Ghost Trilogy XXI – Dumbarton Distillery Finished in a Sauternes Cask

Ghost Trilogy XXI Dumbarton. When Paladin first came across a few circa 2000 laid down casks of Dumbarton, the excitement was beyond belief from our in-house “dram” team! Here was a “turn of the century” gem, from one of the behemoths of Lowland, producing a SINGLE GRAIN scotch for the likes of Ballantine’s! Based on our research, production capacity at its height was said to be 25 million gallons a year! It is hard to believe that very little of these casks now remain. At once, we knew we had to bottle it.

The fabled Jim Murray, in his 2014 Whisky Bible notes, had given it a roaring 96.5 points with the following accompanying quote “Truly great whisky. Forget this being a grain, excellence is excellence. Full stop.” Ghost Trilogy XXI Dumbarton

Nose: Fresh tangerine zest to kick things off. A whiff of green tomatoes in a greenhouse. All rounded off with a hint of heather honey.

Palate: Hugely warming! A massive hit of heat, black pepper, and chili. Plum jam then threatens to cool things down, followed by homemade orange marmalade.

Finish: The peppery spice comes back and tickles the palate for what seems like eternity, with hints of the marmalade making a return.

Conclusion: Brave, powerful and lively. Each sip is different from the last, taking you on a journey of flavor exploration. A real armchair dram.