This single malt whisky is the first core release from the small Lowlands distillery of Lindores Abbey (pronounced lin-doors ab-bee). Named MCDXCIV (1494) after the year of the first mention of distilling on the site of Lindores Abbey. This was the earliest written reference to Scotch whisky (or Aqua Vitae, as it was then known), which appears in the Exchequer Roll. It is matured in ex-bourbon barrels, ex-red wine barriques and ex-sherry butts.
Lindores Abbey is located in Fife, about an hour north of Edinburgh. This is part of the Lowlands region. A new distillery was built on the site of the old Lindores Abbey monastery. The monastery was home to the monk Friar John Cor who was referenced in the earliest known written reference to whisky making in Scotland. It is recorded in The Exchequer Roll: “To Friar John Cor, 8 bolls of malt, wherewith to make Aqua Vitae for King James IV”. One boll is equivalent to 145 modern litres, therefore the order was for approximately 1.160 litres.
Lindores Abbey Distillery is owned by The Lindores Distilling Company. It began production in 2017. The annual production volume is around 190,000 litres. All barley used in the distillery is grown in local fields. First bottles were available only to members of Lindores’ founders club. Lindores MCDXCIV was first released in June 2021. There have also been a number of limited small batches series released – The Casks of Lindores, Friar John Cor Cask Strength Congregation, and Thiron.
This Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV whisky is distilled from Kingdom of Fife barley. It is distillery bottled at 46% with natural colour and no chill filtering. It is available to buy direct from lindoresabbeydistillery.com or specialist retailers in the UK.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is a bright coppery gold and the nose is full of buttered popcorn, vanilla, and malty cereals. Aromas of white chocolate, icing sugar, and some astringent gripping oak come through also. It feels very honeyed, with further aromas of lime cordial and fresh green Granny Smith apples. Hints of fresh earthy tobacco leaf and green leafy herbs like fresh tarrogan, sit in the background.
On the palate this whisky is immediately sweet and confected upfront. There is plenty of runny honey and creamy milk chocolate with pinches of icing sugar and cocoa powder. Then come further notes of sugar coated almonds and vanilla fudge. A distinct malty characteristic underpins everything and gives structure. This combined with the milk chocolate note is reminiscent of Maltesers
The second half of the palate takes a different turn and is packed with dusty baking spice and spices and plenty of fresh oak. The oak is reminiscent of freshly sawn wood or pencil shavings and adds a dryness and tannic grip. The honeyed notes return late on and are joined by a hint of crisp green apple.
The finish again has plenty of honey, especially at the beginning. Combined with the robust malt this has a feel of honey cookies or flapjack. Then comes a hint of gingerbread biscuit, before the wood takes over and dominates. Fresh oak woodchips add a sappy and tannic quality, which dries out the finish. a white pepper kick adds heat and accentuates the oak.
What’s The Verdict?
The Lindores MCDXCIV is clearly youthful but there is a good vibrancy to it. The fruit/malt/honey triangle is particularly nice. The spirit character comes through well and shows really good potential. It does not feel like a traditional Lowland single malt, and is more robust and expressive than expected. It will be interesting to see how the spirit develops over time and what else may join this in the core range.
