• Single Grain
• Campbeltown
• Central Highlands
• Eastern Highlands
• Islands
• Islay
• Lowlands
• Northern Highlands
• Speyside
• Western Highlands

---

North Port Distillery
Brechin,
Angus DD9 6BE

---

Owner: United Distillers & Vintners (Diageo)

---

Creation date 1820

---

The image above does not really look like a distillery because the distillery is destroyed and a Safeway supermarket has been build on the site

	North Port
O.B.	Rare Malts 20 years	17
	Brechin 28	17
Duncan Taylor	Rarest of the Rare 25 years	18
Scott's Selection	Scott's Selection 1980	19
Signatory	Vintage 1975 (Signatory)	17

North Port Rare Malts 1977-1999
Age	20 years
Alcohol percentage	61,2%
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

A very clear nose. A mix of citrus (slightly acid) and malt (clearly sweeter) smells, some spices, pepper. The mouth is dry, and the percentage of alochol very present. Rather complex, but without exaggeration, the palate developes between spices and malt. The dry character makes soon room to nice sensations where the citrus hints mix deliciously with smoother malty notes. The finish is amazingly "peaceful" (the aggression of alcohol has disappeared), lingering and warm, and lets some nice malt and chocolate notes appear.

Brechin 28 y.o. 1977-2005
Age	28 years
Alcohol percentage	53.3%
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

Un nez assez frais, avec de nets relents de foin et des notes légèrement fruitées. Le nez est assez discret et n'est pas marqué par le bois malgré le nombre d'années que ce whisky a passé dans le fût. La bouche est partagée entre des notes amères et d'autres acides. L'amertume n'est pas boisée... L'acide n'est pas agrumique. La bouche semble manquer de relief, de contraste et de couleurs. Le goût est assez particulier, et cette bouteille a probablement besoin de temps pour arriver à exprimer toutes ses qualités. La finale est longue, et le même couple amer-acide de la bouche domine ici également. A regoûter, parce qu'il y a des indices indiquant que ce whisky est probablement meilleur que l'impression générale qu'il donne immédiatement après l'ouverture de la bouteille.

 

 

North Port Signatory Vintage 1975
Age	24 years
Alcohol percentage	61,1%
Particularity	Cask Strength Single Cask
Cask	Sherry
Bottler	Signatory
Price/litre

 

This bottle, more important from a historic point of view than from a gastronomic one didn't however disappoint me at all.  After 24 years in an oak cask, this not well known whisky has become a rather pleasant malt. The Signatory range is definitely a kindness in the world of whisky lovers. Its exceptionally high alcohol degree does not hinder the tasting at all.

The second tasting revealed more complexity and charms of this whisky than the first time. A smell and a taste, both marked by citrus fruits (orange?) and slightly acid, followed by a finish of average length make this (historical now) bottle something you do not regret to have bought.

At the third tasting, the first impression was that the very high degree of alcohol is a little aggressive. After having added a drop of water, the slightly acid character of this malt (citrus fruits) together with a great complexity of smells and tastes became clear. The finish is a little short.

A rather fresh nose, with slightly acid hints and remote touches of smoke. A kind of tingling sensation as well, due to the high alcohol percentage. In the palate, a certain complexity and some acid hints on a malted background. The finish is of average length, and recalls malt and some remote citrus touches.

The first nose is slightly aggressive, but after a few minutes of aeration, it gets rather fresh, with notes of cut grass perfumed with hint of vanilla. Alcohol is obviously present in the palate, and this mouth is dominated by a mix of fruity (pear) hints and vanilla aroma's, the whole being nicely fresh. Rather complex. A beautiful smoothness and e nice presence in the mouth. The finish is long, both marked by the warmth of the alcohol and the memory of the freshness of the mouth.

he first nose is rather difficult to define. Quite tingling and evoking some fruits, after the first impression of aggression. It develops then on ripe fruit, honey, sweetness.
The first mouth is a mix of acidity and bitterness. From pear spirit to much more bitter, woody notes, and an obvious presence of alcohol. Much more an aggressive whisky than a complex one.
A lingering finish which is first fresh and which develops just like to the mouth, on bitterness and after a while only some chocolate notes are left.

 

North Port Scott's Selection 1980
Age	24 years
Alcohol percentage	58%
Particularity	Cask Strength Single Cask
Bottler	Scott's Selection
Price/litre

A very nice and expressive nose, marked by spices (pepper) and sweet citrus fruits. Hintes of peach and a touch of smoke on the background. Very promising anyway. The palate is wonderfuly complex, mixing all kinds of tastes, from hazelnut to citrus fruits, through nice spicy notes. Spices, acidity and bitterness, a very nice range o ftastes. A real explosion in the mouth. Really very nice whisky, where the mouth is even better than the promising nose was. The finish is of equal quality, with some woody dominance. Lingering, warm and pleasant. Definitely a great bottle....

North Port Rarest of the Rare 1981-2006 #780
Age	25 years
Alcohol percentage	55.3%
Particularity	Cask Strength Single Cask
Bottler	Duncan Taylor
Price/litre

A nice and clear spicy nose (pepper), Sour fruit hints and some tingling probably due to the alcohol percentage.
The first mouth is amazingly complex, merging harmoniously and alternatively acid notes and bitter ones before developing on nice smooth malty notes. The bitterness is not really woody (much more like bitter vegetables or fruit) and the acid hints do not taste like citrus fruit, rather unripe fruit.
The finish seems to be somewhat metallic first, before developing on the same sensation like in the palate. Long and pleasant. After some minutes, bitter fruit hints (gentian) come and put the finishing touch to this nice impressions.