The Lost Distillery Company Gerston Archivist's Selection Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

The Lost Distillery Company Blended malts employ a variety of whiskies in order to recreate the imagined flavour profiles of some of Scotland's long closed distilleries.

The story of Gerston whisky is a tale of two distilleries, known as Gerston One and Gerston Two. Gerston One was a family-owned farm- house scale operation, with a typically small output, making high quality spirit that was in demand both at home and further afield. It was enjoyed by the great and good of London society and had customers as far apart as Brazil and India. It existed for over eighty years, and remained in the Swanson family for nearly all of that time.

Gerston Two was an industrial scale distillery with a capacity of 80,000 gallons of spirit per year. The owners hoped to emulate the success of the whisky from Gerston One by building a new distillery, which had a capacity almost ten times the size of Gerston One. When it was opened in 1886 it was arguably the most innovative and modern distillery in Scotland, and certainly the largest distillery in Caithness. Its design utilised a natural fall in the land, which allowed gravity to govern the process and the movement of liquids. Production at Gerston Two lasted for little over two decades – they were unable to replicate the success and, importantly, quality of spirit previously associated with the Gerston name.

Tasted from a 15 ml sample, the nose builds to deep scents of lanolin / woolshed, combining oatmeal biscuit and hints of cocoa. The delivery unfolds slowly, intensifying as layers of sweet peat cascade towards the back of the tongue. The balance and length are superb; the lanolin notes continue into the finish with hints of salty oatmeal biscuit, banana cake and sweet peat lingering long. It's a delicious malt, brilliantly executed. 46% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... What's cool is that the company have put a lot of data about the old distilleries on their website. That's good content. Colour: gold. Nose: this one is peatier, smokier and tarrier, and I can well imagine some old malts being similar to this. A lot of soot, coal smoke, fumes... It's all quite dry and noses as fat as pitch. How did they do that? Also cider apples, old leather, Barbour grease... Mouth: oh this is clever... Frankly, I used to think this venture was very fishy, but now that I'm trying the malts, all I could add is 'well done'. Perfect acridness, dry nuts, antiseptic, liquorice sticks, cough medicine, lime, green tea, ashes... Finish: very long, ashy and on full 'green' peat smoke. When acridness's an asset... Comments: a huge surprise again. What strikes me even more is that it does taste like a single malt, in a way, and not at all like a wishy-washy blend. Impressed. 89 points - whiskyfun.com

...A pale primrose of a dram. Waxed lemon, salted butter pats, white peach, honey, and the wood smoke from green stems. A sip brings Highland toffee, honey, chocolate fudge, rich tart fruits, with dried apple, raisin, mixed peel, and a late appearance of malt, pepper, and smoke. It wraps up with a glossy, clingy finish, but it’s short. Experimenting with water nudges peanut brittle, pralines, and fudge to the surface. Overall, a very decent drop. 85 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2015