Distilled: 1981 - Bottled: 2011 - ABV: 56.6%
Nose:
Packs a massive punch full of new car radiator fan belts soaked in balsamic
vinegar. There’s Soursob (used to chew on these as a kid in Australia), bike
tyres/tubes, in fact an assortment of rubber items - but I think you get the
picture. With time, and once past the latex/polymeric substances it does open
up and show differences: kirsch syrup, port-like raisins and dark cherry
bonbons. These are pleasant - if/when you can find them past the dominant sourness
and rubber. Water adds burnt red wine sauce and tames the rubber a bit.
Taste: Borderline strange, if you are
looking for something with “unusual characteristics” than this is for you.
Smack-bang on Soursob, balsamic vinegar, and rubber wood. Extremely dry malt with
bitter tannins and chalk. Dilution adds elements of mint licorice and spicy
rubbery cherry.
Finish: Dry, long and chalky with Soursob.
Water cuts the chalkiness and turns down the dryness a notch, adds a bit of
bitterness and that’s about it.
Comment: In my opinion this is malt you
either love or dislike. I was learning towards the later for the majority of
the time. It did begin to grow on me with lots of time - and I do mean lots. I
began to like the “unusual characteristics” at times, but then it all went pear
shaped again and got a bit too much in the end. Grateful for the experience and
very grateful if I must be completely honest that I didn’t fork out lots of
cash on my own bottle.
For an alternate review take a look at Pierre W's over at Connosr. Once again, many thanks for the sample.
Brillantly captured, Clint, as always. By all means this is a hugely challenging malt.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Pierre. I most likely would never have had the chance to capture it if it wasn't for your generous sample. I've poured my self another dram tonight (third separate night for tasting this) and there is not a lot of change. The Soursob, rubber and vinegar is still dominant on both the nose and palate. Again with water the palate/finish becomes a litter bitter. Appears to have a lot more burnt mater present this time around - a bit of burnt peel to be precise. "Unusual characteristics" are here to stay regardless of time and oxidation - perhaps the only change differences are a few singed elements and the sherry is more recognizable. Although some things are more recognizable, again, these only become pressnt once past all the other dominant attributes. I will reiterate, a pleasant experience none the less - good in a few ways but too challenging in many others.
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