Today we’re not having whisky. We’re having ‘spirit drinks’.
The first, “Auld Alford’s” is, by all indications, a whisky that during the course of maturation shared a wee bit too much with the angels, and fell below the 40% ABV limit required to be legally called whisky in Scotland. With that backstory and the low bottle count in mind, I reckon it’s a single cask, and most likely a grain spirit based on taste, but also economics—I believe a 52yo malt parcel would surely have been blended with an equally old grain to make a very expansive blend. On the other hand, a below-limit grain might be less worth spending another liquid on to boost the abv, if one also cares about retaining a high age statement.
The second, “Super Groovy Blended Spirit Drink” has an interesting reason for not being whisky. It consists to 68.4% of a 1969 52yo malt “spirit drink” that had dropped down to 34.7% ABV. A cask of 6yo Dornoch, making up 19.4% of the Super Groovy, was used to up the strength and add texture. But his was not any cask, but the precious cask #0, distilled from malt but in a column still. But since the distillery did not have the license for grain whisky, this parcel was registered as a spirit drink. Lastly, 12.2% of the content is an 11yo Caol Ila from a red wine cask. The end product is then a spirit drink because of technicalities regarding the Dornoch cask.
Let’s see if these weaklings have some strong points.
“Auld Alfords” • 52yo • 35% • That Boutique-y Whisky Company
“Spirit Drink” • €170 • WB🔗
Tasting notes from a 3cl sample bottle
Nosing
Immediately very woody, with lots of pencil shavings, and a clear presence of wood polish. Playing second role, a variety of orchard fruits, somewhat sour. The woody and fruity aspects are bridged by spices; licorice, cinnamon, and whatever is in pommac. Blindly I could have thought this to be a very old cognac. It is intriguing, but foretells a palate that might be rather wood dominated.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Sipping
As expected from the low abv, it does feel thin on the palate. But swallowing, the finish actually has a fullness, even oiliness to it, felt on the sides of the tongue. I’m surprised to find a really juicy, and not that over-oaked taste (bitter tannins are there at a pleasant level), with mandarins and nectarines, a fresh acidity, marzipan, baking spices. It is the far finish that the woodiness is perhaps too insistent.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Commentary
Probably taking the cask out, say, a decade earlier with above 40% would have produces a better spirit (in fact, a whisky). But what’s in my glass now still has it’s merits, and does prove that a high strength is not a necessity for an intense experience. Important to remember though is the difference between reaching a low abv through evaporation of the alcohol, versus by dilution with water. And that is a huge difference!
“Super Groovy” • 1969 & 2017 • 40.1% • Thompson Bros.
“Spirit Drink” • Natural Colour & Unchillfiltered • €120 at auction • WB🔗
Tasting notes from a 5cl sample bottle
Nosing
Sweet peat, a little maritime, orange and other citrus fruits, apple cider, melon, marzipan and vanilla, pine wood. There is depth here, but it takes a while to unfold. With time the oilier elements of the Dornoch seem more apparent.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Sipping
Works really well at the low abv, lightly sweet with plenty of texture and flavour, especially umami. Concordant with the nose, with lots of orange, menthol, earthy but not very smoky peat, nori, some tobacco.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Commentary
How about that. I think the mix of young and old finds an interesting expression here.
DuckDrams 
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