Old Style Teacher's Recipe: Any Ideas?

@RianC that sounds like a fun project. I'm no help in your quest but I have read a couple of reviews online comparing recent bottlings to ones from the 70's or 80's. Teacher's also released a bottling in recent years called "Origins" but I could find little info online apart from it harking back to the days of old and having an even higher malt content (65%).

@Hewie - Thanks! I think the standard blend is about 45% malt but I'm sure I read it used to be higher around 60% ? that does seem quite high though . . .

I'll play around a little before committing to a 'vat' but want to keep it fairly simple, so not too many malts other than the Ardmore. I'm thinking a touch of sherried malt for sure like 'farclas 12 or Glendronach 12 with maybe a touch of some highland malt. I reckon Old Pulteney 12 or Ancnoc 12 could work well but I'd have to get another bottle of that, so . . .

I've got an old Hibiki 12 bottle/decanter primed and waiting to be filled

@RianC I think you're on the right track there. This web site scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/5889/… says that they added the Glendronach distillery to their portfolio in 1960. It also says that in 1887 "the company expanded its export markets and also began shipping mature barrels of whisky to Australia and back, believing the long sea voyage added complexity to the ‘Australian bonded’ brand. This practice continued until sea freight costs became prohibitively expensive in the 1920s." Maybe you could ship some to me in NZ as an addition to the experiment :)

@Hewie - That's interesting and not what exactly you'd call a vfm practice by today's standards ;) Don't know about a cask but a sample could be arranged! :)

Going to experiment with the base of this tonight. Probably try 40/60 grain to malt and vice versa to see how they pair up. Apparently, blenders say two grains works best but I only have one so that will have to do!

I'm in need of a sherried malt at the minute so will crack the 'farclas 12 (bottled in Nov 13) I've been sitting on; and plan to use this to sweeten things up in the blend and add a bit of richness. I may even add a dash of the Talisker 18; but even the thought of that feels sacrilegious somehow.

For anyone that may be interested, I've begun my experimentation this evening:

*all has been done with Cutty Sark Prohibition as a 'moderator' of sorts

Firstly, the Port Dundas 12 grain is, I'm guessing, wheat rather than corn - it doesn't have that corn sweet note you get in bourbons - I could well be wrong though?! It's sweet, in a pineapple, rhubarb kind of way. I added a splash of water to this before continuing.

I then added about 50% of the 8 Ardmore, which reminds me of the Laga 8 on first introductions; was meant to be less but was a bit clumsy in the pouring. On its own this was rather good and up there with the Islay boys in smoke terms, if not peat as well; albeit a different style of peat - Less coastal and more bonfire - with lots of sweetness.

This created a very nice result; being fruity yet still very smoky. My hunch that it would need some sherry influence needed testing, so I then added about half of those individual amounts Glenfarclas 12. Instantly improved with some background spices, figs and raisins. More creamy too.

I could happily drink this but there isn't much of a finish - OK it's a blend, but I want something a little 'extra', so out comes the Talisker 18. I wanted to add some more richness, that the 'farclas brought, but also some more toffee. I split the whisky into two parts and added half a tsp to one of them. I got both of those but also more licorice peat notes with it and the finish now goes on beautifully. Being keen to add as little T18 as possible, I then mixed the other half back in to see what the dilution would do. Noticeably less rich but it holds up, just about.

Final ratio is about:

40% Grain, 35% Ardmore, 20% Farclas, 5% T18.

I've used a more copita style glass for this (well, you know, just because. . . ;) and I'm liking this better than the Glencairn for nosing. Have to say I feel like I could commit right now. Is it like the Teachers, not exactly! But, it is a very full bodied, rich and peaty/smoky blend with fruits and nuts to boot! I'm amazed what such a small amount of the Talisker has done to it. I'll probably try this again to be sure but would be very happy if the end result is like what I'm sipping right now.

I recommend trying this is you haven't already - very eye opening. Was amazed how much the 'farclas and T18 changed the whole make up of what was there previously. I wonder if one could make a career out of this . . . he he!

@RianC no, wait, not the Tali 18. Interesting to hear how a little made such a difference in the final product. I wonder how/if the 'blend' changes over time - does it need a marrying period? Perhaps @paddockjudge could give some insights from his personal blending experiences? It all sounds like good fun. Do you think you'll commit to making one full bottle or do you think you'll make a few smaller variations on the theme?

@Hewie - I'd happily listen to any advice although I'm amazed how much insight I gained from a little playing around last night; I regularly tinker with malts but this is the first time I've used a grain as a base so it was interesting to see how it stood up to the malts.

My final 'blend' sat for about an hour last night and the peatyness certainly reduced a little. My plan is to make about 475 ml and then let that marry for about a month in the bottle (500ml) before consuming.

@RianC nice experiment, I enjoy getting the play by play descriptions as you add the different components.

It helps to let the vattings you make rest some time in the bottle to really mingle together, you get a better integration of the different components.

I also like how adding just a touch of an aged component can really give the blend a lift, I think this is true of single malts as well.

@cricklewood - My Plan is to leave it sitting for about a month with about a drams worth of air space in the bottle (500 ml). Do you think that would be long enough?

@RianC, good plan, I think you should try a tiny sample every other week...for the sake of science of course

@cricklewood - of course!

Here it is surrounded by it's benefactors

Nice photo of your "lab", for a second there I though it was you lurking in the background, turns out it's just the washing

@Hewie, @RianC, trial and error is the unavoidable speed bump on the path to successful blending. Letting the component parts marry is a good practice. The nose on some of my single grain blends improved greatly when allowed to rest in a bottle. @Robert99 raved about the nose on one particular creation while @Maddie was less admiring of the nose and went straight to the palate with great enjoyment. When you nail down a good mélange be sure to make a big batch because a 375 ml bottle won't last but a few minutes with admirers.

I've vatted a few test batches this week of Glentalimac, Macfroaignoc, Nadmaclaf, and a few others. They are in glass bottles of varying size. Most are in 60 ml bottles, filled past the shoulder, with a space in the neck. One in particular is a 375 ml bottling, if it improves it will be amazing, because right now it is very, very good.

@paddockjudge save some for your next visit...

@Nozinan, I've planned ahead and will be sharing some vatted whisky with you.

@paddockjudge I'm wondering if you actually look like a mad scientist.

@BlueNote, one more argument for drinking with paddockjudge face to face. Some in this club have done so, and lived to tell the tale.

@BlueNote, I more closely resemble eyegore.