The Antelope (Macao) and Kanpaikai (Japan) are good friends. A lot of their bottlings are shared. They have good taste, both in selecting whisky and designing labels – I love the Japanese influence.
I already tried some of their joint bottlings while I visited WhiskyShine in Macau. Today we’re looking at four recent releases from Bunnahabhain, Mortlach, an undisclosed Skye distillery and Springbank. Impressive.
Bunnahabhain 45 yo 1979 (46,8%, Kanpaikai & The Antelope 2025, refill sherry butt #8056, 222 btl.)
Nose: a lovely old style, the sherry is not intrusive at all. Full of tobacco, old polished wood and worn leather, cardemom and subtle whiffs of broth. The savoury note is balanced by flashes of fruits like dried berries and apricots. Then cigar boxes, elegant herbs and a wee hint of smoke.
Mouth: just as nice. Dried herbs, more cigar boxes and leather, along with oranges and raisins. Walnuts, drops of Chartreuse, some mossy hints and Darjeeling. A light smokiness again, but it’s rather more cask char than actual peat, I presume. Then it turns towards salted liquorice, echoes of tarry ropes and engine oil. A faint bitterness in the end, which suits this profile.
Finish: very long, on herbal liqueurs again, along with humidors and orange oil.
So where did they find this beauty? We haven’t seen many 1979s before but it’s a great dram. More robust and savoury than the 1980 expressions we’ve had more often, but undeniably high quality.
Mortlach 30 yo 1995 (47,3%, Kanpaikai & The Antelope 2025, refill sherry hogshead #803457, 187 btl.)
Nose: slightly brighter than the Bunna, even though they’re in the same ballpark. Old polished oak, plenty of tobacco and leather again, along with juicy plums and red berries (even raspberries). Then also orange zests, a hint of matchstick heads and library dust.
Mouth: a slightly funky mix of bitter citrus, more herbal extracts and liqueurs and flashes of sour plums and berries, pink grapefruits and apricots. The added fruitiness is a bonus here. Then there’s also a rancio note and a fragrant hint of dried flower petals that remind us of cognac. Chestnut honey, clove oil and dark chocolate towards the end.
Finish: long, with a mild herbal bitterness again, walnuts, leathery dryness, pepper and more cognac rancio.
We had this one (more informally) at WhiskyShine a few months ago and a second tasting confirms its excellence. These guys have a good nose, and some secret key to Scottish warehouses. Score: 92/100
A Skye Distillery 22 yo 2003 (47,7%, Kanpaikai & The Antelope 2026, refill sherry cask #T035)
Nose: some very subtle but nicely sooty charcoal smoke. Some farmy notes too. Mixed with light cough syrup, liquorice and dark honey. Then herbal notes like eucalyptus and spearmint, along with some plummy notes and toasted nuts. I’m getting a subtle 1970s Islay or old Springbank touch.
Mouth: more charcoal but also a lot of oily and medicinal notes, think iodine, mercurochrome and herbal ointments. Faded smoke. Salty elements, with some sweet-and-sour fruitiness (plums, smoked blood orange peel). Worn leather again, toasted malt, caramelized nuts and black peppercorns.
Finish: long, herbal and resinous, with a nice acidic edge again, along with black pepper.
Seriously, this is phenomenal for something that was made after 2000. I’m getting oldskool vibes. Perhaps not the most recognizable Talisker as such, but who cares? Score: 91/100
Springbank 25 yo 1999 (54,4%, Kanpaikai & The Antelope 2026, refill hogshead #800369E, 177 btl.)
Nose: oily and mineral, with the typical industrial markers. Also moist tobacco leaves, blackberries, a little Pu-Erh. Very light rubbery hints. Subtle waxes and salted caramel. Then some brass polish, leather, engine oil and humidor.
Mouth: rather fruity sherry, all on blackberries, dark plums, orange peels and subtle honey. Then brown sugar, roasted chestnuts, hints of sour berries and roasted malt. Old toolboxes, cedar wood and black pepper. Just a little oak char, maybe unlit matchstick heads, and mellow smoke.
Finish: long, on forest fruits, salted notes, a little camphor and lingering peat.
What a series this is. Excellent quality accross the board. Perhaps this is less surprising for a Springbank 1999 than for the others, but still. Keep them coming. Score: 91/100