Cambus 1991 25 Year (Whiskybroker)

Our tenth stop on the SDT (yes, we are restarting the tour with both closed and new distilleries) is Cambus. This Lowland grain distillery shuttered in 1993 and remained inactive until 2011 when it reopened as a cooperage. I acquired this 25 year old at auction for $98, a rather reasonable sum for a 25 year old scotch. The independent bottler is Whiskybroker. They are an unusual company, functioning more as a wholesaler and storage provider than a typical independent bottler. They trade entire casks, rent storage space for others' maturing casks, and occasionally bottle some of their own casks for sale. This bottle, cask number 62929 from a sherry butt, was number 88 of 555. It was filled on 8/8/1991 and bottled on 3/8/2017, which coincidentally is two years ago today. Bottled at cask strength of 56.9% ABV, it is non chill filtered and has a natural yellow-gold color. The aroma requires significant time to mellow. An initial pour reveals harsh acetone and a vinegary sharpness. After sufficient settling time (10-15 minutes), notes of grain alcohol (though less aggressive than most other grain scotches), abundant honey, lemon zest, honeysuckle, vanilla, coconut, and Honey-Nut Cheerios emerge. There's minimal burn despite the high ABV. Faint sherry characteristics suggest a refill cask. Flavors include sherried fruits like raisins, honeyed dates, blackberries, raspberries, and melon rinds. Hints of ginger, nutmeg, almond meal, and marzipan are present, along with buttery notes, a touch of sulfur, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Adding water introduces more sulfur, a slightly meaty quality, increased vanilla, ginger, apples, and bread. It becomes slightly sour. The palate begins with sweetness and light sherry, considerable warmth, and a hint of funk. The warmth is pleasant and invigorating. There are some sulfuric and buttery notes. Honey, grains, smooth vanilla, and coconut are detected, alongside raisins, cranberries, and blackberries. It's tart and sweet. Oak tannins and occasionally harsh grain alcohol are present. Water reduces the warmth significantly, bringing out juicier sherry, berries, and pie crust. More honey and fresh grainy bread appear. A medium to full-bodied mouthfeel that is very slick, akin to 5W-30 Quaker State, and makes the mouth water. The finish is of medium duration, featuring honey, light sherry, coconut, sourdough, and grain alcohol. The finish turns harsh halfway through, which is easily the least appealing aspect of this whisky. This was among the better single grain scotches I've encountered, but that's not a strong endorsement as many are poor. I sampled this over several days; it was often enjoyable, but at other times overly harsh and sour. Water is strongly advised, though not strictly necessary. I generally preferred it without water, but adding it did improve it (I appreciated the warmth at cask strength here). It was interesting to try another distillery's ghost bottling, and a quarter-century scotch for under $100 is a great value. 3.5-3.75 Cheers

It's time for another bonus pour from the defunct whisky tasting group a friend and I started a few years ago. The objective to sample a whisky from every active Scottish distillery was met in the Fall of 2018, and my friend sort of revived it as new spirits have emerged from newer distilleries. He also decided to track down some bottles from closed or ghost distilleries. That's where this find originates: Cambus distillery, from the Lowlands region. It was a grain distillery frequently used in blends. The sample he sent was from Whiskybroker, a warehousing cooperage that apparently also released bottles from its extensive collection. This Cambus is a superb 25-year-old example. It was filled in August 1991 and bottled in August 2017. It was sherry butt matured and bottled at a substantial cask strength of 56.9%. It's a beautiful, shiny gold and produces oily, fast-moving legs and tiny beads after a swirl in the Glencairn. The aroma started and remained grainy, even after a good rest in the glass. Cereal notes became honeyed and buttery with a strong macadamia nut flavor that persisted. There was some mild sweetness, but it was harsh and hot and very difficult to discern. The palate was more accommodating with an overall sweet character. Sherry grapes, red berries, and even some tropical notes come through the heat and grainy aspects. There's depth here, particularly with a splash of water. Roasted nuts and malty richness helped mitigate the lingering negative effects of the cask strength ABV. It felt oily and coated the mouth, even leaving a slight burn in those areas. The finish was long and surprisingly sharp for a grain whisky. It remained warm and inviting, leaving a lingering sherry presence long after I finished the dram. The dry glass still offered a healthy nosing experience the next morning. Overall, this was an excellent cask selection by the bottler. Most grain whisky is one-dimensional, sometimes even after a long rest, but this cask must have held some serious magic. A quality dram, and for under $100, this was a fantastic find. I suspect this was a unique offering, because if the distillery was producing whisky this good, they wouldn't have closed, but that's just my conjecture. This was a wonderful experience - 4 stars. Thanks again, my friend. Cheers.

Thanks to a friend for providing a sample, I got to experience this single grain from a distillery that is no longer in operation. It's quite rare to get to sample spirits from closed and defunct distilleries, so I'm even more appreciative. In my view, single grain whiskies are typically harsh and bold under 25-30 years old, unless they are blended (like Compass Box) or finished. This one here aligns with that general observation. The aroma is definitely sherried. Some dried fruits and hazelnuts. The taste is thinner than a single malt, as expected. A lighter mouthfeel, but that's actually a positive in this scorching summer heat outside. Typical sherry dark fruits, marzipan. A bit of mild heat in the finish. One of the better grains I've had under 30 years old. And from a distillery that's no longer operating makes it even more special. Thanks friend for the sample!