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Glengoyne – Cask Strength Batch 6

 

Notes: I visited Glengoyne from a day trip from Glasgow. The distillery was quite pretty, nestled within a small nook in the hillside. I tasted a few offerings, including the 12yo, 18yo and 21yo. This cask strength offering was the final tasting, and my favourite of the day.

“Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has released Batch No. 6 of its Cask Strength expression – the first ever expression in the series that has been 100% matured in sherry oak casks.

Bottled un-chillfiltered at its natural strength of 59.8%, Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch No. 6 has been created from a combination of first fill European oak sherry casks, American oak sherry butts and refill sherry butts.”

Distiller: Glengoyne

Bottler: Glengoyne

ABV: 59.8%

Age: NAS

Source: Glengoyne Distillery

Colour: Russet

Nose: Rested 10 minutes. No water. Sweet sherry and caramel, biscuits, banana. With water, Banana comes out strong with notes of sherry, buttery. Slightly oaky.

Taste: No water. Rich creamy mouthfeel, sweet caramel and sherry. With water, Honey and caramel sweetness with more of a spiciness

Finish: Medium finish. Dry mouthfeel, sherry sweetness with spice and oakyness fading to citrus.

Overall: Well balanced sweet and spice that packs a punch. I think this is directly comparable to Aberlour’s A’bunadh, being less sweet and more malty, possibly less interesting but still a nice dram.

Rank: 7.7

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Balvenie – Triple Cask16

 

Notes: Master of Malt notes: 16 year old Balvenie single malt Scotch whisky from their Triple Cask range, which was launched for travel retail. The Triple Cask range is matured in first-fill American oak barrels, traditional refill casks and first-fill Oloroso Sherry butts. The 16 year old shows off a lot more vanilla and fruit than the 12 year old Triple Cask – the extra years in the casks also bring out plenty more fragrant, oak-y spices.

I picked this up from Heathrow on my way home from Scotland.

Distiller: Balvenie

Bottler: Balvenie

ABV: 40%

Age: 16 years

Source: Heathrow duty free

Colour: Russet

Nose: Slight funkiness, honey heather. The oak really comes out after resting. Rich and sweet.

Taste: Watery, slightly spicy, honey sweetness. Very slight nuttiness. Almond and marzipan.

Finish: Short/Medium finish. Dry. Honey sweetness that gives way to spice and pepper. Warm in the throat.

Overall: Sweet smelling to begin with but fairly lack luster in the mouth, felt very watery. While nice, this does not seem special and definitely does not fit at its high price point. Fairly uninspiring overall.

Rank: 6.9

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Dalwhinnie – Distillers Edition 2000 (bottled 2016)

 

Notes: While recently in Scotland my wife and I were driving between Aberfeldy and Elgin, and happened upon Dalwhinnie distillery. I managed my convince my beautiful wife to a ‘rest’ stop. As part of my ‘rest’ I ordered a whisky flight there, which consisted of chocolate pairings with some wonderful drams. I left with this bottle, a ‘perfect dram glass’ and a slight skip in my step. I was very impressed with their offerings, and this was my favourite of the day.

 

Distiller: Dalwhinnie

Bottler: Dalwhinnie (D. SX. 312)

ABV: 43%

Age: Distilled 2000 – Bottled 2016

Source: Dalwhinnie Distillery

Colour: Russet

Nose: Sweetness of honey, slight spiciness, but really very mild on the nose. Slight floral notes, but not too pronounced. After resting some banana came out ^I’m sure there is a joke here

Taste: Smooth and mellow. Vanilla/honey sweetness, slighty spice, peppery.

Finish: Medium long finish. Peppiness, which slowly mellows out to a lovely sugary honey sweetness. Slightly oily mouthfeel.

Overall: To me the greatest part of this is the finish. It leaves an amazing feeling in my mouth, a peppery sweetness which just leaves me wanting more and more. Very well balanced with no one part overpowering the other.

Thanks for taking a look 🙂

Rank: 8.1

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Aberlour – A’bunadh Batch #59

 

Notes: Recently I have been trying a few different Sherry finished Whiskys. I am not sure that they are my favourite, however I wanted to try out this offering from Aberlour. I like the idea of the variations between batches.

Distiller: Aberlour

Bottler: Aberlour Batch #59

ABV: 60.9%

Age: NAS

Source: Dan Murphys retail

Colour: Auburn, Mahogany

Nose: Strong alcohol to begin, fruity apple after alcohol resides, followed by faint wood and sweetness

Taste: Initially I was hit by big sweetness (probably the Sherry?) followed by a lot more sweetness. Slightly hot, slightly woody. No water necessary even at high ABV.

Finish: Medium/long, spice/sweet finish. Dry mouthfeel.

Overall: I think I will use this as an example of a Sherry bomb. Very enjoyable. Maybe too sweet for my palate to enjoy all the time.

Rating: 7.9