85.100 Thunder chops

Description

From the team

Flip back a few pages to Matt’s column to spot the differences between ex-Bodega casks and seasoned sherry casks. While seasoned casks take up the bulk of the trade now and are praised for their consistency, old ex-bodega casks are rich, rare, and provide an insight into old-school production flavours and styles. We’ve finally hit the century with distillery 85, one of our favourites, known for its heavy distillate, worm tubs, with a filling into this ex-PX bodega cask. The lengths our team go to for casks of this quality is second to none.

Tasting Panel notes

A downpour of rich rioja red wine poured over figs, dark chocolate and dried prunes wrapped in serrano ham. Apricot schnapps tumbled over spicy chorizo, while on the palate a lightning bolt of chilli jam electrified pork cheeks braised in Pedro Ximénez sherry. With water added to the mix the nose tingled with orange sherbet. Like walking into an oriental bodega, the distinctive aroma of sangria and sherry mingled with lemon chicken and Chinese five spice. The spices merged with vanilla chocolate cake, filled with a layer of lavender and blackberry jam and served with grilled pork chops. After spending 10 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, this was transferred to a first fill PX barrique for the remainder of its maturation.