Two old young Glen Mhor for the record

September 26, 2013

Two old young Glen Mhor for the record

I’ll say it again, it’s becoming more and more difficult to try whisky from long closed distilleries, let alone those same whiskies at young age and at high strength, so I believe any opportunity should not be missed, even less so with the sometimes very whacky Glen Mhor from Inverness. Because 'this style no exist anymore.'

Glen Mhor 8 yo (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, 75cl, +/-1980)

This 'white label red stripe' version is/was much less common than the brown/beige label. Probably early 1970s distillation. Colour: gold amber. Nose: how big, how powerful and how aggressive! It’ll just burn your nostrils if you get your nose too close, which is a little strange since 57% is not that high (don’t tell my mum I said that). What I get beyond all this alcohol is rather a both gamy and chocolaty kind of oloroso sherry. Let’s try to tame it with water… With water: like smelling stale rainwater from a rusty oil barrel, and the old car of a forty-a-day man. We’re talking cigarettes. Other than that, it’s very fine, very different, and I especially love the old-style earthiness. I would never stop improving in fact, but it needs a lot of time. Is that old-school enough? Mouth (neat): starts immensely ashy, very astringent, very aggressive again, but this time there’s also a sweetness that makes it more bearable. Triple-sec? Now, it remains harsh and difficult without water. With water: we won! The chocolate remains dry and drying but other than that, there’s some old rum, orange marmalade, kumquats, honeydew, pipe tobacco… All good, all much smoother. And it’s pretty clean for Glen Mhor. Finish: long, with more spices as often. Liquorice, cloves, cumin and tar. Comments: what a ride, exactly what’s to be expected from a young Glen Mhor in my opinion. Put this in a supermarket, everyone street drinker will ask for a refund. But die-hard malt geeks will enjoy it… Or at least pretend they do, ermnlm...… SGP:363 - 85 points.

Glen Mhor 10 yo 1978/1989 (65.3%, Gordon & MacPhail for Intertrade, 300 bottles)

Amazing strength but this was most probably filled at a higher strength than today’s usual 63 or 63.5% vol. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s not the first time this happens, this stronger baby is actually smoother and rounder than its ‘lighter’ counterpart. Or maybe it’s the more bourbony profile? The higher creaminess? Let’s say it’s some kind of motor oil with a good dose of vanilla-ed sugar thrown in plus quite a lot of almond oil. It’s actually becoming more and more ‘Glen Mhor’ after just one or two minutes, with more soot, oils, ink, new magazines, leather… With water: wham! Very much old-school, greasy, sooty, waxy, mineral, with only grapefruits at the fruit section. Never bad news… After ten minutes, big mint, eucalyptus and, sadly, plastic. New plastic pouch. Mouth (neat – I’m shaking!): haha, this is easy! No, w…a…i…t…. it’s hot and, above all, extremely Mhorish (not quite more-ish), bitter, very paraffiny… and very burning. Just one drop would kill you forever. Nope, not all whiskies kill forever. Quick, water: oh what a hard one! Bitter plastic, cardboard… It’s like drinking ink, I’d say. Finish: long but almost unbearable. Burnt beans? Comments: ups and downs all the time, it’s adventure. I think it’s flawed, technically, but on the other hand, it’s fun-fun-fun. Sort of… Seriously, it’s pretty difficult whisky. SGP:282 - 70 points.

Check the index of all Glen Mhor I've tasted so far