Cambus 25yo, 1993-2019, Single Grain, Old Particular
ABV: 51.5%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°°
Bottling: Douglas Laing
Cask type: Refill Butt (# DL13324, 210 btl.)

 

Colour: Deep gold.
Nose: Fine toffee notes with vanilla pods and ripe banana. Accompanied by spicy oak, subtle ginger and slightly floral notes.
Palate: Surprisingly intense and powerful on the palate. First sweetness with vanilla and toffee, followed by a strong warming spiciness of oak and white pepper. Notes of burnt sugar with some creamy fruit jam and dry oak towards the finish.
Finish: A long lasting finish with aromas of starfruit and slightly warming spices.
With water: Fruity in the nose after adding a few drops of water with apricot, pear and yellow stone fruit. Vanilla with toffee and considerably less spices. Tamed sweetness and less spicy warmth on the palate with fruit jam and clearly dry oak. The finish is somewhat shorter with vanilla and some prickling oak spice on the tongue.
Comments: This Single Grain attracts attention with its sweet vanilla notes and ripe fruit aromas, which are kept in good balance by warming spices. The very subtle influence of the sherry butt fits quite well here and nestles perfectly to the distillery character. A delicious single cask bottling from the closed Cambus distillery in the Lowlands, which can be enjoyed perfectly neat.

 

I thank Douglas Laing for the photograph!


Cambus 25yo, 1991-2017, Whic, Nymphs of Whisky Collection
ABV: 52.7%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: whic (Whiskycircle)
Cask type:
Sherry Cask (120 btl.)

 

Colour: Mahogany.
Nose: There's immediately sherry on the nose, mixed with ripe red apples, rum-soaked dark fruits, dates and raisins. Then notes of tobacco leaves and cedar wood emerge, accompanied by a touch of vanilla, coconut flavours and dark chocolate in the back. The alcohol tickles slightly in the nose.
Palate: Voluminous and sweet start on the palate with Demerara sugar and dark fruits. Then warming notes of black pepper, cardamom, cedar wood and oak arrive, followed by nutty flavours, cinnamon and vanilla. Tender notes of cherry and sticky dark fruit linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish shows medium length with a warming mix of sweetness and spice. Dry notes of cocoa, tobacco leaves and cedar wood with a touch of creamy fruitiness on the tail.
With water: Becomes very aromatic with significant flavours of coconut and vanilla when a few drops of water are added. Notes of dark fruit and tobacco leaves, however, are decreased. Wow, this is fairly spicy on the palate with cracked black pepper, even chilli! Very dry with almost no signs of fruitiness. The finish is dry, too, with slightly bitter notes of tobacco and cedar wood.
Comments: A good single grain whisky with almost exotic fruit aromas and an interesting note of cedar wood. The paIate, however, can't really deliver what the noses promises, as I missed the expected sherry sweetness a bit. With water the whisky becomes very dry and extremely spicy! There one should deal sparingly with. Nevertheless, this single grain whisky aged 25 years shows great potential.

 

I thank Leonie and Arne from whic (Whiskycircle) for the complimentary sample and the image!


Cambus 25yo, 1991-2017, Single Grain
ABV: 55.3%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: The Whisky Chamber
Cask type: Refill Sherry Hogshead (#79885, 191 btl.)

 

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Rich and sweet with vanilla, toffee and blossom honey. Fruity notes of yellow cherries and apricots emerge, followed by some citric fruits and oak spice in the background.
Palate: As the nose suggests quite sweet with honey, vanilla and cherries plus an extra creaminess. Pleasantly warming with cinnamon, subtle white pepper and a touch of marzipan. Sticky notes of ripe plum arrive, followed by some bitter grape peel and cloves towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long, soft and creamy with blossom honey, vanilla custard, caramel and toffee. Slightly bitter grape peel, dry oak and cloves on the tail. Pleasantly warming.
With water: Lively on the nose when a splash of water is added. More vanilla, toffee and cherry fruit while the spiciness - oak and black pepper in particular - is enhanced, too. Still sweet on the palate with vanilla, cherries, plums and oranges, accompanied by a warming spiciness of oak, white pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Again, some bitter notes of grape peel and oak towards the finish. The finish is medium long, creamy with honey and vanilla. Becomes fairly dry on the tail with oak, cloves and grape peel.
Comments: This single grain whisky from the independent bottler The Whisky Chamber is on the sweet side with a lovely vanilla nose that pleasantly echos on the palate as well as a good mastered alcohol. Good balance of fruit, oak and spice with not an unpleasant bitter note of grape peel in the background. Lovely sweet, creamy and deliciously tasty.


Cambus 24yo, 1991-2016, Single Grain, Old Particular
ABV: 51.5%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Douglas Laing
Cask type: Refill Hogshead (# DL11172, 249 btl.)

 

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Sweet and fruity on the nose with vanilla, brown sugar, melons and apricots. Cereal notes with a pleasant hint of spice - cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of oak in the back.
Palate: Much sweeter than on the nose with vanilla, toffee, apricots and gentle tangerine. This is followed by a warming spiciness of cinnamon, oak, subtle black pepper and clove. A touch of dry cocoa lingers towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long and sweet with vanilla custard, caramel and Demerara sugar. Slightly bitter orange peel and cloves on the tail. Pleasantly warming!
With water: On the nose, loads of vanilla are coming through by adding a few drops of water. Very sweet and soft! Water tames a bit of the spiciness on the palate bringing more vanilla and toffee notes to the fore. The finish is significantly shorter with sweet vanilla and Demerara sugar. Slightly warming with crisp oak on the tail.
Comments: This single grain whisky from the now closed Cambus distillery in the Lowlands is on the sweet side with a lovely vanilla nose that pleasantly echos on the palate. Rich and tasty with a good mastered alcohol. Nice balance of fruit, oak and spice. Not the most complex grain whisky on the planet, but deliciously sweet, soft, creamy and, at least to me, very savoury and easy to drink!

 

I thank Douglas Laing for the sample and the photograph!