Alright after a week of brandy reviews (Armagnac, Calvados and English cider brandy), let’s go back to Scotland for some whisky. But instead of my usual regimen of single malt, this will be a week of reviews of single grain whiskies; and pretty old ones at that. First up is a 43 yo, a North of Scotland distilled in 1973 and bottled by Gordon & Company. I reviewed a grain whisky from Teeling this summer and a few years ago I reviewed another from Nikka; but it’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a Scottish grain whisky. More than eight years, in fact. Coincidentally, that one was a North of Scotland bottled by Gordon & Company as well—though a 42 yo distilled in 1971. I was not overly impressed by it, and, frankly, I don’t believe I’ve ever been very impressed by a grain whisky. But there’s always a first time for everything and I’m hoping this one will exceed my expectations. I do feel nostalgic as I get into it; not on account of the whisky but because of the sample bottles. These are a pair of 20 ml sample bottles from Whiskybase. I’d purchased them back when I used to purchase whisky from Europe—a lot of it from Whiskybase. I haven’t done so in many years now. Shipping became too expensive and whisky became not just expensive but stupid. And, indeed, I don’t think Whiskybase even ships to the US anymore. So it goes.

North of Scotland 43, 1971 (43.6%; Gordon & Company)

Nose: Vanilla and a fair bit of it; behind it is a slight astringent/chemical note—somewhere between varnish and acetone. On the second sniff there’s some indistinct sweet fruit. Creamier with time and there’s some candied lemon and then some peach in there. Water mentholates the oak and brings out a bit more of the fruit.

Palate: Comes in with the oak leading the way and it’s pretty spicy and a touch bitter. Very good bite at 43.6% (though some of that is the oak) and nice, fat texture. The oak is still the story here but it’s sweeter now. The bitter oak comes back with a lot more time. Alright, let’s see what a drop of water does for it. It pulls out some of the citrus from the nose but the oak is still in the lead (some talcum powder in there too now).

Finish: Long. The spicy oak keeps going—there’s some sandalwood as well in there and some cloves and cinnamon. As on the palate with water.

Comments: On Whiskybase, most of the reviewers note a fair bit of fruit. I got some fruit, yes, but this was mostly about oak for me. Again, despite my general aversion to oak-driven spirits, I quite liked this one anyway.

Rating: 85 points.