Tamnavulin Moon Import ‘Birds’ 1966 / 1988 45% vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2010 Berry Bros for Whisky-e #5890 53.4% vs Clynelish 24 yo 1989 / 2013 Adelphi #3846 53.1%
Tamnavulin Moon Import ‘Birds’ 1966 / 1988 45%
Beautiful labels. This old Tamnavulin has much to say, and does so in a lilting accent of old, if you will. Copper coins, tacky grease, char stained ovens, some dirty flints and damp earth. Immediately recognizable as an older style of whisky. Here’s apricots or oranges browning at the bottom, honey drizzled pastry, and molten candlewax. Hay and garden trimmings in the sun. As warm and gregarious as a childhood friend. Nothing less than 91 pts
Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2010 Berry Bros for Whisky-e #5890 53.4%
A ‘hot’ whisky – Steaming hot paraffin. and dripping beeswax. Actually, it feels like the sun got into everything. Hot minerals and granite under an afternoon sun, piles of hay and loamy earth baking quietly next to little yellow meadow flowers. And the most delicate pear eau de vie. A thin green edge of thyme cuts the haze and introduces yellow mustard and a bit of chilli seed for a herbaceous twist. It’s actually a fairly simple, soft but such conviction. A white silk sun dress. 90 pts
Clynelish 24 yo 1989 / 2013 Adelphi #3846 53.1%
The apple did not fall far from the tree though overall, this is a much more strident whisky; Here, eschewing the softness and warmth of wax for chemical paraffin. Oaky Chardonnay too with slight butyric slant which appears like a bit to cheese to me. Fortunately there’s also tinned apricots with that metallic tang. Plenty of dry stones, and parched clay ground. There’s quinine bark meandering about and something coniferous, peppery and minty. Certainly interesting if not the easiest. 88 pts
Whiskyrific RSS
- Port Charlotte 12 yo 2004 Highland Laird 57.3% vs Octomore 6.1 / 167 5 yo 57% vs Octomore 7.1 / 208 5 yo 59.5%
- Bowmore 11 yo 2001 / 2013 Berry Bros 20197 46% vs Bowmore 12 yo liquid Library 2001 / 2013 52.9%
- Ben Nevis 17 yo 1996 / 2014 The Nectar of the Daily Drams 49.3% vs Ben Nevis 1997 / 2015 Pearls of Scotland #614 50.9% vs Ben Nevis 16 yo 1998 / 2014 Lady of the Glen #1407 52.1%
- Dailuaine 34 yo 1980 Special Release 2015 50.9% vs Dalmore 27 yo 1990 / 2017 MacKillop’s Choice #252 54.6%
- Bruichladdich 21 yo 1993 / 2015 Douglas Laing DL10706 51.5% vs Bruichladdich 25 yo 1992 / 2017 Cadenhead 175th Anniv 53.8%
- Springbank 21 yo 1993 / 2015 Lockett Brothers #470 49.4% vs Cooley 22 yo 1991 / 2014 SMWS 117.5 55.5%
- Wardhead 19 yo 1997 Pisces Stellar Selections Japan #186 50.7% vs The Huntly Burnside 18 yo 1997 Dimensions Duncan Taylor #6481 52.5% vs Westport 18 yo 1997 The Oceans Duncan Taylor for Whisk-e Japan #1500071 58.4%
- Port Ellen 1979 / 2014 Gordon & Macphail R0/14/01 46% vs Port Ellen 35 yo 1978 / 2004 Douglas Laing for Alambic Classique DL655 61.1% vs Port Ellen 35 yo 1982 / 2018 Signatory 30th Anniversary #2040 55.1%
- Benromach 28 yo 1965 / 1993 Cadenhead 47.6% vs Laphroaig 10 yo ‘Original Cask Strength’ 57.3% 33.33cl duty free bottle
- Jura 21 yo 1992 / 2014 Hunter Laing for FassZination (Vom Fass) #VF10272 46% vs Jura 27 yo 1967 Stillman’s Dram 45%
