The View from the Golden Promise is a chance to see the bottles under the hammer at finespirits.auction in a new light. To give you this fresh perspective, we’ve called on two experts from the Golden Promise Whisky Bar.
Clément Gaillard
Lagavulin 17 Year Old 1995 Of. bottled 2013 Feis Ile 2013 Limited Edition
This Lagavulin was bottled for the 2013 edition of Feis Ile, the famous festival held every year on Islay to celebrate Celtic music and, of course, whisky. It is distinguished and powerful, with a thick smoke that evokes a wood fire on the beach and the accompanying barbecue (bacon, glazed eel). Notes of orange jam, leather, tobacco and spices (black pepper, nutmeg) are also found. The power of the smoke and the light sweetness are perfectly balanced throughout As is (almost) always the case with these special editions, a great success!
I don’t want to sing our own praises too much, but this bottling from the Artist range really impressed me when it was first released. Incredibly precise, it reveals a stunning minerality (chalk) and the refreshing acidity of citrus fruit (citron, grapefruit). Smoke is just as present but very well-integrated and combined with notes of aromatic herbs (peppermint, verbena) and pepper. The more nostalgic among you will also enjoy the presence of exotic fruits that hark back to the great Bowmores of the 1960s while still retaining a modern style. Excellently done!
Salvatore Mannino
Old Pulteney - Caol Ila 11 years SVSW House Casks n°12173-10868 LMDW
This bottling marked the start of a new range from La Maison du Whisky, released to celebrate its 50th anniversary, with the company taking on a new role as master blender, in the style of a certain John Glaser. For this bottling, two casks - one from the Old Pulteney distillery and the other from Caol Ila - were blended together and bottled at 46% ABV. In doing so, it connects two points on the map, one in south-west Scotland, the other in north-east Scotland, and traces a diagonal line through Loch Ness.
The nose is full and sets the tone with notes of smoke interwoven with vanilla, spices (nutmeg) and citrus fruit (lemon, white grapefruit). Here, roundness and freshness go hand in hand and are a clear inspiration for travel. The palate is rich, with peat appearing in liquorice notes and a tanginess that recalls the citrus from the nose. The salty character takes us to the coast, alternating with the sweetness of vanilla. The finish is long, with liquorice and ash, the remains of a seaside barbecue. Resolutely maritime (how could it be otherwise?), the blend and geographical crossroads it represents are an undeniable success!
Islay Trilogy 36 years 1969 Murray Mc David One of 1200 Mission Cask Strength Series
Mission was a collection featuring the finest expressions from independent bottler Murray McDavid, at the time the owner of Bruichladdich. Jim McEwan, a true icon of the whisky world and then the distillery’s master distiller, was in charge of cask selection for the range. It comes as no surprise then that this Islay native chose to produce a blended malt with venerable vintages of the three Bs, Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain.
The nose is round and delicate, revealing abundant yellow fruits, followed by notes of acacia honey. It continues with a floral register of violet and honeysuckle, intermixed with subtle notes of iodine. On the palate, very ripe white fruits (apple, pear) add softness, while a delicate peat appears alongside the iodine notes from the nose in a testament to the coastal malts responsible for its prowess. The elegant finish is characterized by stewed fruits and salted butter caramel. A whisky whose balance is rivalled only by its finesse. Outstanding!
