Duncan Taylor Inverleven Tasting Notes

Duncan Taylor ‘Rarest of the Rare’ Inverleven 1979 (26 year old) 53.7%

Bourbon Cask 5662/ Dist: Dec 1979 Btl Nov 2006/ Tasted: July 2007

Initially the nose is quite spirity but once it settles down it displays a lovely depth of orange fruit along with malt and grassy notes. Quite full for a Lowland with a touch of buttery vanilla, banana and toffee. Soft and creamy on the palate with vanilla, cherries, citrus grass (especially on the middle) yet the alcohol dominates the palate. Lovely garden fresh (peas?) finish.

A drop of water softens the nose emphasizing the grass and crisp fruit. On the palate it brings out a lovely sweetness. It has become very full bodied and displays a superb dry, spicy finish. Is this really 28 years old it tastes more like mid teens. Who said Lowlands can’t age? This is an exceptional cask.

Duncan Taylor ‘Rarest of the Rare’ Inverleven 1978 (29 year old) 45.5%

Bourbon Cask 1878/ Dist: May 1978 Btl Apr 2008/ Tasted: Sept 2008

The nose is quite winey – Orange Muscat or sauvignon blanc like aromas. Has a lovely freshness for a lowland this old. There some delightful vanilla and cut grass and a perfumed camomile note. Over time it gets more exotic.

The palate is a bit of a let-down to be honest. Soft, winey and very oaky – butter and caramel. An agreeable length though with a grassy finish. Interesting nose, disappointing palate, which was pretty much all oak and no trousers.

MacPhail’s Inverleven Tasting Notes

Gordon & MacPhail ‘Distillery Label’ Inverleven 1989 (13 year old) 40%

Bourbon/ Dist: 1989 Btl: 2003/ Tasted: Aug 2004

Scented garden aromas – Wild rose, thyme, lemon grass, muscat grape and orange peel.

Light delicate and floral. Straightforward on the palate with a slightly spicy (nutmeg) finish.

Gordon & MacPhail ‘Distillery Label’ Inverleven 1991 (17 Year old) 40%

Re-made American oak Hogshead/ Dist: 1991 Btl: 2008/ Tasted: May 2012

Full and powerful aromas of oxidised, Cognac-esque dried fruit, herbal honey and some wonderfully mature, slightly oily, marzipan oak. Delicious and exceedingly luscious. Quite heavy on the oak which does become quite buttery, but its wonderfully soft though.

Soft and again quite buttery and laden with mature oak. Some dried fruit and herbal notes come through on the middle and the dried fruit theme continues. Wonderfully long with the dried fruit taking on an oxidised characteristic and there is even a lovely spicy almost grainy bite. In fact, it could easily be mistaken for an old grain whisky, which I guess is not unsurprising as this malt ‘distillery’ was constructed within the Dumbarton grain distillery.