Whisky : Craigellachie 8 Year SMWS 44.117 “Happiness is a warm bung”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 68.5%

Cask : Refill Ex-Oloroso Sherry Butt (6Y), 2nd Fill Spanish Oak PX Butt (2Y)

Age : 8 Years (Distilled 20 April 2011)

Nose : Nutty and woody.  Roasted pecans, peanut butter, brown sugar, sandalwood, and the weathered oak cabin of a schooner.  More subtle notes joined in with semi-sweet chocolate, wine-like light roasted coffee, and dark rich plums, raisins, prunes, and figs.

Palate : Nutty and dry with loads of depth.  Medium to thick body presented mixed roasted nuts, dried fruits, and bitter dark chocolate.  A few drops of water brought out a complex array of coffee, Turkish delight, and sweet tobacco.  Stewed apples came through with coffee infused dark chocolate, chocolate covered espresso beans, and nougat filled truffles.

Finish :  Long and lingering chocolate and tobacco.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Truffle Shop Mystery Box

Notes : This was an absolute blast of complex sherry flavors which nearly drowned out the meaty-mineral spirit of Craigellachie.  I did not enjoy this one nearly as much as I did a sister cask (44.116 “Pirate ship in a storm”) which was aged entirely in an Oloroso Butt.  I felt as though this one had a less well defined flavor profile and I was not as big a fan of some of the bitter chocolate and coffee notes that came through.  A few drops of water tamed some of the youthful heat and brought out slightly sweeter chocolate notes.

Overall, this dram showed off a ton of sherry and tannic Spanish oak influence; it was rich and thick, though it did not quite have the sweetness that I think most sherry-heads are looking for.  If you love sherry bombs, but tend to think they are too sweet, this might be an interesting bottle to take for a spin.