Category Archives: Beyond Scotland

The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – Allt á Bhainne, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Dundalk Dew

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For a whisky explorer, small 20 ml bottles are a perfect way to try! Enter the Whisky Warehouse No 8 quartet – a mix of different drams that made its way from Nuremberg to Winnipeg… and then waited for more than a year for just the right evening in October 2024!

We decided to try the drams in the following order…. Some were “Yes please”, some were “Not for me”. Overall it was good fun to split between the three of us!

  • Ireland – Dundalk Dew 9 year (2009) Single Grain  58,7 %
  • Speyside –  Craigellachie 12 year (2007) 50 %
  • Speyside – Allt á Bhainne 11 year (2008) 61,5%
  • Speyside – Benrinnes 23 year (1997) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite 55.9%

We naturally started with the Irish grain, anticipating it would be a nice way to ease into our tasting set.

Dundalk Dew 9 year (June 2009 – Sep 2018) Single Grain, Bourbon Barrel Cask No W8118  58,7 %. 126 Bottles

  • Nose – Curious… it began a bit musty, then florals, some cereals, honey, opening further into cream and vanilla
  • Palate – Had a strength of character with no harshness, surprisingly balanced, uncomplicated yet imminently sippable, some bitter tart crisp apples
  • Finish – Not much but then not much was expected either

For a young grain, it was quite remarkable. There was a fresh summery quality – a nice warm weather dram where the appealing aromas follow through with a pleasant palate.

Rather a nice way to begin our evening!

We carried on with the Craigellachie – opting for a touch of sherry at a lower ABV over the Allt á Bhainne at 61.5%!

Craigellachie 12 year (Oct 2007 – Dec 2019) Olorosso Sherry Hogshead Cask No W8 900680 50,5%. 279 Bottles

  • Nose – Sour mash, apple sauce, toffee, over-ripe peaches, eases into red striped caramel hard candy
  • Palate – Bland… a bit blah actually with just generic fruit
  • Finish – Limited

Without water, it wasn’t much. The sour mash and over-ripe fruit aromas were almost overwhelming. However with water? It was a different dram entirely!

  • Nose – Is that toast and butter? Slathered in marmalade
  • Palate – Smooth honeyed sweetness
  • Finish – Lingers

As we contemplated our glasses, it was hard to think this was the same whisky! The more time in the glass, the warmer and more enjoyable it became.

Next up was another Speyside – this time from Allt á Bhainne – I believe the first I’ve tried from their distillery. Interestingly, it has a Canadian connect –  founded in 1975 by Seagrams, passing to Pernard Ricard, assigned to its Chivas Regal division, largely used in blends with a period of even mothballed for a couple of years before being re-activated in 2005.

Allt á Bhainne 11 year (Aug 2008 – Jan 2020) Garrison Bourbon Cask No W8 120815 61,5%. 72 bottles

  • Nose – Ah! Now we are talking! We were greeted by orchard fruits – crisp green apples and pears, then it shifted into chocolate and fruit – think a high-end orange peel and dark chocolate. Yum! The more it opened, the more enticing it became – strawberry and cream
  • Palate – Quite a bit of spice – not so surprising at 61.5%! Warm
  • Finish – Sweet spices of cloves and cinnamon
  • Water – Do try. Whilst it dampens the nose, it does wonders for the palate. Whilst it still has a prickle of spice, it is now more like Christmas pudding with a warm whisky sauce than hot spice!

This one really grew on us… I wasn’t sure what to expect but this dram had promise.

Last up we went to an older Benrinnes. Now I must admit, I’ve had some mixed experiences with this distillery.

Benrinnes 23 year (Oct 1997 – July 2021) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite Cask No W8 5721 55.9%. 84 Bottles.

  • Nose – Woah? Is that peat? Yup! A clean dry wood smoke – unmistakable and completely unexpected. Think apple wood chips smoldering. Also hay bales, roasted hazelnut.
  • Palate – Start well then changes, catching one at the back of the throat, unbalanced
  • Finish – More smoke
  • Water – Like the others – water is recommended. It makes it a bit more approachable

I was prepared for a great or disappointing experience. However, I was not prepared for peat. Which is a good reminder to keep an open mind and be ready to be surprised!

What about prior explorations from Whisky Warehouse No. 8? Over the last couple of years, we’ve sampled a few – with the Glencadam 8 being exceptional! Here is a short summary:

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Ireland’s Dingle Single Malt 2021 46.3%

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Sometimes when you order whiskies online in Germany, a little “extra” is thrown in. Such was the case with this wee Dingle mini.

Now it isn’t my first brush with Dingle, back in 2019 it featured in an evening of Irish whiskies – where we sampled Dingle Triple Distilled Batch 3 46.5%. As for this sample, I’m not sure which batch it is, however I understand it was matured in PX-Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks.

Dingle Single Malt (2021) 46.3%

  • Nose – Much like my earlier experience, I found it quite vegetal, an odd approach like compost and old leaves. It became sweeter, with cereals, minerals, and fresh seawater. A hint of cinnamon… over time it also revealed some herbs and perhaps even a touch of lime? Also a bit “dusty” for lack of a better way to describe
  • Taste – A prickly spice to start (it was the 1st dram after all!), after the harshness settled down a bit, revealed some raisins, mixed with bitter nuts
  • Finish – Peculiar… closest I could think of was rancid walnuts.. bitter and not very pleasant

It did not excite or delight. I set it aside to see if and how it changes with more time. Nope. Not for me.

What do the folks at Dingle have to say? Well… without knowing exactly which batch, can’t say for certain. As for what would it set you back? If you picked it up at Whic.de, you would be looking at Eur 45.

I must admit that though it was nice to get a sample, this would not have been my pick! However, that’s the whole point of a “bonus” – an opportunity to tease you into trying something you may not have selected off the shelf!

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Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey 40%

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April in Maharashtra can be hot and dry. Not exactly whisky-sipping weather. However as the sun set, our air mist helped drop the temperature further, and we thought what the heck! Let’s try a dram or two.

Conveniently, I received a “return gift” with an interesting assortment of samples from a fellow whisky explorer, sharing miniatures from his open bottles. This Irish whisky was in the mix and seemed just the right place to begin.

What did we think?

Grace O’Malley Irish Blended Whisky 40% 

  • Nose – Sunshine happiness in a glass, hint of rye, vanilla, some citrus
  • Palate – Sunny, salty, and easy to sip, just as friendly, a spring-like quality
  • Finish – Salty almonds or a light nougat

Like many Irish whiskies, this was an amiable dram. Perhaps it was just the setting, however, we enjoyed it. Nothing remarkable. Nothing really stood out. However, it was a perfect starting point for a warm evening in rural Maharashtra.

What about their official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Caramel, vanilla, maritime notes, orange peel & honey
  • Palate – Salt, well balanced with salty undertones
  • Finish – Middle Eastern pastry, sweet, saline & toasted notes

In Germany, one can buy this entry Grace O’Malley expression for ~21 Eur. Not such a bad price point at all.

What more do we know? And who was Grace O’Malley? She was an Irish pirate queen – a charismatic leader from the nobility of County Mayo – whose story was the inspiration for a trio of gents (One Irish, two German) to create this brand. It will be interesting to see what these folks put out with their own liquid.

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Canada’s Shelter Point – “Smoke + Oak” 5 year (2021) Batch #1 46% 

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Shelter Point has experimented with a few different approaches to peat and smoke – often attracting awards and attention for the innovative and pleasing results. To be honest, I had skipped the initial peaty releases, but when I spotted this smoke one, decided it was definitely the one to try!

Why? Well you can read further details here or below however in short – they finish the whisky in smoked barrels rather than use peated barley. Intriguing…

Shelter Point “Smoke & Oak” (2021) 46%

  • Colour  – Bright amber
  • Nose – What a lovely very subtle smoke, a dry sweet smoke with no peat, even more coastal than the others, there was a slight sharpness, crisp apple, then apricot and a citrus twist – delightful fruity freshness, creamy too
  • Palate – Very sweet! Apricot marmalade, then it doubles down on that distinctive earthy element we found in all the Shelter Points, much more tobacco, coffee, leather, toasty, and frankly just really really good! There was also a fruity sweet BBQ sauce with a bit of a spicy, tangy yet salty approach.
  • Finish – Long, strong and rewarding

Even for our non-peat people, this one really hit the mark! For most of us, it was the clear favourite of the evening. All the different elements came together just right – delicious.

And what do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

Shelter Point’s first edition in a new series of Smoke & Oak driven small batch experimental whiskies has landed. For this expression, we smoked our own finishing barrels using a smouldering combination of applewood and locally-harvested Vancouver Island peat. Using 100% unmalted barley from on-site at Shelter Point Farm as a base, this is a whisky that breaks all the rules. This triple distilled whisky was aged in American oak ex-bourbon barrels for 5 years before a final rest in our hand-smoked finishing barrels for 6 months.

Tasting Notes:

Smoke and Oak Batch 1 arrives with notes of demerara sugar, sweet hay, caramel, BBQ, chocolate, fruitcake, vanilla, pepper, and wisps of distant smoke.

Whisky Facts

  • Still: Custom-designed copper still
  • Base: 100% malted and unmalted barley (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 2x distilled & 3x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 46% Alc.Vol
  • Bottle Size: 750ml and 375ml
  • Packaging: Classic Tennessee-style bottle features Vinolok glass closure and original engraving of Shelter Point Farm created by renowned illustrator Steve Noble

I purchased it in 2021 for CND 45 and brought it from Canada to Germany in 2023, opening it in June 2024 in Nurnberg.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Canada’s Shelter Point – “The Forbidden” 6 year (2021) Batch #2 47% 

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When we embarked on our Shelter Point flight, we thought the best approach would be to start with the standard as a calibration dram, then progress from grain to triple grain (blend), followed by this single malt before closing with the smoke expression.

In retrospect, we should have followed the grain with “The Forbidden”. Why? Two reasons – we didn’t initially catch this was also a grain – more precisely wheat whisky. Plus, whilst the Triple Grain was only 43%, it was bursting with character. Hence, we needed a bit of a palate cleanser before this subtle more nuanced expression – even though it had a higher ABV at 47%. Spoiler alert, for several this was the “runner up” of the evening – well worth trying!

Shelter Point “The Forbidden” 6 year Wheat Whisky (2021) Batch #2 47%

  • Colour  – Bright gold
  • Nose – Very pleasant and inviting, grassy with lots of cereals, some sea breeze with sea salt, a bit musty it then opened up to some lovely sweet warm caramel or honeyed elements
  • Palate – Very interesting and really rather nice! There was a lovely honeyed sweetness, well-rounded with a minty herbal quality too. Beneath all the sweetness and light was a touch of black pepper and that earthy element – just this time tempered to be just a hint. It also had some ground coffee beans, some cocoa beans too, and sea salt. Yum.
  • Finish – Dry, long and lingers… sliding from sweet into bitter and even a bit tart

Whilst we found it a bit hard to pinpoint exactly what part we likely best and why, we concluded this was by far the most approachable Shelter Point from our quintet flight. If you had just one Shelter Point to sip whilst unwinding, this would be a good choice.

One of our tasters remarked how much it differed from Bourbon – whilst it had the sweet caramel, somehow it differed from the typical oak, caramel, and vanilla – in a good way.

What do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

The Forbidden Batch 2 “The whisky no one knew they needed”

Shelter Point’s second Single Malt Wheat Whisky release has finally arrived. This whisky is the third different grain whisky that we have bottled. Named after our local landmark “Forbidden Plateau”, this small mountain and our whisky are similar as both shrouded in mystery. By using Wheat as the base this whisky is truly unique and unlike anything we have ever produced. This whisky was double distilled and aged in exclusively in American oak ex bourbon barrels for 6 and a half years.

Tasting Notes:

The Forbidden whisky is sweet and medicinal on the nose. The palate is full of caramel and vanilla and slightly spicy note. The satisfying finish is a delicious combination of a slight peppery note and vanilla.

Shelter Point The Forbidden Whisky Facts:

  • Still: Custom-designed copper still
  • Base: Malted Wheat (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 2x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 47% Alc.Vol
  • Bottle Size: 750ml and 375 ml

I missed “The Forbidden” 1st Batch, so when the 2nd batch became available in 2021 – even though the price had jumped to CND 45 plus taxes, I immediately grabbed one! Back then, there were several releases with the wonderfully convenient 375 ml size and the kind folks at Shelter Point let me buy online and keep with them until I had enough for them to send from BC to my folks in Manitoba. I later brought it to Germany, to open in Nurnberg in June 2024.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Canada’s Shelter Point – Shelter Point 7 year (2020) Single Cask #5 43%

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It was an evening devoted entirely to Shelter Point – exploring the contrasting yet converging characters of different expressions. After our calibration dram and Montfort 151 Single Grain, we progressed to a triple grain – with both unmalted and malted barley plus rye. We had no idea what to expect, however the dark copper, almost amber should have been a clue we were in for a potent dram!

Shelter Point 7 year Single Cask Triple Grain (malted & unmalted barley, rye) Edition #5 ex-bourbon with French Oak cask finish (2020) 43% 288 bottles

  • Colour  – Dark copper, edging into coffee
  • Nose – Heavy and potent, lots of molasses, prunes, rum raisins, very sweet, robust
  • Palate – Flat coca-cola and grape jelly! Chocolate and initially a bit unbalanced until it settled down with all elements in harmony. There was coffee, full-flavoured, burnt caramel, rich, spicy and creamy
  • Finish – From coffee, shifted to English breakfast tea, lingering long and surprisingly intense

Wow! This one really packs a lot of flavour! At only 43% there was a lot going on. One remarked how it reminded of a dark “bock” lager beer. Some folks are fans, others are not. Other comparisons were made to coffee liqueur. The bottom line is that this blend has a lot to say and worth paying attention to!

What do the fab five folks at Shelter Point have to say?

Single cask edition 5. Whisky is poetry, but it’s also alchemy. Here at Shelter Point we’re always in search of the perfect elixir. This whisky journey began when we married together a blend of malted barley, unmalted barley and rye whisky. Aged in an ex-bourbon cask, then finished in French oak, this seven-year-old whisky is a bottle of gold at the end of the grainbow.

Tasting Notes

On the nose you get a slight spice and vanilla note. The palate is filled with caramel and honey. The satisfying finish is a delicious combination of a slight spiciness, chocolate and salted caramel.

Whisky Facts

  • Still: Custom-designed copper pot still
  • Base: A blend of Rye, Wheat & Malted Barley (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 3x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 43% Alc.Vol

I purchased it directly from the distillery in 2020 for $78.25 + taxes. I later brought it from Canada to Germany, to open it in Nurnberg in June 2024.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Canada’s Shelter Point – Montfort District Lot 151 (2020) Single Grain Whisky 46%

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Grain whisky often gets a bad rap for being the “extra” that goes into a whisky blend. And yet the range of possibilities with grains are immense! So when we had not one but two grain whisky options to sample with our Shelter Point quintet, we were open to the experience. We began with the single grain from a single lot on Vancouver Island – specifically the Montfort District Lot 151 to be found :

  • Latitude: “49.876166”
  • Longitude: “-125.126368”

Whilst the folks at Shelter Point refer to site-specific soil classification differences and the influence of proxmity to the ocean and forested land, unlike Ireland’s Waterford distillery who share extensive micro-provenance details, here we have just the location of the family farm on which the barley is grown.

The previous release tasting notes for the Montfort DL 151 are remarkably similar to the 2018 Montfort DL 141 – which we earlier sampled a few years ago. And now? If you head to the Shelter Point website, they no longer distinguish between the lots, bottling only as Montfort. Still field to flask, still from a family run farm, however I suppose over time this is more manageable to sustain, with more flexibility with cask management.

Setting all of these factors aside, what did we think?

Montfort District Lot 151 (2020) Unmalted Barley Single Grain Whisky 46%

  • Colour  – A bright sunny gold
  • Nose – Are those ripe dark cherries? Now some toasted notes chased by a light sea salt. Take a big breath and you are transported to a wheat field, full of cereal aromas. Then marzipan, some nutty notes, some maple, and tobacco leaves.
  • Palate – Mmmm…. starts a bit sweet and smooth, lightly fruity – perhaps white peach?, creamy then shifts into a darker earthy element joined by chocolate. It is incredibly soft yet not delicate as it has far too much “substance”
  • Finish – Dry yet satisfying

For a young grain, this was actually quite impressive. We also appreciated the true terroir focus – including the exact location on Montfort Lot 151! I don’t know what exactly I expected, however, this was really very enjoyable.

What do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

Montfort 151 is a truly unique field-to flask whisky. The name itself is the very lot in which the single-grain barley was grown, as well the coordinates to the exact field are included on every bottle. The Montfort series has literal grass root beginnings, each field that we farm has a distinctive district lot number, as well as site specific soil classification, and a proximity to the ocean and forested land. These collective characteristics grow barley in distinctive and unique ways resulting in unique flavor profiles from these micro regions on our farm. Montfort 151 is distinctively different than the Montfort DL 141, and Montfort 151 is a proud product of our distillery home.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, Montfort DL 151 has distinct notes of vanilla fudge, dried fruits and hazelnut. The palate is honed and herbaceous with a luxurious assortment of dark chocolate cherries, leading to a warming spicy finish, with lingering oak and almond nougat.

Whisky Facts

  • Still: Custom-designed copper pot still
  • Base: 100% unmalted barley (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 3x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 46% Alc.Vol

I purchased this when it was released back in 2020 for CND$30.43 + taxes for a 375 ml bottle – which to me is the PERFECT size!

Unfortunately, Shelter Point seems to have largely discontinued this option, which now seems to be only available for their Whisky Club at CND 225 (including tax) / year for 3 bottles – that’s over double what they were charging just a few years ago. Which, frankly is a lot per bottle – in the range of $130 each if it was full size. Clearly, something is going on with the distillery making this a necessary change, however, as both a consumer and fan, this is truly a pity.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Canada’s Shelter Point – Calibration Dram

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When we kicked off our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer‘s tasting group, we were introduced to the concept of a “calibration dram”. This is something to help you better gauge what you are about to explore by having a “control” whisky.

It seemed fitting with our special Shelter Point whisky flight to use their core expression as our calibration dram.

Once upon a time, this whisky prompted our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai to fall in love with Shelter Point. Initially known as “Artisinal Single Malt”, we tried their 1st edition in 2016, followed by the next in (2017) and 2018. What we discovered was above all an entrancing aroma – just pure sunshine and happiness in the glass! Then more substance on the palate to make this a well-rounded and exceedingly enjoyable experience.

Fast forward a few years and during the early days of international travel as the global began to wake up from COVID lockdowns, a friend in Nurnberg snagged a bottle for me during her trip to British Columbia. I was sooo excited, looking forward to the joyful expression that we had come to expect from Shelter Point. Such was my exuberance that I blithely assumed it would be exactly as anticipated!

It was not. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a decent dram, it simply wasn’t what I remembered. I suppose nearly 10 years into their venture, such a development was bound to happen.

Keeping an open mind, I managed to snag the last bottle available in Manitoba of their core Single Malt expression in October 2023. Then I brought it back to Germany to anchor a session in Jun 2024. Enough pre-amble, let’s get on to the whisky!

Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky (~2022/23) 46%

  • Colour – Gold
  • Nose – Honey, pleasant yet also with sharpness and spice spike
  • Palate – Some spice, fruits, dark chocolate, earthy and a bit edgy, strong oak influence, caramel, and raisins, a hint of lime
  • Finish – Herbal, dry and spicy
  • Revisit – We set it aside and returned to it several times during our tasting of the balance four expressions, continuing to rely on it as our “control” whisky

Whilst clearly an “entry” expression, we remarked how this is not a whisky for beginners. It also was unmistakably NOT Scottish.

Interestingly, when preparing this point I realized that Shelter Point’s tagline “Sunshine and sea air: unofficial ingredients in every bottle” has been replaced by phrases like “Pure water, Canadian grain and sea air” and “Distinctly Vancouver Island. Uniquely Shelter Point.”

In short, the sunshine quality that made us smile is no longer included in their own description.

One of the reasons I like to capture what a distillery has to say about its whisky is that things change over time. What was once available on a website is replaced as approaches and expressions evolve. Whereas what I have in front of me in the bottle is a specific moment in time – a malt that is particular to that time too.

This is why I was so happy to have included in my Shelter Point Artisinal Single Malt 2018 notes, what they had to say then….

“Sheer joy!” – Shelter Point Artisanal Single Malt 46%

And be able to contrast it with what they have to say now about their core expression, which has dropped the “Artisinal” moniker, lost the candied sweets, coconut, malted chocolate, tropical fruits, and instead added wine, smoke, leathery elements… All of which were more in keeping with the dram we experienced in 2024. Fascinating.

Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky is a classic expression made in small batches using traditional methods, pot distillation and glacier fed aquifer water. Sitting on the coast of Vancouver Island the spirit benefits from the unique influence of our geography, ocean and terroir as it ages in different select casks. The whisky shows a balanced marriage of fruits, caramel, barley, baking spices, honey, seaside whiff, hints of wine, smoke and the sweet leathery mouthfeel of a high-quality single malt.

Curious to learn more about the other whiskies we tried in our Shelter Point Quintet? Check out:

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Shelter Point – Single Malt, Montford 151, Forbidden, Triple Grain, Smoke + Oak

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After a wee hiatus, our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers evenings are back! This time, I was thrilled to host with a Shelter Point quintet – carefully acquired from 2020 onwards. I shared in advance it would be an evening devoted purely to this Vancouver Island “farm to flask” distillery. Sadly, with their small batch artisinal approach, one can only acquire these whiskies in Canada – with the different expressions in batches, selling out quickly.

What did I share?

Curious to know more? Just check out the links above for tasting notes!

The evening was a lovely reminder of why I’ve been a Shelter Point fan over the years. And prompted my joining their new Whisky Club – in part because I really prefer 375 ml bottles! If only this size was available for nearly all drams!

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Shelter Point – 10 Year 1st Edition 57.8%

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We are no strangers to Shelter Point from British Colombia, Canada. In fact, back in 2016, we had the pleasure of sampling their inaugural batch of single malt. We loved it then and we love this “Artisinal Single Malt” expression now too!

As soon as it was launched, I was keen to try their 1st edition cask strength 10-year single malt. I purchased it online in August 2021, and then shipped it together with other bottles from British Columbia to Manitoba. This was followed by bringing it from Winnipeg to Nurnberg to Mumbai. Quite the traveling bottle!

After beginning our evening with “The Collective“, followed by the experiment with “Double Barrel“, I was keen to see if the elements I enjoy most about their core single malt would shine through in the 10 year?

Shelter Point Artisanal Single Malt 10 Year (2011 / 2021) Cask Strength 57.8%

  • Colour  – Dark gold
  • Nose – Fancy! Sunshine yet surprisingly more restrained than anticipated. Malty, mineral, oily, chardonnay, Dry wood. Opens up into warm and sweet, honey and fruit – specifically muskmelon or warm cantaloupe.
  • Palate – Effervescent, sparkling wine, ginger spice, salty licorice, herbal liqueur, dry bitter cloves, lots going on! Over time it settled down a bit, though remained quite active.
  • Finish – Another warm hug, the salty lakris carries through, some cinnamon, more ginger and then bay leaf
  • Water – We began with just a few drops – it became more umami, one even described it as wet dog! Then even spicier! Whereas with more water, the salty licorice became fennel without the salt – going from “spunky” to “nice”

What can I say? This was not just sunshine in a glass – that element was there at first but fleeting. However, the salty licorice took much greater prominence – even over the Jaegermeister herbal liqueur.

I thought about the age element. In the grand scheme of things, 10 years isn’t much. Once upon a time for a Scottish dram, that would be your “entry-level” maturity. Unlike India where the angel’s share is mighty greedy, I would anticipate the west coast of BC, nestled between farmland and the coast would be more in keeping with Scotland.

So what did this mean for the 10 year Shelter Point? From memory, the younger Artisinal Single Malt expression had more cereals than wood notes. Favoured orchard fruits over melons. Didn’t have as much mineral and whilst had a touch of salt, it wasn’t the very distinctive salmiakki salted licorice found in the Nordics clearly present in the 10 year.

As I have a precious bottle of the standard expression back in Germany, decided the best thing to do would be to take a generous sample from the 10 year and follow-up with a comparison in June when I plan to open the balance Shelter Point bottles for our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer group!

What do they say?

10 Years is a long time. A lot has changed in the world since Shelter Point started production in 2011, but what hasn’t changed is our commitment to craft, quality, and doing things the best way we know how. For the inaugural 10-Year-Old edition of Cask Strength Single Malt, we decided to let the casks and the spirit do the talking, and present this limited-edition small batch for your enjoyment.

Tasting Notes:

  • With a nose led by notes of creamy vanilla, milk chocolate, apricots and green apples
  • A palate featuring baking spices, chocolate chip cookie dough and a kiss of sea salt
  • This 10-Year-Old Batch Strength Single Malt finishes with lingering woody spice, candied ginger and an assortment of baked goods.
  • A delight for the senses to be shared and savored.

Whisky Facts:

  • Still: Custom-designed copper still
  • Base: Malted Barley (That’s it. Nothing else)
  • Distillation: Small-batch, 2x distilled
  • Spirit: Natural colour and non-chill-filtered
  • Alcohol Content: Bottled at 57.8% Alc.Vol
  • Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased in August 2021 from Shelter Point Distillery for CND 130.43  (Eur 102) + taxes + shipping for 750 ml.

Here are the other expressions tasted in the Shelter Point trio in April 2023:

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