The Observatory 20 Year Old

Mellow, Sweet Fruity
2023-01-01

The Observatory 20 years is from the signature series of the bottler of the same name. Belonging to the Bacardi Group, this Single Grain Scotch whisky was created by the master blender of the Aberfeldy distillery Stephanie Macleod.
It is believed that the single grain was distilled at the MacDuff distillery in the Scottish Highlands near the lighthouse in Banff Bay. The whisky was stored for 20 full years in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The long storage period is said to make the whisky particularly soft and pleasantly complex.

The Observatory 20 Year Old (@whiskyedition)

Smell

A very sweet and vanilla note greets the nose. Later, lemon curd and spicy oak follow in the background. Surprisingly, we also perceive a sharp ethanol note. Slightly sour aromas support the composition, which is reminiscent of a sponge cake roll.

Taste

Foam sugar and marshmallows dominate the taste. Rounded off by a present oaky component, the Single Grain is very delicate. The whole thing is sweetened by a fair amount of forest honey.

Finish

The medium-long finish is vanilla, spicy and slightly bitter.

Thoughts

Full-bodied, but not multi-layered - this is the best way to describe The Observatory 20 Years. Interestingly, the nose combines fresh, lemony aromas with hearty oak spice. Not quite as smooth as we would expect a 20-year-old matured whisky to be, it is nevertheless pleasantly drinkable.
On offer for less than 20 euros? Get it!

Rating: 70/100 - Very Good (Marcel: 69 | Sascha: 71)

Value for Money: 4/5 - Good

Preview Image Source: theobservatorywhisky.com