Teaninich 45 Years Old 1975 Dalswinton Series (Claxton’s)

From Claxton's comes this Teaninich, a 45 year old Highland malt from 1975 and bottled at 49.3%. 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. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the grassy malt. Decades leave it deep and oily, candied fruit and beeswax with great age. Refill oak lets the green, grassy distillery character lead. The River Averon runs beside the distillery on its way to the firth. A long fermentation builds the fresh, green fruit the blenders prize. A 2013 expansion added a new six still house, more than doubling capacity. Most casks are refill ex-Bourbon, which lets the grassy spirit show through.

At its natural 49.3% it is concentrated. Sherried dried fruit and a nutty edge come through, and a fresh, oily grassiness meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. Beneath it run cut grass, citrus and a soft wax. A grassy, gently spiced finish lingers. This is a light, grassy Highland single malt.