Single Malt
Scotland
16 May 2007
19 Sept 2018
226
Wine Cask
What happens when peaty whisky meets wine casks? This sort of thing. It's an 11 year old Ballechin (that's the name Edradour uses for its peaty whiskies) that matured in a Bordeaux wine cask from May 2007 to September 2018. 383 cask strength bottles were produced, each one presented in a tiny little crate.
Peanut brittle, hot Ribena, charred oak and a hint of dried earth.
Rather festive, with cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate-coated raisins and roast chestnuts.
Liquorice, peppermint, strong peat smoke and toffee apples.
Gave a dram of this to my (whisky influencer) fiance as a blind taste as he hasn't purchased this brand yet. He likes Edradour (calls it a dirty malt) but so far hasn't purchased its sister brand Yet (other than a 10yr miniature a few yrs ago). So far so good. He knew it was red wine by the colour, but suggested it was double wooded... Also suggested the barrel was deliberately charred a bit..? He has HOWEVER, (after assuming it was a NAS) and I corrected him, generalised that at 11yrs and being 60+ % it must be from a northern or higher altitude distillery as lower levels of angel share (colder) to allow a younger malt to get to cask strength. So far so good. He likes it though. Funny thing is, we lived in Kirkmichael for 5yrs and our 1st proper malt purchased together was an Edradour 13.. Sadly no longer produced. He vaguely suggested Ballechin but associates edradour with dirty malts (which he loves) so dismissed it. He did however, struggle with it not being a Ballechin and did mention it again. Major respect Points to this man! Personally I do think the blend of peat with a red wine cask is the perfect match of savoury and (balanced) sweet and trumps any sherry/port/bourbon partnership ever!!
