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.
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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