Lochside – 1981 (Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection) (70cl, 49.2%)

This is a Lochside single malt from the Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection, a range of aged malts personally selected by members of the Urquhart family. It is bottled at 49.2% in a 70cl bottle. The whisky was distilled in 1981 and matured in a refill Sherry hogshead until it was bottled in 2021. The nose combines rich sherry with fragrant mandarin peel, salted almonds, raspberry compote and faint malted biscuit. The palate opens with roasted coffee beans, then walnuts and stewed raisins, with blackcurrant jam, Seville orange peel and red apple. The finish is long, with lingering hazelnuts and cocoa powder.