For this side by side I've selected 5 Highland drams all at the ABV sweet spot of 46% but with varying maturation, let see what they are like!
| Dram | Teaninich 10yo Hunter Laing Hepburn's Choice | Glencadam 15yo | Balblair 2004 Vintage Sherry matured 13yo |
| Characteristics | 46% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, 804 bottles from a single Refill Butt | 46% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, ex Bourbon casks | 46% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, ex-sherry butts |
| Distillery info | Clean, Sweet, Fruity. | Nose: Salty notes with a balance of sweetness. Delicate, elegant and charming Palate: Juicy cut-grass freshness with a mouth-watering malty signature. Restrained sweetness caressed by soft oak Finish: Medium length. Oak balancing sweeter characteristics with malty reprise | Aroma : This full bodied Vintage is fused with aromas of raisins, leather and spice. Hints of green apple, citrus fruits and dark chocolate can also be detected. Palate : On the palate hints of raisins and spice combine with the sweetness of vanilla, coconut and honey. Finish : The finish is smooth, warm and long-lasting. |
| My thoughts: | |||
| Appearance |  |  |  |
| Very pale almost white wine in the glass, swirls fall as thick slow legs. | Pale gold in the glass, swirls again fall as slow thick legs. | Reddy gold in the glass, swirls fall as slow thin legs. | |
| Nose | Loads of orchard fruit, apples, pears etc but with grass and heather notes. | Sour citrus notes again, icing sugar dryness | Loads of red fruit, strawberries, redcurrant, raspberries with a weird cold tea note. |
| Palate | Similar to the nose but with a sour grapefruit note. There's a little spice. | Sweet, malty, orchard fruit a little citrus. There's no real spice but a gentle warming. The icing sugar dryness form the nose doesn't show on the palate. | Thick chewy arrival, red fruit from the nose and christmas dried fruit notes. A little ginger spice and some oak notes. |
| Finish | Short, sour grapefruit | Long, warming and slightly sour. Nice. | Medium length, sherried fruit, slightly drying - yummy! |
| Dram | Edradour 12yo Caledonia | Tullibardine 12yo 2005 - The Murray |
| Characteristics | 46% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, ex-Oloroso finish | 46% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, Châteauneuf -du-Pape finish |
| Distillery info | Nose: Sultanas and figs balanced with honey Palate: Liquid Christmas cake, toasted almonds and just a hint of orange spice. Just a little water opens up the depth and complexity as the fruitiness and Oloroso sherried wood comes to the fore. The result of traditional, time tested distillation processes rolls over the tongue like syrup Finish: Gently warming, spicy and dry from a time long forgotten | Building upon the Murray’s flavour and aroma, the Murray Châteauneuf -du-Pape is a delightfully light single malt expression matured in first-fill American oak barrels and re-casked in classic wine barriques. This russet coloured whisky has an assortment of spicy and sweet aromas on the nose, and bursts with flavours of soft juicy cherries and mint chocolate on the finish. |
| My thoughts: | ||
| Appearance |  |  |
| Dark gold in the glass, swirls run as slow thin legs. | A rose gold colour in the glass, gravity defying swirls fall as slow thin legs. | |
| Nose | Sherry notes, strawberry jam, a little | Very woody, a little red fruit, a little smoke and drying icing sugar notes. |
| Palate | Slightly watery arrival, again strawberry jam, a little spice and a some oak notes. | Lovely spice kick with a mixed fruit jam note, nothing like the nose. A few sips give a nutty oaky note and more red fruit. Nice. |
| Finish | Short, jammy but uninspiring. | Short, drying, full of red fruit and a little spice, hints of chocolate. |
| Overall | The Teaninich and Glencadam were both fully matured in ex-bourbon, the Balblair and Edradour were finished in ex-sherry and the Tullibardine in ex-red wine casks. Of the two ex-bourbon the Glencadam's 15 years allowed it to pick up some colour, the Teaninich in it's refill hardly picked up any colour in it's 10 years. Both shared orchard fruit notes, a sour citrus note and a little spice from the oak, to be honest the Glencadam comes out top of the two. For the ex-sherry pair there was a remarkable difference, the Balblair offering thick full flavour - the Edradour was sadly watery and weak. They both shared sherry, strawberry jam and christmas spice notes, it's just that the Balblair turned the dial up a few notches. Unfortunately on it's own for this side by side the Tullibardine ex-red wine cask finish was full of flavour and spice with a lovely drying note. Overall I'd put the Balblair at the top of the list followed closely by the Glencadam, and the Tullibardine with the Edradour and Teaninich bringing up the rear. I think 46% ABV is the minimum a whisky should be bottled at, it gives a fuller flavour and a chance to add a drop of water that you just wouldn't do with anything lower. | |
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