Aldunie 1998 PST (Phil & Simon Thompson)

Aldunie is a secret name for Kininvie, the hidden William Grant & Sons distillery at Dufftown. Because Grant's teaspoon their casks with another malt, independent bottlers cannot use the Kininvie name, so the Thompson Brothers, of the Dornoch distillery and respected bottlers, released this 1998 as Aldunie. A 27 year old in ex-Bourbon, an outturn of 368 bottles.

Kininvie was built in 1990 on the Balvenie site to supply malt for blends, making a light, floral Speyside spirit. Matured in ex-Bourbon across twenty-seven years, the wood deepens the malt while keeping it bright.

Bottled undiluted at its natural 52.5%. The ex-Bourbon gives vanillin for vanilla and oak lactones for coconut. The recorded notes run to fresh fruit, a green leafy note, a hay-like edge, honey, an oily texture and vanilla. A long-matured teaspooned Kininvie under a secret name.