Teaninich 8 Years Old 2006 (Connoisseurs Choice)

This is a Teaninich single malt, chosen and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, an 8 year old release from 2006 and bottled at 46%. Teaninich, built in 1817 near the Cromarty Firth at Alness, is a key malt of Johnnie Walker. Single malt is rare; the Flora and Fauna 10 year old is the only regular official bottling.

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. Still young, the malt is grassy and oily with a citrus lift. Refill oak lets the green, grassy distillery character lead. Teaninich Castle nearby, once the family seat, is now a hotel and restaurant. Robert Innes Cameron, an Elgin blender, became sole owner in 1904. The Munro family ran the distillery through two generations before selling.

At an easy 46% it is gentle. The Oloroso lends raisin, walnut and a dried fruit richness, and green tea, lemon and a soft spice sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. A green fruit and a gentle oak give it depth. Green tea and a soft wax see out the finish. This is a Johnnie Walker workhorse from the Highlands.