Tasting: Glentauchers 1996 / 2015 by Gordon & MacPhail

Dram data:
Distillery: Glentauchers
Bottler: Gordon&MacPhail
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2015
Age: 18/19 years
Limitation: –
Casks: first fill sherry butts
Alcohol: 43%
chill filtered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: light honey
The nose opens on the rich, fruity-sweet and spicy side. The first impression reminds me of mulled apple wine with loads of rock sugar. Sweet baked apples with cloves and cinnamon powder, heather honey, dried pineapple, dried apricots, dried orange zest, reduced orange juice, roasted almonds and a very well-integrated oaky richness in the background. A rich, fruity, spicy delight! The palate is mellow and gentle on the arrival, with a big development following, the 43% alcohol work great here! Rich and mouth-coating! Mouth-watering too! I lost the apple wine, but the baked apples with spices stuck into them are very prominent. Honey, dried grapes (err… sultanas?), dried apricots, milk chocolate with orange peel and a few cheeky chili and ginger pieces, and, again, a very well-integrated background oaky note rounding things off. A perfect continuation of the nose! The finish is long, fruity-sweet upon swallowing (more sultanas, dried apricots, condensed orange juice) with a short chili-ginger-catch. Gliding down ever so gently with oaky notes appearing towards the end.

Verdict:
Is that a first? A perfect 87 all across the board, very consistent presentation! A spicy, fruity-sweet sherried (but not a sherry monster) Glentauchers exhibiting a fine balance of distillery character, sherry influence and signs of maturity (oak influence). And for me a rare example where 43% bottling strength work like a charm! Price seems to vary a bit, but for the lower end at 70€ I’d recommend it.

Score: 87/100
(Nose: 87 Palate: 87 Finish: 87)

Sample kindly provided by Gordon & MacPhail