Whisky : North British 27 Year SMWS G1.18 “Pyjamas for the Soul”

Country/Region : Scotland/Lowland (Single Grain)

ABV : 60%

Cask : Oloroso Butt 26 Years, 2nd Fill PX Butt 1 Year

Age : 27 Years (Distilled 15 Oct. 1991)

Nose : Thick and heavy withs warm notes of brown sugar and maple syrup.  A kiss of salt and milk chocolate join oak and honey.  As the dram opens Black Forest gateaux and a slightly medicinal children’s Tylenol amount of syrupy sweet cherry come through.  Rich buttercream with amaretto and rosewood antiques.

Palate : Thick and syrupy with loads of bright spice.  Bursting with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamon, and earthy red ginger.  Almost wine-like with the heavy cask influence— dry spices, semi-sweet chocolate, coffee liqueur, and a good bit of lip smacking tannic dryness.  Sweet grains come alive on the end with fruity pancake syrup and whipped butter.

Finish : Lingering stone fruits with cinnamon and ginger.

Grade : 5

Mental Image : Confectionary School Project

Something Better : Bunnahabhain 9 Year; LotG (similar semi-sweet chocolate, more coffee/fruit)

Something Similar : North British 30 Year; Dramfool (similar earthy red ginger, more lactic, no sherry)

Notes : If you like sherry, you will like this more than I did.  I love a good creamy subtle single grain whisky and this was anything but subtle.  The creamy sweetness of the grain was nearly drowned, maybe one hand reaching out, by a tidal wave of sherry.  This felt about as quintessentially sherry as you can get with a scotch without just pouring a glass of four parts Oloroso to one part PX and maybe a dash of bourbon.  

The nose on this cleared the sinuses with an intense bouquet of bright sugars while the flavor profile turned toward spices with a mouthwatering dryness.  This was intense and, like the image of a full body set of adult pyjamas, I enjoyed this more as an idea than I did in execution.  Those pyjamas always get a but too warm for comfort and this North British was definitely a bit hot.  This was not the sort of thing I want wrapped around me when I go to sleep— not unless the temperature has dipped below freezing.  

All that said, this was a fascinating blend of different sherry and oak influences and certainly exists in the realm of a sherry bomb, though without any maltiness to balance against it.  I think anyone who thirsts after heavily sherried drams will probably find a lot to enjoy in this one— I know it was pretty popular at our local virtual tasting among those who pine for sherry.