Timorous Beastie 40 Year Old (2016)
A 40 year old blended malt whisky for 230 euros? What the hell?! I could hardly believe it when I first read about the Timorous Beastie 40 Year Old, but it really is incredibly well priced in todays market. It would’ve been well priced in 2013 even.
The Timorous Beastie 40 Year Old is a blended malt from Douglas Laing, and is made up completely of whisky from Highland distilleries. Among them Glen Garioch, Blair Athol, Dalmore, and Glengoyne. Only 1080 bottles were released. And it is bottled at a very high strength, especially considering the old age.
Timorous Beastie 40 Year Old (54,7%, Douglas Laing, 1080 bts.)
Nose: Fresh, sweet and balanced. Is this really bottled at almost 55 percent? Hard to believe. A touch of glue, but mainly honey, beeswax and candied bananas. It has a lot of sweetness to offer. But also a hint of lime juice, burlap and eucalyptus. There are some oranges and peaches here too.
Taste: Yes, thank you please. Nice and oily. Why can’t every whisky be oily and thick? Some bitter oranges and grape fruit, as well as plenty of cinnamon, ginger and some marzipan. Cane sugar too. Again, pretty sweet.
Finish: Sweet with some mild spices. Pretty long.
Rating: 90
Really, really good. And if (unlike me) you’re a sweet tooth, you’ll probably like this a lot better even.
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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