Strathclyde 25 Year (1989), Cadenhead’s
Whisky: Strathclyde 25 Year (1989), Cadenhead’s
Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland Grain
ABV: 57.8%
Cask: Bourbon Barrels
Age: 25 Years (Distilled 1989, Bottled 2014)
Nose: Citrusy lemon-lime with loads of herbal spice as sage and eucalyptus spilled over to hard cheese rinds and weathered oak. More time brought vanilla, funky cream, the woodsy quality of Lincoln Logs, and mossy earth.
Palate: Medium-bodied, viscous, drying on the finish, citrusy and herbal with cured wood and log cabins, clay and earth— plenty of eucalyptus and mint with subtle sage and camphor, hints of salt, more earth and herbal funky toward the end.
Finish: Medium length and drying with more vanilla, lemon zest, and earth.
Score: 7
Mental Image: Abandoned Middle School Science Equipment
Narrative & Notes: I poured this as a blind sample for our online whisky group’s advent calendar. Some of the earthy elements initially reminded me of McCarthy’s American single malt; however, the more I sat with it, the clearer it became that this was a single grain. The vaguely, almost plasticine notes and clay reminded me a lot of some of the recent Invergordon from Thompson Brothers, so I guessed it was a late twenties Invergorden…. I was so close! I was correct that it was a twenty-something Lowland grain, but wrong on the distillery— Strathclyde strikes again!
A little voice on my shoulder suggested this was a Strathclyde; it is no secret that I find Strathclyde to be generally the most characterful grain distillery. Like many single grain whiskies, it transforms into a gooey, creamy, vanilla, and caramel delight with enough time— but I find it can even be good in its teens— a point at which few single grain whiskies are all that good.
Yet, I have never had a Strathclyde with quite this kind of funky intrigue and so little creamy vanilla. It is not that vanilla and cream were not there, but so many other notions and flavors complemented them that they fell further into the background instead of the spotlight. I loved the almost plasticine notes that emerged between the cheese rinds, eucalyptus, and earth. The whisky was viscous and well-balanced on the palate, if not a touch tannic and astringent on the finish.
Overall, a unique and surprising grain!
