Whisky: St. Magdalene-Linlithgow 28 Year (1982), Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask DL 6810

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland

ABV: 50%

Cask: Refill Butt

Age: 28 Years (Distilled Sept. 1982, Bottled Nov. 2010)

Nose: Grassy, herbaceous, fresh wasabi, oily fish, a kiss of salt, ponzu sauce, hints of boricha.

Palate: Medium-bodied, chalky, clay, citrus, sweet-salty caramelization, oily fish, herbal and grassy.

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with earthy clay, herbaceous grass, and a kiss of citrus.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Garden-inspired Omakase Set

Narrative & Notes: Fresh and clean, the aroma was grassy and herbaceous, almost like fresh-cut summer grass, with a gradual transition to an omakase feast: freshly grated wasabi, oily Saba, lightly charred barracuda, ponzu sauce, and a delightful kiss of salt. Hints of spring onion and lemon paired with boricha; roasted barley tea. Medium-bodied, the palate was citrusy and chalky with hints of talcum. Lemon and shikuwasa buzzed my tongue with the suggestion of sweet shoyu caramelized on fish skin. A fresh herbal character followed with hints of earth and talc, dandelion greens, and a kiss of salt appeared near the end with malty boricha. The finish was medium-length and slightly drying with earthy clay, herbaceous grass, and a kiss of citrus.

For a brief period, I had three samples from St. Magdalene, a distillery I had never previously tried. This was the last of that delightful set, and I am so glad a few friends were willing to share the experience. The funny thing about scotch and whisky as a hobby, more generally, is how you may reach a point where it feels like you are chasing an ever-elusive high— the high of trying something mind-bendingly strange, unusual, unique, or novel. It is easy to start chasing ghost distilleries and discontinued expressions to find something new, to climb every mountain, so to speak.

I have written before about the Sisyphean nature of that quest and how sometimes it does not produce the value we want from it. I have also compared the quest to try rare and unusual whiskies to Pokémon, especially the FOMO-driven inclination to “catch them all.” I think it can be fun, but it is best to keep perspective on what you really want from the whisky and whether it is worth the time and effort. I find my fun in sharing the experience of a whisky with others, so I am glad my short detour to St. Magdalene was shared with others, especially the joy and anticipation of actually getting to try the whisky.

Overall, I may never have a chance to try another St. Magdalene, so it is nice to go out on a high. I loved the first one I tried but was more ambivalent on the second. My final encounter was striking and delicious. I have never had a whisky that reminded me of an omakase like this one. It had some of the same herbal and grassy notes as the others but with an additional layer of salty, oily complexity. Cheers to Magdalene; though the distillery closed almost forty years ago, I am glad I got a little taste.

Image Credit: The Whisky Vault