At the 2023 Nurnberg The Village Festival, I had the pleasure of attending the Lindores Abbey Masterclass. I found the experience promising though of course some expressions more than others. I had hoped to get the Friar John Cor Cask Strength Congregation Chapter 1 expression however it sold out almost instantly! So instead, I opted for their 1494 inaugural release.
I brought it to India and opened it in January 2025 to kick off our Scottish Regions whisky tour with a calibration dram from the Lowlands.
Once incredibly popular with many distilleries, the Lowland’s became almost a lost region, only now starting to rebuild with distilleries like Lochlea and Lindores Abbey. A Lowland “style” whisky was once known for its slower, softer, floral elements .. of which the pinnacle for many is Rosebank – a true treat if you get an opportunity.
So what did we think? Interestingly, whilst some of the other drams we tried that night had divergent impressions, we were fairly consistent in our experience.
Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV (1494) Commemorative First Release (2021) Cask Bourbon, Sherry, Wine Barrique 46% Eur 66,50
- Nose – It began with a hint of grain, wet hay, old playdough, then a heavy floral oil, fruity, lemony boiled sweet, then shifted into a lemon custard tart, vanilla cream, doughy pie crust… over time it went from raw dough to a hot cinnamon bun fresh from the oven! Another found a raisiny butter tart. With a lot more time, we even found bubble gum
- Palate – Unexpectedly peppery, doughy… not such a promising start however the 2nd set was much better. Yes, it is youthful. Yes, it’s a bit thin. However, once you got past the pencil shavings, the tannins settled down, it was straightforward and inoffensive
- Finish – A medium finish – straight with more of the tannins and a hint of slightly bitter clove
- Water – It was tried by a couple with a resounding reaction of “No – don’t”
Let’s keep in mind this was the 1st release. Young drams have their place and such whisky can often grow into some pretty spectacular liquid with the right focus, balance of art and science, and most important ingredient – time.
If you are curious to learn more about Lindores Abbey, check out these tasting notes:
- Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV (1494) 46%
- Lindores Abbey The Casks of Lindores Bourbon 49.4%
- Lindores Abbey The Casks of Lindores Wine Barrique 49.4%
- Lindores Abbey Single Cask (2018/2022) 59.1% (Germany Exclusive)
- Lindores Abbey The Friar John Cor “The Cask Strength Congregation” Chapter 2 Bourbon, STR & Peated Rum casks 60.9%
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