Inverleven 1973 Deoch an Doras

Overall rating
89.47/100
votes
58
Whiskybase ID
WB25204
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Distillery Bottling
Bottling serie
Chivas Brothers - Cask Strength Edition
Vintage
1973
Bottled
21.02.2011
Stated Age
37 years old
Strength
49.0 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Bottle code
LD80189
Added on
15 sep 2011 9:07 pm
ColoredNon-chillfilteredCask Strength

Average value

€ 1418.14

33 × in wishlist

58 × member ratings

87 × in collection

Whisky reviews for Inverleven 1973 Deoch an Doras

14 users have left 16 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 89.47 points.

  1. Syleo scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    The Vintage 1973 Inverleven is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a malt distillery that worked until 1991 within the Grain Distillery in Dumbarton near Glasgow. Deoch an Doras can be roughly translated as “A sip for on the road” and is the name of a series of malt releases by Chivas. For example, the Inverleven tasted here still exists as a 37-year-old bottled in 2011.
    • Nose
      89 89
      After sufficient ventilation, notes of fresh cookie dough and sweet apple compote rise in the nose, perhaps together also plum cake. Overall also malty and nutty. There is also something salty and a bitter-fresh-minty memory of grapefruit, sour cherry or orange jam, which turns into canned fruit or the lychees, which are sometimes available as a dessert in the Chinese restaurant. Even slightly rotten wood like in an old wine cork of a full-bodied red wine vibrates with it, an old haystack, lilac and behind it - aha - white wine vinegar and a little olive oil.
    • Taste
      87 87
      In the mouth, a cold and dry bitterness turns its round, "tart" comes to mind as an association, the grain and nuts, most likely almonds, are clearly present. Add herbs - maybe rosemary? - and something floral, minty. The mixture is reminiscent of strong cold espresso and, with a little banana and whole grain, results in an impression similar to a strong herb bitter.
    • Finish
      84 84
      The finish is medium-long, a minty-malty mixture of freshness and earthy notes reverberates with memories of marzipan and almonds for a little while longer.

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  3. LiquidThoughts scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    Very, very interesting malt, absolutely atypical for Scots, exotic and at the same time woody and needle-like, well balanced and yet very complex in the mouth.
    • Nose
      Dried fruits of a lighter kind, apricot, some peach, plus a rather succinct side note, which funny enough reminds me of grain, mealy apple, almonds, some chamomile, lavender far back, toffee
    • Taste
      Dried fruit, peach, pear, toffee, interesting combination, some coniferous forest, almost blindly guessed a Nikka Single Cask, some honeydew melon, chamomile tea with honey, white tea, tick clove and allspice, apricot, green apple, lemongrass, camphor
    • Finish
      Chamomile, lemongrass, green apple and pear, honey, medium to long, thyme, slightly dirty

  4. WhiskyCasual scored this whisky 90 points Photo Moderator

    Wax, honey, stone fruits (grapes,..), wood
    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      89 89

  5. SebStar scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      87 87

  6. stefsel111 scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  7. nallacam scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      89 89

  8. Hvdree scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      92 92
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      89 89

  9. hs305 scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    [December, 2017]  I had not that many Inverleven so far and I cannot really remember the few I tasted, so obviously they were not that impressive.  This is often with malts that are produced within large grain distillery plants because all the processes are streamlined to the grain production and this certainly is not in favour of any single malt that is Cinderella produced there.  Nevertheless, many are quite interesting to try as they often taste a little different to the "mainstream malts".  Enough of the foreplay, let us come to the point...

    The colour is burnished and the texture shows many small tears that slowly consolidate to fat sticky ones.  The nose offers a spring floral profile with lots of fruits and some nice honey-beeswax aromas.  After some time of breathing spicy and wooden aromas join in, and all is nicely balanced.  The initial mouthfeel is warming but not much coating with a slight peppery-adstringent feeling (what is absolutely okay after 37 years in the cask).  The taste itself is barley sugary and fruity sweet and much woodier than the nose with significant spicy flavours (peppers, ginger and the like).  It is nicely chewable but not overly complex as is the finish.  This is of medium length, spicy and dries out at the end (old papers).  Water is not needed as it just flattens the dram without adding new impressions.

    This dram is exactly what I expected:  Different to most other single malts and easy to sip but nothing spectacular or interesting to remember.  Most probably this was the reason too why all malt distilleries within large grain plants were shut down after just a few years of production.  It is worth a sample try but I would not buy a bottle (even at the price it was released in 2011).
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      87 87

  10. WhiskyLovingPianist scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/twe-show-2017-day-1/

    N: Emotional, even after two Littlemill, an ‘87 Macallan, a memorable ’79 Inchmurrin and the previous & fabulous Rosebank.
    T: An immediate tasty palate pleaser, slick and unassuming. Distillate faithful.
    F: Very long & steady Balblair-esque, bourbon refill oak finish.
    C: Emotional, beautiful, long, balanced, gentle,... A treat. Scores a B[+]

    tOMoH: 9/10
    http://theoldmanofhuy.blogspot.com/2019/08/17082019-dystopia.html

  11. karloff scored this whisky 89 points Specialist

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      88 88

  12. karloff scored this whisky 89 points Specialist

    This was a sample courtesy of lincolnimp, and another great sipping whisky . 
    • Nose
      It's like walking into a flower shop, vanilla, custard , love heart sweets , not quite ripe banana , a pinch of white pepper and some citrus . 
    • Taste
      The taste is as sweet as honey and an array of confectionery , there is some nougat and a bit of lemon zest . 
    • Finish
      A medium to long sugar and spice finish . 

  13. lincolnimp scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    The  bottle has been open a reasonable amount of time now and it has certainly improved and settled down a bit.

    My score has gone up from 90 to 93 points.
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      93 93
    • Finish
      93 93

  14. Imp scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    Sold for EUR 585 at auction 2016-08 / LM011.

  15. lincolnimp scored this whisky 92 points Connoisseur

    With Water.

    The nose is not as expressive but it does become more floral along with orange and fudge.

    Palate is very creamy now so easy to drink on orange, chocolate and a very slight nuttiness.

    Finish is medium and very smooth.

    An excellent Inverleven, certainly the best I have had.
    • Nose
      Smells quite rich and buttery mixed in with dark honey and some orange liqueur.

      Sherry mixed with dark fruits and some cream.
    • Taste
      Very fizzy on chocolate orange, syrup sponge and date slices. There is some wood influence in the background.

      Gets chewy after a while on praline, dark rich sponge and a few spicy meat notes mixed in with a little ginger and peppercorn.
    • Finish
      Long and spicy

  16. Aetius scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    Currently on offer at Aberlour Distillery for £150. (April 30th 2016)

  17. Drochaid scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    A 1973 vintage whisky from Inverleven, a malt distillery that operated from within the Dumbarton grain distillery complex until 1991. This is part of Chivas Brothers`s Deoch an Doras series, roughly translated as `One for the road`, and was bottled in 2011 at 37 years old.

    TWE

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