Tasting notes for an older Auchentoshan core range

Auchentoshan American Oak, bottled at 40 % abv

Makeup: An expression without age statement, coloured with caramel and solely matured in first fill North American bourbon casks. My miniature was probably bottled in 2014/2015.

General impressions: Extremely light on the nose, but the few smells I manage to sniff up are nice. Banana, vanilla, all the usual flavors on my ice cream cone are there. It does appear well-balanced and just straightforward fruity. The taste however is severely lacking in character. While I type these sentences I still have the whisky in my mouth, but nothing comes out. Cardboard, a hint of bitter wood, some light vanilla, but very watery. The 5 year old Pearse Lyons Irish Whiskey I tasted recently had more character than this. There is no finish to speak off.

Auchentoshan 12 years old, bottled at 40 % abv

Makeup: The age statement and the fact this was artificially coloured is about all the information we can find on this expression. Bottled somewhere around 2014-2015.

General impressions: Obviously more complex on the nose than the first sample. Ripe banana, more vanilla, porridge, and a hint of anise. A meadow of flowers. All very light, too light if you ask me, but it is clean and friendly. The taste is very dry, a lot more wood, which makes me wonder how young the American Oak actually was, but still there is not much going on here. The finish ends with a hint of soap. My oh my, Auchentoshan was not really interested in raising the bar very high, 10 or so years ago. Maybe the low abv kills the spirit (literally and figuratively).

Auchentoshan Three Wood, bottled at 43 % abv

Makeup: Matured in casks that previously held bourbon, oloroso and PX sherry. Strangely enough, the proprietor still thought it needed some extra colouring, so that it got too. No age statement, bottled around 2014/2015.

General impressions: An advanced warning, I might go easy on this one, because the Three Wood was a guilty pleasure of mine. It was a whisky I first drank in a Glaswegian bar and it left a mark on me in another way than just tasting the stuff. I bought a big bottle of this a few years ago and still liked it then. Sticking my nose in now, I am confirmed in that it’s very pleasant to smell. Lots of red fruits, traditional raisins and maybe a hint of perfumed mint. Taking a sip, the experience is less sticky than I remember it, but nicely rounded with coffee, chocolate and wood notes. It seems to me the oloroso influence is doing the heavy lifting here, and that is a good thing. It is not so overly sweet as PX-infused whisky can be nowadays.