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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 19, 2021 |
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Summer Duets
Auchentoshan |
| We've had some superb Auchentoshans in the past but for around ten to fifteen years, the owners have kept releasing flavoured NASs that have not, in their vast majority, really inspired us. Too much wood, not enough spirit. |
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Auchentoshan 'Dark Oak' (43%, OB, 1l, +/-2020) 
A modern NAS 'multiple oak' version that would use the usual candidates, namely Oloroso, PX and Bourbon. Just like anyone else… Let's see if this is as boring as the pedigree suggests (Ed: you're too negative, S.) … Colour: gold. Nose: sawdust, cinnamon, ginger, then coconut and vanilla plus cardamom and rye bread. Then citrus that lifts it. Feels artificially aromatized but not that boring, after all, and pretty well executed. Mouth: towards young rye whisky, but with more sawdust, plank, cardboard and stale spices. I would have said young 'foreign' whisky from a young distillery, and certainly not Scotch malt whisky. Finish: medium, pretty much on wood spices and cinnamon mints and rolls. Comments: acceptable but soulless, feels made in the lab. Hope they'll never be allowed to use oak chips.
SGP:441 - 74 points. |
Let's try to find that light citrusness that we used to like so much… |
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Auchentoshan 22 yo 1998/2020 (51.8%, Chapter 7, cask # 100155, 199 bottles) 
Colour: gold. Nose: it's cool to find some Auchentoshanness, namely bubblegum and marshmallows plus Malibu, coconut balls and proper vanilla pods. Notes of banana wine. With water: there, the malt comes out, wholegrain bread, sourdough, also popcorn, hops, light beers… Mouth (neat): sweet, clean, extremely typical. Big coconut water, coconut and papaya chips, dried pears, barley syrup, and indeed a large family pack of marshmallows. For a large family. With water: very good, rather on pastries this time, religieuse, Paris-Brest, English pound cake (apologies), meringue-y stuff… Gears towards citrus, always one of the best finales in my book. Finish: this is where it would join Bladnoch and Rosebank as far as the Lowlands' traditional style was concerned. And perhaps Daftmill (!) but neither St. Magdalene (too big) not Glenkinchie (too light). Comments: once again, the indies keeping the flame alight.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
Game, set and match. C.U. |
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