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By: Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/16/2023 | Send Email
I was a bit astonished that a 30 year old scotch could be this affordable. Although it is a single grain, as opposed to a single malt, it is still a great bargain. A very pleasant nose of mild honey, caramel and clean oak. In the mouth, hazelnuts, maple syrup (not "syrupy"!), dried fruits and cookie dough. Most excellent!
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By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/13/2023 | Send Email
The days of $200 50 year old grain are long gone, but we're still fighting to get access to awesome values in this still under appreciated category. Each year we get access to fewer good deals in grain and even fewer high quality casks. But, occasionally we stumble on a fabulous barrel like this Cameronbridge. Distilled in September of 1992 into a 2nd fill bourbon barrel, it was bottled without chillfiltration or coloring at cask strength of 51.5% in October of 2022. Let's have a go. A gorgeous burnished color, proof that they didn't fill a completely inactive barrel here. The nose immediately explodes with sweet dark sugar, dense vanillas, candied walnuts, Cara Cara orange, sweet fresh herbs. It's almost dare I say bourbon-y. I hesitate to compare the two disparate categories because it's a kind of a lazy way to sell this stuff, but occasionally it's a reasonable note to make. ON the palate it's sweet milk chocolate, textural, oily and ripe. On the finish more sweet syrupy flavors and a building spice that continues into the finish. This one absolutely loves a dash of water, with softens all the edges and brings the whole thing together in a very meaningful way. A fabulous example of the potential of Single Grain, all you need a is good wood and 30 years!!!
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By: Michael Pires | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/8/2023 | Send Email
This is a memorable 30 year whisky from Cameronbridge! This is a whisky that would be thoroughly enjoyed by both scotch and bourbon fanatics. Sweet grain notes dominate with additional notes of Demerara sugar, vanilla bean, baking spices, marzipan, and dried orange peel. Rich, delicious, complex, with some weight on the palate, and a long finish.
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By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/8/2023 | Send Email
A 30 year age statement is remarkably satisfying. It just looks so good on the bottle. But that's hardly the most important thing here. It delivers a taste that can only be achieved after 3 decades in cask all for a remarkable value. There is more weight and intensity here than many previous casks of single grain we've bottled. More like a cross between a Bourbon and a malt than many casks we've seen in the past. The refill barrel was well suited to such long maturation. Caramels and butterscotch really come through on the nose and a gentle ripe fruitiness adds contrast and balance. There is a hint of Agricole like herbaceous notes in the nose that demand you keep nosing your glass. Freshly churned cream also comes to mind, hinting at the weight to come on the palate. When you do taste it you're rewarded for your careful olfactory work. That rich creamy center comes alive and all the sweet caramelized wood notes bandy about. Stone fruit, while not the prominent note, are decidedly there. Creme brulee, fudge, candy corn, and funnel cake all come to mind. The finish is medium in length and oh so clean and pleasant.
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By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 6/6/2023 | Send Email
This is a fantastic grain whiskey. I think that it hits all of the notes for fans of aged grain whiskies. The nose is sweet and delicate. In the mouth it is juicy, rich and delicious. With a splash of water, the nose is still sweet but is a little more complex. In the mouth it is the same flavor profile as above but a little softer.
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