Invergordon 35 Year Old “Dramfool - Middle Cut” Single Grain, 55.4%
From the website: “The oldest release in the inaugural Dramfool’s Middle Cut Series, this single grain Northern Highland whisky from Invergordon was filled into a bourbon barrel [#1481] on 01/18/1988 where it aged 35 years and was bottled on 07/06/2023 at a cask strength of 55.4%. Only 154 bottles were produced.” A sample generously provided by friend Vadim. The nose is full of citrus oil, a bit of a mix between lemon and orange oils is on display there. It’s surprisingly lively on the alcohol front, and not unexpectedly there’s additionally a strong vanilla undertone after that many years in oak, very perfume-like. The palate is extremely clean, sweet orange marmalade over buttery toast. Chili notes and a touch of spice come out in secondaries and last well into the medium-long aftertaste. With water it becomes more chili chocolate-forward with vanilla and sweet citrus undertones. Overall: This bottle benefits well from taking time to contemplate it. Many layers of subtle flavors none of which are contrasting or off-putting work well together. The age gave it a malt-like complexity which is certainly a positive. It’s very good, but I’m having a hard time finding it memorable vs many other well-aged ex-bourbon malts because that’s the space it competes at inside my head. Value: This was $150… While I feel that’s a high-ish price for a single grain, my values are rooted in prices from at least 5 years ago but this is the world we live in. Well-aged single grains are no longer dirt-cheap and plentiful.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1739040
Score: B+
Linkwood 13, Old Malt Cask 25th Anniversary, 50%
Another Linkwood 13? Didn’t I just review a bunch last time? This one comes from 2010 and bottled for Old Malt Cask’s 25th anniversary. Interestingly, it uses old style OMC’s label. This was aged in a canasta cask which is a new one for me, being a blend of PX and Oloroso sherries. It’s often times called a ‘canasta cream’… but that just means ‘a blend’. The nose is full of flavor of funky sherry, wood spices, dried oranges and figs. Creamy consistency on the palate, dark chocolate, more figs and oranges, ginger notes. Aftertaste lingers around bitter-sweetly for a long time with few coffee notes wrapping up the experience with some nutmeg vanilla. Overall: This is fantastic! Relatively easy drinker that doesn’t quite impress with layered complexity yet conques with big bold sweet flavors that work together beautifully. Like a liquid dark chocolate-orange-fig-ginger tart, if that’s a thing you like. Value: Priced at $79, it seems like a steal. I’ve got a backup!
This: https://www.whiskyba … 106/linkwood-2010-hl
Score: A
Secret Speyside (Macallan) 15, Signatory, K&L SP, 65.2%
Lighter color than I expected for age and cask but not small on flavor. If anything, refill helps here as it doesn’t drown the malt as it often can in a single cask. The liquid is medium oak colored or so. The nose is somewhat sweet and funky, lightly sulfuric in a good way, think very ripe, almost falling apart figs. The palate is unapologetically hot with the alcohol, sweet and malty, counter-balanced by light sherry notes that are very present, though yet again not at the forefront. Aftertaste lingers for a while and is very spicy, hot sweet peppers, chili dark chocolate, some tobacco (hi there, oloroso flavor profile). Overall, well balanced, spicy-hot malt from a quality refill cask. Water is recommended to dull the edge here, it cuts through the alcohol, though brings more of the sulfuric note to the front, a restraint is needed. This straddles that odd line between sublime CS sherry bomb releases of old and mediocre modern oak cask releases, while still at a very fiery proof. Can I tell it’s a Mac? Not really. Do I need to know that in order to enjoy? Also no. Value: Fantastic at $79, as a preorder. Even with a bump to $99, still reasonable-ish.
Score: B+ (w/ water)
Balvenie 21 Portwood, 43%
An original bottling? In my hands? Unpossible! Thanks friend Mark for a generous donation. This is actual distillery bottling and a reasonably fancy one at that. The nose is plum blossoms cologne and light wood on the forefront. The palate is excellent, it’s creamy, malty, woody, sweet, spicy, still a bit plummy in the secondaries especially. Surprisingly flavorful and malt-forward for the proof. The aftertaste has more malty creamy notes and lingers for a while with light wood spice, and plummy jam notes. Overall: Easy-drinker, excellently balanced, and nostalgically familiar, this evokes the childhood (not too sweet) jam on buttery toast memories. Slightly underproofed, this won’t quite impress enthusiasts but would be very good for a beginner. Even then, don’t hesitate to grab a glass and relax in an armchair. This is an enhancement, not an assault on the senses. Value: Eeeeeh… it’s like $250-300. I’ll pass buying one but it’s well worth trying at a bar if offered at an affordable deal.
Score: B+
—
Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown