Kinclaith 1969/2009 Sig RR

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47.3% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Four decades in a single Hogshead make this Kinclaith a long-matured single-cask bottling from a distillery that closed many years ago. The whisky was distilled on 28 May 1969 and matured in cask number 301445. On 16 October 2009, Signatory Vintage bottled it at 40 years old at its natural cask strength of 47.3%. The cask yielded 217 bottles of 0.7 litres each, with no added colouring.

Rare Reserve combines single-cask selection with elaborate presentation. Each bottle is numbered by hand and comes in a velvet-lined wooden case. A certificate of authenticity signed by Andrew W. Symington is also included.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Dark malt and a hint of tobacco meet kiwi, citrus fruit and Bavarian cream on the nose. There are also notes of blackcurrant chews, vanilla pods, apples and sweet grapes.
• Palate: The whisky is full-bodied on the palate, recalling plaited sweet yeast bread with butter and plum butter. Dry oak provides a contrast, while a light cardamom note brings freshness. Sweet liquorice, oak spice and blackberry tart combine with sweet vanilla. Earthy wood notes, forest floor and damp wood add to the flavour.
• Finish: The long finish reveals wood shavings, anise and a smoky note reminiscent of smouldering fir cones. Impressions of wholegrain biscuits, dark fruit jam and liquorice also linger.

Distillery/Bottler:

Kinclaith was a malt distillery within the Strathclyde complex in Glasgow and produced whisky from 1957 to 1975. Much of its production went into blended whiskies such as Long John rather than being released as single malt. After its closure, the equipment was removed to make more room for grain whisky and neutral alcohol production. Old independent bottlings thus preserve part of the history of this vanished production site.

Signatory Vintage was responsible for selecting and bottling this whisky. Andrew Symington founded the company with his brother in 1988. His involvement with individual whisky casks had begun while he was working at the Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh. The original plan was for famous personalities to sign the bottles; although the idea was soon abandoned, the company name remained. After purchasing Edradour distillery in 2002, Signatory moved its operations entirely to Pitlochry by 2007. Selecting individual casks and highlighting their distinctive qualities are central to the bottler's work.

Facts: