Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Lochside and Glenury Royal

These samples has been sitting on my shelf for more than 1½ year, I think its time.

Gordon and MacPhail is one of the worlds oldest and also one of the worlds leading independent bottlers. Historically it had and has a tradition of getting their own casks filled at distilleries and then maturing them in their own warehouse in Elgin.

Gordon and MacPhail's shop in Elgin

1. Lochside Gordon and MacPhail 1981-2005 43%
The nose is slightly musty, old, fruity - plums in brandy. The palate adds some sweetness, nutty flavour and almonds, with berries like cherries and plums. Wood spices emergens near the finish which is a well balanced mix of sweet woodspices and fruityness
A delicate dram that doesn't really suffer for being bottled at 43%
Rating 91
Lochside was located on the east coast of Scotland in Montrose. Last destillation in 1992.  It's demolished


2. Glenury Royal Gordon and MacPhail 1984-2010 43%
I know when you taste one whisky straight after another, what you mainly get is what really differes from the first. The thing that hit my face with this one is that's its slightly drier and doesn't have the same level of fruityness as the Lochside. It got a lot of hazelnut. I never had a whisky before with this much hazelnutflavour. Not bad. Unless you don't like hazelnut! There is a little tiny hint of peat as well. The finish is longer, dominated by the hazelnuts and again sweets wood spices
Rating 91
Glenury Royal was located on the east coast of Scotland in Stonehaven. Last destillation in 1985. It's partly demolished, partly turned into flats. It's rare even for a distillery closed after 1983

A couple of great drams that has some similarities, especially in texture and oilyness, the initial likelyhoods just go down two separate ways. What makes this drams great is that the many years in the wood hasn't overpowered the fruity or nutty flavour of these whiskies, which are the dominating flavours here. Compliments to Gordon and MacPhail for bottling these drams at what seems to be the exact perfect time

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