Tasting the Blackadder 1972 Glencadam 28 yrs old & the Blackadder Lochside 1981 Raw Cask

Well I owed my comments upon tasting these two wonderful malts.

Superb. Both Single Malts are Superb.

The Glencadam 28 yrs old. One of only 222 bottles from cask number 7633. Distilled 29 September 1972 and bottled September 2001 at 55.4%, matured in Oak Hogshead, no chill filtration & no colouring.

Has a pungent odor of rotting wood, sweet long lastin perfume, and evaporates fantastically in the pallate if you chose to consume small drops of it for that purpose. Great aftertaste, long lasting. Wonderful with a measure of water.

The Lochside 1981 Raw cask. One of only 314 bottles drawn at Cask Strength from a single Oak Hogshead No. 614. Distilled atl Lochside on 23 february 1981 and bottled in september 2001 at 59%. 59%. 59%.

I must recall from a past posting that at Lindores Whiskyfest – Belgium, 2007 – Part III in a Lochside Masterclass with Bert Bruyneel, a sister bottle of my 1981 was tasted, and these gentlemen concluded that:

Colour: light+. I must say it is TRUE.
Nose: rubber band, leather, unripe walnuts, light fresh fir notes
Taste: first spicy then strawberry, raspberry, later blood and iron
Finish: medium – long, ends in sourness, bitter and abrupt

And yet, the 59% of this Lochside 1981 is not felt, neither in the unexistant strong alcohol smell, nor in the palate, as this is a dry, extremely dry single malt. Will melt in your mouth, not in your hand, certainly, but has little aftertaste. Once watered it keeps on being a true delight.

For both Single Malts, three pieces of comment and advice:

1- They made my nose water rather quickly, since I chose for them to evaporate into my palate.

2- If you chose to inhale te vapors from your palate, the Lochside 1981 will make you cough. The Glencadam 1972 will go down heavenly.

3- They are extremely strong, since with half an ounce of each I got a quiet, stable, and delicious buzz. So if you plan to have a tasting, do it slow, and do it little by little, have plenty of water and neutral bread, as your guests may feel the impact in the short run otherwise.

Cheers,