The Toshan Man

Complex & Brilliant

Today I'm trying my first 'old' Auchentoshan. I don't mean old in age (although this is a very respectful 31-year old), but old in terms of date of distillation. It was distilled on 14th March 1966, almost four years before I was born. Some connoisseurs call this 'old style' Auchentoshan. The fact that it is part of the Distillery Archive is testament to that. It's a single cask, bourbon hogshead number 803, bottled at cask strength of 49,5% ABV. Let's see if it differs from the 'modern' range.

The nose is rich with honey and malt and quite fruity with lime and primarily apricots and prunes. Slightly floral too. Some nuts and cedar wood and a whiff of mint. Excellent nose!

He's very oily, almost creamy and nicely spiced without a real bite. The malt and a combination of lime and oranges are prominent. The sweetness counters the dry oak completely and ensures a feast on the palate. Wonderfully soft. Adding water is unneccesary and would, in this case, be a waste.

The finish is one to remember: lingering and soothing. You will even detect a touch of smoke in the finish, which you normally do not find in a Toshan (surely not the current range). Slightly drying, but other than that utterly brilliant!

You might still be able to find this bottle (or the sister cask 804, albeit sherry), but it will set you back about 500 EUR. I merely enjoyed this from a sample. If you can get your hands on it, don't hesitate!

Update 26/03/2013: added a full bottle to the collection!