Gordon & Macphail Strathisla 1953

A Tasty Dram Whisky Blog


Christmas eve! Time to prepare for the final two whiskies. Two drams that raised high expectations... The first is a Strathisla 1953

Strathisla is the oldest distillery in Speyside and without a doubt the most scenic. It was subsequently called Milltown, Milton, Strathisla and Milton (again). Since 1951 the distillery goes again by the name of Strathisla.

The spirit is pumped to the nearby Glen Keith distillery for filling cask or to be tankered away to larger warehouses or bottling facilities from Pernod Ricard.


Identity Card Strathisla 1953

  • Strathisla 1953, Strathisla Distillery (Keith, Speyside)
  • Gordon & Macphail distillery label
  • Bottled 20th November 2012
  • 58 year old single malt
  • 258 bottles from first fill sherry butt #1614
  • Alcohol: 43%

    Tasting notes


    Colour: Dark amber with a thick texture. Sloooow legs appearing on the glas.

    Nose: Liquid Christmas pudding. Dried fruits and nuts. Oloroso sherry. A carpenter's leather toolkit. Sweet and spicy. A tiny touch of smoke. Blueberry muffins. Caramel and vanilla. Fresh vanilla pods. This is truly an epic whisky. Sugar, cinnamon and ginger cookie spices. Marzipan.
    With water: this nose is just incredible. Rich fruit cake and confectioner's cream with vanilla seeds.

    Taste: Oloroso sherry. Woody vanilla, caramelised nuts. Christmas pudding with cinnamon. A touch of bitterness. A cigar box filled with vanilla custard. A chewable whisky.
    With water: A creamy mouthfeel. A spicy custard. Cinnamon, clove and allspice. Pepper and vanilla. Crushed szechuan pepper.

    Finish: A long finish. Sweet grapes. Pastry with cinnamon and sugar.

    What did happen in 1953?

    • March 5: Joseph Stalin dies after a stroke.
    • April 13: Ian Fleming publishes Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel.
    • June 30: The first Chevrolet Corvette is built in Michigan
    • December 30: The first color television set goes on sale

    I had a feeling I had to keep those whiskies from the fifties for the weekend. This is absolutely fabulous stuff. (Better than the 1948 and 1949 entries from the Speyside Collection). I'm having quite some expectations of the '54 Mortlach. But if he will be able to beat this tasty dram... Let's find out tomorrow!

    A sample of this whisky was provided by Gordon & Macphail. Opinions expressed in this review are of course my own.

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