Cask 3.357 Home is where the hearth Is
Juicy fruits including mangoes, melons, and pineapples soaked in rum were neatly arranged before being sprinkled with brown sugar, and blowtorched until their corners blackened. Doused with clotted cream, they were then piled on to scotch pancakes and drizzled with maple syrup. In the meantime, duck breasts sizzled in a pan until their skins went crispy. And the sweet smell of almonds emanated from frangipane tarts, topped with raspberry jam and apricot slices. After adding water we flambéed a banana, serving it with coconut cream, key lime pie, and a glass of chilled root beer. And for a delightful finish we dished up ripe papaya, honeydew melon, and smoked duck with redcurrant jelly. After spending 17 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a second fill oloroso hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.
Cask 35.388 Snug and toasty
The bountiful nose brimmed with sticky toffee pudding, forest fruits, red berries sautéed in old armagnac, black pepper and playful things including jammy dodgers, polished oak, vanilla shortbread and cassis. Water invited in aromas of apple blossom, fig rolls, golden raisins, granola and bitter cocoa, with some firmer hints of allspice and chai tea. The palate was initially dominated by resinous exotic hardwoods, sticky dark treacle, pears baked in hoisin sauce and fig chutney. This was proving decadent and outrageously quaffable, we agreed. Reduction brought lighter notes of elderflower wine, strawberry jam on brown toast and battenberg cake, plus raspberry ripple ice cream studded with dried banana chips. This whisky was matured for 27 years in a bourbon hogshead before being transferred to a second fill PX sherry hogshead.
Cask 38.43 Bar-room buzz
An errant overture of cherries, blackberries and red wine-poached pears became intricately woven into a wicked symphony of chocolate caramel, toasted walnuts and raspberry jam on scorched toast. Meanwhile, the charred raisins of a sumptuous fruitcake misbehaved with salted liquorice, plums, and cinnamon swirls. All of these antics were underpinned by fine oaky tannins that elegantly supported notes of tobacco and ginger wrapped in mint leaves. With a touch of water, an enchanting sonata of violets, rose petals and elderflower cider unfolded. Lush fruits then performed with glacé cherries, tropical confections and melon, complemented by a crescendo of sticky toffee pudding and treacle sponge cake. At 29 years of age, we combined selected casks from the same distillery. We then returned the single malt into a variety of different casks to develop further. This is one of those casks.
Cask 76.154 Shore reflections
Juicy baked apples, rolled in demerara sugar, paraded on old leather-bound books alongside ginger biscuits, a raisin-rich fruit loaf, and sticky quince jelly. A glorious wave of deep fruits delivered stewed rhubarb served with plum brandy, calvados, cassis and kirsch wrapped within liqueur chocolates. Adding water beckoned the arrival of thick and creamy custard that oozed over the baked apples, now joined by poached pears, roasted chestnuts and a dollop of plum jam. Finally, like a crescendo of delight, we found a sweet and crumbly cheesecake base layered with clementine sponge, fig rolls and baked ricotta. On top was a sprinkling of lemon zest, cocoa nibs and beeswax honeycomb.
