Auchentoshan 18 Years Old The Maltman Cask:3872 46% 1993

Avis professionnels

Serge Valentin (85)

A bottling by Meadowside Blending, which is a company run by Andy and Donald Hart (of Hart Bros fame).

Colour: gold.

Nose: a rather typical and rather naked Auchentoshan, less creamy and vanilla-ed that modern official Auchentoshans in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, there is some vanilla but I also enjoy these notes of oranges, grapefruits and pineapples, the overall profile being gently spirity and estery.

Mouth: punchier than expected but well in the style, one of the very last genuine Lowlanders out there. I get melons, bananas, guavas, then more citrus fruits and in the background, very nice touches of verbena and lemon grass. It’s all very nicely ‘nervous’. Nice oomph.

Finish: medium long, slightly tarty, on lemon and cider apples. Touches of green oak in the aftertaste and even a wee saltiness – where does that come from?

Comments: a most perfect example of the make, quite close to the distillate while being perfectly mature