Douglas Laing: Invergordon 50 year Old 1964: Cask 2: Xtra Old Particular (Scottish Single Grain Whisky: 50 Year: 43% ABV)
Visual: Watered down treacle to gold.
Viscosity: Mixed speed streaks.
Nose: Perfume. Cedar wood. Honey. Rose bush. Cherries. Treacle. Vanilla. Water adds oatmeal biscuits.
Body: Smooth but surprisingly thick feel. Oak. Cherries. Treacle. Rose wine. Water adds digestive biscuits and vanilla.
Finish; Mild milky coffee. Cherry pocked digestives. Lemon cakes. Water loses some of the character but adds vanilla. Very long lasting.
Conclusion: Ok, the wood influence here is off the charts, yet someone how not dull and single note oaken. You have my attention. This breaks out with what I think may be a very aromatic cedar wood style along with cherry notes. I say may as I am not exactly an expert on wood, grant me some lattitude here – it is kind of rosebush style as well, very floral.
Normally too much raw oak puts me off a whisky, but that is because they get dull – here the wood influences all have a character of their own. It feels and smells like so many different types of wood which I am fairly sure were never used in the aging but seem there nonetheless.
When you start to sip the feel is thicker than you would expect from such an old whisky – not heavy, just viscous. It makes the sweetness so treacle styled against the still floral and cherry dominate oak style. It is very different to the very old Malt Whisky I have tried – the whole thing puts me in the mind of one of those sweet dried cherry pocked digestives you can get. Possible cherry wood influence as well – though that is based entirely on a comparison to a Stone Brewing beer I had that had been made with Cherry wood. I find it odd that cherry wood seems to actually give cherry notes. Go figure.
Careful application of water seems to mainly bring out more digestives and vanilla sweetness. It doesn’t make a huge difference and the whisky is fine by itself. While this is not my favorite whisky it is most definitely something I have not seen before. A real showcase of the influence of oak- fascinating and still pretty good as a standalone whisky. At the cost of a bottle I would probably not grab one, but it is well worth trying if you get the chance without committing to a whole bottle.
Background: One final time! “Ok, bias warning first: This is a part of the Masters Of Malt Whisky Calendar given to The Bath Whisky and Rum Club, part of Independent Spirit, who invited me to assist with the notes in return for uploading them to alcohol and aphorisms. Sounded a very fair deal to me. Also, due to this we each only had half of the 3cl bottle so thoughts are based on a smaller exploration than usual. On the other hand I could not say no to the chance to try so many new whiskies. Many thanks!”. So a few things about this whisky. 1) It is fifty years old. I repeat 50 YEARS. Ok, age isn’t everything but this is the first time I have run into a single grain whisky this old. 2) IT IS SPELLED EXTRA MOTHER FUCKERS. THERE IS AN E IN IT. Anyway, excited, the final whisky of the whisky calendar, it was a fun time.
