Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Port Ellen 1982 (25 year old) 60.4%
Bourbon Cask 2466/ Dist: 1982 Btl: 2007/ Tasted: May 2008
First off, where on earth was this cask stored and what abv did it come off the still at? I mean after 25 years you would expect it to be in the mid 50’s at best! Now if I remember my basics of warehouse maturation (and I’m sure somebody will correct me if I’m wrong!). In a warm environment you tend to lose more liquid to the angels, but the liquid that remains tends to keep its alcohol level fairly high. So you would expect there to be only a handful of bottles from this cask (less than 100 I’d say), and you’d be wrong, there is 199. To me this is what makes whisky so fascinating!
So is it any good I hearyou ask. Too right it is! It’s a dead ringer for Laphroaig! It’s intense and coastally with a medicinal/ bog myrtle peatiness and all those wonderful rubbery, kippery, fishermans sowestersaromas assailing the senses! It seems remarkably youthful, If I didn’t actually know the age then I would have guessed at somewhere in the mid-teens.
However the palate does show its age, it’s a bit shy and slightly oily, with all the aromas present and correct on the palate. Obviously its high level of alcohol dominates the proceedings but it leaves an oily/ peaty tongue coating at the death. A drop of water brings out a Caol Ila like garden fruit note, peas and apricot and relegates the rubbery, medicinal peatiness to a supporting role. On the palate it has become a bit sweeter, now showing a touch of barley and malt and fading into a briny/ leafy/ bog myrtle finish. A truly fascinating dram, enjoyable either neat or diluted!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 