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Tasting the oldest Glenfarclas Single Malt Whisky to date: 58 years old

By Miguel in Tasting , Glenfarclas

glenfarclas-1953-58-years-old

Master of Malt has given me the chance of tasting the oldest Glenfarclas whisky to date, an outstanding 58 years old single cask cask strength single malt whisky choosen by an elitist tasting panel: Serge Valentin, key member of the internationally renowned Malt Maniacs, Master of Malt’s Sales Director Ben, Michal Kowalski of investment company Wealth Solutions and George Grant, of Glenfarclas.

The cask is a Spanish sherry cask filled on 20 November 1953. The angels have been greedy – after 58 years of slow maturation in Glenfarclas’ traditional Highland Dunnage warehouses, the 1953 cask yielded just 400 bottles, that’s around 280 litres of a cask of between 500 to 600 litres, so around half the cask has been lost to the angels. :)

How old is it? This whisky was distilled in 1953. For me the date is unfathomable.

My parents wasn’t even born in 1953.

My country was just starting to recover from a civil war that set it to ruins and the whole world was healing from the 2nd World War. And the grandfather of George Grant was distilling this whisky as his father and his grandfather before him had done for years in a small distillery on the North of Scotland.

I have to say I have been waiting for days to taste this one. And today, my first holiday day is the chosen date!

“Maybe the best Glenfarclas I have had? An awesome single malt whisky as every Glenfarclas whiskies are.”

93
Glenfarclas 1953 - 58 Years Old
The oldest released Glenfarclas single malt whisky bottled to date.

This stunning single malt has been chosen by a panel of experts, between whom you can find Serge Valentin and George Grant, from the oldest casks that distillery had available by Wealth Solutions in collaboration with Master of Malt.

Only 400 bottles at cask strength has result after 58 years of ageing in a Spanish sherry oak cask.

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (93): more than average. candies, eucalyptus, wood, spices, candies, flowers, cinnamon. Like a marvelous wooden box full of violets candies! Really complex and evolving.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, wood, spices, figs, flowers, cinnamon, cocoa. So intense whisky! It is almost smoke on the palate.

Finish (93): long. honey, wood, flowers, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenfarclas 1953 - 58 Years Old with 93 points over 100.

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The oldest and most expensive bottle of my collection, even if this one has never been available for sale. I like this whisky, not that I see myself drinking this single malt but I like it.
I plan doing a vertical tasting of Glenfarclas in the following weeks and this whisky will have an honor place there for sure.


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Delighted with Aberlour A'bunadh Batch 38

By Miguel in Tasting , Aberlour

“Lovely as always. You can't go wrong with an Aberlour A'bunadh”

90
Aberlour a'Bunadh Batch 38
Aberlour A'bunadh is a cask strength Speyside single malt whisky that is released by the distillery in small batches each with a slightly different profile but all on the sherry monsters style.

This is batch 38.

Really a must have and a whisky that is almost near to the almighty Macallan 10 years old Cask Strength.

This dram has a mahogany-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, floral, candies, meat stock, wood.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, floral, citrus, spices, wood, liquorice.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, spices, citrus, nuts.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Aberlour a'Bunadh Batch 38 with 90 points over 100.

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Amazed by Brora 30 years old 8th release

By Miguel in Tasting , Brora

“Deliciously sweet peat from one of the lost distilleries of the Scottish Highlands: Brora”

91
Brora 30 Year Old / 8th Release / Bot. 2010 Highland Whisky
The 8th release of Diageo's revered Brora 30 years old is, in our opinion, one of the greats. Gorgeous fruit, with much less emphasis on smoke & peat this time.

Brora distillery is now closed and these are part of the last remaining stocks that Diageo releases yearly. Brora sunset began with the building of Clynelish just in front of them.

This scotch whisky has been bottled at cask strength.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. peat, honey, floral, vanilla, wood, spices.

Palate (92): smooth, powerful, oily. peat, honey, floral, citrus, wood, peaches, vanilla, earth.

Finish (90): longer than average. peat, honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Brora 30 Year Old / 8th Release / Bot. 2010 Highland Whisky with 91 points over 100.

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Tasting of Glenglassaugh 26 years old

By Miguel in Tasting , Glenglassaugh

“On the edge of greatness! Very good whisky with that floral character that only Glenglassaugh portrait.”

89
Glenglassaugh 26 year
A long-aged official Glenglassaugh 26 years old, added to the Glenglassaugh distillery's range in Spring 2010.

This bottle is a part of a range of very old scotch whiskies that Glenglassaugh has released after their reopening. Very nice whiskies if you ask me.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. candies, floral, spices, wood. Very shy! So hard to get what it is going on inside the glass...

Palate (90): smooth, powerful. candies, spices, vanilla, floral, citrus, wood.

Finish (88): longer than average. honey, some floral, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenglassaugh 26 year with 89 points over 100.

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The Peat Paradise: Islay from Bunnahabhain to Port Ellen

By Miguel in Tasting , Recommended , Featured , Laphroaig , Caol Ila , Lagavulin , Port Ellen , Ardbeg , Bunnahabhain , Kilchoman , Bowmore , Bruichladdich

Islay is an island in the west of Scotland that produce a style of single malts that you either love or hate: peated whiskies.

Gregor Haslinger Islay photo
(Photo on top of one of the Jura Pups looking south overseeing the Isle of Islay by Gregor Haslinger)

You may wonder why such an small island have so many distilleries and I hope this article enlighten you and share with us the passion for peated whiskies.
I have tasted already many of the whiskies created at Islay but I really wanted to taste them all in a row so I can compare them side by side. I hate when I taste blindly a whisky and I can’t decide if it is a Caol Ila ( most are ) or an Ardbeg.

So come with me in this trip around Islay in nine drams. Oh man! I am sure you can smell the smoke from there.

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Tasting of Auchentoshan 12 years old 1998 Fino Sherry Cask

By Miguel in Tasting , Auchentoshan

“Sweet Auchentoshan whisky with the slightest notes of nuts. Nice one!”

90
Auchentoshan 12 year 1998 Fino Sherry Cask
A 12 year old from Auchentoshan, this was aged in European oak Fino sherry barrels before bottling 2010.

The results are creamy and very fruity, and at cask strength there's a lot going on.

A great malty character with the sweetest touch of nuts.

If you like this whisky you should give a try to AnCnoc 16 years old

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, barley, citrus, vanilla, floral.

Palate (89): smooth, powerful, oily. honey, spices, nuts, floral, citrus, vanilla, barley.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, vanilla, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Auchentoshan 12 year 1998 Fino Sherry Cask with 90 points over 100.

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Tasting Macallan 12 years old 1997 Douglas Laing Provenance

By Miguel in Tasting , The Macallan

“Not my kind of whisky but I know many of you that would kill for this one. The most floral Macallan I have ever had”

84
Macallan 12 Year Old 1997 Cask 5745 - Provenance (Douglas La
This single malt whisky was distilled at Macallan in the Autumn of 1997.

It was then aged for 12 years in refill hogshead number 5745 before bottling by Douglas Laing in the Winter of 2010.

This whisky is the most floral Macallan that I have had. Not a single trace of that incredible sherry character Macallan whiskies usually have.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (85): more than average. honey, some floral, spices, vanilla, citrus. Very floral Macallan. One of the most floral I have ever had.

Palate (84): smooth, powerful. floral, wood, spices, vanilla, honey, smoke. Really floral. At times it remind me of Glenglassaugh

Finish (83): longer than average. floral, citrus, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Macallan 12 Year Old 1997 Cask 5745 - Provenance (Douglas La with 84 points over 100.

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Tasting Dalwhinnie 1992 Managers' Choice Highland Whisky

By Miguel in Tasting , Dalwhinnie

“This Dalwhinnie is Nutella whisky. It tastes of nuts and halzenuts. Very good dram”

91
Dalwhinnie 1992 Managers' Choice Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled for Diageo's Manager's Choice series, this single cask Dalwhinnie 1992 is a deliciously biscuity dram, with crisp malty notes and hints of cinnamon and lemon curd. A class act.

A marvelous cask strength highlands whisky but Diageo clearly missed the goal when the marketing deparment set the price for the Managers' Choice range.

Awfully expensive.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (90): average. toffee, citrus, spices, baked apples, cinnamon, fruits, nuts.

Palate (92): . honey, nuts, vanilla, spices, wood, floral.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, floral, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Dalwhinnie 1992 Managers' Choice Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 91 points over 100.

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Tasting Glen Grant 43 years old 1965 Carn Mor

By Miguel in Tasting , Glen Grant

“Floral symphony on the woods! Impressive”

90
Glen Grant 43 Year Old 1965 (Carn Mor)
This single malt whisky was distilled on the 29th March 1965 at the Glen Grant distillery in the Speyside.

It was aged for 43 years in hogshead 2136 before bottling on the 2nd June 2008 at cask strength. A release of 121 bottles from the Carn Mor range.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. sweet, spices, flowers, apples, cinnamon, candies.

Palate (90): smooth, powerful, oily. candies, floral, spices, wood, cinnamon, citrus.

Finish (89): longer than average. sweet, wood, floral, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glen Grant 43 Year Old 1965 (Carn Mor) with 90 points over 100.

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Tasting of Auchentoshan 16 years old Cadenhead's Duthies

By Miguel in Tasting , Auchentoshan

“Floral and malt whisky. Quite interesting this Cadenhead Auchentoshan.”

89
Auchentoshan 16 year Duthies
A 16 year old Auchentoshan bottled by WM Cadenhead for the new range, Duthies.

Duthies consists of six whiskies from a range of distilleries, none of which are chill-filtered, nor do they have added caramel coloring.

This Auchentoshan single malt scotch whisky features a very interesting malt and floral profile.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, malt, floral, citrus, vanilla. Quite good.

Palate (88): smooth, oily. honey, floral, malt, citrus, vanilla, pepper. It lacks of power. Maybe 48% would have been better.

Finish (89): average. honey, floral, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Auchentoshan 16 year Duthies with 89 points over 100.

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