Description

A 19 year old St Magdalene whisky. Bottled at cask strength by Diageo as part of their Rare Malts series – a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. This St. Magdalene was distilled in 1979, it was then aged for 19 years, before being bottled in 1998.

The St Magdalene distillery was closed in 1983 and partly demolished, the remaining buildings were converted into apartments.

Colour: deep gold.

Nose:
(Neat): It’s also immediately clear that there is rather deep and challenging complexity about the nose. This petrolic, hyper-oily and mineral profile which evolves towards linseed oil, paraffin, artichokes, eggplant, waxed canvass, putty, marrow, citrons and grapefruits. It’s this rather imposing brimming of oils, faint embrocations and brusque, flinty minerals which is so impressive. With water: narrows it down in the most beautiful manner, getting to the bottom of citrusness. This mix of undergrowth, wet moss, sea greens and myrtle. Still plenty of mechanical oils, canvass, ink, dried herbs and putty.

Taste:
(Neat): The most stunning expression of citrus and earth, flinty, mineral and yet with these very subtle honeyed and glazed fruit notes. With water: wider and slightly easier and more generous. Picks up all these tiny wee candied fruit peel notes, along with waxes, putty, lemon infused olive oil, eucalyptus and lanolin. There’s always this natural malty richness underpinning everything.

Finish:
Very long and the epitome of earthy and leafy malt whisky. Bacon fat, white flowers, chalk, mineral oil, aspirin, white pepper and this wonderfully thick, residual oiliness of texture.