Auchentoshan 12 Year Old - 70cl/40%

Distillery History:
Auchentoshan is in Dalmuir in the Lowlands, founded in 1823 and one of the few Scottish single malts to triple-distil throughout. The cut is narrow and copper contact is long, so the spirit is light and smooth. In 1941 a Clyde raid destroyed a warehouse; the crater later became a cooling pond. Now under Beam Suntory. The core line runs through American Oak, Three Wood and the aged bottles. The 12 is the entry age statement.

Whisky Introduction:
The current bottle is labelled Double Cask, at least twelve years in bourbon and Oloroso. Triple distillation is the technical point, not the wood. Bourbon brings vanilla and citrus; Oloroso adds dried fruit and nuts, but the body stays light. Bottled at 40%. Versus Three Wood’s PX finish, this is cleaner; versus the 14-year sherry cask, the sherry is quieter.

Tasting Notes:
Nosing: Sweet pastry, citrus, nuttiness and green leaf.
Palate: Smooth—vanilla, hazelnut, tangerine and lime.
Finish: Gingery, slightly dry, lingering nut.