Out tasting notes
82. Speyburn Clan Germany Tasting
Speyburn 1971–1991 40% GM (Whiskybase ID: 254649)
Nose: A quiet start, like an archive of forgotten scents. Herbs rise first, then that typical old bottle flavour reminiscent of yellowed shelves. Sherry shimmers through. Damp wood, a hint of smoke. A mushy banana peeks out. Fresh grain and a dash of lovage add spice. Rum pot mixes with soft oak. Everything seems gentle, somewhat imperfect, like a hand-drawn sketch. Waxy, a hint of wet cardboard. Cellar mustiness, but more like an old room with chalk walls that preserves stories. Then this British orange marmalade, which takes turns with dry, dark tea.
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Mouth: It starts off thin, almost shy. A gentle burst of pepper brightens the picture. Tart, with a bitter core. A hint of linseed oil. Everything dry, as if it doesn't want to reveal too much. With water, leather, tobacco and a hint of perfume emerge. The dryness remains persistent.
Comments: ‘A whisper from the cellar of time.’
Speyburn 21yo 61.9% 1977-1999 (Whiskybase ID: 117629)
Nose: A powerful appearance. Sherry with full force, but underpinned by pungent alcohol. Dark cherries. Solvent reminiscent of freshly opened paint pots. Tannins and oak provide structure. A hint of perfume. Menthol pushes coolly to the fore.
Mouth: Dry and sharp. Boiled cherries, dense and almost syrupy. Creaminess flashes through, but is quickly captured by wood. It calms down with water. Sweeter. Herbs come to the fore. Burnt plum pudding wafts by. The sharpness remains. Sulphur too. Salt and sulphurised dried fruit give it an idiosyncratic drive. Salted caramel appears at the end, like a small conciliatory gesture.
Comments: A Speyburn that sings rather than whispers.