Whisky : Glentauchers 7 Year SMWS 63.60 “Archaeopteryx paella”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 66.5%

Cask : 5Y Ex-Oloroso Butt, 2Y 2nd Fill PX Butt

Age : 7 Years (Distilled 20 Sept. 2012)

Nose :  Rich and fruity.  Tons of figs, raisins, apricots, plums, and caramelized balsamic vinegar.  The aroma was sticky with waves of toffee and tootsie rolls.  As the sugars subsided birch, patchouli, and perfume florals emerged.

Palate : Heavy body with bold flavors and a thick syrupy mouthfeel.  Absolutely bursting with coffee, figs, pancake syrup, and fruity tobacco.  Fruity notes of Gummy Bears came alive with dried berries and chocolate covered bananas.  A bit of water brought out cotton candy sugars and shave ice syrups: half blue vanilla and half blue raspberry with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.

Finish : Lingering sugar syrups and candied fruits.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Shave Ice Shack Sugar Rush

Notes : Young heavily sherried Glentauchers is just absolutely wonderful and this bottle did not disappoint.  This was absolutely bursting with rich oloroso and sweet fruity PX sherry notes which the thick maltiness of the spirit carried forward wonderfully.  This was so thick I could just sit there and chew on it and the finish lasted as long as I wanted before I inevitably took another sip.  While the flavors were bold and the abv high, this was incredibly easy to drink straight up.  While I did try it with some water and did enjoy some of the subtle creaminess that came through, it became a bit sweet for my taste.  

Overall, this was a gushing example of a sherry bomb with tons of complexity at a young age.  I do prefer its sister cask, 63.62 “Balsamic Moleskin,” a bit more.  That bottle, fully matured in an Oloros butt, had a bit more depth and did not become quite as sweet.  I loved the name on this bottle and the evocative imagine of an Archaeopteryx paella— though I am not sure it would taste like this.  This was a brilliant young sherry bomb and another great young Glentauchers.