Glenlivet 1940 80yo G&M, the Former oldest single malt in the world
Origin: Scotland | 44,9% | Price: ca. 115.000€
In the world of Scotch whisky, new records are rarely found these days. Mostly they will be simple auction wins with new record highs concerning the archived prices or particularly obscure “firsts”. But in 2020, something completely new was bottled and unleashed on the markets in 2021, something that simply didn't exist before:
Never before have oak and single malt been combined for so long. For eight decades, a total of four generations of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail, safeguarded the very contents of this bottle. And who else could perform this little miracle, especially since it was even a first fill sherry cask, than G&M? The independent bottler with the largest cask inventory and such a rich history. 250 decanters were bottled, each of them coming, as usual with such rarities by now, with an official 30ml sample (the reason I am able and lucky enough to write about it here today), from cask No. 340. Also amazing: after all this time, it was not bottled at the last minute at 40%, but still 44.9%!
However, the probably best-known whiskey brand in the world, Macallan, which is often seen in James Bond for example, did not put up with this for long. Not even a year later, the new record holder actually came on stage, 81 years, almost a materialized wink to G&M. Sometimes, however, one hears rumors that G&M is sitting on a very specific cask, with the intention of bottling a 100-year-old single malt, should the contents then still allow it. When and where one will learn (if at all) something about it? We are excited to find out and remain curious…
Copyright: Gordon & MacPhail
It was of course an absolutely unique and fascinating opportunity to be able to taste this malt. And what I particularly like is that he has very unique notes in that high age, which one doesn't find in too many other whiskys. I prefer that to a super-tasty crowdpleaser that might get 1–2 points more, but seems like a lot of 35-45 year olds. It is generally extremely difficult to put something like this into points, the 91 points mean that it is quite complex and special, but of course not in the “simple” way overwhelmingly “delicious”, as some easier, more accessible malts. A dram you drink once in a lifetime.
Nose:
First 10 minutes: Super silky, but not too weak, still quite present, has an interesting porcini note, but not like from old bottle flavours, but rather from the ageing itself, from the wood, ancient Armagnac, at the end of the 10 minutes it becomes pure caramel sauce, seems like there is no alcohol in it at all at that point, later it gets notes of flaxseed, soy milk, macadamia, relatively bright, sweet and very silky, still later comes a tiny hint of Peat, rather leaning towards slightly burnt bread crust, dried flower petals in an ancient book, heather honey half dried up
Taste:
Again, an entry with mushrooms, pine nuts, discreet eucalyptus and menthol, plus oiled leather, definitely darker than in the nose, but still very whimsical and with some unique side notes, charred oak far in the background and heather grass, rye bread crust, withered ancient flower petals, macadamia, and almonds lightly toasted, flaxseed, goji berries, old books, dry, slightly dusty and ancient oloroso sherry with very old figs
Finish:
Super dried up raisins, brown bread, coking heather grass, flower petals pressed in a book, almonds, chamomile tea, here you notice the age, despite the % and silkiness in itself, it lingers forever, toffee but from great-grandma's cupboard, not opened for decades
91/100 Points
Copyright: Gordon & MacPhail
