Allt-a-Bhainne 24 Year (1997), Thompson Brothers
Whisky: Allt-a-Bhainne 24 Year (1997), Thompson Brothers
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 43.2%
Cask: Refill Barrel
Age: 24 Years (Distilled 1997, Bottled 2021)
Nose: Citrusy, malty, slightly floral; pastries, gardens, marzipan, shortbread, wood, white flowers, tea.
Palate: Medium-bodied, syrupy at times; pastries, buttery, malty, vanilla, garden flowers, marzipan, lychee, honey, herbal tea.
Finish: Medium to long with honey, citrus, and a touch of lemon grass.
Score: 7 (85)
Mental Image: Tropical Pastries at the Garden Party
Narrative & Notes: Citrusy and rich, the aroma delivered lemon bars and citrusy cream filled cookies to the garden party table with lovely spring florals and an underlying maltiness. Hints of marzipan and fruity almond extract lingered with buttery shortbread and a kiss of lemon grass—a bakery unafraid of uncommon flavor combinations. White flowers and wood mulch carried the aroma to the garden for herbal tea, gardenia, and raspberry petit fours. Medium-bodied and mildly syrupy on the palate, the flavor profile offered up a similar spread of rich, buttery citrus and pastries with more subtle varnished wood, vanilla, caramel biscuits, and garden flowers in the background. Marzipan and hints of lychee swirled with fruity almond extract— perhaps an almond float for dessert with a glass of well-honeyed herbal tea. The finish was medium to long with honey, citrus, and a touch of lemon grass.
No wonder this distillery is so unknown, just typing the name feels like a chore. Wait, that is not why Chivas has never invested in creating a single malt brand for the distillery? Go figure. Allt-a-Bhainne, which is not pronounced at all how I thought it was, counts among the large, and largely unknown, Chivas workhorse distilleries— that is, virtually all of its production supports the major Chivas blends. The distillery was part of the 1970s new wave when it opened in 1975, a sort of golden sunset on the halcyon days of the 1960s as storm clouds gathered over the industry in the late 70s and early 80s.
Overall, a pleasant whisky— the kind made for sipping quietly and which does not make great demands on one’s attention.
Image Credit: Rye Am Legend, check out his review through the link!
