A couple of indies from Langside Distillers (distiller’s art)

I must be honest, I never heard about this label (distiller’s art) before I got the samples for review (thank you the W club). It seems this is a sub label of Douglas of Drumlanrig, the IB you may have heard about. So, basically I came to review those without any prejudice, hoping for the best. You never know what’s coming when single casks are concerned. this one is bottled at 48% so it’s not really cask strength…

Braeval 13 Year Old 2001 – Distiller’s Art (Langside) , € 82

Nose: Spicy ginger with candied peel, creamy malt and vanilla. Damp wood and hints of sour balsamic.

Palate: zingy and malty. With syrup , baked apple and sandalwood. Ginger cookies and fresh ginger bread. Sweet and sour with rum like finish.

Finish: dry, wood, and spice. Pepper and some grape peel.

This is a nice dram, with a creamy malty and spicy palate, quite some wood influence and ginger. A nice sipper, but very average “generic” malt feel to it. Not impressed. A lot of money for a mediocre malt (83 EUR) in my opinion.

Score: 82/100

Auchentoshan 16 Year Old 1997 – Distiller’s Art (Langside) , £67

matured in a single refill hogshead and bottled for the Distiller’s Art range by Langside. It was distilled in October 1997 and left to age for 16 years before being bottled in 2014 with an outturn of 360 bottles.

Nose : Bitter almond and marzipan , wood and apple  & pear in sweet syrup. Rather austere. Sharp even.

Palate: The palate is nicer without the bitter almond feel. More golden syrup malty and creamy with wood , vanilla  and spice a touch of new wood and a hint of milk chocolate with a metallic note.

Finish: metallic and dry. Bitter.

Again, I am not impressed. Didn’t appreciate the nose, and the metallic note on the finish was not pleasing.

Score: 81/100

Conclusion:

Single cask as they go can be good, bad or just Meh. These two fall into the middle category. You can do much better with other botlings, those two just don’t cut it.