Malt Mission 2007 #45

Stronachie 12yo
Highland Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£32
$79.45(CAD)

The last whisky in this southern highland themed week and the 45th dram in this malt mission.

Stronachie Distillery was built in the 1880s, closed in 1928, and slowly demolished 1930-1950. So what am I drinking?

This is actually a bottling from independent bottlers Dewar Rattray. The whole story can be read here, but basically they have bottled some whisky from another distillery that closely matches an old bottle of the original Stronachie from 1904 that they've got. To the pleasure of many locals and whisky drinkers they revived the name and here it is.

There are rumours about the origins of this whisky, but who knows?

TASTING NOTES:

Up front, forceful, and bitter-sweet. Cider vinegar, raw fish, sugar and lemon juice. Horseradish. Sweaty workmen (who's with me?). Sweet and sour chinese food. Blood, or raw beef. Some boiled veg to go with the fish, and though it is unusual, I am getting nothing that makes me look forward to drinking it.

Starts very forcefully as well with dry sherry and raw barley flavours. There is dry, sort of coal-like peatiness. Dusty peanuts from cracked straight from the shell. Shortish green finish, oak, vegetables(celery?) and wheat.

SUMMARY:

I don't know if it was because I already had a big plate of fish and chips today, but the lemon and fish and vinegar in the nose totally put me off. Taste did not cut it for me either. In the right mood, it could be divine. I have had other whiskies that are similar and they just arent my cuppa.

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