Auchentoshan 1966, 31-year-old, (Cask # 1005) / 46.1%/ 0.7l

Auchentoshan is the only Scottish distillery whose entire production is triple distilled.

The distillery has been in operation since 1823, and since 1984 has been owned by Morrison Bowmore Distillers, currently controlled by Beam Suntory. In the late 1990s, Morrison Bowmore introduced a small Official Distillery Archive series, which included several single cask editions of Auchentoshan. The one presented here comes from hogshead cask no. 1005, filled on 28th March 1966, when the distillery was owned by J.& R. Tennant Brewers, and bottled at cask strength (46.1%) after 31 years of maturation (1997). We sometimes hear opinions that extended maturation is not good for Lowlands single malts, well this edition completely contradicts such a thesis.

Nose : very elegant, dusty antique shop, hazelnuts, raisins, apricots, orange liqueur, milk chocolate, vanilla, honey, caramel, nutmeg, notes of wax and oak.

Taste: creamy, with a distinct spiciness, vanilla, honey, milk chocolate, nougat, raisins, candied orange peel, nutmeg, notes of allspice and candied ginger.

Finish : medium long, with notes of honey, vanilla, orange, apricots, dates, sugared nuts, chocolate and oak.