Glen Elgin Connoisseurs Choice 1995

There isn't a single review of a Glen Elgin expression as yet, and that simply cannot continue, this wonderful distillery deserves greater perusal of its wares, and you deserve an introduction to this most criminally underrated malt. Note I usually buy the distillery's own 12yo bottling, but will review Gordon&MacPhail's connoisseur's choice bottling, distilled in '95 and bottled in 2007 (and picked up by yours truly in a back street wine merchants last weekend).

Nose; Rum&raisin, sherry, pineapple, honey. The aromas are very subtle and take some time to nail down (my interpretation of) but that's all part of the fun, isn't it?

Taste; Definitely rum&raisin there again. Oak, some spice, consistent from one mouthful to the next, each tasting re-enforcing the superb textures. This is a joy to behold.

Finish; as smooth as a second-hand car dealer, but much more palletable.

In summary, it doesn't quite hit the heights of the very, very best whiskies (or the very best whiskies I have been lucky enough to try to date), but there's something charming and engaging about this whisky. It's at once elegant and robust, a feisty firebrand yet unassuming and subtle at the same time. It's wonderful stuff, the sort of whisky that really makes you understand why you love whisk(e)y in the first place.

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