Glenugie 1970 (Bottled 2009) Rare Old, Gordon & MacPhail / 43.5%/ 0.7l

Rare Old is a Gordon & MacPhail whisky series that ended in the spring of 2018 (its successor, Private Collection, debuted in the autumn).

Rare Old was a historical series, containing old whiskies, often from closed and forgotten distilleries. Alongside iconic malts such as Brora and Port Ellen, it also included rarely mentioned whiskies such as Banff, Glenury Royal and the Glenugie presented here. Glenugie Distillery was based in the eastern Highlands. When it ceased operations in 1983, it belonged to Long John International and produced almost exclusively for the Long John blend. However, it was too small to survive the crisis in the industry at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s. The Glenugie 1970 presented here was included in the series in 2009.

Aroma : pleasantly fruity, apples, pears, oranges, vanilla, toffee, golden syrup, cocoa, black tea, pipe tobacco, notes of geranium and oak.

Taste: herbal mixture, lemon pepper, orange peel, grapefruit, marzipan, vanilla, dark chocolate, a trace of lavender and a distinct bitterness of oak.

Finish : quite long, with notes of dark chocolate, oak, hay, a mixture of dried herbs and a touch of citrus.