Pittyvaich 1993/2005 Connoisseurs Choice G&M 43%

When I stepped into Gordon & Macphail in Elgin, I was in two minds – I could go for the well aged high value bottle like a G&M shop exlcusive, or several cheaper but less common whiskies. I felt inclined towards the former, but then I saw their wall of samples, with names like Pittyvaich, Inchgower, Fettercain that one just simply does not normally gravitate towards. The deal was done and I left with a haul of over 40 samples.

I don’t expect these to be amazing of course, but I am looking to be surprised, whether for better or worse, I mean it’s all about the experience. So Pittyvaich, no long and storied history, no drownings, no hauntings, no dammed up water sources. Simply built by Bells for their blends in the whisky boom in 1974, right next to Dufftown distillery. Then lean times followed and the industry found it could do away with superfluous distilleries, and so United Distillers, now owners of Bells, closed Pittyvaich in 1993, demolished 2002, and that’s it. See what I mean.

(archival – canmore.co.uk)

Old photos of the stills show 4 fairly tapered stills with flat lyne arms, exact copies of sister Dufftown’s.

  Nose: High esters – acetone/varnish, wood glue. Maybe chalky white wine, clearly a lighter speysider, with oak that has been hands off. A very clean spirit, maybe a touch of clean white wood, something medicinally sour – quinine?

 Palate: Light and lean. Chalky again, slightly sweet but feinty. Almost woodier on the palate, some white pepper, and a green sourness.

 Finish: Medium, drying, ‘alkaline’.

Would make a nice whisky and tonic.