Banff 1976 – 46 Year Old – G&M Private Collection

The wonderfully accident-prone distillery Banff was, like many of the distilleries highlighted in this round of Private Collection releases, slated to be closed in 1983. Before they could shut the doors, however, the distillery did what it did best – and burst into flames.

This sherry-influenced single malt was distilled on 26 October 1976, during a brief period when the distillery was not on fire, and bottled by Gordon & Macphail 46 years later.

Tasting notes from Gordon & Macphail:

Nose: Fragrant festive spices intertwine with clove-studded orange and demerara sugar. Subtle toffee notes give way to prunes and baked apple.

Palate: Rich stewed fruit flavours complement cinnamon and ginger with a hint of black pepper. Toasted hazelnuts develop alongside marzipan and mature oak.