Whisky: Dailuaine 34 Year (1980), Special Release 2015

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 50.9%

Cask: Refill American Oak

Age: 34 Years (Distilled 1980, Bottled 2015)

Nose: Creamy fruits, wax, spice, melon, pineapple, pandan, fried pastries, pudding, hints of herbal tea, florals, and spice.

Palate: Medium-bodied with restrained sweetness, melons, tropical fruits, woody pits, pandan jelly, custard, fried pastry dough, Jasmine tea, hints of medicinal herbs and oak at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with mild sweetness and subtle notes of melon and black tea.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Fruit Buffet at the Pagoda Hotel

Narrative & Notes: The aroma told the story of fruit with watermelon gummies, pineapple soft-serve, mango cream candies, pandan pastries, and hints of McDonald’s fried taro pie. Cream and pastries rose from the glass with fried dough and tapioca pudding—occasional hints of more herbal-floral elements of plumeria, hibiscus tea, and spice. Medium-bodied, the palate featured an encore performance of fruit with honeydew, lychee, rambutan, and guava. The tropical fruits, and the occasional taste of a woody pit, were joined by pandan jelly and custard-filled fried pastry dough. Toward the end, plumeria and Jasmine tea offered a mellow herbal medicinal edge to the flavors. Weathered oak lingered toward the finish with hints of bitterness. The finish was medium-length with the mild sweetness of rice cake and notes of melon and black tea.

I loved the aroma of this whisky; it had a beautiful fruity layer right up front, which lingered through occasional detours pastry and tropical tea detours. Anything that reminds me of McDonald’s fried taro pie is a winner— though now I am left trying to remember the last time that was a special… or I even went to a McDonald’s. The palate was a slight letdown after the nose, but still enjoyable. I was not keen on the herbal-medicinal bitterness that occasionally popped in, but the finish was pleasant, and I appreciated the restrained sweetness of the whisky.

Overall, this was good. It was subtle, complex, and well-integrated. Current prices are not at a place where I would run out and buy this.

Image Credit: Cask Cartel