Fable Chapter Five - Mannochmore 12, 2008

Chapter One presented The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay with the 'Clanyard town' themed Cool Ila. Chapter Two shifts focus to the Folk of Clanyard with a Linkwood 12. Chapter Three gazes at the Moon with Dailuaine 11. Chapter Four is about 'the Bay' with a Benrinnes 12 year old. Now, Chapter Five, the last in my Fable journey (though six more exist). This chapter is dedicated to the hound, represented by another speysider: Maccochmore. “The cave remained undisturbed until, one day, an old piper arrived, accompanied by a loyal, shaggy hound. The piper was undoubtedly the finest in the land.” Chapter Five has seen 18 releases dating back to distillate from 2008 through 2012. All are Maccochmore distillates matured in used bourbon refill hogsheads and offered as single cask, cask strength expressions. The various releases range from 180-308 bottles each and target different global markets. Tonight, I'm tasting the 5th release (cask number 13783), distilled 10/15/2008 and aged 12 years. 213 bottles were filled at 60.1% on 07/27/2021 and released to Australian, Danish, and Filipino markets. Nose: A bit unrefined but with some personality. Hard pear cider, grassy and mild herbs, a hint of honey toast, and perhaps a fruit tea or tisane-like bitterness that I suspect is from the wood but it also provides a strawberry-like lift. Woody-musty dry malt starts to dominate with time in the glass and continued nosing. Palate: Alright, alright! Oily to dryly substantial body. Pear and mango emerge and take the lead with a fruity and bright arrival, supported by a buttery and tannic wood presence. More of that fruit tea from the nose, but with less bitterness, and a strawberry and cream lightness too. Plenty of malt, but it's not the main component, joined by walnut and just the faintest hint of leather and cherry. Finish: Medium. A slightly oily finish, wood spice is enough to maintain interest without being overwhelming. A brilliant honey splash is backed by some mashed banana. Chapter five comes through strongly. The series is redeemed, and apparently, my view of Speyside as well. Look, I'm likely not in a position to critique anyone's craftsmanship, not even with 200 considered drams into my whisky exploration. But, Fable didn't fulfill the promise of enigmatic storytelling… until this point. This is good stuff. Not great, there are some minor balancing issues with the wood, but that's acceptable. Much like the piper's hound, this could be a dependable and reliable addition to the collection (if it weren't for the excessive pricing). Honestly though, with so much happening, so much competing for attention, there's a lot to ponder and absorb, so perhaps the price is justified for the finest piper in the land, well; their hound at least. Distillery whisky review: #190 No rock image for this Fable, just the bottle artwork. Discover the full story in my Chapter One and Chapter Two reviews. Fable ongoing scores: Chapter 1 - Caol Ila 10, 2010: 2.5/5 Chapter 2 - Linkwood 12, 2010: 2.5/5 Chapter 3 - Dailuaine 11, 2010: 2.75/5 Chapter 4 - Benrinnes 12, 2009: 2.5/5 Chapter 5 - Mannochmore 12, 2008: 4/5