Auchentoshan Duo
Old vs New: two indie Auchies | 46% & 55.6% ABV
Auchentoshan: 1981 vs 2010
There comes a time in many whisky drinkers’ journeys when they start to get curious about older (read: vintage, not years in cask) bottlings, and wonder how much ‘better’ certain distilleries used to be.
Ainsley Fife recently wrote about how production methods have changed “quite drastically” since the 1950s, and indeed you will find huge differences in many distillery’s characteristics between yesteryear and today. But in this review, we’re looking specifically at Auchentoshan, an oft-ignored distillery amongst enthusiasts that I personally believe deserves more respect that it gets.
Why does Auchentoshan get dinged so often? Well, their core range is diluted, heavily filtered, coloured, and, well.. soft spoken.
And yet, the Three Wood, their number one seller, was actually one of my early gateway whiskies, with its rich red fruits and drinkability that made it easy to approach and to build curiosity from. I never hear people saying they actually dislike Auchentoshan, only that it doesn’t excite them.
This is, of course, a shame, because after an excellent distillery tour that included samples drawn directly from the cask, I could instantly tell this triple distilled liquid was super fruity in a way that I had never experienced with them before. Strangely enough, Auchentoshan has not done nearly as much to cater to enthusiasts as other distilleries have, with very few limited releases that are higher ABV, natural presentation, single cask, etc. So I sought out independent bottlings to explore further.
Which brings us to today, and an attempt to firstly pull apart the true Auchentoshan character, and secondly see how it’s changed from 1981 to 2010.
Before we begin, is there anything we know that has changed at Auchentoshan between when these two distillates were made? I’ve made note of a few that I’ve learned along my whisky journey, but please comment if you know if more:
Auchentoshan was sold to Stanley P Morrison (later Morrison Bowmore) in 1984, which coincided with a production overhaul that included things like the malt mill. Morrison Bowmore was then bought by Suntory in 1994.
Cask management changed over the years, including something that was pretty industry-wide; switching from breaking down casks for transit and rebuilding in Scotland, to now keeping casks whole. Production also expanded over the years growing from 300K litres/year in 2008 to near or over 2M litres/year now. In addition, fermentation extended to the 62 hours they use today.
Though it’s unclear exactly when these changes happened, it doesn’t seem there have been major changes, as things like floor maltings and direct fire were removed long before 1981. So we’ll need to let the bottles be the historians here.
Review 1/2
Auchentoshan 1981, First Cask, 15yo, bottled 1990s, cask number 1155, 46% ABV
£123 at auction
Nose
Luscious fruity nose. Exactly the kind of show you seek in Auchentoshan if you’ve had quality bourbon-cask indie bottlings before. Vanilla paste, with cardamom and white grapes. A touch of blue cheese, mint, and underripe white peach.
Palate
The palate brings some pepper to the tip of the tongue, lemon rind, and melon rind on first approach. Perfect strength at 46%. Now comes waves of vanilla bean, some oak spice, and the crisp tartness of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Tart stone fruits envelop and linger on the palate through the finish as bitter oak notes ebb and flow in decreasing frequency.
A great dram. One could quickly consume this and take it for a simple, light ex-bourbon scotch, and that is correct, but if you allow yourself to sense and appreciate the dram, you’ll find a very fruity, distillate-driven dram delivered at totally drinkable, yet potent proof. Hard to complain about that, and I suspect those who have spent more years with whisky tend to seek this profile out.
Score: 8/10
Review 2/2
Auchentoshan 10yo, Cadenheads Authentic colleciton, distilled 2010, bottled 2021, bourbon barrel, 55.6% ABV
£69 paid in 2021
Nose
Citrus-forward nose, with lemon at the forefront, followed by hidden but intermingled touches of lime. Stone fruits and black pepper you’d expect from a first-fill ex-bourbon cask.
Palate
Fruitiness explodes on the palate in a way that isn’t showcased on the nose. Honeydew melon, white grapes, toasted almond, with an accompanying oiliness that coats the mouth. Vanilla and oak spice persist throughout the experience, and it’s quite drinkable and enjoyable at full proof. Water swaps spice for fruitiness upfront, though this swaps as it transitions to the finish.
When tasting side-by-side with the Auchentoshan 1981 First Cask, the similarities are striking in that you’d think they haven’t changed a thing in all these years. I love this experience, but I also wouldn’t confuse this for something in its 20s or 30s in age. And, while completely tame-able, it’s not exactly mellowed or carrying a deep tropical fruitiness that you can find from those older bourbon-matured drams. But it’s an absolutely perfect summer dram. Throw this in a glass with a cube of ice on a hot day, and you’ll be happy as a clam.
The Dregs
When comparing side-by-side, the 1981 First Cask is definitely fruitier on the palate, and the ~28 years in glass has perhaps brought a mellow quality to the experience, but the 2010 Cadenhead’s is clearly cut from the same cloth and provides a familiar and fantastic experience for a modern, clean version.
The 10 yo Cadenhead is certainly spicier and lacking in some of the fruitiness of the older First Cask. And although the triple distilled liquid does lack the complexity that CAN come from double distillation, if you like a soft, fruity dram, look no further than indie Auchentoshan from ex-bourbon. You won’t be disappointed, young or old.
And for the connoisseurs, don’t let the muddled and diluted experience of the official bottlings turn you away from the intrinsic Auchentoshan potential.
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. IG
This is a Friday First. We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Innes into the Dramface community in the comments below…
Other opinions on this:
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.