Thompson Bros: Ivergordon 1990 (Scottish Single Grain Whisky: 34 Years: 47.1% ABV)
Visual: Light rich gold. Slow thick streams come from the spirit.
Nose: Oily. Whipped cream. Brandy cream. Clotted cream. Slightly smooth spirit. Coconut. Very milky coffee. Boiled sweets. Water makes more spirity. Menthol. White grapes.
Body: Coconut. Milky chocolate. Slight charred wood. Dry white chocolate. Tannins. Milky coffee meets coffee granules. Watery adds bounty chocolate and strawberry.
Finish: Dry white chocolate. Tannins to dry tea bags. Coconut. Water adds vanilla fudge. Dry custard. Brandy cream. Strawberry.
Conclusion: This is another interesting one. On the nose it is kind of oily, spirity, clotted cream sweetness meets brandy cream spirityness. An absolute ton of influence from the loooong time in the oak, though more intense than usually 34 years in wood would suggest.
The body then is surprisingly restrained, but also surprisingly everything else as well.
This was described accurately by Chris running the tasting as “A bounty bar whisky”, and yep, it has coconut meeting muted chocolate. Less intense chocolate than Bounty bar would suggest but definitely there – it is something that sounds sweet but is actually quite restrained and dry, backed by a gentle tannin character. Still absolutely nothing like what I expected from the creamy, spirity aroma.
It is unique and also thankfully delicious. In the finish that spirity brandy cream comes back out and when you add a touch of water it gains a delicious extra range and a more gentle toffee sweetness. To give an example of the odd range, every now and then a strawberry note comes out. Lots to see and ponder here.
Overall this is a fantastic, distinct, unique and easy to examine whisky with lots to explore.
Background: This was breaking the half way point of the Independent Spirit Thompson Bro’s tasting. One of only 120 bottles this was the only single grain on the tasting but in at over 3 decades of aging. Grain spirit can get a bad name due its use in some badly made cheap blended whiskies, but over the years I have come to appreciate them – especially as you can often get well aged releases for a fraction of the cost of a single malt. I will admit I still generally enjoy single malts, but they have definitely earned their place in the line up. Single grain means it is made at a single distillery, generally using coffey stills (aka column stills) and can use a mix of grains, and any barley used does not have be malted, as opposed to single malt which must all be malted barley. Think I have that right, if not shout at me until I cry. As well as the usual disclaimer about being at a tasting so not able to do my best notes, also I had serious hayfever before this. However I was dosed up on my antihistamines and drops so seemed to be able to smell and taste reasonably so decided to go ahead with doing notes here.
(Note: Please do not actually shout at me until I cry)
