Takesada Oji from Japan, Sebastian Jäger from the Black Forest and Boris Borrisov from Munich are known as The Wu DRAM Clan. This independent bottler started its Lighthouse Series in 2021. Each bottling in this series is bottled for a different company. (This one is specially bottled for Kirsch) The label features a lighthouse in the region where the distillery is situated. 

Invergordon is Scotland's largest grain distillery and currently produces 30 million litres of alcohol a year. Yet the independent bottlings from this distillery are rare. This 55 year old bottling was distilled in 1965, 5 years after the opening of this distillery, and is a real old skool grain whisky. Surprisingly fresh and elegant. Soft, round grain aromas and refined wood tones complemented by notes of mint, coconut, banana and pineapple.

Tasting notes Ruben Luyten - WhiskyNotes: Score 90/100

Nose: very bright and gentle. The generic coconut notes seem to have evaporated after all these years, here I find more ripe bananas, tinned pineapples and guavas, with marzipan and fresh citrus. Minty notes. Natural vanilla. Hints of cellulose varnish, nicely integrated. Hints of fragrant sandalwood and caramelized nuts. There’s a great rummy side to it as well.

Mouth: lacking the thick, creamy side that you often get in grains, but not weak. Fresh citrus, dried ginger, still some pineapple notes. Pleasant sour notes which make it brighter. Hints of ‘pencil liqueur’ (let’s hope it doesn’t exist), which means you get an oaky touch but in a sweet and rounded way. Almonds and a hint of white pepper in the end.

Finish: surprisingly long, with bananas, nutmeg and a pinch of pepper.

This is a suprisingly fresh senior, kind of a rum and grain mix-up. The underlying sweetness keeps the wood at bay and brings along a Caribbean character. Exceeds my expectations.