Scott’s Selection is a range of whiskies picked by Robert Scott, a former Master blender at Speyside Distillers in Glasgow. They bottled this North Port at 58% but they also have a later version at 48%.
North Port (also called Brechin or Townhead) is not a well known distillery. It was part of the Diageo empire but it was closed during the whisky crisis of 1983. Stocks are now believed to be very low.
North Port 24 yo 1980
(58%, Scott’s Selection 2004)
North Port 24 yo 1980Nose: quite a strong nose, very malty. Oatmeal. Some vegetal elements (potatoes). Butter caramel. A little lamp oil. Faint smoke maybe?
Mouth: grainy, malty and quite boring. Sweet, slightly hot and flat. Malt? Muesli with a dash of alcohol? Not much to say I’m afraid. Caramel again. A faint hint of apple. The spices are the best part (nutmeg, some pepper, something mustardy).
Finish: oily, slightly grassy but again quite boring.
This North Port is not exactly bad whisky, but there are very few elements that stand out of the malty / sweet toffee centre. Some distilleries were closed for a good reason, you know. Around € 100 and still available.
Score: 75/100