Another Pokédex entry complete— I won this mini at auction as I focused on knocking out some of the distilleries I had never tried before. I hoped it would be good, but I was prepared for it to be nothing more than a novelty. 

Kinclaith was a lowland distillery that operated on the same campus as Strathclyde from 1957 to 1975. This was not an entirely unusual arrangement as similar shared operations existed at Inverleven-Dumbarton and Ladyburn-Girvan, while none of those malt distilleries still operate and the entire Dumbarton complex is shuttered, William Grant & Sons did open a new malt distillery, Ailsa Bay, at Girvan in 2007.

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Whisky: Kinclaith (1966), Gordon & MacPhail

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland

ABV: 40%

Cask: Oak

Age: N/A (Distilled 1966)

Notes: Slightly floral and woody, like a campus flower bed spread with wood chips coming alive in the spring with tweet jacket wearing scholars rushing to and fro. Hessian, lemon rind, dried grass, and wispy old tobacco smoke, like a gentle used ashtray, the sort that used to sit and wait for the casual smoker, wafted in with perfumed vanilla and rose buds. Light-bodied, but weighty considering the age and abv, the flavor profile featured crisp citrusy tangerine leading into mango, and grew fruitier over time with buttery shortbread. Mineral oil filtered to the top with old ashtrays and a touch of pepper, tweed, hessian, and wood chips. Hints of more herbal spiced appeared with time as coriander and thyme developed with subtle woody resins. The finish was medium to long and slightly bitter with dry herbs and wood.

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Score: 8 (87)

Mental Image: Campus Tweed Jacket Club

Conclusion: I was pleased with my first, and likely last, Kinclaith experience. The aroma and flavors were remarkably lively for something that sat in a mini bottle for twenty to thirty years. The finish was a touch bitter and incomplete, but the rest of the experience was lovely with soft floral and fabric notes butting against fruits, slightly tropical at times, and dirtier notions of slightly used ashtrays or mineral oil. Despite the low abv, the mouthfeel had a good weight to it and it grew waxier over time, like chewing a paraffin candy. Overall, perfect for a special occasion.