A third entry in the Diageo Special Releases for Pittyvaich. It's a rare whisky to see as the distillery was closed in 1993 and very few casks have made it out into the wild. Fortunately, Diageo have dropped another 1989-vintage edition in the Special Releases, giving us a chance to try the distillery's idiosyncratic style. It was matured in refill American-oak hogsheads and the gentle wood influence has revealed a core of fruity spirit.
Tasting note by Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange
NOSE
Mixed peel, apple and mint. Candied orange builds along with distillery aromas: it's all about the washbacks. Zingy fruit and yeasty funk with a background of sultanas and grapes. Like leaning over a fully fermented washback and taking a deep breath.
PALATE
Thick and oily on the tongur. The apples are back, as is the yeastiness. There's a background of spice along with fruity touches – pineapple juice drunk from the tin, freshly sliced Granny Smith apples and a touch of unripe mango.
FINISH
Mint and orange zest with a touch of yeastiness.
COMMENT
Weird definitely describes this, but not in a bad way. The washback notes were unexpected but a nice surprise, balancing fruit, oaky spice and a touch of dryness.
Available to Buy at
The Whisky Exchange
Whisky Resource Note
Pittyvaich is a long closed distillery, however Diageo have been releasing limited stock over recent years. Unsurprisingly for Diageo, there is no detail on the box or bottle about chill filtering or colour, as such the value score has been adjusted to reflect this, however, we suspect such a rare whisky would be all natural.
