Glenesk 26-year-old (D.1981, B.2007) Duncan Taylor Rare Auld / 59% / 0.7l

Rare Auld (meaning "Old and Unique") is an extremely prestigious series from Duncan Taylor Ltd. comprising single malt and single grain whiskies released in their natural form in single cask versions.

These unique spirits come from distilleries scattered throughout Scotland and, differing, sometimes significantly, from the official editions, they show the full spectrum of the producer's potential. The Glenesk presented here, distilled in February 1981, spent over a quarter of a century in a sherry cask no. 934. Its contents in August 2007 translated into 439 bottles of cask strength whisky (59% abv). Glenesk Distillery worked in the eastern Highlands from 1896 to 1985; from the mid-1960s, the local whisky was the core of the VAT 69 blend.

Nose : strong sherry notes, leather sofa, cherries, plums, red currants, toffee, caramel, nutmeg, freshly roasted coffee beans, dried mushrooms and a hint of smoke in the background.

Palate : slightly oily, dark chocolate, roasted almonds, bitter orange jam, cranberries for meat, nutmeg, black pepper, licorice, notes of leather, tobacco and oak.

Finish: very long, with notes of black pepper, nutmeg, dark chocolate, almonds, licorice, leather, sherry and oak.