Duncan Taylor & Company registered their cask brokerage business in 1938, and after passing from Scottish to American to Scottish ownership, they celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2008. To mark the occasion, their blenders created a vatted malt from two casks of 1967 vintage single malt, one from Glenfarclas and the other from Highland Park. At full strength, that combination turned out 375 bottles of 46.3%abv whisky. During a lovely quiet Taste Off this week, that 41 year old malt served as the aperitif to the Port Ellen that I reviewed on Wednesday.
Regions: Speyside and Orkney
Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Age: 41 years old (1967 - 2008)
Maturation: ???
Outturn: 375 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 46.3%
(from a bottle split)
NOTES
The nose starts with a mix of rope, brine, apple skins, and lemon cake in the front; barley, cinnamon, and rye bread in the back. After 40+ minutes, the whisky develops subtler notes pear juice, guava juice, and musty old cask.
Menthol, black walnuts, and toasty oak greet the palate first, followed by raw almonds, mint leaf, Good & Plenty candies, and tart apples.
The finish registers sweeter than the palate with sugary apples, apricots, and Good & Plenty. Bitter tobacco, bitter chocolate, and iron appear in later sips.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
A very modest whisky to bottle for the occasion, this 41yo is so gentle next to the 25yo Port Ellen, reading even lighter than its ABV, that I cannot bring myself to dilute it any further. I have a feeling that one of these casks was getting woody, while the other still offered a bit of youth, because those two sides separate here and there throughout the tasting. But it would still be a very nice everyday drinker, as one can appreciate the whisky's lack of bombast.
Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - ???
Rating - 86
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