Category Archives: Cask Strength

The Whisky Exchange Exclusives at London’s Whisky Show 2023

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The Whisky Exchange are the folks behind London’s Whisky Show 2023. So how could we wander out the doors without sampling at least a pair of whiskies bottled exclusively for them? It would be sacrilege, right?

However what to pick from a plethora of options? We decided to contrast young with old, unfamiliar with familiar, affordable with aspirational!

Let’s start with the newbie… Dalmunach from Speyside. Dalmun whaat you may say? You can be forgiven for not instantly recognizing this new distillery founded by Chivas Brothers (aka Pernod Ricard). Built in 2014 by the River Spey on the site of the demolished Imperial Distillery, it is not even 10 years old! Which, as we know, in Scottish whisky terms is barely a toddler! Interestingly, Douglas Cruickshank led this build, and, having previously worked at the Imperial Distillery, tried to preserve some elements of Imperial’s design features. How that translates into the whisky experience is yet to be fully understood.

Dalmunach 6 year old “The Wulver Edition” 60% for ~GBP60

So what about this young upstart dram? I’ve got “yum” written all over! Peaches and cream, mocha and butter biscuits, some orchard perfume on the nose. And for the palate? More depth than expected, a nice nuttiness accompanies the fruits – now more like apple sauce than fresh crunchy apples plucked from a tree. It finishes with a dusting of sweet cinnamon spice. Dee-lish!

What more do we know about this particular bottling? It was matured in American oak barrels and is The Whisky Exchange’s 1st edition Dalmunach. As they put it, the label was inspired by the Wulver:

a fearsome yet benevolent figure said to fish along the shorelands of the Shetland Isles.

Though it was just a small sniff and swish, I will keep my eye out for more opportunities to explore Dalmunach expression further!

And the other end of the spectrum? We knew what to expect with Glenfarclas.

Glenfarclas 25 year “The London Edition” (2023) 50.5% GBP 300

The aroma was a lovely dry sherry, quite nutty, joined by vanilla cream on top of a warm pumpkin pie. On the palate, it was full and robust – some oak joining the Christmas pudding. There was also some salted caramel, and found it both buttery and jammy. It had a darker finish with a hint of coffee bitterness. What a fabulous reminder of why we are rather partial to Glenfarclas!

Here is what the folks at TWE have to say:

Made at Glenfarclas distillery and matured in oloroso sherry casks for a quarter of a century before being bottled to celebrate The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary. Aromas of meadow flowers, baked apples, barley sugar and buttery brioche fill the nose, developing into earthy coffee and sweet raisins. The palate opens with notes of fruit cake, salted caramel and rich oak, developing buttery pastry, raisins and fruity espresso flavours and dry waxiness.

This bottle features a specially-created label, designed by our creative director Raj Chavda to pay tribute to London’s vibrant hospitality industry.

What fun! I made a mental note to try to get to The Whisky Exchange exclusives earlier in the day next year… though closing with choice options like we did in 2023 also worked!

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” with The Organic, Caol Ila + Ardcore

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Winnipeg’s The Cabinet whisky-tasting group literally has a special cabinet in which the club’s whisky bottles are locked when not in session.

This particularly wintery evening in November was focused on exploring “Alternative Islay” expressions – one new bottle for all of us, the balance opened. Which I augmented with a couple more!

What kicked off the theme was a distinctive Bruichladdich – part of their Organic line with very specific terroir – declaring the barley comes from Mid Coul Farms, Dalcross, Inverness. This wasn’t my first flirtation with The Organic. The last was nearly a decade ago, also featuring barley from Mid Coul Farms – previously Coulmor Mains of Tullibardine Farms.

Bruichladdich’s The Organic 2010 8 year 50% 

  • Nose – Citrus, some yogurt – actually lemon yogurt, some fresh hay shifting to cereals then bread, was that tinned pineapple too?
  • Palate – Fruity but also initially a bit sharp, and peppery, then it mellows out and grows on you… what was yogurt on the nose became cream on the palate with the citrus joined by apple sauce. Yet there was also something a bit oaky, lightly malty, and a bit of salty fudge
  • Finish – Didn’t stand out
  • Water – Why yes, don’t mind if I do! It rounds it out quite nicely, softening any remaining sharpness

It was a good place to begin… Nothing complicated or intense, it was just a pleasant way to ease into Islay. It was unpeated, matured in American oak casts, and – call it the influence of the name – had quite an “agricultural” feel. At least that’s my impression and I’m sticking with it!

From there we moved on to two Chorlton bottles – an Ardmore and Staoisha – these beauties deserved their own posts! (hint click on the links). But now, on to the next…

North Star’s Caol Ila 12 year (2006) 54.6%

I then brought out the third whisky I brought with me – just a small 100 ml that remained from this lovely North Star single cask Caol Ila at cask strength.

It was fitting for the theme as it was Caol Ila yet definitely not your standard “Original Bottling”. I’m not even going to attempt proper tasting notes. You can check out my earlier experience here.

What I can share, is that oxidation did a rather nice job polishing off any rough edges. What remained was a silky smooth liquid, soft and mellow, with some lovely nuances. I could definitely find the boiled sweets its indie bottler Ian describes, much more than heavy peat. And yet the peat was there too – just subtle.

Lovely lip-smacking stuff!

Here is where I openly admit, once upon a time, I was a punk rock chick. Yup. The spiky hair, creative shaved patterns, the clothes, and all that. Hey, it was the 80s! So anything truly punk is legitimately familiar territory. Which is why when something comes along claiming to be edgy and anti-establishment but is instead, well, insipid… Sigh…

For something so hyped up, it was surprisingly gentle – much more so than a core expression. My notes were embarrassingly scant.

Ardbeg’s Ardcore “Punktured” (2022) 46% – A revisit for the Cabinet lads, new for me!

  • Nose – Sour, some toast?
  • Palate – Sweet, rather benign or innocuous, a bare hint of smoke, maybe some milk chocolate or malt?
  • Finish – Cinnamon

Don’t get me wrong. If I was tasting it blind and didn’t know it was Ardbeg, I would find it quite pleasant. My guess would be it was 40% (not 46%) and whilst there was light peat, it was the sweet and sour that came through more.

However, this was Ardbeg – known for its bold expressions. And the most shocking aspect? It was purchased for around CAD 250? Oh my!

What else did we try in our “Alt Islay” evening in Winnipeg?

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Chorlton – Staoisha 8 year 59.9%

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I will openly admit I have a mixed relationship with peat. In the heat of India, I tend to shy away from peaty drams, preferring something lighter and more in keeping with the summery warm climate. Whereas in the cool of a Nurnberg fall or Winnipeg winter, a dash of peat can just hit the spot… or not!

This particular dram – the Staoisha 8 year (2021) 59.9% – was sampled with different companions and also solo, in three different places. Showing context can be everything!

1. Germany’s Schottland Forum Whisky Weekend Getaway

  • Nose – Red delicious apple skins, sweet grass, some maritime elements
  • Palate – Dry and ashy, yet not overpowering
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns

My tasting companion was not impressed. I was a bit more open however agreed that next to the dizzying array of fine drams sampled over the weekend, this one did not shine.

2. A quiet evening in Nurnberg, Germany just me, myself, and I

What a difference a different environment makes! I brought this home and splashed a little in a glass one cool rainy Nurnberg evening.

  • Nose – Buttery banana bread – like straight from the oven then slathered in butter, joined by some salty maritime breeze
  • Palate – Very dry, smokey with initially some sharpness, then mellows into the glass with a briney almost minerally element, underneath grew a hint of mocha
  • Finish – Still ashy, yet sweetens
  • Water – Oh yum! Yes, this makes all the difference! Softens the peat, and amps up the sweetness…starts with some citrus joining the nose, the ash subdued, the fires banked, and now there is a lovely cinnamon finish too!

Would this be my “go to” dram? No. But I could see how those who enjoy different peaty styles could gravitate towards it.

3. A wintery white evening in Winnipeg, Canada with The Cabinet lads

Was I a bit trepidacious in bringing this offering? Certainly.  Whilst I knew these gents enjoy coastal styles and peat, one simply never knows what will be considered a “hit” and what will be considered a “miss.”

  • Nose – Banana, or more precisely banana bread, quite coastal, as it opened, the smoke gave way to sea breeze and sweeter fruitier elements. Then after some time, I found salted roasted peanuts. Yum.
  • Palate – Ashy? Yes. Dry? Yes, that too. But also so much more. There is full flavoured reward with every sip.
  • Finish – Mmmmm a lovely cinnamon close
  • Water – Take your pick! I prefer it with, others without. Either works!

After the remarkable Ardmore 12 year old, I even more feared this Staoisha would pale by comparison. Nope. It more than held its own. Brilliant! It was even the pick of the evening for one Cabinet lad. Which made bringing the wee 200ml sample bottle worth it!

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

And next we have an 8-year-old Staoisha – this is peated spirit distilled at Bunnahabhain on Islay, and matured in a first-fill barrel.

On pouring you get such a distinct aroma of banana bread (albeit peat-smoked banana bread…), it’s really quite something! As it settles in the glass that recedes into the background, leaving a clean, coastal smokiness: pine smoke, herbs, sea air and a touch of vanilla from the cask. Fruitiness develops too, with lemon sweets and a tinned pineapple cube. Just the one.

The palate is bigger and smokier than the nose: ashy peat, barbecue smoke, salt & pepper, and maybe a kipper. Just the one. There’s very definite sweetness too, and quite a creamy mouthfeel. It develops on almond paste and lemon cream, before a long, smoky finish with little bits of tangerine fruitiness. With water it’s lime-clean, fruity and smoky – perfect!

Lovely spirit, this. It even reminded me of the recent Lochindaal in a few places which is no bad thing. I’m happy to have some younger stock for future years, and I hope at least some is being put into refill wood for the long haul so we’ll all have something to entertain us in our dotage!

Whilst this was from his December 2021 releases, I missed being able to purchase directly from David. So was delighted in June 2022 when it finally became available in Europe from Whisky.base (NL) for EUR 79 plus shipping and tax.

Here are a few more from La Nouvelle Vague series:

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Chorlton – Ardmore 12 year 60.7%

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After years, I was back in my hometown of Winnipeg for my birthday. Unless I’m mistaken it would have been 21 years since I last celebrated in Canada – a fine whisky age!

Which brings me to this particular Chorlton… Knowing that I would be joining The Cabinet for an evening of whiskies the day after my birthday, I decided to bring two whiskies this time. One for the coastal peaty lads (Staoisha) and one just because it piqued my curiosity.

And naturally, as there were no rules about only bringing closed bottles, I decided to open this the night before and share with my Aunt and Uncle who have their own whisky-tasting group in Fort Francis, together with friends who enjoy a good dram or two. It was a marvelously malty and merry way to celebrate together after years!

And why did this particularly Ardmore grab my attention? It was matured in a refill barrique that (so David was told) originally held sherry. And turned out to be a bit leaky… leading to a concentrated combination of sherry and peat. Over the years, I’ve had a few Ardmores, mostly from independent bottlers, and find they range from gentle balanced peat to more powerful stuff!

I didn’t take tasting notes on my birthday but recall most of the reactions tended towards “tasty stuff!” And quite a serious dent was made in the bottle… sorry lads!

Ardmore 12 year (2022) 60.7% 196 Bottles

  • Nose – Mmmmm… a lovely dark coffee aroma, some leather… later joined by smoked meats and maple. Yum! Definitely a “sniffing” dram – one where the warm sweet peat aromas always rewarded
  • Palate – Quite dry at first, it rolled around the palate with rich flavours, pepper and peat, more smoked meat and sweet chocolate, gorgeous, rich, and rewarding
  • Finish – Lingers
  • Water – Oh lovely stuff, rounds out

For some, it was perfect “as is” with the intense elements needing no dilution. For others, a splash of water opened it up, bringing out the fruity side, softening and rounding the approach.

For me, the peat was a bit “peek-a-boo” in character. At times it was quite pronounced – particularly on the palate. And then wait a bit to find that sweet led the way with only a hint of peat.

Put simply – this Ardmore was simply delicious! It was one indulgent dram. Best enjoyed slowly, take a sip, savour the aromas in the glass, and chat some more before returning to the glass. I probably could have spent the entire evening just with this one!

Most importantly, I was so happy to be able to share this Chorlton in Winnipeg!

And what does David have to say?

The nose is a balance of sweet, savoury and smoky. Honey-roast ham, sweet tobacco, hazelnut nougat and maybe a hint of a wee kipper. In the background there are touches of dark chocolate and coffee, and some slightly waxy and medicinal bits and bobs (coal tar, for sure). Adding water makes everything softer, with this almost bubblegum fruitiness popping up, something that I’ve found in a few Ardmores (possible it’s just me!).

The palate is more peaty than you’d expect from the nose, with a thick mouthfeel. Salt and pepper at first, then honey on salted-buttered toast, smoked rye, dark chocolate and orange, and liquorice root.

Really characterful stuff, this, with the cask adding just enough richness and sweetness to round everything off nicely. Annoyingly we only got 196 bottles from this cask at 60.7%, but they’re still available here for a reasonable £69.50 each.

And no David, you were not alone in finding the bubble gum fruitiness with water!

Whilst released by Chorlton as part of David’s La Nouvelle Vague in December 2022, I waited until it became available via WhiskyBase in Europe. Which meant I purchased it in July 2023 for Eur 73 plus tax + shipping. In my books – this is quite reasonable for such a rare and interesting whisky!

What about other Ardmore experiences?

And here are a few more Chorlton La Nouvelle Vague series:

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” Evening

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Winnipeg is where I grew up. It is also where I was first introduced to whisky. So it is fitting that in my wintery November trip home, I took some time out to enjoy a dram or two with Winnipeg whisky aficionados – aka having a small guest appearance at The Cabinet.

Whilst the lads normally sample 3 to 4 whiskies, I kind of derailed that plan by bringing three! I also disrupted the theme by bringing a lightly peated Highland into the mix of Islays – however, the Ardmore was just too special and simply had to be shared!

What did we try?

Waiting in the wings was an open Laphroig, however, we were clearly not up for the challenge of a 6th whisky! Which is a good thing – as moderation in malts is best.

Over the course of two hours, we made our way through the five whiskies and cheese, giant grapes, and taco chips. The conversation flowed with tales of travel adventures, film, and fiction, and as the whisky glasses clinked, time slipped away in the sheer enjoyment of a good dram or two with fellow appreciators.

And just like that, our wintery Winnipeg evening over whisky was over. Thanks again for the hospitality!

PS – Check out The Cabinet‘s take on our evening together here: Alt Islay. Thanks again gents!

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Dream Dram – Adelphi’s Miltonduff 40 year old 50.4%

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We were on the quest for a “Dream Dram” at London’s Whisky Show 2023… which meant we simply had to prioritize getting to the folks from Adelphi. 

Folks who know me well, know that I have a soft spot for several independent bottlers. I appreciate the hard work that goes into creating a whisky, yet equally appreciate those who aspire to pre-select unique, sometimes quite rare special bottles. Before they opened their Ardnamurchan distillery, these folks were known for bringing out some exceptionally rare remarkable drams.

This is why I knew I was in good hands with my top choice for Dream Dram – the Miltonduff 40 year old!  Our guide shared how it was matured in refill Bourbon hogshead, enabling the flavours to slowly ease into the liquid gold.

Miltonduff 40 year (1982) 50.4% (Adelphi) GBP 700

Incredibly elegant with a beautiful, delicate nose, lightly floral with orchard fruits. And on the palate? It was effervescent, almost sparkling like a bubbly champagne! Bright, oaky spice, with more apples & pears, creamy and even a hint grassy….. The finish was equally elegant, though from our simple light sips, not so long.

We didn’t even notice the relatively high cask strength for a 40 year old! Only later did I observe this must have meant very little escaping into the angel’s share. Perhaps that contributed to the sparkling quality we found!

I had planned to return to explore whiskies from their distillery – Ardnamurchan – however, alas we didn’t manage to make it back! One simply can’t do everything at a show!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Glenfarclas, Aberlour x 2, Glendronach

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky group is on a roll! After kicking off with the delightful Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery series, and then exploring the impact of cask finishes with Glenmorangie and Cragganmore, we decided to go big and bold with a focus on sherry bombs!

We didn’t have a calibration dram, so the remainder of the Gordon & Macphail’s Aultmore 10 year 43% made the rounds of the table… I may need to pick up something simple and affordable to keep on hand for future sessions!

And then we got down to sherry business! We decided to start with a special Germany-exclusive Glenfarclas 12 year before moving on to the Aberlour 16 year, then taking a small peat and sweet detour with the cask strength Benromach, before closing with another cask strength whisky – the Aberlour A’Bunadh. It was a good choice to anchor with a pair of Aberlour’s and contrast with two additional distilleries.

Curious to read what we discovered? Read on here….

And what is next for our Nurnberg tasting group? In October, we plan to focus closer to home with a few drams from Germany – I can’t wait! Then in November, we’re tentatively thinking of checking out a few Indian whiskies, nicely timed around Diwali. Fun fun fun to come!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Benromach 2010 58.5%

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky spent an evening devoted to Sherry whiskies – including this Benromach Peated expression! Over the years, I’ve quite enjoyed a few Benromach expressions – with the Gordon & MacPhail team’s commitment to quality with their distillery, consistent with their independent bottles.

Benromach (2010) Cask Strength, 1st Fill Sherry Batch 1, 58.5% 

  • Nose – Campfire, burnt wood, stone cottage next to the sea, heavy wet clothing, star anise then you could catch hints of sherry notes
  • Palate – Has a punch to start – a bit brash and sharp, then shifts into dark chocolate, smooth, sweet, spicy, and a bit savory too
  • Finish – Cinnamon spice
  • Water – Yes! Brings out the dark berries and chocolate even more, much nicer and in better harmony
  • Revisit – We returned after some time to find loads of meat, smoked ham, and crispy bacon, quite umami… where were you hiding earlier??

We found the peat sweet stronger on the nose than the palate. Our bottle contributor confessed that when it was 1st opened, the peat was a bit overwhelming and unbalanced – described as “chaotic.” Interestingly, what we found long after setting the dram aside was more in keeping with the freshly opened bottle – with the meaty elements.

Which just goes to show how important it is when tasting more complex or challenging whiskies to give it time to open in the glass and perhaps also revisit it in different settings.

Curious about more Benromach experiences?

Our evening exploring sherry whiskies also explored:

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Aberlour 16 year + A’bunadh Batch 77

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In our newly formed Nurnberg International Whisky tasting group, one member is a total Aberlour fan! So much so that he enthusiastically and very generously offered to “anchor” an evening dedicated to Sherry with two Aberlour expressions!

  • Aberlour 16 year (AB16 2-22) 40%
  • Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 77 (22 March 2023) 60.8%

For those not familiar, Aberlour is known for its consistent use of ex-Olorosso sherry casks.

The last time I had a 16-year-old Aberlour, it was a very special evening featuring whiskies hand-filled at the distillery by our host, who was a brilliant whisky brand ambassador in India for some select Scottish distilleries. So it was a treat to finally try the standard 16-year, which is a blend of American oak casks and Sherry oak casks.

Aberlour 16 year Double Cask Matured (AB16 2-22) 40% 

  • Colour – Deep dark amber, almost ruby!
  • Nose – Gentle at first, very juicy with generous dark ripe fruits – think warm dates
  • Palate – A sparkle of sweet spices! Some cinnamon, cloves and a hint of ginger.. this was soon joined by rich chocolate with a hint of salted caramel, delicious!
  • Finish – Slight bitter cacao

It was simply delicious! Rich yet not overwhelming, utterly enjoyable just “as is!”. This led us to remark how astounding it is to have such robust flavours at a “mere” 40%. For those who are accustomed to cask strength or at the lower end a “connoisseur” strength of 46%, whiskies at 40% can come across as a bit insipid. Not this one! Even though the label did not specify 1st Fill, it was clear this must be the case – at least for the Sherry part of the ex-Bourbon / ex-Sherry cask combination.

Depending on where you buy and which batch, you can still find an Aberlour 16-year in Germany for between Eur 61 – 78.

As for the next? For years, Aberlour’s A’Bunadh was a favoured cask-strength sherry bomb, readily available at Changi International Airport in Singapore. It was also quite affordable – great value for a superb dram – typically quite an intense sherry “bomb!”

Fast forward a decade, and Aberlour is still producing different batches of their cask strength A’bunadh – known to be sherried and intense! However, it has been joined by a spin-off expression A’bunadh Alba for those who are after an intense ex-Bourbon cask experience instead.

What did we think of the “Original” sherry expression?

Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 077 (22 March 2023) 60.8% 

  • Colour – Dark burgundy with bright amber and ruby gem tones
  • Nose – There is no question this whisky was matured in sherry casks, however, it was surprisingly mild! In addition to the standard sherry elements, there was creamy milk chocolate, joined by a dusting of bitter cacao, some nougat and chocolate ganache, topped with caramel vanilla ice cream… beneath all of this sweetness was a rum-like coffee liqueur
  • Palate – Mmmm…. simply marvellous! Soft and divinely dessert-like, rich and robust, yet not too intense – a perfect balance. Some marinated jammy dark fruits, raisins, nuts, mocha, creamy buttery biscuits, dessert in a glass!
  • Finish – Sooo good! A delightful spice, chocolate, joined by cinnamon, berries and closes with a nutty element
  • Water – For many, it made the whisky even more accessible

What a treat! I was so happy to revisit this Aberlour expression. In many ways, I think this is even better than some of the ones I tried a few years ago!

One described it as an Opera torte – once mentioned, the description stuck! Why? As every element in the cake fit! From the layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup to the ganache and coffee French buttercream slathered between the layers, and then covered in a chocolate glaze.

What about the official tasting notes? Here you go!

  • Nose – Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry
  • Palate – Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full-bodied and creamy
  • Finish – Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak

And what would this expression set you back? Currently, it can be purchased in Germany for Eur 75.

Curious about other tasting experiences with Aberlour? Read on:

Our sherry evening also featured:

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A dash of Islay – Bunnahabhain 10 year + Staoisha 5 year

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My explorations from a 2019 Whisky advent calendar are picking up pace! Each dram from this calendar was from a single cask, each unique, one-of-a-kind. This time I picked a pair of Bunnahabhains from Islay.

I decided to begin with the Bunnahabhain 10 year – anticipating that it would be without peat followed by the Staoisha 5 year. Named after Loch Staoisha on the Isle of Islay, when bottled as Staoisha, it is a signal that there is peat added to the mix.

Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old 2008 (cask 12663) 48% (Clan Denny, Douglas Laing)

  • Nose – That typically sweet, sour, and saline quality that greets you with most Bunnas! Alongside the fresh sea breeze comes sweet cake, a drizzle of honey, and a faintly nutty undertone with vanilla
  • Palate – Gentle and approachable, light spice joins tinned pineapples and more of that salt – quite pronounced
  • Finish – Continues with the sweet, spicy, and salty character…

A promising start and time to shift to the next expression…

Staoisha 5 Year Old 2013 (cask 940) 59.3% (The Single Cask) 258 Bottles

  • Nose – Now there is the peat! Smokey, fruity – especially the pineapple – which transforms from tinned to grilled – yum! Some bananas there too, opening into a medley of stewed fruits. Return to the nose again to discover that peat, sweet, with cinnamon, and spice. Also with a health dash of salt. Lovely!
  • Palate – Initially a mild bonfire of spice and peat that swiftly gentled. It was delicious – like warm sweet bread.
  • Finish – Cinnamon spice

There is no mistaking the peat in this one. It was really rather fabulous – a warm embrace.

I’m no stranger to this distillery… here is a sampling of other Bunnahabhain‘s sampled over the years…. many of which have age statements:

And a few more “modern” expressions without an age statement:

From time to time, you can also find other whisky-related updates and activities on: