Tag Archives: Edradour

A birthday quest – Blends, Edradour and GlenAllachie

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There we were on a quest to find an interesting whisky worthy of a birthday self-present. My tasting companion is in her early days of whisky discovery… enough to know peaty drams are out, prefers something smooth with a bit of complexity, veering more towards sherry casks or finishes than purely ex-bourbon matured.

Taking this as a place to begin, I opened up an advent calendar and sorted the 24 bottles into categories with a suggested shortlist. We then checked that the whisky to be sampled is still possible to purchase, then began our quest in earnest!

As our proposed next tasting group theme was “Not your ordinary blend“, I suggested we start with a pair of blends from Berry Bro’s & Rudd with their Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Speyside and Sherry cask.

Then to test the waters of something a bit outside the comfort zone, we had the Edradour 10 year – a core expression from this small traditional Highland distillery.

We closed with a pair of unpeated drams from GlenAllachie – specifically the standard 15-year expression then a special Cuvee Cask Finish from 2009.

What did we think?

Whilst we knew we would shift more into a sherry vein, it is always good to begin with a bit of palate calibration – in this case the affordable Blended Speyside – before venturing into the Blended Sherry.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Initially quite fruity, then shifted into a distinctly metallic quality combined with fruits like tinned peaches. Vanilla bounced forward before fading away. As the whisky warmed in the glass, it shifted to apple cider, a touch of ginger, melons, and some light cereals drizzled with honey
  • Palate – Light spice, malty, the apple element carries through – like  apple sauce with sweet spices
  • Finish – Lightly bitter that sweetens into honey

Overall it was a satisfying way to begin our tasting. It would make a mighty fine calibration dram – an affordable, light Speyside dram without any major fuss.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Sherry Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Shy at first, then reveals a lovely chocolate mocha, a touch of salted caramel, some marmalade
  • Palate – Much less shy than the nose! Some bold sherry influences, joined by burnt caramel, bitter orange
  • Finish – A touch spicy then runs off quickly

In this case, it was quite mild and nuanced on the nose, then more robust on the palate. In some ways, it reminded me of a young Glenrothes combined with other elements. Again, for a sherry introduction, not such a bad way to begin. However we both knew neither were going to be the ONE.

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Edradour 10 year 40% (~Eur 46)

  • Nose – Curious. We were initially greeted by a distinctive medicinal aroma, like red plastic pills or a tincture, it then shifted into some cherry, dried fruits, walnuts that began as cracked straight from the shell, then shifted into roasted and candied walnuts
  • Palate – Interesting. There was some spice and oak from an ex-bourbon cask, there was also typical sherry elements too with sweet spices, orange and dried fruits, however it didn’t stand out
  • Finish – Just an extension of the palate – light sweet spices and oak

It took a bit of time for the medicinal quality to shift, but that made all the difference. For my tasting companion, this was a helpful opportunity to confirm this isn’t the direction she wants to explore further for her special birthday dram.

As context, I shared how most of the Edradour’s that I’ve enjoyed most have been limited expressions – such as their 15 year Fairy Flag. I also noted that they have a peated expression under the brand Ballechin – we had a sample included in the advent calendar which I had set aside. Somehow their standard expressions – this 10 year old and its 12 year old cousin – Caledonia – tend to be overlooked.

GlenAllachie 15 year 46% (~Eur 72)

  • Nose – Caramel, sweet spices, raisins and plums, chocolate milk
  • Palate – Full-bodied and fabulous! Tropical fruits, mocha, orange peel and butterscotch, hazelnuts, silky smooth
  • Finish – A lovely finish with vanilla oak and a touch of cinnamon
  • Water – Whilst not needed, if you are looking forward to a more approachable version, then definately add!

Now we are talking! Clearly leaning towards the Sherry side, this expression is the kind of dram you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy… It doesn’t need to be center stage, instead makes the perfect accompaniment to a friendly evening.

GlenAllachie (2009/2011) Olorosso, Chinquapin and Grattamacco Tuscan Red Cuvee Cask Finish 55.9% (~Eur 72 – 110, though apparently originally for Eur 60+)

  • Nose – It started with vanilla and marshmallows, then shifted to dark grape peels and red wine tannins, further joined by brazil nut and raisins, subtle and intriguing, it continued to evolve in the glass over time. There was a lovely perfume – a white flower that we struggled to pinpoint – perhaps clematis? Much later, there was fresh sawdust, buttered toast, then bourbon vanilla ice cream, perhaps even a whiff of sea breeze
  • Palate – A lot was going on! There was an effervescent quality – clearly active with a combination of caramel, wine tannins, red licorice, and nuts joined by chocolate
  • Finish – Shifted between lightly bitter to spice to honeyed sweetness
  • Water – A touch of water opens it up further in a rather nice way

No light-hearted easy-going dram here. This is one that both expects and deserves attention. Ex-Sherry Olorros casks are combined with whisky matured in Chinquapin Oak (Quercus Muehlenbergii) – whilst not specifically disclosed – one would presume virgin oak, before being finished in red wine. It makes for an interesting interplay between the different elements. Whilst I’m often a bit skeptical of red wine finishes, this one works as the wine finish was a subtle rather than dominant addition.

What more do we know? The reason it was featured in the 2022 Kirsch Advent calendar is that originally it was bottled specifically for Kirsh imports with 3,000 bottles.

What was the verdict? Track down the GlenAllachie 2009 if possible… and if not, my sense was that the GlenAllachie 15-year would make for a good backup.

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A Mix of Malts – Highland explorations

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During our Schottland Whisky Forum weekend getaway in October, everyone brought an interesting bottle. There was a remarkable mix of malts – particularly from the Highlands!

On the 1st day I spent most of my time exploring whiskies from the Single Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), an exceptional elegant Glen Grant 5-year-old from 1975, and a special release from Deanston.

On our 2nd day, I focused on a range of Highland distilleries before shifting to peaty whiskies.

  • Jura “Anam na-h Alba” 9 year (19 Oct 20009 – 08 Apr 2019) Bourbon Hogshead Cask No 700993 58.1% bottle 276 of 279
  • Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram 43%
  • Edradour 2007 18 year Cask Strength (Nov 2007 / Jan 2021) 59.2% 1,362 Bottles
  • Old Pulteney 14 year (27 May 2008 / 9 Jun 2022) Cask No 24 initial maturation Refill Botto Bourbon Hogshead, finish 24 months Fresh Sherry Butt 56.8% Bottle 404 of 663 

So.. let’s start with the Highland from the 1st day… the Deanston…

Deanston Chronicles Edition 1 46.3%

I had no idea what to expect with this one. It had been a while since I tried an “OB” (Original Bottle) Deanston – most have been from independent bottlers. So I was curious to try – especially as it was a special release. I later learned it was a mix of four casks from four decades -1977 Whisky Refill, 1994 ex-Madeira, 2004 ex-Amontillado, and 2011 ex-Bourbon – wow!  

  • Nose – Incredibly fruity, fresh orchard fruits, some apricots, baked red apples, toffee, some vanilla, sweet spices, a bit peppery
  • Palate – Is that red wine tannins? Red apple peels? Some Lebkuchen? Swirl it around and catch a variety of flavours… hmm mmm?

What a curious yet interesting malt! Absolutely marvelous on the nose, it was a bit odd on the palate. However many were quite taken with it. 

Sometimes we have certain prejudices – I will admit that Jura just hasn’t been my kind of distillery dram. This is exactly why I thought – time to test if THIS would be the expression that changes my mind! Spoiler alert – it wasn’t!

Jura “Anam na-h Alba” 9 year (19 Oct 20009 – 08 Apr 2019) Bourbon Hogshead Cask No 700993 58.1%

  • Nose – VERY maritime, lots of fresh sea spray, some waxy elements, forest
  • Palate – The prick of a cask strength, direct with no depth
  • Finish – Some spice and that’s it 

Overall it did not impress and reminded me why I’m not such a Jura fan. 

After our recent reminder that Glenmorangie IS much more my style, I was curious to try one of their NAS expressions.

Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram 43%

  • Nose – Exactly as expected – a lovely light sherry dram, some orange joined by plum cake, with some nutty notes too
  • Palate – Soft, sweet, and creamy milk chocolate
  • Finish – A light spice with some ginger

It wasn’t a “stand-out” dram, instead just a proper palate pleaser. A nice transition from the disappointing Jura to even more interesting drams to come.

What more do we know? It was 1st released as a Limited Edition in 2015 and again for Christmas 2017, using Bourbon and Oloroso casks, partially finished in PX Sherry casks. 

My tasting companions were raving about the Edradour – so I simply had to join their experience! Edradour is known as a small distillery, devoted to traditional methods and producing some mighty fine results with some firm fans out there. 

Edradour 2007 18 year Cask Strength (Nov 2007 / Jan 2021) 59.2% 1,362 Bottles

  • Nose – Light fruit, loads of ripe plums, blossoms, honey, vanilla, shortbread, lemon sponge cake, 
  • Palate – Starts with a nice spice, some fruits – even tropical like papaya, waxy, red currents, nuts, a truly lovely balance, smooth
  • Finish – Light cinnamon and ginger, very soft and comforting til the end

This is one beautiful whisky – restrained and elegant. Well worth trying – classic and quality hand-in-hand. My scribbles also described this as a “snuggly whisky” which cues up a comfort dram. Fabulous!

After such an enjoyable experience, it was a tough dram to follow. Being a bit of an Old Pulteney fan, my eye was drawn to this Signatory bottle…

Old Pulteney 14 year (27 May 2008 / 9 Jun 2022) Cask No 24 initial maturation Refill Bourbon Hogshead, finish 24 months Fresh Sherry Butt 56.8% Bottle 404 of 663 

  • Nose – Quite pronounced sherry! That 2 years in Sherry Butts really came through in the aromas! With Sherry influence came all the “usual suspects” – Christmas pudding, lots of prunes, sweet spices, and more
  • Palate – Heavy and rounded
  • Finish – Full and long, closing on ginger snaps!

What a marvelous and powerful dram. I have a funny feeling this one could do with a drop or two of water too! 

Lest you think I was being a complete lush – the drops you see in the photos were all that was consumed. Literally, a small splash in the glass to tease out some impressions. With some, I also lingered, taking my time – like the lovely Edradour! All in all, I’m very appreciative both of the opportunity to meet fellow whisky explorers and spend a weekend discovering a dram or two together.

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Minis – Edradour 17 year (1999) Bordeaux Cask Finish 55.2%

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I gotta admit, I’ve had hit and miss experiences with wine finishes but generally like most Edradour whiskies so was very curious to see what they did with a Bordeaux finish.

Edradour 17 year (1999) Bordeaux Cask Finish 55.2%

  • Nose – Started with a peculiar rubber, plastic… then citrus, sour, tannins, ripe dark plum, a sharpness, spice at the back, grapes. After the 1st sip, big nose, bursting with fruits, oats, wet hay, porridge, brown sugar and raisins, stewed apple peels
  • Palate – Dry wood, lots of flavour, prunes and plums, dark cherries, solid body, touch of leather
  • Finish – Stays, a subtle spice that holds…  extremely long with a fruity tale
  • Water – Explosion of sweet, much more round, white peach… fabulous

The danger of storing things in hot humid Mumbai is it isn’t kind on plastic or rubber. We speculated if a bit of the initial queer aromas on opening was linked to a terrible storage mishap.

But after some time, we got past the that to – Wow! Power packed. After time, the nose settled down yet also took on a musty quality, the flavours remained big and bold.

So we set it aside to continue our explorations of the other minis. We returned and found again that slightly peculiar plastic then got past it to again wow! Compelling… it was like a completely different whisky…

  • Nose – A potpourri of aromas, rose petals, perfumes, soaped, changed again to plastic then back to fruits and berries
  • Palate – Lemon pie, eve a sweet and tart key lime pie… nope… maybe kumkuat? Mangosteens? Custard apple? Starfruit? Jackfruit?! You get it – a kaleidoscope of fruits!
  • Finish – Spice, sweet and just yum!

So what do the folks over at Master of Malts have to say?

The Edradour distillery is well known for finishing their Highland single malts in wine casks – and they get wonderfully specific with it sometimes. For example, this is a 17 year old expression, distilled in October 1999 and finished in a trio of Bordeaux hogsheads for 46 months before being bottled at cask strength in May 2017! A release of 911 bottles.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

  • Nose: Rich notes of stewed red berries and dark chocolate, with underlying menthol and parsley.
  • Palate: Oak-y spiciness begins to take shape on the palate with plenty of cinnamon, pink pepeprcorn and fresh cedar. Remains deliciously jammy with raspberries and cranberries.
  • Finish: Lasting sweetness of red liquorice.

As for what it would set you back? Approx $180.

So what did we try in our minis evening?

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Minis – Edradour Fairy Flag 15 year 46%

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When this mini was picked up a few years ago, you could find Edradour’s tribute to the film “The Fairy Flag” on a few shelves around the world.

The story of The Fairy Flag is the union of the Clan Chief of the Macleod’s and Titania, a fairy maiden, with her flag said to be endowed with supernatural power, protecting the MacLeod’s… a flag that can be seen on display at Dunvegan Castle.

As mysterious as the maiden is whether the feature film was ever released!  Rory Mhor Nicoll and Peter Columbia, it doesn’t seem to have been officially released. Instead Rory’s association with Edradour led to a film about Edradour and a documentary about the making of the film.

Edradour Fairy Flag 15 year 46%

  • Nose – A heavy sherry pudding, dried fruits, yummy custard, caramel chocolate, coffee, cream cheese icing, citrus fruits
  • Palate – A wonderful spice – specifically dry spices, dry fruits, a puff of smoke
  • Finish – Had a terrific substance

We joked this was no flighty fairy, more like a gnome. And frankly delivered everything you would want in a whisky. It was also a terrific way to kick off our sampling evening.

We set it aside to revisit after sampling the others… We found it absolutely kept its character. If anything, it evolved into a sprightly dance – exceedingly tasty.

We enjoyed it so much wondered if it is still available – alas it is not… pity.

What do the folks over at Edradour have to say?

Following initial maturation in ex Bourbon casks for 8 years, this whisky has been matured for a further 7 years in fresh Oloroso Sherry casks. Mahogany in colour, this Single Malt is characterized by rich fruits, chocolate and a robust long warming finish.

  • Nose: Dried fruits like raisins and plums, vanilla.
  • Palate: Delicious rich Christmas cake with caramel and chocolate. Typical mouth feel coming from the old copper farm stills.
  • Finish: Sweet and spicy, lingering and warming.

Unchillfiltered • Natural Colour • Distilled, Matured and Bottled at Edradour.

So what did we try in our minis evening?

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Peaty Highlander – Ballechin Heavily Peated 12 year 54.5%

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Our explorations of Highland peaty drams led us to Edradour distillery with a full cask strength dram.

Ballechin Heavily Peated 12 year (May 2017) 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Cask 330 54.5% 251 Bottles

  • Colour – Bright gold
  • Nose – Wow! Floral yet with a power punch, some sharpness, sweetly herbal, cinnamon, star anise, then the floral dissipated to be replaced by maple bacon, honey sweetness with a citrus twist
  • Palate – Honey, maple syrup, very dry, holds and took on that distinctive maple bacon whisky, substance
  • Finish – Nutty, toothpaste, lovely spice, iodine
  • Water – Sour with no spice… given time revealed cinnamon then a nutty quality, like pressed almond oil

Our final conclusion was this would be a perfect monsoon whisky… one to enjoy when the heavy rains wash away all the heat and pollution, dropping the temperature too.

What did the folks at The Whisky Exchange have to say?

A single-cask Ballechin bottled at a cask-strength of 54.5% and exclusive to The Whisky Exchange, this heavily-peated single malt from Edradour distillery boasts a smoky, farmyard character to rival any Islay whisky. Balanced by sweet citrus and hints of honey, this is a fantastic dram which elegantly combines sweet, savoury and smoky notes to memorable effect.

TASTING NOTES BY BILLY ABBOTT (THE WHISKY EXCHANGE)

  • Nose: Sweet and green smoke at first: freshly sawn branches newly tossed on to a bonfire of burning pine. Hints of jelly-baby fruitiness develop, along with Vick’s Vaporub, honey and lemon lozenges and white toast with honey. The lighter notes at the front obscure but don’t hide a darker background of rich smoke.
  • Palate: Savoury smoke to start: smoked ham and signed lemons. White pepper heat mixes with bicycle-tire inner tubes, sharp lemon curd and a hint of creosoted fence. A bubble of black liquorice rises from the depths, bursting to reveal blackcurrants and anise.
  • Finish: Tar and char fade to leave bittersweet liquorice and lemon butter sauce.
  • Comment: Softer than many Ballechins, this brings together sweet and savoury notes, all wrapped up in a smoky blanket.

And what would it set you back? If, like our Whisky Lady, you purchased it from The Whisky Exchange in London, expect something around £80.

What else did we sample in our Whisky Ladies Peaty Highland drams evening?

What else have I tried from Edradour distillery?

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Whisky Live 2018 – Edradour Ballechin

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Edradour has been known as the smallest traditional distillery, up in Pitlochry, Perthshire part of the Highlands region.

Currently owned by Pernod Ricard, the Edradour distillery produces a range of different single malts under both the Edradour (unpeated) and Ballechin (peated) brands with a dizzying array of wine cask finished experiments as well!

And what did we try at Whisky Live Singapore in the VIP room? Two distinctly different drams…

Edradour Ballechin 8 year (2009) 46%

  • Nose – Had a lovely nutty quality – veering towards hazelnut and almond – with a clear influence of both the sherry dried fruits and a puff of smoke
  • Palate – Beautifully balanced between peat and sherry sweet, fruity, smooth and a light chilli spice, honey
  • Finish – Sweet sherry fruits and spice – delicious!

The gent who encouraged us to try was a merry Scottish fellow but completely mixed up the contents and context!

It is a marriage of Edradour’s un-peated ex-Sherry cask # 69 and the peated Ballechin ex-bourbon casks # 279, 280 and 281.

It was rather good and I was exceedingly surprised to discover how affordable it was in the UK at GBP 50… alas in Singapore it is a pricy SGD 198 (ie more than double at GBP 115).

Edradour Vintage 10 year (2008/2018) FF Sherry Cask No 8, Bottle 515 57.9% (LMdW)

  • Nose – Juicy berries, red fruits, clear robust sherry
  • Palate – Follows through on the palate with the nose, light sweet spice, black raspberries, dry
  • Finish – Full finish, with dry sweet spices of cinnamon bark and clove

No doubt this was some quality sherry and the bottle noted it was a first fill sherry cask.

If you are curious, in Singapore, this bottle goes for SGD 258 and was specially selected for La Maison du Whisky.

What about other Edradour’s sampled by our Mumbai based tasting clubs over the years?

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The Vault Fine Spirits trio at KODE

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Sometimes you have an opportunity to re-discover familiar drams in a completely different setting familiar friends…

That is exactly what happened one fine evening many months ago in Mumbai at KODE with Keshav Prakash featuring a trio from The Vault Fine Spirits Collection.

We began with a distinctly light then shifted gears completely to peat and closed with a sherry sweet. No serious tasting notes as this was purely an evening to quaff and enjoy with others who appreciate a good dram.

Other Vault whiskies normally found at KODE include:

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Random whisky tasting at KODE

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When we started our different whisky tasting clubs in Mumbai it was at a time where the offerings readily available beyond whiskies personally brought into the country were rather limited. Fast forward and today it is possible to have a respectable flight… right here in the city… for a price.

That shared, we likely won’t see many single casks entering anytime soon… in part because to import requires donating a “sample” for testing purposes. When a product has only say 100 bottles in the world and to sell at best a handful in a particular state, it becomes impossible to justify such a “donation”.

So while the more unusual limited edition specimens likely won’t show up anytime soon,  the overall range is sufficient for those curious to be inducted into the world of single malts and whiskies in general.

Which is exactly what we sat down to accomplish one fine evening at KODE in Mumbai early April.

My sampling companions and I warned the waiter that we would be requesting different bottles, sniffing then selecting so to be patient with us. And they were.

We began with a clear progression from light to distinctive profiles…

I’d initially thought to start with Compass Box Hedonism as it is such an unusual yet light whisky. They were just out of stock, so shifted instead to a readily accessible “appetizer”:

Our palates now acclimated, our real journey began with:

I then wanted to shift gears to start to discern more subtle complex flavours… It was wishful thinking to hope Glendronach 18 year might be available however did have a choice between the 12, 15 and 21 year... We went with:

  • Scotland – Glendronach – Glendronach 15 year “Revival” 46%*

Then split into the following to cater to the emerging different palate preferences of my sampling companions:

As conversation veered towards talk of casks and the difference between a Scottish single malt and Bourbon, I thought it would be good to do a wee detour to the US to contrast what we sampled so far with Bourbon & Rye:

Then proceeded to compare the nuances between very similar whiskies from Glenmorangie that have different finishes:

  • Scotland – Highland – Glenorangie Lasanta 12 year 46% – Olorosso & PX Sherrry finish
  • Scotland – Highland – Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 year 46% – Port finish

And finally we closed with a split between revisiting whiskies that “stood” out for my companions:

*Just in case you were wondering what all the “asterisk” mean… each of these bottles were brought into India thanks to Keshav Prakash with The Vault Fine Spirits. I’m incredibly proud of what Keshav and his team have achieved and have made a huge impact on the range now available in Mumbai. Thank you!

KODE – Freestyle Bar and Kitchen

Ground Floor – 11, Oasis City, Kamala Mills – Entrance #2, Lower Parel,, Mumbai, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013. Tel: 077188 82924

PS It may seem like an insane quantity of whisky but keep in mind we were splitting 30 ml singles – focusing more on sniffing, swishing and savouring.

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Edradour 12 year ‘Caledonia’ 43%

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I first tried Edradour’s ‘Caledonia’ back in 2013 as part of an evening that featured a Glenlivet quarter of 12, 15, 18 and 21 years. Personally I quite enjoyed the Edradour’s robust character however some in our group weren’t fans.

I then purchased an Edradour 10 year which fuelled two whisky tasting sessions featuring Signatory whiskies (original & Bombay Malt + Cigars) where I discovered how wonderfully its sherry berry warmth paired with cigars.

For me, the Edradour 10 was a rich desert whisky – not one for every day but when in the mood for its dark fruity flavours, was a darn good dram.

So when picking out minis in London a few months ago, naturally thought to revisit the Edradour Caledonia!

edradour-12-year-caledonia

Here is what we found:

  • Nose – Rich dried fruits, bursting with dates, nuts and generous dollop of rum, christmas cake literally soaked with dark rum, chocolate rum raisins, very sweet, then other elements emerges like the creamy frosting on a mince pie, a hint of salty brine, now cake with a rich fatty vanilla ice cream, almost like sweetened condensed milk, butter tart with pecans and raisins, sticky toffee pudding…
  • Palate – Sweet spices of cloves, cinnamon, allspice and a little star anise, bread pudding, berries, very ‘full’ big and bold
  • Finish – A proper finish! With sweet spices including a more pronounced star anise element, a bit bitter and deliciously long

What was most remarkable about this whisky was how the nose evolved. From the typical sherry notes to a slightly salty then creamy character, it then took on a very sweet coffee chocolatey malt like a rich dark stout, then after even more time elapsed had a vegetal quality like stumbling into a vegetable patch with cabbage and cucumbers… when we revisited after an hour, could not believe what happened! The vegetable patch had become a sour mash?!

While the end note wasn’t so appealing what was remarkable is the range of aromas…

Overall it was such a treat to revisit and we quite enjoyed this dram. We appreciated its desert-like quality however wouldn’t recommend leaving it for an hour or more… Best to just keep sipping and enjoying!

Good news for India – you can actually buy this whisky through the folks over at The Vault or even now in Delhi duty free! Here’s what they have to say:

This 12 Year Old has spent the last four years of its maturation in oloroso sherry casks. Caledonia is a toast to songwriter Dougie MacLean who had selected a single oloroso cask from 1997 as part of the homecoming celebrations and named it after his most famous song, ‘Caledonia’. Its enthusiastic reception led to the adoption of the whisky’s name on a permanent basis.

Tasting Notes: This full golden whisky starts off with a nose of peppermint, sugared almond, a hint of sherry, honey and spicy smoky notes. The palate is minty clean, malty and has a remarkable creamy texture for a relatively light malt. The finish is mellow and warming.

Related posts:

Other miniatures sampled:

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Signatory session take two with cigars!

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Quick before oxidation did too much damage, I wanted to share with the BMC lads a sampling from my earlier Signatory session.

However as whisky gremlins (aka friends and I) got into the Edradour and the Bunnahabhain too, it was clear augmentation would be needed to have sufficient for my sipping companions as we puffed on our cigars, post initial tasting. With this group, tasting is not the end, merely the selection process to settle down to savour a further dram or two with a cigar, some nibbles and convivial conversation.

2016-02-19 Oak League1

So what did I do? First began with what our merry malt men had to say about the whiskies…

We kicked off with the Speyside – Glenburgie 18 year (13 June 1995 / 20 Feb 2014) Cask No 6451, 391 bottles 46%.

  • Nose – Flowers, perfume, summer meadow
  • Palate – Surprisingly robust
  • Finish – Spice
  • Water – Adds ‘wood’ brought out vanilla and moss
  • Overall – Light bright and sprightly

Then followed up with the Islay – Bunnahabhain 26 years (6 June 1988 / 7 Aug 2014) Cask No 1874, 175 bottles 48.6%.

  • Nose – Varnish, lots of esters, pineapple, a flick of mint?
  • Palate – Smooth, a bit oily, tart granny apples…
  • Finish – Sits… very dry, black pepper
  • Water – Spicier, less acidic, brings out the peppers and even a medicinal quality on the nose. Then was that gasoline??
  • Overall – One commented the whisky made his lips numb! Certainly not a favourite (and yet the bottle was empty by the end of the evening… Oh the sacrifices these gentlemen will make!)

Closing our Signatory trio in the Highland‘s with the Edradour 10 year (2 Nov 2004/26 Mar 2015) Cask No 406, Bottle 440 46%

  • Nose – Very chocolaty, vanilla, prunes, fig newton, varnish, rum raisin
  • Palate – Very smooth, little pepper, lime?
  • Finish – Not long but rather pleasant
  • Water – Softens, mellows it out and makes it even sweeter
  • Overall – The kind of whisky to sip in a comfy chair, very palatable, well balanced and well rounded

Having tried all three before, I found the Edradour stood up best after being opened. Alas the Glenburgie had clearly lost some of its earlier nuances. And the Bunnahabhain? Let’s just say it is not one to sit in a bottle. The most expensive of the trio was also the most disappointing.

But what to sip with our cigars?

One already has clear sherry preferences. For him, he likes his whiskies robust and full of flavour. Aberlour just so happens to be a personal favourite, so it was only natural to introduce him to the gorgeous A’bunadh Batch 35.

For another, we earlier spoke of enjoying a good Irish dram – when in the mood for something a little simpler and sociable. He’d sampled Tyrconnel before – even has a bottle at home – however had yet to try the Madeira finish.

Now, another member knows his stuff and nothing less than a complex, nuanced and very special dram will do! I knew what remained in my whisky cabinet would not meet such standards. Closest was a few remaining rare Japanese whiskies yet only a single dram left – clearly insufficient to support a good cigar. So the Signatory trio would simply have to do.

And the last? I still haven’t pegged his preference beyond a desire to try something ‘different’. So added an unpeated Paul John Classic into the mix.

My experience pairing with the cigar? I initially thought the Edradour with its rich sherry notes would pair best with my robusto. Imagine my surprise to discover the delicate Glenburgie held its own.

Slainthe!

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