The Munro's are a wee collection by Lambert Brothers to celebrate the Munros (and the illicit use of apostrophes). Lambert Brothers were wine and spirits merchants and blenders from Edinburgh who bottled the Piper, Talisman and The Monarch blends. According to the national archives, they were active from 1901 to 1993.
As for the Munros, a Munro is a Scottish mountain taller than 3,000ft. (around 1000m, for anyone who realised that the 1970s have long gone).
I am not sure when this was bottled. Judging by the style of the label and the little information on it (capacity, ABV), I would say 1980s, but do not quote me on that. Each label celebrates a distinct Munro and gives the altitude in metres, suggesting the Lambert Brothers were a rather modern outfit (it is now 2021, and some still use imperial measurements, believe it or not). I am also not sure how many of these exist. There are two hundred and eighty-two Munros in Scotland, but I have not seen that many of these bottlings -- to be honest, I have not looked very hard either.
Anyway, here are six. We will have them over several days, in reverse alphabetical order, because we need some kind of order, and the last one in alphabetical order has the lowest fill of the bunch. Might as well start with that.
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| Why the differently-coloured glass, labels and screwcaps, we will probably never know. Whatever was cheapest at the time, presumably? |
Stob Coir' an Albannaich Blended Whisky (40%, Lambert Brothers The Munro's): nose: it starts out as an inoffensive blend, with notes of toffee and Scottish tablet, as well as a bowl of golden breakfast cereals. This must contain a high proportion of grain whisky, because it soon gives nail polish and hair lacquer -- in acceptable doses, mind. The nose, overall, is dessert-like, sweet with crème brûlée, caramelised custard and golden apricot turnovers. There is also a soft, woody touch -- varnished wood. The second nose has lemon-scented kitchen cleaner in a stainless-steel sink, which is unlikely, but actually not unpleasant. Mouth: a remarkable continuation of the nose, perhaps a little more acidic than expected. This, here, has marmalade on toast, crusty apricot turnovers, varnished wood (especially via retro-nasal olfaction, where it is almost gingery), and a little OME -- that briny, pickled taste that sometimes shows in old miniatures. There is a dose of caramel too, of course. The second sip reminds me of spicy tomato chutney, in that it is sweet, spicy and acidic at once. It works. Dried cucumber peel rocks up too to add some bitterness; that makes for a nice balance. Finish: woah! This is sweet. Muscovado sugar melted in a bain-marie, torched caramel, crunchy sugar icing, some kind of syrup (probably maple). It is borderline too much for my taste and a recipe for a headache, in all likelihood. One gets accustomed to the sweetness with repeated sipping, which helps detect other flavours, such as fizzy lemonade, dried cucumber peel again, and, in the long run, candied citrus peel. A peppermint heat grows over time, leaving a gentle tingle in the front-teeth area. 6/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)
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