Pittyvaich 30 Year Old Special Release 2020 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl

This elusive 1989 Pittyvaich from the last remaining stocks is the first ever to be finished in first-fill ex-bourbon casks. This finely crafted finishing has brought an exotic, rich vanilla sweetness to the light, creamy, fruity aromas and flavours of a less well known Speyside gem, until now familiar only to a knowledgeable few.

A ‘ghost’ distillery that worked for only 18 years before falling victim to industry consolidation in 1993, the buildings of Pittyvaich have long since vanished. Its dwindling stock is as rarely sighted today as the shy capercaillie, a bird occasionally spotted in Scottish pine forests. Aromas of sweet oak, delicate ripe fruitiness and dried flowers leap from the glass. The texture is soft and silky, the sweet taste rich in notes of vanilla that perfectly match the classic green, creamy and fruity distillery character. It becomes drying in the development, while the smooth, warming finish closes with a final sweet flourish.

A very rare long-aged release of only 7,056 bottles from a closed distillery.

Serving Suggestion: An outstanding example of Pittyvaich, proving that the make deserves to be better known, richly rewarding on both nose and palate and very easy to drink straight.