Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 55.1%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Château Lafitte
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: J & A Mitchell & Co Ltd.
Average price: € 100.00
Official website: www.cadenhead.scot
Over the years, many proposals from Cadenhead, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland, have been reviewed on the blog, but not many from the Wine Series, which, as the name suggests, collects whiskies that have undergone finishes of varying lengths in ex-wine casks.
Today, we enrich the list with a Strathmill, a Speyside distillery from the giant Diageo, distilled in 1995, which spent the years from 2009 to 2015 in an ex Château Lafitte cask (Bordeaux wine), before being bottled at 55.1%ABV, in its natural color and without chill filtration, in only 264 incredibly still available bottles.
The ex-wine casks continue to fascinate me greatly, and I am really curious to understand how it went in this case.
Tasting Notes
The color is bright amber.
The very first sensations that the smell evokes call to mind red fruits, particularly strawberries and raspberries, with a touch of aged wood. A strong spicy dimension is highlighted with pepper, nutmeg, and thyme, while citrusy reminiscences, in the tones of orange zest, accompany a note of raisin and creamy jolts based on Malaga ice cream and, later on, vanilla. Periodic balsamic undertones completing a picture of certain interest.
On the palate, the whisky, enlivened by a spiciness that perfectly aligns with what was detected on the nose, reveals a truly seductive creamy texture, which translates retro-nasally into a return of Malaga (with an extra touch of cream), accompanied by a sweetness of red fruits that is not devoid, here, of a slight and not at all unpleasant hint of acidity. The alcohol content is well-integrated and actively contributes to supporting the aromas.
In the medium-persistent finish, dry and characterised by a hint of tannins, red fruits and vanilla return.
Review: Almost six years in an ex-wine cask have, as planned, left their mark. However, they have not overwhelmed the whisky, which, aside from a tannic aftertaste at the end, stands authoritatively, translating the influence of the wood into a remarkably inviting creamy sweetness.
Vote: 87/100