Winter is here!
Inverleven 37yo 1973/2011 (49%, Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition Deoch an Doras, LD80819): nose: dunnage-warehouse beauty, this. Clay floors, efflorescence on the stone walls, flor on the casks, a whiff of rancio, plump, juicy mushrooms, and dark berries (blackberries, blackcurrants, Corinth raisins). We have something more vegetal too, that may hint at wilted spinach, or leek greens, yet it is so undefined it would be easy to miss. The fruits, on the other hand, become more discernible: overripe blueberries and currants, served on a slate, their juices triggering an aromatic reaction, when they come into contact with the stone. Time makes this juicier and juicier, and resolutely purple, with the occasional green flash of leeks. Cigar leaves show up too, as one tilts the glass. The second nose has gingerbread and dried/candied fruits -- mixed peel would be overstating it, but definitely currants, and cured-and-dried apple peelings, with a pinch of confectionary sugar, in the distance. Shaking the glass a bit adds a whiff of dried cranberries, and a dusting of cinnamon powder -- yum! With a little imagination, one may associate mulled wine with this. I will not go that far: it is much too elegant for that. Mouth: pleasant attack, perfectly balanced. Bitterer than expected, this palate has more green vegetables than purple berries, even if the latter do provide backing vocals. Green indeed (leeks, spinach), and with less-ripe fruits, it continues the warehouse impression, yet differently: the stone walls come out more than the clay floor. We have shiitake broth and crushed blackcurrant (not quite ripe). The second sip starts with oilskins, then moves towards candlewax. It retains some bitterness, yet that seems much less pronounced than at first. It appears a tad stronger, on the other hand -- the alcohol kick, that is. Overall, it is still berry laden (yes, Berry had a brother; no, his name was not Ben) and scrumptious. Finish: clearly a high point, the finish is all about dark berries. It is softly warming as a liqueur would be, and comforting to a degree rarely seen. Prunes, raisins, dried blackberries (fresh too, actually), blackcurrants. Even the slates make a come-back. Almost none of the palate's bitterness is present, here; only that delicate mineral touch. The second gulp is even better, if that is possible. It offers a chewy, berry-flavoured paste and chocolate-and-orange spread, alongside softly-bitterer berry skins -- imagine the residue after those berries have been pressed to extract the juice they contained. Coating, not cloying, full of currants, this is not as exuberant as some of those crazy Invergordons, but there are some common traits. Retro-nasal olfaction brings back a mild bitterness, yet it is perfectly tolerable. I am a sucker for Inverleven. A Lowlander, a closed distillery, one that is neither very well known, nor highly regarded -- right up my alley. This is one superb expression of it. 9/10
Happy birthday, PC!
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