Here we go. The beautiful color tells us we’re firmly in sherry-bomb territory, a healthy auburn (1.4). The nose is explosive, with baking spices, roasted almonds, tinned stone fruit, and complex aromas of dark-roasted coffee. The palate is dense and chewy, offering surprising depth of roasted malt and zesty orange oil alongside rich, sweet dried fruit. It’s a classical, if not entirely unexpected, style. We might have assumed that enthusiasm for dense, dark, sherried malt would have faded decades after aficionados first embraced it, but drinkers both new and old still adore this profile. It may never have gone out of fashion, but it has certainly become far more expensive. For sherry lovers, this is the deal of the year. Hands down.

No other bottler is offering such a diverse selection of high quality casks at such compelling prices. The Thompson brothers entered the whisky business through pure passion, and that passion has opened doors within the complex and often opaque world of cask trading. As the exclusive US source for Thompson Bros whiskies, we are able to translate those relationships into remarkable opportunities for our customers. Hand selected by the team at Dornoch Distillery and approved by our own buying panel, this exceptional cask underscores the uncompromising commitment to quality that has become synonymous with the Thompson Bros name. A first fill Oloroso hogshead from Braeval is a genuine rarity from a distillery whose spirit is overwhelmingly matured in refill barrels and hogsheads, making this richly seasoned expression a particularly special find. Founded in 1973 as Braes of Glenlivet by Chivas Brothers, Braeval was conceived as a modern, highly efficient blending workhorse, perched high in the hills near Chapeltown in Speyside. Built during the post war blending boom and later renamed in 1994 to avoid confusion with The Glenlivet, the distillery has long supplied malt for the heart of the Chivas Regal range. Official bottlings remain scarce, and heavily sherried examples rarer still, which makes a first fill Oloroso cask like this all the more compelling. When a quiet giant of Speyside meets thoughtful cask selection, the results speak for themselves.