The year 2016 will be remembered for the list of deceased artists… and for the list of undisclosed Speyside whiskies. Today a single malt Old Speyside 1973 bottled by Eiling Lim.
On her website she says: I bought his from a whisky broker and no matter what I did or how I begged, no information was spared. Then we shouldn’t guess, right?
Old Speyside 43 yo 1973 (47,8%, Eiling Lim 2016, 12th release, Fino cask, 118 btl.)
Old Speyside 43 yo 1973 (47,8%, Eiling Lim 2016, 12th release, Fino cask, 118 btl.)Nose: full of beehive notes, beeswax, pollen, with some old and rather fragrant, minty oak, or sandalwood. Quite some blonde tobacco too. Orange peels, greengages, hints of dried apricot and herbal honey. Mentholated notes. Light exotic spices. Very light flinty / resinous notes in the background.
Mouth: oak spices, again with this resinous feeling and bright tobacco notes. Fruit teas, stewed fruits, pollen, a little mead and honey. The wood brings freshness instead of a tannic dryness. Something of a fruity hoppy note too.
Finish: long, flavourful, with white fruits, wax and vibrant oak spices.
Great stuff. You have to like a good dose of old oak but it’s magically fresh and vibrant. I’ve heard the source of these casks could dry up any day now. Around € 380.
Score: 92/100