Mannochmore 25 Year 1990 (2016 Special Release)

I had the fortunate opportunity to share a sample of this a few weeks ago during a business trip (and fortunate to bring back about 10cl ). This is really a unicorn---not too many of these bottles in floatation. I actually never even heard of this distillery, really has always been used by Diageo for its blends, so original bottling as a single malt are quite rare. But...either Diageo happen to stumble upon amazing few casks which they designated for this special release, or they're testing out the market to see if they can diversify this distillery to go single malts in addition to blends. Adds another revenue stream, if capacity is able to produce. . I'm guessing the latter. Anyway, on to my impressions of this: nose is immaculate, like oranges, apples and vanilla pudding. The taste then reminds me of those Austrian waffle cookies---the soft buttery cookies that taste of caramel and chocolate. I love the finish. You get a hint of smoke, just a tad bit, but more of the oranges and app,es. This is really a rare treat, and as amazing as it is, is it worth about $250? It sounds expensive at first, and trust me...it is. Not everyone has the disposable income to spend $250 on a bottle. But, if you were to factor in the rarity, quality, and age, now all the sudden $250 seems fair. Just to compare---Highland Park Valhalla series was at $300 each, and they were barely 16 yrs old. Balvenie Tun 1409 and 1501 are over $300, at least. And neither of these were as good as this. I'm glad I got to sample...and if you happen to come across any, it's a strong recommended buy. Pitch in with a few friends and share---really a worthwhile experience.

Nose - Caramel, sweet pine sap?, vanilla, toasted grains/cereal, leather, honey (w/ water) Caramel, vanilla, cooked apples, honey, toasted coconut?, leather Taste - Caramel, hint of coffee, chocolate, minty pine sap syrup sweetness, gentle heat/spice, apples, grilled pineapple, honey (w/ water) Caramel, vanilla, grassy, grilled pineapples, apples Finish - Light fruity/bitter spice, charred sugar, apples, honey, grass (w/ water) same Score - 91/100 Final Thoughts - This from start to finish felt like a very well done mashup of a bourbon and a cask strength Glenlivet. Good bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla were there, but they were also married with the classic cooked apple notes I personally get from a Glenlivet. Now thinking about it, a bit of the honey and apples from a Balvenie too. The interesting pine syrup notes I got seemed to fade a bit with water and seemed to make the bourbon + Glenlivet/Balvenie vibes work together better. This was a very interesting one and although not cheap, I could see this one being loved by bourbon drinkers to "transition" them to single malt Scotch. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - Maybe, but price is a bit steep NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.

3cl sample (Master of Malt/£23) The aroma is a fullSherry bomb but with a citric twist. There’s also some cask strength bourbon notes there, probably because there are some virgin oak on the mix as far as I’m concerned. Fantastic stuff! Seems you’re inside a candy store. While the nose was Sherry w/ citric twist (and a buble gum note I just picked), the palate is the other way round: citric w/ a Sherry twist. Not woody at all for 25 yo, quite the opposite, very fresh. The after taste has a spicy tingle but I love it. Just buy a bottle if you can find this “impossible to find” whisky. Thanks me later! (And pls send me another sample)

Oranges and vanilla, and almost a banana quality on the nose. Very soft and buttery, and orange on the tongue. A soft finish that spreads across the tongue like melted butter, with a touch of bite to finish.

Sweet nose with some depth. Sherry influence comes out with ripe red fruits. Palate rush with honey, caramel, frosting, orange peel. Lingering oak and sherry sweetness.

Lovely dram. All the hallmarks of first fill wrt the honey, vanilla, caramel and oak. Runs hot even with liberal water but holds flavour well. Solid 4 for me.