We all know Old Bothwell has good contacts in Belgium, the alcohol volume is exactly the same and 120 bottles doesn’t seem to be a full cask, so indeed it might have been a split cask. In the end it doesn’t matter, let’s just enjoy the Old Bothwell release.

Port Ellen 28 yo 1983 (55,5%, Old Bothwell 2011, cask #230, 179 btl.)

Nose: sophisticated and balanced. Great mineral notes, lemon and grapefruit aromas, soft camphor, marzipan, walnuts, wet wool… all the typical things we’re expecting from a high-quality Port Ellen. Complex, crystal-sharp and rounded at the same time. Mouth: oily and more punchy now. There’s peat, brine, citrus, some oak but again also sweeter notes of marzipan and hazelnuts towards the end. And a nice pepper / ginger combo. Finish: very long with citrus, smoke and salty liquorice.

Very good Port Ellen. Could this be The Whiskyman’s cask? Yes, very much so. I’ve tried them side-by-side and couldn’t spot major differences. Nice surprise to see this one is still available and cheaper. Around € 170. Thanks for the sample, Fredrik!

Score: 92/100

Clynelish 28 yo 1982 (53,7%, Malts of Scotland 2011, MoS 11015, 275 btl.)

Nose: a lot punchier than the SMOS cask. More green banana. A tad more oak as well although that may be part of the higher strength. A lot of honeydew melon and beeswax (warm and honeyed compared to the sharper oiliness of the SMOS). Walnut liqueur. Apples with cinnamon. Some biscuity notes. Guimauves (the white ones). Great nose. Mouth: punchy again. Key components are vanilla and grapefruit this time, with some peppery notes. Hints of sweet almonds. Less complex and slightly less convincing than the nose, but still a nice whisky. Lemon zest and a slight coastal edge towards the end. Finish: long and elegant, zesty at first but coming back to a fruity sweetness.

For me this is the better Clynelish of the two, especially on the nose, although you could say they’re two different kinds of whisky alltogether (this one showing a slightly more 1970′s character). A little more expensive: around € 125.

Score: 91/100

Clynelish 28 yo 1982 (43,1%, Single Malts of Scotland 2011, hogshead #3985, 175 btl.)

Nose: delicate and mellow, even a little inexpressive at first. After a while it opens up with a juicy fruitiness (lime, yellow apple, white peach, something Albariño-esque), typical waxy notes (paraffin, lemon candles) and flinty notes in the background. Soft hints of vanilla. Faint grassy notes. Very nice but the strength makes you work harder to get the aromas. Mouth: waxy and citrusy (grapefruit, lemon). A few mineral touches. A bit more oaky dryness now, with hints of fruit tea. It seems too delicate to completely withstand the wood. Finish: waxy, lemony and faintly bitterish. Medium long.

Too bad this one was really soft. It’s great as long as you don’t compare it to similar Clynelish. I’ve had better ones, with just as much fruits, more punch and a better balance with the oak. Around € 110. Temporarily out of stock on the TWE website, but more is expected at the beginning of December.

Score: 89/100

Port Ellen 28 yo 1983 (58,9%, Malts of Scotland 2011, bourbon hogshead, MoS 11011, 267 btl.)

Nose: it shows the same balanced mixture of briny coastal elements, sooty smoke and rounded fruitiness. Lemon and walnuts. It would be difficult to differentiate between the two, but maybe this MoS version develops a tiny bit more sweet vanilla / dried fruits over time, which is nice, but differences are really small. Both excellent. Mouth: powerful on the palate again. In no particular order: peat, smoke, bags of lemons, sweet grapefruit, pepper, brine… Similarly nervous. Again a tad more candied or is this my imagination? In the end there’s a hint of bitterness. Finish: similar length, similar flavours, similar quality.

Another Port Ellen of very high quality, difficult to pick a favourite so let’s not do that. Good news for those who missed out on the Whiskyman release. This Malts of Scotland version has just arrived in stores. Around € 200.

Score: 92/100

BenRiach 28 yo 1976 (57,6%, OB for Craigellachie Hotel 2005, cask #8079,
144 btl.)

Nose: a sweet and surprisingly creamy 1976, with peach yoghurt and strawberries with clotted cream. Lots of banana aromas. Hints of coconut and vanilla. Some guava and melon. A very seductive fruit salad which gets more tropical by the minute. Hints of marshmallows. Soft oak and very gentle spices with a very faint earthy / mossy undertone as well. Maybe not the most complex, but warmer and more velvety than I remember other 1976’s. Mouth: plenty of oak now, with some pine resin and spices. Then it develops the creaminess again with coconut oil and vanilla. The tropical fruitiness is less impressive now and has changed into fruit tea rather than a fruit salad. Some green, leafy notes as well. Liquorice and eucalyptus. Some late toffee. Finish: stretches the wood resin a little further, with some bitterness now. Liquorice. Maybe traces of smoke?

A great nose on this BenRiach 1976 for Craigellachie Hotel, but I found it slightly disappointing on the palate because of the subdued fruits and fierce oak. Later 1976 bottlings were better in my opinion – this one doesn’t reach 90 points in my view. Slightly over-hyped (and over-paid at auctions) maybe, but still a nice classic. Long gone of course.

Score: 89/100

Teaninich 28 yo 1982 (50,5%, Liquid Sun 2011, bourbon hogshead, 114 btl.)

Nose: elegant and medium fruity (apples, quinces, white grape juice) with plenty of oak polish and linseed oil. Some gristy notes as well. Hay and wet leaves. Mint, soft pepper. Nice balance of fruits and a Highlands austerity. Mouth: gentle start, but full of flavour, again rather gristy with hints of sawdust. After that it grows sweeter and fruitier, with honey, sweet barley and warming oak spices. Cloves and white pepper. Finish: spicy dryness from the oak, with hints of vanilla and tea.

A fairly neutral Teaninch, with pleasant Highlands elements, soft fruits and a perfect dose of oak influence. A nice bottling if you want to get acquainted with this low profile distillery. Around € 120.

Score: 85/100

Mannochmore 28 yo 1982 (49,4%,
Liquid Sun 2011, bourbon hogshead, 131 btl.)

Nose: slightly neutral start on malt and grassy notes. Green apples and lemon. Some flowery top notes as well. Then grows a bit warmer, with quite a lot of hay. Soft leather. Rather elegant, it seems younger than it actually is and the fruitiness is pleasantly dry and mineral at the same time. Mouth: quite soft at first, with orchard fruits, grassy notes and some spices. There’s a nervousness / hotness with herbal notes growing over time. Again an interesting mix of sweet notes and lots of dry, spicy (even slightly earthy) elements. Finish: medium length, spicy with a bitter edge.

A Mannochmore with a pleasant “green” fruitiness and quite some grassy / mineral notes. Give it some time to open up.
Around € 110.

Score: 85/100

Today we review a Glendullan 1981 bottled by The Whisky Agency in the Flowers series.

Glendullan 28 yo 1981 (49,6%, Whisky Agency ‘Flowers’ 2010, bourbon hogshead, 247 btl.)

Nose: Speyside style with extra mineral / flinty notes. Unripe pears, gooseberries, some mint and citrus. There’s also a vegetal side (fern, cooked vegetables). Hints of wet chalk and faint smoky notes hidden underneath. Mouth: quite oily and grainy, with mineral and herbal elements. Medium oak and spices. Lots of ginger. The fruits are in the background (crystallized oranges, melon). Citrus peel and ginger towards the end. Finish: pretty spicy with ginger, pepper and cloves.

A complex and slightly unsexy Speysider with a few unusual notes. Still available in some places. Around € 120.

Score: 86/100

Inchgower 28 yo 1982 (56,6%, Whisky-Doris 2010, bourbon hogshead #6971, 192 btl.)

Nose: unique notes of very ripe banana, buttercups and a slightly strange milky element (like a milk steamed Oolong tea or even hints of buttermilk). Quite oily. Hazelnuts and almond paste. Plenty of vanilla cream. Hay. Faint coastal notes. Very complex and quite unique. Mouth: again it shows a certain buttermilk note, even something of a Hollandaise sauce (now that may sound strange but it’s actually quite nice). Sweet marzipan and vanilla. Intense pepper and sharper grassy notes. Sugared camomile tea and a hint of bitter oak. Finish: quite long with pepper and salt and a praline note.

I don’t think I’ve tasted anything like this before. Impressive butteriness, that works out well. Very complex altogether, with intense spicy, salty, sweet, buttery, bitter and nutty flavours! Bonus point for having such a unique character, although I suppose many people will find this way too strange. Around € 110.

Score: 90/100

The one we’re tasting now is quite famous as well. It was distilled in November 1972 and bottled for Alambic Classique, a German spirits importer founded by Hermann Suppanz.

Ardbeg 28 yo 1972 (50,1%, Douglas Laing for Alambic Classique Germany 2000,
234 btl.)

Nose: wow. Let’s start by saying it’s quite organic and farmy, with notes of fern forest and wet leaves. Stables and sheep. Tobacco as well. Then some deep tarry notes and peat, nicely balanced. On a third layer, there’s something in between mint and dental filling material, if you know what I mean. Medicinal and mineral notes, maybe even some rubber or diesel. Leather. Algae. Quite dry, but wonderful. Mouth: quite dry again and rather salty. Liquorice and ashes. Lovely peat with camphor. Again some rubber. Cecina de León. Lots of algae. Not overly complex and missing punch in the middle, but still excellent. Finish: long, salty and dry.

Spitzenklasse, as they say in Germany. A true classic and as I said, it’s famous so the last bottle sold on Whiskyauction fetched € 740. Many thanks for the sample, Thomas!

Score: 94/100

Inchgower 28 yo 1982 (57,2%, Malts of Scotland 2011, bourbon hogshead #6969,
212 btl.)

Nose: starts strong but warm, with some vanilla and cooked fruits. It quickly gets more grassy (fresh and dried), gingery and minty with light hints of garden herbs. Spiced up with some fresh sawdust, traces of smoke and a slightly sharp, salty breeze. Mouth: the first wave is slightly milky and creamy (vanilla ice cream?). Then some citrus notes (ripe tangerine). After a while, a big wave of oak comes rolling in, in a nice, slightly bourbonny way (pine wood, resin, cedar maybe). Not tannic, just a little oak-flavoured, subtly bitter and heavily spiced. Soft toffee and demarara sugar in the background. Leather. A hint of parma violets. Finish: medium length, with traces of fruits, salt and lingering oak.

Even though it’s not very rounded, this Inchgower stands out in a good way and has a nice coastal edge. Be sure to try it if you’re not afraid of some wood nectar and plenty of spices on the palate. Around € 115.

Score: 86/100

Aultmore 28 yo 1982 (56,1%,
A.D. Rattray 2011, cask #2214, 150 btl.)

Nose: starts on hay and grass. A bit mashy and buttery as well, very natural I would say. Hints of lemongrass. Apple compote. Some milk chocolate. Whiffs of nutmeg. Water makes it slightly fragrant, even slightly soapy. Mouth: a bit sharp (ginger, cloves) with a slight alcoholic punch at first. Growing bitter (lemon skin, grapefruit). The bitterness is enhanced by the woody notes. Liquorice. Seville oranges with a nice but slightly hot afterglow on vanilla. Softer and rounder with a few drops of water. Finish: intense spices, vanilla and a chocolate coating.

This Aultmore has some good elements (fruity, firm spices) but also a few downsides (quite harsh and bitter). I suppose all is due to a (slightly over-)active cask. Not bad at all but I’ll pass because there are currently better releases on offer from this bottler in my opinion. Around € 100.

Score: 82/100

Port Ellen 28yo 1982 (57,5%, Whiskysite.nl / QV.ID 2010, refill sherry puncheon, 136 btl.)

Nose: an array of typical Port Ellen notes. Gentle peat and maritime notes (seashells). Hints of plaster. Velvety vanilla as well (which I think is essential in a good Port Ellen). Almonds. Soft hints of sweet fruits but no real sherry character. Gets a tad drier over time with some nutmeg and tobacco. Mouth: mouth-coating and creamy, again nicely sweet and fruity. Sugared lemon juice. A bit of pepper, a bit of salt. More peat than on the nose, as well as some mineral notes, but it returns nicely to soft vanilla and a little honey. Rich and balanced. Finish: lemon and smoke with a hint of aniseed in the very end.

A couple of years ago, it seemed 1982/83 were lesser years for Port Ellen. We already know it’s not true. Congratulations to Luc, Jack and Koen for this great selection. Around € 200 – now sold out.

Score: 92/100

Its sister cask #3494 was a bourbon hogshead bottled for The Whisky Fair in 2006, so it’s probably safe to think this was an ex-bourbon cask as well.

Longmorn 28 yo 1974 (46%, Jack Wiebers
Scottish Castles 2003, cask #3495, 132 btl.)

Nose: starts on varnish and a little turpentine. After fifteen minutes of breathing, it has developed an excellent fruity profile with ripe honeydew melon, peaches, and soft vanilla. Great hints of strawberries and cream! Pleasant resinous notes without being oaky. A little mint. Lovely nose. Mouth: good impact, rather oily and very smooth. Showing some pink grapefruit and sweeter marmalade fruits. Some heather honey. Then a cocoa note. A little mint again. It must have been superb at cask strength. Finish: long, with spices as the main ingredient. Not dry though. Plenty of vanilla in the end.

An elegant Longmorn. Both bourbon and sherry versions of this distillery can be great at such an age. Difficult to find now – around € 200.

Score: 91/100

Brora 28 yo 1981 (57,4%,
Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum 2009, 93 bottles)

Nose: starts rather prickly and sharp. Wet dogs, leaves, drying hay, walnuts… A vegetal kind of farminess this time, no sheep involved… Anything but sweet, although this changes over time with some dried fruits, ginger ale and even coconut shining through. There’s also a Karuizawa kind of gunpowder, quite uncommon. Complex yet different from the 1970’s style. Gets more grassy with water, and it shows hints of tobacco. Mouth: again very vegetal, with leaves and sharp peat. Lemon balm. Hints of tobacco. Very herbal and grassy now. A lot less subtle than how I remember the 1976. When water is added, there’s wax to be found. Finish: long, on sharp peat and some pepper. Hints of gunpowder again.

This Brora is not as brilliant as its older brother, but it’s still excellent with a few unique touches. A bit too austere for me to get a higher score, but maybe you like this type of Brora more than I do. One problem: it’s around € 450 which I find quite hefty - the official Brora 30 yo’s are better value.

Score: 91/100

Port Ellen 28 yo 1979 ‘7th release’
(54,7%, OB 2007, 20cl)

Nose: this one seems to be more floral, with much more vanilla. A great balance between the coastal notes (tarry ropes, seaweed) and candied notes. Big big vanilla. Lots of almonds and marzipan. Sweetened lime juice. Whiffs of mint. I adore this combination, it’s like peated candy. Mouth: this is the most complex Port Ellen in this trio. The candied notes remain, but they’re mingled with herbal notes (ginger, soft pepper), liquorice, Lapsang Souchong… Rather delicate peat. Some notes of cocoa. Finish: long, a tad more coastal now. Dry hints of oak and walnut skin.

A nice crescendo, starting soft and feminine (close to the Port Ellen 9th release in that respect) but growing stronger on the palate. Outstanding composition and one of the best (explicitly) peated drams I’ve come across.

My personal favourite because of the wide flavours and the stunning nose. Still available in some places. Around € 275.

Score: 94/100

This single cask Tomatin 1980 was released in 2008.

Tomatin 1980
(47,4%, OB 2008, cask #994, 172 btl.)

Nose: fresh start. Fruity notes (peaches, cherries) with marshmallow. Lovely passion fruits. Citrus. Some unripe banana and pineapple. Lots of vanilla. Gets a bit creamy after a while, absolutely delicious. Liquid dessert. Mouth: basically the same story with lots of fruits and notes of bubblegum and honey. Not far from some Irish profiles, but more complex I would say. Added hints of pink grapefruit. Unripe mango. Tropical but without the warmth or the sweetness that goes with it. Fresh, fruity, malty (hints of cereals) and slightly mineral. Finish: not too long. A bit more spicy notes (whiffs of ginger and cinnamon) and certainly sweeter.

A very nice Tomatin. Not cheap (around € 180) but really beautiful. Samples are available at Whiskysamples.eu

Score: 89/100

Lochside 28yo 1981 (56,1%, G&M for La Maison du Whisky 2009, refill sherry hogshead #803, 205 btl.)

Nose: very aromatic and complex. There’s so much going on that it was difficult to write everything down before another association came up. A rather sharp, mineral start. After two minutes, there is lovely lemon grass. Fruits as well, starting on grapefruit and tangerine but evolving into the tropical fruits (mango, pineapple). Obvious waxy notes as well (rather close in style to Clynelish). A few flowery notes. The sherry is rather shy. Mouth: very assertive. More oak influence now, fruity marmelade, still some wax. Lemon. Slightly peppery. Dried oranges. Finish: quite long on grapefruit. Drying with a spicy edge (pepper, liquorice).

A Lochside with a terrific nose that can entertain for a long time. On the palate, it’s less of a kameleon but still very very good. At around € 115, very good value for money.

Score: 89/100

I’ll compare it to the Lochside 1987/2008 by The Whisky Agency (Perfect Dram series) in a few days.