Price: £135.00
ABV: 50%
Chill Filtered: N0
Natural Colour: Yes
Supplier: The Whisky Shop
Description: Distilled in May 1997 at Blair Athol distillery, this is one of just 233 bottles charged from a single sherry buttd. This Highland Single Malt, part of Hunter Laing & Co's Old Malt Cask Selection, was bottled in August 2016 at a strength of 50% ABV and is presented non chill-filtered.
General Comments: This whisky was provided by the Nottingham branch of The Whisky Shop and is an exclusive bottling only available through The Whisky Shop. This whisky is a rollercoaster ride of flavours; both expected and unusual. With a few drops of water and time resting in the glass it becomes a more traditional sherry wood casked whisky and a gentler, more rounded drink with a longer finish. Arguably however the interest comes from exploring the glass at its bottled strength of 50% ABV. If you are looking for a sherry wood matured Highland whisky, and are wanting something considerably more unusual than a Dalmore 18 then this is certainly a whisky to look at. Whilst it falls short of being a great whisky, its one that demands attention and is a fine example of the flavours and the unique experiences that really only single cask whisky can give you.
General Comments: This whisky was provided by the Nottingham branch of The Whisky Shop and is an exclusive bottling only available through The Whisky Shop. This whisky is a rollercoaster ride of flavours; both expected and unusual. With a few drops of water and time resting in the glass it becomes a more traditional sherry wood casked whisky and a gentler, more rounded drink with a longer finish. Arguably however the interest comes from exploring the glass at its bottled strength of 50% ABV. If you are looking for a sherry wood matured Highland whisky, and are wanting something considerably more unusual than a Dalmore 18 then this is certainly a whisky to look at. Whilst it falls short of being a great whisky, its one that demands attention and is a fine example of the flavours and the unique experiences that really only single cask whisky can give you.
Without Water
Nose: Straight out of the bottle you get a blast of sweet but dark honeyed sherry fruits; dates are prominent, but I'm also getting plums, the ripe kinds when the flash has turned to a sort of bronze and is soft and fragrant; along with a treacly, golden syrup molasses sweetness. Thick and rich on the nose; I'm not sure what more there is too add. Its a lovely nose; some people might think of it as a little one-dimensional, but if you like heavily sherried whisky then this is very much enticing you too taste.
Palate: Very rich on the palate; that molasses from the nose is present front and centre, but the fruits in the whisky just build, and build, and build, and build some more until somehow they have completely dominated those rich wood sugars. The make up of the intense fruitiness is also very interesting. In addition to the dates and plums from the nose I get green apples and a slightly bitter citric fruit element that comes through very much as limes. There is a journey here without doubt and each transition is multilayered. The syrupy molasses becomes rich, sweet fruits and dark chocolate, then the fresh lime comes through accompanied by oak tannin's, leading into a element of espresso as the lime dissipates and melds in array of other fruit flavours. This whisky certainly has complexity.
Finish: The first thing to say about the finish is its fairly short; certainly for a whisky of this age, and with so many bold flavours. The middle of the tongue buzzes with the fruitiness. As the lime dissipates it becomes a more vegetable note; an element of fresh green peppercorns, but also greens, maybe wilted green cabbage leaves or giant cress.Short might be a poor word for the finish, but the lingering flavour, once the sweetness has headed for the exit is fairly uninspiring. What you are left with is 'fine', quite savoury and drying; but not reflective of the cacophony of flavour that has come before.
Finish: The finish is certainly longer than without water; or at least the sweeter flavours maintain their presence significantly longer. There is a flattening out transition from sweetness to at first a dark chocolate and then an espresso coffee dulling. The oak is coming through for perhaps the first real time here, and you are left with that dark chocolate, espresso, oaky taste, which stays with you; a delicate orange flavour developing over time.
With Water
Nose: It feels odd returning to scent, which feels so traditionally sherry cask; despite this whisky being anything but. The honeyed nose has taken on a more floral note along with a confectionery sweetness, perhaps along with white sugar syrup. Juicy California raisins and sultanas are now the order of the day.
Palate: The flavours don't jump out at you as they once did. When I first tasted the whisky it was like I couldn't make notes fast enough; but here there is a generally pleasant fruit, sweet flavour that sweeps over the palate. I'm having to search for the specific flavours to identify but there is a light mapple syrup element; like its been watered down a little, but with those raisins from the nose, along with raspberries providing a sweet but slightly tart and citric element to the sweetness.
Palate: The flavours don't jump out at you as they once did. When I first tasted the whisky it was like I couldn't make notes fast enough; but here there is a generally pleasant fruit, sweet flavour that sweeps over the palate. I'm having to search for the specific flavours to identify but there is a light mapple syrup element; like its been watered down a little, but with those raisins from the nose, along with raspberries providing a sweet but slightly tart and citric element to the sweetness.
Finish: The finish is certainly longer than without water; or at least the sweeter flavours maintain their presence significantly longer. There is a flattening out transition from sweetness to at first a dark chocolate and then an espresso coffee dulling. The oak is coming through for perhaps the first real time here, and you are left with that dark chocolate, espresso, oaky taste, which stays with you; a delicate orange flavour developing over time.
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