Overall rating
88.82/100
votes
33
Whiskybase ID
WB3443
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Douglas Laing (DL)
Bottling serie
The Old Malt Cask
Vintage
06.1978
Bottled
12.2002
Stated Age
24 years old
Number of bottles
504
Strength
50.0 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Added on
31 aug 2008 9:47 pm
UncoloredNon-chillfilteredSingle Cask Whisky

Average value

€ 762.32

3 × in wishlist

33 × member ratings

32 × in collection

Whisky reviews for St. Magdalene 1978 DL

7 users have left 8 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 88.82 points.

  1. lincolnimp scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    A very entertaining St Magdalene and not what you expect from a Lowland Whisky, saying that this has definate DNA with the 1973 OB which I really like.
    Great stuff, a heavyweight Lowlander that scoffs at the notion that Lowland whiskies are on the light side, this is more like a full on Highland whisky of yesteryear.
    • Nose
      90 90
      An expressive nose, on cocoa power, black currants & black berry, faint whiffs of dark breakfast marmalade, like burnt orange.
      There is a little peat in the mix which I was not expecting, maybe more smoke than peat but there is definitely a mineral and industrial smell to this which I always really like so we are off to a good start.
    • Taste
      91 91
      Fizzy, popping all over your tongue and powerful it feels closure to 55%+ than just 50%.
      The alcoholic strength does seem to be holding proceedings back a little at first but once your mouth gets used to the alcohol, you get various fruits, like plum, faint green apple, a little grapefruit mixed with a nice sherry & caramel note.
      I am hoping a little water added will release some sweetness so her goes.
      With water:-
      More approachable now but still lively and now a white peper note has arrived which seems to be holding back the fruity sweetness but it does get through after a few minutes and adds to the balance. It is not top draw balance but it definitively has charm
    • Finish
      89 89
      The finish neat is long and soothing and very balanced.
      As expected water blunts the length of the finish but it still has plenty to say, and lingers into a mellow, soothing fruit note.

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  3. Kalleholzbein scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

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

  4. Jackson05 scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    St. Magdalene 24 Year Old (Old Malt Cask) 50%

    Nose: First impression reminds me of Kheer, an Indian rice pudding. Dried fruits (raisins, figs, dates, apricot, plum) and nuts (almond, pistachio, cashew), with spices (cardamom, vanilla, saffron). Perhaps some dried blueberries and cinnamon thrown in for good measure.

    Palate: Rich, thick and creamy mouthfeel. Fig jam, blueberry, allspice, raisins for sure. Mouth-coating and slightly drying.

    Finish: Rich sweetness is countered by black tea and oak tannins (pleasant dryness). A handful of dried blueberries and raisins. Medium long. Very nice.

    Thoughts: Very nice and clean sherry matured Lowlander. Not overly complex, but plenty to explore and easy drinking. Definitely has that old style sherry influence. Now I don’t want to say that old style sherry is better, because I’ve had some great sherried modern whisky too. Old sherry matured whisky seems to be more consistent, softer, more rounded with fewer flavour spikes. Just a really great drinker, lovely stuff. Almost impossible to find a profile like this nowadays.

    90/100

    Thanks to my friend for the sample. Sláinte!

  5. ARDBERG scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      90 90

  6. hs305 scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    [January, 2019] St. Magdalene (sometimes released under the name "Linlithgow") is one of the distilleries that fell victim to their inner-city location during the last whisky crises of the early eighties (like Glen Albyn, Glen Mhor, Glenlochy, Glenugie, Millburn or North Porth). Investors bought the property and converted it into housing what is very sad because St. Magdalene produced a fine Lowland malt (much better than Littlemill, for example). Unfortunately, I never did a detailed review of this excellent release so I have to open another bottle that I bought for 73 Euro (right: seventy-and-three) in October, 2003.

    This is a very fine and extremely quaffable dram and a perfect representation of an old style Lowland dram matured in an appropriate (not too heavy) sherry cask. It is both subtle and complex and balanced - too bad that such bottles are rather collector's or investor's items these days. This whisky was made for nothing else than drinking and it suits perfectly this destiny...

    [October, 2020] I re-tasted this dram tonight and I score the nose one point less (89, because of its shyness) and the taste one point higher (91, because of the interesting layers) which leaves the overall score at 90.
    • Nose
      90 90
      The colour is russetmuscat and the nose offers a flawless and delicate sherry profile that leaves enough room for the St. Magdalene malt to enfold. It is not too bold and in this respect rather comparable to modern sherried drams (certainly they did not use paxarette on this cask) but compared to most of the modern sherry casks it is much more complex and balanced - no wonder, back in the seventies such casks contained sherry for years and not just weeks like nowadays...
    • Taste
      90 90
      The taste is nicely layered on bitter-sweet sherry flavours with spicy wooden notes and a floral maltiness. It is greatly chewable and I strongly advice to do so to get the full flavours' spectrum presented. Do not swallow if a layer gets too bitter-astringent - the next one will sooth this instantly with creamy and sweet impressions. There are fine oils, green tea, tobacco notes, waxes and many more to discover - so take your time...
    • Finish
      89 89
      The initial mouthfeel is warming and a little coating with a minor astringent moment from the tannins (that is not distracting). The finish is of medium length and adds some tasty but rather shy dark chocolatey flavours. It turns a little drying towards the end but again this is not distracting. Water releases chalky-mineral and leathery aromas in the nose and turns the taste both more spicy and chocolatey. But be careful not to add too much of it because the dram flattens out quickly. I like to nose this whisky neat and prefer to drink it a little reduced to about 45% abv.

  7. hs305 scored this whisky 90 points Connoisseur

    [May, 2004]  Together with friends I emptied a bottle that I bought for 78 Euro in April, 2004.

    In my old rating system (ten scales that translate into WB points: 50 - 66 - 75 - 80 - 82,5 - 85 - 87,5 - 90 - 92,5 - 95) I scored it 90.  My notes state a great sherry profile, very quaffable...

  8. Bram84 scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      90 90

  9. icon_of_sin scored this whisky 88 points Member Senior

    My second Lowlander and my first St. Magdalene. I really liked it and makes you want more ...
    • Nose
      Full and heavy with sherry and a distinct scent of black cherries. After a short time, the cherry note develops into various dry fruits. Above all lies the strong and complex scent of the barrel: intense and spicy oak notes, slightly bitter tannins, aromatic tobacco and some milk chocolate.
      With a little water, it is much sweeter and the dried fruit becomes more intense
    • Taste
      Complex and spicy wood aromas with dried fruit
    • Finish
      Pleasant and round. As in the taste complex and spicy oak flavors the beginning heavy and sweet, then slightly bitter running down the throat. These leave a taste in the mouth that reminds me of a mixture of tobacco and bark mulch. Including a caramel / honey note and a slightly sour fruitiness.

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