oak and even ginger. We’re experiencing some mild disappointment here, since the nose was just stellar, but don’t get me wrong, this is still a first-decile palate. Mead and brown ale, cinnamon… Finish: medium, waxy, beehive-y, with a few sour fruits. Artisanal apple juice. Comments: another fantastic old Glen Ord, it’s just that Cadenhead’s 1983 was a killer.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Let’s call this a session if you please. |
(With many thanks to Michael!) |
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