Tasting notes Serge Valentin: 89 points (WhiskyFun.com)

Colour: pale gold.

Nose: typical. I know younger enthusiasts do not come across St Magdalene very often anymore, and could be misled by the 'Lowlands' appellation, thus think it must be a light and fruity/grainy malt. Quite the opposite! St Magdalene could be very leafy, petroly, earthy and metallic, which means that it's never been a very easy malt. Some have even been a little 'meh', but others were magnificently complex, even if also a little challenging at times. Anyway, let's cut the drivel, this one is very typical indeed, leafy and parafiny, with quite some plasticine and notes of rubbed lemon skin on top of some kind of smoky apple juice. Ah, whisky History!

Mouth: more fruits on the palate and that's where St Magdalene could get closer to its compadres Bladnoch and Rosebank. Citrons and lemons first, then grapefruits, all that on quite some soot, some kind of light ashes and many leaves and herbs. Thyme, perhaps? And always wee bits of paraffin...

Finish: not extremely long but the same favours remain there, while a saltiness appears in the aftertaste.

Comments: no ooh-ah malt whisky, this is actually a little austere but I like this 'old style', almost 'un-commercial' style quite a lot. You just have to accept challenges ;-).