WHISKY: Bladnoch 23 Year (1977) Rare Malts Selection

NOTES: Musty dunnage and clean citrus offered slightly contradictory impressions. Hay and dried grass, fresh lemons, creamy butter, and a touch of lamp oil were joined by grease, cream biscuits, vanilla, ginger, and digestive biscuits— pastry making in a clean barn? Medium-bodied on the palate, the profile was oily, spicy, and a touch funky at the end. Herbal and green with tobacco, mustard leaf, peppercorns, citrus rind, and more ginger biscuits. With time more newspaper, coffee grounds, and fermenting herbs. The finish was medium to long and drying with citrus, tea pot dregs, and black pepper.

SCORE: 7-8 (86)

IMAGE: Rabbit Burrow on Good Housekeeping

THOUGHTS: This had plenty of the old-fashioned notes I expect from a 1970s malt, and retained a good bit of the spice and spirit of the Rare Malts releases. It had none of the funkier and odder aspects I associate with Bladnoch in the 1990s or thereafter, so it felt cleaner and safer than I expected.  There were few eccentricities here, though it was still an interesting whisky.  Overall, a surprisingly quaffable Rare Malts.

WHISKY: Ledaig 28 Year (1996), Gordon & MacPhail Cask 88

NOTES: Barbecue smoke and toasted herbs delighted the senses with fatty bacon, oily saba, and a well-used ash tray. The aroma was coastal and a touch dirty with rubber buoys and salty harbor air carrying a touch of mint and menthol. More earth and a kiss of animal funk blew in from a petting zoo. Medium-bodied on the palate, the whisky was peppery and maritime with charred driftwood, sea shells, ash trays, charred fruit skins, semi-tart white pineapples, ash, and more fruit rinds sitting at the end. The finish was long and drying with black pepper, maritime brine, herbs, and dried beach wood.

SCORE: 8-9 (89)

IMAGE: Off-Season Harbor Grill

THOUGHTS: Delightfully pungent and powerful considering its age, this Ledaig still had plenty of punchy peat to its profile and aroma. Gordon & MacPhail called out a lot more fruit notes on the label, but that was the only area I really diverged from their pithy description. There was fruit on the palate, and sort of vaguely on the aroma, but it was otherwise straight grill and peppery maritime vibes. The long maturation helped round off any rough edges and this was incredibly drinkable and relaxing. Overall, I am be a massive fan of Ledaig, and this tickled me in the right places— though I wish it had had a bit of funky depth to keep the party going.

WHISKY: Imperial 31 Year (1989), Signatory Vintage Cask 2072

NOTES: Juicy and delightful, the aroma was overflowing with nectarines and peaches with a buttery oatmeal streusel topping— fruity summer cobbler! Peach blossoms and honey suckle lingered further in so that the aroma turned slowly toward floral and nutty notions of fruit tisanes, almond tea cookies, tea resin, icing sugar, and some wispy smoke. Medium-bodied and juicy on the palate, peaches and nectarines arrived with a slightly metallic touch. Silver polish and almond cookies followed with tea resin, white gummy bears, and mango salsa— a final note that grew in intensity over time. The finish was long and lingering with peaches, white powdered sugar donuts, and weathered oak.

SCORE: 9  (91)

IMAGE: Edenic Backyard Garden

THOUGHTS: If whisky profiles have seasons, this was a quintessential summer profile that was absolutely loaded with fruits, florals, and malty sugars. The whisky was juicy and featured hints of dirtier elements hiding in the background— I was not the only one to smell this and wonder if there wasn’t a hint of smoke to it. The whisky was, however, dangerously quaffable, so that getting to some of those deeper notes was a real challenge… who has that kind of patience? This was everything I love about fruity Imperials, but turned up near full volume.  Overall, a dangerous whisky.