Glencadam distillery is located in the Eastern Highlands in Brechin, Angus and was founded in 1825 by George Cooper.

In 1827, after just two years, Glencadam was sold to David Scott, then closed in 1837.

In 1852 Alexander Miln Thomson bought the distillery and formed the Glencadam Distillery Co. Ltd in 1857.

Gilmour Thompson & Co. took over Glencadam in 1891.

Glencadam was further taken over in 1954 by Hiram Walker & Sons who later became Allied Lyons, Allied Domecq and then Pernod Ricard.

Unfortunately, Allied Domecq (Pernod Ricard) mothballed the distillery in 2000 quoting over production as the reason.

In 2003 Angus Dundee purchased Glencadam and restarted production in 2004.

More great distillery info here, thanks to Malt Madness

Offical website here

General whisky characteristics: Smooth, creamy & fruity

My thanks to Alan Jamieson for permission to use the distillery photos

Montgomeries, Glencadam,  31y, distilled 1975, bottled 2007, 46% ABV

Single Cask bottling (Montgomeries is the new premium range from McKillops Choice)

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Sturdy leather hiking boots meandering across a Spring-time Alpine meadow in full blossom

Palate: Very creamy, almost peaches and cream with a very faint hint of expensive leather. But the finish is very short

With 4 drops of water: The Alpine meadow flora recedes slightly, but the finish expands

With 4 more drops of water: Much longer finish, but also a spicier character develops

Yet another 4 drops of water: I am now venturing well beyong my normal addition of water, but surprisingly this dram suddenly blossoms into a great one with a long and creamy finish.

Overall Impression: I sampled this dram at the Munich whisky fair directly from the McKillop's / Montgomeries stand and the knowledgeable staff did warn that this Montgomeries range, even at 46% ABV required water. I wholeheartedly agree as the water turned this dram from a good to extremely good one!

SMWS, Glencadam,  11y, 58.5% ABV

SMWS 82.18

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Walnut, aged oak

Nose: Rich but sweet dark fruits, aromatic aged oak and hints of rich rubber.

Palate: Rich dark fruits with plenty of alcohol tingle right at the front of the palate. Also old oak and leather. A hint of cinnamon?

With 4 drops of water: A little more leather, slightly more spice and longer finish.

With 4 more drops of water: More wood, nuts and dark fruits, but again more spice (black pepper).

Yet another 4 drops of water: This is probably now optimum, spicy, leather, wood, nuts and dark fruits.

Finish: Long, even longer and more repetitive with more water.

Overall Impression: A jolly good dram. It certainly needs water.

A note to SMWS: As the years pass Britain seems to suffer from even more 'dumbing down' where everything appears to be reduced to the comprehension of the lowest possible common denominator. It's not necessary! Those bloomin' stupid names or descriptors may be fashionable at the moment, but I am certain they reduce the attraction and insult the intelligence of whisky drinkers world-wide. It seems that sensible information like distillation and bottling dates have been replaced here by rubber truncheons and bargepoles, along with needless pontification about liquorice allsorts and flapjacks.