V.S.O Scotch Whisky (Glen Mhor) 1917 95 proof vs Glen Mhor 30 yo 1966 For the 30th Anniversary of Bar Metro
In what may turn out to be an ill-advised session, and because these are the only two Glen Mhor I have on hand. Glen Mhor is of course closed and gone, but these old bottles suggests it was well valued in its time:
V.S.O Scotch Whisky (Glen Mhor) “Ten years in wood when shipped” 1917 95 proof
A very interesting old bottle, with a curious label that uses Cognac nomenclature, and makes mention of its import: ‘Imported per S/S Tamaqua” and a date: “May 5, 1916” Bottled March 1917, means this must have been imported as a cask. Charles MacKinlay owned the Glen Mhor distillery.
(picture: whiskyonlineauctions)
Nose: Pleased to report it’s still very much alive. A touch of OBE, but I get much soot and grittiness, some charcoal. Some mix of cooking oils, little camphor and dried out bunches of spearmint. Old waxes, old lacquer, some very old wood. Very much old school in that sense. Crushed peppercorns and cut green vegetables – like celery and something rooty but fresh like turnip? And lovage or sage maybe? Licorice root and crumbling paper? Either that or the bottle spent it’s life in a kitchen. Not the loudest of noses but expressive enough after all this time.
Palate: Back in the kitchen, old oils, camphor bark, savoury green herbs, quite herbal really. Woks and stove tops, a bit of soot and grime. Drops of treacle. Old wood, old peppercorns, starts to falter a little, quickly goes to old wax, old cabinets and ancient dried herbs.
Finish: Not that long, old wax, old cabinets and ancient dried herbs.
Glen Mhor 30 yo 1966 For the 30th Anniversary of Bar Metro 60.1%
Quite a well known bottle for a well known bar. Though not entirely sure if it’s fair to put this monster after the ancient 1917 Glen Mhor, imagine 60.1% after 30 years! Not sure if it’s noseable at this strength by anyone, so a few drops of water are allowed.
Nose: Beastly sherry. Full of those purple aromatics that scream dehydrated figs and plums, liquefied oak, thick Balsamico, some soy sauce even, herbal bitters, blocks of 100% cocoa, and hot tar. Bags of coal and some earthy ripeness too. Monstrous nose.
Palate: Full on sherry. Surprise: Quite gamey on the tongue, and full of savoury herbals. Then the rich purples and dry almost-phenolic notes arrive. Bitters, tar, balsamic etc. Dark chocolate. Dried cracking leather and saddles. Very ‘hunters cabin in the woods’ for some reason. A lot going on here really, and it goes on and on.
Finish: Long, lots of savoury herbal overtones and ripe game. Even the purples are something of an undercurrent. Not the kind of sherry monster you get anymore. World’s apart.
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