German retailer DeinWhisky presented three more white label bottlings from Sansibar, exclusive to the store. There’s Ben Nevis 1997 and Ardbeg 2009, but we’re starting with a Blended Scotch 1976. This is likely to be a teaspooned Highland malt.
Blended Whisky 48 yo 1976 (49,1%, Sansibar for DeinWhisky.de 2024, bourbon hogshead, 131 btl.)
Nose: nice tropical fruits. Dried mango slices, apricots and tangerines, along with plums and lots of oranges. A very seductive hint of vanilla and fragipane, or maybe Muscat. Hints of cake. Light whiffs of sandalwood too. Then candle wax, honey and a hint of leather.
Mouth: quite lovely again, with a great oily character. More creamy honey, bananas and tangerines, which eventually move towards bittersweet oranges and hints of pink grapefruit. More leather, with hints of herbal tea along the way. The waxiness becomes slightly resinous. It moves a towards the Highlands over time, if you know what I mean.
Finish: medium to long, with more citrus sweetness, some herbal power and light resinous touches. Leather, always.
I received this sample two days after I sampled Sansibar’s Japonism 1976 for Shinanoya. Although I couldn’t compare them directly, I’m sure they’re similar. Available from DeinWhisky.
Ben Nevis 26 yo 1997 (51,4%, Sansibar for DeinWhisky.de 2023, refill sherry cask, 269 btl.)
Nose: a suble lactic note at first – vanilla yoghurt. Then ripe melons and bananas, with lemon peelings and a faint gravelly note. Also leafy notes and leather, walnuts and dusty cupboards. Greasy car parts. It needs time to settle down, but it’s nice.
Mouth: quite funky. There are green elements, like green pepper and celery, fresh leaves, grapefruit peels and a hint of pipe tobacco. Firm mustardy touches. Also old wood, faint brine, a little bitterness, but also green pineapple. Nutmeg and aniseed too.
Finish: long, a bit briny, with wet leaves, hints of ginger, spent coffee grounds and slightly medicinal herbs.
This one reminds me of the East Village Company bottling. Certainly the more austere side of Ben Nevis, lacking some of the more tropical fruits and making it pretty intellectual at some point. Not for beginners, but very interesting. One for Fino lovers? Head over to DeinWhisky. Score: 89/100
Ardbeg 15 yo 2009 (52,8%, Sansibar for DeinWhisky.de 2024, sherry butt)
Nose: excellent purity. Clean iodine, lots of seashells and seaweed, hints of graphite and lukewarm ashes. Then menthol, some oysters and fresh lemons. Hints of fresh leather saddle as well, along with a faint hint of vanilla. Pristine.
Mouth: very maritime and brimfull of ash (Cornershop, remember?). More oysters, plenty of seaweed, fallen leaves, raw wool. Some muddy notes, bandages, grapefruits and brine. Hints of toasted oak and a hint of cocoa in the end.
Finish: long, with drying smoke, maritime warmth, oily notes and some sharper herbal notes.
There’s no sherry involved here, making this a very pure and chisseled Ardbeg. High quality. Available from DeinWhisky. Score: 90/100