Secretly, or maybe not so secretly, there are some true gems among the whiskies that normally end up in blends. Teaninich, Dailuaine, Benrinnes and Auchroisk are some that come to mind instantly, and I’ve had some real belters from those distilleries.
Unfortunately, when an official release comes out they tend to be part of Diageo’s Special Releases with the expected price tag to go with it. Luckily, there are independent bottlers like Dràm Mòr and many others that also release casks from those distilleries. And since they mostly release single casks, the quality tends to be up there.
This one matured in a bourbon cask, which I hope results in some nice and fruity notes without getting too heavy and ‘Christmassy’. Let’s find out!
Sniff:
Chalky with sawdust and straw. Green apple, coconut, star fruit and hessian. Quite crisp, all in all.
Sip:
The palate has quite a syrupy sweetness, with more ripe and more tropical fruit. Some heat from the abv, with oak and a lot of barley. Later on coconut mats, hessian.
Swallow:
The finish is surprisingly dry with a bigger focus on oak and pepper.
Not overly fruity but a true bourbon cask nonetheless. Slightly more dry and ‘ingredient focused’ than I expected from a whisky that has been in first fill bourbon wood for a decade and a half, but a lovely dram nonetheless. I wouldn’t mine sipping my way through more of it!
87/100