28/04/2023 Teaninich

Teaninich 1973/2012 (41.8%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS13011, 96b): nose: a soft mix of meadow flowers, hay, pastures, and new seal wax. It drifts steadily towards seal wax and pastures, the latter coming pretty close to muck. Oh! yes, it swiftly turns into something tamer than, say, Brora, yet something well farm-y all the same. But it is a Teaninich, and, therefore, grassy-flowery notes are never too far, which are a trademark of the distillery's output: hay comes back, now hand in hand with bright-red tulips. It is not long before we return to seal wax, this time augmented with old, yellowed papers. That wax hints at fruits, crisp-apple peels, or plump plum peels, with a droplet of ink. The second nose is even more farm-y, clearly earthy, now, adding ploughed fields or farm paths to the afore-mentioned pastures. There is morning dew everywhere, though the earth is dry underneath the surface. We have old, dusty pineapple to boot -- a real treat! Mouth: juicy and grassy, the attack has the bitterness of tulip-stem sap, soon joined by the much more pleasing velvet of tulip petals. The mouth has its fair share of seal wax, yet it is less obvious than on the nose. Plum juice, once again with a drop of ink, marker pens, freshly-cut grass, soaked in morning dew, and a fistful of hay. Of the pastoral notes, nothing remains. The second sip has fruit juice that is quickly overtaken by watered-down plant sap; then it is a blend of both (plant sap and plum or peach juice), fresh, fruity, and also bitter. Green hazelnuts, citrus foliage, green tea leaves, hibiscus. It would be dishonest to call this powerful, yet it also does not feel very weak. Finish: timid, it reaches the stomach with no obvious trace. Like all the best introverts, it is a bit of a timebomb: after ten or fifteen seconds, flavours finally start to glow. Hay, crumpled papers, and old recipe books, as well as fresher things, such as cut plums (rather unripe), custard-y fruit turnovers, tulip petals, and cream cheese. The second gulp packs more of a punch, with boozy nectarines, Cointreau, and the return of seal wax. This time, the wax has set, barely lukewarm, as opposed to the molten, fragrant slime that it is when first applied. There is hardly any bitterness, at this stage; instead, it is the velvety sweetness of a nectarine wrapped in tulip petals. That late fruitiness really clings to the mouth too. I remember Cavalier66 was disappointed with this. A sequencing mistake, or a proof of his lack of taste? I love it. The nose is particularly noteworthy to me. Regardless, I will score it lower than last time we had it. It is like that. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, Cavalier66)