Pittyvaich 29yo 1993/2022

Pittyvaich 29yo 1993/2022

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, mint, white grapes, malted grains, allspice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Toast, cinnamon, chocolate, lemon zest, green apples, honey, kiwifruit, hints of oak chips. 
Finish: Medium. Green apples, kiwifruit, toast, cinnamon, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Cask 3273. Lots of tart appley notes, with some woody spice underneath. The wood is only faint though, sometimes just a whisper. There’s a surprisingly intense finish, spicy, tart and chocolatey. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Pittyvaich 29yo (2019 Special Release)

Pittyvaich 29yo (2019 Special Release)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, mangoes, white grapes, tobacco leaf, leather, hints of sour cream. With water, lemon zest, sour cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, syrupy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Mangoes, white grapes, tobacco leaf, sour cream, malted grains, hints of ginseng, hints of peat. With water, more sour, lemon juice, ginseng, vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Tobacco leaf, fresh cut grass, ginseng, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

This must be one of the last chances I will have to drink a Pittyvaich. This one has the intense white and tropical fruit notes that I remember, but it's also slightly tart, bitter and herbal. The bitterness is somehow lip smacking, rather than mouth puckering. It opens up a little with water, turning more sour than bitter.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pittyvaich 19yo 1993/2012

Pittyvaich 19yo 1993/2012

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

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, leather, yoghurt, tobacco leaf, hints of orange blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, chewy, creamy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Tobacco leaf, lemon zest, honey, hints of toffee, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. White wine, lemon zest, butterscotch, tobacco leaf, hints of orange blossom. 

Comments: 

Floral and slightly fermented, the nose on this Pittyvaich is unimpressive at first. But give it time - it blossoms into highly complex layered flavours, with notes of lemon zest and even a slight toastiness. The finish is awesome - hugely complex and floral, buttery sweetness vying with minerally white wine.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pittyvaich 25 yo 1989/2015

Pittyvaich 25 yo 1989/2015

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden yellow
49.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, leather, orange peel, lemon zest, honey, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, chewy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rhubarb and custard sweets, honey, toast, grapefruit, lemon zest, hints of orange blossom. 
Finish: Long. Toast, white grapes, lemon zest, hints of wood smoke. 

Comments: 

One of Diageo's 2015 special releases. This is such an underrated distillery, as always, shame it's closed. The whisky is a beautiful colour, has incredible legs in the glass, and has a great mouthfeel. On the tongue it's sensuous and sweet sour, Rosebank-like rhubarb and custard vies with citric grapefruit and lemon. Then a slightly smoky, white grape finish (reminds me of Penderyn).

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Pittyvaich 1989 20 yo

Pittyvaich 1989 20 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Burnt sugar, caramel, butterscotch, milk chocolate, white grapes, hints of sandalwood. With water, vanilla, cream, strawberries, hints of roses.
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, mouth coating, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Burnt sugar, brown paper, butterscotch, cream, white grapes, hints of vanilla. With water, sweeter, strawberries, cherries, honey, hints of condensed milk.
Finish: Short. White grapes, milk chocolate, peaches, vanilla. With water, honey, candied oranges, cherries.

Comments:

Rarest of the rare, an official Pittyvaich! This one is well worth waiting for, light and airy, like a Lowlands whisky, with huge fruit and burnt sugar notes. With water (and it needs water) and time, it opens up, becoming sweeter and fruitier, with even huger notes of strawberries and something like cherries. Very good, and I think this is really worthwhile at its current price.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Pittyvaich 12 yo

Pittyvaich 12 yo

Official bottling, Flora and Fauna
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, honey, peat, mint, pear, hints of palm sugar.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oranges, honey, coconuts, mint, chocolate, palm sugar, hints of smoke.
Finish: Short. Bittersweet, chocolate, oranges.

Comments:

Sweet and luscious, with a great mouthfeel. I had this for dessert, and it was wonderful. I don't get to drink whisky often now, and this opportunity wasn't wasted at all! A great dessert whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Pittyvaich 14 yo 1993/2007

Pittyvaich 14 yo 1993/2007

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malty beer, lemon zest, leather, hazelnuts, hints of cedar .
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, cool, thickens.
Tasting: Sour salty. Raisins, malty beer, leather, lemon zest, peanuts, sea salt, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Walnut skins, lemons, leather.

Comments:

Surprisingly peaty, yet very light indeed. There are strong whiffs of leather and sea salt that suggest more of an Oban or Old Pulteney. Great underpinnings of lemon zest recall Rosebank. Very pleasant indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.