First poured at The Whisky Show in London back in October of last year, this Speyside Region 1973 from The Whisky Agency is now finally available online. Listed as a blended malt whisky, this most likely came from Highland Distillers (now part of Edrington), meaning there could very well be Macallan, Glenrothes and Tamdhu in this.
Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange, it matured in a sherry butt. While not confirmed, a fino sherry cask is indeed likely. Many other undisclosed Speyside whiskies from the same vintage matured in such a cask as well. Either way, these have been proven great value for money so far.
Speyside Region 1973 43 Years Old (47.4%, TWA for TWE, 568 bts.)
Nose: Very waxy with hints of furniture polish, a touch of resin and whiffs of honey. There’s plenty of orange marmalade too, as well as mango and apricot, and just a whiff of fresh apple parts. There’s a bit of lime here too, as well as a very thin veneer of star anise and brown sugar.
Taste: Starts of on hints of lemon peel, and polished oak as well. Rather creamy. A whiff of mushed banana, vanilla, tinned pineapple and candy floss. Fruity, but not super fruity, and it has a somewhat spicy side as well.
Finish: Slightly tannic, waxy and hints of tropical fruits. Very long and pleasant.
Score: 91
I’ve tasted fruitier examples of this style, yet this one has a lovely balance and a good complexity. I know it’s not cheap, but at this price you’d be hard pressed to find something better from this era.
Sample provided by The Whisky Exchange
