Auchroisk 37 Year (1982) Thompson Bros.

Review by: The Muskox

Auchroisk has been one of my least-favourite distilleries for some time now. It’s not that I’ve had lots of horrendous whiskies from them, as is my experience with Deanston and Jura, but all the Auchroisks I’ve tried are just so dull. Ho-hum malt and caramel and not much else.

Distillery: Auchroisk.

Bottler: Thompson Bros.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 48.3%. Cask strength.

Age: 37 years. Distilled January 15th 1982. Bottled in 2019.

Cask type: Refill sherry.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: 0.9, Amontillado sherry. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Old and nutty. Fragrant citrus, patchouli, and honey-soaked beeswax. Dry pine needles and hay. Strong roasted nuts, toasted coconut, nutmeg, vanilla, and creamy Earl Grey. Almost a savoury character in there, cherry tomato?

Palate: Medium-thick texture. Arrives with a blast of coconut crème, pineapple, yuzu, and macadamias, sitting atop rich toasted malt. The development with rich oak, orgeat, buttered toast, old books, milk chocolate, and Mackie’s honeycomb ice cream. River rocks, cool dry herbs, worn leather, and more of that cherry tomato. Flecks of floral sweetness pop in and out, too. Nearly a hint of peat smoke.

Finish: Long, malty, and bitter-citrusy. Warm oak spice, demerara syrup, Snickers bars, chocolate buttercream. Yuzu peels and toast with marmalade. Old library shelves.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Peaceful river tubing with drink in hand (DO NOT ATTEMPT)”

Conclusion: No surprise, it’s the best Auchroisk I’ve ever had. That’s not actually saying much, so I’ll also say that it’s just an excellent whisky in general. The mellow maltiness of Auchroisk has finally blossomed with time, revealing deep tropical and nutty complexity in the spirit and a delightful toastiness from the long years in oak. It’s a slow float down a gentle river, soaking in the sun and the variety of sights and sounds of the woods.

Final Score: 89.

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.

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