It’s been maybe a year since Signatory Vintage launched its 100 Proof range. It has featured on these pages just once. Now, finally, we’ve acquired a good few more samples. We’ll be looking at some of the series’ more illustrious releases today, a trio of undisclosed Speysiders, some of which are rumoured to be from Macallan distillery.
Signatory Vintage’s 100 Proof range has certainly made people take notice. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the most talked about series of the last 12 months. The writing about a declining whisky market had been on the wall for a while, but Signatory Vintage was still the first to purposefully respond to the trend. It’s as if they were one of the few actually listening to whisky drinkers.
The new range has had a disruptive effect. I don’t blame smaller bottlers being envious. They don’t have the same legacy as Signatory Vintage, many of them bought inventory when cask prices where at their highest. There’s no way they can compete with the 100 Proof prices. And I’m sure some of the bigger independents were taken aback by Signatory’s strategy too. We’ll find out whether this course correction is a good thing for the industry as a whole, but it’s been a godsend for whisky drinkers.
The two Speyside (M) malts are part of the standard 100 Proof range, costing some 50 euros. The 16-year-old Speyside (GL) carries the 100 Proof Exceptional Cask label. That makes it slightly more expensive, but the price still wouldn’t have looked out of place a decade ago.
Speyside (M) 2011 13 Years (57.1%, Signatory Vintage ‘100 Proof’, Edition #25)
Nose: Opens up on notes of rather fresh berries and pomegranate seeds, although there’s some unmistakable hints of charred oak, then slivers of roasted coffee and just a touch of orange marmalade. A sliver of furniture polish too, but now we’re moving into more of a chocolate-y territory also. Not too bad, although lacking a bit of balance.
Taste: A creamy, rather viscous mouthfeel. The arrival is somewhat aggressive with a lot of oak, but also hints of ristretto and ginger. Some dark chocolate laced with chili pepper, accompanied by a tinge of gunpowder and baking spices. Not totally polished.
Finish: Medium length. Pepper, resin and nutmeg linger for a while. Then some very gentle notes of caramel, brown sugar and dried fruits appear.
Speyside (M) 2011 13 Years (57.1%, Signatory Vintage ‘100 Proof’, Edition #29)
Nose: Immediate notes of candied berries followed by a sliver of copper and sulphur, but then rose petals, cherry syrup and some faint hints of dates. It gets slightly buttery after a while. Hints of brioche buns or croissants, but also a tinge of meringue. Also some orange rind and milk chocolate.
Taste: Similar mouthfeel to its sibling, so that’s good. There’s also a clear oak influence. Cigar tobacco, resin and black pepper, but it’s better balanced by notes of cappuccino, milk chocolate and cinnamon. Then some orange pith and dark caramel.
Finish: Medium to long. Dark and (too) intense. Sandalwood, coffee grounds and bitter chocolate.
Speyside (GL) 16 Years (57.1%, Signatory Vintage ‘100 Proof’, Exceptional Cask #7)
Nose: Big whisky, intensely sherry-forward. Hints of toasted bread accompanied with prunes, milk chocolate and dates, as well as sultanas. Also tinges of leather, some furniture polish and even molasses. Not the most complex, but much more balanced than the two malts above.
Taste: Lovely stuff. There’s a pinch of pepper alongside figs, dates and rich dark chocolate. Then a tinge of tobacco leaves and cured meats, but also leather again. Finally some black tea and cloves, as well as a sliver of fennel.
Finish: Long. More of the above. Syrupy fruits. Very good.
