Cadenhead dumpy 1957-1968 x 13 + Authentic/Original 1964-1966 x 3
16 in total
Apologies this post is a bit long
Tasting order as follows :-
Ardmore 1965 22 year 46% WB 14358
Caperdonich 1965 14 year 45.7% WB 16642
Coleburn +/- 1966 13 year 46% WB 20094
Convalmore +/- 1961 21 yr 46% mini same as dumpy 1961/83 for the US market WB 120312
Glenlochy 1967 20 year 46% WB 31933
Glenrothes 1957 22 year 45.7% WB 12577
Glenugie 1959 18 year 80 proof WB 15173
Inchgower 1959 17 year 80 proof WB 27093
Isle of Jura 1966 18 year 46% WB 66289
Macduff 1964 13 year 80 proof WB 98570
Scapa 1965 15 year 46% WB 30837
St Magdalene 1964 15 year 45.7% WB 29551
Tamdhu 17 year +/- 1960 80 proof WB 19956
Dailuaine 1966 27 year 45.7% Original Collection WB 7303
Glen Albyn 1964 27 year 51.4% Authentic 150th Anniversary Bottling WB 26610
Dufftown 1966 28 year 52.5% Authentic Collection
WB 15014
This was a mammoth tasting on so many levels 13 Cadenhead dumpy 1957-1968 and then an Original Collection and two Authentic Collection 1964/66/66 respectively so 16 in total. The Glen Albyn & Dufftown were last as they were cask strength but the others were all labelled 45.7%/46%/80 proof.
This tasting took a long time to do, with plenty of water between , breaks and some food.
Our of the 16 there was only one that was found wanting and that was the St Magdalene, with the first place honours a shoot-out between the Convaalmore 21 year, Jura 66 dumpy and the 1964 Glen Albyn tall bottle.
The 1st place shoot out was carried out the next day (today) and the winner was the Glen Albyn by a nose, I know it was higher strength but is also had more depth of profile and a lovely orange marmalade note, almost a 93 point average
I have had Cadenhead dumpy before, full bottles and samples but what is clear from this tasting is that the type of liquid in these bottles is not made anymore, they are the proverbial `Old School` bottles, slightly austere at times but sharper and crisper on the palate than today’s manufactured drams with massive sherry.
I would only describe the Glen Albyn, Dufftown &Glenrothes as an obviously sherried whisky, I believe they all will be but in a blind tasting you certainly would not.
What I found fascinating was that many of them had very similar notes on the nose and the palate, a grassy/cereal note was a common thread and also grapefruit on the palate or so it seemed. I wondered if this could be down to the type of barley used and coal fired stills who knows but actually when you think about it in the 1950’s & 1960’s nearly all of this whisky would have gone into blends, and nearly all these whiskies are from the Speyside area.
There were so many similarities on show it was a real eye opener, another was a slight menthol note in a few of them.
It is really hard to put these in order as I said, there were many similarities so the scores were similarly very close.
Here is my attempt at putting these 16 whiskies in some sort of pecking order
Here is the result with average total points score and them marks for nose/palate/finish
1st-16th place
Glen Albyn 1964 27 year 51.4% Authentic 150th Anniversary Bottling 92+p
Convalmore +/- 1961 21 year 46% (miniature) same as dumpy 1961/83 for the US market 92p
Isle of Jura 1966 18 year 46% 92p
Dufftown 1966 28 year 52.5% Authentic Collection 92
Dailuaine 1966 27 year 45.7% Original Collection 92p 91/92/92
Macduff 1964 13 year 80 proof 92p
Glenrothes 1957 22 year 45.7% 91p
Caperdonich 1965 14 year 45.7% 91p
Inchgower 1959 17 year 80 proof 90p
Glenugie 1959 18 year 80 proof 90p
Ardmore 1965 22 year 46% 89p
Tamdhu 17 year +/- 1960 80 proof 89p
Scapa 1965 15 year 46% 89p
Coleburn +/- 1966 13 year 46% 89p
Glenlochy 1967 20 year 46% 87p
St Magdalene 1964 15 year 45.7% 86p
