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By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/21/2019 | Send Email
This delectable little single grain is easily one of the most exciting we've bottled to date and I argue compares favorable to the very old stuff for 3-4 times the price. The problem with grain whisky is that generally it goes into casks that don't have much to say, since it's a much less complex spirit than single malt, the result is something that doesn't have much to say until it's very old. But here we have a little more than your typical 4th fill hoggie. Of course, we're not talking a big bold sherry bomb, but the influence of the cask is undeniable and unusual for grains of this age. Instead of the simple creamy easy nose, we've got added depth, a savory complexity that's almost never present in single grain. With water, there's gorgeous wild flowers, bright plummy fruit, lemon grass, hyssop, very fresh and very herbal. On the palate the texture is medium. The creamy coconut qualities of grains is evident, but also some rummy notes and a feeling of old brandy. No doubt that this is an usual and exciting expression and we hope to see more grain whisky in sherry. This one loves a good dollop of water to soften up and bring fruity grain out.
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By: Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/19/2019 | Send Email
I feel like I’m literally tasting from the barrel. The spirit seems so fresh after spending 27 years in a refill sherry butt. It’s hot and zippy but with that comes a brightness that I’m not used to finding in such an old scotch. If you can make your way past the heat, there are beautiful notes of dark caramel apple, toasted marshmallow with cooked banana, and oak spice on the nose. On the palate, a tingly sensation is coupled with cherry rock candy and raspberry lollipop. I found the addition of water didn’t seem to do much for me in terms of opening up the spirit but it did tone down the heat, which ended up accentuating the caramel notes and even brought out some roasted coffee and red berry flavors. You’d be hard-pressed to find a scotch this old at this price.
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By: Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/19/2019 | Send Email
It's hard to argue with a deal like this. This has the kind of complexity and richness only whisky that has spent two and a half decades in a refill sherry butt can provide. On the nose, cracked wheat, banana flambé and even hints of tangerine fruitiness. The palate is creamy with soft toasty oak underlying a rich honey and fruit melange. The finish is long and lasting with fruits and toast. This is FULL flavored, complex and utterly smooth.
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By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/19/2019 | Send Email
Single grain whisky occupies a fascinating spot in the drinking world. Rarely though about, often entirely unknown, yet utterly delicious and extremely appreciated by those in the know. Typically grain whisky is just regarded as the bulking agent in blended Scotch to stretch the flavorful malt farther. The grain for this purpose rarely reaches age statements that excite anyone. Young grain, while indeed quite tasty (think Nikka Coffey Grain), isn't typically super compelling. When a cask reaches a ripe old age that could be talked about in decades, something magical happens. The soft grain starts to show cream and fruit notes. It develops tons of complexity in its own right. Add to that a well matched cask and you've got a cheap but wonderful whisky. This sherry butt - a rarity in the grain world - is the perfect partner for this 27 year old Cameronbridge. A first or second fill cask would frankly be too overpowering for the more subtle grain, this refill barrel complements the whisky perfectly. It adds just enough spicy kick and dried fruits to take this grain from merely tasty to exquisite. Pepper hits upfront, cinnamon mingles in the finish. Cream envelopes singed orange peel and sultanas. Caramel and vanilla abound. Similar casks hover around $200 bucks per bottle. Once again, there is simply no contest when compared with K&L's ability to offer whisky direct from Scotland.
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