Tasting notes for three 1980s Speysiders

Craigellachie 1983, 16 years old, bottled at 43 % abv by Dun Eideann

Makeup: This is a batch bottling in the Antique Collection of no less than 4.000 bottles. If memory serves me well, these bottles were mostly released on the French market. I once owned (and then emptied) a fantastic 30 years old 1972 vintage Tomatin by the same bottler, coming in a wooden box with French certificate.

General impressions: Pure and clean like spring water, of maybe the Spey River itself. After some breathing exuberant fruit comes out, bordering on tropical. I said before and I repeat for the people in the back: this is how malt whisky is supposed to smell. Not like your average table wine. Taking a sip, I notice this is a quintessential Craigellachie, meaning it has this beautiful dry, malty character that is soft on the tongue, but gently warming on the finish. Such an underrated spirit! The palate offers too little to catapult it to the 90 points edge, but this is a decent Scotch. Clean, balanced, showing you the core ingredients but also the mellowed taste (banana, sugars, some grapefruit) that came from the casks. The vanilla in the distance gives a nice afterglow.

Braes of Glenlivet 1989, 15 years old, bottled at 50,2 % abv by Hart Brothers

Makeup: This Braes of Glenlivet was distilled in May 1989 and bottled in July 2004. Some mini sized bottles were also produced. Bottled in the Finest Collection – Cas Strength series by Hart Brothers.

General impressions: Almost at the same age as the Craigellachie, and it does share the freshness we liked so much in that sample. But this “Braes” takes a more grassy route forward. Pine forest notes too, but not very frontal. There seems to be some alcohol hotness blocking the way,  even though the angels already took quite a share. Taking a sip, I feel I might have to correct myself, and wonder if this was a second of maybe even third fill sherry cask. The colour does not show it, but there are lots of chocolaty and coffee notes. This Braes of Glenlivet loses the freshness on the palate, and though it is a more interesting whisky to sink your teeth in, it is not better than the Craigellachie. Maybe a lack of balance. With water, the aroma turns more floral and more interesting. The taste is infused with caramel sweetness. Good recovery after a shy beginning.

Miltonduff 1981, 32 years old, bottled at 53,1 % abv by Adelphi

Makeup: This Miltonduff was distilled in 1981 and bottled by Adelphi from single cask 5066 in the year 2014. The cask was a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. It produced 197 bottles.

General impressions: Okay, let us double the age for the finish of this blog. Over 30 years old, always a delight to taste a whisky from this respected age. The nose does not make it easy to dive in deep. It starts off with some cheese notes, and turns a sweet ‘n sour corner leaning toward citrus and grapefruit. At one point it feels like fermenting fruit, or what you smell in your garden garbage can after trimming the trees. Something is cooking here! Then some tropical notes emerge. This keeps on developing in the glass. Very interesting. The taste is quite a surprise, because I feared it would be overly woody, but it is much more fruity and juicy than expected. Almost elegant. The wood spices are a nice touch upon this fruit.