So you walk into your local liquor store and

[Bulkington]

. . . you see the following Signatory bottlings:

Auchentoshan 1992, 12yo
Highland Park 1993 13 yo
Glen Ord 1998 8 yo
Caol Isla 1992, 14 yo
Glen Rothes 1994, 12 yo
Strathmill 1992, 13 yo

Based on your experience with Signatory, do any of these grab you? I'd like to take a chance on one, and am leaning toward the HP, but if another might be the better choice, I could be swayed to get that instead ... or to get two. (Incidentally, among these was the Signatory Rosebank I recently posted about, but didn't act quickly enough to get; there's also a Laphroaig, but I've had a couple different Signatory Laphroaigs already.) Each is around $50, btw. Generally good prices at this liquor store.

[Ganga]

I need to check, but I think I have this one open: Strathmill 1992, 13 yo. I know I've posted notes on the Sig Strath I've had so you could check them out.

Caol Ila (assuming typo), HP and Glenrothes are the three I would have the greatest interest in. Strathmill and Ord are ones that you don't see too many bottlings of.

[Deactivated Member]

If I absolutely had to go for one of these - and I stress that I have tasted none of them - then I'd go for HP or Glenrothes based on the distillery reputation. Strathmill is a difficult whisky that doesn't appeal to everyone - although if you like raw cauliflower (as I do) then it might be the distillery for you.

[Ryguy]

I'd go with the Highland Park or Caol Ila, because I really enjoy both. Then I'd check the ratings/tasting notes on the other bottles and choose another, just to try something new.

And oh yeah, I'd buy a bottle at cask strength over the others.

[Bulkington]

I need to check, but I think I have this one open: Strathmill 1992, 13 yo. I know I've posted notes on the Sig Strath I've had so you could check them out.

Caol Ila (assuming typo), HP and Glenrothes are the three I would have the greatest interest in. Strathmill and Ord are ones that you don't see too many bottlings of.

Can't seem to find your Strathmill notes, but I'm intrigued. Maybe I'll get that and the HP.

[kildalton]

well that's a leap in the dark,(I mean I do not know anything about those bottles) but if I were You I'd go for the Glen Ord.
When it's good is really good...

[LagaDrinker]

Personally I'd go for the HP

[Ganga]

Ganga wrote back in May:

Opened the Sig Strathmill 1992 13 yo tonight.

Nose: malty (almost overripe), cocoa, bit of coconut, pineapples (at least something citrusy)
Palate: Very malty, oakey, pineapple/coconut blend
Finish: Little more than short with the citrus and oak hanging in there.

I also looked at several posts from later and it really points towards straws. I think I'll have another dram of it tonight and post back here for you. Any preferences on glass? I have glencairn, CelticMalts glass, brandy-lg/sm, Ardbeg nosing readily available.

[Wave]

I've had a lot of nice Caol Ila's bottled by Signatory. Is the 14yo mentioned the Unchillfiltered or Cask Strength (I have a botle of each!), both are very good which either way.

Cheers!

[Wave]

Any preferences on glass? I have glencairn, CelticMalts glass, brandy-lg/sm, Ardbeg nosing readily available.

How 'bout an old fruit jar?

Cheers!

[Ryguy]

Any preferences on glass? I have glencairn, CelticMalts glass, brandy-lg/sm, Ardbeg nosing readily available.

How 'bout an old fruit jar?

Cheers!

or even an empty fish bowl

[Ganga]

Any preferences on glass? I have glencairn, CelticMalts glass, brandy-lg/sm, Ardbeg nosing readily available.

How 'bout an old fruit jar?

Cheers!

If I must.

Sorry, the fishies are in the bowl.

However, the vases are empty.

[Bulkington]

Oh. None of these is cask strength.

[Ganga]

I was under the impression that these are all from the Sig Vintage series, 43%.

[laddie teun]

does the label state the cask type?

[Bulkington]

does the label state the cask type?

I'm pretty sure all the labels do. Pretty sure. I just didn't write them down. They were on the top shelf and my eyesight sucks and there I was with pencil and paper taking notes on their stock and I felt like I was being watched as it was....

If the weather lets up I may have a new purchase to report for tomorrow!

-b

[Ganga]

Sig Vintage Strathmill 1992, 43%, sherry butt 06/668, bottle 218/369, 12.11.92, 11.9.06, 13 yo

large brandy
color: light yellow
nose: pineapple or another tropical fruit, cocoanut, straw, mild dried spice, barley
palate: lots of malt, straw in the barn loft, light fruits (papaya?)
Finish: moderate, ight, straw turning towards a dried spice with a bit of cocoa

With a drop of water: same basic smells but richer with a little cocoa. Straw and malt recede on the palate, cocoa comes forward. Finish is quite short. I think a drop of water is better for this whisky.

[Ganga]

Ok, I've poured the same dram in the same glass. 2 parts whisky to 1 part water.

Nose: cocoa, tropical fruit
Palate: dk chocolate, barley mixed with straw
Finish: really short, same elements as the palate

The water removes a lot of the elements but those present are actually fairly strong. Very drinkable at this level as opposed to many that become washed out.

[Ganga]

Ok, third pour of the Strathmill. Adding some ice this time.

Nose: straw and barley, estery, light cocoanut
Palate: strong esters, good barley and fruit
Finish: longer, dried spices

Esters are a little too much for me but I could see many liking this as a warm summer's eve dram.

Ok, I'm back. The whisky is still cooling and the esters get stronger. The fruits get stronger, pineapple. Not as pleasant now.

[Deactivated Member]

If the Caol Ila is CS, go for it.
MT

[Ganga]

Sig Vintage in the US was mostly 43%. CS is more recent. Regardless, I'd say the CI. But hopefully the Strathmill review helps Bulky.

[Wave]

does the label state the cask type?

Normally not on the tube unless it's a special cask type, I have a Caol Ila '94 UCF finished in Port and it's prominately mentioned on the tube, the rest will have it on the bottle itself but that can be kinda iffy, of my UCF's some say "matured in an oak cask" some say "matured in a bourbon cask" and one that I have just says "Hogshead".

Cask Strength Signatory's (non-decanter type) will have no tube but it will have the cask type on the bottle label (Caol Ila 14, Mortlach 17 and Strathisla 17).

The only Vintage 43% I have really doesn't count as far as this thread is concerned, it's a Port Ellen '79 in a white top half and gold bottom half tube that I brought home from Scotland and I've never seen that type of tube sold in the States. It also doesn't have cask type on the tube but it does on the bottle label.

The decanter style Vintage Cask Strength's will also have cask type on it's bottle label but your not going to find any of those at the $50 range.

Cheers!

[irishwhiskeychaser]

HP IB's seem to be consistently good so I'd go for the HP and I think similar for Coal Ila

[Bulkington]

I got the Strathmill (43%, aged in sherry butt) and the Highland Park (46%, aged in hogshead). Opened the Strathmill and ... I need more time with it, but I'll just say that it stood out as unusual, at least in my experience. But not necessarily in a bad way. Sweet, vegetable, resin. Spring garden compost? Some bloom, some rot. I was more in a beer drinking mood last night.

Haven't opened the HP.

They had one Caol Ila left. I was tempted.

[Deactivated Member]

Opened the Strathmill and ... I need more time with it, but I'll just say that it stood out as unusual, at least in my experience. But not necessarily in a bad way. Sweet, vegetable, resin. Spring garden compost? Some bloom, some rot.

I refer the honourable member to the reply I gave some moments ago

[Deactivated Member]

Of the list on offer I've had the HP, Caol Ila and Glenrothes. The HP as has been commented before is pretty consistent and rather good. The Caol Ila I has was agood example but the Glenrothes was a real disappointment - really sulphery and clawing. Not the best expression of a Glenrothes I've had (Still finshed the bottle though )

[Deactivated Member]

Opened the Strathmill and ... I need more time with it, but I'll just say that it stood out as unusual, at least in my experience. But not necessarily in a bad way. Sweet, vegetable, resin. Spring garden compost? Some bloom, some rot.

I refer the honourable member to the reply I gave some moments ago

Nick, is your real forename Gordon?

I'm afraid when I say the phrase, I imagine my forename might be John. And I say it mentally in a very, very wooden way. I think that is a hangover from my first job, working for an MP.

[Deactivated Member]

Mr Picky sez the "Caol Isla" is obviously a counterfeit, being misspelled and all. (He is being facetious, but he does wonder why Signatory persists in representing Glenrothes as "Glen Rothes".)

Strathmill is a difficult whisky that doesn't appeal to everyone - although if you like raw cauliflower (as I do) then it might be the distillery for you.

I love raw cauliflower! What a terrible waste to cook that stuff. Cauliflower, raw; broccoli, steamed, end of story. I'd be tempted to go for the Strathmill myself, anyway, just because I've never had one. However, if it is, as Ganga indicates, a sherry butt, that would put me off. Actually, the fact that it's a Signatory would put me off, too--I've had a couple of really duff bottles. I'm sure the overwhelming majority of their releases are fine, but if they are so willing on occasion to bottle a really poor cask, then I don't feel so inclined to take my chances.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

......... but the Glenrothes was a real disappointment - really sulphery and clawing. Not the best expression of a Glenrothes I've had (Still finshed the bottle though )

I love Glenrothes but what is it about IB glerothes and the sulphur .... I've had 3 and all were overly sulphured

[Lawrence]

I've tried loads of Caol Ila, Highland Park, Auchentoshan and Glenrothes so I would go for the undiscovered territory and try some thing new like the Strathmill or Glen Ord.

It seems pointless to stick with the same common bottlings day after day after day...and you might just find a gem.

Why limit yourself to the same tiny corner of the whisky world?

[Doug1937]

Bit of a slightly funny story here:

Last week I ordered a bottle of Signatory Un-Chillfiltered Mortlach, distilled in 1992 and bottled 15 years later, in 2007. The bottle I recieved, however, was a Signatory Un-Chillfiltered Caol Ila, also distilled/bottled in 1992/2007. While I can understand how such a mix-up can happen, I've found very little information on the Internet as to the history of this 2007 bottling of the 15 year old Signatory Caol Ila. It almost has me suspicious as to the authenticity of the product.

Almost, but not really. I've found little info about the Signatory 1992 Mortlach either. (Does Signatory even have a website?)

The label on the back of the bottle has this information:

Imported by:
Total Beverage Solution
Mt. Pleasant, SC
L:070687
1992 Caol Ila

Front label:
Aged: 15 years
Distilled on: 13.05.1992
Bottled on: 01.10.2007

Matured in: Hogshead
Cask Nos: 8300+01
Bottle No: 350 of 658

Regarding taste: It's not bad...definitely Islay, which is my favorite. But It's a bit disappointing for a 15 year old whisky. It reminds me a lot of a recent McClelland Islay I had, which I'm told is really an 8 year old Bowmore. The last bottle of scotch I opened was a Dalmore 12 year old OB and I was much more impressed with that than I am with this Signatory (my first, but I suppose not my last, BTW).

Anyone else had either a Caol Ila or Mortlach, of the Signatory 1992 UnChillFiltered variety?

--Doug