Elementary - Mysterious 30 Year Old!

Whisky: Master of Malts 30 year old Speyside, 5th Edition


Bottler:
Master of Malt


Whisky:
30 Year old Speyside, 5th edition


Region:
Speyside


ABV:
43%


Color:
Gold


Review:
Yesterday I received several packages of whiskies.  A selection of samples from a friend of mine, Systemdown from Queensland, and a selection of samples from Master of Malt, a big hearty thanks to the chaps over there!

My wife's whisky appetite for a while has waned, but I do believe in preparation of Scotland, has had an increased desire for the good stuff.

She asked if I wouldn't mind holding off on the samples, specifically the Master of Malts and a special whisky that Systemdown had sent to us.

I said sure!  I personally prefer to enjoy my whiskies with my wife so it wasn't a hard decision.

We sat down to watch an episode of Elementary and I cracked open one of the Master of Malt samples, the 30 year old Speyside, fifth edition.

There is no listed distillery as with quite a few of the independent bottlings, especially ones done by the stores, they purchase whisky barrels and bottle it themselves.  If they don't name the distillery they're able to get some very interesting whiskies, sometimes at very old ages, for very cheap as the whisky might not fit into the distillery profile.

It's frustrating at times as I sit there and I want to know who produced this beautiful whisky, but it can allow you to purchase brilliant 30, 40, 50 year old whiskies for stupidly cheap prices.  Like my recent purchase of another whisky store's 40 year old whisky for a wee bit over $200 AUS.

It poured a sexy golden color in the glass, leaving thin legs that slid slowly down the side.

As per usual I decided to nose the whisky over the course of the hour or so while we ate dinner and watched our show.

Soft with hints of vanilla, charred oak, pine, slight citrus, cinnamon, and oodles of toffee and green apples.

It's a nose that needs time to open up and it's quite enjoyable, especially with the pine and toffee.

After about 40 minutes or so my wife is ready for her taste of the whisky, which she takes and then decides that she indeed isn't really in the mood for whisky. 

HAHAHAHAHA

Silly wife!

Oh well that just means more for me!

I decide that it's time for me to take a sip.

Yum!

I hold the whisky in my mouth for 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, before finally swallowing.

Can I say yum again?

Apples, butterscotch, honey, ginger, slight spices.

It's not the world's most complex whisky, but it's delicious.  It's a whisky that grows on me more and more the longer I drink it.

A long, dry, lingering finish full of apples, some cocoa and slight floral notes doesn't help me not want anymore.  It lingers on and on, even to the point that I'm still tasting the apples 20 minutes after the last of the whisky has been drunk.  It's such a temptation that I immediately hope onto Master of Malt to see how much a bottle of this is running.

Roughly $200 AUS.

I do believe I'll need to pick up a bottle of this in the near future.  It's quite yummy and very moreish, but as I said I didn't find it the most complex whisky.

Amusing enough I said in a recent review of a 58 year old whisky, I'm finding more and more that the older whiskies usually aren't the most complex, but what they do (if they're good) is a few things extremely well, which this whisky does.

Even better is that you can try a dram of this for roughly $12 AUS off Master of Malt, which isn't a bad price for a sample of this at all.

If you're looking for an older whisky that's fun, this just might be the guy for you!

Nose:        23/25
Taste:       23/25
Finish:       23/25
Balance:    23/25

Overall:      92/100