Teaninich 16 Years Old 2007 Cask #302397B (Whiskydudes)

From Whiskydudes comes this Teaninich, a 16 year old release from 2007, drawn from cask 302397B and bottled at 59.6%. Just 215 bottles were filled. Teaninich, opened in 1817 on the Teaninich estate near the Cromarty Firth at Alness, is a key malt of Johnnie Walker. It is the only Scotch malt distillery to mash through a mash filter rather than a mash tun.

Distilled on Highland spring water through fat copper stills, building the light Highland style blenders prize. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the green make. Past a decade the grass deepens, the wax and a soft honey building over green fruit. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the grassy, waxy core over time. That ultra clear wort is the source of Teaninich's fragrant, green tea grassiness. Teaninich Castle nearby, once the family seat, is now a hotel and restaurant.

Bottled at a cask strength 59.6%, it is rich. The Oloroso lends raisin, walnut and a dried fruit richness, and grass, pear and a gentle wax meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. It is fresh and oily, the fruit and oak well matched. Green tea and a soft wax see out the finish. This is Teaninich's clean, grassy Highland style.