Auchroisk 30 Year (1982), 2012 Special Release
Whisky: Auchroisk 30 Year (1982), 2012 Special Release
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 54.7%
Cask: American and European Oak
Age: 30 Year (Distilled 1982, Bottled 2012)
Nose: Toffee, dried fruit, and spice. Sticky date cakes, honey, butterscotch, and prickly pear cactus jelly top notes floated over a mineral, almost stone-like, undercurrent. The aroma was rich and sweet— the wife described it as vanilla-butterscotch pudding. A sweet cinnamon and cardamon spice lingered behind the caramelized sugars.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a rich syrupy quality that carried leather, tobacco, and spice notes. Rich notes of dried dates and sun-dried tomatoes paired with old stained wood and worn leather. Medium roasted coffee appeared on the mid-palate with treacle, cinnamon, cardamon, and scalded cream. Brown sugar and a kiss of salt lingered at the end with a tingling astringency that built over time.
Finish: Lingering notes of brown sugar and oak.
Score: 7
Mental Image: Bittersweet Candied Tomatoes
Notes: Without a doubt, this was the most characterful Auchroisk I have ever tried. It was far from the mild-mannered, creamy, yet, slightly bland malt I have come to expect from the distillery. I have remarked more than a few times that while I can see why a blender would love the malt as a tool, I could not understand why one would drink it as a single malt. I would not go so far as to say this has changed my mind, but I loved how the creamy malt balanced against an obvious sherry cask influence and the richer spice and mocha from European oak. The pairing of malt and cask was well done, and I am at least curious to try some younger Auchroisk stashed away in a first or second fill European oak cask. The creamy malt and the peppery-bittersweet qualities seem almost made for one another.
Ideally, you want the Diageo Special Releases to be something that surprises and delights— you want them to be unique. I thought this one delivered. It was easily the best Auchroisk I have tried. I have not tried any of the other Auchroisk Special Releases, and there have not been very many, so I do not know how this stacked up against them.
A friend recently revealed to me that he is an absolute Auchroisk Stan— I knew Auchroisk bottles frequently appeared at local bottle shares and tasting events, but I had never realized it was always the same guy. I was shocked to discover that not only does the distillery apparently have some big fans, that I know one. It turns out that this 30 Year Auchroisk turned him onto the distillery, and he has never looked back.
Image Credit: Whisky Online
