Only a few weeks ago in my review of Glen Flagler I wrote:
The same compound housed a grain distillery Garnheath, the Glen Flagler malt distillery, and Killyloch malt distillery. The latter was a lighty-peated style (with a heavily peated ‘Islabrae’ version) whose production stopped in the early 1970s. Only three bottlings on whiskybase! That’s going to be neigh-impossible to find a sample of…
Well, here I am with a sample I picked up at Limburg Whisky Festival for the princely sum of €45 for a single cl! Making it the most I’ve paid to try a whisky.
As if that weren’t enough, I also spent €35 on a 2cl sample of rare Kinclaith. This malt follows a similar story to Killyloch, being produced in a certain still configuration within the Strathclyde distillery complex between 1957 and 1975.
So here we have probably the most expensive tasting to date. Ghost Safari does not come cheap when searching for the rarest beasts…
Kinclaith | 16yo (1966) | 40% | Gordon & MacPhail
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
A very strange smell confronts the nose, that sits somewhere between musty old rag, ointment and flowers — am I evil for saying old granny? Looking past this odour, vanilla and cinnamon, gentle sherry notes, with orange marmalade, almonds, old leather couch.
Sipping
The weirdness is there, but not dominating the experience. Surprisingly lively for 40%, with a bit of wood spice, succulent fruits, like peaches. Fades quite quickly, except a slightly buttery, soapy aftertaste.
💭 Comments
Ouff. I will say, it doesn’t have the very distinct cardboard flavour that maltreated, overoxidized whisky gets. I can’t judge fill level before the bottle was opened, but there were not many pours form the bottle so far, so if time and oxidation has done it injustice, it probably is not for having been opened for a long time.
Actually, there’s a WhiskyFun review from 2008: “it all started almost excellently on the nose but these soapy notes are a problem on the palate. Too bad. SGP:340 – 69 points.” Funnily, I thought kind of the opposite, that the nose was difficult, but the palate better.
Fun to try
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
🔴⚫⚫
⚫🟡🟢
(no judgment)
Not so grand grandmother malt
Killyloch | 22yo (1972) | 52.6% | Signatory Vintage
from a 1cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Fruit and citrus forward (pear, clementine, Trocadero, a little banana), some shortbread, cream, vanilla, a clear beeswax note developing with time, and a herbal note of some kind.
Sipping
Mouthcoating and expressive with a light, tobacco-y, blooming peat. Fruity and quite floral. Long finish, with juicy oak, vanilla.
💭 Comments
Too little to say that much, but what little I had I enjoyed a lot. I would definitely want to drink a lot more of this, but not at €45 per cl!
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫⚫🟢
⚫🟡🟢
(no judgement)
Killer!
DuckDrams 
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