Speymhor Blended Malt Whiskey 38 Years

The aroma begins with, believe it or not, something akin to an oak-infused soda, followed by tropical fruits like mango, plantains, coconut cream, caramel, and pie spices including allspice, ginger, cloves, and old oak with a mild burn. The taste has a medium body, starting with cinnamon apple butter, churros, and cherry cordial flavors, then moving to barrel spices like allspice, ginger, cloves, and old oak with a moderate alcohol burn. The finish is medium in length and quite spicy, with notes of gingerbread cookies, apple butter, cherry cordial, cloves, and old oak. This is a satisfying whisky, and the two components were well combined, with their age not imparting an excessive woodiness to the whisky. It's easy to drink, but the spice from the mid-palate to the finish feels a bit too intense for me, obscuring the fruit and light old oak flavors I'd prefer to taste more of. Many thanks to a friend for the sample.

Nose - apricot, butterscotch, fig, sultana, creme brûlée, lemon, lime, walnut, banana, honey, cinnamon, apple, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - fig, ginger, honey, apple, pear, pineapple, allspice, lemon zest, clove, bitter walnut, salted caramel, vanilla, dry oak, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with stone fruit, citrus zest, and drying oak flavors. At nearly 40 years old, this is among the oldest spirits I’ve tried. The scent is fruity, citrusy, and nutty. The source information doesn’t say if a component was aged in a sherry cask, but I bet it was. The palate is nicely honeyed with a lemony ginger zing, some bitter nuttiness, and a borderline tannic, oaky finish. Overall this is solid whiskey, but those strong citrus and bitter notes ruin an otherwise tasty parade. Nonetheless, it’s always a treat being able to try something this old. Many thanks to a friend for providing the sample!