Stylised as just “Lindores” on their bottles, the Lindores Abbey is believed to be a place of pilgrimage for scotch whisky fans. The Lindores Abbey site has one of the earliest written references to whisky production, dating back to 1494 – hence the name of the whisky!
Yes, that’s right, the name of this flagship whisky is not some obscure Scottish surname, or careless slip across the keyboard, but is the year 1494 in Roman numerals – pretty much the longest run of non-repeating letters that you could get in a Roman numeral year – or at least in our history to date.
The history of the site can actually go back as far as 1191 when the Lindores Abbey was first built, but for our story and “after a break of 523 years” the Lowland spirits started to flow again in 2017, with the first casks of Lindores being filled on 20th December 2017. In fact, the Lindores site is so dedicated to history and detail, they confirm that on that day they filled “18 Old Forester Bourbons and 2 Monbazillacs in total with 3975 bulk litres into cask at 63.4% strength (2531.7LPA)”.
One of the longest wash fermentation periods in the Scotch Whisky Industry at 117 hours coupled with an unusual sister spirit stills set up helps achieve the Distillery Manager’s goal of producing a malt of remarkable character for its age.
The Sister Spirit Stills “Poppy” & “Gee”, named after Drew and Helens’ two daughters, help enhance and refine , through additional copper contact in the spirit distillation phase, the wonderful flavours captured in the long fermentation period.
Lindores
This flagship release is bottled at 46% ABV and is a marriage of the Lindores spirits matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels, STR wine casks, and sherry casks with no-age statement (though we know its all about 3.5 years). The whisky is presented at its natural colour, without chill-filtration, with the standard UK 70cl bottles currently available around £46 RRP.
Nose
A very light and perfumed nose arrives. Floral and sweet fruit notes float around and take you back into the orchard with the smell of crisp apples and sweet and earthy pears with juice dripping everywhere. They are joined by further sweet influences of caramel, toffee, and white grapes. A little white oak fragrance but I had to go ‘looking’ for it.
Taste
More of the same on the palate as cut apples and pears arrive first and foremost. This time they are delivered via a soft and buttery texture with the even sweeter influences of honeycomb, banana foams, lemon sherbet, and foam shrimps. After a a few sips that sherbet flavour really stands out as sherbet dib dabs because it seems to be joined by a little liquorice note too. There is a distinct marzipan flavour too. The sweet sensations are rounded out by a grist-like malt, and a warming ginger and cinnamon set of spice and warmth.
Finish
Pretty short and sweet with a white peppery flash of heat to sign things off.
Verdict
This has proven to be very light and very drinkable. The light body keeps helps deliver those light and sweet flavours, whilst a little bit of spice and alcohol heat stop it from being too much. The short finish, works in its favour to keep those sweet and punchy sensations in check and offer a little bit of lip-smack that just invites a return to the glass.
Beyond the spirit, the marketing is strong on this one. The unique bottle design and compelling whisky nerd history credentials make for an inviting experience. I also like that the bottle carries the message “By purchasing this bottle you have contributed to the preservation of Lindores Abbey, the spiritual home of scotch whisky, thank you.” thus preserving the history of the site even further.
Though this was only a sample bottle, I could see a full-sized bottle not lasting very long either. It is not what I’d normally look for in a whisky (something to sit, sip, and savour with), but as an enthusiast it does offer something a bit different. Certainly with the history element, and the unusual “sister stills” set up.
I know that people often think of whisky as an after-dinner drink, but this could easily be a pre-dinner drink . It is light and fresh and the short flashes of heat at the end seem to wipe your palate clean. The 46% ABV percentage point seems to make a difference here too as that adds to the subtle oak spice and heat to keep it punchy. You’d fear that a basic 40% would render this sweet and fruitless (so to speak – the apple and pear would still be there for sure, it would just feel too weak and diluted). As is, altogether a very easily drinkable spirit.
M
Sample disclosure: This sample was gratefully received as part of a promotional Tweet Tasting event run by The Whisky Wire for the launch of the “Cask of Lindores” series using #LindoresAbbey on Twitter/X. All notes here are not intended as promotion but as an honest, fair, and independent review of the whisky itself. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
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