1999 Teaninich 17 Year Old (Special Release 2017) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

A collectible Teaninich, celebrating the distillery's 200th Anniversary (1817-2017). The packaging is marked accordingly. It's only the third time in ten years that this little-known Highlander has appeared on our shelves. As the focus is producing malts for blending (it's used in Johnnie Walker & Vat 69), to our knowledge, there are no official bottlings besides this (excepting Diageo's Flora & Fauna label). Mostly sold out in Europe. Be quick while the opening price holds.

Situated just a mile from the Cromarty Firth, for a good portion of the 20th century Teaninich was the only distillery north of Inverness with electricity and telephones. Since taking ownership, Diageo have continued to modernise, and in 2013 announced a major upgrade, as well as the construction of a new 'super distillery' adjacent to the original, securing Teaninich's future as a quiet work horse. This release was distilled prior to a 2000 expansion, hence Diageo describe it as an "older style of Teaninich" - whether or not that impacts the flavour, regardless, the house style is difficult to generalise.

Tasting note: Matured in refill American oak hogsheads & refill American oak barrels. Bright gold. A lightness and delicacy to the nose; beeswax and emerging fruitiness (ripe apple / cantaloupe?) Later whiffs of cinnamon, cream and sawn oak. Short bread? Entry is sweet yet fresh, fanning out in the mouth like a peacock’s tail; juicy with honeyed tones refreshed by hints of grass, pepper and citrus zest. Fabulously tangy to finish; waxy and medium long. Nothing short of addictive. 55.9% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews… Distilled in 1999, this single malt was aged in refill American oak hogsheads and refill American oak barrels. Pineapple and walnuts figure on the early nose, which becomes more floral, ultimately offering violets. The palate is full and fruity, majoring in peaches in syrup, with new-mown hay and white pepper. Nicely balanced and rounded, with buttery notes emerging. The finish dries slowly, with subtle licorice. 89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2017)

From hogsheads and barrels, and celebrating the distillery’s 200 years. Colour: straw. Nose: austere, even a tad difficult, chalky and grassy, before it gets a little more floral, with meadow flowers, perhaps a little gentian, perhaps daisies (not very perfumy flowers), then fruits, rather around redcurrants and cranberries, perhaps white cherries. A feeling of plum eau-de-vie remains there, and there’s also a little fresh custard. After five minutes, it tends to become rather acidic, with fresh kiwis and rhubarb. With water: a little more vanilla coating, probably from the American wood. Hints of orange blossom water. Mouth (neat): much sweeter and fruitier, but the acidic side remains there, while it tends to become grassier again after juts twenty seconds. Kiwis and grass, lime, more plum eau-de-vie (damson), and then a whole bag of lemon drops. With water: probably its best part, this has become some sharp, tense, angular lemony whisky, with just hints of green oak (new sawdust in a forest). Finish: medium, always with a lot of lime and grass. Very clean, leaves your palate as fresh as a baby’s. Comments: perhaps a little narrow and sometimes challenging, but these lemony notes are rather splendid. It’s just not very complex whisky
85 points - www.whiskyfun.com