Time for another old single grain , and yet again, this one was bottled by H.Laing exclusively for The Whisky Barrel.
This is a Rare example of a lost Scottish grain distillery. Single cask refill hogshead #14857 distilled September 1988 bottled September 2018 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Sovereign series. Selected and bottled exclusively for The Whisky Barrel , 313 numbered bottles.
Cambus 1988 H.Laing {for TWB} , 45.2 % , $110
Nose: Lovely sweet nectar, with quite a bit of fruit : plum, nectarine, and apricot, some stewed fruit as well, and spices, not a whole lot of wood, but there’s some indeed. ginger powder, and a hint of balsamic and acetone as well.
Palate: Quite sharp on entry, with an abundance of wood shavings, coconut, and more fruit on the second wave of sensations , some dark chocolate, acetone, and wood spices, such as cinnamon and clove
Finish: sweet grain, dark chocolate, vanilla and caramel.
Conclusion : A very nice single grain indeed, a bit rough on entry, but if you give it time, and a few droplets of water it becomes highly enjoyable. For Single grain fans, who are not afraid of acetone coconut, it could have been richer and a bit more ‘refined’ , some would say…
Score: 83/100
Available on the Whisky Barrel online shop, $110