Whisky: “Secret Grain Distillery” 47 Year (1973), Nectar of the Daily Drams

Country/Region: Scotland/Unknown

ABV: 48.2%

Cask: Oak

Age: 47 Years (Distilled 1973, Bottled 2020)

Nose: Toasted oak with hints of cream and vanilla, light caramel and caramel flan, traces of coffee and candied nuts.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, vanilla, coconut cream, toasted oak, cardamon, vanilla extract, hints of almond and caramel, peppery spice toward the end.

Finish: Medium-length and drying with sawdust and vanilla.

Score: 4

Mental Image: Mint Condition Trojan Horse

Narrative & Notes: I poured this as dram #17 on a “Holiday Mystery Whisky Advent Calendar” and guessed it was an older Armagnac or Cognac. The tight texture of the dram and the closed-up nature of the flavor profile all had me thinking that this must be a spirit that underwent a long maturation, as oak seemed the dominant force on the flavor profile.

I was wrong, yet I feel at least partially vindicated as this was quite old, and after 47 years in oak, I am not surprised that this mystery single-grain whisky felt oak-dominant. After the reveal, I returned a few days later and poured this a second time. There was not much to the whisky beyond a heavy dose of oaky vanilla. Spice and caramel were fleeting, no more than hints, between the dominant notion of toasted or sun-drenched curing white oak and vanilla.

Overall, single-grain scotch rarely suits my fancy; Strathclyde is a major exception. Like most single-grain whiskies, this lacked a lot of depth, though it is not hard to understand why blenders might prize vanilla-tannic heavy casks like this as components or ingredients for making something else. While I did not fancy this, plenty of other reviewers on Whiskybase were fans, and I do think there is something to be said for how the romance and intrigue of the age statement might make up for any shortcomings.

Image Credit: Whisky Exchange