AVB
Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
Banff 1966 Blackadder Raw Cask 36 yo, 750ml, standard bottle with no extra packaging, 108 proof, normally $150 on sale at Binny's for $90 (3/24/06)
I did a scotch sample trade with another member on another board, what I picked was the Blackadder bottling of Banff scotch. Blackadder must have had a large stock of Banff since they have released a 31, 32, 34 and 36 year old over the years.
Banff closed in 1983 and most was destroyed in a 1991 fire so you won't find a new "young" release although there is a 23 yo Signatory that has to be some of the last produced. This Blackadder bottling is what they call a "RAW CASK" unfiltered, uncolored and uncut. You can see bits of the cask floating in the bottle according to my sample provider but I didn't see anything in the sample itself. For the professional reviewers there seems to be a either love it or hate it opinion. Jim Murray and Dave Broom both like a number of the older bottlings while Michael Jackson doesn't .... by a wide margin. Now for my thoughts.
This Banff is a very dark color in the jar, perhaps one of the darkest I've ever seen. Understandable since this scotch has sat in a first fill sherry cask for 36 years. The nose is raisins and oranges with some old leather underneath. The 108 proof really isn't noticed during the nosing. The taste is oak, maybe just a bit too much depending what you like, with a sherry sweetness that is boarding on a cognac feel. Spices but not spiciness poke up out of the mix. Nutmeg, orange and a little caramel all can be found. The finish is long with the alcohol noticed more on the roof of the mouth rather then the sides of the tongue. The raisins noticed in nosing reappear in the finish and ginger is the final fading flavor.
This is an old mature scotch in a gray area of maximum age and close to too old depending on your preference. For the price I'd say splurge and drink a bit of history before it's gone forever. I know it's on my list now. :thumbs:

I did a scotch sample trade with another member on another board, what I picked was the Blackadder bottling of Banff scotch. Blackadder must have had a large stock of Banff since they have released a 31, 32, 34 and 36 year old over the years.
Banff closed in 1983 and most was destroyed in a 1991 fire so you won't find a new "young" release although there is a 23 yo Signatory that has to be some of the last produced. This Blackadder bottling is what they call a "RAW CASK" unfiltered, uncolored and uncut. You can see bits of the cask floating in the bottle according to my sample provider but I didn't see anything in the sample itself. For the professional reviewers there seems to be a either love it or hate it opinion. Jim Murray and Dave Broom both like a number of the older bottlings while Michael Jackson doesn't .... by a wide margin. Now for my thoughts.
This Banff is a very dark color in the jar, perhaps one of the darkest I've ever seen. Understandable since this scotch has sat in a first fill sherry cask for 36 years. The nose is raisins and oranges with some old leather underneath. The 108 proof really isn't noticed during the nosing. The taste is oak, maybe just a bit too much depending what you like, with a sherry sweetness that is boarding on a cognac feel. Spices but not spiciness poke up out of the mix. Nutmeg, orange and a little caramel all can be found. The finish is long with the alcohol noticed more on the roof of the mouth rather then the sides of the tongue. The raisins noticed in nosing reappear in the finish and ginger is the final fading flavor.
This is an old mature scotch in a gray area of maximum age and close to too old depending on your preference. For the price I'd say splurge and drink a bit of history before it's gone forever. I know it's on my list now. :thumbs: