Signatory 30th Annv. Mosstowie 1973

Tasting Notes

92pts Angus @ Whisky Fun

"Colour: rich white wine. Nose: Sweet Vishnu! This is some very old yellow Chartreuse! Intensely green, fruity, herbal, sweet and full of pollens, honey, yellow flowers, quince jelly and things like cannabis oil and wormwood. Totally thrilling nose. With water: becomes more menthol rich, notes of pipe tobacco, hessian, olive oil, marzipan and dried tropical fruit mix. Mouth: green banana, a cavalcade of golden sultanas, pineapple, precious hardwoods, herbal extracts, ointments, waxes, tinned fruit syrups and lemon jelly. Silly whisky. With water: a wee nibble of mustardy wood, resinous crystalised fruits, white pepper, sweetened medicines and more of these wonderfully extractive herbal aspects. Finish: Long, spicy, lemony, nicely drying and a huge, echoing fruitiness. Comments: A total stunner. By some distance the best Mosstowie I ever tasted. SGP: 851 - 92 points."

90pts Serge @ Whisky Fun

"Imagine, a 45 years old Mosstowie! Isn’t it fab when great old bottlers (well, not THAT old in this very case) celebrate their anniversaries? Remember Cadenhead last year? Colour: gold. Nose: this is completely different, much more on muscovado sugar, Cuban rum, custard, chicory and Ovaltine, toasted brioche, Williams pears… We’re kind of midway between old malt and old grain here, I would say. With water: gets sourer, but that is pleasant. Swiss cheese, tobacco, fermenting plums (got some in the garage, will distil them soon!)… Mouth (neat): exactly. Pear pie, sweet ale, butterscotch, toffee, more Ovaltine, mocha… Once again you feel a lighter backbone, but it’s no spineless grain whisky, it’s just a different kind of malt. With water: same feelings. Notes of young calvados, caramel, vanilla, malt, walnuts… Finish: rather medium, a tad oakier but remember this baby’s 45! Comments: what a lovely experience! Probably the oldest Mosstowie ever, and indeed, much more than just an anecdotal whisky – but then again, it is neither Clynelish nor Springbank. SGP:451 - 90 points."

Independent Bottler

Signatory Vintage was established in 1988 by Andrew Symington. The quality of whiskies released by most Independent Bottlers can vary a lot, and be rather hit or miss. Signatory Vintage is an exception to this, and we have consistently been impressed by the quality of its offerings. Accordingly Signatory Vintage has been a staple in our shop for more than a decade.

One of the reasons for Signatory's consistently high level of quality is that it doesn't bottle casks in the hand-to-mouth fashion, of many other independent bottlers. But rather it purchases parcels of casks, storing them in their own warehouses, while patiently waiting for the whiskies to mature.

Originally located in Edinburgh, the business was moved to Pitlochry in 2002, after Symington purchased the Edradour Distillery from Pernod Ricard. Edradour is tucked into the hills above the scenic Highland town of Pitlochry. This farm distillery has a charming, rustic, and understated esthetic, which was maintained by Symington when building a new bottling facility and warehousing.

The distillery bottles single cask and small batch bottlings of both single malts and single grains. Its ranges include the Un-Chill Filtered and Cask Strength Collections. In 1988 the firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a range of specially chosen, exceptionally rare single casks.