Caledonian 1987 29 Year Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

Rating: 12/23 People say single grains need 30 years to be good, but when I opened this, I figured 29 years was close enough. Let's see. N: Dry, tannic wood, burning alcohol, nutty, tart. Lemon peel, some oiliness. Not a lot of complexity. P: Sweet with significant nutty richness and a bit of oil. Some dry, lemony, waxy tartness and harsh spices give it that familiar single grain character. There's subtle cinnamon, a little ginger, and a touch of clove in the spices. An occasional faint hint of tropical fruit reminds me of a certain rye. I don't taste much alcohol, but there is some, which is surprising for its age. There's some dry wood character at times, but it's not very prominent. As I sip, the nose and palate become more refined, revealing more nuance, though it's still a challenge. A delicate oaky layer with faint vanilla eventually appears. It's pleasant, and I appreciate a whisky that highlights the spirit by restraining the wood, but the spirit itself seems a bit immature and lacks character. Water reduces the heat slightly and brings out more grain flavor, but doesn't help the harshness, and many other flavors are diminished. This is a typical single grain profile. It's acceptable but lacks character. F: It continues to burn for a while. Oily with some lemon and spice. There's a surprisingly clean sweetness to the oiliness here, more noticeable than on the palate. On a clean palate, this is quite enjoyable. It's never outstanding, but it's good. It always strikes me as a little harsh, though. I wouldn't have guessed it was 29 years old; I would have said it was a 10-year-old made with a very high proportion of hearts and aged in well-used casks. Whatever cask they used for this must have been refilled many times. Compared side-by-side, Dewar's 15 The Monarch (13) offers better complexity, and I enjoy its more relaxed nature and toasty grains. I'd likely prefer the Dewar's, unfortunately. Càrn Mòr's 1994 24.5ish year old Girvan (12) is richer and fuller than this, but it has more alcohol flavor and definitely more harshness. For a moment, I thought I might prefer the Girvan, but now I don't think so. Still, it's not great that this is at the Girvan's level. I might have overestimated the Girvan; it could be an 11 or 10. I think 12 is the highest I could rate this. Three Scottish Brothers (12) is more approachable and indulgent than this, with greater richness but less fullness (which makes sense given its 40% ABV). They represent different ends of the 'typical single grain' spectrum, but I find them to be comparable. I'm considering an 11 or 12 for this. I'll go with a 12.

The aroma is reminiscent of lemon vanilla pound cake. There's also a significant amount of ethanol, which is unexpected given its 29 years aging in a barrel. A faint undertone of rubbing alcohol is present, though it seems to fade as it sits. A berry note is also detectable. I don't perceive any oak, and the spirit's color suggests minimal wood influence, which is surprising after 29 years in a barrel. Was the barrel actually wood, or perhaps stainless steel? The palate is more pleasant than anticipated. The lemon vanilla pound cake flavor comes through. It doesn't taste as potent as it smells. The flavors are quite appealing, reminding me of my mother-in-law's lemon vanilla pound cake. I can detect the sugary crust, dense cake, and what seems like limoncello drizzled on top. A touch of the rubbing alcohol note reappears on the finish, along with some lemon pith. It's interesting how different this is from the 28-year-old North British. Actually, I prefer this one of the two. It was a real pleasure to sample both of these aged grain whiskies. My thanks to a friend for the samples!

Initially sharp and stinging, after extended time in the glass it mellows slightly, but it remains rugged for a single grain, with ethanol and bitterness. There's a pleasant hint of lemon curd, vanilla, and pastry, and it's somewhat creamy, but not sufficiently to salvage this whiskey. Sampled courtesy of a friend.