Whisky: Blair Athol 13 Year, SMWS 68.53 “Sweet, sweet memories”

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 59.1%

Cask: Refill Oloroso Butt (11Y), First Fill PX Butt (2Y)

Age: 13 Year (Distilled 30 Jan. 2007)

Nose: Fruit, spice, and coffee. A straightforward one-way ticket to sherry town, the aroma drifted between gentle spice, chicory, and coffee with occasional notes of plum and date. Dark chocolate hovered in the background with hints of goji berries and caramel.

Palate: Medium-bodied and mellow with fruit, spice, and coffee. A wave of dried exotic fruits rolled in with guava, goji berries, and red flesh apples. In its wake, a bright cinnamon spice took hold; cinnamon tea joined with nutmeg and chicory to dominate the palate and slowly transitioned toward cassia bark and a slightly more arboreal range of spice notes. Toward the end were darker notes of coffee, tobacco, and chocolate.

Finish: Lingering bright spice and sweet coffee.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Old Sherry Town Road

Notes: A double sherry matured Blair Athol— I am sure sherry aficionados would score this even higher. The sherry casks dominated the aroma with just hints of funky tropical fruit notes peeking through at times— coffee and chicory brought New Orleans or Vietnamese ice coffee to mind. Though the palate was equally drenched in sherry there was enough complexity to keep the dram interesting as it transitioned from fruit to spice to darker roasty notes at the finish. A good dram takes you on a journey, if only for a little bit, whether it is through a slip and slide of different flavors or vivid memories, and there was a little bit of both on this one.

I enjoy the slightly funky-fruity spirit Blair Athol sometimes produces, though I prefer it in a refill cask rather than with quite such an aggressive finish. However, that first fill cask finish worked on this better than others and imparted lovely sweet fruits to contrast against some of the roasty, almost bitter at times, notes at the end. At a recent local tasting, the sherry fans in the group were mightily pleased with this bottle.