Brechin 28yo 1977/2005

Brechin 28yo 1977/2005

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Highlands
Bright gold
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, white peaches, apple juice, leather, white pepper, photocopy paper, hints of vanilla. With water, papayas, honey, white pepper, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, white peaches, lemon zest, photocopy paper, apple juice, sourdough bread, olive oil. With water, malted grains, white pepper, olive oil, leather. 
Finish: Long. Papayas, malted grains, apple juice, white pepper. 

Comments: 

This is the only official bottling of North Port, other than Rare Malts expressions. It’s rather good, quite malty and leathery, with lots of fruit and oily notes. A good example of bottle aging improving the whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

North Port 20yo 1979/1999 Rare Malts

North Port 20yo 1979/1999 Rare Malts

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk, malted grains, caramel, sandalwood, red grapes, hints of fried eggs. With water, lemon peel, brass polish, meringue, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, tingly, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fried eggs, photocopy paper, sandalwood, red grapes, hints of brass polish. With water, sweeter, lemon peel, meringue, cream. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, red grapes, sandalwood, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

On the back of the bottle it said, "best enjoyed with 2 parts whisky to 1 part water". Well, they weren't kidding. It started out herbal, brassy, even slightly sulphury, but with each drop of water it opened up, gently at first, then more fragrant and sweeter. I lingered over this for half an hour, and by the end it had turned into something resembling liquid lemon meringue pie. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

North Port-Brechin 19 yo 1981/2000

North Port-Brechin 19 yo 1981/2000

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - East Highlands
Yellow gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, mushrooms, lemon zest, lemon sweets, orange juice, hints of chillies.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Mushrooms, lemon zest, limes, orange juice, chillies, red peppers, hints of oranges.
Finish: Short. Peanuts, mushrooms, limes, red peppers.

Comments:

Quite musty and fungal at the beginning, although this is soon joined by spicy, sweet, citrusy notes. A very brisk whisky, hurries the drinker along, and pretty soon, is all gone...

Verdict:

I like this.

North Port-Brechin 20 yo 1970/1990

North Port-Brechin 20 yo 1970/1990

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - East Highlands
Dark gold
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Bananas, raisins, hoppy beer, toast, brown sugar, hints of smoke, hints of orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Raisins, bananas, cedar wood, smoke, driftwood, hoppy beer, hints of sea salt, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Short. Walnut skins, smoke, bananas, hints of sea salt.

Comments:

Pretty hard to track down online. I don't know for sure if this is 20 years old (and indeed, whether it was bottled in 1990) as it tastes too old for just 20 years of wood aging. Very robust, bitter and smoky, with a bourbony banana scent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

North Port-Brechin 16 yo 1981/1998

North Port-Brechin 16 yo 1981/1998

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - East Highlands
Light gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, banana, malty beer, sea salt, grass, hints of peat, hints of limes.
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens up, quite watery, slightly tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Banana, leather, peat, grass, lime zest, lemon juice, hints of lavender.
Finish: Long. Peat, banana, limes.

Comments:

Very light and refreshing. Fermented banana juice, perhaps? Certainly reminds me of the tropics, maybe a nice holiday in the sun.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.