Diving into old and mainly Italian releases with Sergii Kryvko at our usual Whisky Corner location.
The Real Mackenzie Very Rare 20 yo 43% - quite rare bottle presumably from 60-s or 70-s. I tend to think this one is from 60-s as in 1960 Mackenzie Brothers (owners of Dalmore distillery at that time) merge with Whyte & Mackay and in 1972 they were purchased by Sir Hugh Fraser’s Scottish Universal Investment Trust (SUITS). I found nothing about its exact contents, though there should be significant part of Dalmore spirit inside.
Nose: salty, hints of smoke, old wool sweater, whiffs of coffee beans, quite unusual and lovely old bottle style.
Taste: mild and mellow with good attack for its strength.
Finish: long one with lingering maltiness.
Overall: enjoyed it, even 40+ years in a bottle left it in good shape.
Score = 22 21.5 22.5 22, 88/100!
Tomatin 19 yo 1974/2004 Cooper's Choice 43% - bottled for Italian market.
Nose: potato schnapps and tons of alcohol.
Taste: slightly better.
Finish: medium-long with hints of earth and smoke.
Overall: I'm confused, that one got really nice score from Serge, but I didn't find any tropical fruitiness there. Maybe smth was wrong with this particular sample, no other thoughts.
Score = 17 19 18 18, 72/100!
Dailuaine 21 yo 1992/2013 UD cask #3128 for Barmetro 54.8% - 1 of 227 bottles, released for Bar Metro & Milano Whisky Festival 2013.
Nose: classy one, strawberries with cream, then you get some earth, fresh wood, Turbo chewing gum and lollipops.
Taste: dense and oily, waves of fresh oak but not that much, pineapple, citrus fruits.
Finish: long, oak bark and bitter grass.
Overall: beautiful malt from often underrated distillery.
Score = 23 22 22.5 22.5, 90/100!
Laphroaig 19 yo 1995/2015 High Spirits Life is a Circus 46% - I guess this should be bourbon maturation.
Nose: smoke, medicine, some liquorice.
Taste: liquid smoke, oily fish, oyster and clams, very sexy!
Finish: smoky, oily, tad grassy
Overall: elegant and sexy Laphroaig. Will try to find a bottle, this one is on par with my favourite non CS Islay malt - Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist
Score = 22 23 22.5 22.5, 90/100!
Caol Ila 25 yo 1982/2005 Silver Seal 46% - 1 of 316 bottles.
Nose: smoke, typical ashes and gouache paint.
Taste: sharper than in Laphroaig despite Caol Ila spent more years in cask.
Finish: briny, salted grapefruits.
Overall: everything's good here, but Laphroaig is a bit more classy.
Score = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
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