Speyside Distillery 1991 (Authentic Collection)

Single malt from the Speyside Distillery, an independent Cadenhead's bottling, a 26 year old from 1991 and bottled at 48.9%. Just 324 bottles were filled. Set in the Cairngorm foothills near Kingussie, the Speyside Distillery was hand built over two decades by the stonemason Alex Fairlie. The SPEY range and the dark Beinn Dubh are bottled by Harvey's of Edinburgh.

The spirit was run slow through small copper stills for a light, fruity spirit, to build a fresh, orchard fruit character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the fruit. At a quarter century and more it is rich and waxy, candied fruit, honey and old oak over a fragrant base. The light, fragrant make takes cask character readily across maturation. 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.

Bottled at a cask strength 48.9%, it is rich. Fragrant honey and ripe fruit meet a quiet vanilla from the refill oak. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. The close is soft, fruit over gentle oak. This is a gentle, honeyed Speyside malt.