Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 57.1%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Company
Average price: € 100.00
Official website: www.signatoryusa.com
The bottler Signatory presents several series, including the fixed alcohol content 100 Proof Edition, to which a sub-category with a higher alcohol content known as Exceptional Cask Edition has recently been added. This is the result of combining a few casks (two or three), always ex-sherry and not cask strength, which are distinguished by their black label and, as is often the case with these series, an affordable price.
In this case, I have a 2007 Craigellachie distillate matured in several first-fill ex-oloroso sherry butts until bottling in July 2024.
Tasting Notes
Quite pungent on the nose, with an alcohol content that is initially a little harsh, but quickly gives way to fruity notes of red berries (blueberries, currants, wild strawberries, raspberries), raisins and black cherries, with hints of jam and tart. And it is precisely the pastry notes that follow in the background, with shortcrust pastry, chestnut honey, sweet liquorice and marzipan, accompanied by hints of black pepper and cinnamon and an impression of cocoa. Herbaceous and mineral veins, wet earth, tobacco leaves and a slight menthol note. Full-bodied.
The entrance in the mouth is liqueur-like, dense and spicy, with all the sweet acidity of fruit, here even more pronounced in the jam, between blackberries and blueberries, with spices (black pepper, cinnamon, chilli) and tannins that sizzle on the tongue. Lively citrus notes of blood orange and lemon zest, while baked sweetness develops over time, with an impression of Black Forest cake. Blackberry jelly, liquorice, almonds and more vegetal notes, even more balsamic/mentholated. The addition of water softens the edges, enhancing the pastry and herbaceous aspects.
The finish is quite long and spicy, with red fruit jam, liquorice, marzipan, vegetal and mentholated notes.
Review: Slightly less active casks might have been beneficial for the ageing process, which is a little too exuberant despite having a beautiful richness at its core. Even the addition of water doesn’t change the overall impact much, leaving the impression of an almost excessive sherry connotation.
Vote: 85/100