Carsebridge 40 Year Old 1976 XOP

A year before I was born this was laid down to rest. As I get older drinking this type of whiskey, one which was created before I was is getting rarer and rarer. Age as they say is just a number as is the generalizing that all grain whiskey is crap. Often with stereotypes there is a grain of truth (excuse the pun!) however and this is one of those that goes with rather than against the grain so to speak (boyaaah.. double pun!). They have tried to do a decent job but it really is like trying to push a wagon of grain up hill (and the trifecta!). Nose and palate a bit gluey and acetone like. There is vanilla and a bit more going on but by in large pretty average. I've had quite a few others tonight which have bested this

Carsebridge 40-Year-Old 1976 (cask 11587) - Xtra Old Particular (Douglas Laing) It is a rich, rare bottling of Carsebridge single grain Scotch whisky, distilled in October 1976 & bottled 40 years later in February 2017 by Douglas Laing for the Xtra Old Particular. It has a birth with notes of syrup-drenched orchard fruits, cacao powder & white pepper; while life adds notes of buttered corn, Christmas spice, juicy apple, milk chocolate & pancake batter; that led to a long finish with notes of Maple syrup, butter & fruity esters. March / April 2018 / September 2022

Opened for a special occasion. Ridiculous whiskey, in the best way. AFAIK the bottle I had is a mostly (or all) corn single grain, aged in ex-bourbon barrels... closest thing you can buy to a 40-year-old bourbon. Tastes closer to bourbon than to any scotch I've ever had, but incredibly delicate and rich; popcorn notes present, against a complex backdrop of oak. Like nothing else I've ever had, and I've had die-hard bourbon fans go gaga over this one. I'd buy a case if I could.