Tomintoul 1968 Whiskybroker [Road to #1000, Review #994]

Hi everyone,

Now I know I said I don’t often taste whiskies distilled back in the 60’s but this was an exception.

In fact, both this and the 1968 Glen Elgin were reasonably priced at Usquabae in Edinburgh. Which was great. Great bar, great atmosphere and food.

This one was recommended by one of the people behind the bar.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that Tomintoul had only started production in July 1965! Only three years before this was distilled. This was probably sold for an insanely low cost, as most of Whiskybroker’s bottlings are.

Tomintoul 1968 Whiskybroker 47.6%

Colour: Amber

Body: Medium/Full

Nose:Kinda soapy, outside a Lush shop, lavender, FWP-esque, Haribo Strawbs, wood varnish, green apple amazingly (can’t believe that it’s kept that freshness), leather as well.

Taste: Chewy, fruit, red apple, a little soapy then big strong oak, spice with ginger, then backs off with the soap returning. Not bad soap, not really an off note, but a little weird.

Finish: Long length. Strawberry Haribo-Strawbs, plenty of awesome chocolate, amazing finish.

Bottled at 43yo. Better as it opens up, though it remains a bit soapy. Similar to the two 1972 Tobermory’s that I’ve tasted actually.

82/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Scotch Review #831

Whisky Network Review #994

Network Average: 75.2

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as the Global Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Glen Elgin 1968 Gordon & MacPhail [Road to #1000, Review #993]

Hi everyone,

It is not often I get to taste whisky distilled in the 60’s!

In some ways, it was an innocent time for whisky; sales were going up, things looked bright, new ideas and equipment were being tested, distilleries expanded. Sherry casks were still good shape and decent supply.

Before the law change of 1986, Sherry could be transported to England where the casks would be dumped and then transported on to Scotland. This is what I would term ‘Old School Sherry Casks.’

This 1968 Glen Elgin was distilled just 4 years after their expansion in 1964 and remember that they also use Worm Tub condensers…

Glen Elgin 1968 Gordon & MacPhail 40%

Colour: Amber

Body: Medium

Nose: Complex old nose, old style Oloroso sherry, the most expensive black raisins that money can buy, old Jag leather, rich, figgy, honey, darker tobacco and more waxy after some time. Incredible old nose.

Taste: Soft, lacking power of course, but builds in the mid-palate with rich sweetness and restrained oak, raisin and leather, fig, dark chocolate truffles, old school sherry, dark cherry, good quality coffee.

Finish: Medium/Long length. Oily here, sweeter with fig and plum, orange and chocolate dusting too.

Bot 2000. Nose is high 80’s but the taste doesn’t quite live up to it. It’s such a shame that many of these early 2000’s Gordon & MacPhail’s were bottled at 40%abv. There just isn’t quite enough power to keep them going despite the naturally more heavy spirit. Still, this was a pleasure to try.

81/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Scotch Review #830

Whisky Network Review #993

Network Average: 75.2

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as the Global Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Longmorn 1968 Scott's & OB16 Reviews

Hi everyone,

Another fantastic old whisky today from the Maltstock guys (again, many many thanks!) and a bonus old review I’ve forgotten to put up for ages.

Longmorn 1968 Scott's Selection 61.8%

Colour: Light Gold

Body: Medium/Full

Nose: Very oaky, gone into a little alien territory, leather, wet ash, complex tropical fruit hidden underneath. Musty.

Water: More expressive with more of the tropical fruit, dried mango, orange, old wooden cupboards. Needs lots of time to open up.

Taste: Wow, stunning! Very tropical, great oak, complex leather and chocolate, strength doesn't feel at all. Mango and dried pineapple, milk bottle sweets.

Water: More intense arrival, waves of green apple, citrus, tropical fruit and lots of oak, chocolate and leather.

Finish: Long length. Goes very soft but stays with silky oak, milk chocolate and some malt. Longer with water.

Bottled 2003, at 35yo. Incredible strength for the age, and incredibly soft. Nose is a little closed though, holding it back.

87/100

 

Longmorn 16 (Old Bottling) 48%

Colour: Gold

Body: Medium/Full

Nose: Juicy tropical fruit- Mango, pineapple, light American oak, vanilla.

Taste: Really juicy, mango, pineapple, apple, vanilla, honey.

Finish: Medium length.

A very nice tropical whisky, no idea why the discontinued this. Oh wait, they bumped the price from £50 to £90.

75/100

Distillery: Longmorn

Average Score: 80.3

Distillery Ranking: Joint 8th/ 62 places

Up/Down: N/a

Thanks for reading!

Scotch Reviews #612-#613

Whisky Network Reviews #724-#725

Network Average: 74.9

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as a Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?