Banff 35 Year Old Platinum Selection

Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum Selection.

Single cask refill hogshead distilled November 1975 and bottled July 2011. Just 158 bottles.

Awarded 90 points by WhiskyFun.com

Banff

The Mill of Banff malt whisky distillery was established by Major James McKilligan at Mains of Colleonard Farm just south of Banff in 1824 and acquired by James Simpson a local merchant and ship owner in 1852.  Mill of Banff Distillery closed in 1863 when Simpson’s son built a new distillery on a site to the west of Banff at Inverboyndie and named it Banff Distillery. Relocation enabled the opportunity to expand and take advantage of a plentiful supply of soft Speyside water and the new branch line connecting Banff to the main Inverness to Aberdeen railway. Despite surviving the ups and downs of the whisky industry Banff Distillery closed in 1983and partially demolished in 1985 but most of the rest of Banff Distillery came down during a fire in 1991 and although shells of a few warehouses are still standing Banff is a lost Highland malt whisky distillery.

Nose: First impression when nosing this dram is like walking into a damp dunnage warehouse - fresh, spicy carrying an old oak saturated with whisky character plus an attractive citrus style.

Palate: The richly spiced quality immediately coats your palate with caramelised peaches and cinnamon running to more (now dry) oak.

Finish: The finish is long and remains oaky and spicy with a pleasantly sweet creamy toffee character culminating in soft chewy leather, tobacco and cedar wood.