Amber Room Review
Compass Box No Name Number 3
Similar to a Laphroaig 21 but slightly spicier
—Not scored
Illustrative image
Whisky facts
- Region
- Islay
- Independent Bottler
- Signatory Vintage
- Age
- 25 years
- ABV
- 58.3%
- Vintage
- 1975
- Bottled
- 1999
- Cask number
- 464
An interesting old vintage Caol Ila matured in oak and then presumably finished in a sherry cask and the cask influence certainly shows itself, the smoky-sweet balance is not quite there and there’s a few off notes
Nose
Meaty, mesmerizing smoke mixed with some sweet sherry notes, does not smell intense nor alcoholy at all despite the 58,3% ABV
Body
A rollercoaster of taste as it goes from smoky -> sweet -> spicy -> bitter With water the typical smoky meatiness from Caol Ila becomes more apparent but at the end the bitter, tannic & oakiness still prevails
Finish
Long slightly bitter finish
Whisky facts
- Region
- Islay
- Independent Bottler
- Lombard
- Age
- 25 years
- ABV
- 50%
- Vintage
- 1979
- Bottled
- 2004
- Cask number
- 7405
A good Bunna from the 70s with the typical delicate light smoke with the sherried sweetness being more prominent, plenty of good notes but nothing mind-blowing, underwhelming finish. An IB that I’ve had alot of good experiences with, fairly priced, single cask, respectable & not overwhelming ABV
Nose
Dried ripe fruits, orchards, slightly sweet caramel & toffee, raisins & plums
Body
Sweet, coffee, dark chocolates, slightly cognac-like, very nice balanced sweet-smoke, burnt sugars
Finish
Slightly woody bitter finish
Whisky facts
- Independent Bottler
- Signatory Vintage
- ABV
- 43.1%
Nose
Fresh summer fruits followed by deep woody forest
Body
Woody, definitely spent too much time in the barrel, one dimensional, very very woody, like going into a new construction site with veneer wood
Finish
Underwhelming slightly fruity finish & definitely still oaky
Whisky facts
- Region
- Islay
- Independent Bottler
- Cadenhead
- Age
- 17 years
- ABV
- 54.2%
- Vintage
- 2001
- Bottled
- 2018
- Cask type
- hogshead
Nose
Sweet ripe fruits mixed with spicy maritime peat smoke
Body
With water the peat calms down a bit, giving way for the spices & fresh fruits to make the whisky more complex
Tasting sample photo
Whisky facts
- Region
- Islay
- Bottling type
- Official Bottling
- Age
- 29 years
- ABV
- 55.3%
- Vintage
- 1978
- Bottled
- 2008
Nose
The nose is less complex compared the the 9th release, with more focus on the smoke rather than the sweetness
Body
The taste is much more one-dimensional compared to the 9th release, as it is almost completely dominated by the sweetness rather than a balance of maritime smoke & peat, only with water does the smoke comes out more prominently & especially during the aftertaste, oyster, salty, and a much more balanced mix of peat & smoke
Finish
The peat smokiness lingers for a while, even with a healthy dose of water
Whisky facts
- Region
- Islay
- Bottling type
- Official Bottling
- Age
- 30 years
- ABV
- 57.7%
- Vintage
- 1979
- Bottled
- 2009
- Bottles in release
- 5916
Nose
Lovely nose, just marvelous peat smoke that’s slightly salty & briny, slightly sweet, slightly citrus but not overwhelming or spicy
Body
No one does smoky whisky to the same level that Port Ellen does and this release is the same story - an almost perfect mix of salty maritime smoke with sweetness, very thick and intense but not in a bad way
Finish
Very long smoky, a bit coaly & ashy, slightly sweet finish, the oaky cask influence comes out at the end to make a bit bitter
Whisky facts
- Region
- Speyside
- Independent Bottler
- Signatory Vintage
- Age
- 38 years
- ABV
- 43%
- Vintage
- 1973
- Bottled
- 2011
- Cask type
- refill sherry butt
- Cask number
- 2517
- Bottles in release
- 442
Body
Grassy, smoky, an interesting smoky Speyside
Whisky facts
- Region
- Highland
- Independent Bottler
- The Vintage Malt Whisky Co
- ABV
- 40%
- Vintage
- 1979
- Bottled
- 1996
Very easy & pleasant to drink, a good warm-up bottle
Nose
Sweet fresh fruits, creamy, vanilla, slightly grassy, a very easy & pleasant nose, nothing complex nor overwhelming
Body
Fresh summer fruits, orchards, not as sweet as I expect
Finish
A finish as expected from a 40% whisky, relatively flat and short
Illustrative image
Whisky facts
- Region
- Highland
Nose
Dried fruits, raisins, sweet
Body
Has a mix of old sherry notes but slightly overshadowed by spices & how hot it runs - the clear difference between a sherried whisky from the 90s and one from the 70s, cherries, dark chocolates
Finish
Long fruity, bittersweet, lingering spicy finish
Whisky facts
- Bottling type
- Official Bottling
My first Pittyvaich and while not disappointing, it did not wow me as much as I expected (especially considering the price point ~300eur due to being a ghost distillery & Diageo) but definitely one of the better Diageo Special Releases
Nose
Fresh tropical fruits, vanilla, creamy, honey
Body
Slightly herbal & waxy, melons, then comes the woodiness and slightly spicy & bitter, very clear bourbon cask influence, the sweet oakiness makes this an interesting dram but not everyone will like it, taste much younger than a 30yo whisky
Finish
Floral, herbal finish, slightly zesty and very fresh, long oaky wood finish
Review 090
Trio of Orkney
Archives best, more fruity and less spicy
Body
With water the whisky becomes sweeter but remains very peaty, slightly zingy & citrusy towards the end