Cambus 30 Year (1989), Alambic Classique Cask 19094

Review by: Whiskery Turnip

Distillery: Cambus.

Bottler: Alambic Classique.

Region: Scotland/Lowland Single Grain.

ABV: 61.1%. Cask Strength.

Age: 30 Years. Distilled in 1989. Bottled in 2019.

Cask type: Sherry Cask.

Nose: Classic sherried fruits atop lacquered wood and cinnamon sticks; wood and dry baking spices tingled with more subtle honey or caramel, hints of leather and coffee alongside more polished wood.

Palate: Medium-bodied with rich sherried fruits and baking spices; lacquered wood and wood polish arrived with woody tannins, cinnamon, leather, more dried stone fruits, and struck match heads toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long and drying with wood and dried fruits.

Mental Image: Ruined Alter to the Sherry Gods.

Conclusion: Well sherried? Yes. Interesting? No. Sure to tickle the fancy of sherry fiends, especially those in the mood for something without a lot of maltiness or peat or really anything to distract from the dried fruits and spices brought by the cask.  I found this too tannic and simple for my taste, and I have not been a massive fan of these massively sherried Cambus, though there are some exceptional casks out there.

Overall, it was a bit of a disappointment as the lack of any verbose analysis or description on my part likely makes obvious. Not a bad whisky, but I am not sure I would accept a pour if someone offered. I might instead drink something else or forgo having a dram entirely.

There are a lot of positive reviews for this whisky on Whiskybase. Maybe they are all people trying to flip bottles, or I missed something about this whisky, so your mileage may vary.

Final Score: 73.

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.

Published by Whiskery Turnip

Unknown's avatar

Whisky reviews from Hawaiʻi and beyond. My wife is a peat monster; her influence can be seen in my preferences for earthy, dirty, and sometimes very weird malts. If given a choice, I will almost always choose whisky from a refill cask, especially regarding sherry. I am a big fan of the world whisky scene, especially single malts. You will not find my reviewing much more than whisky, but I am also a big fan of sake.

Leave a comment