Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 52.9%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex sherry faraon oloroso
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Valinch & Mallet Ltd.
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: www.valinchandmallet.com
After the excellent Benrinnes 16yo of which I wrote about a few weeks ago, the second whisky from the latest batch of Valinch & Mallet, for which Davide Romano at MWF 2024 confessed to me to have a weakness, is this single cask ex sherry faraon oloroso from Knockdhu, distilled in 2013 and bottled 11 years later, at 52.9%, in 339 bottles still widely available.
Knockdhu has long earned, also thanks to its AnCnoc, considerable credit among enthusiasts. I’m curious to test it with one of my favorite IB.
Tasting Notes
The color is gold with amber veins.
On the nose, you’re welcomed by ripe apricots, juicy and tasty, which pair with dried figs, with the addition of a floral hint of violet and a spice based on nutmeg. A note of damp earth is accompanied by one of caramel that becomes thicker during the olfactory analysis, although without ever transcending. A balsamic hint of licorice transmits a sensation of freshness; at the same time, raisins, weaker, and shortcrust pastry, more intense, pleasantly enrich an aromatic range in which milk chocolate also peeps out.
On the palate, yellow orange reigns supreme, at least at the beginning, with a softness of body supported by an impression of Malaga. A sprinkling of pepper enlivens the profile, while the surprising presence of cedar helps to degrease the whole which, although without excess, tends to lean towards the sweet, with white chocolate, caramel and panna cotta. Summer memories of melon complete a harmonious and original picture in which the alcohol content appears to be centered to the vintage.
The long-lasting finish features caramel and yellow orange on top, with a general creamy sensation diluted over time that envelops the palate.
This whisky belongs to the The Young Masters Edition series: the perfect placement for a drink in which the truly masterful management of the ex-sherry cask stands out, capable of an original, sensitive but not violent contribution to an already high-profile distillate.
Vote: 88/100