Dumbarton 25 Years Old LiSo Batch # 1 (Living Souls)

The bottler Living Souls bottled this Dumbarton single grain, a 25 year old, bottled at 50.5%. Dumbarton was a Lowland grain distillery whose spirit went largely into the Ballantine's blend. It was taken over by Allied in 1987, and grain production later moved to Strathclyde.

Made in the column stills before the distillery closed, giving a clean, mellow grain whisky. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak for decades, coconut, vanilla and a polished sweetness. In the oxidative, evaporative years concentration deepens the oils, coconut, toffee and a tropical fruit emerging. Decades in cask build a waxy, polished depth over the light Dumbarton spirit. The clean grain base lets the cask speak clearly across the long years. Patient ageing gives the oily, waxy texture prized in old single grain. Its iconic red brick tower, built to echo Hiram Walker's Canadian distillery, housed the continuous stills. Closed in 2002 and since demolished, its profile is fixed for good.

At a natural 50.5% it is full and oily. The ex-Bourbon gives coconut from oak lactones and vanilla from vanillin, over a buttery toffee. Soft toffee and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. The close is long, dessert sweet over oak. This is an old Lowland single grain of real character.