Two celebratory outdated Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie 36 yo 1966/2002 (47.2%, OB ‘Particular Releases’, 1500 bottles)
One in every of many extremely spectacular early releases on this sequence, though I all the time felt it acquired a little bit forgotten about over time. Now, Mr SV recorded notes for this one all the best way again in 2005 and was impressed however possibly not ‘aggressively’ so with WF88. Color: pale bronze. Nostril: usually outdated and old fashioned on the identical time. Moderately mentholated, polished and medicinal with animal fat, tiger balm, sooty and coppery notes and wee impressions of aged mead, camphor, marzipan and ginger. There’s additionally dried herbs and ointments with a number of varied glazed and crystallised fruits. I additionally discover some apparently fats beery and malt extract notes. Mouth: wonderful arrival, highly effective even at this ABV, a great deal of medicinal waxes, boot polish, soot, camphor, oils, a glimmer of peat smoke and some quite extracted unique fruit teas, mineral oils and pure tar resin. Turning into increasingly paying homage to some a lot older Scotch whiskies in the best way it makes you consider long-aged natural liqueurs and curious outdated medicines. End: good size, quite warming, gently peppery, some ginger as soon as once more, extra beers, darkish grains, medicines and camphor. Feedback: Sixties Dalwhinnie appears to have been concerned significantly extra with peat than in the present day’s make. There’s many elements about this that make you consider correctly historic ‘vintage’ profiles of Scotch Whisky. 90 massive fats factors in my wee ebook, however I’d say what distinguishes this from many trendy bottlings that additionally simply hit that mark, is that this may be a ‘soulful’ 90, quite than a ‘technical’ 90 – I am positive you see what I imply.
SGP: 563 – 90 factors.

Dalwhinnie 37 yo 1965/2003 (58.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 102.14 ‘An off-road oldie’)
As soon as once more, Serge beat me to this one with WF90 again in 2018. I used to be all the time a fan of this bottling as, so far as I am conscious, it is a distinctive single cask with no sibling shares to be discovered at another bottler; a bonnie wee slice of Scottish distilling historical past. Color: gold. Nostril: many proximate qualities to the 1966, solely I’d say that is instantly sharper and extra powerfully on medical embrocations, wintergreen, natural wines, bandages, vapour rubs and even touches of iodine and citronella wax. A extremely distinctive and weird profile, even for the Sixties I’d say. With water: fantastically fats, oily, waxy and even farmy now. These peaty and medicinal elements and subdivided into one thing greasier, earthier and extra old fashioned waxy/mechanical. Additionally some extra refined notes of smoked olive oil and good outdated basic hessian. Actually charming! Mouth: very natural, oily, medicinal and camphory. I additionally discover various pepper, hints of anchovy paste, sandalwood and a few splendidly crisp and stylish old fashioned peat smoke. It is also quite salty and with slight meaty notes like a high quality slice of Serrano. With water: plenty of herbs, fir wooden resins, pure tar extracts, medical embrocations, wee notes of smoked tea, iodine and lots of extra assertive emotions of camphor, putty, hessian and medical balms. End: lengthy, resinous, natural, medicinal and with candy tar and mild peat smoke. Feedback: I’ve to say, I discover this excellent. An excellent whisky that is each soulful and technically nice, but in addition a real instance of a correctly distinctive single cask. I’ve to say, this wee session additionally reveals the distinction between Serge and I. He’s a much more disciplined taster, whereas I’m an over-emotional and giddy Scotsman who will get too enthusiastic about these kinds of whiskies. Therefore…
SGP: 364 – 92 factors.