Teaninich 17 Years Old 2008 Fractals (Maltbarn)

Single malt Teaninich, chosen and bottled by Maltbarn, a 17 year old release from 2008 and bottled at 52%. The outturn was 249 bottles. Teaninich was founded in 1817 by a Napoleonic veteran in the northern Highlands at Alness, and it is rarely seen as a single malt in its own right. Single malt is rare; the Flora and Fauna 10 year old is the only regular official bottling.

The spirit was run from a clear wort through the distillery's tall stills, to build a clean, waxy, grassy character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the green fruit. By this age the green spirit rounds into orchard fruit and a waxy depth. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the grassy, waxy core over time. The name comes from the Gaelic for house on the hill, a nod to the old estate. By the 1970s Teaninich was already one of the largest distilleries in Scotland. The River Averon runs beside the distillery on its way to the firth.

Undiluted at 52%, it is layered. Green tea, lemon and a soft spice sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. A green fruit and a gentle oak give it depth. Green tea and a soft wax see out the finish. This is a Johnnie Walker workhorse from the Highlands.