| Distilleries:
Aultmore | Glen Keith | Strathisla | Strathmill
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| Aultmore |
| Comments: |
Aultmore has long been a component of the Dewar's blend and in 1998 the distillery was acquired by Bacardi, the parent company of Dewar's. There hasn't been any indication that a single malt will be released. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Though unavailable in the US, over the past decade there have been several "official" releases (bottlings from United Distillers, the owner at the time) available in the UK. There has been a 12-year-old bottling in the Flora and Fauna series, a 21-year-old Rare Malts release, and a 1997 bottling of a 1983 cask strength in the Flora and Fauna line.
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Most enigmatically, a 12-year-old was released under the distillery name with the proprietors listed as John & Robert Harvey (an older blending company, founded in 1770).
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A 13-year-old Cooper's Choice (1983-97, 43 vol.) is a pale gold. The nose is big, perfumy, dry, with faint peaty notes. The palate has a fruit jam like sweetness at first, developing into a perfumy dryness. The finish is very clean and dry.
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Every once in awhile I come across a bottle of this 10-year-old Inverarity on the back shelf of a liquor store. It's actually Aultmore, packaged by an independent bottler. Bottled at 40 vol., it has a very pale gold color. The nose is crisp, with sweet, grassy, and peaty notes. The palate is clean, somewhat cleansing, with undertones of mint, grass, and flowers. The finish is light, a little perfumy, and trails off in a dry smokiness. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: John Dewar & Sons Ltd (Bacardi)
Telephone: 01542-822762
From the US: 011-44-1542-822762
Visitors by appointment only. |
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| Glen Keith |
| Comments: |
As with Strathisla (below), Glen Keith is owned by Chivas (Seagrams). The distillery was converted from a mill in 1958. In 1970 the first gas-fired still in Scotland was installed, and ten years later the first use of a computer in distillery operations began here. Glen Keith is a major factor in the Passport blend. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
The distillery offering is a 10-year-old, not particularly complex malt but still very enjoyable. The nose and palate are both gingery, lightly spicy, with apricot and oak notes. A clean, light malt for a summer evening. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A 22-year-old Cadenhead (1973-96) is very enjoyable. It's a white wine color and has a floral nose with slightly spicy (somewhat herbal) undertones. Notes of fresh cut wood and a slight bit of smoke come through. The palate is sweet with notes of fruit -- very clean, almost elegant. Complex, but in a light manner (as opposed to the dense complexity of a heavily sherried, older whisky). |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard)
Telephone: 01542-783044
From the US: 011-44-1542-783044
Tours: Visitor center with scheduled tours. |
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| Strathisla |
| Comments: |
Strathisla is one of the older distilleries in Scotland, dating back to 1786. It was purchased by Chivas/Seagrams in 1950 and plays a major part in the Chivas blends. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
The official distillery bottling is a 12-year-old and bears the name "Chivas Brothers Strathisla". It is gold in color with a wonderful nose -- toffee, toasted sugar, cereal grain, and oak. The palate is rich and complex with layers of vanilla, chocolate, and slight tobacco leaf notes. Sweet on the tip of the tongue, it becomes drier as it travels through the palate. Very smooth. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
In the UK there are a number of bottlings under the Strathisla name, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. Occasionally some of these are available in the US. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard)
Telephone: 01542-783044
From the US: 011-44-1542-783044
Tours: Visitor center with scheduled tours. |
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| Strathmill |
| Distillery Bottlings: |
Strathmill is not distributed in the US as a single malt. Most of the output from the distillery goes into J&B blended whiskies. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
An 11-year-old Cadenhead, bottled in 1992 (60.6 vol.) had a light, yellow-gold color with a very slight greenish cast. The nose has a cereal/grain tone with underlying pine and citrus. The body is somewhat thick, tongue-coating, and gives the palate a sweet, honey-like quality. As it develops it becomes drier with a slight citric tartness. Very enjoyable. |
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Hart Brothers has released a cask strength 25-year-old (1973). |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Diageo
Telephone: 01542-885000
From the US: 011-44-1542-885000
No visitors. |
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