Mannochmore young and old


August 24, 2022

More warming-up with
Mannochmore young and old

Always happy to try Mannochmore, especially since we've found out, quite a few years ago, that the name wasn't all about the very famous Loch Dhu 10, the Black Whisky. Remember? A little anecdote, last time dear Charlie MacL., who celebrated his birthday right yesterday, came to WF Towers, I offered him a welcome dram of his choice. He spotted an open bottle of Loch Dhu on some shelves and asked for a measure. I say that's true dedication to the cause! Washing out was then done with some old Clynelishes… (naturally)

A real fortune at Bonhams' back in 2018, £500 for this lot ->

Mannochmore 12 yo 2010/2022 (50%, Thompson Bros., 314 bottles)

The Great Spotted Woodpecker is Mannochmore's official animal within Diageo's Flora & Fauna series, so I find it cool that the Bros. would have put a similar (I think) bird on this lovely label. Colour: white wine. Nose: malt whisky totally au naturel, combining fresh bread and cakes, porridge, kougelhopf, cupcake (or was it a muffin, FZ?) plus touches of pencil lead and fresh cement and plaster. With water: more fresh plaster and chalk, dough roll, baker's yeast, leaven, grist… Mouth (neat): a rather unusual grassy spiciness for starters, around tarragon and sage, basil, plus pine needles, cinnamon, bone-dry fino, then green pears and apples, with touches of juniper and then a rather rounder phase on sweeter breads. With water: same, with a little bitterness. More pine needles and fir-bud liqueur. Finish: rather long, with some citrus coming out. Grapefruit skin (that's packed with healthy molecules, they say). Comments: in my opinion, some of the best within this austere, slightly demanding style.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Mannochmore 1990/2021 (45.1%, OB, Prima & Ultima Third Release, refill cask and untreated virgin European oak, 317 bottles, 2022)

There's been a pretty good 1990 within the Special Releases in 2016 (WF 85) but an earlier young 'Manager's Choice' 1998/2009 has been even more to my liking (WF 87). The older 18 yo 'Manager's Dram', bottled 1997, was really good too (WF 83). This very one first spent a little time in refill and got then re-racked into 'highly active virgin European Oak for almost three decades' according to the official literature. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: bourbon! Complete with high varnish, nail polish, grated coconut and warm fresh-sawn hardwoods, as well as a thin slice of pumpernickel. I'd even dare mention rye bread. Honestly, this is rather very Pappy-y. What's particularly interesting is the fact that the oak had not been 'treated', so not charred or even toasted (I suppose). Now they had to heat it up when coopering it, no? But that shouldn't qualify as some 'treatment'. Mouth: a much spicier bourbon. A little extreme, very piney, also with cardamom seeds and a good glass of herbal bitter. Dandelion root? Or there, Underberg? Finish: very long. Once the bitterness has been tamed, some easier notes of tamarind jam and softer liquorice would come through. Chicory coffee too (that's rooty as well). Comments: interesting 'inversed' proposition, the opposite of the traditional cognac way, first virgin, then refill for a longer time.
SGP:371 - 84 points.

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