Historically in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, a spirit that was just at the threshold of being able to be set ablaze was defined as 100 proof, although the alcohol strength to which this threshold corresponds depends a lot on temperature. Less variable, though not precisely reproducible, is the strength of spirit that gunpowder can be soaked in and still burn, working out to 57.15%. The proof can very closely be calculated as 1.75 the ABV percentage.
In celebration of the 100th post on this blog, I will try a few highlights from Signatory vintage’s 100 Proof range. SV have been putting out a lot of attractive bottlings with great price tags recently, and are for these reasons all the rage in the online whisky circles I move in.
Linkwood | “100 Proof” | 17yo (2006) | 57.1% | Signatory Vintage
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Scotch single malt
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1st fill PX hogsheads & 2nd fill oloroso butt
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unchillfiltered & natural color
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€80
from a 5cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Fruity and vibrant. Sweet berries (strawberry, blueberry) and prunes, grapefruit peel, sweet saffron buns and marzipan, a mineral note and some grassiness.
Sipping
Tasting neat, my first thought is how unobstrusive the alcohol is despite the high strength – dangerous! Balanced sweetness and bitterness. Flavour is tutti frutti, toffee, and a diffuse tobacco. Long-lingering dried berries and nuts in the finish.
💭 Comments
The Linkwood character is exterting itself really nicely here: I love how, even with the PX maturation, it’s not sweet and sticky, but nor is it too dry. Something I’ll consider buying.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
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Tutti frutti!
Aultmore | “100 Proof” | 17yo (2007) | 57.1% | Signatory Vintage
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Scotch single malt
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1st fill oloroso sherry butt
🔆
unchillfiltered & natural color
💲
€80
from a 5cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Musty, with lots of buttery sherry notes and tropical fruits. Black currant, orange peel, coconut, overripe papaya; ginger, clove, nutmeg, kaffir lime; caramel, oiled leather.
Sipping
Here too, the alcohol is really well integrated. Sweet, oily and round, with candied fruits, cacao butter, tobacco.
💭 Comments
I drank half of the sample bottle at first tasting, and then let the rest rest for some days and travel with me in a suitcase. The oxidization did some good work, I believe, in toning down the superficial modern sherry notes. There is a lot to discover in this dram, and I felt there was something here I could not quite put my finger on.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
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Must-y try
Craigellachie | “100 Proof” | 16yo (2007) | 57.1% | Signatory Vintage
🌐
Scotch single malt
🪵
first-fill oloroso sherry butt
🔆
unchillfiltered & natural color
💲
€80
from a 5cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Saline, green banana, hickory, net melon, sooty, flowers, toast, vanilla, custard, a little cloying
Sipping
Not that sweet, a bit drying and slightly bitter in a tonic fashion. Wine gums, funky fruits, modern sherry finish.
💭 Comments
I love this distillery, and this is a good but not a standout bottling.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
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Competent Craig’
DuckDrams 
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