Mannochmore 12 Year Flora & Fauna

One of the benefits of sampling spirits from every active Scottish distillery is gaining knowledge about previously unknown locations, and in our experience, trying whiskies from distilleries not commonly found locally. The downside is discovering that several of these distilleries are better suited for blends. Unfortunately, this is one of the latter: Mannochmore. Specifically, the Diageo Flora & Fauna bottling, aged 12 years. Mannochmore was established in 1971 by John Haig & Co., in the Speyside town of Elgin. It was closed in 1985, then reopened in 1995, operating intermittently with the nearby Glenlossie Distillery. They shared staff for many years until Mannochmore was fully staffed and resumed consistent operation in 2008, under Diageo. Their annual output is 3.2 million liters, with their product primarily used in Haig Club blends. They are also part of Diageo's Flora & Fauna series – check out a video on YouTube from Aqvavitae about the entire F&F collection; it's an enjoyable and informative program. Moving on, this whisky is bottled at 43% ABV, has added color, and is chill-filtered. It appears light gold and leaves numerous oily streaks in a Glencairn glass when swirled. The aroma is very buttery with hints of young oak and subtle florals. I even detected notes of yellow cake mix during subsequent tastes. The palate also resembles buttered popcorn with a medium body, which quickly transitions to harsh oak. There's a complete lack of depth or complexity in this malt; the buttery notes rapidly become somewhat rancid and unpleasant. I even discarded the last 0.5oz or so. The finish was of medium length, continuing the theme of bitter oak and butter. Overall, I question why Diageo would choose to feature this malt in the Flora & Fauna series – this is clearly not something I would want to celebrate, let alone include in a blend. Oh well, they possess knowledge we lack, and it remains an operational distillery. I would steer clear of this one entirely. Awarding 1.5-1.75 stars. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to drink some hot sauce to cleanse my palate of this buttery taste. Thanks to a friend for spending his money on this so I didn't have to. Cheers.

Nose: Fresh cut grass, dried grass, citrus fruit, and the skin of a green apple. A hint of sweetness from honey and vanilla appears, along with a woody character like freshly cut lumber as the liquid breathes. The initial impression is light and vibrant, though it gains some substance over time. Palate: A quick burst of sweetness, primarily tasting of barley sugar and herbal candies. The flavor quickly evolves to emphasize grassy notes, introducing a tangy, slightly bitter taste of tart citrus rind and unsweetened black tea. The mouthfeel is substantial, yet an overall dryness is present. Finish: Moderately brief. The lingering taste is grassy, zesty, and has a sour bitterness, similar to bitter orange or gentian root. A standard release from the Flora & Fauna series featuring Mannochmore, exhibiting its characteristic grassy profile. This is not the most refined bottling I've encountered from this distillery, reinforcing my view that Mannochmore excels in blends but is unremarkable as a single malt. There is little of consequence to note here. Adding a splash of water dulls the aroma but enhances the palate by revealing some creamy sweetness, though the spicy, bitter elements persist. Mixing it with a sugary beverage makes it palatable, but this reduces it to a basic grassy spirit for cocktails, offered at an excessive cost. You'd be much better served purchasing three bottles of Jameson for the same price. For whatever it's worth, I find myself in almost complete opposition to the official tasting notes for this. It lacks a profound aroma, the taste is not sweet, and any hint of smoke is barely perceptible. Sampled from a 30ml pour. “Average”: 76/100 (2.5 stars)

This distillery is stop number 87 on the SDT. For a thorough description of the distillery, please consult a previous review by a friend who covered that extensively. It's bottled at 43% ABV, is chill-filtered, and has added coloring, giving it a yellow-gold appearance. The aroma is strongly of bourbon-infused oak, clearly indicating bourbon maturation. Honey, potent floral notes, mint, vanilla, and tobacco. It also has hints of leather, brown sugar, almonds, and more bourbon characteristics. Light cinnamon, fennel, hay, and dry grasses are present. A subtle saltiness, caramel, toffee, and peanut brittle emerge. It develops a chalky, mineral note as the glass empties. It's not bad, but it lacks the intensity to adequately support the flavors. The palate begins quite fruity with nectarines, peaches, apricots, and orange oil. There's slightly bitter oak, dark chocolate or cocoa powder, and some leather. A touch of BBQ, floral, and earthy notes are detected. I suspect there might be more to discover, but family obligations interrupted my tasting, preventing full concentration. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and rather dry. The finish is medium in length, with fruity, earthy, floral notes and light oak. It's decent stuff, though a bit light. The palate has nice orchard fruits but is slightly bitter (I've experienced much worse, however). At $55, it's a fair price for a 12-year-old, but for a middle-of-the-road malt, I believe I'd prefer to spend my money elsewhere. My rating is 3.25, and thanks to a friend for the sample. Cheers.

The work week is finished, granting me time to explore a whisky from our small tasting circle. A friend offered this sample very generously. Initially, the aroma is delicate and floral with a hint of sweetness, like honeysuckle and vanilla frosting, all wrapped in toasted oak. As it breathes, bourbon characteristics emerge: brown sugar, cinnamon, cardboard, and apricots. It presents a complex, lively, and appealing scent. The first taste is unexpectedly different from the smell, causing a bit of bewilderment. It begins with spice and bitterness, featuring cinnamon, ginger root, and orange peel, plus a whisper of brown sugar sweetness. An earthy foundation underlies the spicy bitterness: tobacco, potato skins, and a mineral quality. The texture is somewhat oily and a little dense. The taste continues to be bitter with a dry, oaky finish that lingers. This is a pleasant drink that evolves nicely and draws you in. The nose offers a spectrum of scents evoking warm spring afternoons. The palate, however, takes an unexpected turn and lacks a rich array of tastes. It's a decent drink for casual sipping, but not particularly outstanding or something I'd go out of my way to find. A thought remains: I get the plant life, but where's the animal life? [83/100][Tasted: 9/14/18]

This is my second bottle from this distillery, and I was very eager to try another bottling from them, especially since the one I previously had was a truly fantastic whiskey. The collection is quite renowned globally, but I never considered them to be particularly surprising single malts. In fact, none of the expressions from this collection have been memorable. Let's see if this one changes that. The aroma is absolutely amazing. Melon, watermelon juice, it has a scent that transported me to the produce section of a grocery store. A truly wonderful malted barley fragrance. Peach skin. A very clean aroma; floral. On the palate, the fruitiness was present. Peaches, a chocolate hazelnut confection; hazelnut. It's like a red fruit infusion, blueberries. The finish is a complete disappointment. Dry, dull conclusion. There's nothing there. It feels as though you haven't consumed anything. A disaster. Overall, the word to describe it is 'unbalanced'. Incredible nose, average palate, nonexistent finish. A total letdown, particularly after such a good nose; my rating for this disarray is 62 out of 100.

Nose: barely noticeable, only alcohol is apparent without any other scent. Palate: slightly viscous, with a mild sweetness of honey and vanilla, and a touch of spice that lingers on the tongue. It's not offensive, but completely lacks character. Finish: short, leaving that characteristic spicy sensation on the tongue. This is a whisky I find unremarkable; it appears to be aged in virgin oak, potentially around 20%... Rating 2.75 ______________________________________________________________________ Naso: quasi impercettibile, si sente solo l’alcool senza alcun sapore ulteriore. Palato: leggermente oleoso, dolciastro al miele ed alla vaniglia, con una punta di piccante che rimane sulla lingua. Un guato non spiacevole, ma assolutamente senza carattere. Finale: breve che lascia quella famosa punta di piccante sulla lingua. Whisky che personalmente trovo insignificante, pare invecchiato in virgin oak, sembra avere 20%… Voto 2,75