Rosebank 13 Year Old 1991 Dun Bheagan

Dun Bheagan is a label from Ian MacLeod Distillers. For this bottling, they vatted two casks and cut it to a drinking strength. It is 13 years old.

The nose starts off closed and needs quite a bit of hand warmth before it gives any sign of life. Agrums and white fruit, but also something dusty. It is a bit dirty, if you know what I mean. Something metallic, as if I have poured it from a can. So far not so good. It evolves towards grass and heather to end in gravel. I cannot help but raise the eyebrows.

The first sip is almost water, but taste wise it hits it off right away, luckily. Sweet fruit with a pepper and ginger kick. It is almost coarse on the palate. Slowly it becomes honeysweet with loads of oak, without becoming bitter or dry. This is actually very good.

The finish is long and sweet with just enough oak to not go over the top.

What a weird Rosebank indeed! The nose left me baffled, but the palate is great. Hard to score. But I was once told that you do not drink whisky with your nose.

Find where to buy Rosebank whisky