Tamnavulin 12yo 1994/2007 (46%, DL Provenance, HHD Ref# 3362 & 3363)

The nose is malty and grassy at the same time and the latter is what many describe as “green”. There is also some solvent, tree sap and heather along with some sweetness in the back ground; there is also half cooked porridge along with some black pepper. Happily the sweetness does make an effort however it’s a bit of a struggle for it, the poor thing. There’s also something quite ‘dirty’ about the nose lurking behind the fruit and malt. The taste is at first unlike the nose and but then it all becomes apparent however the taste is quite good after a minute or two and is certainly more malt and fruit than the green notes. There is also some very slight evidence of smoke peat smoke? It may simply be the imagination it’s so slight. There is also some leather and cured tobacco intermingled with the sweet notes. There is also a bit of the solvent. The finish is at first smoked malt, black pepper and some light fruity sweetness and lemon zest followed by the ‘green’ notes and then the very light peat reek; perhaps not the imagination after all. After a few minutes the finish is mildly off putting…..and things do not improve with time. In fact it just gets worse and worse.

A curiosity to say the least; the ‘green’ notes and the finish throw the malt under the bus somewhat but there are moments of happiness. However the old taste buds are now out of commission for the afternoon…..

C$68

Score 68 points.