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| Hello, that is considered one of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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July 25, 2022
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Strathisla and Milton
by Gordon & MacPhail
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Slowly entering into the spirit of this wee web site’s twentieth Anniversary, which can occur on Thursday.
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It’s unbelievable what Gordon & MacPhail are nonetheless having so far as outdated casks are involved. Bear in mind, it is their fillings, they have an inclination to not purchase ready-made whiskies, they fill their very own woods. Additionally, as Michael Jackson as soon as wrote, ‘they saved malts alive after the business turned its consideration virtually solely to blends.’
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We typically consider they seem to be a fairly old style firm, however in fact, today, what’s really old style is short-term, fast bucks, b******t advertising and marketing and aimless brand-creating/constructing/pumping-up, that are all sides of the exact same coin: making an attempt to make fast cash as an alternative of making worth. You might argue that that comes from the truth that G&M are a household enterprise, the place the fathers, moms grandfathers and grandmothers are occupied with the subsequent generations each time they’ve a call to make.
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I consider you’ll be proper, I am in that place too (not with Whiskyfun, thoughts you) and I do not suppose you would truly do enterprise extra dynamically than that.
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Good, after that two-penny introduction (I am asking in your forgiveness), let’s take a look at what we have now on the tasting desk right now: a Milton 1949.
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Milton, additionally typically Milltown, is the older identify for Strathisla Distillery, which was christened ‘Strathisla’ solely in 1951. So, something distilled and stuffed earlier than 1951 would have been from ‘Milton’ or ‘Milltown’, even when the identify of the make had been Strathisla lengthy earlier than. So, I discover it cool and charming, if maybe a bit of coquettish, that G&M would have named this new 1949 ‘Milton Distillery’, as an alternative of Strathisla.
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Aspect be aware: we have tried fairly a couple of outdated Strathislas by G&M earlier than (both below their very own labels or below the distillers’). For my part, the assorted pre-war ones weren’t fairly on par with the Macallans or Glen Grants, to not point out the Linkwoods, Mortlachs or Glenlivets, however the 1948-1961/1981 for Diana and Charles was glorious whereas one other 1949, bottled in 2006, had been fairly very good too. It’s not inconceivable that Strathisla wanted a couple of extra watts than simply 40% or 43%, each strengths that different distilleries would have simply handled, particularly Glen Grant and Macallan. By the best way, the assorted 100° proof expressions of Strathisla, particularly the 15 yo, had usually ranked very excessive on little WF.
(Attention-grabbing advert in London’s Information to Main Resorts (circa 1880). Notice using the wording ‘whiskey’)
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However sufficient awful literature, let’s strive the brand new surprise (the value is barely that of a brand new Tesla Mannequin Y, in spite of everything). However first a wee sparring accomplice that we have discovered at G&M’s too, for the sake of consistency.
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Strathisla 13 yo 2008/2021 (57.7%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Alternative for Van Wees a hundredth Anniversary, first fill sherry hogshead, cask #17603109, 334 bottles) 
We have seen, whereas visiting ‘seasoning’ bodegas in Jerez, that G&M maintain asking for bungs within the staves and never within the tops. Nonetheless no palletisation, apparently, hurray. Color: full gold. Nostril: outdated barrique, rubber, coconut, walnut wine, balsamico, vanilla… It is nonetheless a bit of tough when unreduced, however let’s have a look at… With water: a bit of ginger and leather-based at first, then extra desserts, honeys, raisins, some meatiness, dried beef, jerky, a superb few drops of outdated wine vinegar from Jerez… Mouth (neat): a lot better on the palate when unreduced, right here on roasted nuts of all types, plus toffee and what we name ‘Carambar’. Roasted pecans, peanuts, demerara sugar, raisins, Mars bars and Twixes… Reasonably creamy and syrupy mouth really feel, virtually like honey. By the best way, there are additionally notes of chestnut honey. With water: candy beers, meads, caramel… End: lengthy and fairly spicy. These first fill hogsheads are very ‘first fill’ certainly, they’d have harboured seasoning sherry for just one or two years earlier than they’re full of whisky. Ginger, chocolate and pumpernickel within the aftertaste. Feedback: massive boy. Maybe a bottle to cellar for twenty years? We’d see if it ever reaches the excessive degree of a few of G&M’s 15s 100 proof.
SGP:651 – 87 factors. |
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Milton Distillery 72 yo 1949/2022 (48.6%, Gordon & MacPhail, Personal Assortment, first fill sherry puncheon, cask #383, 180 bottles) 
All the time an utter pleasure to style some whisky that is (a lot) older than you. A puncheon sometimes shelters approx. 500 litres whereas this one comes with an outturn of 125 litres, which means that precisely ¾ of the content material has gone to many generations of angels. Until the Administrators have saved some in demijohns for their very own wants, which is strictly what I’d have accomplished myself (proper, proper). Anyway, let’s strive the oldest whisky from ‘the oldest working Distillery within the Highlands’ (1786), though the wonderful folks at Glenturret could disagree right here. Color: pure gold. Nostril: as soon as once more, this was to be anticipated. The nostril is magnificent, extremely recent, and fairly on many herbs and teas, complemented with a bit of beeswax and shoe polish, in addition to wee pink bananas on the market. There may be additionally a fairly profound minerality that I used to be not anticipating on this context. As for these herbs and teas, we’ll point out the standard chamomile, mint leaves, woodruff after which whiffs of elderflowers. There may be additionally a bit of pure vanilla, sesame oil and grated zests, however these would stay within the background. All in all, I would not have mentioned ‘first fill sherry’ this far and we’re fairly removed from ‘brother Longmorn’ of comparable ages in that respect, however perhaps was it a fino or a manzanilla? Or a type of amontillado-y finos from Montilla that they are making out of PX fairly than palomino? We have simply tried an impressive outdated bottle of that at Château Whiskyfun. Mouth: at all times the identical stress with these very outdated whiskies, will they’ve grow to be too oaky? In fact it’s oaky certainly, however as I’ve seen prior to now with different very outdated ones from G&M’s, that oakiness acquired transformed into pretty piney notes, propolis, banana skins, important oils, thyme, nutmeg, peppery cinnamon… There may be an superior fruity-ish bitterness too, and as anticipated, many issues mentholy. Cough syrups, lotions and cordials, and definitely some high-cuvée of Chartreuse. The monks are at all times proper, so long as they behave. Nutshell: incredible piney/mentholy freshness. End: oh, some raisins and a contact of marmalade! All the remaining stays on recent mint and associated molecules. Feedback: what’s troublesome certainly right here is to overlook about the home’s outdated Glen Grants, Longmorns and even Glenlivets whereas making an attempt this Strathisla that, stylistically, doesn’t play in precisely the identical yard, as we are saying. However it fairly does so far as general high quality’s involved.
SGP:571 – 92 factors. |
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