Long-term drinkers of the Diageo Special Releases will likely be familiar with the charms of Convalmore, a bottling of which has often found its way into the annual line-up. This expression formed part of the 2017 outturn.

Convalmore is another sadly closed distillery to live on through the Diageo Special Releases. One of many Victorian-era Speyside distilleries, Convalmore was founded in 1893, and spend much of its life providing spirit to the Buchanan blends, most notably Black & White. The distillery was mothballed in 1985 and purchased by William Grant & Sons, with its former site now consumed by those of Balvenie and Glenfiddich. The distillery was known for producing a waxy, fruity spirit, prized by blenders.

This Convalmore has been aged for 32 years in refill American oak hogsheads, ensuring that despite the long maturation, the whisky possesses perfect balance between the character of the spirit and that of the cask.

The dram serves up notes of waxy boiled sweets, dried fruits, oak, toasted spice, malt, ginger, citrus rind, some pressed flowers, apples, slight cedarwood, oat porridge and a faintly herbaceous, almost rye-like edge.

Bottled at a cask strength of 48.2% ABV, and without chill filtration or colouration, this Convalmore is full in body and flavour.

Just 3,972 bottles were released.

• Product type
  Single Malt
• Distillery / brand
  Convalmore
• Country
  Scotland
• Region
  Speyside
• Bottler
  Distillery Bottling
• Distillation date
  1984
• Bottling date
  2017
• Age
  32 years old
• Non-chillfiltered
  Yes
• Natural colour
  Yes
• SKU
  034004