Cambus 30 Years Old Darkness (MoM)

A Cambus single grain, selected and bottled by Master of Malt, a 30 year old and bottled at 44%. Cambus was a founding distillery of DCL, making grain whisky in Clackmannanshire until it closed in 1993. Water came from the Lossburn Reservoir, the spirit drawn off two continuous Coffey stills.

The spirit was made in twin Coffey stills before the distillery closed, for a light, sweet make of real purity. Maturation in an unusual cask lent fruit to the grain. Long ageing brings a deep coconut, toffee and a mellow, polished oak. Patient ageing gives the oily, waxy texture prized in old single grain. Grain whisky like this gains coconut and toffee from decades in active oak. The light, sweet grain takes on a deep, oily richness over many years. The distillery stood near Alloa, in the old brewing and distilling country of the River Devon. With no new spirit since 1993, every bottle draws on a finite, dwindling stock.

At an approachable 44% it is soft and balanced. The Moscatel brings grape, honey and a floral lift to the sweet grain. It is clean and sweet, the grain spirit shining through. It closes long, sweet and oily. This is a rare single grain from a lost grain distillery.