Official Bottling| 46.3% ABV

Serendipity is a Thing, Right?

The word ‘serendipity’ first entered our lexicon in 1754 in a letter from English writer Horace Walpole to his friend Horace Mann. In his letter, Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he’d made about a lost painting of Italian noblewoman Bianca Capello by the artist Giorgio Vasari by referring to a Persian fairytale, The Three Princes of Serendip. The three princes he recalled were, “Always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of.”

So today we correlate serendipity with the occurrence or development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. Often we read or have heard about people’s chance encounters with things they didn’t expect to find but were indeed occasions for joy. You know the type of things: some guy is rummaging through an old mid-west barn only to find a 1967 Mustang Shelby GT500 aka ‘Eleanor’ or the stories of musicians trawling through old junk and thrift stores only to come across a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst or a pristine 1954 Fender Stratocaster. 

Thanks to the internet though, these kind of finds have become very, very rare as hobbyists and consumers become ever better educated and know what to look for. 

Of course it’s unlikely we’ll stumble across a bottle of whisky that will, in the case of a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst be worth anywhere from £250k to £500k. 

But occasionally we may discover something old, rare or discontinued at retail or near to retail price which can, for us as whisky enthusiasts, set our pulses racing.

I remember an old Ralfy video where he stated how he liked to open discontinued and sought after bottles which he’d bought at retail price while looking at some of the crazy auction prices people were paying. It made them that much sweeter. It’s true… we all like a bargain!

So here’s my tale of serendipity. In 2018 I was heading off to Calgary for a friend’s wedding. Another friend of mine who had moved to Canada from Ireland got in touch and told me that if I was in Calgary to make sure that I visited the Co-op World Of Whisky as the selection of whisky they had was off the chart.

So a couple of days before the big day,I was able to venture to downtown Calgary to visit the shop with the Father of the Groom. We wanted to get a couple of bottles of whisky for a small family gathering the night before the wedding and I was hoping I might find something unique to bring home.

The store was massive and the choice was a bit overwhelming. Immediately as I walked in the door was a great selection of Japanese whisky but at the now considerable prices we’re used to paying so I walked on.

In a far corner there it was: a single bottle of Tobermory 15, resplendent in a luxury wooden case… much like the Golden Idol in the opening scene of Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark! I hurriedly gathered it up knowing it had been discontinued since 2016 and it was being sold here at what was effectively its old retail price.

But there was another surprise in store, as just below the Tobermory were two full shelves of the also discontinued Glendronach 15 year old (the 15 year old that was at least a 19 year old bottle) at $100 Canadian (or £55 thanks to the currency exchange rate). So a bottle of this was also purchased.

I hurriedly told my friends Clint and Nathan to also buy a bottle each. We returned home with a Tamdhu Cask Strength Batch 1 and a Glendronach 15 as our whisky choices for the next night.

I still remember the looks on the faces of everyone the next night when we tasted the Glendronach. 

To a man there was a knowing look of, “oh yes, this is quality!” The Tamdhu fared okay but sadly the bottle of Bushmills 12 Distillery Reserve I’d brought over didn’t quite cut the mustard. Happily that didn’t dampen the enjoyment of a great night’s craic.

In fact, after the wedding, both Clint and Nathan returned to the store to purchase more of the Glendronach, with Clint helping himself to at least a dozen bottles! I’m still a bit jealous of that, but alas my baggage limit stopped me from taking advantage.

Review

Discontinued since October 2016, 46.3% ABV
$160 which was roughly £87

Nose

A big sherried nose straight away. Manuka honey, baked figs, dates, caramelised brown sugar. Cracked walnuts, Seville orange marmalade and a cigar box, with a touch of mountain heather. Underneath the sherry there’s banana, melon and strawberry Chewits.

Palate

A lovely texture to this. Oily and really coats the mouth. This doesn’t become as sweet as the nose suggests and is tempered with a lovely salty note. Oloroso sherry and molasses, dark dried fruits of date and sultana. Banana with melted chocolate buttons. Then comes a dirty, sooty note and slight salinity that reminds me of black olives and sea spray. Some pepper heat alongside walnuts, nutmeg and toasted oak. The finish is long and oily with hints of leather, mild spice and dried fruit.

The Dregs

This is a cracking dram, with a great balance between nose and palate of sweet and savoury. It’s layered and rewards you well when you give it time and consideration. It’s also one of those bottles I’m gently nursing along because, well, it’s very unlikely another will cross my path.

More importantly though, this bottle (like all good bottles of whisky) acts like a time machine. It takes me back to traversing the globe, spending quality time with friends and family and creating positive, laser-etched memories. Serendipity indeed.

Score: 8/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AG

Other opinions on this:

Do you have a reliable review for this? Tell us.