Rare Batch 63

Tarry hessian at first nosing, soft medicinal embrocations, sea breezes, ozone and bitumen. This is where G&M’s lower bottling strengths can reveal interesting facets of normally more powerful makes (see also Brora 1972s). Lots of lemon rind, crushed seashells, beach foam, dried seaweed and miso. That Ardbeg peat ember/old rope character is there, but it more readily assimilates with lighter, more elegant coastal accents in this example.

Oily, leaning towards medicinal embrocations and antiseptic. Mouthwash, herbal medicines, iodine tablets, burning heather, some old dark shilling beers and freshly kilned malt. It is really a lighter style of ‘70s Ardbeg, but the core DNA is well intact. Some oily sheep wool, salted porridge and things like lanolin, carbolic soap and eucalyptus tea.

Good length. Getting rather salty and returning to that hessian/dunnage note. Some preserved lemon notes, TCP and lighter ashy notes.

It’s excellent and emblematic old Ardbeg. But, as ever, you can’t help but feel even a few degrees more alcohol would have propelled it comfortably past the 90 mark. Other versions at 43% abv show a bit more muscle and grit. On the other hand, it’s extremely quaffable stuff that would grace any Islay shoreline gathering pretty neatly.

Diet peat.

Typically dusty and full of things like metal polish, steel wool and oily rags in old workshops. Very ‘Connoisseur’s Choice’ with these soft OBE characteristics. Soot, some dried mint, lemon marmalade and a touch of cardboard. Not particularly thrilling but perfectly pleasant and approachable. Easy going for a Glen Albyn, I suppose.

Tea-ish, a little cardboard, some candied peel and glazed fruits. White flowers and hints of hessian and porridge. The ‘difficult’ side of older-style malt whisky, although it’s typically the problem of lower bottling strengths and G&M’s rather brutal filtration practices from this era. No doubt there’s some caramel at play in this one too. Some putty and citrus peel as well perhaps.

Pretty short; tea-ish again, some biscuity sweetness, cereal and more vague porridge notes.

Not one of the greatest. It’s a shame as G&M bottled other excellent ‘63 Glen Albyns, notably for Sestante. This one is a bit of a lame duck though. Imagine this series at a stronger abv...

Daydreaming about what might have been...

The kind of stupendous mix of ancient beeswax and luscious dark fruits stewed in 100-year-old Cognac that only these kinds of super-aged Speysiders can bring. Blood orange, acacia honey, sultanas, long-aged Calvados, roasted walnuts, balsamic and Marmite mixed with orange oils and herbal liqueurs. The kind of majestic and poetic nose that these old Glen Grants have, turned into something of an art form. Scented, spicy, herbal, deep, fruity, rich... it inspires no end of superlatives.

Concentrations of bitter chocolate, five spice, aged plum wines, liquorice, jasmine tea, damp earthen wine cellar, umami paste, black olives, pine liqueurs, herbal extracts and ointments. A superb whisky, though the palate is not as thrilling as the nose, but still alive and in some kind of harmonic equilibrium with its tannins. Mushroom powder, dark liquid seasonings, tar extract and pure balsamic reduction.

Long, profoundly earthy, and a slight salinity from the Sherry and bass-like rancio beats into the distance. All kinds of wee dark fruit notes – black cherries, dates, fig jam and sultanas – pop and burst in between everything.

Totally superb. But as with all such bottlings from G&M, why the hell did they do this at 40% abv? In the 1970s, it was understandable in the context of that era. But in 2014? No excuse. It doesn’t show respect to the whisky.

Composing a sternly worded letter on vellum to Gordon & MacPhail in an ancient library using a quill.