I love a good Port Charlotte in a sauternes cask, so I had no quibbles in quickly committing to taking a bit of a friend’s bottle.  The bottles that Sansibar, a German bottler, puts out under the Spirits Shop Selection label for Taiwan have very attractive labels and while this one did not have a cat, their are plenty out there with wonderful cat labels.

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Whisky: Port Charlotte 13 Year (2004), Sansibar Cask 1053

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 53.7%

Cask: d’Yquem Wine Cask

Age: 13 Years (Distilled 2004, Bottled 2018)

Notes: Rich barbecue smoke and tar— the aroma drifted between oily smoked fish, pork belly on the grill, and new tires. Ripe pears and orange cream lingered in the background with plenty of earth and a touch of earthy mushroom; the influence of the wine cask was felt round the edges, pushing up a more foraged funk than the pasture and barn typical of the malt, though those elements were not entirely absent. Medium-bodied and somewhat syrupy, the flavor profile was sweet and smokey with an underlying earthiness. Charred oranges and poached pears with creme anglaise and a healthy dose of sun-dried vanilla bean— this was a fine dessert. More earthy mushroom and discarded tractor tires lingered further in with oily smoked fish and a sweet shoyu marinade. The finish was long with barbecue grill ash, vanilla bean, and earth.

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Score: 7-8 (86)

Mental Image: Berenstain Bear’s Salmon Run Barbecue

Conclusion: This was a fine example of how good Port Charlotte can be in its early teens— the spirit was well-integrated and the cask sang through the peaty malt, striking a wonderful balance. The flavors were varied and distinct which lent the malt a clear and well-defined evolution between different elements with each sip. The distillery has had great success with wine casks, especially these high end sauternes casks from early years of its renaissance. The whisky had plenty of characteristic funky, interesting diversions to keep my attention, but also enough wonderful maritime char and barbecue notes that it felt suitable for relaxation and mindless sipping.