The Collector’s Cabinet

The Macallan Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside, The Collector's Cabinet /

The Macallan Cask Strength

60.1% ABV
$70-$80 (original retail; several multiples now at auction)
Website
The Macallan Cask Strength

What the Bottle Says

(Unfortunately as a discontinued offering, no mention of it on their web-site)
Exclusively matured in selected sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain & bottled at original cask strength.

This Macallan is bottled at original cask strength without chill filtration or the addition of water. The result is a particularly rich Single Malt, in our opinion best enjoyed with a splash of water to release the complex aromas and sumptuous flavours. Just how much water is left entirely to you. Making this the perfect Single Malt for the adventurous whisky drinker who likes to experiment and explore.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Thick, rich stewed plums and raisins covered in molasses, dark chocolate covered coffee beans, charred oak, a worn leather chair in a musty library where cigars were enjoyed the night before – yeah, that kind of depth.
Palate:  Thick and viscous, intense dark fruit – mincemeat pie that went easy on the cinnamon, some pepper edge that gives way to hints of nutmeg and a faint whisper of anise.
Finish:  Long and lingering, with fruit, hints of chocolate and pepper spice.
Comments:  I only discovered this lovely pour a few years back, stumbling upon some bottles while hunting for dusty bourbon. I bought a couple, and would kick myself for not buying every last one if it might change what happened (I have it on good account my Delorean won’t be out of the shop anytime soon – so pointless). When I first poured it, my immediate thought was “This is the George T. Stagg of Scotch!” With many more years of experience across different whiskies, I’m not sure I would disagree with that initial assessment. This is a bold, intense yet balanced whisky. Unfortunately discontinued many years ago, and now going for several multiples of the retail price at auction. Never bought whisky via an auction previously, although as I near the end of my last bottle – giving that more thought.

Rating: Must Buy (at retail)

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Wild Turkey 101 – 8 Years Old (Dusty, 1984 Decanter)

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet /

Wild Turkey 101 – 8 Years Old (Dusty, 1984 Decanter)
50.5% ABV
$80
NOTE: This was a decanter I purchased in 2014 in Georgia with an exceptional fill level and decanted.


What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich salted caramel, oak, allspice, brown sugar, dark chocolate, vanilla, a hint of cinnamon and smokey fall leaves.
Palate:  Sweet but sharp, deep caramel bomb with honey, vanilla, some bitter chocolate notes, cinnamon, nutmeg, a hint of clove and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with cracked pepper spice.
Comments:  I love older Wild Turkey, and this decanter was not an exception. Buying a sealed decanter is a gamble – it is difficult to tell how full it is, or if the contents will be drinkable. I’ve seen a few that were fairly full but clearly contaminated (looking dark like coffee and smelling “off”). I was very fortunate; this had less than 5% loss in the 30 years it spent in the decanter, and its color was a lovely dark copper. The risk of a low fill or contaminated contents is the only reason I wouldn’t rate this a ‘Must Buy’, since there is absolutely some risk you have to accept. But when you get lucky – it is well worth it!
Rating: Must Try

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Old Forester (Dusty; DSP-KY-414 circa 1985)

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (DSP KY 414; 1985)
43% ABV
$40 (1.75 L)

What Gary Says
Nose:  Caramel, rice/tapioca pudding, toffee, pralines, vanilla, musty sandalwood and soft oak
Palate:  Sweet caramel crème brulee with a hint of nutmeg, touch of oak, and a subtle pepper spice (but little bite)
Finish:  Moderately short and wet
Comments:  I really like DSP-414 Old Forester – and the stuff from the mid-late 80s is really nice. While the label says this is 4 years old, I’m fairly sure this includes some older whiskey. As a dusty, acquiring a bottle like this can be crazy expensive at this time – and while I really enjoy it; I’d never pay the secondary market pricing for it. To be fair – this wasn’t bottled as a super-premium bourbon, and it isn’t. But if you are fortunate enough to spot one of these laying around a forgotten corner of some liquor store and pick one up retail, this punches well above its weight. This isn’t a complicated pour – but I love that about it. Just sweet, pretty well balanced with a touch of oak (and a bit less bite/spice than the current Old Forester). And it has that “thing” that a lot of older dusty bourbon has (and I apologize I can’t find the right words that really nail that). Just a more rich texture and a bit of a twang. If you’ve never had it – I would pay a premium for a pour at a bar just for the experience.
Rating: Stands Out

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Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve

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Old Charter Proprietor’s Reserve 13 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (slope shoulder bottling)
45% ABV
$25 originally/highly collectible now
OCPR
What Gary Says:
Nose: Rich, vanilla crème brulee, toffee, soft oak, subtle anise and a hint of sherry; very nice balance.
Palate: Creamy/silky mouthfeel, rich vanilla, raisins, oak, subtle sherry, slight rye spice that builds up with hint of cinnamon.
Finish: Moderately long, nice and lingering.
Comments: This is a dusty bourbon, part of the Bourbon Heritage Collection released in the mid-1990s. I found this bottle in 2014, and paid $30 for it (when initially released, it was a few bucks cheaper – probably part of the reason it sat on the shelf where I picked it up for so long). Likely not to find again (unless you want to spend around $250), but if I saw it on a shelf – it would be a no brainer pick up for me. This is a delicious bourbon. I’m not a fan of Old Charter’s other products necessarily, but this is probably in my Top 10 of favorite pours. More often than not with a 90 proof bourbon, I think “If only this was at a higher proof”, but I think this is perfect the way it is.
Rating: Must Buy (at retail . . . )

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one starts off with a bit of a musty nose that makes me think of bourbons much older than 13 years like some of the Orphan Barrel releases. As it opens up a bit it comes through more as apple danishes, Boston Cream filling, and candied ginger but there is still quite a lot of wood and tobacco driven “oldness” to it.
Palate: Rich and delicate don’t often go together but they really jam here. Creamy, syrupy vanilla that rolls out seriously dry.
Finish: This finishes very dry and heavy on the wood.
Comments: Two of my best drinking buddy’s really love this bourbon. I really value their opinions (yes Gary is one of them) but this isn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse. This comes across too old and dry. It’s also one dimensional too. Intense in that dimension but one dimensional all the same. I find this interesting as a study in bourbon history and at the price that Gary found this one I would recommend picking it up but I wouldn’t pay collector prices for it.
Rating: Stands Out

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Springbank 12 Year Old (Green Thistle)

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky, The Collector's Cabinet /

Springbank Campletown Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Aged 12 Years
46% ABV
Collectible
SB12
What Richard Says:
Nose: Big, meaty, sulfuric sherry on the nose with bits of raisins and caramel covered nuts.
Palate: Oily, rich, sherry sweetness and layers of tobacco and leather showing the older malt mixed in.
Finish: Long and polished. Wood is barely evident.
Comments: I pulled this out of a back shelf at a Kroger liquor store in Columbia, South Carolina. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen in the wild. These older Springbanks are typically referred to as “Thistle” releases because the labels of various versions of the 12 year old have different colors of thistle under the Springbank insignia. This version is the “green thistle” version. This version came in two variations: a 46% and 50% variation. What makes these unique is the extraordinary components. In the mid to late nineties when these were bottled there were a number of casks in the 30 to 36 year old range that had evaporated to below 40% ABV and thus could not be bottled by themselves. This malt was used to “water down” the existing bottles of standard Springbank. Usually this is done with distilled source water so you can begin to imagine the impact of mixing in 30 to 36 year old scotch instead. The result is a simply amazing “12 Year Old” single malt from Springbank. It tastes nothing like Springbanks on the shelf now. If you see one you almost have to buy it. At least buy it for me. 🙂
Rating: Must Buy

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