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The Macallan
Region: Highlands
District: Speyside
The Macallan Distillery is located about a mile west of Craigellachie
in Morayshnire just a short distance uphill from the Spey River.
Though officially licensed in 1824, illicit whisky distilling
was being conducted on this site much earlier. The high quality
and resulting large demand for this "Rolls-Royce of Single
Malts," as it is sometimes referred to, has necessitated
expansion of the distillery on several occasions. Its production
capacity was doubled in 1965, and an additional nine stills were
added in 1975. Its total of twenty-one small stills (some say
smaller is better), the insistence of maturing their whisky exclusively
in sherry casks, and an excellent management team have led to
the production of one of the finest and fastest growing single
malts in the world.
12 year old
Proof 86
Color Amber
Nose Flowery, sherry, with honey.
Body Smooth, but full.
Palate Dry sherried, with flowers, and a hint of honey. Full and
well-rounded.
Finish Round and lingering. Quite long, with lingering sherry.
18 year old
Proof 86
Color Dark amber.
Nose Plenty of sherry-sweetness with a good bouquet. A hint of
wood and vanilla.
Body Full and round.
Palate Sweet and full. Quite complex with patience yielding sherry,
vanilla-sweetness and spices.
Finish Long and lingering. Assertive with some sherry, sweetness
and wood.
25 year old
Proof 86
Color Darker still than the 12 or 18 year-olds.
Nose Full. Some peat comes through and some oak, along with the
sherry.
Body Full and round.
Palate The smokiness reveals itself, even through the obvious
oakiness. It can be very complex, revealing a different character
at ano
Finish Long, and drier than the 18-year-old. Some very interesting
comparisons have been made between the 18 and 25 year-old Macallans.
Oban
Region: Highlands
District: Western
Oban Distillery, in the western Highlands, may be the oldest
distillery to be in continuous operation. Located in the town
by the same name, it has been producing whisky since 1794, with
only one relatively brief interruption for about a year in 1968-69.
Oban occupies a rather precarious geographical position in reference
to its appropriate classification. Its proximity to Campbeltown
and the Highlands, and its "almost Islands" situation,
could make for good discussion among the argumentative types.
It is classified officially, however, as a Highlands malt.
14 year old
Proof 86
Color Amber to almost red.
Nose Peaty, and rather complex.
Body Medium, rich, silky-smooth.
Palate Some peat, maltiness and fruit.
Finish Good, medium finish.
Old Fettercairn
Region: Highlands
District: Eastern
It is uncertain exactly when Fettercairn Distillery was founded,
but possibly as early as 1824. This makes it one of Scotland's
oldest distilleries. Fettercairn is located northwest of Stonehaven,
near the village by the same name, at the edge of the Grampian
Mountains. The distillery was rebuilt, at least a couple times,
near the turn of the century. It was closed during World War I
and reopened in 1939. It is now a modern distllery and is ideally
located near abundant water from the nearby Grampian Mountains
and plentiful barley supplies in the fertile Howe O' the Mearns.
Until recently, the Fettercairn single malt was very difficult
to find, as most of it went into blends. Single malt lovers certainly
welcome this unique East Highlander into their whisky cabinets.
10 year old
Proof 80
Color Light to full gold.
Nose Full. Light, clean, nutty bouquet, with a bit of sherry and
peat. Trace of vanilla.
Body Smooth, silky, and quite light.
Palate Dry, nutty, well-balanced and clean sweetness. Some spice.
Finish Lingering, clean, sweet and warm.
Old Rhosdhu
Region: Highlands
District: Western
Old Rhosdhu is produced at Loch Lomond Distillery, along with
Inchmurrin single malt. It is a relatively new, and thus rather
rare malt, until recently. The first production of this malt took
place in the mid-1960s and has been bottled for general distribution
only in the last few years. The distillery is located in Dumbartonshire
and actually sits astride the Highlands/Lowlands boundary line.
It is classified as a Highland, however, since it gets its water
from Loch Lomond, which is in the Highlands. Loch Lomond Distillery,
where Old Rhosdhu is actually produced, was formerly a calico-dyeing
factory which was converted to a distillery in 1965-66. Due to
the "Lomond type" of stills, which have rectifying columns
in the still heads, different styles of whisky can be produced.
So, in addition to Old Rhosdhu, a malt by the name of Inchmurrin
is also distilled.
8 year old
Proof 80
Color Amber
Nose Medium to heavy. Some heather and maltiness.
Body Medium
Palate Quite smooth. Dry, with some sweetness and spice.
Finish Medium in length. Some spice and sweetness.
Port Ellen
Region: Islay
District: South Shore
Port Ellen Distillery is the rarest of all the Islay distilleries.
Alexander K. MacKay founded it in the middle 1820s. John Ramsay,
who was a leading figure in the whisky industry, later acquired
it. It was this man (Ramsay) who first recognized the benefits
of exporting Scotland's whisky to the United States. Among his
other credits were research efforts in developing the spirit safe
and his assistance to Aeneas Coffey and Robert Stein with their
experiments which led to the invention of the Coffey, or Patent,
Still which would give rise to the production of grain whisky
and ultimately the predominance of the Scotch blended whiskies
in the world markets. The distillery was rebuilt in 1967, and
doubled in size to four stills. Sadly, the distillery ceased production
in 1983, but its modern malting facilities now serve other Islay
distilleries on Islay. The Port Ellen is still available through
independent bottlers such as Cadenhead, Signatory, Whyte and Whyte
and others.
15 year old, Cadenhead 198
Proof 124.6
Color Pale gold.
Nose Medicinal with the briny seashore in concert.
Body Medium to full.
Palate Plenty of iodine at the beginning followed with salt, peat
and brine. A classic Islay if ever there was one.
Finish Long and tends to mellow with a surprising complexity near
the end.
Royal
Lochnagar
Region: Highlands
District: Eastern
Built in 1845 as it is presently known, the first legal Lochnagar
distillery was actually established in 1826 by a man who may have
originally been involved in illicit whisky. The Lochnagar Distillery
is located about a mile from Balmoral Castle. In fact, the prefix
"Royal" was added after a visit to the distillery by
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848. During this visit and
tour, the owner, John Beg, persuaded the royal couple to try a
dram. They apparently were very impressed and awarded Mr. Beg
a royal warrant and permission to use the name Royal Lochnagar.
In the 1970s and 80s, however, the distillery management decided
to return to its original name, Lochnagar, but then re-adopted
the name Royal Lochnagar recently. So, don't be confused. When
you see the name, it is from the same distillery.
12 year old
Proof 86
Color Golden amber.
Nose Medium to full, pleasant, with a hint of peat. Some vanilla.
Body Medium to full, with some sweetness. Smooth.
Palate A trace of malt and peat, with fruity sweetness. Some oak
and vanilla.
Finish Very pleasant and lingering, with some sherry and smoke.
Special Reserve
Proof 86
Color Dark amber.
Nose Sherry is obvious. Oak, vanilla and sweet.
Body Velvety and firm.
Palate Full. Quite sweet. The sherry comes through, as does the
peat. Round.
Finish Quite long, with some sweetness, peatiness and spice.
The Singleton
Region: Highland
District: Speyside
The Singleton single malt is distilled at Auchroisk Distillery.
The malt was given the "Singleton" name because the
anticipated difficulty, on the part of the consumer, of pronouncing
the name of the distillery. Auchroisk, pronounced "orth-rusk,"
means "ford across the red stream" in Gaelic. It was
opened in 1974 and is located between Aberlour and Keith on Highway
A95. The distillery is relatively new, but has amassed numerous
awards, both for its produce and its facilities. All the Singleton
produce is used exclusively for the single malt consumer and has
been available since 1986.
10 year old
Proof 80
Color Medium amber
Nose Full with some sherry. A trace of peat, heather, fruit, and
smoke is also present.
Body Medium to full. Smooth.
Palate Medium with honeyed sweetness, fruit and some sherry.
Finish Medium to long with some smoke.
Springbank
Region: Campbeltown
District: null
Springbank Distillery was founded in 1828 and is one of the very
few distilleries that is still owned by descendants of its founders
- the Mitchell family. It is one of only two Campbeltown distilleries,
out of thirty-two, that were in production at the beginning of
the century. There are some distinctive features with Springbank
that some believe contribute to its excellent quality and reputation.
For example, its whisky is distilled three times instead of the
customary two times. It also refuses to chill-filter the whisky
before bottling, and it re-distills the foreshots and feints separately
instead of adding them to the low wines in the distillation run.
Its bottlings are done on the premises of the distillery which
is very rare these days. In addition to Springbank, this most
extraordinary distillery produces another single malt by the name
of Longrow which is produced from malt that is wholly peat-dried.
The extremely heavy peat and smoke character of this malt is reminiscent
of Scotch single malts from a century or two earlier. The bold
and adventuresome attitude that embodies the Springbank administration
sets it apart from the rest of the industry. The astute connoisseur
of the Scotch single malt is always alert for the next "surprise
malt" from Springbank.
12 year old, Cask-strength
Proof 100
Color Dark, deep amber.
Nose Full, rich, ripe, with a robust sherry sweetness.
Body Full. Almost chewy.
Palate Very complex, rich, full, round and well-balanced. Sherry
sweet with fruity and brine undertones. A real treat and a
Finish Extremely long and lingering. Complex with some sweetness
and a hint of the sea.
21 year old
Proof 92
Color Medium amber.
Nose Quite fragrant and well-balanced.
Body Full, round and smooth.
Palate Some peat; sweetness, with a hint of brine and iodine.
Finish Long and lingering, sweet with a touch of salt.
Strathisla
Region: Highlands
District: Speyside
Strathisla is an excellent "introductory malt", especially
for those who resent the "peaty character" of most single
malts. The distillery is the oldest distillery in northern Scotland
and has been in produciton since about 1786. It is also one of
the most picturesque. Its facilities were badly damaged by fires
and explosions in the 1870s and then were modernized. In 1965,
the distillery was enlarged from two to six stills. A classic
Highlands, Speyside single malt.
12 year old
Proof 80
Color Amber-golden
Nose Full. Fruity, cereal grain, some sherry.
Body Medium to full.
Palate Medium sweetness, full, well-balanced.
Finish Long, smooth, mellow. Some vanilla.
Talisker
Region: Highlands
District: Skye
The Talisker Distillery was established in 1830 and remains the
only distillery on the Isle of Skye. More precisely, it is located
on the shores of Loch Harport, on the west side of the island,
about three miles east of the town of Talisker, in the village
of Carbost. After a disastrous fire, the distillery was completely
rebuilt during the 1960s. Talisker can be quite heavily peated
and carry the characteristic of seaweed common to most all island
malts. It has been described as one of the most individualistic
of all the single malts. Its distinctive "peppery" character
is very obvious and contributes to the reputation of this whisky
as being one of the most "powerful" of them all.
10 year old
Proof 91.6
Color Medium amber.
Nose Heavy, pungent, smoky, sweet, full and well-rounded.
Body Full, with some sweetness.
Palate Full flavor, which can seemingly, with a few drops of water,
explode on the palate. Can be smoky with malty-sweet tones and
alot
Finish Long and intense, with pepper. Some oiliness may also be
present.
Tomatin
Region: Highlands
District: Speyside
Tomatin Distillery, with a capacity to produce five million gallons
of alcohol a year, is the "largest malt whisky distillery
in Scotland". The distillery was built in 1897 by a group
of Inverness businessmen, but has now become the first Scottish
distillery to be wholly owned by a Japanese company. It is also
considered to be one of the most modern distilleries. The distillery
obtains its water supply from Alt-na-frith (the free stream or
creek), which flows over red granite after flowing through peat.
Some claim this is ideal water for distilling whisky. The whisky
produced by Tomatin is lightly peated, smooth, medium-bodied whisky.
It is a logical "next step up" from a lighter Lowland
malt.
10 year old
Proof 80
Color Medium gold.
Nose Fresh, dry to lightly sweet, some smoke and maltiness.
Body Medium, smooth and soft.
Palate Medium sweet, but becoming dry. Round, with some smoke
and spiciness. Smooth.
Finish Some peat and spice.
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