Home Tasting: Glenelgin (1971)-1988 16 Year Old Samaroli Fragments of Scotland

A bottle that captures the essence of Samaroli's 1980s bottling style, making it a truly enjoyable experience. Glenelgin GLENELGIN (1971)-1988 16yo SAMAROLI FRAGMENTS OF SCOTLAND 50% One of 648 bottles ・Aroma: Strong, thick honey with soft vanilla, cinnamon, apple, orange or lemon, a rich malty character, subtle herbal notes and mint, with a touch of sensuality. ・Flavor: Orange, sweet honey with a strong body, good acidity, briny elements, rich malty umami, condensed texture with chewiness, tree sap, a hint of mint and cinnamon, a body thicker than the alcohol strength, slightly spicy and oily, pleasant oak deepens the flavor, a broad taste with a long finish. ・Finish: The rich honey and malty umami lingers for a long time. ・Watering Down: The flavor remains intact even with added water, extending smoothly. ・Overall Impression: The sweet honeyed richness is very impressive. Without any signs of under or over-ripeness, the thick body suggests it was bottled at its peak maturation state, embodying the true Samaroli style of the 1980s. 【Very Good/Excellent】 This is a Speyside-labeled Glenelgin 16 year old from Samaroli's 'Fragments of Scotland' series bottled in 1988. A legendary series where Samaroli selected bottles from various regions, including (as far as I know) Ardmore (Islay), Longrow (Campbeltown), Glen Garry (East Highlands), Highland Park (Orkney), and Longrow's New Spirit. This bottle has an exceptionally strong honey character, with citrus fruits and viscosity clearly reflecting Glenelgin's house style. It also retains minimal elements like body that often diminish during maturation, typical of Samaroli's 1980s bottlings. There are no estery fruity notes that typically emerge after long maturation in exchange for body, but it's naturally fruity. The cask influence is not overpowering, and the rich, umami-laden malt character leaves a strong positive impression. The balance is at a high level, and the quality of this 16-year-old bottling feels far beyond what one would expect. Despite some age-related decline in body since bottling, it still retains sufficient drinkability after nearly 30 years without any signs of dryness. Instead, it has a refined smooth viscosity, and I still find it enjoyable to drink. If the spirit quality and cask are good, I believe this level of maturation (around 15-20 years) is ideal for me, with a bit of aging in the bottle. Regarding Samaroli's 1980s bottlings, I have a personal fondness that might lead to unconscious bias. However, even without that, this bottle is exceptionally outstanding. That said, while this bottle is old and the original spirit and casks from that era were likely good, I actually don't think that's necessarily the case. I'll add that similar bottling styles to this one exist even in 1990s distillates. For example, Manhein's Loch na Garr, or official limited editions from Rivet and Abafellde. If these were aged 10-20 years in the bottle, I believe they would share common characteristics with Samaroli or Cestante's 1980s bottlings. If the cask and maturation conditions are good, even today's spirit can produce exceptional results. With that in mind, while enjoying this excellent old bottle at its prime, I also feel hope for the future.