Speyside SPEY 18 Years Old (46% Europe)

A distillery bottling from the Speyside Distillery, an 18 year old release from 1998 and bottled at 46%. A release of 1500 bottles. The Speyside Distillery was raised single handed by a drystone mason over some twenty years on a former mill site by the River Tromie; it was the dream of the whisky merchant George Christie. It stood in for the fictional Lagganmore in the BBC series Monarch of the Glen.

It was drawn off short stills coaxed by hand towards a delicate make, for a clean, honeyed spirit of real finesse. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Long ageing brings a deeper dried fruit character and a mellow oak spice. The cool upper Spey climate gives a slow, even maturation over the years. Harvey's whisky heritage runs back to 1770 and the founding of Bruichladdich. Quality over quantity has always been the watchword of this tiny distillery.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. The Oloroso brings dried fruit, fig and a nutty depth, and the refill oak lending honey and vanilla runs under a clean, honeyed fruitiness. A dried fruit and a gentle oak spice give it depth. Honey and orchard fruit see out a long finish. This is a delicate Speysider from the upper Spey.