Timing: Topic presentation (3:10) /Tastings: Auchroisk (6:10), Braeval (16:00), Strathmill (29:24)

This is a video about some overlooked Scottish single malts, mainly used as "fillers" for blended whiskies brands as famous as Ballantine's or Chivas Regal (Pernod-Ricard) or Johnnie Walker (Diageo), for instance. Some of these malts have an unusual aromatic profile, others are more typical from their area (here I talked only about distilleries located into the Speyside & Highlands areas). Most of the distilleries I am evoking in this video have only very few official bottlings, some haven’t any nowadays (or say since decades), and that is also the reason for me to highlight them as you might come across these names most often bottled by independent bottlers. Give them a try…Please check out my “The DISCRETE MALTS (Part, 1)” video in which I explain more this topic: [ Ссылка ]

AUCHROISK Distillery aka The SINGLETON OF AUCHROISK (Speyside):

The AUCHROISK distillery was founded in 1974 in Mulben. It is an active distillery with not many official expressions available, as most of it goes into blended whiskies such as the Johnnie Walker brand, but isn’t much released by independent bottlers either. Previous official bottlings were first released in 1986 under the name of The SINGLETON OF AUCHROISK, but in 2001 it entered into the “Flora & Fauna” as a 10 yo bottled at 43 %, then in 2003 became one of the legendary limited edition official pre-Diageo I.D.V. (International Distillers & Vintners Ltd) range called “Rare Malts Selection” a vintage “1974” 28 yo bottled at 56,8 %, then under the Diageo ownership, several limited releases appeared such as the “Manager’s Choice” in 2010 (a single cask), a 20 yo, a 30 yo in 2012 & a 25 yo in 2016. The distillery production capacity is of 5 900 000 LPA (liters of pure alcohol per annum) & it is equipped with a 12 ton stainless steel semi-lauter mash tun, 8 stainless steel washbacks (fermentation time is around 53 hours) & 8 stills. The expression tasted here in this video is :
-AUCHROISK 13 yo (Distilled:04/1990-Bottled :09/2003), bottled by Ian McLEOD/« CHIEFTAIN’S», Casks N° 90421/423-PORT finish, 43 %

BRAEVAL Distillery aka BRAES OF GLENLIVET (Speyside):

The BRAEVAL distillery, aka previously known as BRAES OF GLENLIVET was founded in 1973 in Chapeltown near Glenlivet (Ballindalloch) by the Chivas Brothers division of Pernod-Ricard (2001 is the year when the latter group took over Chivas). This is a small distillery but it still produces 4,2 Million of liters of pure alcohol (LPA). It is equipped a 9 ton stainless steel full lauter mash tun, 13 stainless steel washbacks (fermentation time is around 70 hours) and 6 stills. Except a 16 yo distillery exclusive bottling (in 2017) & a 25 & 27 yo bottled at 48 % & a 30 yo Cask Strength at 50,3 % (in 2019), for a long time there was no official whisky bottling, and an independent bottler named Aberfoyle & Knights (often abridged in Aberko) did bottle several bottlings under the “Deerstalker” range (a brand, sometimes only an undisclosed bottling) for instance a 10 yo (see below). The expression tasted here in this video is:

BRAEVAL 12 y.o. (Distilled :05/2001-Bottled :08/2013), bottled by DOUGLAS LAING/« SINGLE-MINDED » range, 2014 release, matured in 2 Sherry Butts, 41,5 %

ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO :
BRAEVAL n.a.s. (1998-2010 :12 y.o), bottled by KINTRA Spirits, Netherlands, by John McDougall, in the «The Golden Cask» range, Single Cask (Cask ref : CM158), Cask Strength, 56,2 % & BRAEVAL 10 yo semi-official bottled by ABERKO/“Deerstalker”range/brand, 2004, 40 %

STRATHMILL Distillery (Speyside):

The STRATHMILL distillery, originally named GLENISLA-GLENLIVET was founded in 1891 in an old mill build in 1823; had several different owners (including the W. & A. Gilbey gin company!) before stabilizing into the I.D.V. group in 1962. Most of this single malt will go into J & B blended whisky. The STRATHMILL distillery produces 2,6 Million of LPA. It is equipped a 9,1 ton stainless steel semi-lauter mash tun, 6 stainless steel washbacks (fermentation time from 45 to 120 hours) & 4 stills (2 wash stills & 2 spirit stills equipped with a purifier, which is rare). There aren’t many official bottlings available, except here the 12 yo “Flora & Fauna” launched in 2001 (bottled at 43 %) & then the “Manager’s Choice” single cask (distilled in 1996, bottled at 60,1 %) released in 2010 or a Cask Strength vintage “1988” 25 yo released in 2014 at 52,4 %. Sometimes you can find independent bottlings of STRATHMILL, check for instance CADENHEAD, DUNCAN TAYLOR ones (great one, a 21 yo bottled in 2012, Sherry SC No 4240 at 55 %) or SIGNATORY VINTAGE. The expression tasted here in this video is:

STRATHMILL Vintage « 1988 » (Bottled:2002:14 y.o.), bottled by an undisclosed independent bottler for the “RYST-DUPEYRON” (French retailer & independent Armagnac bottler), « CAPTAIN BURN’S » range, 43 %

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