Carsebridge 30 Year Old 1979 Duncan Taylor Rare Auld

Carsebridge started its career as a malt distillery in 1799, but in 1852 both potstills were replaced by column stills. Blends started to boom by then and the owners saw money in changing their product. In 1877 the owners were co-responsible for the foundation of DCL (the precursor to Diageo), but in 1983 the factory closed indefinitely. I am trying a 30 years old from the famous Rare Auld series from Duncan Taylor, bottled in 2009.

The nose starts very closed. It needs quite some time, but with patience and hand warmth some beautiful aromas are released: breakfast cereals, heather honey, freshly ground coffee, dried flowers and overripe peach. Mildly drying though.

It is oily, almost syrupy, on the palate. Very sweet and vanilla, cinnamon and coconut milk. Pencil shavings and soft spices (ginger, cloves, cumin seed) with a bitterness from the wood. From the second sip forward the spiciness becomes quite big and makes this an almost piquant grain.

The finish could have been a bit longer and sweeter. This one quickly turns a bitter and dry. Ginger at the death.

Solid grain, but nowhere to be found nowadays. Strangely enough this is only my third Carsebridge, but Unfortunately it is also the least impressive of the three.