In our second look at some indie
releases from retailers, it is the chaps over at Master of Malt who yet again throw
their creative brains into a cask, add in a bunch of spirit and leave it to
infuse.
Having stepped up their game in
terms of their own bottlings (crowing their releases with a 60 Year Old earlier this year), some of
the most memorable ones being an 18 year old Ardbeg last year and a very floral Bowmore before that, they have now released a new mini-series of
whiskies which have all been additionally finished in a small, first fill
sherry cask (50 litres).
The series, known as Darkness!,
features spirit from Ardbeg, Macallan and Clynelish distilleries as well as two from Benrinnes.
Benrinnes 15 Years Old, Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish, 53.3% abv: A
nose of rich fruits and oak, linseed oil and fresh leather. The palate gives a
firm oak note, followed by dark cherries, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fruity and
spicy. The finish is oaky and fruity with lasting spices. A big tasting dram.
Benrinnes 15 Years Old, Oloroso Cask Finish, 52.9% abv: A more subtle
dram with less big oak and more fresh pine (as you would expect from the
different style cask), raspberry and white chocolate. The palate is again more
subtle with cherry pie and apricot jam. The finish gives sandalwood and old
leather.
Macallan 15 Years Old, Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish, 52.3% abv: Ginger
and mint, this is the most closed of the five samples we have but over time
opens up to reveal vanilla and cream soda. The Palate is sweet and rounded, the
most easy drinking of the bunch and feels a lot older in flavour, with a hint
of sulphur and red apple. Finish plays with spent matches and meaty pulled
pork.
Clynelish 16 Years Old, Oloroso Cask Finish, 54.9% abv: Wood
polish/wax, butter beer, some sweet cure bacon and ghee on the nose. The palate
is hazelnut praline, walnuts and crunchie bar. The finish is chopped chilli and
milk chocolate.
Ardbeg 21 Years Old, Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish, 40.1% abv: Well,
this shows that no matter what cask Ardbeg spirit has been sitting in, you
always ‘come home’ to Ardbeg when you stick your nose in a glass of it. Classic
Ardbeg smoke, this isn’t a meaty dram it is quite delicate for a PX casked
whisky and at 21 years old comes from their lighter production period (in terms
of volume) of the early 1990’s. Apple
pie with cinnamon and warm custard on the nose, followed by a palate of very
delicate smoke, apple sours, some sour cherry, vanilla and lemongrass.
Of these initial samples, the two
Benrinnes showed up the best. The
biggest curveball was the Ardbeg
which we thought might end up somewhere in Lagavulin
16 territory but actually retains a huge amount of vanilla and green apple;
a surprisingly easy dram to drink but not a ‘sherry monster’ like the others.
This range is due to spin off battings
from other Scotch distilleries, including single grains (which we are
personally looking forward to the most) and already has a North British, Dailuaine,
two Aberlours, an Aultmore, a Glen Moray and a Tomintoul
(all carrying age statements) in their stable. Obviously, coming from such a
small cask, they are in 50cl bottles (the new ‘en vogue’ bottle size these
days, don’t ya know) and bottled at cask strength.
