[Quick review] Living Souls - 40 years old Blended Scotch 41.2%

 


First of two 40 year-old blended Scotch bottles released recently.

And the first one is from a new bottler called Living Souls. It is one of their first four bottlings, alongside a 19yo Islay (Ardbeg), an 18yo Ledaig/Tobermory and a 15yo Blended Scotch. It is bottled with no added colouring or chillfiltration, and at 41.2%. It also looks like this blend was laid down to marry in a sherry butt in 1998 so over 25 years ago!


Distillery: Blended Scotch

Bottler: Living Souls

Age: 40 years old

Distilled: n/a

Bottled: 2024

Cask: n/a

Abv: 41.2%

Unchillfiltered: Yes

Natural Colour: Yes

Nb of bottles: n/a

Price: £125

Extra: 


My tasting notes:


Nose: Fruity, malty with almonds/marzipan notes, dried apricots and figs, roast peach, slight orange blossom, old oak bookcase, vanilla, some crème caramel, some wood spice and hints of smoke. This is fantastic!


Palate: Fruity and creamy, tropical fruit, mango, passion fruit, cooked peach, orange rind, oak, vanilla, waxy, a hint of sage and nutmeg. Delicious!

Finish: Creamy and smoky, the smoke is more present off the finish but still quite gentle, there is some oak too, crème brûlée, some pineapple and passion fruit again.

With water: A drop adds some orange zest to the nose. The palate gains a little spice but drop a little complexity. The finish swaps some of the smoke for some hazelnut. I would not add water to this one personally, especially with an abv of 41.2%

This was a fantastic purchase, first to just be able to try some 40yo whisky, at an affordable price point, and which actually tastes great! Thank you Whisky Souls for allowing whisky drinkers to access this one!

I’ve also heard good things about the other 3 releases so might have to investigate further!

The only thing I am now wondering about, is how similar/different the Thompson Bros 40yo is going to be… Guess we’ll find out very soon!

Slàinte all!

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