Caperdonich 13yo 1968

Caperdonich 13yo 1968

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, raisins, orange peel, dried pineapples, black pepper, honey, sandalwood, hints of lohan fruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, dried pineapples, dried apples, cloves, honey, black pepper, hints of lohan fruit, hints of farmyard. 
Finish: Medium. Cloves, honey, dried pineapples, raisins, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Minerally, with a bitter herbal edge, very prominent on the tongue. But under that there is a classic dried pineapple note, which I’ve found in a number of Caperdonich. There’s a bit of farmyardy tang at the end.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St Magdalene 39yo 1982/2021

St Magdalene 39yo 1982/2021

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, honey, marigolds, malted grains, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. With water, honey, lemon zest, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, candle wax, nutmeg, malted grains, pears, gooseberries, cream, golden syrup. With water, honey, gooseberries, barley sugar, lemon zest.
Finish: Short. Icing sugar, golden syrup, gooseberries, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 2094. Superb. Complex, layered with that lovely delicate malty, honeyed St Magdalene note. Lots of gooseberry fool on the tongue too. Delicious whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Sestante, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cookie dough, sea salt, kippers, fish sauce, cardboard, chillies, wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Glue, sea salt, kippers, wet stones, pears, chillies, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of peaches. 
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, glue, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Lots of saline notes, as befits a coastal whisky. There’s other notes, maybe something reminiscent of rancio, like glue and blue cheese. Unusual and rather good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Auchroisk 13yo 2009/2022

Auchroisk 13yo 2009/2022

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, red grapes, Demerara sugar, yoghurt, black pepper, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Molasses, burnt sugar, Demerara sugar, yoghurt, honey, black pepper, red grapes, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Red grapes, orange peel, burnt sugar, yoghurt, hints of black pepper. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, with burnt sugar notes that carry a hint of bitterness. Still plenty of sweet fruit notes though. It builds to a short but intense, spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Speyburn 15yo 2008/2024

Speyburn 15yo 2008/2024

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, vanilla, orange peel, white grapes, edelweiss, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Pears, yoghurt, white pepper, white grapes, cream, strawberry jam, edelweiss, hints of orange blossom. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, cream, pears, orange blossom. 

Comments: 

Very fruity whisky, lots of pears and grapes. Also a mount floral note, like white flowers or edelweiss. No need for water, this just slipped down.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 1972

Cragganmore 1972

Original Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Light amber
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, honey, malted grains, vanilla, roast chicken, white pepper, hints of camphor. With water, honey, white grapes, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, clay dust, white grapes, gooseberries, roast chicken, toffee, sandalwood, camphor. With water, malted grains, grapefruit, honey. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, cinnamon, white grapes, honey. 

Comments: 

Lighter and looser than the Creditable, but instead, sweeter and a meatier texture. There’s also some dustiness and a long honeyed citrusy finish. I love this sort of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 30yo for the Puritan Yacht

Mortlach 30yo for the Puritan Yacht

Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, gooseberries, malted grains, aluminium foil, raisins, toast, hints of roast beef. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Butter, raisins, malted grains, aluminium foil, honey, toast, chocolate, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Aluminium foil, raisins, pears, toast, honey. 

Comments: 

A rich, mouth coating, textured dram, lots of typical fruit notes with a touch of the meatiness that characterises this distillery. There’s also some feinty aluminium foil, but that complements the sweetness rather than distracting from it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tormore 20yo 1996/2016

Tormore 20yo 1996/2016

Single Cask, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, peaches, raisins, fresh baked bread, cream, honey, hints of white pepper. With water, cream, wet stones, peaches, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, wet stones, honey, cream, peaches, white pepper. With water, peaches, cream, honey, hints of pencil erasers. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, white pepper, wet stones, peaches. 

Comments: 

Cask 5655. Rich and apricotty, lots of jammy, even peppery notes. There’s some sulphurous, rubbery notes that appear with water. Very complex and tasty.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenburgie 22yo 1998/2021

Glenburgie 22yo 1998/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden 
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinder toffee, yoghurt, cream, barley sugar, peppermint, hints of plums. With water, vanilla, cinder toffee, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Yoghurt, lemon zest, cream, barley sugar, peppermint, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of coffee, hints of smoke. With water, coffee, cinder toffee, white grapes, hints of yoghurt. 

Finish: Medium. Cinder toffee, yoghurt, white grapes, lemon zest, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 12601101. Bitter, lactic, smoky dram, with light notes of grapes, peppermint and gooseberries. Not as complex as the older Glenburgies, but still rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenburgie 31yo 1990/2021

Glenburgie 31yo 1990/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried mangoes, black tea, raisins, cream, chocolate, coffee, icing sugar. With water, cream, raisins, blackberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, chocolate, coffee, dried mangoes, hazelnuts, icing sugar, malted grains, butterscotch, cinder toffee. With water, cream, raisins, cinder toffee, blackberry jam. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, coffee, chocolate, raisins, cream. 

Comments: 

Cask 12524. Excellent, a fruity slightly bitter dram with plenty of great things like dark chocolate and coffee. It’s sweet and rich, and very satisfying.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle label, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islands
Bronze
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ginseng, camphor, white grapes, roast chicken, white pepper, cinder toffee, hints of butterscotch. With water, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Toffee, petrol exhaust, smoke, camphor, roast chicken, cinder toffee, butterscotch, Chinese angelica. With water, smoke, camphor, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Leather, roast chicken, smoke, Chinese angelica. 

Comments: 

A really good dram that I’ve been chasing for some time. It’s meaty and rich, bitter and herbal, with some smoky petrol flavours. I’m really happy I got the chance to taste this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coleburn 38yo 1981/2019

Coleburn 38yo 1981/2019

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany 
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, white grapes, persimmons, leather, magic marker, pear drops, papayas. With water, fresh cut grass, magic marker, raisins, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green tea, fresh cut grass, persimmons, white grapes, magic marker, pear drops, leather, photocopy paper. With water, fresh cut grass, magic marker, raisins, pear drops. 
Finish: Long. Papayas, persimmons, white grapes, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Sweet, luscious, rich and satisfying, this is a very special dram. It’s fruity and estery, showing its age but is still lively and spritely. Water peps it up a bit, showing even more fruit and esters. Delicious and unusual.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. D

Glenburgie 34yo 1961/1995

Glenburgie 34yo 1961/1995

Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, desiccated coconut, dried apricots, tutti frutti, sourdough bread, leather, dunnage. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cough syrup, liquorice, pear drops, dried apricots, honey, dunnage, malted grains, hints of cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Mint, cough syrup, blackcurrant cordial, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Estery, but with brilliant bitter notes. On the tongue it tastes a lot like cough syrup, but the warehouse aging comes to the fore. Very complex and very well layered whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 45yo 1975/2020

Convalmore 45yo 1975/2020

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold 
47.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, winter melon, nectarines, mint, apricot jam, hints of camphor, hints of cream. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, mouth coating.
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricot jam, honey, fresh baked bread, pears, celery salt, white pepper, malted grains, hints of cream. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, apricot jam, nectarines, celery salt, honey. 

Comments: 

Citrusy, malty and with plenty of stone fruit, it’s a real treat to taste this practically ancient whisky. It’s not overoaked though, lots of bright spice and some old bottle effect come through, even if it’s rather young in the bottle to have developed it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 13yo 1969

Convalmore 13yo 1969

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail

Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cocoa nibs, honey, papayas, butterscotch, pineapples, raisins, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 

Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Papayas, gooseberries, leather, butterscotch, white pepper, raisins, honey. 
Finish: Short. Butterscotch, cocoa nibs, coffee, raisins, papayas. 

Comments: 

Old and dusty, almost chalky. But it doesn’t taste of chalk, instead there’s plenty of tropical fruit, and a fragrant finish. A very good, very old, very rare dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 39yo 1975/2015

Convalmore 39yo 1975/2015

Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, papayas, honey, candied oranges, winter melons, green tea, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, papayas, candied oranges, coffee, mint, malted grains, green tea, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, honey, papayas, leather, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask RO/15/06. Speyside with a difference - lots of tropical fruit, followed by fragrant, bitter coffee and cool mint on the tongue. Long intense malty finish too. Utterly amazing dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coleburn 1981/2008

Coleburn 1981/2008

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, honey, pineapples, camphor, sandalwood, clay dust, wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens, slightly syrupy.
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cookie dough, leather, clay dust, wet stones, pineapples, white pepper, honey, gooseberries.
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, malted grains, leather, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Tastes old, lots of old bottle effect alongside the fruity Coleburn notes. There’s a woody undertone too that’s really appealing. Lovely old whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balmenach 14yo 2009/2023

Balmenach 14yo 2009/2023

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
61.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cloves, sugar cane, maraschino cherries, dark chocolate, hints of black pepper. With water, damson jam, black pepper, maraschino cherries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, hot, astringent.
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, raisins, maraschino cherries, black pepper, blackberry jam, hints of vanilla. With water, cream, malted grains, dark chocolate, raisins. 
Finish: Short. Dark chocolate, black tea, damson jam, blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 1863404. Very sweet, very sherried. I can’t help thinking the cask has overrun the delicate distillate. Still, it’s rather tasty, although I’m perhaps drinking it at the wrong time of the year. It’s a Christmassy dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenburgie 37yo 1984/2021

Glenburgie 37yo 1984/2021

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, green tea, lemon zest, burnt sugar, malted grains, hints of camphor. With water, raisins, malted grains, camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Honey, malted grains, lemon zest, white grapes, burnt sugar, marshmallows, hints of smoke, hints of camphor. With water, malted grains, camphor, burnt sugar. 
Finish: Long. Honey, golden syrup, malted grains, green tea, hints of salt. 

Comments: 

Utterly delicious whisky, hugely floral and fruity, but with a veneer of age - layers of herbal complexity and depth of flavour. One of the best ‘Burgies I’ve ever had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caol Ila 38yo 1984/2023

Caol Ila 38yo 1984/2023

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, sandalwood, smoke, peat, green apples, raisins, cloves, nutmeg. With water, green apples, soy sauce, cloves, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Sandalwood, photocopy paper, soy sauce, autumn leaves, smoke, cloves, raisins, hints of honey. With water, peat, smoke, soy sauce, raisins, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, smoke, soy sauce, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 3122. ‘The best whisky released in 2023’ it was said. I can believe it. It’s Caol Ila like I’ve never had (and it’s always a pretty decent dram). Intense and complex, waves of peat and smoke roll off a fruity, earthy, even floral base. The glass still smelled amazing the next morning

Verdict:

I like this a lot.