Time to cross another pair of elusive beasts off the “ghost safari” sighting chart — Ben Wyvis and Convalmore, samples I bought online from the “Bar Fram Afar” by Thomson Bros. / Dornoch and shipped with a bunch of stored bottles and an upcoming 8-part Dornoch 25th Anniversary Tasting.
Ben Wyvis is indeed one of the rarest of the rare (21 whiskybase entries). A malt distillery within the Invergordon complex, it only operated for 11 years become closing in 1977. For this 2cl sample I paid a whopping £50 ex-VAT and import costs! But even finding a sample at all felt like a small miracle, so I’m not complaining.
Convalmore was approaching a 100-year history when it closed in 1985. It was a blending whisky, with an intentionally waxy character, discovered after its demise through independent bottlings as a highly competent single malt comparable with the likes of Clynelish. I had the chance to try a 40yo at Hamburg Live; today’s sample is a comparatively humble but honest dram (£17 a sample, ex-VAT and import costs).
Convalmore • 20yo (1981) • 43% • Signatory Vintage
Scotch Single Malt • Oak cask • Natural Colour • €250 at auction • WB🔗
Tasting notes from a 2cl sample bottle
Nosing
Bright, floral, and fruity. Peach and papaya, melon, rose water, coriander seed, lots of wax. Nothing modern ever smells like this! Old bottle effect?
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Sipping
Mild on the palate, silky and rather sweet, hint of bitter citrus rind. Predominantly cereal grains, buttered toast, with some waxy and floral notes, camomile tea, fresh grass. A little old and stale, but not in a bad way.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Comments
Interesting, because it’s very non-modern, by some combination of old bottle effect and a profile that’s out of fashion (from a closed distillery, after all). The light floral and waxy notes are intriguing. But in the end, not so complex, and not showing much age and action form the cask.
Ben Wyvis • 31yo (1968) • 51% • Signatory Vintage
Scotch Single Malt • Bourbon and etc casks • Natural Colour & Unchillfiltered • rare and variable at auction, €700-1400 (would expect €800 today) • WB🔗
Tasting notes from a 2cl sample bottle
Nosing
Lucious, sweet tropical fruits. coconut, peach, fruit jelly, old cognac, and also perfumy flowers. Sweet and fatty brioche bun. Old leather.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Sipping
Very flavour-intense and fatty, oily; like fresh wine gums. Lots of esters – candy and ripe fruits galore, floral honey. Besides, there’s lots of toffee and butterscotch. A subtle trace of smoke. Exceedingly long, oily finish.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Comments
An experience indeed, a fruity intensity and oiliness one very rarely finds. It is a stellar whisky, but today it somehow didn’t manage to bring me all the way to a ❤️, but on a different day it might have.
With that, it’s time to update the chart! We are in End Game: one more Limburg whisky festival ought to do it, and I will have tried ’em all.
| Distillery | Region | Closing year | Safari status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caperdonich | Speyside | 2002 | 🟡 sample in stash |
| Imperial | Lowland | 1998 | 🟢 reviewed (#41-42 #122 #250-251 Hbg-Live) |
| Pittyvaich | Speyside | 1993 | 🟢 reviewed (#224, #368-370) |
| Rosebank | Lowland | 1993 | 🟢 reviewed (#116 #223 #326) |
| Littlemill | Lowland | 1992 | 🟢 reviewed (#43-45, #412) |
| Lochside | Highland | 1992 | ⚫ missing |
| Inverleven | Lowland | 1991 | 🟡 sample in stash |
| Coleburn | Speyside | 1985 | 🟢 reviewed (#327) |
| Convalmore | Speyside | 1985 | 🟢 reviewed today! (also tried at Hamburg Live) |
| Glenesk | Highland | 1985 | 🟢 reviewed (#195) |
| Glenflagler | Lowland | 1985 | 🟢 reviewed (#284) |
| Glenury | Highland | 1985 | 🟢 reviewed (#286) |
| Millburn | Highland | 1985 | ⚫ missing |
| Banff | Speyside | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#117) |
| Brora | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#230-231, #273) |
| Dallas Dhu | Speyside | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#327) |
| Glen Albyn | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#285) |
| Glenlochy | Highland | 1983 | ⚫ missing |
| Glen Mhor | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#118) |
| Glenugie | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#287) |
| North Port | Highland | 1983 | 🟡 sample in stash |
| Port Ellen | Islay | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#232 #275) |
| St. Magdalene | Lowland | 1983 | 🟢 reviewed (#196 #329-331) |
| Ben Wyvis | Highland | 1977 | 🟢 reviewed today! |
| Ladyburn | Lowland | 1975 | ⚫ missing |
| Kinclaith | Lowland | 1976 | 🟢 reviewed (#314) |
| Killyloch | Lowland | 1975 | 🟢 reviewed (#315) |
DuckDrams 
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