My wife embraces three main flavor profiles in scotch: scotch that punches you in (or your taste buds) in the face, scotch that is incredibly earthy and funky (think mud baths and shiitake mushrooms), and bath scotch, the sort of dram that you want to soak with in the tub. The defining characteristics of a bath scotch are a silky, creamy, or waxy body, and a fruity profile that may contain coastal and salty elements as well. This often means something in the realm of Glenburgie, Longmorn, Arran, Glen Grant, Tobermory, or Clyenish, and she often prefers the whiskies to be fresh and a bit spirited rather than old and quiet.
I love searching for possible bath scotch during a tasting, and some of the whiskies below hit the target, or came pretty close.
Glen Grant 19 Year (2004), SMWS 9.281 “Effortlessly Elegant”
NOTES: The aroma was bright, fruity, and malty. It initially centered on orchard fruits, apples and pears mostly, in custard pies with malty pastry crusts and a hint of salt. It gradually transitioned toward something more tropical with passion fruit and pineapple pound cakes given enough time. Medium to light-bodied on the palate, the whisky more delicate than I expected, but also more tropical from the jump, with mango and pineapple shortbread cakes. Blue raspberry and vanilla syrups lingered further in with currants and a touch of bubble gum that came out more with water. The finish was medium-length with a touch of salt and dried fruit— kiwi perhaps.
SCORE: 7 (84)
IMAGE: Tropical Bakery Sample Tray
THOUGHTS: The rum finish on the whisky matched perfectly with the Glen Grant vibe, elevating latent tropical elements, especially on the palate and finish. The whisky was more delicate than I expected, the sort of whisky you need to start the night with rather than finish it. If this had been a touch more maritime or mineral, with just another layer to contrast the fruity top notes, I think this would have hit the next level. As is, it was still lovely.
Mannochmore 17 Year (2004), Single Cask Nation Cask 173445
NOTES: Fruity and bright, the aroma was spirited and a touch yeasty. Big pears, guava, and bubblegum appeared with a touch of spearmint hanging in the background. More cream and butter arrived with fresh dinner rolls and guava jam as the whisky rested. Medium-bodied and syrupy on the palate, woody tannins gradually built up for a drying body. Overripe fruits popped first with guava and pear again, while vanilla and cracked pepper waited for a spirited finale. The finish was medium-length with more dried fruits and buttery shortbread.
SCORE: 6 (78)
IMAGE: Biscuit and Jam Pairing Menu
THOUGHTS: This was a pleasant, no-nonsense porch whisky— something you pour to relax with rather than think about. Despite the funky wine maturation, the flavors were relatively tame and well-balanced, though the spirit and woody tannins sometime stuck out a bit too much for my taste. A few drops of water helped tame some of those issues and brought out even more fruit. |While that simplified the profile, it was a more pleasant sipper at that point. Overall, whisky made for a porch swing.
Craigellachie 17 Year (2006), SMWS 44.183 “Food fusion”
NOTES: The aroma left me dreaming of continental breakfast buffets— a culinary experience most enjoyed by the very young, or the very hungry. Froot Loops breakfast cereal offered malty sugars and artificial fruit, with a healthy smelling pineapple bran muffin sat on the side. A touch of peppermint candy and herbal cough drops sat further in with another bowl of bran flakes, coconut donuts, and white hot chocolate. Medium-bodied on the palate, the whisky was tannic and syrupy, spicier toward the end with peppery spirit. The flavors were unusual: tomato paste and canned sardine-tomato mix— acidic, meaty, salty, and slightly metallic. Occasionally fruity, more so with water, the whisky was otherwise maritime meats with a tangy acid. The finish was medium to long and tannic with more vanilla and caramel until tomato and herbs began appearing.
SCORE: 6-7 (80)
IMAGE: Spinning the Wheel of Yogg-Saron at Breakfast
THOUGHTS: Unique and disjointed, this was not unpleasant to drink, but I no doubt scored it a bit higher than I might due to its highly eccentric and fascinating profile. The bottle had been recently opened, so the flavors were still fairly intact from how I imagine they were on the day it was bottled, and I expect that they will change quite a bit, especially as tannic elements soften. I chalk up most of the unusual qualities here to the heavily charred cask finish on the whisky, but Craigellachie is capable of producing its own oddly herbal magic and was not lost under the influence of the cask.
Bladnoch 28 Year (1990), Gordon & MacPhail Cask 5803
NOTES: Creamy and sweet, the aroma was full of tropical creamy goodness with hints of nutmeg and mace in the background. Sandalwood and leather lent a refined aura to the whisky while mango smoothies and something slightly chemical, almost antiseptic, lingered in the background. Medium-bodied on the palate, the flavor profile was all fruity syrups, fruit butters, and fruity pastries. Mango bread and grape must rolls arrived with sandalwood and resinous antiques, while a touch of white chocolate and gummy bears lingered at the end. The finish was long and fruity with dried tropical fruits and macadamia nuts.
SCORE: 8 (88)
IMAGE: Island Smoothie Bar
THOUGHTS: Fruit and delicious, this was not nearly as funk as I expected from an early 90s Bladnoch, and featured a healthy dose of wood after almost three decades in the cask. The whisky was balanced and a lovely syrupyness quality on the palate build to an almost waxy quality over the course of a glass. Overall, one for the fruit fans— count me among them.
Whiskery Turnip 
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