Whisky: Carsebridge 44 Year (1976), Dramfool

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland (Single Grain)

ABV: 41.5%

Cask: Ex-Bourbon

Age: 44 Year (Distilled 12 March 1976, Bottled 2 Oct. 2020)

Nose: Fruit, cream, and a spicy-salty funk in the background. Creamy lemon meringue, vanilla pudding, dried apricots, and a faint floral oil. Funkier turn with a used wooden cheese board, lemon pepper rub, and salty capers.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a smooth, almost silky texture and oily mouthfeel that increased over time. Fruit and cream combined in interesting ways while antique furniture sat dusty in the background. Lemon wedges, white wine, and butter front and center. Slowly developing, notes of nutty almonds appeared along with a fruity Bellini, jarred peaches, and white nectarines.

Finish:  Lingering Bellini and buttery cream.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Bellini Custard Pie

Notes: I love a dram that reminds me of pie— that mix of malty pastry dough, buttery crust, and caramelized fruit sugars. Not only do I love a dram that reminds me of pie, but I also love pie. There is an excellent local pie truck known as “Sweet Revenge” that occasionally features an absolutely delightful Bellini Pie. I have not frequented the pie truck quite as much lately, but this dram reminded me strongly of that Bellini Pie, and now I find myself waiting for it to appear on the menu again.

The peaches and nectarines on the palate seemed to develop out of nowhere. They first appeared on the finish and slowly grew to prominence on the nose and the flavor profile as I continued to sip on the glass. This dram developed beautifully, and I loved the buttery-silky mouthfeel of the very mature grain. This was brilliant with a perfect balance of sweetness, cream, and funky background notes.

Image Credit: Dramfool