Banff 1975 (Malts of Scotland)

You know how much I like the (sometimes very quirky) profile of Banff. The distillery had a slightly tragic history of fires and WW2 bombings. Even after it had been closed in 1983, the buildings were destroyed by fire in 1991.

Note the updated label design of the new Malts of Scotland bottles.

Banff 36 yo 1975 (43,8%, Malts of Scotland 2012, bourbon barrel, MoS 12015, 165 btl.)

Nose: peculiar and interesting, typical Banff so far. Wet paper, quite some paraffin and grease. Dried grassy notes and a little mustard. Hints of newly sawn oak. Chamomile. Chalk. Shoe polish. Spicy and aromatic, a little unsexy as well, but after a long wait, a faint fruitiness (oranges, pineapple) comes through, as well as some warm vanilla which is less typical. Great evolution.

Mouth: fresh and relatively creamy, a nice combination of sweetness, soft bitterness and spices. Some lemon zest, a little herbal liqueur and chili pepper. Hints of dried fruits, chocolate and vanilla.

Finish: long; with sweet vanilla growing stronger besides the grassy, drier notes.

Excellent Banff, exemplary yet slightly more rounded than other expressions, thanks to the soft vanilla notes and fruits. Recommended but so sold out as far as I can tell. Around € 185.

Score: 91/100