Strathclyde 25 Year (1989) Cadenhead’s Small Batch

Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Strathclyde.

Region: Lowland.

Age: 25 years old. Distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2014.

ABV: 57.8%.

Cask Type: Bourbon barrels.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

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Nose: This is fruity and floral giving off spring vibes galore. Peonies and daisies are what come to mind for flowers with under-ripe mango and grapefruit for the fruity notes.

Palate: Very bourbon-esque and hot with lots of water required to tame. When it does get cooled down, you get a lot of vanilla, oak, and some aromatics (spearmint came to mind). A little more water added brings out the grapefruit note from the nose.

Finish: Medium in length. Bit of oak, bit of grapefruit pith.

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Conclusion: I haven’t had a lot of Scottish grain whisky so Strathclyde was entirely new to me. The nose on this was promising with the heavy spring-esque notes. Unfortunately, the rest of this doesn’t quite deliver. It tastes surprisingly bourbon-esque, though certainly not as aggressive, with a dash of spearmint and grapefruit. The oak notes are balanced nicely giving you a pretty fun and tasty package overall. Not bad and certainly a nice introduction to Strathclyde.

Rating: 79.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.