MacPhail's 1945 GM 40% Bottled in the Late 1980s

Thank you for this rare experience. MacPhail's MACPHAILE'S 1945 GM 40% Bottled in the Late 1980s The aroma has a gentle old-world feel, with caramel, milk chocolate, light minty notes, leather, slightly charred barley, and a strong, dusty, earthen peat. When tasted, it starts with a smooth mouthfeel, revealing gentle sweetness of caramel and rock candy, though not overly intense. It has a depth and richness beyond its alcohol content, with soft tannins, pronounced malty umami, minty herbs, a solid earthiness, heavy peat, and a long, weighty finish. [Good/Very Good, Interesting] This appears to be a bottling of MacPhail's 1945 from the late 1980s. While there is no label, the contents are said to be Macallan, distilled in the year of Japan's post-war surrender. This was a period when fuel was scarce due to wartime conditions, and it is said that traditional peat was used in the mashing process. I had previously tasted an official 1945 bottling of Macallan at a party, but I only remember it having a limited quantity and a strong earthen peat character. This time, I was able to savor it at a reasonable quantity, but unlike the noble and refined impression one might expect from an official bottling dubbed 'Rolls-Royce,' this felt somewhat rustic and heavy. Rather than fruity notes, I strongly sensed sweet caramel, chocolate, and minty nuances, with a surprising heaviness for its 40% ABV. Additionally, despite aging for over 40 years, the deep richness and pronounced malty umami were impressive. Of course, the characteristic earthen peat was clearly present in both aroma and flavor, lingering through the finish. Personally, I found the flavor more intriguingly diverse than the aroma and enjoyed it more. I'm grateful for this opportunity to enjoy such a rare malt, as the condition is also excellent.