Bulloch Lade & Co., then a subsidiary of the behemoth Distillers Company Limited, released this “Old Rarity” blended scotch in the post-war 1940s.  Prior to 1927 the company was an independent entity owning and operating various distilleries, most of them now lost: Dunbartonshire, Camlachie, Benmore, and Lossit. It operated a few that survived the late 1800s whisky loch and 1920s blood bath of closures such as Tamdhu and Caol Ila.  Caol Ila was the backbone of the company’s namesake blend, and it stands to reason that this blend contains a health dose of pre-war Caol Ila.

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Whisky: Bulloch Lade’s Old Rarity (c. 1940s)

Country/Region: Scotland/Blend

ABV: 43% (75 proof)

Cask: Oak

Age: N/A (Bottled 1940s)

Notes: Holy smoke! A billowing cloud of smoke wafted from the glass with warm ink, paper, and subtle cinnamon and molasses— a burning pile of newspaper in the gingerbread village. A touch of cardboard and musty garden shed danced in with a box of wood shavings, warming percolator coffee pot, pine wood logs, and resin: it was all sweet memories of waiting for a morning cup of coffee in a log cabin. Light-bodied on the palate, the flavor profile was smokey and more maritime than the aroma with plenty of old wooden ships sitting at dock: pitch, brine, and tarry ropes. Mugwort and medicinal herbs burned further in with dried grass, old newspapers, and ash. Digestif biscuits with a touch of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon appeared at times, though it was tough to punch through the veil of time, smoke, and old newsprint. The finish was long and gentle with a soft brine, smoke, newspaper, and fleeting hints of cucumber and tropical fruit— almost ripe mango.

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Score: 9 (92)

Mental Image: Lost U-Boat of the Bermuda Triangle

Conclusion: Yessir, I would drink this every day if I could. It reminded me a less funky and more straight forward version of the 1930s White Horse I reviewed previously. I hesitated to score that, or any of the very old blends I have tried, but this was so delicious I could not help myself.  It was shockingly vibrant and potent considering the age, though I suspect some of those newspaper and slightly cardboard elements reflected the fact that this spent 80 years in the bottle. The flavors developed nicely with each sip, and it was like a kaleidoscope, slowly changing each time, especially beyond those smokey top notes.  Overall, a wonderful time capsule.