Mannochmore 12 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside

Recharred American Oak Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 1991

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Mannochmore is one of those distilleries designed solely for blends, and this one is the distillery's only original bottling to date. Included in the vast Flora & Fauna range since 1991, it gives a clear vision of the distillery's profile, despite the use of colourings and cold filtration.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's quite fresh, almost coastal, with sea spray and a touch of iodine, but right away the white fruit comes through, orchard fruit, green apples, Conference pears, chalk powder. Creamy vanilla and crushed almonds. A generous zest of lemon. It's supple and fruity on the palate, with white Chasselas grapes, mirabelle plums, applesauce, quiet spices and discreet citrus fruit. The finish is fairly long, honey, bread dough, toasted cereals. Warm chestnuts, white cabbage, sunflower seeds. 

 

In Short, 

The freshness and costal character, or perhaps the minerality, give the whole a nice solidity, but on the palate it's rather supple. The result is a pleasant, well-made product, a perfect candidate for a quiet aperitif. The price is still right, but it is hard to find. 

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Sam Harrison & The Society of Strange Living - Menstrual Blood

Mannochmore 2012 100 Proof Edition #13 11 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts 

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

This is the 13th bottling in the young 100 Proof range, which is barely a year old. And it's a Mannochmore aged in Sherry casks for 11 years. No indication of how many bottles were produced, but certainly more than a thousand.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Varnished wood, slightly fermented red fruits, amadou, muscat grapes, rose petals. Leather just waxed, earthy undertones. Dried fig, dark chocolate. Bark. A zest of citrus fruit. On the palate, a few currant berries, it's soft and unctuous, pomegranate syrup, praline, semi-salted butter. Woody spices, nutmeg, cloves. Long finish, not too explosive, melted caramel and chocolate, dark tobacco, toasted nuts. Molasses. Chocolate truffles. Morels. Hazelnut biscuits.

 

In Short, 

It's a nice profile, despite a few minor flaws. You drink it without realising it. The Sherry is not too powerful, and blends quite well with the distillery's profile. The price is low enough to delight enthusiasts.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Rita Payès - Tantas Cosas

Mannochmore 2010 Malts of Scotland c. MoS20008

 

 

 

55,6°

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside

Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Malts of Scotland

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

The German trading company Malts of Scotland was created in 2005 by Thomas Ewers. They launched this Mannochmore in 2020, and it created a bit of a fuss, because Serge Valentin scored it 90, saying it reminded him some lovely Rosebanks, a legendary closed distillery. A lot of people were surprised of that verdict, and the bottling was brought to the fore, which it didn't necessarily deserved. In reaction, other influencers wanted to give it a low rating, and this gave rise to a controversy, which seems pointless today, four years later. It is time to rediscover this beautiful bottling, without worrying about all that. It is a set of 299 bottles, apparently 9 years old, but I'm not sure about that. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Woody lemon, a touch of caramel and treacle, solvent that gives some fullness, a certain chalky minerality, and yellow fruits, plums, bananas, pineapple. Some vanilla in the background. On the palate, liquid honey, candied lemon, with cereal touches of barley, wheat and puffed rice. Light spices, mentholated notes. Vegetal hints. The finish is fairly clean, well-crafted, but with just the right amount of power, Haribo bananas, vanilla liqueur, damp bark, dill, limoncello.

 

In Short, 

I couldn't say if it looks like Rosebank, as I've never tasted it. But in any case, it's very good. Without being exceptional, the profile is original, both gourmand and with a certain complexity, bringing out some flavours rarely found elsewhere. The release price was quite right, and even today it can be bought without too many sacrifices at auction. I suggest buying it occasionally if you are a fan of the profile.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listeed While Sipping :

 

                                           Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra - The Bed Song

Mannochmore 2009 House of McCallum Vintage 13 yo

 

 

 

51,5°

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside

Graves Wine Finish

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Another bottling with an original finish from House of McCallum, a trading company whose director, Anthony McCallum, likes to experiment. However, there are still no details about the first maturation, although we're expecting an unsurprising Bourbon barrel. 781 bottles were produced, it seems that this is not a Cask Strength.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is more reserved, but deeper, fleshy, tree bark, earth and honeysuckle, lingonberries, muscat grapes, honey nuts, lemon zest. Cereals in the background. On the palate, it's foresty, heather, ferns, but also red fruits, blackberries and blueberries, but without excess. Discreet spices, paprika and nutmeg add depth. The finish is long and peachy, with mellow chestnuts, toasted wheat, damp black earth, bushes, cola and marzipan. 

 

In Short, 

Quite austere, despite lovely red fruits. At the same time, it has a certain depth. Interesting, original on the whole, with a fine finish, but the price goes too far.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           José Feliciano- The Thrill is Gone

Mannochmore 1997 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 22 yo

 

 

 

55,8°

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside 

1st Fill Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail  

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

Mannochmore is one of those huge distilleries that produce almost exclusively for Blends. It is located near Glenlossie, with which it shares some of the premises. It produces a slightly peated Whisky which I estimate at around 5 ppm. Here we have a 22-year-old, aged entirely in a single Sherry cask, and spread into 490 bottles.

Let's Taste It : 

The first nose is waxy. Camphor, tiger balm, ointment. Even a little ether. At the same time, it's counterbalanced by a honeyed, nutty, rough woody, liquorice character. Light smoke, very pleasant. Italia grape pulp, ripe pear. Moist talc, arnica. With a little water, a fine balance is achieved between fruits and pomade. A hint of citrus. More honey on the palate, but this one is earthier, with figs, and very quickly saturated with spices. Grey pepper, cloves, cumin. Vanilla and lemon, it's a bit drying. A few grains of icing sugar. Oily. The finish is lovely and long, still earthy, with hints of old wood, cherry, a touch of aniseed, tingling on the tip of the tongue. Cola.

 

In Short, 

To be honest, it's not my thing. But I have to admit that it's well done and fairly balanced. I found it interesting. I don't like this camphorous flavour, but there must be something for everyone. Besides, as a fan of Laphroaig with its medicinal touch, it would be inappropriate for me to pass judgement. What can be said, however, is that you can't really smell the Sherry despite the 1st Fill cask. The price is quite high, so I'm not going to stop anyone from buying it, but I'm not likely to help them.

Score : 88 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Triorität - Inelegant Peeling