Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 57.8%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry butt refill, finished in ex-Sherry hogshead
Chillfiltered: No
Additional Coloring: No
Owner: J& A Mitchell & Co Ltd.
Average price: € 65.00
Official website: www.cadenhead.scot
Vote: 88/100
We are introducing a series from the well-known bottler Cadenhead’s that has never before been touched upon, the Small Batch, which includes bottles made from the vatting of two or three casks (four at the most) bottled cask strength.
In this case we have a Balblair distilled in 2011 which after spending six years in an ex-Sherry puncheon was poured into two hoghshead casks also ex-Sherry for another two years, finally joined by bottling the cask strength whisky and, as always, completely natural.
It’s probable that the splitting was decided to impart different aromas to the spirit, perhaps far from the wishes of those who had chosen the cask: after all, that’s what finishes are for.
Tasting notes
Gold with copper highlights in the glass.
A vinous attack on the nose, just like grape must, with that tart sweetness that titillates without overdoing it. Red fruits, wild strawberries and sultanas follow closely behind, with jammy tones to spread over the hints of pandolce that join the company. Iodine touches in the background with spicy caresses (cinnamon and a pinch of anise), a vague medicinal impression. The Sherry is there but is balanced and sly. Thin layer of propolis.
Almond paste with a whiff of chilli and ginger combined with red fruits, yellow peaches, unripe pears, sponge cake. More convincingly sherried but still with a certain decorum, alternating more sour and spicy tones (aniseed again, gingerbread, liquorice root) with sweet ones (chocolate, hazelnuts, brown sugar). Splinters of wood in the background, with just a hint of tobacco.
Quite long finish of hazelnuts, liquorice, ginger, yellow orange.
The choice of dividing the maturation in two casks proved to be a winning one, the influence of sherry is tamed and balanced as rarely happens, in a full and convincing whisky which, despite its youth, already knows how to surprise.