The Toshan Man
Mark Dermul
Sample trading?
If you can help me expand my whisky palate, especially Auchentoshan, get in touch with me. Much obliged!
Auchentoshan 1978 18 Year Old
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Auchentoshan
18 Year Old 1978 Official Bottling Distillery Archive Number of bottles: undisclosed ABV : 58,8% Color : Old gold Tasted on 25/04/2011 |
Older and Better
This Auchentoshan is also 'old
style', as they say. It's a vatting of 13 casks (numbers 2952 to
2957 and 4365 to 4371), of which 6 were distilled on 4/9/1978 and 7
on 21/11/1978. It was bottled at the age of 18
years
in 1997.
The nose is very sweet and
malty. Gooseberries (the sweet variety) and almonds. Also slightly
floral like the 31 Year Old from
1966). I'm thinking violets and
daffodils. New leather. Obviously the same style, although a little
less complex. I also get some butterscotch and caramel and a hint of
baked banana.
The attack is very spicy and
gives you quite the kick to the teeth, if you know what I mean. Very
creamy with orange zest, vanilla, toffee and honey. The second sip
offers nuts and citrus. Again a whiff of smoke, that seems to be
only evident in old style Toshans. This one does not need water,
despite the high ABV.
The finish, that lingers quite
a bit, continues primarily on citrus.
A very good Auchentoshan, that
easily surpasses the current 18 Year Old. Older and better, it seems.