That Boutiquey Whisky Company, an independent bottled has released some extremely interesting bottles lately and this is no exception..  Boasting an age statement of 50 years,  yes I did say 50 years !! this single malt is both intriguing and intoxicating.

Hailing from an undisclosed distillery that is able to release a 50 yo certainty narrows it down a little and the fact this is a real sherry bomb in the very essence of the word gives off a few clues and you know this is going to be right up my street..

When a conversation between Dave Worthington and myself turned to this 50yo my first question was “ come on then Dave where is it from ?” The answer I received didn’t help much..

He had his suspicions but wasn’t prepared to commit so when I got the chance to try this and review it I jumped at it..

First impressions are Damn look at the colour, but after 50 years in a sherry cask what should I expect!!

This Speyside #1 50 yo is bottled at a strength of 48.6%,  is of course all natural colour ( extremely dark mahogany)

Nose.. This screams Christmas.. Dates, raisins, sultanas, candied orange, dried banana, cherries, chocolate and liquorice are all clambering out of the glass.. Oak, vanilla, toffee, worn leather, Manuka honey, and a soft tobacco note with the faintest whiff of smoke ( prob from the charring )

Palate..  A big Oak influence greets you before some sweetness breaks through.. The dried fruits take it to a dark side while the chocolate and coffee notes mingle with the typical notes of an aged malt.. Black Forest gateau meets thick gooey marmalade and Christmas pudding..

Finish.. Spicy, oaky and over too quick.

Thoughts.. Elegant, seductive, sexy, complex, deep, moody and decadent would all describe this whisky perfectly for me… Saying all that I could easily see this not appealing to everyone..

This is an extremely heavily  sherried whisky that just screams “old” So if you don’t want big sherry flavours and oak influenced whisky this isn’t for you.. But seriously if you can’t appreciate this then it’s tough !!

Having said that, this is a whisky that you should try, it is history in a glass..  Distilled sometime in the 60’s and if this cask could talk it would tell us a few stories..

This is a journey and experience that you want to remember, so sit down, relax, pour and enjoy..