North British 17 Years Old 1997 Single Grain Collection 43% (Signatory)

• 43% ABV, £28 for 70cl
• Score: 72/100

What they say:

Distilled in 1997 at Lothian Distillers Edinburgh-based North British Distillery and bottled 2014 by Signatory Vintage as part of their Single Grain Collection

What I say:

Dram #1 from WOLS 14/2 Types of Whisky. This 17 tear old from the North British grain distillery here in Edinburgh representing the Single Grain category.

Colour:

Pale gold

Nose:

Vanilla, esters (ripe bananas), oak wood, sweet honey, linseed oil

Taste:

Masses of vanilla, Madagascan vanilla pods, vanilla custard, crème brulee, coconut, banana, grain (maize/corn?), dry white oak, freshly sawn lumber

Finish:

Short, sweet oak

Would I buy it:

Most likely matured in American white oak/1st fill ex-bourbon casks, this single grain whisky is full of vanilla character and a little oaky wood, a little chemical nature of the grain whisky still comes through in the finish.