Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Dràm Mòr Group
Official website: drammorgroup.com
Today we have a feast of whiskies from the independent bottler Dràm Mòr. Six single casks from six different distilleries, three from the Highlands, three from Speyside, with different maturations and original, tantalising finishings. The tasting order is strictly alphabetical.
Ben Nevis 2013 8yo
Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Strength: 56.7%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill, ex-Palo Cortado first fill
Average price: € 80.00
Distilled in 2013 and matured in a hogshead ex-Bourbon refill before being finished in an ex-Palo Cortado first fill cask for a total of 8 years, this Ben Nevis is offered at 56.7%ABV in 319 bottles.
Tasting Notes
The colour is golden.
On the nose, yellow orange and ginger are accompanied by yellow apple and pastry. A touch of wood is the prelude to a balsamic (mint) lunge that brings great freshness to the whole. Orange blossom and stewed oranges add to the already rich citrus side, while in the background a hint of vanilla and a hint of milk chocolate add sweetness.
The palate opens with a fruit salad of apricot, peach and yellow apple. Orange zest and orange cream confirm that the citrus dimension is inescapable, with a touch of pepper and, returning from the nose, a not-too-intense woody recollection that is truly perfect. The alcohol content is also not lacking.
The finish is slightly peppery and still rich in fruit (apricot and orange above all), with a creamy kiss of cappuccino that tickles you to continue drinking.
An (alcoholic) hymn to orange, in which the ‘construction’ of the whisky can be perceived, especially on the nose, with the vanilla base and the castle of sensations that follows. The ‘dirty’ soul of the Ben Nevis distillate is perhaps a little lost in the general sweetness, but whether that is a bad thing remains to be seen.
Vote: 86/100
Deanston 2012 9yo
Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Strength: 54.1%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill, ex-Malvasia Madeira first fill
Average price: € 85.00
Here we have a 2012 Deanston distillate which, after the usual ex-Bourbon refill maturation, completed its ageing in an ex-Malvasia Madeira first-fill cask for a total of 9 years before being bottled at 51.4%ABV in 274 bottles.
Tasting Notes
The colour is pale gold.
On the nose, culinary spices occupy almost the entire scene: cloves, nutmeg, marjoram, white pepper and rosemary form a suggestive picture, enriched by a hint of sultanas and a memory of old wood. As the olfactory analysis continues, the yellow apple in the spirit goes hand in hand with a yeasty sensation, while the creamy side aligns vanilla and nougat.
On the palate, there is an immediate hint of orange peel, followed by shortbread, oil bread and yellow apple. A few moments before the wildflower honey, a very peculiar impression of digestive herbal tea, with its bitter note, which is not present in the medium-long finish, where the yellow apple and a touch of pepper still accompany the wildflower honey.
An understated sweetness, without faintness, and a robust spicy side, especially on the nose, for a whisky whose greatest virtue is probably its delicate body, which makes it even more inviting.
Vote: 85/100
Glen Moray 2010 10yo
Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Strength: 54%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill, ex-Madeira first fill
Average price: € 95.00
Distilled in 2010, this whisky was first matured in a single hogshead ex-Bourbon non first-fill cask and then finished for an indefinite period in an ex-Madeira first-fill cask. After a total of 10 years, the output was 273 bottles at 54% ABV.
Tasting Notes
The colour is golden.
On the nose, the aromatic ensemble is quite varied, with crisp apple flesh, apricot yoghurt, a touch of pepper and a hint of jasmine, accompanied by a hint of freshly cut wood, a touch of malt and a balsamic scent reminiscent of eucalyptus. There is also a hint of vanilla in the background.
The palate is peppery, perhaps a little more than expected, but this does not detract from the overall pleasantness, which is underpinned by yellow apple, orange peel, apricot and peach yoghurt and a touch of violet. As the drink progresses, blackberry gummy candy and caffè macchiato also emerge, the latter bordering on a mirage.
In the medium-long finish, green apple and apricot go hand in hand, with a touch of pepper to enliven the picture.
The proverbial smoothness of the Glen Moray distillate is well matched by the aromatic contribution of the ex-Madeira cask, in a whisky that is decidedly in tune with its alcohol content.
Vote: 86/100
Tomatin 2010 10yo
Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Strength: 53.1%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill, ex-White Port first fill
Average price: € 90.00
Also distilled in 2010, this whisky was matured in a single first-fill ex-white port cask after the usual ex-bourbon refill period. Finishing in this type of cask is a first for us. Outturn of 178 casks at 53.1%ABV.
Tasting Notes
The colour is amber.
The nose is immediately fruity, with apricot and peach (also in syrup), a touch of wood, a hint of nutmeg and a floral side that brings to mind oleander and orange blossom. A balsamic note due to liquorice accompanies the entire olfactory analysis, which later records the assertion of a respectable creamy dimension; Catalan cream, custard and vanilla.
On the palate, the fruit is unparalleled and asserts itself with a fruit salad of apricot, peach, yellow apple and orange. In the background there is a touch of polished light wood, a hint of pepper and a hint of caramel.
In the medium-long finish, there is still plenty of fruit (especially apricot and peach) and some cream (Malaga and custard), while the pepper dries the mouth and prepares it for the next sip.
More interesting on the nose than on the palate, where it is a little monotonous in its fruity symphony, it is not a monster of complexity, but it is extremely pleasant to drink. Which, for the avoidance of doubt, is a quality that is anything but negligible.
Vote: 85/100
Tomintoul 2005 15yo
Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Strength: 55.1%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Sherry refill, ex-Calvados first fill
Average price: € 95.00
The only whisky today that is not first matured in ex-Bourbon casks comes from Tomintoul. Ex sherry second fill for this 2005 distillate and ex calvados first fill for the finish. An unusual combination that raises the bar for curiosity. After a total of 15 years, it was bottled at 55.1%ABV in 254 bottles.
Tasting Notes
The colour is pale gold.
On the nose, the first scent is that of a rose garden in May, followed by a hint of orange blossom, which makes the whole thing even more enchanting. Yellow apple and pear under brandy define the fruity side, while a balsamic note due to eucalyptus combines with a hint of custard. Wood is also present in the background. Apple vinegar in the distance.
The palate is slightly peppery, followed immediately by shortcrust pastry and citronella. A recollection of an old woodshed, which grows in intensity with time, travels hand in hand with an impression of orange peel, wrapped in a memory of yeast. Here, unlike on the nose, the alcohol is a little more noticeable.
In the medium-long finish, pepper accompanies yellow apple and pear in spirit, with a distant mirage of orange peel.
To be honest, we were expecting more variety and complexity, given the casks. Not that it is not pleasant, but it remains within the bounds of the pretty, without any peaks of quality.
Vote: 81/100
Speyside 2015 6yo
Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Strength: 53.5%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon refill, ex-Tawny Port first fill
Average price: € 70.00
This Speyside distillery whisky has been matured for 6 years from 2015, starting with the usual hogshead ex-Bourbon refill, followed by a first-fill ex-Tawny Port cask for the finish. Output of 271 bottles at 53.5%ABV.
Tasting Notes
Again, the colour is a pale gold.
On the nose, the attack is mellow; yellow apple, baked apple and applesauce (reminiscent of our childhood) fill the nostrils, tickled by a sprinkling of white pepper and hints of cedar, shortcrust pastry and, later, cappuccino and Malaga.
On the nose, the aromatic palette is an unimaginative array of shortcrust pastry, yellow apple, pear and vanilla, with light wood, orange peel and café au lait in the background.
The finish, far from being short, is decidedly monochrome, with vanilla, shortbread, cappuccino and a touch of pepper.
A fresh, spring-like whisky in which the contribution of the ex-port cask seems rather small. Given the dangers of this type of finish, this may be a good thing. The problem is that the result, while pleasant, does not leave any significant traces in the memory.
Vote: 82/100