Celebrating Flanders Day like a Walloon again. Late again. (It was yesterday)
Glenalba 34yo 1981/2015 (40%, Clydesdale bottled for Lidl, Sherry Casks Finish): this one is a blend. Nose: delicate and elegant, this is an orchard experience, with apple of all kinds and in all states. Fresh, fallen from the tree, sliced, stewed, baked, roasted, pressed, and made into cider. True to apple season, it also has dead leaves. Also, wooden cutting boards, warmed by the autumn sun. Some herbs appear too, timidly; fresh sage, and dried mint leaves. The second nose has a sweeter touch, as if caramel had been introduced into the mix, or date syrup. Suddenly, something clicks, and cotton candy storms the scene. Tulip petals covered in syrup, honey, setting and crystallising. Later on, we see jelly capsules. Mouth: a small departure from the nose, the palate has noticeable cork. It is chewy, and bitter to a point. It could be rubbery plant stems, such as spurge. That is augmented with discreet apple slices, dried and chewy, and a lick of middle-aged wood -- probably a bookshelf from the 1970s. The second sip remains bitter and woody. It is not too much of a distraction, but an indication of the reason why this was earmarked for a budget range, rather than a prestigious collection. Finish: once past an initial bitter touch, it settles for juicy stewed orchard fruits, perhaps closer to poached apples than apple compote. The point is that we go back to a fruity profile and leave that cork-like bitterness in the rear-view mirror -- or do we? As the apples fade away, the mouth is taken over by a softly-bitter dryness, after all. The second gulp sees polished wood and waxy fruits (nectarines, plums, peach stones, sanded smooth and polished). In the long run, mint lozenges show up too. Repeated sipping balances that out, and we are left with an impression of cut apples resting on a wooden shelf. The nose is the strongest part, but the rest is decent too. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, WhiskyLovingPianist)
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