Fresh Fruit & Vanilla

Ripe, sometimes honeyed orchard fruits and creamy vanilla go hand-in hand, usually thanks to American oak casks.

Flavours often found in Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whiskies

These whiskies are juicy, creamy, and sometimes tropical.

Peach

Coconut

Fruit Salad

Crème Brûlée

Pineapple

Cinnamon

Recommended Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whiskies

Where to begin

Aberfeldy 12 Year Old

Single malt whisky

40%

Highland, Scotland

Nose
Creamy. Some sherried fruit with a trailing hint of smoke. Honeyed prunes, custard, and espresso beans.

Palate
Sweet, malty, with gentle peat and a mellow, silky texture. Vanilla fudge, peaches and cream, and subtle toasted oak follow.

Finish
Ginger, malt, nutty nougat, and maybe a little grapefruit zest.

...

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Yellow Spot 12 Year Old

Staff favourite

Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

Single malt whisky

43%

Speyside, Scotland

Nose
The aroma is rich with notes of tropical fruits, namely passion fruit, and creamy toffee.

Palate
Sweet vanilla forms a creamy palate with notes of apples and mangoes with a hint of orange in the background.

Finish
The finish lingers with a vanilla focussed character.

...

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Craigellachie 13 Year Old Bas-Armagnac Cask Finish

Lesser known

Aberlour 9 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) whisky bottle

Aberlour 6 Year Old

Single malt whisky

49.9%

Speyside, Scotland

Nose

Apple slices and vanilla rich barley sugar. A touch of earthy lime leaf.

Palate

Black pepper arrives first, shortly followed by more vanilla and oily walnut notes.

Finish

Apricot jam, cinnamon and a good whack of orange.

...

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Glen Moray 18 Year Old - Elgin Heritage

Other great options

How Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whisky is made

Yeast added to a fermentation vessel, known as a washback

Vanilla and coconut notes are a hallmark of American oak casks, used to age whisky. Often this means ex-bourbon casks, which are widely used to mature other whiskies around the world including most single malt whisky. Although former rum or even wine casks can also produce wonderful Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whiskies.

These flavours wonderfully complement fruity notes initially created during fermentation. Even once the required alcohol has been created (taking about 48 hours), many distillers allow their fermentation to continue for double that time or more in order for a variety of fruity esters (flavour compounds) to develop.

Fruity esters then develop over time during maturation in wood casks, from some of the bright notes you may find in Fragrant & Floral whiskies – think pear drops – to juicier and even cooked notes such as nectarines or tarte tatin.

Find out more about other whisky flavours

Fragrant & Floral

Light and elegant with a grassy character or notes of fresh flowers and citrus blossoms. Pear drops, green apple and other light fruit notes can also lead the way in this group.

Rich Fruit & Nut

Dried fruits lead the way here with raisins and sultanas, sometimes with hazelnut or walnut. Think Christmas cake, cocoa, maybe some marmalade for good measure.

Smoky & Peaty

Many whiskies are distinctly smoky. Ranging from full on bonfire to more subtle wisps, from medicinal or coastal to flavours of wood or heather smoke.

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Fresh Fruit & Vanilla

Flavours often found in Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whiskies

Recommended Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whiskies

Other great options

How Fresh Fruit & Vanilla whisky is made