Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes
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Speyside

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Speyside distillery
Speyside Distillery
Glen Tromie, Kingussie
Inverness-shire PH21 1NS
+44 1540 661 060
Owner: Speyside Distillery Co. Ltd
Creation date 1990
Picture: courtesy of the distillery

Web site picturescomments

Despite its evocative name, this distillery is not considered by everybody to be geographically settled in the Speyside area. But the river Spey flows behind the distillery. The Speyside distillery is the closest to the burn of the Speyside river so it really deserves to be considered as a being part of the Speyside area.
George Christie founded the blending company "Speyside Distillery and Bonding" in 1955. Speyside stills
In reality, even if the distillery is not settled in the traditional Speyside area, the distillery is the closest distillery to the source of the River Spey ( the River Tromie), and it even has a view on the Spey.

One year later, he acquired the ground called "Old Milton Estate" in Glen Tromie, on which the village Drumguish and the old mill who made floor for the village people up to 1949 were settled. This old mill was build in 1710 and currently houses the office of the distillery's director.
To insure a constant quality to their blends, the Christie family decided to create their own malt distillery in a building settled on their property. This construction has been build by Alex Fairly alone, and it took him 25 years to achieve it. He used the dry-stone dyking method, which was labor-intensive, but resulted in a beautifully handcrafted building.
About 20% of the production is marketed as single malt under the name Drumguish, and the remaining part is sas kept for ageing or is used in the blends Speyside and the vatted malt Glentromie. But nowadays, there is no blend produced anymore by the distillery. The remaining 80% are used now for the Speyside Single Malt which was available as a 10 y.o. but now solely available as a 12 y.o.
The distillery owners also buy and bottle casks for Scott's Selection.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

 

See also the tasting notes of the samples the distillery gave me so kindly during my visit

Speyside: embouteillages officiels
 

Speyside

10 years
Age
 10 years
Alcohol percentage
 40,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 73/100
 Speyside 10
 Nose:Pronounced oily nuttiness.
Palate:Sweet, buttery, rich. Some cream toffee, cookies and caramel.
Finish:Faintly kirsch-like fruitiness.
The nose is pronounced, with some malt hints and something else which I not really can recognise, followed by a pleasant and sweet palate feeling (caramel?) and by a finish of average length make from a dram of this whisky  a pleasant moment, however this bottling is not a must in any collection.
74/100
The relatively simple nose is marked by malt and some slight hints of ripe fruits. In the palate, a rather pleasant taste with some touches of bitterness (walnut?) and a general great flatness. No sup rise. The same conclusions for the finish. Gentle finish but nothing more, and the same bitterness stays in mind for some short instants...
70/100
The nose is very fruity, something between pear and green apple with a hint of pepper. It is quite fresh, touches of cut grass on a woody background.
In the mouth, the first impression is dryness, and clear woody hints are present, with however a kind of smoothness contrasting with the bitterness of the wood. A nice finish, fruity and rather long.
74/100
The nose is marked by malt and plum jam with clear presence of beer yeast.
In the palate, a bit of acidity, few or no complexity.
The finish is short and fresh.
70/100

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

Colour: Dark gold, shady amber.
Nose: Soft malt, cereals, heather honey and small whiffs of smoke (in this order). In the beginning a little like a good blend. Later there are very appealing and not at all disturbing notes of white cheese or sour cream, also dried apricots. Also a very interesting musty note shows up, reminding a little of mowed grass in the rain, softly beginning to rot, sounds strange but is very pleasant in the glass.
Taste: The floral notes are getting stronger and a very pleasant bitter herbal note is adding itself (black tea). A beautiful balance between smoke and honey.
Finish: Long and surprisingly fulfilling. The herbal bitter delivers a nice crescendo, and fades into soft fruity aromes
Conc.: An interesting dram bottled in perfect strength for this whisky, far away from being “The Best Whisky in the world”, as the label prouldly boasts but sure a refreshing step off of the Speyside mainstream.
Tasting date: November/2nd/2009

 79/100
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Speyside 12 years

Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 40%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
Speyside 12
The nose is rather marked by malted barley with some vanilla on the background and some undergrowth notes and some animal touches.
The first impression in the palate is a kind of weakness, which is quickly replaced by a great sweetess and some slightly bitter touches, not really woody, but more nutty.
The finish is not too long, and some bitterness is still present.
The quality of this whisky would probably be improved by some additional degrees of alcohol. This would have influenced the general impression favorably, even if this whisky is already quite nice.
79/100
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Independant bottlings Speyside

Speyside

Scott's Selection 1991
Collection
 Natural Cask Strength
Age
 13 years
Alcohol percentage
 61,1 %
Bottler
 Scott's Selection
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
Speyside Scott's selection
The nose is very fresh and rather rich, slighlty acid and with some nice hints of fruit and cut grass. The mouth is first very fruity, remaining pear alcohol, but rather smooth too despite the very high percentage of alcohol. The finish is warm and very pleasant, still on pear flavors with later some malty whiffs. A very good bottle, even if it is not really within my own taste pattern, as I'm not a fan of too fruity whiskies.
79/100
The nose is clearly marked by spices and cereals. Then some fruity smells and discrete vanilla hints appear. Mouth is somewhere between the malt smoothness and the vanilla on one hand and some acidity and bitterness on the other hand. Not citrus acidity, but something different. A bitter but quite a nice acidity. The finish is long and both slightly bitter and rather smooth, marked a bit by the alcohol.
79/100
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Speyside

Cu Dhub
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 40,0 %
Bottler
 Mac Y
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 65/100
 
 This is a whisky from the Speyside distillery to which black caramel has been added by a Danish importer to give it an unusual colour.
This is the only black whisky currently available since Loch Dhu stopped marketing of their black whisky some years ago.
For more information on the birth of this new "Black Whisky", please have a look on the site of the Danish importer: MacY

 

 I didn't really expect much from this whisky "doctored" in order to give it an unusual colour. The colour is like coffee or cola. Not really exciting for a classic whisky lover. However the nose detects interesting aromas, between malt and spices, with slightly acid hints. The caramel addition is quick forgotten. It is a good original whisky. The taste confirms the first nose impressions. The finish is a little bit short. To make a long story short, beyond the colour gadget, this whisky is very pleasant and does not spoil a collection which is not afraid to venture off the beaten track.
74/100
During the second tasting, the rather sweet nose shows clear lacks at refinement and complexity. The original smell of the Speyside is hidden by the abnormal addition of caramel, in order to obtain the characteristic colour. In the palate, the impression is very fuzzy, between caramel and immoderate sugar, recalling the home made aperitifs, where some quinine hints appear above a kind of sweet syrup. There is nearly no finish. The first quotation seems to be totally unjustified. It has probably due to the fact I expected even less of this bottle. This bottle is to avoid, and its only interest is its unusual black colour. This is also a kind of gadget.
56/100
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Speyside samples

Speyside

Best Casks of Scotland 1994
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
A nice malty nose with marshmallow notes. Some flowers too.
The mouth is even pleasant as the nose was, unadorned but perfectly honest, very smooth.
Quite a short finish, but prolonging nicely the mouth and the nose.
Nothing spectacular in this whisky, but all the pleasure of a well done spirit is present here.
84/100
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Speyside

Gifted Stills 2001-2008
Collection
 Gifted Stills
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
The nose is clearly marked by yeast hints and malty notes. After a while, fruity (plum) motes seem to appear. The youth of this spirit is obvious.
In the palate, a taste of pear spirit dominates. A certain lack of body, but certainly not unpleasant. Ripe fruit impressions. Ripe but rather tasteless.
The finish is short and marked by yeast.
79/100
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Speyside

Gifted Stills 2001-2010
Collection
 Gifted Stills
Age
 9 years
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 76/100

Color: White Wine
The nose is marked primarily by malt with hints of yeast residues. An odor similar to deposits found in some bottle-fermented beer. Some smoky notes seem to hide behind that first impression. This is not my favorite scent profile.
The first impression in the mouth prolongs perfectly the nose. Malty notes with in addition a slight acidity and a semblance of bitterness. The mouth is better than the nose, but by shining an interesting complexity or a host of pleasant sensations. However, this whiskey has an interesting balance and no fault "technical". Whisky is good if not great.
The finish is very fresh even though the notes of yeast, which marked the mouth and nose are still present.
Whisky probably pleasant to drink but a bit boring tasting.
76/100
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Speyside

Best Casks of Scotland 1994
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 75/100

Color: White Wine
The nose has some hints of yeast dominating of pleasant but relatively flat malt impressions, lacking a little relief. This whisky is a bit lower (at least in the nose) compared to his younger brother from 1996. After a few minutes appear notes of hay, but are perhaps a little too discrete.
In the mouth, an impression of roasted malt dominates quite clearly. The mouth is fairly linear, although not unpleasant, but again a little behind compared to the younger brother.
The finish is still dominated by the notes of roasted malt, but is paradoxically a little more complex than the mouth ending on notes much more bitter.
A whisky for lovers of muesli ... For those who like the linear whiskies , predictable and without much contrast. It's not particularly my favorite for whisky, but whisky is however well done, without defect that is sure to please many.
75/100
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Speyside

Best Casks of Scotland 1996
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
Cask
 Sherry butt
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 80/100

Colour: Pale yellow
A fruity nose quite frankly affirmed, relative complexity, mix of sweet notes of ripe fruit is slightly acid notes and green apple.
The taste is initially sweet, extending the impressions of the nose. It evolves rapidly enough to the first notes of malt and then slowly tastes slightly bitter. From ripe peach to the cashews through impressions of muesli.
The finish is long and fresh, marked especially by gently bitter notes.
A very nice surprise. This whisky exceeds in complexity and enjoy what I expect from a Speyside distillery like.
80/100
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Speyside

1993, sherry butt
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 61,7 %
Bottler
 Malts of Scotland
Cask
 Sherry butt
Cask number
single cask 636
Dates
 Distil: 18/10/1993 Bottling: 07/2009
Bottle
 192 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
Speyside 1993 mos
The nose is pleasantly marked by malt and some fresh cut grass and pepper mint scents. Quite a good general impression. Balance and a kind of complexity characterises the nose.
In the palate, the same freshness and the same interesting complexity too. However, the alcohol is to obviously present and tends to kill the papilla's. A development from grass freshness on nutty notes is perceptible behind the alcohol burning sensation.
The finish is lingering and without any surprise, as it just prolongs the mouth.
79/100
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Speyside

Speyside Map

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

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