Auchentoshan 24 Years Old The Duchess Shieldmaiden Ylva Selected by Luc Timmermans 51,5% 1990

Professional reviews

Loving Whisky:

From the nose I can get flavours of powdered sugar, vanilla buns, cherry flavoured sweets, raspberry, strawberry jam, rhubarb, honey, elder flower blossom, dried red apple and a soft note of blackberry and honeysuckle.

The palate has this same fruit sweetness, creamy honey and vanilla notes. Adding to the mix fresh lemon, sweet sultanas, candied ginger, fennel, oranges, jelly beans, mango juice, galia melon and a hint of oak. A very balanced and enjoyable dram with a medium length finish.

Serge Valentin (87)

This baby has been selected by our friend Luc Timmermans, so in theory, it should resemble a Glenfarclas. I wrote ‘in theory’…

Colour: white wine.

Nose: no fruity burst, rather an oily and grassy start, with some green tea and cigars (gotcha Luc), then rather tinned fruits, from guavas to peaches. Rather a textured Auchentoshan, without any excessive vanilla-ed oak. With water: floral! Rose petals and, well, gewürztraminer. Rather Luc indeed.

Mouth (neat): it’s one of those Auchentoshans that have got an Irish side, with passion fruits and mentholated bananas (?!) at first, then more grassy teas and leaves and peelings. All that rather works in sync, I have to say. With water: a grassier Bushmills of some sort.

Finish: medium, fruity and leafy. Don’t I find kiwis now?

Comments: an excellent good, clean, and yet complex old Auchentoshan. And above everything, there’s little vanilla!

Gal Granov (82)

whiskynotes.be

Nose: very natural, with varnished oak, sugared cereals and plenty of lemons and unripe pears. Greengages. Hints of vanilla and orange blossom. More honey and aniseed over time. Mouth: same feeling of natural whisky, almost like an eau-de-vie. A big dose of freshly sawn oak, apple peelings and grapefruits. A slightly bitter tang and chalky edge. Mint and grassy notes. Aniseed again, a little pepper. Finish: medium long, hints of grass and barley eau-de-vie.
Perhaps a little neutral for my taste, with a grassy and oaky signature. A fair price for a 20 years old whisky though

OTHER (84)

Words Of Whisky:

Nose: Soft and gentle vanilla sweetness and dusty oak, but also straw. Milk chocolate and subtle fruits. Peach with a whiff of lime.
Taste: Some bitter oak and mild spices (cloves), accompanied by light notes of honey and linseed oil. Traces of underripe banana peel and pear.
Finish: Gentle yellow fruits. Finally somewhat grassy. Medium in length.