Category Archives: Sherry

Sharing is caring

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I truly believe sharing is caring – even more so in the world of whiskies – where a dram shared is a dram enjoyed. Alas, having whisky friends scattered around the world means we do not always have an opportunity to taste together. This is why sharing a mini or two is a way to share the journey, even if experienced independently.

A couple of years ago, I brought a wee pack of minis back from Europe to India to share with Whisky Flu. His wonderfully detailed and evocative tasting notes are such a treat – enabling me to experience the drams yet again through his nose and palate.

Knowing he was through the original set, I decided it was time for a wee booster shot of interesting drams, so packed up further whiskies from one of our favourite independent bottlers – Chorlton and Gordon & Macphail Discovery. Then in India, when cleaning and sorting through my whisky cabinet, added a trio from That Boutique-y Whisky Co to the mix and the latest Chorlton’s opened with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents.

Completely unexpectedly, I received a “return gift” with an interesting assortment from his open bottles:

  • Blend #4 51% – Must find out more about this one!
  • Grace O’Malley Irish Whisky 40% – So far I’ve only had a whiff of this one, so looking forward to trying
  • Camikara 12 year Rum 50% – A new Indian cane juice rum, matured for 12 years in American oak casks. 
  • Timorous Beastie 18 year Blended Malt 46.8% – We last tried a no-age statement expression of this Highland Blend from Douglas Laing in 2016. It will be interesting to contrast that with this limited edition.
  • Rock Oyster 18 year Blended Malt 46.8% – For this Island expression, we last tried their cask-strength version in 2018. As a blend of Islay, Arran, Orkney, and Jura whiskies, I have a feeling I will enjoy the 18 year!
  • Indri 46% – I need to check if this is the standard Trini or something different!

For a variety of reasons, this trip to India left little scope for independent tasting. So I decided to keep these well stored for my upcoming trip in April or May 2024.

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Denmark’s Fary Lochan 6 year Moscatel Finish 62.1%

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Dram discoveries are the hallmark of any good whisky festival! In this case at the London Whisky Show with That Boutique-y Whisky Company with Dainish distillery Fary Lochan. In the midst of hundreds, this one stuck with me as something unique, something worth exploring further.

So when I spotted this bottle on sale for Eur 94 from Whic.de., I jumped at the chance to try more! I kept it waiting for just the right opportunity… which came in the form of our International Nurnberg whisky tasting group’s December session – in celebration of continental European whiskies.

One new member was keen to try something Nordic. Perhaps from Finland where he lived for some time. I immediately thought of recommending Teerenpeli, then remembered the Fary Lochan and offered it as an option…. which was immediately accepted.

The whisky was a complete hit! Which alas also means the night will be remembered for something quite singular for our group – nearly draining a full bottle! Granted it was 500ml not the standard 700ml. Additionally, as it was such a unique dram, there were a couple of sample bottles poured for further consideration (including me!) at a later date. However, it prompted thinking about how we organize our evenings and some different possibilities in the future, in hopes that next time around we just might be kinder to our collective contributors.

What makes this whisky unique is how its light smoke comes from nettles – inspired by nettle-smoked cheese from Funen. Producing very small batches, variation is to be expected. So what we try today may not be what we find in future.

So… how did we describe our experience? (aside from nearly draining the bottle!)

Fary Lochan 6 year (8 Feb 2016 / 10 Feb 2022) Moscatel Finish, Batch #05 62.1% Bottle 231 of 288

  • Nose – Quite a different aroma – cheese, herbal, wet leaves in the forest, earthy then became fruitier as it opened up – from tropical to orchard, joined by some bourbon vanilla
  • Palate – Coats the palate, fig marmalade, hot chocolate, waxy, some pepper, complex with many different elements interwoven
  • Finish – What a finish! Long, more of that earthy element joined by chocolate and tobacco
  • Water – While not necessary, it opens it up revealing wild honey, the hint of fruits found without water blossomed with… from citrus to orchard to tropical and back. Simply delicious on the palate

It was really very good. There was something distinctly different, a bit tricky to pinpoint exactly and describe. Just that the more time we spent with it in the glass, the more we enjoyed it. This isn’t simple or straightforward. It isn’t classical or traditionally complex. And yet it has something unique that draws you in…

What more do we know? It was first aged in 1st Fill ex-Bourbon barrels for 3 years and 3 months and then finished for 2 years and 9 months in Moscatel Sherry, producing a mere 288 bottles. Bottled at cask strength, you might think it would be powerful and pack a punch. Instead, its singular character sings through clearly yet isn’t punchy or overwhelming. At 6 years, some whiskies come across as young and a bit harsh, others easily pull it off. Clearly, we found that the Fary Lochan fits the 2nd category where 6 years was a perfect age for this expression to be bottled.

Now I am EVEN more excited to try these Fary Lochan samples thanks to Tobi from BarleyMania, joined by a 30ml of this expression.

What about other whiskies sampled from Denmark?

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Finch Schwabian Whisky – An Exploration of 8 Expressions

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Welcome to the Schwabian Alps! My explorations of German distilleries continue with Finch distillery… For those not familiar, the Schwabian Apls are found to the east of the Black Forrest, north of the Bavarian Alps, the Swabian Alps (Schwäbische Alb in German) are sometimes overlooked.

“Ulm, where the Danube swiftly flows, forms the boundary in the south, while the Neckar runs past half-timbered towns, limestone crags, beech woods, juniper-cloaked heaths, hilltop ducal castles, and robber-knight ruins further north.” (Lonely Planet)

As for Finch distillery, like several continental European distilleries, there is quite a lot of experimentation with various grains and casks. And what better way to explore these possibilities than with a set of miniatures – from barley to a variety of relatively obscure kinds of wheat to rye. As for casks? A mix of red wine, port, sherry and American Oak. 

In this case, the set was a compact gift-wrapped treat! 

Fun to open…

Even more fun to explore…

So what is contained in this Finch octet tasting set?

  • Finch Fine Selection 6 year Single Malt 42%
  • Finch Cask Strength 8 year Emmer Edition 3, 54.6% 
  • Finch Special Grain 8 year Spelt Port 42% 
  • Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Barrique Cask 42%
  • Finch Special Edition 8 year WOA Bullhead Single Malt 46% 
  • Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Single Malt Sherry Cask 46% 
  • Finch Special Grain 6 year Rye Edition 46%
  • Finch Distillers Choice 10 year Single Malt Smoky 46%

So now… on to the most fun part – tasting!

Where to start? We initially opened the 1st listed on the guide – the Emmer Edition 3 Cask Strength – however, we realised immediately the folly of this approach and switched instead to the Finch Single Malt. 

Finch Fine Selection 6 year Single Malt 42% (est. Eur 40 for 500ml)

The folks at Finch share that the barley for this Single Malt comes from their own cultivation, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and wine casks.

  • Nose – Initially quite fruity, then rubber took over – as in really quite rubbery – like childhood-flavoured erasers. As it settled in the glass, the aroma became sweeter with cereals. Over time it also shifted into roasted barley with honey, some green apples or green grapes
  • Palate – The first sip was a bit brash, full of hay sweetness, waxy chocolate, more of the cereals
  • Finish – Reminded us more of a simple single grain than single malt – there for but a moment and then disappeared

Overall this wasn’t the best beginning. It was compared with a breakfast cereal – Smacks – made of puffed wheat and honey. Whilst nothing was “off”, we just weren’t yet excited. 

Finch Cask Strength 8 year Emmer Edition 3, Re Wine Barrels 54.6% (est. Eur 59 for 500ml)

Next up, we returned to the cask strength we initially cracked open. Rather than barley, this whisky uses a grain – black emmer – from the Finch farm on the plateau of the Swabian Alb. What is Emmer you may ask? Otherwise known as Triticum decoction is a plant species from the wheat genus. It is one of the oldest cultivated grains, yet hardly grown today. This type of wheat with long-awned, usually two-flowered spikelets is hardly grown in Europe today – if it is, it is essentially black emmer.

  • Nose – Initially very shy, then spirity, slowly opening into marzipan, caramel, biscuits, hint of red wine or raisins
  • Palate – Started like a sour calvados, then from tart apples to pears, giving way to clear red wine influence
  • Finish – Light
  • Revisit – What a lovely perfume, silky smooth on the palate, closing with a light spice finish

Could clearly tell this is a grain rather than a single malt, yet we enjoyed it much more than the 6 year Single Malt expression. Whilst it came across as young, once the nose opened up, it was quite inviting…

Finch 8 year Dinkel Port 42% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

This expression uses another lesser-known grain for whiskies – spelt – this time, combined with an ex-Port cask.

  • Nose – The first whiff was very promising. Light yet very sweet. It was a bit like cotton candy or the powder on a marshmallow.
  • Palate – Sparkling grape juice, sweet spices, smooth and surprisingly light for a port-matured whisky.
  • Finish – Honey and raisins

Our overall impression was that it makes a nice starter whisky. The aromas were appealing and the palate enjoyable.

Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Red Wine Barrique Cask 42% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We now shifted into “weizen und gersten”, in other words – wheat and barley, matured in a Red Wine Barrique.

  • Nose – Oh nice! Juicy red berries. black forest cake
  • Palate – Very light, sweet, red cherries and a touch of chocolate
  • Finish – Light

Again, like the others, it comes across as young and spirity. Then once it settles in, quite pleasant. What we would consider an ‘entry-level’ whisky – an interesting way to introduce folks new to whisky. Whilst not complex, it has enough interesting going on to engage.

Finch Special Edition 8 year W.O.A. Bullhead Single Malt 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

For those not familiar, W.O.A. is Wacken Open Air – a massive heavy metal music festival in northern Germany. This particular expression was made for this festival – matured in three casks: American oak, Port and red wine.

  • Nose – Wood, honey, bourbon-like, lots of vanilla, fruity and sweet, pleasant
  • Palate – Hmm.. a bit peculiar and confused. It had a bit of a grain or bourbon bite with wine. There were different elements – each on their own interesting yet somehow didn’t come together harmoniously.
  • Finish – Unremarkable

Our discussion centered around the festival and the conclusion this could be a great festival drinking whisky. On its own, in a festival setting, the combination of elements would just join the cacophony of pounding Heavy Metal music. But in comparison with the other Finch whiskies sampled that cool late November evening? Alas, it fell a bit short.

Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Single Malt Sherry Cask 46%  (est. Eur 59 for 500ml)

Next up was a shift into a more classically styled single malt. No rare grains or cask experimentations here. Just barley, and an ex-sherry cask – back to the basics.

  • Nose – Our first impression was – this is no heavy sherry, yet still unmistakable. Raisins, creamy sweet spices, cracked black peppercorn
  • Palate – Thick and creamy, sweet with more of those raisins and spice, 
  • Finish – Spicy yet still light

This one simply goes down exceedingly easily. A solid package. For one of us – it was the clear favourite of the evening!

Finch Special Grain 6 year Rye 2nd Edition 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We then decided to shift into Rye, again from Schwabian rye, matured fully in red wine barrels.

  • Nose – Yup! This is definitely rye, yet also soft and sweet. Almond paste, marzipan 
  • Palate – Sweet nuts – like pecans, quite atypical
  • Finish – One of the few Finch finishes that stays – spirity, dry 

Rye but not a typical rye. Also quite different from the other Finch whiskies.  Perhaps this is the influence of the red wine cask?

Finch Distillers Choice 10 year Single Malt Smoky 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We closed with the peaty expression. They share it is a combination of their local barley and oak smoked malt, then matured in wine barrels plus Islay barrels. 

  • Nose – Ashy, like cold coal, smoke…. after some time we could finally detect a few additional elements – a bit of caramel nuts, speck
  • Palate – Hmm… the tasting notes say marshmallows, but for us it was only the black ash of a burnt marshmallow. Burnt honey nut, burnt toast with a little bit of honey, very  dry, granite stone
  • Finish – The ash remains, with a hint of caramel

This was a total departure from all the others. The only consistency was that it also came across as youngish despite being matured for 10 years. Also, whilst ash was the single predominant feature, it wasn’t the forceful hit of a Smokehead, instead it was light ash. For us though, ash is ash and not our favoured type of peaty whisky.

Finch isn’t Scottish, it isn’t trying to be. Instead they are celebrating what is available locally for a range of experiments – some more appealing than others for us. The single malt and smoky were not our whisky style, however the Sherry, the Emmer and Dinkel Port stood out. Even the Rye, with its lighter touch, was interesting.

These aren’t the only Finch whiskies in my Germany Whisky Cabinet! I also have the following pair, ready and waiting for the right opportunity!

  • Finch 5-year Single Malt Sherry 42%
  • Finch 8-year “Barrel Proof” ex-Red wine, Bourbon, and Port Cask 54%

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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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Aberlour without sherry? Could it be true?!

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“How many drams do you have still in you?”

That was how we were greeted when we reached one of the whisky stands late in the day at  London’s Whisky Show 2023, It was a legitimate question. There is a point where whiskies and impressions begin to blur, and appreciation of the one becomes challenging in the cacophony of the many.

However, the temptation to keep exploring was strong and I am so glad that we did not miss the Aberlour stand. I was recently reminded of how enjoyable their Sherry Bomb A’Bunadh is, so was rather intrigued by their new line of ex-bourbon casks – with no sherry in sight!

We were in excellent hands as Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank guided us through a lovely pair which led to a 3rd option too!

Aberlour A’bunadh Alba ex Bourbon Batch 7 58.9%

Much as I enjoy a good sherry-matured whisky, my heart falls for a brilliant ex-bourbon! The A’bunadh Alba was fruity, honeyed, a touch of vanilla on the nose – basically the kind of nuanced sweet that gets me every time. On the palate, I found pineapple – bringing a bit of zip and zing! It was nicely rounded and closed with a sweet slightly peppery finish. My last scribble? “Super fab!” So… clearly I enjoyed this one!

What do the folks at Aberlour have to say?

Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh Alba is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. Abunadh Alba is matured in ex American Oak resulting in an aroma of ripe red apples, along with honey, vanilla and a hit of cinnamon. Abunadh Alba is bottled at cask strength resulting in a sweet whisky with a creamy texture.

Aberlour 18 year Sherry Cask Finish Batch 1 48%

Then from ex-bourbon, we shifted back into the traditional Aberlour territory of sherry. Here I found plums, toffee, and all the lovely sherry elements of dried fruits, berries, and sweet spices. On the palate, the dried fruits carried through – particularly dried figs, more toffee, and sweet Christmasy spices – especially cinnamon, can also see the oak influence. I’ll be honest, I wish I had more time and quantity to slow down with this one. Here my closing note was “Comfort food!”

I tried to find out more on their website, however, it doesn’t seem that the 2023 expression has further details published yet. We understand it began with American and European oak casks and then it was finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. 

Aberlour Casg Annamh 48%

My immediate reaction was – what a wonderful classic sherry Speyside whisky! It simply had the perfect balance between all the expected elements. I particularly enjoyed the liquorice – which I had found in either the ex-bourbon or mature 18-year-old just experienced.

As my notes stopped at this point, I thought to see what more the good folks at Aberlour have to say about this new expression? 

Translating as ‘Rare Cask’ in Gaelic, Casg Annamh is created from a limited number of carefully selected casks. These Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks/butts have a significant influence on the non-chill filtered liquid and perfectly complement Aberlour’s distillate flavour, bringing sweet and rich notes. Casg Annamh is a distinctively rich Single Malt providing adventurous malt lovers with the ideal introduction to Sherry cask matured whiskies.

  • Nose – Rich and sweet with fruity notes of tangy orange, glazed cherries, raisins and a hint of ginger. 
  • Palate – Sweet and fruity flavours of apple and cinnamon crumble and ripe peaches balanced with spicy notes of liquorice and cloves.
  • Finish – Long and rich. Fruity with a touch of dry spice.

It retails in the UK for a very reasonable GBP 65.

What a treat to spend a bit of time with Graeme and be introduced to three lovely whiskies. Thank you London Whisky Show 2023!!

Are we Aberlour fans? Yes! Over the years we have enjoyed :

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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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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – New Core Range

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No Whisky Show is truly complete without the dynamic duo of Dave Worthington & Sam Simmonds. That Boutique-y Whisky Co is just a “must go”! 

At London’s 2023 Whisky Show, you could spend the entire day at their wee stall! This year, they introduced their new core range along with three different features:

  • Land of Oz
  • American
  • Cinema expressions

We somehow managed to stick with just a partial sampling of the Core Range, Oz, and Cinema… however that took rather a large amount of restraint!

Starting with the World Whisky Blend (fabulous and affordable!), the good folks at Atom Brands aka That Boutique-y Whisky Co, decided it was time to have something a bit more regular and dependable for fans. Shifting from 500ml bottles of unique expressions with sometimes only 100+ bottles in existence where you could “blink” and they are gone, their new core range can be found in “industry standard” 700ml bottles, all at a traditional strength of 45.8% in batches of approx 1,000 liters, with the intention of being much more accessible.

Naturally, there had to be something a bit cheeky about the approach with Emily Chappell’s labels! With a nod to traditional scotch whisky which often featured deer… in this case, the age of the deer was linked to the age of the dram… except of course for the Canadian whisky, it simply had to be a moose! Dave also shared the bottle colours are meant to reflect the northern lights too. 

Which was exactly where we began, the good Canuck that I am! 

Canadian Corn 8 year 45.8% (GBP 38)

Big bold and sweet aromas, caramel toffee sweetness, nutty, and more! And on the palate? Even more of that dramatic desert with some cracking ginger spice. Yet even with all the big bold aromas and flavours, it was in harmony and not overwhelming. A fun, fabulous sweet treat with a punch.

What more do we know? It was matured in 100% Oloroso casks. As for official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Fruity muffins, buttery oak, opening up into sherried goodness: raisins, prunes, dates, drizzles of runny toffee and toasted nuts.
  • Taste – Big, bold, and fruity! Toffee ripple ice cream, wafer, and popcorn join toasted almonds and cooked peach, white cracks of black pepper nestle in the depths.

Where did we go next? We then shifted to the oldest offering in this new core range – the 30-year-old blended grain!

Blended Grain 30 year 45.8% GBP 75

As bold and youthful as the Canadian corn was, we shifted to a genteel dame with the blended grain. On the nose, it was a friendly ‘breakfast dram’ with delicious buttery pastries, honey, and a hint of marmalade, some cream with vanilla. Then on the palate? Soft, even creamier, and far too easy to drink. This one was dangerous in its deceptively easy style. Yum!

What more do we know? It is a blend of refill casks of ex-Bourbon hogsheads and ex-Sherry octaves. As for tasting notes?

  • Nose – Honeycomb, red grapes, immensely buttery biscuits or shortbread, waxy orange peel, polished oak and a touch of floral spring breeze.
  • Palate –  Thick, textured with rich butterscotch, freshly baked cookies with still-soft chocolate chunks, hints of cedar and white pepper in the finish.

Next up was the Speyside….

Speyside 12 year 45.8% GBP 45

If the Canadian was big and bold, the Grain genteel and intoxicating, the Speyside was a sherry delight with substance!

On the nose, we found crunchy chocolate caramel with roasted nuts, some fruity sweetness too, and a puff of smoke. It had real substance on the palate – this was no lightweight! Warm and full of classic sherry dark fruits combined with a hint of salt. Far too drinkable too!

What more do we know? It is a combination of all-new Oloroso casks.. with the official tasting notes:

  • Nose – Caramelised nuts and chocolate mousse, flamed orange peel, cinnamon, earthy density, punchy cassia, and smoky oak.
  • Taste – Fruity, chewy and spicy. Tangy cranberry, salty jerky, oily walnuts, an absolute belter of a Speyside whisky. Complex and quaffable.

We held off on checking out the Highland 18 year and Islay 8 year. I’m sure they are equally worth checking out. Our overall conclusion for the trio we tried is that each is, in its distinctive way, simply too easy to drink. Which I supposed is exactly what they were aiming for with this more accessible range – bravo!

What next? Well… join me as we dive into a selection from Australia!

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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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