| Distilleries:
Benriach | Coleburn | Glen Elgin | Glen Moray | Glenlossie | Linkwood
Longmorn | Mannochmore | Miltonduff
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| Benriach |
| Comments: |
Benriach was built next to the Longmorn distillery, beginning production in 1898. A brief two years later, during a recession, the distillery was closed. In 1965 it was reopened by Glenlivet Distillers Ltd, who also owned Longmorn (both are now owned by Seagrams). Much of the distillery product goes into the Chivas Regal blend.. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
The pale gold 10-year-old distillery bottling is quite pleasant. It has floral, apricot nose, and a light body. The youthful, cereal-grain flavor adds notes of butterscotch cookies. Clean. 75
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A Cadenhead 10-year-old (1986-96, 60.5 vol.), is very similar to the distillery offering above, perhaps a bit drier. 75 |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard)
Telephone: 01542-783400
From the US: 011-44-1542-783400
Tours: By appointment. |
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| Coleburn |
| Silent |
Coleburn was built in 1896 and as most distilleries has had an up and down existence. It closed in 1985 and is unlikely to reopen. Coleburn was never considered to be a particularly special single malt and was never released as such by the distillery. It is still unfortunate, however that it has been lost.
An interesting note: There was a team of horses that were used for some of the work around the distillery. Locally a saying developed, "as hard working as a distillery horse." The saying was meant to be ironic, as distillery horses only worked occasionally, when there was work to be done. Farm horses worked every day.
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
There are no distillery releases available. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
It has been 15 years since Coleburn closed down and it is becoming increasingly rare to find it. There will probably be independent bottlings available into the next few decades (at ever increasing prices) as it becomes more scarce.
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A James MacArthur 12-year-old (1981, 43 vol., light yellow-gold color), had a fruity, lemony nose balanced by a slight melon rind sharpness and smoky notes. The palate is somewhat dry, with a lemony sharpness. The finish is dry tangy, and slightly chewy. 73
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| Glen Elgin |
| Comments: |
Glen Elgin is only a mile downstream from Coleburn (above), and has had a similar spotty past, much of due of location -- lack of access rail transportation, a good water supply, and even electricity in this century. The distillery began producing in May of 1900, reportedly built at a cost of more than £13,000. Six months later it was up for sale, and eventually sold for only £4000.
Glen Elgin is owned by United Distillers and licensed to White Horse Distillers for its blend.
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Since 1977 Glen Elgin has been available as a single malt in the UK but has never been distributed in the US. It originally carried a 12-year-old age statement but that has been dropped recently.
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Released at 40 vol., it has a gold color and a heathery nose with some cereal grain and smoky notes. The palate is dry, floral, with emerging malty sweet notes. The finish is dry and softly smoky. 73
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
I haven't come across any independent bottlings though there have been releases from Cadenhead in recent years. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Diageo
Telephone: 01343-547891
From the US: 011-44-1343-547891
No visitors. |
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| Glen Moray |
| Comments: |
Glen Moray began life as a brewery that became a distillery in 1897. In 1920, after years of problems and finally receivership, the distillery was purchased by Macdonald & Muir Ltd to insure a continuous supply of its product for blending (Glen Moray is a major part of the Highland Queen blend).
Macdonald & Muir has now become Glenmorangie, plc, and owns Glenmorangie, Glen Moray, and acquired the Ardbeg distillery in 1997.
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
A 15-year-old has been available in the US. It is very enjoyable though not very complex. Golden in color, the nose is light, fruity, and has a hint of sweet, cake frosting. The body is smooth and slightly viscous. The palate is clean and has a malty-sweetness which turns to dry and faintly peaty finish.
The US releases will presumably be replaced by the line of Glen Moray bottlings now available in the UK. The new releases emphasize maturation in varietal wines.
12-year-old: "Mellowed" in Chenin Blanc.
16-year-old: "Mellowed" in Chenin Blanc. 75
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| Special Bottlings: |
Centenary Edition (Port Wood Finish): In 1997, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the distillery, a special release was bottled from four casks produced in the years between 1976 and 1979. In 1987 the whisky was transferred to port wood casks from the Douro valley in Portugal. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
My only experience with a merchant bottling was a Scotch Malt Whisky Society 9-year-old: pale straw color with a decidedly apricot-like nose. A clean, very sweet palate with some youthful, oatmeal-cereal grain notes. Very pleasant. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Glenmorangie plc
Telephone: 01343-542577
From the US: 011-44-1343-542577
Tours: By appointment. |
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| Glenlossie |
| Comments: |
Though built in 1876, Glenlossie had never become established as a single malt. It wasn't until the Flora and Fauna release (below) in the 1990's that it became recognized and cherished by malt lovers. It is next door to the Mannochmore distillery. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Distillery bottlings are not available in the US. In the UK a 10-year-old is available as part of United Distillers' Flora and Fauna series of bottlings. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A Connoisseurs Choice 1974 (40 vol., no bottling date), has a full gold color and an aromatic nose with elements of sandalwood, sherry, smoke and chocolate. The palate has a nice exchange of sweetish, creamy notes, and dry, malty flavors. The finish is buttery, very smoky, and slightly spicy. 81 |
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A Cadenhead 20-year-old (1978-98, 56.1 vol.), is pale gold in color with a flowery, grassy nose, and a medium body. The palate is somewhat dry at first the develops a jam-like sweetness. 80 |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Diageo
Telephone: 01343-547891
From the US: 011-44-1343-547891
No visitors. |
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| Linkwood |
| Comments: |
Linkwood was established in 1821, and in was acquired by Scottish Malt Distillers (DCL) in 1933. It was closed during World War II, then reopened with a former employee at the helm, Roderick Mackenzie. Like many distillery managers, he wasn't certain what exactly caused the unique (and exquisite) flavor of Linkwood, so he insisted that absolutely nothing be changed at the distillery -- going so far as to forbid the removal of spider webs in the stillhouse. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Five years ago, the 12-year-old distillery release of Linkwood was fairly common on US shelves. I've noticed lately that it has become scarce, lost in the rush of new lines of distillery and merchant bottlings being introduced to the American market. It's a shame that it isn't available to more people, it's an exquisite single malt.
Full gold in color, there's a sherry sweetness to the nose. The sweetness is the first impression on the palate, turning to a lightly smoky dryness. 89
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
There have been a wealth of independent releases of Linkwood. Most of my tastings have been very enjoyable. A 17-year-old Cadenhead sherry cask was a bit overwhelming with the sherry somewhat masking any subtleties of nose and palate.
Another 18-year-old Cadenhead was much more enjoyable with less sherry and more oaky, spicy, smoky notes. Bottlings from Signatory and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society have been delicious, with varying degrees of complexity and depth.
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| Information: |
Ownership: Diageo
Telephone: 01343-553800
From the US: 011-44-1343-553800
Tours: By appointment. |
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| Longmorn |
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Longmorn distillery.
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| Comments: |
Longmorn was established in 1894, three years later the distillery added the "Glenlivet" suffix, in an attempt (like many other distilleries at the time) to capitalize on the success of The Glenlivet. In 1970 Longmorn was acquired by Glenlivet Distillers Ltd, which is now owned by Seagrams. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
In the US Longmorn is distributed in a 15-year-old (45 vol.) distillery expression.
The color is full gold with a big, complex nose -- cereal grains, malt, smoke, flowers, and a little sherry and spiciness. The palate is very smooth, starting sweet and turning dry. The finish is clean, dry, nutty, and long. An exceptional malt. 89
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A Signatory Vintage 28-year-old bottling (1973-2001, 43 vol., sherry cask, cask number 3964, bottle number 189) has a dark amber, rust color. The nose has a delicious mixture of sweet toffee, fruit, holiday spices, oak, and a peaty smokiness. The palate is a complex balance of sweet and dry, spicy and soothing flavors. The finish is a long, dry, smoky, and chewy.
If you like older, sherry cask whiskies, this is one of the better ones. The powerful, sherry cask qualities never quite overpower the more subtle qualities of the base Longmorn whisky. 90
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A D&M Aficionados Club 20-year-old bottling (1981-2002, 59.2 vol., oak cask) has a medium, honey-gold color. The nose is clean, subtle, faintly fruity, with traces of peat and a little lemon. The palate is clean and dry with some faint sweet notes and a crisp lemony tanginess. The finish is relatively short, crisp, and adds some faint smoky notes to the tanginess. 86 |
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A Cadenhead 12-year-old (1984, 60.4 vol., sherry cask) was a bit overwhelmed by the sherry but still very enjoyable. The deep red-brown color led to a very sherry nose. The palate was thick with notes of licorice and rum-raisin and a burnt, smokiness. A dry, complex finish, reminiscent of fruitcake by a winter fire. 85
A 17-year-old (distilled 4/76, 58.4 vol.) Scotch Malt Whisky Society release was pale gold with a sweet, floweriness and underlying cereal grain flavor. Very clean and light but still having a measure of complexity.
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard)
Telephone: 01542-783042
From the US: 011-44-1542-783042
Tours: By appointment. |
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| Mannochmore aka Loch Dhu |
| Comments: |
Mannochmore is a relatively new distillery, dating back to 1972. It was originally intended to produce blending whisky for the Haig blends. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Though Mannochmore is available in the UK as 12-year-old in United Distillers' Flora and Fauna line of single malts, it is not distributed in the US. |
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| Special Bottlings: |
A 10-year-old (40 vol.) bottling of Mannochmore, under the name Loch Dhu the Black Whisky, is intriguing, but not altogether pleasant. When you see the rich black color you tend to expect a big rich flavor -- like an old, mature whisky, or a sherry cask bottling.
Surprisingly, the flavor of Loch Dhu is actually quite light! The color is a product of charring the casks, Unfortunately, the charcoal ends up masking the subtleties and nuances of both nose and palate and you are left with a rather bland experience. 65
This release is no longer being produced.
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A 12-year-old Cooper's Choice had a white wine color and a fresh, clean nose with light cereal grain notes. The palate was light, fruity, starting sweet and finishing dry. A light, summer malt -- enjoyable but not distinctive. 69 |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Diageo
Telephone: 01343-547891
From the US: 011-44-1343-547891
No visitors. |
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| Miltonduff |
aka Mosstowie |
| Comments: |
Miltonduff is one of 18 distilleries that use the appendage "Glenlivet" in its name, although it is 20 miles from the river. In 1880's it was popular, and an effective selling point, to be classified as a "Glenlivet", and 28 distilleries called themselves by that name.
For a time the distillery installed a second, "Lomond" (a special column-shaped) still which produced a heavier and oilier malt. The still has since been dismantled but releases from its production, under the name Mosstowie, are still available in independent bottlings.
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Unfortunately, Miltonduff is not distributed in the US but a 10, and 12-year-old are available in the UK.
The 10-year-old has a medium gold color and a flowery nose with an undercurrent of soft nutty, peatiness. The palate is a little sweet, malty, and has a nutty peatiness. The finish is soft, peaty, and warm. 75
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A 17-year-old (1978-96, 57.9 vol.) bottling of Miltonduff from Cadenhead is excellent. It has a pale gold color and a fragrant, flowery nose with hints of peat and anise. On the palate the first sensation is of a creamy, smooth texture, then a flowery sweetness with hints of oak and peat. The finish is clean and somewhat dry. 78 |
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A Cadenhead 10-year-old Miltonduff (1990-2000, 60.6 vol., bourbon cask) has a yellow-gold color that becomes white wine like when reduced with water. The nose is malty, a bit perfumy and spicy with light peaty/nutty notes. The palate is lightly dry at first with smooth honey and nutty flavors. It quickly becomes very dry with an almost mouth-puckering astringency. The finish is surprisingly long with lingering nutty, flowery notes.76 |
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A Cadenhead 28-year-old Mosstowie (1970-99, 59.6 vol.), is quite exquisite. The color is a full gold, and the nose is rich with cedary, flowery, and buttery, creamy notes. Most interestingly, the nose has faint notes of jalapeno peppers. The body is slightly thick, syrupy, and continues into a flowery, rosewater and cane sugar sweetness. As the flavor develops, hints of smoke and burnt sugar surface. The finish is soothing, with notes of cream, smoke, polished leather, and subtle floral hints. 69
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| Information: |
Ownership: Allied Distillers (Allied Domecq
Telephone: 01343-547433
From the US: 011-44-1343-547433
Tours: By appointment, Mon.-Thurs. |
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