Auchroisk 1989 Small Batch 24

I have a feeling, sometimes, that the entire island of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland) are playing a joke on me. Heck, even Ireland may be in on it. Which is okay, I like a good joke.

Try saying any of the town/city names that aren’t well known in any of the country. Just try. If it isn’t Bath, London, or just a few letters, you’ll say it wrong. And find out that all those extra letters don’t count.

Going to Leicestershire to have some Worcestershire? Don’t say them the same, otherwise the locals will give you an odder look than if you’re male and order a half pint. Or if you’re in Leicester and pronounce any French word in a French way.

That brings us to the next of my silly mini Cadenhead’s shopping spree,Auchroisk 1989 Small Batch 24 year. Auchroisk (pronounced “I-DON’T HAVE A CLUE”) is a rare distillery to hear about. I’m assuming that’s why they made the word so hard to say. It’s a main stay in J&B Blend, so typically you don’t see it outside of a Flora and Fauna bottling.

Actually, they do make a single malt, called “The Singleton”, as even the distillery knew that saying the name was hard. Even the above Flora and Fauna bottling was name changed to “The Singleton of Auchroisk”. I don’t see how that helped.

None the less, let’s see how it tastes, rather than cough and fart at the same time in order to pronounce it.

Price: No buy buy in Ontario

Region: Speyside

Abv: 57.5%

Colour: 2.5Y 8/8

Nose: Caramel, tobacco, nectarine, daisy, dandelion wine, lemon, sponge cake, blueberry

Sweet nose, with what starts as tobacco and then becomes really floral and then back to sweet. Actually just mostly a sweet/fruit nose to it.

Hmm… maybe they use different grains in this one? It’s really reminding me of a fruit orchard.

Taste: Lime, chlorophyll, cotton, dark cherry, dark brown sugar, plum, mango, pineapple, custard, blackberry

Lots of stuff going on here. Not all of it appreciated (looking at you chlorophyll). Again, seems like a lot, however it’s more of a dark fruit note mixed with some yellow fruits.

Yes, I’m getting kinda snobby. To break it down: It’s varying fruits that would work together and be perceived as somewhat complex if not for their closeness in flavour to one another.

Oh, and a bundle of grass clippings.

Finish: Caramel, truffle, cumin, clove, cassia buds, salt, leather, musty/dust, white peach

Good finish. Has a musty note that shows up every so often in older barrels. Also way more complex than the fruit parade of the taste.

Conclusion: This is a tasty dram. Alright overall taste, great finish, decent nose. Heck, if I liked tobacco more, I’d probably rate it higher.

Sure, the taste is mostly one note of “fruit punch made right”, however this is a nice dram. I’d recommend buying a bottle. It’s pretty old, decent Abv, and not that bad priced.

That and you can laugh as people try to pronounce it. Which I still can’t.

83/100

Scotch review #305, Speyside review #88, Whisky network review #449