Carsebridge 48yo 1975/2024

Carsebridge 48yo 1975/2024

Fragrant Drops, Keeble Cask Company
Single grain - Central Highlands
Dark yellow
45.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, vanilla, toffee, aluminium foil, white chocolate, black tea, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Blackcurrant cordial, vanilla, toffee, peaches, cocoa nibs, coffee, honey, hints of cooked rice. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, peaches, honey, vanilla, toffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 455300. Quite fruity, but with cereally tones characteristic of aged grain. Chocolate and coffee and really apparent on the tongue, and it all builds to a nice log sweet finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Carsebridge 41yo 1976/2018

Carsebridge 41yo 1976/2018

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Central Highlands
Amber
50.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana fritters, toast, coconut cream, tutti frutti, apple sauce, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cornflakes, oats, lemon zest, toast, sea salt, banana fritters, applesauce, butterscotch, hints of petrol exhaust. 
Finish: Medium. Sea salt, cornflakes, black tea, applesauce, hints of pear drops. 

Comments: 

Beautiful old grain whisky, with appley flavours and a savoury edge. Lots of coconutty fruit on the nose, which fades a little bit on the tongue, as the grain takes over. As most old grain does, it wears its years quite lightly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Carsebridge 34yo 1982/2017

Carsebridge 34yo 1982/2017

Cask Strength, Signatory
Single grain - Central Highlands 
Amber bronze

48.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coconut cream, chocolate, cherries, red grapes, orange peel, corn syrup, hints of oats. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thickens, sticky.  
Tasting:  Sweet. Cherries, coconut cream, raisins, chocolate, walnuts, coffee, hints of pear drops. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, cherries, oats, pear drops, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 74689. A very nice aged grain whisky, lots of coconuts and cereal, and intensely sweet. Lots of fruit on the tongue and the finish too, almost Christmassy in its intensity. Very pleasurable to drink. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Carsebridge 48yo 1970/2018

Carsebridge 48yo 1970/2018

Official bottling
Single grain - Central Highlands
Amber
43.2% ABV
A tiny taste

Nose: Coconut cream, sea salt, burnt sugar, vanilla, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Coconut cream, sea salt, bananas, vanilla, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, butterscotch, coconut cream. 

Comments: 

One of Diageo's special releases for 2018. This is an amazing grain - so old it tastes like malt. It's coconutty and full of vanilla, yet slightly saline and crisply toasty. Incredible whisky, and I'm very lucky to be able to try this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS G2.1 (Carsebridge 16 yo 1989/2006)

SMWS G2.1 (Carsebridge 16 yo 1989/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single grain - Central Highlands
Light gold
65% ABV
Dram

Nose: Light body, thickens, turns to egg white. With water, sweeter, plums, hints of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, turns to egg white.
Tasting: Sour. Bananas, brown paper, limes, lemons, sour cherries, hints of violets. With water, plums, hints of peaches.
Finish: Short. Brown paper, limes, lemons, violets.

Comments:

Very tart, and doesn't smell like grain whisky at all (although it fits expectations better with a dribble or two of water). This is very strong whisky too, probably too strong neat. It's not often that whisky is bottled at too high a strength, but this one definitely is.

Verdict:

Not bad.