Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
1971, 55 Years Old
Filled 07/08/1971
Bottled 02/09/2026
Refill Hogshead/ 137 bottles
42.8% ABV
Artwork by: @WHISKYHOBO
Bottling a single cask that has rested undisturbed since 1971 is a rare privilege; finding one that has spent 55 years in wood and emerged this remarkably vibrant feels like a minor miracle. Hailing from the same distillery as our 1976 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt released earlier this year, this cask demonstrates that same extraordinary fruit character. A lot of whisky pushed past the half-century mark simply turns into oak extract and bitter tannins. Here, a gentle refill hogshead acted as a quiet custodian, allowing more than five decades of slow maturation to concentrate the distillate into pure, luminous fruit, antique wax, and subtle alpine herbs. This is our oldest release to date, and a dram we are genuinely humbled and delighted to put into a bottle and share with the world!
Nose: Remarkably bright, fresh, and expansive for its vintage. It leads with an absolute abundance of fruit: soft Conference pears, bruised red apples, ripe mango, and sweet pineapple, balanced by sticky apricot jam and runny heather honey. A curious, savoury depth develops underneath – a touch of mild young Gouda cheese and a pinch of mineral sea salt – lifted by aromatic tangerine peel. The ancient oak is polite and restrained, sitting quietly behind the fruit rather than crowding the glass.
Palate: The delivery is silken, poised, and deceptively lively. It opens on gentle, well-behaved oak and soft pears poached in vanilla syrup, followed by the tart snap of red apple peel. The mid-palate leans into a fascinating, old-world herbal profile: bittersweet alpine herbal liqueur, wet summer lawn, and dried chamomile flowers. A delicate, resinous woodspice builds through the centre, verging on temple incense and aged aromatic woods.
Finish: Long, multi-layered, and impossibly elegant. The oak remains perfectly composed to the end, signing off with a subtle touch of coastal sea salt and a lingering, waxy Highland texture that stays on the palate for minutes.
Non-chill filtered and natural colour. This spirit may haze at low temperatures and under dilution.
