Caledonian 30yo 1987/2018

Caledonian 30yo 1987/2018

Closed Distilleries, WM Cadenheads 
Single grain - Lowlands
Bright gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, oats, coconut cream, sea salt, butterscotch, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, oats, orange peel, butterscotch, toffee, hints of sea salt, hints of caraway. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, vanilla, sea salt, caramel, hints of caraway. 

Comments: 

This is clearly grain whisky, but it does feel that there’s more than a touch of malt in it. Lots of orangey fruit notes, and some spiciness. There’s a depth that is lacking in younger grains, and it’s intensified by the heavy luxurious mouthfeel. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caledonian 33yo 1982/2016

Caledonian 33yo 1982/2016

Single Cask Series, Master of Malt
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden yellow
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, corn syrup, orange peel, fennel, caramel, hints of aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla, fresh baked bread, orange peel, honeycomb, orange juice. 
Finish: Long. Corn syrup, orange peel, rye, vanilla, pear drops, hints of fennel. 

Comments: 

Cask 1254. Old grain whisky, as usual tends to taste fresher and brighter than malt of an equivalent age. This one has a great deal of cereal notes, with sweeter, aromatic fruit and some fennel tops. Lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Cally 40yo

The Cally 40yo

Official bottling
Single grain - Lowlands
Sunshine yellow
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, rye bread, black pepper, apple sauce, cinnamon, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Coffee, lemon zest, black pepper, rye bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown paper. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown paper, coffee. 

Comments: 

No water in this, a magnificent 40 year old single grain whisky. The spicy notes are toned down by the age, less intense, but no less clear. Plenty of rye bread and cinnamon, even nutmeg, but this is offset by bitter coffee and a very bourbony brown paper note.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS G3.8 (Caledonian 35 yo 1979/2015)

SMWS G3.8 (Caledonian 35 yo 1979/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, figs, peaches, cookie dough, dates, honey, hints of burnt toast. With water, lemon zest, tomatoes.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, chunky, viscous, oily.
Tasting: Sweet. Butter, toast, figs, peaches, vanilla, dates, brown paper, hints of celery. With water, lemon zest, roses, hints of tomatoes.
Finish: Medium. Burnt toast, peaches, honey, dates.

Comments:

Oooh, old Caledonian. Starts out very sweet, neat, with nice vanilla notes, redolent with honey and fruits. With water though, it becomes tarter, lemony, even a nice sour tomato hint. This is brilliant grain whisky, much less vanilla-laden than normal.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS G3.4 (Caledonian 27 yo 1984/2012

SMWS G3.4 (Caledonian 27 yo 1984/2012

2012, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Very pale gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, dried cherries, black tea, red grapes, hints of dried apricots. With water, sour, lemons, lime jelly.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loose, slippery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Vanilla, dried cherries, black tea, raisins, blackberries, hints of kombucha. With water, more sour, brown paper, lemons, lime jelly, hints of strawberries.
Finish: Short. Kombucha, red grapes, raisins, dried cherries.

Comments:

Interesting sweet, fermented notes, with a savoury edge. Reminds me of nothing so much as the kombu tea health drink lately seen in London. Tannic, with bitter overtones, especially without water, but once water is added it turns a lot more gentle, maybe a little tart.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G3.1 (Caledonian 29 yo 1978/2008)

SMWS G3.1 (Caledonian 29 yo 1978/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Orange gold
60.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, cedar wood, lemons, brown paper, hints of almonds, hints of hazelnuts.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Salty sour. Pears, magic marker, salt caramel, brown paper, cedar wood, lemons, hints of aluminium foil.
Finish: Long. Lemons, cedar wood, magic marker, brown paper.

Comments:

Fruity and tart, with hints of industrial solvents and wood. That may sound a little strange, but this whisky is actually quite tasty. The flavour elements are quite gentle, light even, and there's a nice soft rounded texture that I find a lot in grain whisky. This whisky does show its age a little, there's a little too much wood perhaps.

Verdict:

I like this.