We proceed our discovery of the latest Maltbarn releases with three single malts from the Speyside area, all of their twenties (properly, virtually…).
We have now a fragile Glenlossie 1992, an undisclosed Speyside Malt 1995 from a (gentle) sherry cask and a Balmenach 2002. Examine the Maltbarn web site for extra particulars.
Glenlossie 29 yo 1992 (49,5%, Maltbarn 2021, bourbon cask, 143 btl.)
Nostril: a beautiful mixture of fragrant pears and peaches, rosewater lokhum, wildflowers and hints of moisturizer. Then lemon peels, wax crayons and vegetal oils. Kiwi yoghurt. Cheesecake. Grassy touches and blossomy oak. I hold writing aromas as a result of it’s laborious to pin down. In any case I discover it intruiging, reasonably female and fairly pretty.
Mouth: once more a bit quirky however intruiging. At its base is a shiny, reasonably inexperienced fruitiness mixing wih floral notes. A refined chalky dryness too. Candy grasses and malty notes. Mint and inexperienced apple, unripe banana, lemon meringue and inexperienced tea. Ginger and a humorous trace of cardboard as properly (which is ok on this case).
End: a bit quick maybe, however clear. Hints of lime, spearmint and drying chalk.
A really floral, delicate, female whisky that jogs my memory of the Lowlanders. A little bit of a particular profile, most likely not for everybody. That stated, I feel it’s pretty and one thing we don’t come accross usually.
Speyside Area 26 yo 1995 (51,9%, Maltbarn 2021, sherry cask, 140 btl.)
Nostril: much more classical than the Glenlossie. Juicy apples and gooseberry tartlets with faint hints of oak varnish. Shifting in direction of beehive notes (pollen, wax, honey). Some almonds and refined custard.
Mouth: similar feeling. Hints of apples, apricots and tangerines. Cointreau. Then waxed papers, honey and touches of varnished oak. Panettone. After some time it strikes in direction of natural tea, mint and heather.
End: fairly lengthy, half fruity, half malty. Hints of bitter lemon, oak and sultana.
Excellent, particularly the beehive notes add just a few factors. It’s just a bit generic to attain greater, and the bitterness of the oak begins to take over on the palate. Rating: 87/100
Balmenach 19 yo 2002 (55%, Maltbarn 2021, bourbon cask, 160 btl.)
Nostril: fairly fruity and fragrant. Peaches, recent apples, lemons and orange peels. Additionally hints of bubble gum. Then vanilla and wildflowers in bloom. Contemporary linen, mint leaves and a touch of yeasty dough as properly. Fairly recent and attractive.
Mouth: candy malty notes prevail, with melons and pineapples in addition to vanilla marshmallows. There’s a grainy aspect to it, in addition to a inexperienced / tart edge and grapefruit notes. The floral notes from the nostril return, mixing with ginger and white pepper from the wooden.
End: nonetheless malty and candy. Fairly lengthy, with hints of melon and liquorice.
Good whisky, with a wonderful recent character. I discover it a bit easy on the palate although, and already exhibiting a refined bitterness which drags it down a bit. Barely underdelivers when you take into account the age. Rating: 84/100
