Stronachie

Stronachie was a distillery 7 miles Southwest of Perth, which operated from 1890 until 1928 - all that is left of the original buildings is a series of stone walls.

A.D. Rattray is an independent bottling company set up in 2004 by TIm Morrison, named after his ancestors business dating back to 1868 which has previously dealt in blending and marketing whiskies - including Stronachie.

The company managed to acquire a bottle of the original Stronachie in 2002, which was a 1904 vintage of unknown age. The liquid within that bottle was used to find a distillery that already produced a whisky that matched the flavour profile of the sample they had, with a view of releasing Stronachie back onto the market.

That distillery would be Benrinnes, a Speyside distillery just South of Aberlour. Owned by Diageo, A.D. Rattray were able to partner with them to produce a 10yo whisky matured in ex-Bourbon casks that matches what would have been enjoyed over 100 years ago - so despite being from a Speyside distillery, it's named as a 'Highland' whisky on the label.

The palate is full of honey and shortbread biscuit notes, with a touch of herbal spiciness on the finish that one could easily consider a suble smokiness. It's warming and round, and features a profile that could easily be considered 'classic Scotch whisky' in every sense.