Glen Elgin 37, 1975, Sapporo The Bow Bar, Satsuma Kinko, (Kinko & The Bow Bar), Friendship bottling, Bourbon Barrel, 21/95, 42.1% abv.

This Bow Bar is in reference to the famous whisky bar in Sapporo, Japan, not Edinburgh, UK. Kinko is a famous liquor retailer in Satsuma, Kyushu, Japan, not the print shop. Not many old Glen Elgin around... it's history is quite impressive. Used to be a component of old, impressive White Horse blends and also as part of the "Hidden Malts" by Diageo.

Nose: initially BBQ, then tones down to vanilla, graham crackers, light coconut, smells like a good Ichiro's malt/Chichibu (is this a Higuchi glass thing or just Higuchi magic?!?), apple and lemon/lime citrus like notes in the background when my nose is at a distance.

Palate: light bodied, initial palate and mid palate is sour, like a light bitter sour sauce, hint of wood, back palate has a hint of asphalt smoke, converts well into a bitter sour finish that tastes like gravel cobblestone to be honest.

Finish: medium, white pepper spicy, gravelly rock like aftertaste, calcium mineral-like, light vinegar but not as pungent, American species oyster shells but not the main interior, which is usually aragonite.

Dry glass: BBQ.

Bartender warned me it was an old bottle and it tastes like its too old. Its a weird one and extremely different from the modern, sweet Glen Elgins I've had. Truly a weird one.

Grade: C-

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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