Strathmill 1988 as part of Diageo’s Special Releases 2014. It was the first year that the Strathmill distillery appeared in this series and the first official release in a very long time. It was matured for over 25 years in refill American oak.
Strathmill 25 yo 1988
(52,4%, OB 2014, 2.700 btl.)
Nose: very malty, with lots of grainy biscuits, plain gristy notes and sugar coated corn flakes. On a second level, there is soft vanilla, ginger and a nice dusty side that keeps the middle between hay and dried flowers. Honeysuckle and orange zest. Coffee with cream.
Mouth: again sweet cereal bars, roasted oats, brown sugar and ginger cookies. Growing hints of latte and toffee. Not really fruity, but there’s some honey and maybe baked apple in the background. Faint floral notes and eucalyptus too.
Finish: medium long, malty, with vanilla, milk chocolate and lingering spices.
This Strathmill is strangely neutral, almost an exercise in maltiness, yet it does have a nice weight to it, and a few less common touches. Good, but more ‘interesting’ than immediately charming, and too expensive anyway. Around € 350.
Score: 87/100