Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare (Pittyvaich) / 43.8% / 0.7l

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare Pittyvaich is the fourth edition in the series (previous ones are Brora, Port Ellen and Glenury Royal),

It consists of blends composed of extremely rare whiskies from closed distilleries from the Diageo portfolio. Pittyvaich Distillery was an investment by Arthur Bell & Sons from 1974-1975. The plant shared a plot and a water source with the Dufftown distillery. Its four stills were copies of Dufftown's equipment and both facilities supplied malt distillate for Bell's blends. In 1993, for reasons not entirely known, Pittyvaich suspended production and never resumed it. Ten years later, the buildings were demolished and today there is no trace of the distillery. In addition to Pittyvaich malt, the formula of the edition presented here included Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Mannochmore and Royal Lochnagar as well as single grain whiskies from the closed distilleries Carsebridge (1983) and Port Dundas (2010).

Nose : fruity-sweet, milk fudge, honey, vanilla ice cream, pears, apples, peaches, roasted chestnuts, white pepper, cinnamon, cocoa powder and oak.

Taste : well-balanced, vanilla, milk fudge, honey, milk chocolate, stewed apples and pears, orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and a bit of oak.

Finish : long, with notes of toffee, honey, summer fruits, cinnamon, ginger, a touch of anise and oak.