Runners-Up #2:

Caperdonich 1972 ‚the Octave‘ (Duncan Taylor) for Malts and More, 38 y.o., 1972 – 2011, Cask 414293, 71 btl., 52,5% (finished 3 months in Sherry Octave)

Recently, Caperdonich whiskies, especially from 1972, found a well-deserved spot in the hearts of connoisseurs. Our friend Thomas Mansen imported this one and it is no exception to the rule. It is awesome. I usually don’t fancy the idea behind the Octave bottlings, but here it worked again.

An amazing fruit basket (apples, pineapples, figs, green grapes, peaches, cherries, Riesling-grapes) that is kept from being kitsch by perfectly balanced spices and an amazing freshness. The sherry is already well-integrated and not dominating, it adds darker fruits to the utterly complex mix. Butterscotch, vanilla, almonds, cinnamon, pepper and white oak can also be found. The palate screams „input overload!“ This juice doesn’t need water but can „swim well“.

At a price below 140 Euro, this is a must-have. Maybe Thomas from Malts and More will take 5% off from the bottle price if you mention that you read about this one on www.slowdrink.de.

Score: 92

Port Ellen 1981 Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing), 18 y.o., 12.1981 – 11.2000, Sherry Cask, 444 btl., 50%

Many people say that Port Ellen malts should be drunk at a young age when they still have untamed power, oil and dirt. This is quite true, but we could recently see that PE ages really well without losing too much of its character – maybe even more so than other Islay drams. So here is the good news: We can drink Port Ellen at any age. As people get older version more often, I decided to put a younger bottling in the line-up.

The Sherry is there but not in a lead role. This role is taken by coastal Islay notes. We have sweet malt, peat, sulphur, blue cheese, an oily port rope, iodine, chalk and dark fruits. Modern Islay whiskies rarely can only hold a candle to this profile. Despite a brooding power underneath, this is so easy to drink and in great balance. Simply a great and slightly untypical PE for fans of complex peated whisky with secondary and tertiary notes.

Score: 92

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Runners-up #3:

Benriach 1976 Signatory, 29 y.o., 22.12.1976 – 16.01.2006, Cask 9441, 401 btl., 54,6%

Many 1976 Benriach have been great, but I would not go as far as to say that this is the best vintage. I love BenRiach and try to taste everything I can get from them as they are so versatile and mostly high class.

This bottling has the typical notes (freshness by acidity, tangerines, oranges, apricots, apples, yes, grapefruits as well, vanilla, a hint of berries like cassis) and Chardonnay-grapes, kiwi and passion fruit. There are more expressive 1976ers out there, but this is more than decent. It is a bit fragile – which it has in common with many old Laddies. So place this one early in your tasting (we had it too late and after a hearty meal). Under the right circumstances it really unfolds.

Score: 91

Springbank (Longrow) 1992 Berry Bros. & Rudd, 1992 – 2009, Cask 71, 46%

Marketed as Springbank, this clearly is peaty Longrow at its finest. Really typical (medicinical, mineral, smoky and herbal, slightly farmyardy, cedar resin, pine, lemon zest, stinging nettle, hints of fruits and leather) and high class, also very complex yet aggressive. I would have loved to try this at cask strength. Nice iodine notes accompany the long finish.

There is a follow-up bottling that has been released this year that is said to be as good. The older young Longrows around the early 1990ies are really promising. Seems like Longrow is back on track – and it makes a great contribution to the peat genre!

Score: 91

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Runner-Up #4:

Bowmore 1987 Blackadder Raw Cask, 21 y.o., 1987 – 2009, Bourbon Hogshead 2783, 257 btl., 48,7%

Bowmore of that vintage really splits the tasters: Some people simply dislike the profile of that time (lavender, chlorine, ferny forest floor), others find it really interesting. This phenomenon happened with this bottling as well and the scores were all over the place. I must admit that I am on the side of Bowmore-fans, whatever the age. For me, this was a nice dram.

Score: 88+

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As you can see, this line-up was on a very high level throughout. That’s how we like it Come join us next time!

However, one beauty has unjustly been forgotten – maybe because bottles are rarely seen: Ledaig, especially the ones distilled in 1972. Only few other whiskies offer such complexity paired with heavy peat – and high ‘drinkability’. The quality of the barley malt used at Tobermory/Ledaig was comparable to Talisker and Brora (same source) in that year and has been delivering equally stunning results. In my eyes, good 1972 Ledaigs rank up as high as some fine Ardbegs of this period. I would trade some Islay Malts of the 70ies any time for a nice Ledaig!

Unfortunately, more recent Ledaigs fail to reach the level of quality the proprietors achieved between 1972 (reopening) and 1975. One can already see a decline after 1972. Only the 1972s possess this elegant maritime character of salt, spices, iodine, tar, a hint of sulphur, peat and smoke along with peach, gorse, vanilla, and numerous other aromas in perfect balance. Later in 1974, the peat levels were decreased which made briny fruits come forth in the whiskies of this time. Nowadays, the leading aromas of this Mull Malt are farmyardy and vegetal with more peat again since the 90ies. But now Ledaig seems to be back: Recently there were a few great young Ledaigs, e.g. by Berry Bros & Rudd, real peat bombs. You should give those a try if you are into the described profile.

Having been a fan of Ledaig for quite a while now, I keep trying expressions of 1972 and the years after, although bottles are hard to get. The photo shows some of my 1972 Ledaigs (I added a few and have no recent picture), and some of them are not yet sampled or opened (e.g. the Moon Animal Series (soapy!), the black labeled G&M, etc.). The following list shows my personal favourites which I have tasted until now – and is, of course, open for discussion.

1. 95 – Ledaig 18 yo 1972 (55,9%, James MacArthur, 75cl)
2. 94 – Macnab 15yo (43%, Unknown Bottler, Unknown bottling year, 75cl, Rumoured to be Ledaig distilled in 1972)
3. 94 – Tobermory (Ledaig) 1972/1995 (50%, Moon Import, ‚De Viris Illustribus‘)
4. 94 – Ledaig 1972/1997 (49,8%, SMWS, 42.8)
5. 93 – Ledaig 22yo 1972/1995 (51.3%, Cadenhead’s)
6. 90 – Ledaig 32yo 1972/2005 (48,9%, Alambic Classique Coll., Sherry Butt – same content as Curious Birds-Bottling by Bernd Wolf)
7. 90 – Ledaig 1974/1992 (56%, OB)
8. 90 – Ledaig 1972 (40%, G&M Conn. Choice, old cream label miniature, different ages)
9. 89 – Ledaig 14yo 1973 (Red Sestante label, 56,3% – watch out, this one exists with 40% as well)
10. 89 – Ledaig 31yo 1973/2004 (54,8%, Chieftain’s Choice Sherry Hogshead 1710)
11. 89 – Ledaig 32yo 1972/2004 (48,5%, OB, Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish)
12. 89 – Ledaig 30yo 1974/2005 (48,7%, Signatory, Sherry Cask 3223)
13. 89 – Ledaig 1973/1995 (53,4%, Cadenhead)
14. 88 – Ledaig 32yo 1973/2005 (45%, Chieftain’s Choice, 240 btl.)
15. 87 – Ledaig 1974/2000 (40%, G&M Conn. Choice, map label)
16. 87 – Ledaig 1974/1992 (43%, OB)
17. 86 – Ledaig 30yo 1974/2005 (48%, Signatory, 204 btl.)