MOSSBURN CASK COLLABORATION SERIES CONTINUES
WITH MOSSBURN 12 YO DOMAINE DUPONT CALVADOS CASK FINISH
The latest expression in the series celebrates the decades-long friendship
between the two producers with a whisky of elegance and intrigue.
Mossburn Distillers & Blenders Ltd today announces the release of a limited edition bottling of 12 year old Mossburn Speyside blended malt finished in Calvados casks from the renowned Domaine Dupont, a family producer with a history dating back to 1887. This expression builds on the success of the first Cask Collaboration Series that launched in 2023 with Mossburn Foursquare.
Mossburn and Domaine Dupont have worked together in many guises for several decades but this is the first time a collaborative bottle has been produced. The exclusive expression celebrates that longstanding friendship whilst embracing the modern world of whisky with this rare finish in Calvados, the French apple cider brandy.
The spirit started life as a classic expression of Speyside Malt Whisky, first aged for more than 12 years in ex- bourbon casks before re-aging in French oak barrels that previously held Calvados and Pommeau. It is released at batch strength, 57.2% abv.
Domaine Dupont is in Normandy, France, and is famous for making Calvados, a type of apple brandy, for which it is world-famous and highly decorated. The distillery can be traced back as far as 1887 as a farm and cider house before a focus on Calvados began in the 1980s. Etienne Dupont learned his craft in the cognac region before combining his new ideas with old expertise and even older orchards to produce a range of brandies that are truly refined and highly regarded across the world.
Whiskymaker, Neil Macleod Mathieson, comments: “When looking at collaborative efforts, one likes to turn to one’s oldest friends. Daving worked with the Dupont family for 30 years and admired the deft touch with which they introduce oak to their Calvados, I was sure this would allow us to use their locally coopered casks to great effect on a Speyside malt finish, emphasising its typical heathery and floral notes. Even before casking, we were imagining Autumn days and spiced baked apples – what a treat.”
This release is the second in the annual Cask Collaboration Series for Mossburn Distillers & Blenders, that will see Mossburn blend and finish a different Scotch each year in a special cask finish using barrels sourced from a distinctive world-renowned distillery across different spirit categories.
12 Year old Mossburn Speyside blended malt in Domaine Dupont Calvados casks
Tasting note:
Nose: The nose carries an immediate honied florality with baked red apples coming through. A touch of vanilla cream, pink peppercorn and some oaky spice sitting in the background.
Palate: Light, well rounded and initially delicate on the palate, more weight, length, and a touch of fire kicking in later. The casks have added a subtle undertone of apple sweetness which marries well with the heathery cereal notes of the whisky and matches the light ginger and spice coming from the oak.
Finish: Finishes with complexity and some apple crumble notes of toasted hazelnuts, sultanas and toffee brittle.
RRP: £65/ 80 EUR/ $90 USD
Stockist details: Master of Malt, Whisky Exchange
ABV: 57.2% abv batch strength
Treatment: No chill filtration. No colour added
No of bottles:
UK 1,400
US 2,580
Rest of Europe 3,540
Mossburn Distillers & Blenders is an independent bottler and blender and the whiskymakers behind Torabhaig Single Malt, set on one of Scotland’s most dramatic locations, the spectacular rugged coastline of the Isle of Skye. They also produce Caisteal Chamius blended peated scotch.
Mossburn Speyside Gold Medal 2023 IWSC.
