Glen Ord 1973 23 years Rare Malts 59.8%

glenord_raremaltsNose: Malt and tobacco. With water I get more smoke, as well as lemon curd and digestive bisquits.

Palate: Bonfire and malt. With water the tobacco shows up on the palate, but also lemon.

Comments: Yummy. It’s funny how the smoke and tobacco exchange places nose/tastewise with water. Not complex enough to be worth several hundred pounds at auction, perhaps, but certainly moreish.

Balmenach 1988 23 years Adelphi 54.2%

the_whisky_bar-2Nose: A little sickly and “chemical”, malt and yeasty dough. Water helps by bringing out citrus, mostly lemon, a light oaky perfume. Still a lot of malt and bun dough.

Palate: Malt, yellow apples and sweetish glue. With a drop of water it’s much better, as the glue disappears and it tastes of apple pie with custard. More water adds a vague taste of vomit.

Comments: A drop of water was good, more a bit of a disaster. Once the water was added it was almost undrinkable.