Convalmore 32y/o 2017 Diageo Special Release 48.2%ABV 15ml / 30ml

Convalmore is one of the seven Speyside distilleries that are mentioned in the famous quote “Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills”. Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Dufftown, Mortlach, Glendullan and Parkmore are the other six. Convalmore and Parkmore no longer exist and their stills were dismantled. Convalmore's buildings are still there with their windows bricked up, but were sold to William Grant and Sons and are now used as maturation warehouses for Balvenie and Glenfiddich. All three distilleries were built around the same time (Victorian era) next to Dufftown railway station so the whisky could be transported out by train.

Young Convalmore spirit was sweet and fruity and was a major component of the once massively popular Black and White Blend. Amongst blenders Convalmore was highly rated as having a waxiness and many similarities to Clynelish but with more fruit and sweetness. Convalmore was so popular for blends that it was rarely seen as a single malt. Convalmore closed in 1985 with little fanfare and only a few years short of a century of production.

After a few legendary releases of older Convalmore by Diageo for the rare malts selection and as special releases (including this bottle) interest in Convalmore increased massively - but there are virtually no casks remaining so this is a taste of history. Like the finale of a fireworks show about to end forever, these final releases are so sad because in this case it is far better than what anyone imagined it could be when they closed the distillery 30 years earlier.

Difficult to try Convalmore due to increase in investors seeking silent distilleries - every time someone opens a bottle the price jumps a little more as the scarcity increases. But hey enough of that - this is Horny Pony! The world might end soon, so let's drink now.

Whiskyfun Review

Loved the previous ones, especially the 1977/2013 (WF 94!) The 1978/2003 Rare Malts was great too (WF 90). Colour: pale gold.

Nose: the wonderful self-restraint and beauty of these old-school Speysiders that never saw any sherry or any newish oak. Superb beeswax, olive and sunflower oils, verbena tea, menthol cigarettes (mum’s Kools), then assorted slightly overripe garden fruits, certainly apples and timid pears, an old bottle of linseed oil, rubbed grapefruit skins, a spoonful of honeydew, some gum arabic, and just a touch of natural rubber. I find this splendid, and so beautifully elegant and complex at the same time! And so un-modern… Mouth: awe… The most superb combination of herbal teas and soft fruit juices, on a waxy base. Some fresh mint for sure, verbena again, a touch of wormwood, honeysuckle tea, some pink grapefruits bringing the fruity contribution, and finally, a little bit of paraffin, going towards beeswax but not totally so. After three minutes, a few drops of cough syrup are starting to drip over it (eucalyptus, with hints of camphor). Finish: Comments: could this baby be the best within the bunch this year? I haven’t tried the Port Ellen yet at time of writing, but what’s sure is that this superb Convalmore is a strong contender. To think that Diageo managed to come up with four thousand bottles just like that… This is highly impressive! SGP:562 - 93 points. http://www.whiskyfun.com/archiveoctober17-1-Clynelish-Aberlour-Ardbeg.html#111017