Some distilleries excite you like a kid in a sweet shop, others are good enough to put a smile on the face and others just seem to underwhelm.

Edradour for me is a strange one, I love the whisky, i love the style and i always look out for those Ibisco decanter style bottles from them but even when i manage to get hold of them i still don’t get excited like i would expect to.

I always know i will enjoy the whisky, i know i like the aesthetics of the packaging so whats the problem ?

The only thing i can think is this distillery just isn’t one of the exciting ones, it is pretty, it is small but it isn’t sexy ( O, can i say that ? )

It is interesting as its not long ago i was involved in a discussion about the packaging and if we still buy because our eye has been caught, well i for one can not resist a nice wooden box or fancy bottle, i am a PR’s fantasy… Show me a bottle that is in my eyes attractive and put it in a nice wooden box and i am drooling, if its shiny then omg…

So why cant i get excited with Edradour? these decanters are stunning, they tick every box, the tubes are shiny, the whisky is great !!

So the discussion went something like this,

“Its about time we could have an option of buying a whisky without a box and then charge slightly less for it”

“why”

” well i don’t want to pay for the packaging”

“so what do you think will happen ? do you really think you wont pay in some way towards packaging ?”

“If i dont get the tube i won’t have to pay for it”

“Who is paying for it then ? “

“Not me”

“wanna bet”

Anyway i am sure you see where its going, if companies decide to sell with or without packaging do we think there will be a price difference ? I honestly don’t think there will be, not unless there is a total stoppage of packaging sold with the bottles. There would be some wastage and then the companies will surely still pass on the costs, how would we know there isnt already some cost expected within the pricing ?

Some companies have sold bottles without packaging and from what i could see there was no real price difference from competitors. So the interesting thing is, would you prefer to buy whisky with or without the tubes, boxes, fancy Briefcase style carrying things, ships luggage style cases or even lalique style decanters that cost more than the whisky… Would you prefer a simple plain style bottle, simple design label and no box ? or maybe just a slightly better level ? Does it depend on how much you would save ? if its pence do you still buy ? if its pounds are you happy ?

I know id be unhappy to see the end of packaging, gutted to loose those wooden boxes, the decanter style bottles !

Natural Cask Strength – Ibisco Decanter – Edradour 12 Year Old 2008

Distillery.. Edradour

Region.. Highlands

Age.. 12 years

Abv.. 57.5%

Cask.. Sherry Cask 689

Distilled.. February 2008

Bottled.. April 2020

Nose.. Those expected dried fruits burst into action instantly, dates and raisins along with dark chocolate notes, jaffa cake scents and dusty bookshelf’s. Freshly brewing coffee notes linger with hints of jams and fried pineapple.

Palate.. Bounty bars springs to mind with chocolate covered raisins and Revels ( the coffee and orange ones especially ) Cinnamon and ginger biscuits bring in some balance, whilst glace cherries and marzipan with the faintest struck match note round this off nicely.

Finish.. Spices and fruits all the way

Thoughts.. Its good and that was never in doubt.

What i do want is that wow factor from it but it never comes, its a whisky that has you while its in your glass, it has you while you sip and then it lets your attention slip away and that is unfortunate.. Will i head back to it – Yes i will, and i know i will enjoy it but i wont necessarily be thinking about it before other drams..