What happens when you put a certain style of whisky from a particularly famous origin into a cask that previously held lip-smacking maple syrup? Delicious things, but also complicated things when it comes to defining the resulting drink. As it turns out, of the cask types permitted for the aforementioned certain style of whisky from a particularly famous origin, maple syrup casks are not included, meaning the spirit must only be defined as whisky. So, what we have here is a 26 year old whisky, which was given a finishing period in a Pedro Ximénez sherry octave cask that previously held maple syrup, released as part of the Defilement range. It's thoroughly marvellous.
Freshly picked pears, buttered apples, ginger and just a pinch of sea salt.
Runny honey and caramel, with savoury notes of cigar box, earthy peat and charred oak developing later on, plus a touch of fresh cantaloupe.
Waves of vanilla and heather, with a hint of smoke building.
The sweetness that the maple syrup cask has imparted offers up some brilliant balancing elements to the mature, smoky notes of the whisky, making for a satisfying expression.
