The season of the wood

What a collection we have for this month with some very interesting drams from across Scotland and one from our friends in Sweden

This is the authentic collection release, bringing in the finest Single Cask whiskies, exclusive to our Cadenhead shops. Here in London shop, we have a wide selection of single cask authentic collection, not to forget about our versatile small batch range as well.

We have added an additional online page since the last newsletter!

The VAULT – a place with odd bottles from past collections or those running low from current releases might be sent off to the vault. You will also find a few never released bottles suddenly appear in the Vault, so keep an eye on that page for you never know what will happen.

Check out the vault here

Throughout the ages whisky has been matured in different sizes and types of casks. Historically the most prominent cask type has been used wine casks, such as sherry and port. Wine as a whole is an ancient and revered drink that comes in many forms of flavour and texture. Some wines are sweet, crips and clear, whereas some deliver a lot more dryer notes.

All these features of wine have an influence on the wood and eventually the whisky that matures inside the cask. Sherry and port casks often give delicious tones of darker stewed fruits, chocolate cake and raisins.

Then there are other lighter wines, which marry the flavours of whisky with berries and cream – sometimes reminding us of strawberry yoghurt. For some, these kind of wines serve also as dessert whiskies, due to their sweeter elements.

Despite the fact that majority of modern whisky is matured inside used Bourbon casks, as a choice of maturation, they are a newer option. Used Bourbon casks commonly bring whiskies flavours of vanilla, toffee and other sweets, leaving a thick and tasteful texture in the mouth. Partially the oiliness of the palate comes from the charring process of the casks, which opens up the wood and lets the oils flow freely inside it.

In this release, we are celebrating the diversity of the wood finishes and the great stories they bring to us in a form of a whisky. You get to explore various selection of Sherry and Wine, which are wonderful options during the summer time. Then again, the ex-Bourbon cask matured ones still remind you of why some of the best whiskies in the market like to use the American cousin’s craft of flavours and texture, bringing in some of the finest drams in this wonderful season. Distillery focus this month has to be Aultmore, as we have at the moment – an interesting range of casks, each one different to the next.

The Distillery was established in 1896 by Alexandra Edward who also had Craigallachie distillery, luckily the distillery went from strength to strength. As the years passed by the quality of the distillate was recognised as being one of the finest.

By 1923 the distillery was in the hands of John Dewar & Sons before Dewars joins the Distillers Company.

Production was doubled in the early 1970’s with a steady growth in place. The distillery was in a good position in the 1990’s and was snapped by a larger company, which extended the range of vintages on the open market.

Aultmore-Glenlivet 12yo (2006) 56.4%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Menthol. Very creamy, Choux pastry and banoffee Pie.

Taste: butterscotch, ground almonds, soft lime and then some autumnal forest notes and dried apple crisps.

Finish: Light and fruity with faint ginger and orange bitters.

Balmenach-Glenlivet 14yo (2004) 49.7%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Soft brown sugar, marshmallows, french fancies, and a little ginger ale.

Taste: Liquorice, iron – bru sweets, orange popping candy, and brown bread toast.

Finish: Hints of Calvados, chocolate orange and eucalyptus.

Benrinnes 18yo (2000) 58.7%: Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Geraniums, quite earthy with cherry cola and a faint whiff of antiseptic cream.

Taste: Rye bread, creamy with dunnage warehouse and then some peach skins and overripe pears.

Finish: Mixture of spice, earthy notes and then big juicy fruits.

Cameronbridge 30yo (1989) 57.9%: Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Nose: Mace, mustard seeds and Chinese five spice over lay – brandy snaps and golden syrup.

Taste: Full on toffee and candy floss with faint spice. Banana splits and pineapple chunks in syrup.

Finish: Softwood spice, macaroons, and caramelized onions

Dalmore 2001 18 years old 51.7% Sherry Highland Single Malt

Nose: Rich chocolate orange, touch of wood spice, then stewed fruits, pecan pie and butterscotch sauce.

Palate: Smoked almonds, orange liqueur and bramble jam. Profiteroles and Oloroso with a hint of dark rum.

Finish: Big and chewy, goes back and forth between orange peel, cream sponge, blackcurrants and pistachio nuts.

Fettercairn 11yo (2007) 57.6% Single Malt Whisky from Highlands

Nose: Milk chocolate, sponge cake and lemon curd. Green olives and pecans.

Taste: Spiced apple chutney, lemon meringue pie and hints of cranberries and greek yoghurt.

Finish: Toasted pine-nuts, marshmallows and custard creams with a touch of eucalyptus.

Girvan 9yo (2009) 61.4%: Pinot Noir (Since 2017) Single Grain Scotch Whisky

Nose: Raspberry jam mixed with spiced caramel. Slight earthy notes and then golden syrup and fruit pudding.

Taste: Rich, full bodied wine notes initially dominate before the spice and cream of the grain shines through, raspberry milkshake and digestive biscuits

Finish: Vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce with a little spice thrown into the mix.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 21yo (1997) 57.1%: Sherry Butt Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Thick sherry nose, raisins, figs and soft brown sugar. Some distant ash notes and then redcurrant jelly.

Taste: Big mouthfeel, soft spices with dry sherry notes. Melted chocolate, jelly sweets and freshly peeled ginger.

Finish: Growing toffee notes, mixing with raspberries and brambles along with whole cinnamon sticks and ground nutmeg.

Glen Spey-Glenlivet 17yo (2001) 54.5% Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Cinnamon buns, apple strudel and dried fruits with a hint of lemongrass and dandelions.

Taste: Creamy and nutty, nougat, salted peanuts and the some mint notes and dry white wine.

Finish: Lemony with hints of flint and basil.

Glen Scotia 27yo (1992) 45.0% Single Malt Whisky from Campbeltown.

Nose: oily and sooty. Some poached pear notes along with marzipan and new leather.

Taste: Sweet and fruity with a dirty sooty side. Wet ash with mango and lychee with a dollop of cream thrown in for good measure.

Finish: Long, olive oil and wet ash with effervescent fruity outbursts. Take your time with this one its worth it.

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 12yo (2007) 59.3%Single Malt Whisky from Speyside

Nose: Vanilla cream sponge, spearmint and a hint of rosemary.

Taste: Very creamy but with satsuma notes, dried bananas, toffee sweets, and strawberry yogurt.

Finish: Long and creamy with intermingling fruits.

Mackmyra 11yo (2007) 49.5%: Small Barrel Single Malt Swedish Whisky from World whiskey range.

Nose: Lemon, creamy notes with a touch of raw spices. Sandalwood and cigar boxes. Touch of parma ham and then a slightly chalky lemon note.

Taste: Cedar-wood, gooseberry jelly, quince and then a faint trace of wood smoke.

Finish: A Long interplay between wood spice and double cream.

Ord 14yo (2005) 54.8% Single Malt Whisky from the Highlands

Nose: Salmon pate and cream cheese. Lemon bonbons and toasted almonds.

Taste: Shortbread, dried cranberries, honeycomb, and melted white chocolate.

Finish: Soft earth notes hide behind a big dollop of clotted cream and then some red berries

Tomatin 10yo (2009) 59.1%: Chilean Red Wine (Since August 2017)Single Malt Whisky from the Highlands

Nose: Dark fruits and a hint of granite. rhubarb and custard, tapenade and icing sugar.

Taste: Thick red fruits wrapped around a creamy centre. Orange marmalade with salted butter and strawberry liqueur chocolates.

Finish: Rhubarb plants, almonds, walnuts and then some apricot jam. Tomatin wine cask (2)

Springbank 24yo (1994) 50.8% Refill Bourbon cask – Campbeltown Tasting Notes

Nose: Syrupy and musty, dunnage warehouse with apricots, nectarines and pear drops.

Taste: Initially light smoke, then kiwi and lime mixed with mango, pink peppercorn, soot and olive oil. Peaches and cream with a hint of peat.

Finish: Long lingering mouth coating syrupy fruits. Becomes oiler with hints of creosote but always remaining fresh.

Hope you like the selection this month with a wide variety of woods and vintages for you to ponder over not an easy choice to make for some.

Next month we will be digging into some small batch whiskies just before the Bank holiday.

Until then have a great month.
From all at the Cadenheads London shop.

Cadenheads Whisky Shop & Tasting Room
26 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7QFT