Strathisla 1991 Artist #12 Legendary Distilleries Over 30 yo

 

 

 

42,3°

Distillery : Strathisla - Speyside

Refill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Strathisla is, according to my modest knowledge, a distillery that is not legendary. It is certainly very old, there is this little anecdote about its change of name in 1949 (it was called Milltown before), and I've heard there are stratospheric independent bottlings from the 60s. Okay, but on a daily basis, it is mainly used for Blends, and the only Single Malt in OB that comes out of its belly is very little known. Let's just say it's a distillery that's both legendary and underrated. Praise to La Maison du Whisky for putting it back in the spotlight thanks to this completely original mini-range released this year within the Artist #12 Legendary Distilleries. This is the very first time that the French bottler has tried this experiment. 5 different bottlings from the same distillery, at different ages and with different maturations. The occasion of a beautiful vertical, which I made upside down, excluding the 10 year old because I met a friend at that time. The oldest edition, the 30 year old, was aged in a Refill Bourbon barrel, in order to leave all the room for the distillate. Only 146 bottles were produced, adorned with a chiaroscuro photograph by Mathéo Modol.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Nose with a nice lemony breadth, candied lemon, lemon peel on the tip of the tongue, icing sugar, meringue, with a nice woody thickness, barley sugar, wood varnish, polish, some discreet white fruits, white plum, mirabelle. On the palate, very citrusy, very nice lemon accompanied by juicy grapefruit and one or two blood oranges, intense cereals, fatty wheat and malted barley, puffed rice and quinoa. Very long finish, cola and dry earth, some charcoal crumbs, but mostly citrus coulis in a woody fade, thick glue and beeswax.

 

In Short, 

Superb nose where the barrel leaves its mark, but without smothering the distillate, more discreet mouth, less impressive but very balanced and soft, beautiful finish extremely well done. It is a magnificent work that deserves to be congratulated. However the price is verging on the grotesque, it's a shame, but if there are people ready to pay this price, why not.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           John Lee Hooker - Blues Boogie Jam