Old Master Spirits' 1960 Peyrot 63 year old Cask Strength Grande Champagne Cognac [Tasted #669]

We're kicking off June with another well-aged #malternative - this time in the form of a 63 year old Cask Strength Grande Champagne Cognac from Peyrot, once again from Old Master Spirits. The gents behind OMS have been releasing spirits at a decent cadence lately - not too often, but a handful a year to keep things interesting. This one will be launched on 20th June, bottled at 42.9% (cask strength) and selling for $349AUD.

(You can read my thoughts on several of Old Master Spirits' previous releases here, including previous vintage and NAS Brandies. In those posts I cover why I love what these guys do, and how their #malternatives are very much, in my opinion, made for whisky lovers.)

Like most (all?) of the distilleries Old Master Spirits work with, Cognac Peyrot is a family-owned House currently in its fifth generation, having been founded in 1893. In 1956 first generation viticulturist Jean Baptiste Peyrot handed over a seven acre vineyard to his daughter Mathilde Peyrot-Barret, and this 1960 was the first vintage she distilled - so quite a bit of history here! 

The grapes here, Ugni Blanc, make up ~98% of Cognac vineyards and are favoured for their high-yield, long aging potential and light, floral profile. The grapes for this particular Cognac were planted nearly 100 years ago in 1928, and after the aforementioned 1960 distillation, the spirit slumbered in Limousin Oak for 63 years.

Old Master Spirits' 1960 Peyrot 63 year old Cask Strength Grande Champagne Cognac (42.9% ABV, 63yo, Cask Strength, France, One of 155 bottles, $349AUD)

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Colour: Burnished orange copper.

Nose: Power and elegance! Fresh coffee grounds, milk chocolate, herbal lozenges, and after time fresh oranges, but also light honey and strawberries.

Palate: Largely follows the nose, with increased citrus (orange) intensity, cake icing, dried apricots, raisins, honeycomb, some more berries (raspberries this time), and just a subtle hint of oak spice.

Finish: Long, slightly herbal, with strong citrus and berry notes. After some time, coffee hints return.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). If you haven't yet jumped into the world of well-aged Cognac yet, this may well be a very good place to start. Whisky-like complexity, power and grace. Eminently drinkable - a " special occasion" spirit you can also drink on a random weekday. For $349AUD, fantastic value.

Their oldest release to date, Old Master Spirits' 1960 Peyrot 63 year old Cask Strength Grande Champagne Cognac goes on sale 20th June 2024, $349AUD. 155 bottles in total.

Thanks Deni & David for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (4th Ed) 65yo 1958 Glen Grant [Tasted #660]

It was almost a year ago to the day I tried Gordon & MacPhail's "Mr George Legacy" 3rd Ed, a 63yo Glen Grant from 1959, and the third in the excellent "Mr George Legacy" series. Many thought that was the final release in the series, but here we are 12 months later, and G&M have honoured their second generation "Mr George" Urquhart (arguably the father of single malt whisky's popularity) with another release - this time a 65yo from 1958.

Sticking with tradition, this release is again a Glen Grant, bottled from a single cask (a first-fill Sherry butt laid down by "Mr George" himself in 1958) at 56.5% in November 2023. Cask No.3818 produced just 376 bottles, slightly more (but more or less in the ballpark) as the rest of the "Mr George" series, meaning like the releases before it, this will no doubt be a hard bottle to acquire.

Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: 

“My grandfather had a particular affinity with Glen Grant Distillery. Local to our home in Elgin, Mr George had a strong relationship with the owners and distillers through the decades and he enjoyed experimenting with different casks to complement the distillery’s lighter spirit style."

This edition’s packaging and support campaign is themed around having the courage of conviction, symbolised by ‘The Lone Oak’. Mr George’s approach – to age whisky for as long as it needed – was seen by some as eccentric during his lifetime. The theme celebrates this philosophy of occasionally going against the grain but always standing firm to one’s principles in pursuit of perfection. 

With scores of 92, 92 & 94 for the previous 3 releases respectively (& 95 for the original "Mr George Centenary" release) there's some serious pedigree to live up to....so does it? Let's find out...

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (4th Ed) Glen Grant 65yo 1958 (56.5% ABV, 65yo, Single Cask, Speyside, Scotland, One of 376 bottles, £7,000)

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Colour: Deep, dark coffee-burgundy

Nose: Richly oaked sherry, but with a real fruit vibrancy. Cherries, cola, spices and old books too - an amazing mix of "old" and "fresh". Cocoa, coffee beans and sweet coffee notes follow. An incredibly intoxicating nose.

Palate: True to the nose. There's cherry, cola bottle lollies, oak, coffee beans, licorice twists and a flamed orange peel. After time, some sweeter orange cream emerges. Leather and rich dark chocolate. It's all here. The alcohol is present, but extremely well-integrated, never seeming overbearing or "hot" (despite the realtively high ABV). I'll often taste a whisky with an incredible nose, but a lacking palate. Here, the nose matches the palate in terms of character and quality. Amazing. A friend referred to this as "elegant" and that's exactly what it is.

Finish: Extremely long, with herbal hints of old oak, and coffee beans.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). The best of the "Mr George" series to date, in my opinion, and so so close to the "Mr George Centenary" (still one of my favourite whiskies of the last 5 years). Just a beautiful, beautiful dram.

A big thanks once again to G&M & WS for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (3rd Ed) 63yo 1959 Glen Grant [Tasted #627]

Looking back over recent years, Gordon & MacPhail have released some pretty incredible drams, many of which I've been fortunate enough to taste. One series that's always stood out for me though is the "Mr George" range.

First introduced in 2019 with the "Mr George Centenary Edition" Glen Grant 62yo 1956  (tasted here in 2019), G&M then switched to "Mr George Legacy" naming, first with the "Mr George Legacy" (1st Ed) Glen Grant 67yo 1953 (tasted here in 2021), then the "Mr George Legacy" (2nd Ed) Glen Grant 64yo 1957 (tasted here in 2022), and now finally the third release - "Mr George Legacy" (3rd Ed) Glen Grant 63yo 1959".

Named after Mr George Urquhart (second generation of the Gordon & MacPhail family) the series celebrates Mr George's instrumental role in the success and popularity of single malt whisky (he created the Connoisseurs Choice range, way back in 1968 - focusing on single malts when the world was still focused on blends. It's still an incredibly popular range of whiskies today).

Gordon & MacPhail were kind enough to send me a sample of the new release, which was distilled at Glen Grant Distillery on 15th Oct 1959, and bottled 63 years later on 2nd Nov 2022 at a very-respectable 56.5% ABV. The First-fill Sherry butt gave up only 368 bottles, which sells for £6,499 (HKD pricing not yet available). So let's dive in...

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (3rd Ed) Glen Grant 63yo 1959 (56.5% ABV, 63yo, Single Cask, Speyside, Scotland, One of 368 bottles, £6,499)

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Colour: Golden-amber sunset

Nose: Mandarin, followed by a slight peppery earthiness, whole oranges, confectioners sugar and a slight dusting of oak, with a touch of nuttiness.

Palate: Initially citrus - whole oranges and mandarin, followed by mint, soothing earl grey tea, some cocoa and slight notes of mature oak after time.

Finish: Long, with cinnamon sugar, cocoa and residual hints of mature oak.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). I'm always impressed with how well the oak is balanced in these releases, after such long maturation. I know casks were different back then, but still, for a whisky to spend 63 years in oak and still have so much complexity and balance, is no easy task.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Legacy" (2nd Ed) 64yo 1957 Glen Grant [Tasted #567]

I've spoken plenty about the amazing Gordon & MacPhail bottlings I've been fortunate enough to try in recent years (most recently this one at a frankly-ridiculous 80 years old) but still to this day, the most enjoyable for me has been the 62yo 1956 "Mr George Centenary" (tasted here). 

I didn't realise at the time back in 2019, but "Mr George" releases were set to be an annual thing - followed up in 2020 by the 67yo 1953 "Mr George Legacy" Glen Grant (tasted here)....and now, by the third release in the series, the 2021-bottled 64yo 1957 "Mr George Legacy 2nd Edition" Glen Grant, released today.

Continuing to honour "Mr George" Urquhart ("the father, the originator, of the current success and appreciation of Scotch Malt whiskies"), the third release "pays tribute to his philosophy [with] a rich, complex single malt from Glen Grant Distillery with a subtle smokiness not found in more modern Speyside whiskies". A fitting choice, given Glen Grant was said to be one of Mr George's favourite distilleries.

G&M kindly sent me a sample of the new release, so let's dive in...

Gordon & MacPhail 1957 Glen Grant 64yo "Mr George Legacy" 2nd Edition (56.1% ABV, 64yo, Cask #3438, One of 298 bottles, Speyside, Price TBC)
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Colour: Dark red Mahogany

Nose: An initial flinty note gives way to red berries, ginger, a BBQ meatiness and old leather, underlined by toasted oak.

Palate: Largely follows the nose, with a smoked cream note, more red berries, cherries, licorice allsorts, and an underlying mintiness. After time and some air, herbal notes of forrest soil and cigar box emerge.

Finish: Long, spiced mint, sultanas and cherries, with residual hints of walnut.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A more robust, meatier dram than the first two in my opinion. Closer to the previous "Legacy" than the "Centenary", but with some added slightly gunpowderish notes. Overall a fantastically complex and well-made dram - particularly given the lack of any over-oaked or "off" notes, despite being 64 years of age!

A huge thanks to G&M and WS for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

67yo "Mr George Legacy" Glen Grant 1953 from Gordon & MacPhail [Tasted #518]

Over the past few years I've been fortunate to try some pretty incredible Gordon & MacPhail bottlings - many of them positively geriatric (including one in it's 70s - notes here), but my favourite by far has been the 62yo 1956 "Mr George Centenary" (tasted here). I called it my top whisky of 2019, and if I'm honest, it remained so across 2020 too.

...so when G&M reached out and asked if I'd like to try the new "Mr George Legacy" 1st Edition - also a Glen Grant, but this time a 1953 bottled just after its 67th birthday, I wasn't going to say no!

Distilled on Christmas Eve 1953 and bottled on 5th Jan 2021, the whisky spent its whole life in a First Fill Sherry Butt, and retained a hefty (and frankly astonishing) 59.4% ABV when bottled after those 67 years. 

Bottled to celebrate the Legacy of "Mr George" Urquhart (second generation of the G&M family and the man who created the Connoisseurs Choice range which still remains hugely popular today), a total of 355 bottles are available. A fitting tribute to someone Charlie MacLean refers to as "The father, the originator of the current success and appreciation of Scotch Malt Whiskies" then!

Describing Mr George's influence on the company and wider Scotch whisky scene, Stephen Rankin, grandson and G&M's Director of Prestige said: “My grandfather possessed a passion for taking single malts beyond these shores. Over many decades, he built and nurtured close relationships with some of Scotland’s leading distilleries and proudly took as much as he could carry on his international trips. I have fond memories of joining him, meeting new people, and telling stories about the casks he’d chosen to bring out the best in the different types of spirit."

Gordon & MacPhail 1953 Glen Grant 67yo "Mr George Legacy" (59.4% ABV, 67yo, Cask #4209, Speyside, £5,000)

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Colour: Intensely deep ruby-red copper.

Nose: Maraschino cherries and cough syrup, with old leather-bound books initially. Seriously "decadent", mature and complex. Sherry-soaked dates, furniture polish & hazelnuts. Water adds a little more nuttiness.

Palate: Zesty at first, with citrus spice, and cigar leaves soaked in orange. Grassy and with blackcurrant hints, the nearly 60% ABV does bring some heat, but it's a very composed and complex palate overall. There's some ginger and a plum sweetness, with mint notes towards the end. Water brings more of a meaty, earthen note.

Finish: Long notes of leather cigar pouch with residual earthy smoke and paprika.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. There's a huge amount going on here, and it's all delicious. A stunning dram - even more impressive when you consider that after 67 years in a 1st fill butt, there's no "off" notes - no overly-oaky tannins, no sulphur. A stunning cask and a testament to both Mr George and the wider G&M team.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail’s "Mr George Centenary Edition" 1956 Glen Grant 62yo [Tasted #469]

Continuing with 2019's theme of "trying incredibly rare and old releases from Gordon & MacPhail", a sample of G&M's latest "Mr George Centenary Edition" 62yo Glen Grant arrived recently, distilled way back in 1956 and matured in a single first fill sherry butt for 62 long years.

The whisky was bottled to celebrate what would have been the Centenary of "Mr George" Urquhart - the man said to be "the father, the originator, of the current success and appreciation of Scotch Malt whiskies" (Charlie MacLean's words). Joining G&M in 1933, George was a champion of single malt (at a time when the world's attention was on blends), and was the creator of the Connoisseurs Choice range in 1968 - nowadays one of the most legendary series of Independent Bottlings of the era.

Now, you might think a man with a legacy like George's would deserve a very special whisky...and you'd be right. Not only is this a 62yo whisky, it is an absolutely stunning 62yo whisky, presenting elegance, finesse, complexity and power you rarely see combined in a whisky, let alone one that has spent 62 years in a first fill sherry butt.

When it comes to old Scotch whiskies (50yo+), I generally have four checks - the further along the list the whisky makes it, the more impressed I am:

1. Is it technically still "whisky" (i.e. >40% ABV)?
2. Is it still drinkable (i.e. not reminiscent of chewing on an oak stave)?
3. Does it actually have some discernible notes on the nose and palate other than "oak"
4. Is it enjoyable?

I've tried one or two 50+ year old whiskies that haven't gotten past 2, and most generally top out at point 3 or 4. This whisky however blazes through the list, and goes somewhere else entirely. It's no exaggeration to say that, for me, this presents floral elegance and clean sherry power you very, very rarely see in a whisky. Think some of the best Karuizawas, or most stunning, cleanly-sherried vintage Speysiders. The sort of whiskies that come along once every few years, if you're lucky. We're talking rarified company here.

This is the best whisky I've tried in 2019.

Gordon & MacPhail "Mr George Centenary Edition" 1956 Glen Grant 62yo (51.7%ABV, 62yo, Speyside, Scotland, Cask #4455, One of 235 bottles, £5,000)

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Colour: Deep orange walnut.

Nose: Power and elegance. There are big sherry notes - hazelnuts, ginger, rhubarb, and even some coconut, but also floral subtleties - pot pourri if you like. Everything combines harmoniously and no one character is competing for your olfactory senses. If someone told you it was a well-aged sherried Karuizawa, you'd believe them, such is the balance and finesse evident.

Palate: Initially very sweet, quickly settling into similar notes as found on the nose - floral elegance, coconut and ginger, with an underlying orange blossom note, and candied mandarin peel. After some time in the glass, raspberries and orange (flesh, not peel) emerge, along with some hints of sweet nutty chocolate.

Finish: Long, sweet, floral, with a residual smoky honey oak note.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  95/100. That's a big score (my biggest of 2019) but is entirely deserved. I feel my notes don't really do the whisky justice - this is simply a beautiful whisky - one that I hope every single bottle of gets opened and enjoyed.

A big thanks to G&M for a sample of a whisky that would no doubt make "Mr George" proud, were he around today.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" 1954 64yo Glenlivet and 1968 50yo Caol Ila (Tasted #418 - #419)

It's fair to say Hendy and myself have tried a fair few special drams this year, including a number of old and very old whiskies. Whilst we all know that older doesn't always equal better, there's something undeniably special about drinking a single malt (or even a grain, blend or other distilled spirit) aged for 40, 50, or 60 years, or more.

With the end of the year just around the corner, it was probably reasonable to expect that my "old whisky" quota had been used up, when low and behold the following package landed on the doorstep of TimeforWhisky HQ, courtesy of the lovely folk at Gordon & Macphail...

Containing not only the oldest ever commercially bottled Caol Ila (at 50 years old, distilled in 1968 making it very much "old style" Caol Ila), a sample of Glenlivet was included too - at a whopping 64 years old (1 year shy off the oldest whisky I've ever tasted). 

Considering the previous two months had also seen sample deliveries of a pair of 57yo Longmorns,  a 33yo Glenrothes and a 43yo Inverleven, you'd forgive me for feeling a little spoiled by G&M lately. Suffice to say, I wasted no time diving straight into 114 years worth of whisky...

First cab off the rank was the 1968 50 Year Old Caol Ila, distilled well before the distillery's expansion (completed in 1974), considered by many to be the point at which Caol Ila spirit became significantly lighter. Whilst I wouldn't usually start with an Islay, after 50 years it's a fair bet the majority of the "in your face" peat smoke will have dissipated, as was the case here. Bottled at a healthy 52.5% from a refill sherry hogshead (cask #4021901), this Caol Ila was aged from 21 March 1968 to 8th July 2018 and produced only 199 bottles.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" from Caol Ila Distillery 1968 (52.5% ABV, 50yo, Islay, Scotland, £7,500)

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Colour: Light orange gold.

Nose: Orange rind and lemon zest. Dig a little deeper and there's some citrus-menthol smoke. Lots of fruit - green apples, pineapple, guava. After time licorice allsorts appear, followed by the burnt pastry crust on a lemon tart.

Palate: Full-bodied and "big". Orange zest at first, coated in allspice. Vanilla ice cream, orange chocolate, cranberry syrup and baked apple pie.

Finish: (Very) long, with hints of sweet citrus smoke and confectionary - lemon drops and gummy bears.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Absolutely beautiful.

The 1954 64yo Glenlivet naturally came next, bottled at 41% from a single refill sherry butt (#1412) with an outturn of 222 bottles. Distilled on 15 April 1954, it was bottled on 27 April 2018.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" from Glenlivet Distillery (41% ABV, 64yo, Speyside, Scotland, £9.950)

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Colour: Yellow golden sunset.

Nose: Well-aged sherry (on the drier, Fino / Manzanilla end of the spectrum). Lots of apple and a noticeable amount of grassiness. Rich creamy vanilla, soft oak, and a certain candle-like waxiness.

Palate: Well, that was unexpected. First some earthy smoke, with a distinct herbal note (herbal Strepsils actually). Then some berries - blueberry, raspberry and then sweeter strawberry notes coming to the fore, all with an undertone of aged leather. There's Manuka honey too, and some slight hints of matchheads, but the leather notes remain throughout. There's milk chocolate too, but it's subtle. Certainly the most fascinating Glenlivet I've ever come across.

Finish: A slight meatiness, more leather, mature honey and some oak. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Extremely balanced for a 64yo whisky, with the oak kept in line very nicely.

What an experience. A big thanks again to Gordon & Macphail for the samples.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #300: The Macallan 65yo in Lalique - The "Peerless Spirit"

Whilst it doesn't happen every time, we try to reserve the major milestone "Tasted" posts on this site for serious whiskies - rare, unique and often incredibly old whiskies.

Our 40th post covered Glenfarclas 40yo, our 50th post the Master of Malt 50yo Speyside whisky, and our 200th post covered the Master of Malt 60yo Speyside whisky. (Unfortunately we didn't follow the trend with this 1938 Macallan or this 1959 Macallan, which came in at #265 and #264 respectively...)  

So with us hitting "Tasted" #300 just as we celebrated the launch of the new The Macallan 65 years old in Lalique - "The Peerless Spirit" decanter, it was a no-brainer. We posted a detailed account of the media lunch yesterday, so this post focuses on our tasting notes.

It's not often you taste whisky from a €200 glass, and even less often when the whisky inside that glass is worth significantly more - especially when there's only 10mL in the glass! Such is the case though when you're tasting a whisky that retails for £23,000 / $35,000USD...

Fancy tasting glass aside, it's the whisky we're here to focus on, so let's get on with it...

The Macallan 65 years old in Lalique - "The Peerless Spirit" (46.3% ABV, 65yo, Highlands, Scotland, £23,000 / $35,000USD)

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Colour: Honey walnut-brown

Nose: Lots of woodsmoke - a very interesting trait. Not "oak" as you may get find in other older whiskies, nor peat smoke. More of a forresty type note, with some hints of pine. There's also ginger, spice and even a slight hint of juniper. A lot of variety, and not the sort of notes you might expect from a whisky that was distilled in 1950 and bottled in 2015! A beautiful nose, and one I kept coming back to over the next 20 minutes.

Palate: More woodsmoke, jube confectionary, and a big whack of cloves. There's smoke, but not peat smoke. There's also, somewhat surprisingly, citrus notes - most notably grapefruit zest. The pine notes from the nose continue through.

Finish: Incredibly long, with none of the oaky, astringent tannins we've had on some other older whiskies. There's plenty of that woodsmoke again, and waves of typical sherry notes (dark chocolate, walnuts, almonds) interspersed with lighter, more floral and tropical notes of grapefruit and orange peel. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 95/100. We're not afraid to call out if we think an incredibly-aged whisky isn't brilliant, but in this case, we don't need to. This whisky IS brilliant. We've tried 40, 50, 58 and 60 year old whiskies in the past, and occasionally found them over-oaked. Yes, it's an incredible feat for a whisky to make it to such an age, but in the past we've thought some of them would have been better off bottled 5 or 10 years earlier. That's not the case with this whisky. This whisky feels spot-on - like it's taken a long, long leisurely stroll to get to it's pinnacle, but finally, after 65 years, it made it.

The Peerless Spirit’ decanter will retail for £23,000 / $35,000USD, and is limited to 450 bottles. It will be available in Hong Kong from this month.

Additionally, in January 2017 Edrington Hong Kong will put up a complete set of The Macallan in Lalique decanters, with all proceeds to be donated to charity (50% to HK-based charities and 50% to other Asia-based charities). We're told the set will be housed in a bespoke, yet-to-be created Lalique crystal cabinet, with additional items not available with the individual bottlings. We're also told the cabinet will contain a "secret drawer" with hidden whiskies! Have your chequebooks ready...

TimeforWhisky.com would again like to thank Edrington Hong Kong for a truly fantastic and one of a kind event, to celebrate the launch of this incredible whisky.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #200: Master of Malt 60yo Speyside

It wasn't all that long ago that we tried a few 40yo whiskies on this blog (like this OB Glenfarclas, this IB Glenrothes and this OB Glenrothes), and we thought they were pretty special. Not the best whiskies we'd ever tried, but without a doubt special (especially this 1973 Balvenie, hand-drawn by David Stewart just a few weeks earlier).

Then we discovered Master of Malt, and their 40yo unnamed Speyside whisky (tasted here), and even their 50yo unnamed Speyside whisky (tasted here).

Surely a 50 year old whisky would be pretty hard to top, right? Short of winning the lotto (or meeting an incredibly generous, whisky-loving person who did), I thought that would be about the limit for me in terms of well-aged whiskies....

Then Master of Malt released their 60 year old unnamed Speysider.

SIXTY. YEARS. OLD.

Sure, there are whiskies older than 60 years old, but when was the last time you found one that was even close to accessible? They're usually the sort of whiskies you see selling for $20,000+ AUD (~$120,000 HKD) for a bottle, or $1,000+ AUD (~$6k HKD) for a nip in any bar lucky enough to have an open bottle.

Which made this 30mL sample, at £52.93, all the more interesting. I'd wanted to try this for a while, but wasn't too keen to try Master of Malt's high shipping costs for a few sample drams. When a work trip to London came up though, it was on for young and old.... (and by that I mean, I ordered a dram, along with a few others, to my hotel in advance, so it was there waiting for me on arrival).

(For what it's worth, while no-one has published a definitive answer on which distillery this whisky comes from, the general consensus is that it's a Glenfarclas, which would make sense given there are a number of older 'farclas casks out there with independent bottlers. I also got similar notes to other well-aged Glenfarclas releases I've tried in the past, and if you need any further proof, I was told these were from Glenfarclas by, let's just say, someone who would know...).

Master of Malt 60yo Speyside (42.2% ABV, 60yo, Speyside, Scotland, £999.95)
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Colour: Dark, dark brown copper.

Nose: Wow. Truly a bit of everything going on here. Citrus (limes and burnt orange), spice (pepper), a hint of sulphur, even some juniper! Lots of sour gummy worms (hmm, I got those notes once before...)

Palate: Initially light, but clearly "well-oaked" (read: "overly oaky"). Drying and tannic, with Taiwanese Pineapple Cake, furniture polish, and the slightest hint of smoke. No Citrus like on the nose, but some coconut. Talk about a mixed bag!

Finish: Medium to long. A little smoky. A lot of varnish. Oaky, but not too tannic. Whole oranges.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. Look, for a whisky to make it to 60yo (and still be at least 40% ABV and therefore legally allowed to be called whisky in Scotland) is an impressive feat. Was it the best whisky I've ever tried? No, and I didn't expect it to be. Older does not always mean better. The Nose was A+++ fantastic. The remainder, interesting, but not quite as exciting. All over, it feels like a whisky that would have been in its prime about 10 or so years earlier. But hey, when you're experiencing a whisky that was distilled in the 50s, none of that really matters. It's all about the experience...and what an experience this was.

Cheers,
Martin.