Whisky: Dailuaine 18 Year (1971), Gordon & MacPhail

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 40%

Cask: Oak

Age: 18 Years (Distilled 1971)

Nose: Musty white tea and peach with hints of tangerine and vegetable garden; soft herbal and fruit notes continued with resinous fragrant wood, citrus and walnut oil, a touch of engine grease and brown sugar toward.

Palate: Light bodied and oily, peach blossom and tangerine opened with hibiscus and dried coconut, aromatic wood resins, and tea cakes lingered as the notes moved toward fresh cut grass, garage rags, and motor oil, wispy smoke and old citrus rinds lingered at the end.

Finish: Medium to long with herbal tea, subtle fruit, and musty garage.

Score: 8 (87)

Mental Image: High Tea in the Motor Pool

Narrative & Notes: An absolute treasure— I did not expect this whisky to be quite so flavorful after thirty years sitting in the bottle at only 40% abv.  Yet, the flavors were crisp, clear, and well-defined, with a good structure and a lovely balance between sweet fruits, musty herbs, and slightly industrial-dirty garage. It was like enjoying high tea in a garage— most of the dirty shop rags had been put away, but the smell lingered and joined the aroma of steeping tea.  Even on the palate, I found more weight to the body than I expected and a lovely oily quality that flooded across the taste buds.  The finish was nice and long, with herbal tea and fruits dancing in a musty old garage.

Overall, a beautiful vintage malt— the kind of treasure one might be tempted to bury or turn to piracy to hopefully try again one day.