Teaninich 35 Year (1983) Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary Collection

Review by: The Muskox

Old cask-strength whisky from my favourite under-the-radar distillery? Yes please. Teaninich’s utter lack of name recognition makes it a much more affordable option for accessing the classic old-Highland profile.

Distillery: Teaninich.

Bottler: Signatory Vintage.

Region: Highlands.

ABV: 57.5%.

Age: 35 years. Distilled July 12th 1983. Bottled December 12th 2018.

Cask type: Refill butt.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: 0.2, Pale straw. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Spicy, fragrant, very layered. Tinned peaches, white cherry, pineapple juice, grapefruit, honey. Floral and herbal flavours of lavender, rosemary, black pepper. Slate, mineral oil, paraffin. Some syrupier notes with time, darker cooked cherries. Dark chocolate, olives.

Palate: Medium texture. Dry and herbal on the arrival – black pepper, hay, cool green fruits, yellow plums, and cilantro. Dark and lightly smoky into the development, with big charred oak, olive oil, black pepper, and yerba mate. Lime zest, orange candies, aloe, and coconut.

Finish: Medium-long, effervescent and somehow refreshing. Smoky wood, burning peppery firewood. Burnt marshmallow. Citrus, green apple, pickled ginger, and parsley. Mineral water. Early-season honey.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Suede chaise longue in a bonsai garden”

Conclusion: A lovely old school malt. It reminds me somewhat of a more-citrusy Brora. Super interesting mix of dry and herbal and pepper with just a hint of underlying dark silky sweetness from the sherry cask. There’s an argument that the Dalmore 30 Stillman’s Dram is better than this – I had been going back and forth. This dram is so much more my style, though… I think that settles it.

Final Score: 91.

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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