Signatory Vintage Old School 45 Year Old Tropical Fruit Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"Signatory are leading the charge in the new era of value for money, even at the top-end of age." - dramface.com

From the treasure trove of recently unpacked independent bottlings comes this remarkable discovery. The distillery is undisclosed. The liquid was aged in second-fill Oloroso sherry butts for a minimum of 45 years. In Scotland, malts must legally mature three years in the cask. They begin to develop complexity at 5-6 years. Most don't start to peak until 12-15 years. Due to evaporation casks gradually lose volume during the aging process (typically 5% the first year and 2% each year after). It partly explains why the older the whisky is, the more expensive it becomes. Of course, oldest isn’t necessarily the best, however whiskies like this will deliver flavours you’re hard-pressed to find in younger examples. If you're buying to drink we'd recommend ample time in the glass to maximise the experience. The crux for most will be the extraordinary price/age ratio. Our next lowest priced 45 Year Old Single Malt will cost you around $1000 more. Aligned with Signatory's standard practise, this should be cask strength and non chill filtered, however those specs aren't declared on the label. Taster's tips suggest it's probably Bunnahabhain. The vatting yielded 860 bottles, mostly sold out in Europe. Opportunity knocks! 43.3% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... If you have this dram without context or introduction, it’s quite good. But, in reading the back-label tasting notes in anticipation, I can’t help but feel slightly betrayed. Water does open up the flavour and mellow any spices, but mango, pineapple, and a fresh, fruity finish? Not for me. I could maybe stretch to say there are some dried mango or crystallised pineapple notes there, but the oak char and peppery notes are much more dominant. Take away those high expectations and you have an intrinsically high quality dram.  For a 45 year old single malt, I will not complain about price or flavour. But for £375, based on flavour alone, I can’t go above a 7.  I poured a dram of Macduff 1973 28 yo First Cask to compare the fruitiness, and found that to be a far fruitier dram than this mystery 45 year old. Perhaps an unfair comparison, but so as it is. Still, I will end by commending Signatory on releasing a reasonably priced 45 year old single malt. They seem to be leading the charge in the new era of value for money, even at the top-end of age. - dramface.com

Great nose. Complex and very changeable (temperature, air etc. make a big difference). Delicate in taste. Very elegant. Fun, but takes time. Not a snack for in-between times. Price-performance ratio is definitely good in these times. A 45-year-old single malt at that price... is great. And I think I can recognize the distillery quite clearly... and that makes the price even better! - whiskybase.com

Notes from the bottlers... "This outstanding dram transports you straight to tropical paradise. Notes of sun-ripened mango and caramelised pineapple dance with honeyed vanilla and toasted coconut. An old school malt with a long, fresh, and fruity finish, culminating in waves of gentle oak spice that'll have you dreaming of distant shores!"